Nine Songs of Anti-Japanese War

Yichang in shorts and vest rushed across the pier by the river, his hard-soled cloth shoes knocking on the wooden boards.The towel-clad workers were taking a rare nap against the railing, and he picked them up one by one.

"Don't rest, get up! If the ship doesn't have time to leave before the devils come in, none of you can afford it!"

The workers had their own complaints in their mouths, but they still didn't dare to neglect and all got up to work. The tired figures of men of different ages were running and intertwined on the pier.After confirming that he had brought all the personnel, Yichang let out a long breath while lying on top of a container, and a few drops of sweat fell onto the wooden boards on the surface of the container.

A master from a shipyard sneaked up beside him: "City Lord, why are you in such a hurry? Could it be that the Prince of Wuchang can't stop him?"

Facing his flickering and inquiring eyes, Yichang shook his head slightly, but did not speak.

"We all say that the king of Wuhan County is good at fighting, and our army can do it well. We fought a big victory a month ago (Note 1)... City Lord, can't you tell me why?"

"Master, what you heard is not wrong. But this is also the limit of our ability. The headquarters believes that it is no longer necessary to defend Wuhan city after being besieged on many sides. This is reality..."

Yichang was sad for a moment, and then he slapped the container on its feet, "It's okay! We have wiped out so many enemy troops. Even if we abandon Wuhan City, our forces will not be driven out of the Central Plains as the enemy dreamed. As long as we retreat in time, we can keep The fire of our industry, so what if the enemy gets an empty city?"

Giving the master a consoling look, Yichang raised his voice again: "Brothers! Come on! I'll join you right away! No matter how tired you are, remember that I'm with you!"

The Zhongshan ship was shaking.

Even Yue Yang, who was used to the turbulent river waves, couldn't perform better than the sailors.Just grabbing the railing didn't help, she could barely find a gap to get up and walk.

She heard noisy people's voices passing by her ears, and blurred figures intermingled on the deck; the surface of the river reflected red and black by the flames of the explosion continued to bloom with firework, taking the lives of the enemy and more of her own people.

An inch of mountains and rivers and an inch of blood.The same goes for the Yangtze River.

The formation of the Japanese Air Force flew over the head again and again, the planes were like clouds, and the bombs were like rain. The earth-shattering noise made her and the other officers and soldiers have to stick to the ground to endure the pain that the eardrums were about to be torn apart.What about the fleet in the rear, and how many comrades are left, she has no idea.Even if the Zhongshan ship was shot now, she probably wouldn't realize it.

Just when she was tormented by this terrible sound and vibration and her whole body was about to collapse, the bombs suddenly became thinner, and changed to a tearing sound from the air.Immediately afterwards, Yue Yang heard the voice of the first officer trembling with excitement, as if he was about to shed tears: "Air Force! The Soviet/Union Air Force is also here!"

Following his fingers, Yue Yang also saw the red-marked fighter jets, like red arrows, circling among the dark clouds of enemy planes to protect them.Wherever he went, the brilliance was clear, bursting endless clouds of golden red smoke.

Soviet/United Air Volunteer Brigade.This is proof that they are not completely alone in this dark world.

The boat rocked less.Yue Yang flicked the loosely tied braids, grabbed the window frame of the porthole and climbed up.

"Take advantage of this opportunity to counterattack quickly! Don't rely on others to save us, we must defend Wuhan to the last moment!"

"I'm not leaving now."

The people looked at Wuhan calmly.The calm persistence is often more helpless.

The bright sunlight, the office decorated in dark tones, and the shadowed portraits on the walls.Min's face was immersed in the contrasting light and shadow of light and dark, his mouth was pursed, his outline and expression were clearly outlined like a plaster sculpture.Looking out of the window in Wuhan, the air floating in the sunlight is ambiguous.Through the shadows of blurred buildings, he seemed to have breathed the scorching smell of the raging fire that had spread not far outside the city.

He said lightly: "I can't guarantee your safety alone. Still, do you want to do it again just in case?"

During this summer, he unknowingly changed his address to Min from "you" to "you".Those entangled past events really looked like a dream, he couldn't help thinking.Although no dream may be as good as today's nightmare.

