The slanting sun sinks in the west, reflecting the sunset on the horizon red, and Jiujiang City is still lively.

In the crowded streets, some soldiers were carrying large baskets, beating gongs and shouting.

"Republic steamed buns! Republic steamed buns! One braid for five big steamed buns! ”

People looked at it curiously, and saw that the big basket was full of big steamed buns, all of which were bigger than bowls, and unlike ordinary big steamed buns, these steamed buns also had words written on them, "Iron and Blood Republic". At that moment, several beggars immediately wrenched their braids, and stepped forward with braids to change five big steamed buns.

Soon, there was such a team of people selling along the street in the whole Jiujiang City, and the shouts of "steamed buns for braids" came and went, making the city more lively, and baskets of steamed buns were distributed, in exchange for one braid after another, and after the braids filled the basket, the bento street was piled up, poured with foreign oil, and burned down, and half of the city was filled with the smell of burnt braids.

The crowd of onlookers erupted in cheers, and one after another braids were consciously thrown into the fire and burned to ashes, and a few conservative people only dared to shake their heads and sigh at the raging flames, and did not dare to openly confront, because this was the action of the revolutionary army, and whoever dared to resist was a Manchu lackey, and it was unequivocal to raid their homes and kill their heads. Fortunately, the revolutionary army did not forcibly order the braids to be cut, otherwise, some gentry in the city might have to consider going out of the city to escape.

"Ouch! My braids! What about my braids? Who stole my braids? ”

"You! Cut my braids to change steamed buns? Begging for a beating, isn't it? …… Come on, call me! ”

……

Some people who were reluctant to exchange their braids for steamed buns soon found that their braids had become the target of some hungry people, so after a period of confusion, the men who still insisted on wearing braids rushed to the streets, and the number of people without braids on the street suddenly appeared.

Among these people who did not have braids, the two youths stood out in particular, because not only did they not have braids, but they also wore very chic clothes, which were said to be called student clothes, which were a type of dress, and were worn exclusively for students in the new school. One of the two "students" was in his twenties and wore a school hat, and the other was younger and did not wear a school hat, and their faces were curious, with a smile on their lips, and they looked at the pigtailed men running around the street with satisfaction.

"Hey! Students, go to join the army? Let's start with our revolutionary booklet. A strong man wearing an armband of the "Iron and Blood Republic" walked up to the two young men, took out a few pamphlets from his basket, and handed them to them.

The two young men took the pamphlets, looked at them, looked at each other and smiled, and one of them said to the strong man: "We have read these pamphlets abroad, and the "Revolutionary Army", "Warning Bell", "Fierce Return" here, as well as "The Complete Biography of Hong Xiu" and "The Theory of Heavenly Evolution" that you don't have, many of these revolutionary textbooks are written by international students, and we both can memorize them. ”

The strong man glared at the two of them with a look of disbelief, snatched the pamphlets back, put them in the basket, and said, "Since you can memorize them, I don't need to give them to you." ”

Seeing that the strong man turned around and wanted to leave, a young man hurriedly asked: "This old watch, seeing how you are dressed, is it a Revolutionary Guard?" How is the command of the Republican Army going? ”

The strong man raised his finger and said, "Follow the side of the street, turn right at the fork in the road, then two more streets, then turn left, and you will reach the headquarters." ”

The two young men thanked them and walked forward together, chatting as they went.

"If you want me to say, the revolutionary party in Jiujiang is not resolute enough! Changed me, directly ordered to cut the braids, and whoever didn't cut it cut off his head! When the full people entered the customs, they could shout 'keep their hair without their heads, keep their heads without their hair', why can't we shout 'keep their braids without their heads, and keep their heads without braids'? Said the young man wearing a school hat.

Another young man smiled and said, "Yaoqing, you are too radical. This common man has been wearing braids for more than 200 years, so how can anyone be willing to cut them so easily? If you do this, you are afraid of provoking a civil uprising. ”

"Revolution, revolution is radical! Without radicalism, it cannot be called a revolution. The young man in the school hat retorted. In my opinion, the people of this Liberation Society are still inferior in revolutionary nature to our Communists, and even inferior to the Alliance. ”

"You're so quick to separate the Communists from the Alliance? Don't forget, we're also the leaders of the Alliance. ”

"The League will be undisciplined and unexpected. If we want a revolution, we still have to rely on us radicals, otherwise, why would we come out and set up another door? If the Alliance can be as strong as a rock, how can the Liberation Society steal the limelight? Last year, the Liberation Society broke away from the Alliance, wasn't it because of this reason? The people of the League have a loud voice, a high vision, a large number of factions, three religions and nine streams, and it is okay to engage in parliamentary politics, but to ask them to lead the revolution is to achieve more than enough success. Besides, the slogan of 'equal land rights' of the League was shouted at an inopportune time, which was not conducive to the unity of the gentry. ”

"But if you can unite the party, which poor man in the township doesn't want to own a few acres of good land? I've always felt that it was a bit inappropriate for us to change that slogan to 'average human rights'. You're not radical at all. ”

"What's wrong? When to shout what slogans. It is a national revolution, and it is not yet time for a social revolution. ”

The two walked while talking, inquiring about people all the way, and soon walked to the Daotai Yamen, and looked up, there was a sign with black letters on a white background in front of the yamen: General Headquarters of the Republican Army of the Revolutionary Military Government of the Chinese Liberation Army.

The guards stopped the two and examined them, but finally did not detain them for the sake of their short hair, but they were not allowed to stay at the entrance of the headquarters.

When the stalemate was in place, someone shouted: "The commander-in-chief has arrived!" Salute! ”

The guards hurried the two to the side of the road, stood in front of them and saluted with guns.

Surrounded by guards, Zhao Bei rode to the front of the headquarters, and before he got off his horse, he heard someone shouting beside him: "Commander-in-chief, we are revolutionary comrades of the League, we have something to tell you!" ”

Zhao Bei turned his head and saw two young men in student uniforms, so he jumped off the horse and glanced at Tian Jinfu who was following him, and the two guards walked over and searched the two young men and brought them to him.

"You're from the Alliance?" Zhao Bei glanced at the two of them a few times, and felt that one of them was a little familiar, as if he had seen it in historical photos before, but there were too many people in the rivers and lakes under the banner of the Alliance in recent years, and these two people may not really be members of the Alliance. After the republican army recovered Jiujiang, many students from new-style schools joined the army one after another, and some of them claimed to be members of the League, as for whether it was true or false, it was really difficult to judge, but as long as it was an intellectual youth, Zhao Bei did not refuse to come, and the gun and pen were indispensable forces for the revolution.

"Contemptible Sun Wu, the word Yaoqing, the number Mengfei." The young man wearing a student hat introduced himself, then pointed to the companion next to him and said, "His name is Peng Hanyi, and the words are first." We are all cadres of the League. ”

"Sun Wu? You said your name is Sun Wu? Zhao Bei was slightly stunned, this person was one of the famous "Three Martial Arts" during the Xinhai Revolution, no wonder he looked familiar.