First, in Shashi

In Shashi, we have a propaganda station, which is presided over by Liu Mingfan.

After arriving in Shashi on the afternoon of the 28th, we went to look for Ming Fan, but unintentionally ran into Naichao. Nai Chao drove a truck from Changsha to pick us up early in the morning of the 26th, and he arrived there a day earlier.

According to Ming Fan's report, we know that Zhou Gong and many other dignitaries arrived in Shashi on the 25th, stayed overnight, and then crossed the river and headed south. Nai Chao and Zhou Gong happened to miss it on the way. On the night of the 26th, Nai Chao arrived in Li County, and Zhou Gong also arrived in Li County, but Zhou Gong and Bai Chongxi were entertained by the county ** and stayed in the county office, while Nai Chao slept in the car, so they lost their arms. Needless to say, I learned about this later. Nai Chao said: When he arrived in Li County, the county seat was under martial law, and he knew that there were any important people coming, so he did not go into the city at all.

It's a pleasure to say goodbye to Naichao. Although it was only a few days apart, they all came through a line of life and death, as if the two were reunited.

Although each other is safe, it can be said that it is somewhat out of luck.

Nai Chao said that a group of them withdrew to Changsha was almost bombed on the way. After leaving Hankou on the 21st, he arrived at Xindi at 11 a.m. on the 23rd. The public security bureau there held a party for them. It was at this meeting that their boat moved. At the place where the ship was docked, a ship from another agency went to berth, but it was blown up and sunk. Less than half an hour apart. This can only be said to be accidental luck. But they were okay and didn't encounter any danger in the future. At 3 p.m. on the 24th, he arrived in Xiangyin. Arrived in Changsha at 3 p.m. on the 25th. Early in the morning of the 26th, Nachao came to pick us up by truck.

- I can't get any news from you, and everyone is very worried. It is still Nai Chao who is saying: There are many rumors, and there is no way to know the situation in Shashi. Some people even say that Vice Minister Zhou is still working underground in Wuhan, and I am afraid that you will not be able to get out of the siege. When he came, he originally wanted to bring the fifth team of the anti-drama team with him, but Hong Shen thought that he still needed to train, so he stopped.

The turmoil in Shashi looks even more powerful than in Wuhan. The order is disorderly, the market has not been cleaned for several days, and the shops are mostly only half-open. But according to Ming Fan: the center of the storm has slipped past. In the days of the 25th, 26th, and 27th, the cars were rolling and the sky was collapsing, and the entire sand market was so noisy that there was only sand but no market.

In the evening, the city chamber of commerce entertained us for a very early dinner and set up a room for us on the upper floor of a bank. Most of the important people in charge are gone, and only a few less important people remain. What they are most concerned about is whether the Japanese will come. This is something that only the Japanese themselves can answer, because they can come whenever they are happy.

After the meal, it was not yet dark, and I went out into the street by myself. Seeing that there were two or three shops that looked like a thrash store and an antique store and didn't close their doors sparked one of my own ambitions. - In such a time of chaos, in such a port that is not considered a first-class Tongdu Dayi, maybe there will be something precious buried waiting for me to excavate? If there is an ancient artifact of Yin and Zhou, then it is the New World!

I went in and looked at it, and I looked at it carefully. Unfortunately, most of them are just some wasted goods. But in one of them, there were a few brick inkstones, and some of them even had year names. But how can something so bulky be carried? As a commemoration of my visit to Shashi, I spent one dollar to buy a Han mirror and another dollar to buy a pair of small bronze flower bowls. This pair of bronze flower bowls is about three to five hundred years ago, each with a dragon and a sun, and the bottom is cast with the word "internal use". Shouldn't it be the supplies of the Ming Room, they were thrown here by Li Zicheng when he was running south, right? Whatever! Just one dollar, buy it as a hardware material, and you won't lose money.

Second, the tragic situation

In the early morning of the 29th, I went to the propaganda station to gather with Nai Chao and set off for Changsha.

