"Uncle, those stick gang members in Linkou seem to be gathering more and more, what if they have bad intentions and want to capture us?" Lao Zhang said uneasily.

Song Che pointed to the homeless people crowded in the woods and said, "I only need to wave my hand, and these homeless people who have eaten enough will swarm up and drive them away." ”

"It turns out that this is the purpose of the uncle's soup kitchen."

This is not only the purpose of soup kitchen, Song Che also wants to explore the nature of the stick gang, if they come to make it difficult to rob, it means that they have become bandits, and they really have the heart of rebellion, and they must be stifled by strong means;

If they still have a grateful heart, they will comfort them with gentle measures.

"Uncle, they're here...... It was the leader who stripped me of my clothes and arrested Lao Li. Lao Zhang was so frightened that he hid behind Song Che.

Seventy or eighty members of the stick gang, led by a black-faced man with a disheveled head, armed with wooden sticks, walked towards the woods.

"Gang Leader Chen, this big official is a good man, you see, it's meat porridge, you can't embarrass him."

Without waiting for the stick gang to approach, the homeless people spontaneously stopped the black-faced man.

The black-faced man said: "Old man, don't be deceived by the false benevolence of these profiteers, maybe he will put poison in the porridge in the next pot!" ”

"You black-faced man, how do you speak, my uncle risked being punished, and made a special trip from the west of the city to give you porridge to cure your hunger, these ingredients and rice, are all the villagers who watched the pot with their own eyes, and some of the villagers also took the initiative to help with it, you don't know how to appreciate it, just forget it, and slander that we will be poisoned, I really don't know how to do it!"

Lao Zhang stood up and was indignant.

"Skinny monkey, I know you!" The black-faced man pointed at Lao Zhang, "You are the silk merchant who was intercepted by our gang this morning!" How is it? Have you raised the bread for ransom? ”

Lao Zhang was stubborn for a moment, and then retracted behind Song Che.

Song Che stepped forward and said, "Gang Leader Chen, the merchants who were robbed by you are all my buddies, I have brought the grain and rice you want, please let them go." ”

The black-faced man glanced at the boiling meat porridge in the pot, "I want grain and rice, why did you cook it into rice porridge?" ”

Song Che sighed: "The Suzhou government has decreed that no one is allowed to help the displaced people outside the city, and if I send you food, it will be to help the violence and abuse, and I am afraid of being killed, so I cooked them into meat porridge and distributed them to the refugees in the name of soup kitchen."

He looked at the black-faced man again and asked, "Gang Leader Chen, didn't you get this grain and rice to help your compatriots?" ”

If the black-faced man answers yes, he can stay.

If the black-faced man answers no, then he will die.

"Even if you still have a little conscience," the black-faced man and the people beside him ordered: "Erhu, you go and bring his guys over." ”

Erhu nodded and withdrew from the woods, and a quarter of an hour later, Lao Li and his three companions walked into the forest with two carts of silkworm cocoons, and their clothes were neatly dressed.

"Count you lucky, follow a good master, go quickly!"

The black-faced man let Lao Li and the others go, and said to Song Che: "This official, we are also forced by life to ask you for two carts of grain, don't blame us!" ”

Song Che nodded secretly, after several temptations, it can be determined that these people are not banditic, and there is even a little bit of morality.

"Gang Leader Chen, before leaving, I have a few words of advice, I don't know if I would like to listen to it?"

"Oh? Let's talk about it. ”

"Gathering crowds to rob, showing a temporary ability, is by no means a long-term solution, the original stick gang has not been established, the villagers still have a mouthful of porridge water, now the matter is big, the government is crowned with the crime of 'rebellion', tens of thousands of displaced people have to sit with you, but 'the people do not fight with the officials', you have no armor, equipment, grain and grass, only a wooden stick, the outcome can be imagined." Song Che said.

The black-faced man said: "At least we resisted, we live with backbone!" ”

Song Che pointed to the homeless people who were squatting in the shade of the trees, with oily faces, "This is the backbone?" ”

"Boy." The black face frowned, faintly angry, "I let you go today, for the sake of your kindness, if you want to be a lobbyist in the government, don't blame me for turning my face and not recognizing people!" ”

Song Che remained silent and shook his head slightly: "I am not a lobbyist of the government, but I can't bear the disaster of the displaced people, so I came to help you." ”

The black-faced man said disdainfully: "If you eat today's porridge, you will be hungry tomorrow, don't you have to tell us, you will come to bring us food every day." ”

Song Che said confidently: "It's better to teach people to fish than to teach them to fish, I have a plan to solve the livelihood of the homeless people, I don't know if the helper is willing to consider it?" ”

The black-faced man crossed his arms and looked at Song Che quietly.

Song Che wandered among the displaced people and said loudly: "I know very well that all of you fellow villagers are from the coast, and you have been harassed by the Japanese invaders, so you must not leave your hometown and flee here,"

He also questioned the men of the stick gang: "The old and weak, the women and the children, you have hands and feet, and you are strong and strong, why would you rather take up the stick and rob your own family than have the courage to fight against the Japanese and restore your homeland?" ”

Xu poked at the sore spot, and the members of the stick gang bowed their heads and felt guilty.

The black-faced man said: "You are an official who is used to eating and drinking, how can you understand our hardships? Men should join the army to defend the country, but what about our families?

Be! It is true that we are displaced people who have lost their homes, but we are also registered ordinary people, and according to the laws of Daliang, the people displaced by the war should have been resettled.

But we walked all the way from Huainan, passing by every county and village store, the locals avoided us like a plague god, those who were officials, for fear of bad governance, fell into the stain of political performance, ruthlessly drove us away, and even more unscrupulous people, abducting children and women to sell!

In the face of the hot and cold world, we have to pick up a stick to protect our wives and children, and fight for a mouthful of life-saving food for ourselves! ”

The black-faced man was filled with righteous indignation, took out a token from his arms, and held it high in front of Song Che's eyes:

"If you ask me why I didn't go to join the army to fight against the Japanese, then I will tell you the reason - I, Chen Wei, was originally a Huainan East Road, an Oriental Naval Division, a Third Fleet, and a centurion commander. However, it is ridiculous and hateful, our army is fighting outside, but the Jinglufu embezzles military funds and withholds grain and grass, so that the gunpowder armament is insufficient, and it is defeated by the Japanese invaders again and again, and more than 10,000 sailors are gone!

In such a country full of corrupt officials and corrupt officials, how can we repay the service? ”

No wonder he was able to pull up the team of the stick gang, it turned out that he was an officer himself.

The righteous are all dog slaughterers, and the most ruthless readers. Behind every declining dynasty, there is a group of corrupt officials at work.

Song Che was deeply touched and sighed, "Gang Leader Chen, if I can protect the livelihood of the old and weak women and children, are you willing to put down the sticks, pick up the swords and guns, put on the armor, fight against the Japanese again, and defend the family and the country?" ”

"You?" Chen Wei disdainfully, "A businessman? ”

Song Che said loudly: "Although I, Song Che, am a businessman, I care about my family and country all the time, Gang Master Chen only needs to answer, willing or unwilling?" ”

Chen Wei's eyes were stunned, and he couldn't help exclaiming: "You are Song Che!" ”