It doesn't matter, I will never shrink back, let alone be afraid.Naturally, no matter what happened, no matter what day you change your mind and plan to deal with me, I don't care.They all said that the city of Wuhan was the first place where the Revolution of [-] started.I will only protect you till the very end.

But I must tell you one thing.I am no longer your king.I can't do the same thing as you are king.

"There is no chance. I have a careful plan in my heart. Before the first shell falls into the city, I will leave safely." Min looked up, "You don't need to do too much. Just please believe me You and I are just choosing our own methods to be loyal to our country."

"……I see."

"Wuhan, please don't worry."

"Min, you understand, I'm not worried that it won't depend on your will."

The voice in Wuhan has been controlled, but there is still a slight tremor.He finally discovered that his so-called indifference to the past was not solid, not true.Even if he could put aside his personal grievances and forget them for a while when the enemy was pressing the formation, facing such a similar scene, he couldn't help but think of the ending of the person who agreed to the person in front of him.

In fact, it was only half a year.People cannot forget.

"You are a representative of a political party, the embodiment of ruthless rationality! If you were a little bit smarter and cunning than our emotional city lords, you wouldn't make such a request..."

The people did not listen to his words.He sat in the expensive sofa chair where he had been, motionless, neither avoiding his reproachful gaze nor showing wavering confidence.It is useless to continue talking, he can only obey his boss unconditionally.

Wuhan has not yet stubbornly come to the point of a tug-of-war.He turned around and walked away. The moment he reached the door and was about to slam it shut, Min's voice suddenly sounded without warning, steady, sincere and helpless: "Wuhan, I cherish you. Even Chongqing is not as important to me as you are now. … These days, I have thought about it, I will never allow a little bit of accident to happen, and I will not cause you to suffer. As long as the risk is eliminated, you don’t have to sacrifice anything because of me. I can’t lose you anymore… Of course, it is also based on the premise that you cherish yourself. Promise me."

Wuhan paused for a moment.

"I understand. And, thank you."

Then the door closes.

Changsha waited in the corridor.Seeing Wuhan rushing forward, he quickly asked: "How is the progress?"

"It's not different from what I calculated. Our plan just happens to work together."

"Oh, that's good. But... Ah Jiang, can you explain to me, who is ignorant, why your eye circles are a little red?"

The faint clear sky chills the autumn.The shadows of fallen leaves fluttered on the floor of the corridor.

Wuhan closed his eyes slightly again.

"It's not a big deal. I think of a lot, let's say goodbye."

[At least for this moment, I also sincerely hope that you can live a little longer, a little longer. ]

[civil. ]

On October 10, Wuhan City, along the Hanyang River.

On the creaking dilapidated stairs, human blood gurgled.

Pure or dirty.Anyway, it was a loyal, young, and fresh soldier of the empire who followed him half a minute ago, and was pierced by bullets in a blink of an eye, and rolled down the stairs to become two dead bodies, and the soul was wrapped around the tree three times without branches. Yi, flew to the shrine in the distant hometown.

I was running so fast I didn't notice what was behind me.Nagasaki thought regretfully, but there was nothing to redeem, he could only climb up and walk all the way to the dark.The corridor was eerily silent, the light was dim, and the flames were burning in the joints of the wood, and the smoke filled the air, echoing the dance of the flames on the wall.An inexplicable fear arose in Nagasaki in front of the two gradually icy corpses, and this fear aroused the inevitable feelings of the wanderer—he missed his hometown, the winding coastline, and the fog floating on Unzen Hot Spring. Generally hazy and warm vocals.

It's been so long since he left.He... did hate Hiroshima a little bit.

Nagasaki stamped his military boots on the floor, and turned back to the upward climbing path.He can't be so weak!He can't be a little ashamed of the country, even if it is thought!

Climb up, capture or kill the city lord of this river city, only he can do this.While the large army was still dawdling in the suburbs, he led a small team into Wuhan City.Without exception, the people in the city are busy with the final retreat, and with their plan, it seems that it is no problem to jump out of the outer encirclement.If they don't act in time, all they get is a burning empty city.

