On July 29, Beiping fell.

As early as after the "7 July Incident," the special correspondent of the "Declaration" sent back a steady stream of information from the north. Almost everyone in Shanghai waited with bated breath for the outcome, which was clearly not what people were expecting.

Now that Beiping has fallen, Shanghai will not be able to escape the war, Shen Yigong put down the newspaper in his hand with a frown, and looked up at Liang Qingwen, who had just put down the phone at another desk, and asked, "The crowd is almost evacuated, right?" The market bulletin is also posted, right? ”

Liang Qingwen rubbed his sour eyes and nodded to him: "I have evacuated the marching crowd that came today to avoid causing more damage, and I have also posted relevant notices at the door." But...... I'm afraid it won't be so quick to clean up the market, and I've already sent out the notice to the stalls in the morning. As for how the store decides, I don't know. ”

"Evacuation is a must." Shen Yigong said with a deep gaze, "There are already troops assembled near Songhu, and now that Pingjin is occupied, if you don't want to be swallowed up by Japan, Chiang Kai-shek will inevitably open up the East China battlefield as a containment." Moreover, in 1932, the purpose of the Japanese attack was clear enough, and it was only a matter of time before the war in Shanghai began. ”

"Yes, but you know, those merchants make this their home, and they won't be reluctant to empty it like this."

"Reluctantly, reluctantly, Qingwen." Shen Yigong shook his head lightly, "Penglai Market is on the bank of the Suzhou River, and it is very likely that Japanese warships will dock near here, once the war starts, we are the forefront of Nanshi, and it is very likely that we will be bombarded by artillery fire." The sooner we evacuate people and businesses, the more time we will have to face what comes next. ”

"What's next...... Everything. Liang Qingwen muttered silently, his sour eyes were almost covered with red bloodshots, the two men had been in the market long enough these days. Shen Yigong lit a cigarette and listened to his next sentence: "Maybe once the war starts, the entire market will be destroyed." ”

"That's why, I need you to dismiss the merchant, Qingwen."

"But you know what it means to them."

Shen Yigong was silent in the ashes and did not answer. There was a noise outside the door, and the secretary Xiao Xu ran in and shouted anxiously with them: "Mr. Shen, the merchants are outside saying that they want to see you." ”

Liang Qingwen subconsciously looked at him. Shen Yigong twisted the cigarette in his hand and sat in his seat and asked in a low voice, "What do they want me to do." ”

"They...... They said they had to see you, or they wouldn't be outside the building. ”

Shen Yigong sighed secretly and stood up. He extinguished his cigarette, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and strode out of the office. Liang Qingwen followed closely behind him. Just as he was about to go out, the secretary Xiao Xu seemed to remember something again, and hurriedly took out a note from his pocket: "By the way, Mr. Shen, this is stuffed to me by a little boy who sells newspapers in the morning, let me give it to you." I forgot about it before. ”

They were walking downstairs at this moment, and Shen Yigong stepped down the stairs quickly, hurriedly unfolding the note in hand. There are only four words on it: "Shang'an, don't read it." ”

He paused slightly for the four words, but before Liang Qingwen turned his head sideways to ask him, he had already tucked the note into his jacket pocket.

"What's wrong?" Liang Qingwen asked.

"Nothing." He replied, "Let us go down to the merchants." ”

Merchants gathered in the lobby of the office building. On the marble floor, there are couplets left after the past activities on both sides, and the four big characters of "Love, Righteousness, Etiquette and Letter" are hung high in front of the main hall.

"Everyone, you want to find me Shen, I'm here. If you have anything to say, I'll say it right here. As soon as Shen Yigong opened his mouth, the noisy merchants all quieted down and looked up at him. Shen Yigong walked down the steps and stood in front of the merchants, led by their elected representative, the owner of Qing'an Pharmacy Qu, who was over sixty years old.

Since Boss Qu was elected as a representative, he came to speak for them. Before Shen Yigong's words fell, the old gentleman arched his hand with him and spoke: "Mr. Shen, we all know your arrangements, but if you don't leave this market, we won't leave either." ”

After he finished speaking, the merchants behind him also raised their hands and echoed: "Yes! If you don't go, we won't go! ”

"The market is here, we are here, don't go!"

"Don't go!"

Shen Yigong's heart was full of emotion, he looked at the merchants gathered in the hall, Penglai Market has been built for six years, and in the past six years, they have gone hand in hand, it can be said that it is not family but family. But at this juncture, Shen Yigong knew from the bottom of his heart that he had the responsibility to ensure their safety. He raised his hands and motioned for everyone to hear him.

