1908 Far East Maniac Chapter 165 Generals and Soldiers

The wind whimpered. The grass and trees are sad.

Wudao Bay in the lower reaches of the state is lined with boats. Hundreds of large and small wooden boats were set up along the river. Furthermore. There was also a steamer gunboat cruising back and forth on the river. A few whistles sounded occasionally. It is also full of grief and indignation.

The sails of the civilian ship are lowered. A white cloth hung from the bow of the ship. Although the warship did not stop sailing. But the ship's flag was lowered by half. is facing the river wind hunting.

Whether it's a boatman on a wooden boat. It was the sailors on the gunboats. Without exception, black yarn was tied to the left arm. The expression on his face was solemn and solemn. Mourning came faintly from the shore. There were also cries and shouts that seemed to come out of nowhere.

A funeral is being held on the banks of the Wudaowan River. View from the boat. You can see the crowd full of black and oppressive mountains. Most people wear black veils on their arms. A few are plain. Wear linen and wear filial piety.

Those who are about to be buried in Wuwan are the soldiers and shipwrights who died in the "Qizhou Massacre". Among the nineteen victims. Military name. Fourteen boatmen. Nine of them died on the spot. The others were seriously injured and died one after another.

It was a high-profile funeral. The host is Zhao Zhenhua, the commander-in-chief of the Republican Army, who has made great achievements in war. Those who participated in the funeral were in addition to some high-ranking officers of the Republican Army, and all high-ranking civilian officials of the Ejun Army. Wuhan, Qizhou and other gentlemen, wealthy businessmen and magnates were also invited. Revolutionaries from Henan, Jiangxi, Hunan, and Sichuan also sent representatives one after another. As for the press, more than 100 people came. Chinese and foreign journalists are reluctant to miss the news in this remote corner.

The army died on the battlefield. He was entitled to a military funeral. As for those boatmen. Not a soldier though. There is no military status. But it was up to them to carry out military transport tasks. Because he was also recognized by the Republican Army as a "person who sacrificed his life for the country". Not only can you enjoy the same funeral rites as the fallen soldiers, but you can also receive a pension. It's not a lot of money. But it is enough to show the reverence of the Republican Army for those who sacrificed their lives for the country.

The marching band walked slowly. Lead the team behind. The mournful tune played was heavy and long. This is a song compiled by the Republican Army's current affairs propaganda meeting. It's called "The Return of the Soul". In order to practice the tune well. The military band under the direct supervision of the committee has been practicing for two whole days. To match the heavy tune, the marching band should also slow down - every step up must stay in the air for a moment. And then it slowly fell.

Behind the marching band are the monks and monks, the Taoist gods, and the witches. Representation is the basic belief of the people of this era. They were hired by the Shipwright's Guild. I usually do this kind of work. However, they were obviously unable to adapt to the pace of the marching band, and in order to avoid bumping into the marching band in front of them, several guards were mixed in the team to take charge of the command. As soon as the gong sounds, it stops. Monk knocks on the wooden fish. Taoist priests chanting scriptures. The god Han witch jumps the great god. The various magic weapons in his hand also waved and danced over. It's in an orderly manner.

The procession of monks, followed by the bereaved relatives of those who sacrificed their lives for the country, the families of the shipwrights, all the families of the officers and soldiers who died in the battle, and only a few were found. The officers and soldiers of the Republican Army and the Revolutionary Guards came from different sides, and there was war and chaos. Unable to communicate. It doesn't have to be that they don't have families. So. Most of the people who wore linen and filial piety for the fallen officers and soldiers were their comrades-in-arms. This team is also the saddest team. No one doesn't cry. No one shouts. Some orphans who have lost their parents are even calling their fathers and mothers. It's heartbreaking.

Nineteen pitch-black coffins were in a single column. Followed closely by the remnants in front. Each coffin was carried by two winches. Twenty strong men walked slowly forward with logs. It was the common people who carried the coffin of the boatman. And it was the soldiers of Qing Yi Sè who carried the coffins of the fallen officers and soldiers of the Republican Army. And the rank is not low.

