In the eyes of the Red Army soldiers who came out of the ravines and ravines of southern Jiangxi and western Fujian, the densely populated suburbs of Shanghai, where the villages face each other and are densely populated, can already be called a prosperous and prosperous place. But in the eyes of the traversers, it is still a glimpse of the dilapidation, decay and withering.

“…… From here, it seems to be worse than the legendary slums of India......" Ma Tong muttered.

-- The Great Depression that swept the entire capitalist Shijie in the thirties of the twentieth century also did not spare the suffering of old China...... On the contrary, with the economic deterioration of the European and American powers, the land of China, which had lost its borders, further fell victim to the crisis and suffered a heavy economic blow.

First of all, the influx of foreign industrial and agricultural products into the Chinese market led to a sharp increase in the trade deficit, which reached 860 million yuan in 1932, the highest in modern history. Secondly, due to the lack of agricultural protection policies, a large number of Chinese peasants went bankrupt under foreign grain competition, more than half of the country's peasant households were seriously indebted, class contradictions were extremely intensified, and the liliang of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army expanded rapidly in the countryside. The third is that China's national industry has suffered an extremely fatal blow -- after the economic crisis occurred, in order to pass on the economic crisis, the Western powers, on the one hand, invoked unequal treaties to import capital into China, and set up factories in China one after another, in an attempt to control China's economic lifeline and step up dumping of commodities into the Chinese market. On the other hand, various countries have pursued a trade protectionist policy of "seeking survival for each other" and "beggar-thy-neighbor", which has made it difficult for China's national industrial enterprises to export.

Under the impact of the economic crisis, the national industry, which was already in its infancy, could not compete with mature foreign-funded enterprises. Many national enterprises are in a dilemma and dying...... In order to enhance the competitiveness with foreign capital. The national bourgeoisie has continuously concentrated and expanded industrial capital through mergers, joint ventures and other activities. Liliang for the survival and development of national enterprises. But the problem is that the struggle of national capitalism is ultimately "arms cannot be twisted into thighs", and it is no match for the internal and external attacks of the imperialist powers and the comprador shili of the "four major families" of the Kuomintang......

What is even more terrifying is that at the same time that the rural areas are bankrupt and the cities are unemployed, one flood and drought disaster after another is still hitting the rural areas of northern Jiangsu, the Central Plains, and Huguang, and the water conservancy facilities in various places have been in disrepair for a long time due to war and turmoil, thus further increasing the destructive power of the disaster.

In the countryside on the outskirts of Shanghai, you can see refugees who have fled the famine from other places, perhaps lured by the rumors that Shanghai Tang is full of bright lights and gold. I wanted to make a bowl of rice in this big Shanghai, but I didn't know that Shanghai was not a happy land - by the end of 1934, at least 1,000 enterprises had closed down in Shanghai alone, and the number of unemployed people had reached as many as 600,000...... As a result, along several major roads and railways leading to Shanghai, you can see the humble shacks of refugees fleeing the famine. Unable to find a job or a place to stay, they had to live in the alleys of nearby villages, in the suburbs, and in the tracks. Starving. The crying everywhere shook the sky, the hungry carried the road, and there were swarms of mosquitoes and flies inside and outside the shack, drowning on the ground. A tragic scene that is simply unbearable to see.

Locals in the nearby suburbs of Shanghai have a commonplace numb look on their faces – there are too many of them. The fact that they have to make trouble almost every two years has exhausted their limited compassion...... Not to mention. Their situation is not much better than that of the refugees, and many of them are already in debt. He is about to lose his land and become destitute, and he will not even be able to wear a new coat or eat a meal of meat for the rest of his life......

-- Born in such an era of infinite sorrow, anyone who has a country and a nation in his heart will inevitably feel resentful and sad. And ordinary people look at the future of this society, and it seems that they only feel that it is dark and it is difficult to see the dawn.

But on the other hand, it is precisely because of this extreme suffering that the people who cannot survive are driven under the red flag of the revolution, thus providing inexhaustible fuel for the revolutionary cause, so that the flame of the revolution cannot be extinguished no matter how suppressed it is......

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At dusk on December 24, outside Anting Town in the western suburbs of Shanghai, on the bank of the Wusong River

In the cracks in the earthen wall of a dilapidated earth temple beside the turbidity of the turbid river embankment, a little smoke and light came out - in this dilapidated "house" where moths and rats bite, beams collapsed and doors collapsed, and only three walls remained, several children gathered around a fire on all sides, and the branches and straw in the fire were burning, and choking fireworks were emitting. The children's clothes were all dirty and torn, covered with thick mud, and some were simply draped in sacks.

Although it was winter, most of them were barefoot, and the toes were already filled with mud, and even the mud had turned black and pasted on their feet, and only on the feet of one girl was a rag tied with a broken rope, which barely looked like shoes.

- This is a group of homeless street children, just like Sanmao in "Sanmao's Wanderings".

The only difference is that Sanmao can still sneak into the ten-mile ocean field of Shanghai Beach, but they are forced to stop in the suburbs.