This is not allowed.

Therefore, when he accidentally discovered the Prince of Wuhan who was helping people evacuate, he led the few people around him and rushed up, pushing Wuhan to the top of the smoking bell tower.Even if the last two guards had been killed by ambushers who didn't know where they were, he couldn't turn back.Be careful, bullets will not pose any threat to him.

Only the city lords are equal.Only the city lords can confront each other and find ways to kill each other.

The stairs were no longer long under his rapid running.The barren city, the gray sky, and the Yangtze River, which is full of flames, all come into view at the moment of jumping to the top.

There is also Wuhan who is half leaning on the pillar and panting silently.One of his hands was on his thigh, soaked in blood.It was one of the minor wounds he had been hit by Nagasaki before.

Affected by the city's conditions, Wuhan was in a relatively passive state in the previous battles, and its movements became slow after suffering too many minor injuries.Nagasaki felt the hope of winning - don't worry about the ambush sniper, the fire on the stairs is growing, and it is impossible for him to get up with his luggage.This way the task is much simpler.

Wuhan raised his hand and made a greeting gesture: "Nagasaki, you are here."

There was a strange stability in his voice.Nagasaki raised his gun: "Catch it with your hands free, Mr. Wuhan. Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude."

"Don't worry. I want to chat with you first, please be a little patient." Wuhan smiled sideways, as if facing an old friend who hadn't seen him for a long time.

They had known each other for a long time indeed.Nagasaki still remembers how eagerly he interacted with people from the countries across the Yellow Sea in those yellowing years, how he visited temples with them, how he sat under the green shade holding books and discussing, laughing, Indoor sunlight—

Of course, I have also seen Wuhan.

"... There's nothing wrong with reminiscing about the past, but as long as you understand the general situation, we can reminisce about the past at any time in the future. I will give you 5 minutes." Nagasaki replied coldly.

"I remember the beach at your home. It's very long, and you can't see the end of it. Do you remember those Chinese students in the past? You appreciate their mixed noodles (Note 2), sit down and eat with them , take them to the mountains to play..."

"Yes, you remember better than me."

"If there is still a chance, it would be great to return to that time without barriers and grudges."

Nagasaki narrowed his eyes.He finds the gray sky a bit dazzling. "Peace is something we all long for. I sincerely hope that no more young people will die, the war will end soon, and the people of East Asia will be integrated into one, that is peace to—"

"Peace?" Wuhan no longer leaned against the pillar, but stood up straight without any effort.His blood-stained military uniform was more dazzling than the sky, "Nagasaki. The peace you and I understand is less likely to intersect than the sun during the day and the moon at night."

Lightning flint.The moment Wuhan's voice fell to the ground, his movements were so fast that Nagasaki couldn't even see the afterimage clearly.All he knew was that his arm was in severe pain, his ribs were hurting from the impact, and the buttocks in his hand were forcibly lifted to the ceiling. Wuhan, with bright eyes, a stable and tolerant smile, lifted Nagasaki with one hand. gun, one hand pressed a cold, more than one grenade to his chest.

Those eyes were like fire.Like a phoenix nirvana.Like a new life that cannot be buried under the ashes of collapsed ruins.

"You are too anxious." Wuhan's hoarse voice was as low as a whisper, "Don't forget, this is my city after all... it is my home..."

Nagasaki understood where his fear as he went upstairs came from.The city is giving strength to the city lord, but he has nothing to rely on behind him.

He panicked.He tried desperately to pull the pistol back, but the opponent's wrists were like iron clamps. "Wuhan!" he shouted in despair, "don't be impulsive, there is no need! We can be good colleagues and walk towards a glorious future in East Asia together! This is to free your motherland from the colonization of Europe and the United States. It's for your own good! Stop it, it's not treason, you won't regret it!"

"Fart."

The smile that Wuhan left for him was miserable, almost eclipsed by heaven and earth.

Boom.boom.Crash.

The bell tower towering over the turbulent fire collapsed and disintegrated the moment the grenade exploded.Under the colorless sky, it disintegrated, collapsed, from top to bottom, covered in black smoke billowing towards the gray, empty, blood-stained land.