It was still early in the morning, so I was walking on the streets of the neighborhood (I lost the name of the street). I noticed that there were soldiers standing guard at the entrance of a courtyard near two shops on the side of the propaganda station, and from that door, it seemed as if a large group of beggars lived. This astonished me, and I simply paced into the courtyard.

I was wearing a military uniform that day, and I was wearing a badge, which was an attempt to bluff people on the road and save some trouble. The effect was evident, and as soon as I paced into the courtyard, the guards saluted me without hindrance.

The large group of people who are suspected of being beggars are not actually beggars, but a group of strong men who are worse than beggars. What a tragic sight! The strong men wore a sanitary gown on each of them, needless to say in the summer. The original white has become like earth. Large frames and small holes, with a piece of placket, and even one sleeve of some is shortened. Most of them don't wear pants. Hair and beard have not been shaved for at least three months. Everyone was shivering with cold. The skin around the body has some irregular marks in the blue and purple textures of the earth. Some people don't seem to even be able to stand firmly. Some squeezed and slept in a bunch. Some sat in a huddle. There are also a very small number of stubborn people who are still moving. There is a slight sparse straw on the ground.

These are the "strong men"! These are our compatriots who are ready to "fight and defend the society"! What kind of treatment is this? I was stunned.

When the strong men saw me enter, they were naturally stunned. But those who fell asleep slept, and those who sat and did not move. Walking and moving, it didn't stop. Everyone's eyes are filled with a kind of cold flame that is unique to a state of hunger. No one made a sound. Where are you from? How long have you been here? How many meals a day? Who's in charge? …… I asked them this, but no one answered. I was terrified. The cold flame in everyone's eyes seemed to be ready to explode at any time. I shuddered.

Exited, and asked me again as I stood guard, and he only replied in a hesitant manner. But I figured this out: those are all strong men sent out by Sichuan, waiting for some district to form a formation.

When I returned to the propaganda station, I talked about this situation to Nai Chao and Ming Fan, and asked Ming Fan to investigate it and try to interfere.

Ming Fan said: It has been a month since those people were sent out of Sichuan. I had already reminded the person in charge, but they deduced that there was no funding, and that the funds were eaten by people in Sichuan. You have to enlist in the army to have a way.

Nachao went on to say: This is not uncommon. In February, I saw the Zhuang Ding sent to Wuhan from Guangxi, and it was not exactly the same as this? In that winter, I only wore a torn sanitary suit, and most of them did not have pants. At that time, we mobilized some people's groups and gave away winter clothes to partially remedy the situation. But that, of course, won't help. The whole institution is corrupted.

It's really sad to say, just like that, we are said to be mobilizing, we are fighting the war, and we are saying every day that "the final victory must be mine"! I dare to guarantee that the compatriots who have been so ruined during the eight years of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression will at least 100 times more than those who died in battle or were slaughtered by the Japanese invaders.

Even if a few of such strong men remain and form a team, will their combat effectiveness still be strong? Why Chen Cheng, Liu Zhi, Hu Zongnan, Tang Enbo, Gu Zhutong, Luo Zhuoying and others had to race as soon as they entered the battle, and why their teams broke like eggs? He Yingqin, chief of staff and minister of military affairs, is indeed a first-class meritorious worker! The Supreme Commander is indeed a "military genius"! And the War of Resistance was openly supported for eight years. Isn't this a miracle?

No! If there is a miracle, it would be a joke. Let's be honest, it's not surprising at all. That is the Chinese people, and there is another steel-like team playing a serious role in resisting and implicating. That is the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army, which have always been developing behind enemy lines.

Anyone who doesn't know what it was like back then can think about what it is today.

What is the situation today?

The barrier was removed, and the egg hit the steel. It is time for the people to take revenge.

3. Make people haggard

It took two days to get from Shashi to Changsha, but the situation along the way was already very vague.