No way, now in these years, the whole of China is full of wars, natural and man-made disasters, and I don't know how many homeless children who have lost their parents in the north and south of the country - perhaps, they are separated from their parents halfway when they are fleeing with their families to ask for food; Perhaps, their parents have long been killed by bandits and ruffians, and the children who have escaped have to wander alone; Perhaps, their parents had to sell their children for various reasons, such as a bag of life-saving food...... Anyway, for these street children who have experienced the hardships and sorrows of the world, they have suffered too much in their short lives, even far more than those adult homeless.

The reason why these homeless children gather together in this deserted and ruined temple is purely for self-preservation—the wandering experience of the past has already told them in the most cruel form what will happen if they are deceived into living with them by those black-hearted old beggars: maybe when the old beggars are very hungry, they will become a pot of broth in a broken crockpot; Maybe at a time when the old beggars needed "props". They would have their arms broken, their eyes gouged out, and they would be dressed as the children and grandchildren of old beggars. dragged to the streets to deceive people into giving money to them; If it's a young girl and a handsome little boy, maybe a bunch of people will take turns spoiling it first. And then sell it to a brothel!

Therefore, these children can be said to have experienced a difficult life of wandering, so that they will not trust anyone except their own little beggars who are sympathetic to the same disease. At this time, the desperate situation of these children made the fire shine in full view, their faces were full of exhaustion, the hunger in their bellies made it difficult for them to sleep, they were just a group of children without a future, destined to not know what to do...... Now another cold winter is quietly coming, and I don't know how many people will be in a hungry and cold night. starved to death silently and froze to death......

Facing the howling cold wind, sitting by the fire that lacked heat, looking up at the red sunset slowly setting in the west, Zhang Xiaoxi shivered while holding his arms, while picking up a little "food" collected by everyone, preparing to cook soup - like other street children, Zhang Xiaoxi was also in tatters, small and small, with unkempt hair. The face was covered in dirt and dust, and it was almost impossible to tell whether it was a man or a woman.

Winter is the hardest winter for most of the homeless children – there are almost no wild vegetables in the fields this season, so today the five of them had dinner with only a few skinned mice. Plus half a multigrain cake that I just fought...... She carefully tore half of the cake into five portions and threw it into five broken crockpots, into which she threw a skinned rat. Pour into a rack of water and bring to a boil. Looking at the yellow-skinny and skinny faces of his companions, he silently listened to their chatter. Zhang Xiaoxi couldn't help but feel a sour feeling in his heart.

- The weather is getting colder and colder, and there is less and less food to eat. One of his companions had frozen to death the night before yesterday, will the rest survive this winter?

However, in addition to staying up like this day and day after day, she doesn't know what to do: the ruthless and unrighteous home in Jiangxi can't go back - Zhang Xiaoxi, who is only 12 years old this year, was sold to a brothel by her father and then escaped from a brothel in Shanghai. If you want to go into the city to find a job to do, there is no way, and you can't find anyone to guarantee it, and you are worried that you will be tied up by the bustard, and now the world is not good, and the factory is not recruiting......

Alas, I was so hungry, but there was really nothing left to eat...... We are destined to die, and we also want to be full of death!

Just as she was touching her rumbling belly, her mind full of worry and sorrow, she was surprised to see a cloud of flying dust at the end of the road in the distance...... After a while, one truck after another full of soldiers, under the guidance of two infantry fighting vehicles, rumbled and roared towards the small ruined temple on the bank of the Wusong River, and the small red flag with a golden sickle and hammer pattern on the front of the car shone brightly in the light of the setting sun.

Without waiting for Miss Zhang Xiaoxi, who was stupid, to react, this huge convoy that had never been seen before stopped one after another in front of the temple gate with overgrown grass, and then a group of soldiers wearing steel helmets and camouflage uniforms or military coats jumped out of the truck one after another, holding all kinds of long guns and short guns, and vigilantly rushed into the temple.

Not only did they take control of the Land Temple at the first time, but they also sent people to occupy all the commanding heights near the ruined temple. A few men even carried two recoilless guns up the embankment to monitor the river, while others unloaded boxes of shells, while the rest of the soldiers sat or squatted on the ground, carefully checking the weapons and ammunition in their hands. In addition to this, there is also a "Sven" with round glasses, who is mobilizing soldiers before the war, "...... Comrades, we have now stepped into the boundaries of Shanghai! I hope that you will continue to carry forward the fine traditions of our army, conscientiously implement the policy of 'three major disciplines and eight points of attention,' and let the masses of the people in Shanghai see what it means to be a mighty army and a civilized army......

- That's it...... The legendary mud-legged red bandits who helped the poor fight the world? How can it be so foreign?! Zhang Xiaoxi thought incredulously.

After a while, Miss Zhang Xiaoxi was even more surprised to see a blonde and blue-eyed foreign woman, also wearing a handsome military uniform, and under the support of a group of soldiers, she slowly stepped out of the infantry fighting vehicle and walked towards the broken earth temple where Zhang Xiaoxi and others were hiding.