It must have been an earth-shattering kiss.

Wuhan was blown away by the explosion at that moment.He fell, falling with his eyes open and his head clear.His face was facing the river, so he saw the Zhongshan ship in mid-air, how unreal and strange it was in the turbulent river current, how unreal and strange it was in his oblique vision!But inexplicably, it brought tears to his eyes.The last wave of fierce offensive... A few more bombs hit the hull.Accompanied by the violent roar and the water column soaring into the sky, it sank quickly.At the moment of sinking, the bow of the ship suddenly raised... (Note 3)

He witnessed the fall of a generation of famous ships.he thinks.It was as if he had forgotten that he was dying in the air.The tears she had endured when she left Min's office no longer burst out uncontrollably.

All his tears were scattered in the air, not a single drop fell on his face.

However, he will still land on the land where he was born and raised, and he loves deeply.

He fell into the Yangtze River.The rushing river flooded his thoughts.The river water rippling with the smell of blood poured into the limbs and bones, turning into quiet darkness.

At some point, he lay on solid ground again.

"Changsha...?"

Changsha knelt down and looked down at him. "Call me Axing." He said.

"Ah Xing, you did a perfect job. Whether it's sniping or saving me."

"It's unbelievable that you can still speak." Changsha pursed his lips, "But what's even more unbelievable is that I actually agreed to you to do such a stupid thing that shocks the world..."

"Regret?"

"No. Aren't you still alive, then it's okay. Life is hard."

Changsha pinched his arm, which hurt a little.Wuhan wanted to move his arm to remind him, but when he moved his bones seemed to be split, he had to lie obediently. "I'm sorry. The rest is all up to you..."

"Don't say sorry. Actually, I can't wait."

While talking, Chang Sha suddenly felt something wrong, threw his head on his chest, grabbed his blood-stained skirt with both hands, and his loose hair covered most of his face.a long time.

Wuhan thought he was crying and pushed him gently.Changsha simply ignored him.It wasn't until he suddenly raised his upper body again that Wuhan realized that he had guessed wrong.Changsha was laughing, so much that the earth trembled three times.

"Your fate is tough, and I am tougher than you!"

Afterwards, Wuhan felt that he should have slapped him before Changsha said this.Say bad.

On October 10, the Zhongshan ship, which witnessed the country's storms, sank in Dajiang.China's naval services are exhausted.

On October 10, the city of Wuhan fell.The battle of Wuhan, which lasted more than 25 months, came to an end.The main force of the Chinese army all jumped out of the encirclement and successfully evacuated.What the Japanese finally occupied was an empty city that had been burning for two days.

According to historical records, the Anti-Japanese War has since entered a stage of strategic stalemate.

This memory of the Battle of Wuhan is worth remembering for a lifetime.For the city owners who are not human, it is worth chewing on it for the next autumn and winter.

Yue Yang was pushed away by the captain who vowed to live and die with the ship, and swam to the river bank with the surviving sailors.Together with Changsha, she escorted Wuhan onto the ship from Yichang.When the city was finally evacuated under overtime, Yichang watched the fleet go away and collapsed on the pier in collapse.At this time, the Japanese army had reached only a dozen miles away.

Nagasaki was seriously injured and was repatriated to take charge of the logistics temporarily.

1938 passed in a calm that was brewing for the next storm.In the blink of an eye, it was 1939, the Lunar New Year.

"Hangzhou." Suzhou heard someone entering the house, but did not turn his face away, "You came here so early."

"It's almost sunset, isn't it early?"

"Oh." Suzhou shook his head, "It's been so long. I kind of forgot the time..."

The Suzhou I saw in Hangzhou was wrapped in a long cloak painted with orchids, and a man with loose hair sat in front of the guzheng in a daze, holding something small and tightly in his hand.

Hangzhou went around to his side, and opened his fingers with as gentle force as possible.Thin, silver-like, broken strings, and finger pulps bleeding from grinding.

Before he could ask, Suzhou said, "Tokyo has been here before."

"...!"