At the forefront, a coffin belonged to a soldier of the Revolutionary Guards. Written on the front of the coffin is a rather vulgar name. This table. This soldier came from the bottom of society. But. The people carrying this coffin are not ordinary people. Almost all of them were the most prominent figures in the E-Provincial Army―――――― among the ten coffin-carrying men in front of them. The commander-in-chief of the Republican Army, Zhao Bei, the Secretary-General of the Republican Army, Zhang Jiyang, and the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Republican Army, Wu Zhenhan, can be seen. The ten people in the back are in the man's house. I saw the figure of the provincial council speaker Li Yuanhong and councilor Rao Hanxiang. Reporters set up their cameras on the hillside. The flash and film faithfully captured the surprising scene. "The General Soldier Carries the Coffin". This news headline is very appealing to readers.

He who followed the nineteen coffins. It is those gentlemen, celebrities, wealthy businessmen and magnates who are invited. Although they could not carry the coffin for the dead. But it can facilitate the funeral. As a matter of fact. This piece of auspicious land for the burial of the deceased was donated by several gentry of the time. Backed by mountains and water. Wide field of view. Whether it's going upstream or downstream. Just pass by by boat. You can see the resting place of the faithful soul on the hillside. Let people always remember these people who gave their lives for the cause of the republic.

Zhao Zhenhua, commander-in-chief of the Republican Army, had just announced it in front of everyone. In the future, Wudaowan will open up a "national cemetery". The door is buried for the martyrs who have been loyal to the country. And. A tall and majestic monument will also stand here. It will become a coordinate. A coordinate to guide the nation forward! When people travel here by boat. The monument could only be seen from a long distance. Compared to it. The mausoleums of those emperors and generals will become worthless.

Nineteen coffins were escorted to the mountainside. Carefully lower the coffin. The commander-in-chief gave an order. Firecrackers crackled.

"The soul is back! The Soul Returns! …… The Soul Returns! The Soul Returns! ……”

People cried and threw paper money. Dancing in the sky for a while. One after another. Like snow.

Although it is indeed chūn day now.

"Buried." Zhao Bei gave an order to the staff officers around him with a solemn expression. "Buried!" The celebrant shouted.

Suddenly. The sound of firecrackers and cries rang out. In the pull. In the midst of heart-rending shouts. Nineteen coffins were lowered slowly into the tomb by ropes. As the first shovel of dirt fell. A soldier on the top of the hill raised his rifle in his hand. "Bang la" pushes the bomb to load.

"Ready. Put! ”

"Boom ――――――"

"Pre-"

"Boom ――――――"

……

row

Three times. Symbolizes the twenty-one cannon salute. This is the honor of the talent of the soldiers-

Shots fell. I only heard a military horn on the top of the mountain.

"All of them! Stand up and respect"

All the soldiers raised their right hands and saluted the mountainside. Those who were not military men also took off their hats. Bow to the mountainside.

Zhao Bei also took off his big-brimmed hat. Surrounded by staff officers, he stood straight. Like those ordinary soldiers. The expression was solemn.

Generals & Soldiers. At this moment they make no difference.

……

The funeral, which was unprecedented in scale, lasted more than two hours. It wasn't officially over until almost noon. Then a simple press conference was held on the banks of the Yangtze River.

The press conference was held in front of a thatched hut that was empty. A platform was built with a stone mill, and a few rows of benches were placed in front of a fishing boat that had been turned over, and this was the venue.

The dilapidated hut belonged to a family of boat people. A family of six and two elderly people. A couple. A pair of children. Ping rents boats for a living. After the Republican Army took charge of Hubei, the young couple was hired by the Republican Army to work as shipwrights on a galleon. Receive a thin salary to subsidize the family. In the "state tragedy". The sailing ship was swept away by a machine gun of the sailors. The young couple were both shot and killed. Leaving behind a pair of children and elderly parents. The pillars of the house fell.

The tragic experience of this family is very remarkable. It's also very revealing, so the venue was chosen here.