On the way, I passed through some mountain roads, and naturally there were some autumn scenes, such as frost forests and red leaves, but I didn't leave a deep impression, and I didn't feel any particularly beautiful scenery. Li Shui and Yuan Shui have been crossed, and the so-called "Li has Zhi Xi Yuan You Lan" kind of fragrant charm, but there is no smell at all.

We also stayed in Li County the night before, in a chicken thatched shop outside the city. Place is dark and there is no electric light. Although it is a county seat, it is not far from the countryside. An old wooden basin for washing the face, also used to wash the feet, the basin foot is very high. This is a very obvious memory that remains in my mind.

At noon the next day, we played in Changde. The place is very cheerful, and it has been frequented by enemy planes. There is a prisoner shelter here, and Lu Diqian and Liao Tiren have come to investigate. I also had an idea with Naichao and wanted to go and see, but in order to rush to Changsha, I had to give up. While everyone was still resting, I also ran a few streets around the city, trying to buy some small souvenirs, such as toys, as a souvenir. However, toys and other things are all foreign, and they are all shoddy Oriental goods. I sighed at the utter beauty of this comprador civilization. In the end, I had to buy a small silver lychee in a silver building. It's another memory that stays in my head.

When passing Yiyang, crossed the Zishui, there is a grand Bailu Temple on a section of high ground, and the county seat is confronted across the river. The surrounding pines and cypresses stand tall and occupy the situation. The highway passes underneath and is a station entrance. Our truck also stopped for a good break. This White Deer Temple is said to be the place where Li Zicheng fled to become a monk after his defeat, and it is certainly worth visiting. Unfortunately, I didn't believe in this legend at all, so I mentally retorted and didn't even visit the temple gate.

After Li Zicheng's defeat, he finally walked to Jiugong Mountain in Tongshan County, with only a few retinues, broke away from the team, and was killed by the local landlord forces. Didn't go through here at all. There were still many peasant teams left behind, led by his Gao wife and nephew Li Guo, who joined the Southern Ming Dynasty, and belonged to He Tengjiao's moderation and resisted the Qing Dynasty to the end. Where would Li Ziben fall behind halfway and come to be a monk? Some people think that this is the scholar's nostalgia for Li Zicheng, the memory of the hero, and the can't bear to say that he was killed, so he pretended to be a monk and gave him a good death. In this way, it seems that there is still a good intention of a conscientious reader. But in fact, it was a boring scholar who had been educated as a slave, and he slandered Li Zicheng in an attempt to extinguish the rebels' dissenting aspirations in order to directly or indirectly be loyal to this dynasty.

It was late on the evening of the 30th and arrived in Changsha. It falls on a street not far from the land and water continent and perpendicular to it. I forgot the name of the street (it seems to be Xihu Road), but I still remember the name of the yard, it is "Tao Garden". Lu Di and his wife, Yin Boxiu, Luo Jiyu, and Zhu Jiefu all live here. And Liqun dwelt with them.

When everyone saw us arrive, they were naturally overjoyed. Especially Liqun, she hurriedly took care of people to inform Zhou Gong. She said: Zhou Gong also sent someone to inquire about the news just now, and he was very concerned. He is very remorseful, and he should not have let you go on the boat. ……

The ship was unexpectedly delayed, the news was cut off, and the longer the days passed, the more anxious everyone became, thinking that we were unlucky and unlucky, and we were bombed on the ship. How far apart is the subjective suspense from the objective enjoyment!

yes, after only ten days of absence, I saw that Liqun was much more emaciated.

Fourth, Changsha various

After the evacuation of Wuhan, Changsha temporarily became a place where the military and government gathered. At the turn of October and November, the "supreme" and the heads of the various departments of the Military Council were concentrated there, and Chen Cheng's Ninth Theater Command was also moved outside the east gate of the city. From 1 to 3 November, a high-level military meeting was held for several days to review the course of the operation, which was a preparatory meeting for the Nanyue meeting. However, after this meeting, the focus of military and political affairs was temporarily shifted to Hengshan.

