At this time, thousands of families in China heard Yang Shuoming's inaugural speech in front of TV and radio.

“…… We have a vast and profound ancient civilization, and there are various religions of kindness and generosity, although there are different sects, but all of them teach people integrity, honesty, trustworthiness, temperance, gratitude, and benevolence. With these gifts, what more do we need to make us a happy and thriving people? Fellow citizens, we also need one thing, that is, a wise and frugal axe that prevents people from killing each other, and that leaves people free to do their own work and progress, without taking away the fruits of their hard work. This is the essence of a good political axe, and it is necessary for us to attain full happiness. ”

"Fellow citizens, I am about to begin to carry out my duties, which include all that is dear to you. The axe of government under my leadership is to give equal and just treatment to all people, regardless of their status or religious or political beliefs; to live in peace with friendly nations, to trade with each other, and to maintain sincere friendship, but not to be afraid of forming alliances with any nation; Safeguard all the rights of the local government of all provinces and cities, so that the provinces and cities will become the most appropriate administrative bodies to deal with our internal affairs, and the most powerful shield against [***] and trends; Maintain the full vitality of the national political axe in accordance with the Constitution as the last bastion of internal peace and external security; Take care to preserve the suffrage of the people, for there is no peaceful remedy for the evils left over from the war, and the suffrage of the people is a gentle and safe means of redressing those evils; Absolute obedience to the decision of the majority, which is the main principle of the republic, if it is not, it is necessary to resort to force, and this is the main principle and direct origin of [***]; Maintain a disciplined militia as the best recourse in times of peace and in the early stages of war, pending the replacement of the regular army; the implementation of civil power over military power; save political expenses and reduce the burden on working people; to pay our debts truthfully and prudently maintain public confidence; promote agriculture and encourage business to support agriculture; to preach knowledge and condemn all evils on the basis of public reason; Freedom of religion and freedom of the press are guaranteed, and personal liberty is guaranteed by a writ of habeas corpus and a fairly elected jury. In the present time of war, these principles have become the stars that shine before us and guide us forward. The wisdom of our ancestors, the sages, the blood of our heroes, have been dedicated to the realization of these principles. They should be the programme of our political convictions, the textbooks of national education, the touchstones of the work of those we trust; If, at times, we turn our back on these principles because of a momentary mistake or panic, we should quickly turn back and revisit the only road to peace, freedom and security. ”

Accompanied by Yang Shuoming's speech, the magnesium lights in the hands of the reporters flashed non-stop, and more people recorded them quickly in their notebooks.

"Fellow citizens, I now come to the post that you have assigned to me. Based on my experience in lower positions, I have come to see that this is one of the most difficult tasks of all. I do not dare to expect you to give me the highest trust, but I only ask that you give me the appropriate trust so that I can be firm and effective in handling the affairs of all of you in accordance with the law. Because of my biased judgment, I will inevitably make mistakes in the future. When I do it right, people who don't look at the big picture will think it's wrong. If I make a mistake myself, I will never do it intentionally, and I will ask for your tolerance. As for the mistakes of others, the kind of mistakes that I would not make if I looked at the whole picture, I ask for your support in correcting them. My concern for the future is to do my best within my authority and to work for the happiness and freedom of all my fellow citizens. Let everyone share peace and prosperity. ”

Yang Shuoming finished his inaugural speech and returned to the office to start work.

In such a peaceful way, Yang Shuoming ended this crisis that could plunge the country into panic and chaos.

And that night, the written version of his speech appeared on the table of the supreme leader in the villa on the outskirts of Moscow.

"At such a moment, the Chinese are worried that their Mingzhu republican system is threatened." Stalin skimmed it casually and handed the report to Budyonny, who was beside him.

"The Chinese are still as stupid as before!" Budyonny read the report and handed it to Molotov, who was sitting on the side.

"You can't say that." Molotov shook his head and said, "The Chinese political axe would have been thrown into chaos because of this attack, but it only took a day for this man to end this." ”

"So what?" Budyonny said nonchalantly, "The heroic and invincible Red Army is about to attack!" Only destruction awaits them! ”

"I certainly have no doubt about that." Molotov said calmly, "I just think that China has fallen into chaos because of this incident, which would have greatly facilitated the military operations of the Red Army." ”

"We don't need that opportunity." Stalin glanced at Molotov and said, "When the operation 'Great Thunderstorm' begins, it will surely shock the world." ”

"Cheers to Operation Thunderstorm!" Budyonny shouted, raising his glass full of vodka.