Hangzhou also didn't care that his behavior resembled a male character in the modern vulgar eight o'clock file.He grabbed Suzhou's thin shoulder and shook: "What did he do? Don't look at me like that, tell me!"

"...didn't do anything." Suzhou coughed twice, reminding Hangzhou to calm down.Hangzhou let go but still stared at him. "I really didn't do anything. I met you outside, sat in the house for a while, and said a few words. It's that simple."

Hearing Suzhou's peaceful tone, Hangzhou relaxed a bit: "But...you don't look like you're okay."

"Some things, I thought I had seen through them, even if I was sad, I wouldn't feel the pain anymore. The same is true for hatred. Since it doesn't help, it's better to endure it for the time being, and wait until there is a chance to report it. But...but..."

Suzhou held Hangzhou's hands.Two lines of tears ran down her beautiful cheeks, like dewdrops that would be evaporated by the sun sooner or later.

It was the early morning of the new year.People in Suzhou always gather in front of Hanshan Temple to wait for the bell to ring. (Note 4) The New Year's bell entrusts people's pious blessings for the new year and their simple hope for happiness.What kind of regime it is occupied by has nothing to do with this unshakable activity.

Suzhou, as always, waited among the crowd.Seeing that he was dressed warmly and neatly, people assumed that he was a son of a rich family, and still kept a circle around him, not daring to get too close.In this regard, Suzhou has nothing to do.In the affluent age, no one would pay attention to his clothes, which can only be regarded as elegant at best.

Together with his people, he stared intently at the ancient clock full of vicissitudes and bless them for a hundred years.

"Boom-thump-"

Suzhou is not a Buddhist.However, he still clasped his hands together with all the people present, regardless of whether they were dressed in rags or kept warm, prayed for God’s blessing, prayed for sufficient food and clothing, prayed that no more wives and children would be scattered and destroyed, and prayed that disasters, oppression and grief would stay away from their motherland... …maybe, and this scarred planet.

I felt someone standing behind me after hearing the bell.

Suzhou immediately recognized the man's face.Their eyes met, but he couldn't say a word.

But Tokyo smiled at him: "I came to visit without notice, I'm rude, Suzhou County King."

Suzhou didn't answer.Tokyo didn't mind either, and gestured to invite him to go to the temple with him to draw lots and pray for blessings.Where is Suzhou still thinking, all attention is on Tokyo's every move.Like a commoner, nothing out of the ordinary.Kneeling in front of the Buddha statue and prostrating was quite sincere, not like pretending, not to mention that he didn't need to pretend.

It wasn't until after leaving the temple that the crowd thinned out that Suzhou said, "Mr. Tokyo, I didn't expect it to be you."

"Don't call me sir." Tokyo said politely, "Even my father Edo is not as old as you, let alone me, a junior."

"...I'd better call you Mr.

"It doesn't matter, do as you like."

Suzhou adjusted his breathing: "I didn't know you were coming, so I'm too far away to welcome you."

"Where, I just came here to have fun. Hanshan Temple is also well-known in my country because of the song "Night Mooring at Maple Bridge" by your country's poet Zhang Ji. I heard about the grand occasion of the New Year every year from Kyoto when I was young. See, the temple is exquisite, the ancient trees are dense, and the people are crowded, it is not worse than imagined."

"Thank you." Suzhou really wanted to ask what Kyoto is doing now.

"The New Year is relatively free. I'm here for a stroll, and I'll leave at noon. Would the Duke of Suzhou be willing to play a zither for me before that? I heard that you are familiar with this."

He is going to his house? "Don't dare to neglect." Suzhou turned around and walked towards home, "I'm not very good at it, I'm afraid I'm going to make a fool of myself."

From the beginning to the end, Tokyo was too gentle and cautious, and that violent image seemed to disappear without a trace with the arrival of the new year.Before the war broke out, he probably walked in this way on the social field at home and abroad.

People can have many faces, but only one nature.