The two groups of people who retreated from Wuhan before and after the Third Hall were stationed here at the Changsha Normal School in Shuifengjing. The school was behind the Department of Education and the People's Education Center, and the students had already been evacuated to other counties.

The previous group was led by Fan Yang and Fan Shoukang, who arrived earlier. They have been stranded for a month. But what kind of work did this group of friends do in Changsha, I am very estranged. Unfortunately, I can't find any memories to write about. But I'm sure they won't have much work to do. The first is that it's not an environment where you can work. Under Zhang Zhizhong, the provincial chairman, Pan Gongzhan is the secretary general. Those party lords and officials have always blocked the people, they have their own set of rules, and you are not allowed to ask outsiders. And our second fan is a transitist who holds on to the peace of mind, and they will not fight for work to do it. With such a good relationship between the inside and outside, it may be said that not having a job is just an achievement.

After the arrival of the second batch, it was time for the evacuation work to be nerve-wracking. All organs are in a hurry to evacuate, and the provincial departments have been evacuated to Yuanling. Those who retreated from Wuhan retreated further south, and our three departments had no choice but to make preparations. At this time, Fan Yang, our deputy director, made a small "moral policy", which left me with a very unpleasant memory.

In December, I couldn't remember what kind of meeting I was going to hold in Chongqing, so the ministry sent Fan Yang to attend. He took care of the adjutant of the third department to prepare a truck for him. I disagree with that. Originally, there were only two vehicles in the third hall, which were issued by the ministry. Shortly before the evacuation of Wuhan, I took the advice of my friends and bought two trucks for the Field Cultural Service to transport propaganda materials. Needless to say, it was used as an important evacuation tool during exile. In such a situation, with so many people and public property, we only rely on these two trucks and two cars, but Fan Yang wants to transfer a truck to Chongqing, which is intolerable. I promised to send him a car, there are petrol stations along the way to fill up gas, and of course it will be more comfortable to take a long walk in a car. After giving this order, I went to Hengshan with Zhou Gong. Unexpectedly, when he came back after three days, Fan Yang forced the adjutant's office to drive a truck away. It is said that he also has a dozen friends, dozens of luggage, and a small car that cannot fit it. My stomach is blowing up. I reprimanded an adjutant surnamed Ge from Wuhan University, and he actually shed tears.

Of course, he can't be blamed for the incident, he was just persecuted, and he didn't expect that letting go of a car would be so serious. Therefore, I understand that the tears he shed are not an expression of his own remorse, but a protest against me. The tears meant that I was too irritable, maybe it was because I had any opinions about Fan Yang, and I was making a fortune.

Yes, I'm a bit of a grumpy temperament. Sometimes I can't control my temper when I start it. But why should I be so irritable for the sake of a car, Adjutant Ge himself will understand it in a few days.

5. A comical episode

I went to Hengshan with Zhou Gong, and I remember that it was on the evening of the 7th. That night, Tang Shengzhi had a treat, and he ate a very particular Hunan dish in a big mansion outside the city, and also ate spicy Liuyang tempeh. We got on the bus in the garden of the mansion and set off.

Speaking of this banquet, it was a funny episode of the wrong one, which is quite hilarious to recall.

At that time, there was a lady who sang the Jingyun drum, and I can't remember the name clearly. - The cause of the burlesque is due to the misunderstanding of the name, and I just forgot it, and the memory is really bad. When she arrived in Changsha, we mobilized her to sing a new drum book about the Anti-Japanese War at the YMCA overnight.

Two days later, on the evening of the 5th, Liu Fei, director of the First Department of the Military Command Department, met with me in the apartment of General Counsel Z. He told me that he had seen the newspaper and saw the name of Ms. So-and-so, whom he knew, and who was originally a dancer in Shanghai. But I don't know when the drum will be sung?

I was a little surprised, judging from the face and attitude of the Jingyun drum lady, she couldn't associate it with the Shanghai dancer.