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

The Supreme Leader of the Soviets had a habit of working "black and white", Stalin generally woke up late and slept late, he liked to work at night. His fetish affected the normal life of many people: the ministers of the Soviet political axe did not dare to leave the office before two or three o'clock in the evening, because Stalin might call; The ministers dragged the directors, the directors dragged the secretaries, and the secretaries dragged the female typists...... Many husbands can only see their wives on Sundays, because when he is at home, she either works at work or sleeps at home, and the concept of day and night has disappeared in the Soviet Union.

The Supreme Leader of the Soviet Union is accustomed to working late at night, but it is understandable if it is an extraordinary period, and it can be dealt with in a short time, but if it becomes the norm, it is very inappropriate. Because after all, the leader's work and rest time is not a private act, and it does involve a large number of subordinates, so to speak, a normal country will not have such an arrangement, and there is no need for a surname now.

Stalin liked to work at night, like a criminal, and this was in fact a common style of all scholars. He can't sleep, and all the Kremlin's machines, including the human machine, have to rest around this new time. He likes to watch movies at night, so he will call the director to sit in the front, and he will sit in a chair in the back. All the directors who were invited didn't dare to look back, and they didn't know what was going on on the screen, and all their thoughts were focused on the chair behind them, and when there was an unusual noise, they would pee their pants in fright. Although no one gave him a new one because he wet his pants, none of the adults who peed his pants after that were ashamed and relished it. Because peeing your pants in front of leaders and mentors is not something that everyone can do, and it's an honor.

In addition to watching movies, Stalin and his close comrades-in-arms enjoyed all-night drinks. Like many of the "feudal emperors" they have criticized, these Politburo members with "short days and long nights" do not forget to have fun even at the very best of the "Great Purge".

When the wine was hot, somehow, everyone's topic shifted to astronomy.

At this time, Molotov and Kaganovich had an argument over a drink: Molotov believed that above the villa was the constellation Orion, and Kaganovich said that it was the constellation of the Cassio. The two of them were at a standstill.

"Why don't you call the people at the planetarium?"

Stalin, the "leader of the peoples", saw that the two were arguing with red faces, so he suggested.

Soon, the Moscow Planetarium received a call from Stalin's dacha, "Comrade curator, what constellation is now above our dacha?" ”

"This ...... I need a little time to get to know the heavens...... Please wait a minute......"

Unfortunately, the planetariummaster on duty is not a celestial family. The curator who really understands astronomy has already been arrested. There was no way, the curator from the army could only explain that he needed a little time. Specifically, not from the Heavenly Family, but from the remaining Heavenly Family.

Soon, the car drove to the door of a famous celestial house, and the curator planned to invite him to the planetarium to discuss this sacred and solemn subject. But it is still not a coincidence that this Tianjia is a good friend of the Tianjia Numerov, who was arrested not long ago, and he can't sleep all night, just thinking that he will go to jail or be killed at any time. When he heard the sound of an approaching car outside the window, he thought it was time to hit the road. Someone rang the doorbell outside the door, and he went to open the door, but before the door could be opened, he had a heart attack and died at the door of the house.

In fact, under the "Great Purge", he was still lucky, because he finally did not die in Siberia or on the streets.

In desperation, the curator had to drive a car to find the next one. Strange to say, the one they were about to look for was also a good friend of Numerov. Because there is not much left of the real heavenly family at this time, therefore, he is ready to "go to Huangquan together" with his friends at any time. Well, the car is approaching, and it is a black car that specializes in arresting people, and it is at the peak hour of the "Great Purge" - half past two in the middle of the night, so what are you hesitating about?

Could it be that an old man in his 60s is still ready to die after another torture to extract a confession?

Before the doorbell could ring, the celestial man jumped out of the window and pounced on the star of his lifelong love. But the direction is the opposite, not up, but down.

In terms of the attitude of the party members to life, it is very unfashionable.

The hapless planetarium had been tossing and turning all night, and finally figured it out at dawn. Hurry up and call Stalin's dacha: "Please tell Comrade Molotov and Comrade Kaganovich ......"

"There's no one to tell, they've gone to bed long ago." The man on the phone replied.

This small scene shows that in a totalitarian society like the Soviet Union, where life and nature, from life to property, and even time were completely nationalized, man had nothing. The purpose of sleep alone, where is it simply "for work"? Some people are awake so that others can sleep better; But when some people are awake, others can't sleep.

Siberia, "Stalin's Line".

"Do you have a pistol with you? Balshak? ”

At the artillery command post, the brigade commander said to Captain Borshak.