Zhao Bei's arm wears a veil. With a blank face, he walked up to the stone mill that served as a podium and glanced at the reporter sitting on the bench. He said in a deep voice, "Everyone. Keep your eyes open. Look at this thatched hut behind me. How shabby. How rudimentary. Not even a door. This house ―――――― if you can call it a house. It belonged to a family of boatmen. The reason why the house is dilapidated. It's not that they don't work hard. It was the result of the brutal oppression of the Manchu court. Fishing donations, boat donations, net donations, house donations. They have been stripped of them completely. It's not easy to survive. Who would dare to live in a spacious and bright tiled house?

We, the revolutionary soldiers, rose up to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and establish a republic. It is precisely in order to make the national life rich and happy, if we are given time. I believe. With the diligence and thrift of the toiling masses of China. It may not be long before the boatman's family can replace the thatched hut with a brick house. You can even build a small courtyard.

As a member of the human race. Boat owners have the same right to happiness as you do. But unfortunately. In this "Qizhou tragedy". Two strong laborers of this family of boatmen were shamelessly murdered by the Rìben army. without any valid reason. One pirate took the precious lives of two Chinese citizens. It also robbed them of hope! Lost the roof pillars. Can this boatman's family yearn for the happy life of their dreams? ”

Speaking of which. Zhao Bei stopped. He gestured to Tian Jinfu, who was standing aside. Tian Jinfu pulled the two children to the side of the stone mill. One is a girl. One is a boy.

Zhao Bei jumped off the stone mill. He picked up the little boy. Reach out and wipe the tears from his face. Asked, "How old are you?" ”

"Five." The little boy whispered with a sob. But the voice was too small for Zhao Bei to hear alone.

"He's only five years old."

Zhao Bei turned his head. Said loudly to the reporters who were in. Then he pointed to the little girl that Tian Jinfu had just picked up. said: "That little girl is the sister of this little boy. Their parents were the shipwreck couple. Maybe. Before that couple took their last breath. What they are most worried about in their hearts may be these little children. Who can understand the regret in their hearts? did not pull these little children into adulthood with their own hands. They won't be blind to death! ”

Zhao Bei said it was too miserable. Several of the Chinese journalists in the room have begun to wipe away tears. Some foreign journalists who understood Chinese also lost no time in setting up their cameras. Here's a close-up of the two orphans.

But Zhao Bei obviously won't stop there. He gestured to Zhang Jiyang, who was standing on the other side. Zhang Jiyang immediately turned around and entered the hut. Helped the two old men to the bottom of the podium.

"Grandpa."

"Ah nǎi."

The two orphans cried out. Reach out to the two elders.

Zhao Bei and Tian Jinfu walked up. Put the two children in the hands of the two old men. Held by them.

"They are the mothers of the victims. It's the year of knowing your fate. The white-haired man sends the black-haired man. The saddest thing in the world is this long period of floating on water. They have been incapacitated. Usually I can only do some light work. Right now. There is no one to support them in their old age! And the cause of all this. It's those rìben pirates! ”

Zhao Bei walked back to the stone mill. Following the speech.

"Gentlemen journalists. Please take a closer look at the gray hair of the two old men. Look at their trembling legs. This is the real life of the people at the bottom of China. There is not a hint of exaggeration. There is not a single bit of falsehood. They stand before you alive. They don't understand what international politics is. I don't understand what a republican constitution is. He only knew one thing: the pillars had fallen. The sky fell! ”

The reporters no longer bothered to look at Commander-in-Chief Zhao. They all turned their eyes to the two old men. Maybe it's because I've never seen anything like this before. The two old men both kept their heads down. hugged his grandson without saying a word. Speechless. One after another muddy old tears fell at his feet. Helplessly broken to pieces.

A young Chinese journalist gets up from a bench. Walked up to the two old men. Silently took out two silver yuan from the long robe. Into an old man. But he didn't say anything. Turn your head away. Wiped his tears and walked back. Then sit back on the bench. Pick up a pencil and write hard in a notebook.

More Chinese journalists stood up. You and I stuffed a piece of silver into the hands of the two old men. The two old men trembled with silver yuan. I don't know what to say. Look at the Commander-in-Chief. But I saw him standing on the stone mill without saying a word. Silently looking at those reporters.

Compassion is one of the human emotions. But what the commander-in-chief is doing now is not for this purpose.

Sympathize. I can't save this family. I can't save the people of this country.