- You're afraid of getting the wrong person, right? She's not like a dancer! I say this solemnly.

- No, not bad at all, the name is exactly like that, I remember it clearly.

So Liu Weizhang's request came. - Would you like to bring her over and let's have a dance party?

Liu Weizhang is a native of Hunan and belongs to the Gui family, and it is said that he is one of the most important tactical experts in Nanjing. He and I met during the Northern Expedition, and they liked to dance very much, and formed a dance group with He Yingqin and He Yaozu. During the Wuhan era, they danced at least once a week. Sometimes it was "taking the international route", which was held in the mansions of Soviet advisers. Sometimes, a Cantonese mansion surnamed Guo near the Jianghai Customs Wharf was pretended to invite some celebrities and ladies to participate. They also invited me to "visit" (I can't dance), but the main purpose was to invite Liqun to dance, which I naturally understood. ）

Wuhan was withdrawn, the generals fled to Changsha, and the dance party fled to Changsha.

- Is it good, Liu Weizhang stubbornly said: Invite her to dance? I can go and launch Meng Xiao (Tang Shengzhi's number) and let him have a treat. His chef is a famous Hunan chef. We'll take the opportunity to feast on him, too.

Anyway, I'm a sightseer, and I have a full stomach for famous chefs from Hunan, so why not? It's just that I explained to him: I don't have much time, and on the evening of the 7th, I will go to Hengshan with Vice Minister Zhou.

- Well, Liu Weizhang said as if he was the master: Let's set it for the night of the seventh. I was also going to Hengshan on the evening of the 7th, and we even invited Vice Minister Zhou together. The cars we took care of everyone gathered at the Tang Mansion, had a meal, danced for a while, and then set off together. All right?

That's how it was decided. So on the night of the 7th, Tang Mengxiao really feasted his guests. There are Zhou Gong, I and Liqun, Chief of Staff He Yingqin, Director of the General Office of the Military Commission He Yaozu, and naturally Liu Weizhang. There are also two local dignitaries, sorry, I can't remember the names and surnames.

Tang Mengxiao often met during the Northern Expedition, but it was the first time since the launch of the Anti-Japanese War. Ten years have passed, and it is inevitable that there will be some reminiscence. He has a bit of an extraneous demeanor, and he is very free and easy when he entertains friends.

In the end, Liu Weizhang sent a car to pick up the lady who sang the Beijing rhyme drum. Nothing is right at all! The lady in her forties, who was quite shabby, except for Liqun and me, didn't know anything about the people in the room, and she panicked! But I had to entertain myself as a guest.

Liu Weizhang was so embarrassed that he pulled me aside and said: No, I got the wrong person.

- I told you that I was afraid that you had mistaken someone!

- Forget it! We can also ask her to sing a big drum, big drum. ……

I'm so funny in my stomach. But thanks to this mistake, the Hunan celebrity chef that night was really good. Especially the Liuyang tempeh. Because Liqun said: That's really delicious. Tang Mengxiao immediately ordered someone to send us two cans.

Sixth, chaotic as numb

Leaving from the Tang Mansion to Hengshan, Zhou Gong asked me to share the car with him. In order to have a good conversation, Liu Weizhang also let his car and truck hang behind and get into Zhou Gong's car. It was a very clear moonlit night. But not far from Changsha, on a dark mountain road, a truck ran on the opposite side like a mad bull. This side hurriedly avoided it, and even the front of the car gave way to the road, but it was finally bumped into. Fortunately, I only broke the door handle. If you make a slight mistake before and after, if you don't hurt the driver in front, you will hurt Zhou Gong in the back.

The Bull Truck tried to escape, but it was besieged. There were Liu Fei's cars and trucks blocking behind, and another truck chased in front, which turned out to be injured by a mad bull and rushed to investigate. The mad bull just touched the car in front of him, ran away in a panic irresponsibly, and ran into us again. In less than five minutes, it ran into trouble twice. But things like that are common. It was the car of the logistics department, and the logistics department drove more emergency trainees, who often got into trouble on the highway.