“…… Report to Comrade Commissar, the target location has been found! A Red Army staff officer ran over and gave Sonia a military salute. Respectfully debriefed, "...... Judging by the inscription. This should be the place! He pointed to a stone tablet that was almost submerged in the grass.

Sonya, the political commissar of the wolf girl, nodded, and took out a photo of the stele from her bosom—it was taken at the same location in Anting Town, Shanghai in the twenty-first century—and compared it with the real stele in the time and space of the Republic of China. Then he whistled in satisfaction and reached out for his walkie-talkie.

“…… Hey, hey! Comrade Wang Qiu, the scheduled launch site has been found, please come over with the wormhole as soon as possible to release tonight's 'Christmas fireworks'......"

“…… Hiss - understood, received. Now prepare to set off by helicopter, please guide the ground personnel in advance......"

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At the same time, platoon commander Dong Xiaoshan, who was a little weak because of the bumps along the way, looked at a few homeless children in the ruined temple with great interest—sallow face, thin body, and dirty hair. It's all malnourished...... Just like before he became a Red Army.

By the light of the setting sun, he leaned over to the outermost little guy with a wary face, and said with a grin on his face.

“…… Do not be afraid, we in the Red Army are the army of the poor...... By the way, little one, what were you thinking about just sitting in a daze? ”

Zhang Xiaoxi looked at this seemingly amiable soldier with a wary face—the most profound lesson she learned from her years of wandering is probably to never trust others—and at the same time said angrily, "...... There's nothing in the stomach. What do you want to eat? ”

This familiar Jiangxi dialect made Dong Xiaoshan, who was in a foreign land, suddenly feel a sense of cordiality, and casually took out half a pack of leftover biscuits from his arms and handed them over with a kind smile. “…… Then eat this! Rest assured, there is no drug in the biscuit! ”

Looking at the biscuits handed to him, Zhang Xiaoxi felt that he was simply dreaming. She looked up at the soldier in front of her. There was suspicion in those eyes, but he snatched the biscuit with his hands and feet. Divide it with a few other friends, and then eat it with a click.

Finding that the little girl in front of her was like a little mouse, and after a few bites, she glanced at herself vigilantly, Dong Xiaoshan couldn't help but smile, "...... Don't worry, no one will take food from you! By the way, how many of you, do you want to eat every day in the future? ”

Before Zhang Xiaoxi, who had a lot of eyes, had time to talk, the eyes of several other homeless children who were eating biscuits lit up: "...... Think! ”

So, looking at their appearance as starving ghosts, platoon commander Dong Xiaoshan patted the gun he was carrying with a smile, and pointed to the red flag that had just been planted outside the temple gate, "...... Okay! Then follow us to do the revolution! Eat enough every day! What do you think? ”

——A moment later, Dong Xiaoshan's dissatisfied platoon had four more Little Red Army, and the regimental medical team had one more little nurse.

But a few steps away, Comrade Ma Tong watched with a look of surprise as the Red Army soldiers "abducted" Xiao Zhengtai and Xiao Lori with biscuits, "...... I said, General Xun Huaizhou, that's how your Red Army recruits? Shouldn't there be a few people from each village who wear red and go to the Red Army? ”

“…… Hehe, you're talking about the Soviet base in the rear! Commander Xun Huaizhou replied with a smile and a smile, "...... Right now, it's in the white zone where there is no political power, who will get that way! You can have two change to spend when you have enough food, this is the most haode treatment for soldiers now! ”

In many cases, the reason for those veteran comrades to join the revolution is really that simple......

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Just when it was dark, two helicopters with snow-bright headlights landed outside the ruined temple in Anting Town with a rumbling roar.

After a while, rows of thick black and hard cruise missiles, glowing with a terrifying metallic luster, quietly towered in the deep night. At the end of the launch rail of each cruise missile, it is pointed far away to the huge city that never sleeps in the east - the magic capital of Shanghai!

And in a brightly lit ground command vehicle, bursts of electronic sounds that make people feel nervous are constantly heard.

“…… Terrain matching guidance data is beginning to be entered and is being loaded, and it is scheduled to move along the Wusong River and Huangpu River in Xiangshanghai urban area......"

“…… Ground squads have infiltrated the city with laser pointers and remote encrypted radios, ready to carry out precision guidance missions......"

“…… Drop - Missile launch preparations are complete, please start setting the countdown......"

“…… Very good, let the vampires who infiltrated the city be sure to help us step on the spot, and don't let go of any Japanese stronghold and every Japanese warship! Wang Qiu happily used a colored oil-based pen to write the words "Merry_Christmas (Merry Christmas)" on the shell of the missile, and at the same time commanded, "...... Then give the Japanese devils who steal Shanghai a Christmas gift that they will never forget! ”

At the same time, in Shanghai, whether it is the European and American expatriates who are celebrating Christmas, or the Japanese soldiers who are bent on taking advantage of the fire to loot and are full of ambition, or those who claim to be accustomed to seeing the changes in the world, they are all unaware of their impending fate...... (To be continued......)