"Everyone, everyone!" Shen Yigong suppressed all the thoughts in his heart and said calmly, "I know everyone wants to stay here, but the market must be closed." It's too close to Suzhou Creek, and if the Japanese come over, it will inevitably be affected by war. It's safest to get out of here. ”

Boss Qu stretched out his thin old hands and grabbed Shen Yigong's arm: "Mr. Shen, you come with us, let's go." You stay, we stay with you. ”

"This ......"

"This market is run by one hundred and forty-two of our merchants, what has gone wrong over the years, isn't it all advancing and retreating together? Now that the Japanese are coming, what are they afraid of, if the men do not guard their homeland, do they want to rob them for no reason? Boss Qu turned around and said to everyone, "You say, does this make sense!" We men, should we just run away with our tails between our legs! ”

Someone raised his hand: "If the Japanese call, I will be the first to fight him!" Little Japan, Lao Tzu is still afraid that he will not succeed? ”

"That's right! Guarding our market, it's a big deal to fight them! ”

"That's right!"

"That's right!"

Speaking of the anger of the masses, some people even shouted the slogan: "Swear to live and die with Penglai Market!" ”

"Swear to live and die with Shanghai!"

Shen Yigong's eyes were sour, and even Liang Qingwen whispered behind him: "Those big shops ran away early, but these self-made people stayed." Every time he slaughters dogs, most of them are scholars...... It's the same today. ”

The faces of those people turned red from the shouting, and the sultry air of the end of July crowded into the hall, and the light seeping through the outside was sprinkled on the four big characters of "Love, Righteousness, Etiquette, and Letter" hanging high. Shen Yigong shouted: "Everyone, be quiet, everyone." ”

He said: "I understand your feelings, Shen has been fortunate to be able to work with you for the past six years. In that case, let's stay at the market until the last day – but one thing, please get the old and weak women and children to a safe place first. The countryside, the concession, in short, is not the coastal area of Shanghai. I hope that all of you and your families will be able to get through this difficult time safely. I am very touched to hear the cries of the Japanese in the shelling of Pingjin and the atrocities of the Japanese in the newspapers, but I still hope that you will be able to stay with your families at the last minute. Safe, healthy, stay together. ”

His hand clenched into a fist and smashed his chest: "War is coming. No matter what happens to Penglai Market, I know that as long as you are there, it will be there. Of course, if you are willing to stay here with me until the last moment, to make sure that all the old and weak women and children are evacuated safely, I am Shen Yigong, and thank you here. Thank you! ”

With that, he bent down and bowed deeply to all the merchants present. Then he straightened up and said, "Now please go back first." I'm right here, and it's not too late for you to come back here when you've settled your family. I will stay here until the last moment, please rest assured. ”

Silence spread through the crowd, and no one answered for a while. Finally, Boss Qu spoke: "Okay, Boss Shen." He patted Shen Yigong on the shoulder, "We will definitely come back to you again." You're going to be here waiting for us. ”

In August, the Penglai market began to empty. Valuable goods were moved to the two major concessions, and the out-of-town merchants finally found a place to settle in Shanghai, pushing carts and leaving here in tears. Shen Yigong stood outside the main gate of Penglai Market and said goodbye to these people one by one. But not everyone left, and many remained here, and Penglai Market has always been a base camp for boycotting Japanese products and promoting domestic products, so it is still lively at the time of national crisis.

On August 7, Penglai Grand Theater staged the drama "Defending Lugou Bridge" written and written by Song Qi. In addition to students from several universities, some film actors also came. The drama was performed three times in a row, and the venue was full, and at the end, people spontaneously sang "March of the Volunteers" and "On the Songhua River". Even if someone is choked up while singing, there will be a louder song that continues, singing loudly, and as if it never stops.

Japanese spies patrolling and tempting always haunt the market from time to time, and Shen Yigong and Lao Lu together found at least nearly 20 people. They sent these guys back to Hongkou and warned them with their fists that this is not a place where you can touch them.

Where is the smoke of gunfire? Maybe the smoke of gunpowder is everywhere, but Shen Yigong is still willing to stand in front of these people who trust him. He sat under the theater and applauded the performances on stage, and he stood in the crowd to help everyone who came here. He said, there is no need for you to stay here, the artillery fire will inevitably fall on the Penglai market.

And what do those who trust him say?

They said to Shen Yigong: "We stay, we are willing to stay here." ”

They said to Shen Yigong: "If you don't go, we won't go either." ”

They said to Shen Yigong, "We are here, and we are willing to follow you." ”

On August 9, Chinese soldiers killed two Japanese soldiers at Hongqiao Airport.

On the afternoon of August 11, the Shanghai Municipal Government [Harmony] Office, the Shanghai Garrison Command, the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai, and the Japanese Marine Corps Command held a meeting in the city government for negotiations.

The whole Shanghai people were watching the talks, the contradictions between China and Japan were escalating, the saber rattling was tense, and public opinion was also adding fuel to the fire.

On August 13th, the Battle of Songhu officially began——