Suzhou plays "High Mountain and Flowing Water".Steady mountains, moving water, bubbling streams in vast forests, and elegant and ethereal tunes flowed under his gentle kneading and slow twisting.He tried his best to immerse himself in the beauty of the music, forgetting Tokyo sitting next to him, and he couldn't help chanting a poem: "Go to the Lotus Mountain in the west, and see the stars from afar. The lotus is held in plain hands, and the empty steps are too clear. The neon clothes drag the clothes and sash, and go up to the sky. .Invite me to Yuntai, Gao Yi Wei Shuqing. Huan Huan go with him, Ling Hong drives Zi Ming..."

He suddenly stepped into the realm of poetry.Stay away from the hustle and bustle of the world, and roam the sky with the fairies of Huashan; the chaos and filth of the world will never touch him again...

Even the person listening was a little moved.

"Looking down at Luoyang River, it's vast...go—"

String broken.The sound of the piano stopped abruptly.

Suzhou leaned on the piano.After a while, he turned his head and smiled apologetically: "It's been in disrepair for a long time, and it broke when I accidentally played it. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I'm honored to be able to feast my ears." Tokyo got up, "I should go. How disturbing, King Suzhou."

"Let's go...don't send it off."

Before crossing the threshold, Tokyo paused for a moment.His voice was still flat, but an octave lower.

"To us, you are as pure as the legend, so I definitely don't want to hurt you. After we achieve complete victory, you will understand that there are some things that you just think too easily on the basis of emotion."

"..."

"One more thing. I didn't do anything to your brother afterwards, he couldn't figure it out by himself, remember."

Before Suzhou broke out and shouted you get out, Tokyo disappeared.

It was wet and cold on a cloudy day. Sitting for a long time, Suzhou felt that his whole body was frozen, down to the depths of his bone marrow.

"Looking down at the Luoyang River, there are soldiers walking in the vast expanse. The weeds are covered with blood, and the wolves are covered with tassels."

"Actually... what does it matter if I finish reciting that poem? Even if it's useless, I still want to vent my hatred clearly once!"

Hangzhou has never seen Suzhou cry like this.Suzhou's tears are not shed because of weakness. They are always sad but not hurt, resentful but not angry-just unwilling to suppress their true emotions.But today, the pain and hatred in this cry almost tore the heart of the listener.

"Stone...I really miss him, so much..."

Shanghai will not know this.He and Ningbo were on the giant ship heading to the main island of Japan, in the name of reporting the port operations to the imperial government, and secretly launched a bigger plan.

"You cheated!" In the chess and card room on board, Ningbo pointed at Shanghai with a smirk, "Turn out the card stuffed in your shoe!"

"Don't..." A sense of frustration welled up in Shanghai.Has his ability to cheat, oh, not delve into tricks, degenerated?

"If you don't bring it with you, you're lying!"

Standing outside the city wall and looking up at the majestic ancient city gate, Beiping feels somewhat similar to Suzhou.After finishing his inspection period in the northern Jiangsu guerrillas, he was taken to the Zhenjiang headquarters on the south bank.On this day, he had nothing important to do, so he braved the heavy snow and crossed the border between Nanjing City and Zhenjiang City, and walked to a place where he could see the city wall of Ming Dynasty.

It's been a whole year.The bones piled up under the city wall can still be easily excavated.

This is the seat of the puppet government.In the gorgeous mansion in the city, there is still singing every night.

The snow doesn't stop.The heart of Peiping is like this continuous barren snow field, spreading infinite sadness.

He looked at the closed city gate, it was cold and tall, exactly the same as the one in his own city.The flag of the blue sky and white sun with yellow bars hanging from the top of the city is the symbol of the puppet government.

... It's better not to go in.go back.

He wanted to stride away, but his feet were so cold that he couldn't control it.It turns out that winter in the south can be so cold...

step.two steps.Then the wandering figure crashed into Beiping's pupils.

At this moment, the breath also condensed.

Not suitable for late winter dress, familiar eyebrows.

It's him.It really is him.

The author has something to say:

Note 1: Refers to the Wanjialing Great Victory.

Note 2: This is a food created by Chinese students studying in Nagasaki.

Note 3: The original words recalled by the surviving crew members.

Note 4: Well, in fact, the activity of ringing the bell to pray for blessings started in 1979, let me use it for convenience =w=