Zhou Gong's car was pulled back to Changsha for repairs, and we naturally took Liu Weizhang's car instead.

What is the purpose of going to Hengshan? I am here to discuss with Chen Cheng the personnel deployment of the three departments in the future. Zhou Gong has a more important mission, I don't remember clearly.

According to the original plan, after the retreat from Wuhan, Hengshan was to set up a base camp, and the military authorities remained at the front to direct the operation. As a result, all the organs of the military councils had to be reorganized: a small number of people were left in the base camp, and the majority were transferred to Chongqing. Naturally, the three halls can't help but make such preparations.

The next day, in a scenic area at the half-foot of Hengshan Mountain, I met Chen Cheng in a small bungalow facing the valley. The ancients said that "there are many famous mountain monks in the world", but I had a new inspiration at that time, which was "there are many famous mountains in the world". Maybe he's also the "highest" light. It is really a famous mountain, as if as long as it is a scenic area, there will always be Chen Cheng's share.

However, the plan has changed. According to Chen Cheng, the base camp will no longer be set up, and the Military Commission will still be retained, and there may be two battalions, the southwest and the northwest. The southwest camp is set up in Guilin, the northwest camp is set up in Lanzhou, and the Military Commission is still stationed in Chongqing. The three halls are also scored into three parts. The downsizing organization that remained in the headquarters was abolished and reduced to four departments, and only four of the original three departments and nine departments could be preserved. He told me to follow these steps and change the organization, but all personnel issues would be discussed after I was evacuated to Guilin.

Needless to say, this is another nerve-wracking change. But we had to prepare according to the order, and there was no prevarication. As long as you are willing to seriously resist the war, this kind of streamlining the government and going hand in hand seems to be more reasonable.

Returning to Changsha on the 9th, Hu Yuzhi, who had long been in the mood for resignation, took advantage of the news of the reorganization and left the third hall at this time.

No. 10 Yuezhou was lost, and the situation in Changsha was even more precarious. People were panicked, rumors were spreading, and even the police of the Public Security Bureau began to retreat.

What about the three halls? The situation is equally chaotic. There are too many people, and there are more than 2,000 pieces of public and private luggage. In addition to the main hall, there are also four screening teams and several drama teams. During the training of the projection team, some of the drama teams retired from the war zone and had to be redistributed. It's a bit of a mess of things to deal with for a group of us cultured people.

The most nerve-wracking thing is the lack of transportation. Although the train is running as usual, it is paralyzed, the supply is not working, and it is not easy to take our turn. Road bikes are even more rare. Although Sun Shiyi still kept a small steamer from Hankow, and even worked on the ship, it could no longer be used because of the shallow water. Two trucks were driven by Fan Yang and one was run. Two small cars, of course, will not help.

With these nerve-wracking questions, Sun Shiyi, the chief secretary, was tired first. Sun Shiyi is a designer and his plan is often full of bags, so "Sun Shiyi's bag" is very famous, and it is often joked about in our circles. But this time, the bag leaked out of the stomach.

After getting everyone's consent, Sun Shiyi left first in a car on the night of the 11th. In the same car were Xia Yan, Sachiko Ikeda and Liqun. They went to Guilin first and arranged everything for the three halls.

How could there be Xia Yan in the same car? Let me briefly add here:

Xia Yan was the chief writer of the "Salvation Daily", and in the early morning of the day of the fall of Guangzhou, he and his colleagues in the newspaper escaped from Guangzhou on foot, and walked on the road for ten days to Guilin. After he left his fellow people in Guilin, he came to Changsha by train, and arrived on the 8th.

Xia Yan was in the middle of Changsha, and he lived with Shi Yi on that small steamer. At such a chaotic time, we almost didn't even have a chance to calm down and talk, so we hurriedly asked him to go back to Guilin first.