Captain Balshak handed over his pistol, he looked around with some panic,—— suddenly, two counterintelligence officers ran out from among the officers who were standing motionless in the corner with nervous expressions, jumped to his side in three steps and two steps, grabbed his red star cockade, epaulettes, belt, and picture bag with four hands at the same time, and shouted: "You have been arrested!" ”

Captain Balshak looked as if a basin of ice water had been poured from the top of his head to the soles of his feet, and could not find a smarter word other than to say, "Me? For what?! ”

Although this question is usually unanswered, strangely enough, he did.

The counterintelligence agents ended the search for him and, together with Tu Nang, took the notebook that recorded his political thoughts. Seeing him still standing there with an innocent face made them feel very uncomfortable, so they hurriedly pushed him to the door. At this moment, a decisive voice suddenly came to me - yes! Passing through the floodgates that fell heavily between him and those left behind with a "You are arrested", through this plague belt through which no sound dared to pass - came the uncanny words of the brigade commander!

"Bauersak. Come back. ”

Bauersak made a sharp turn and broke free from the counterintelligence officer's grasp and turned back to walk towards the brigade commander.

In fact, he knew very little about the brigade commander, who had never lowered his status and had an ordinary conversation with him. The brigade commander's face has always been an image of orders, orders, anger for him. Now it was clear from its contemplation – ashamed of its own involuntary involvement in dirty business? Is it a sudden urge to break a lifelong pathetic subordination? Ten days ago he had brought his reconnaissance battery out of a blizzard almost intact, and now he had to draw a line with everyone in front of a piece of paper.

He asked with a powerful word, "You...... Have a friend in the 1st Ukrainian Front? ”

"No! …… You don't have the right! —the captain and major of the counterintelligence agency shouted at the colonel. The staff officers of the retinue standing in the corner huddled in horror, as if afraid to share the responsibility for the unheard-of rashness of the brigade commander (and the political staff was already ready to provide the brigade commander's materials). But this was enough for Captain Balshak. He immediately understood that he had been arrested for correlating with one of his secondary school classmates, and understood from which lines he should have anticipated the danger of his surname.

Although, the brigade commander could have stopped there, but he didn't. He rose from behind his desk (he had never stood up to Balshak before), stretched out his hand through the plague belt to him, and under the terrifying gaze of the silent retinue, the brigade commander took his hand, his usually stern face showed warmth, and said fearlessly, word for word: "Good luck to you—Captain!" ”

Balshak knew that he was no longer a captain, but an enemy of the people who had been exposed (because with us, anyone who was arrested would have been completely exposed from the moment of arrest). So, he's blessing the enemy? …… On the night of escorting Captain Balshak, the counterintelligence officers were completely desperate to follow the map to find the direction (they had never looked at the map), so they politely handed it to Balshak and asked him to explain to the driver how to get to the counterintelligence agency of the army. So he took himself and them to this prison. As a token of gratitude, they put him in a confinement cell instead of immediately.

The confinement chamber was only the height of one person, and three people felt cramped when lying down, and four people were next to each other. Balshak happens to be the fourth. It was already after midnight when they pushed him in. The three lying men frowned at him from their sleep in the kerosene lamp and moved a little away. In this way, on the broken grass laid on the ground there were eight boots and four military coats facing the door. They fell asleep, and Balshak felt like a fire burning in his heart. His captain, who had been confident a long time ago, was now being crowded under this hut. As soon as he thought of this, he felt more and more uncomfortable. Once or twice, the lads woke up from numbness in their lumbs, so they rolled over at the same time.

In the morning, when they awoke, yawned, stretched, gathered their legs, and curled up in all corners, they began to get to know each other.

"What are you for?"

Under the poisonous roof of the "smersh" (counterintelligence agency), the turbidity of the anti-human three-point gas had already contaminated Balshak, so I bluntly pretended to be surprised: "I don't know anything about it. Will those bad guys tell you? ”

However, his fellow prisoners, the tankmen in black floppy helmets, did not hide it. These were three honest hearts, three soldiers' hearts—the kind of people he was deeply fond of during the war years. All three of them were officers. Their epaulettes were also viciously torn off, and in some places there were thread marks. On the soiled uniforms, the light spots are traces of unscrewed medals, and the crimson scars on the face and hands are memorials of bullet wounds and burns. Their battalion was unlucky enough to move to the village where the "smersh", the counterintelligence agency of the 48th Army, was stationed. They were soaked from the battle the day before, and yesterday they had drunk wine and broke into the bathhouse from the back of the village, where they found that two wind-scratching girls had gone to bathe. They were drunk and their legs did not obey, so the girls had time to put on a little clothes and ran away. But one of them was not an ordinary woman, but the wife of the head of the counterintelligence agency of the group army.

(To be continued)