The common people dragged their exhausted bodies and evacuated northward in the night when the cold wind was raging. Behind them, there was a faint thunderous roar from the direction of Gaoyou. The Japanese had already reached Gaoyou.
Although the people are hungry and cold, they have heard that in the front town of Jieshou, the Northern Jiangsu Corps has opened a porridge shed. As long as they get to Jieshou, the situation will get better.
Although they were evacuating to Huaiyin, they had to pass by Baoying in the middle. They heard that Baoying also had puppet troops and Japanese soldiers, so as long as they followed the Jiangsu North Corps, they would be safe.
"Axiu, drink some water and hold on a little longer. When you get to Jieshou Town, you will have something to eat and you can rest."
In the crowded crowd, a skinny man was protecting his pregnant wife and walking north with the crowd.
"Ajie, I really can't walk." A pregnant woman with a big belly had walked such a long way and now she had no strength.
Seeing his wife's tired face, the skinny Tang Jie felt filled with guilt. She did not enjoy a single day's happiness after marrying him, but instead followed him around the world.
"Then let's go to the roadside to have a rest first, and I'll see if we can find a bullock cart."
Tang Jie, who was considerate of his wife, had to squeeze out of the crowd with great effort, took Axiu to a leeward place and sat down, preparing to find a bullock cart to take her away. Otherwise, if he kept walking at this speed, he would not reach Jieshou Town at dawn.
"Ajie, I'm scared." Seeing Tang Jie going out to find the bullock cart, Axiu's face was full of worry with a big belly.
After all, in these turbulent years, many people, once lost in the crowd, will never be seen again.
"It's okay, just stay here and don't move around. I'll be back in a while." Tang Jie forced out a smile and put the package he carried with him into Axiu's hand: "I'll be right back."
"I'll wait for you to come back."
Axiu looked at the road crowded with people, her heart suddenly felt empty, she clutched the package in her hand tightly, maybe because she had walked too much, her stomach ached a little.
In the dark night, the people carrying torches moved forward tiredly. Many people couldn't walk anymore, so they lit fires by the roadside to warm themselves up before leaving.
Tang Jie wanted to find an ox cart, but after a long journey, all the ox carts and carriages were full of people or stuffed with packages, and no one was willing to make room for people to ride.
Facing the lifeless and panicked crowd of refugees, Tang Jie felt extremely frustrated. He had to turn around and return because he was worried about Axiu.
But not far after walking, the slowly moving crowd in front suddenly stopped, and a group of people with torches blocked the way. This group of people also held a flag high in their hands - "Jieshou Anti-Japanese War Guerrilla Detachment!"
"Dear fellow citizens, I am Zhang Baozi, the captain of the Jieshou Anti-Japanese War Guerrilla Detachment. The Japs have already reached Gaoyou. As the captain of the Jieshou Guerrilla Detachment, I am responsible for maintaining the security of one side and keeping the enemy outside Jieshou. However,
However, there is insufficient ammunition and insufficient military pay, so all patriotic fathers and fellow countrymen, if you have money, contribute money, if you have no money, contribute efforts, we unite to defend against foreign enemies..."
The arrogant-looking "Captain of the Jieshou Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Detachment" Zhang Baozi spoke a long list of nonsense, then waved his hand to the back, and several men carrying guns walked up to the crowd carrying several sacks.
"Fathers and fellow villagers, if you have money, give money, and if you have people, join hands to fight against Japan! Drive the Japanese out of China as soon as possible!" These people carrying sacks shouted slogans while asking the fleeing people to pay.
"Yes, everyone, hurry up. You are donating money to fight against Japan, but you are accumulating merit!" Seeing that these people were hesitating to dodge and had no intention of paying, those in charge of collecting money urged anxiously.
"I...I have no money..." A middle-aged man saw the man walking up to him carrying a sack and timidly refused.
"No money, I don't believe it!" The person who collected the money grabbed the package from the man and tore it open twice.
Soon, under the light of the fire, a few legal coins and a few shining oceans fell to the ground in the wrapped clothes.
"If you don't have money, what is this? If you don't donate money to fight against Japan, why do you still want to be an enemy? Confiscate everything!"
The person who collected the money shouted ferociously while picking up all the French coins and oceans and stuffing them into the sack with quick hands and feet.
"Boss, boss, don't..." When the middle-aged man saw that all his savings had been taken away, he immediately became anxious and hurriedly pulled the sleeve of the person who collected the money.
"Believe it or not, I will kill you as a traitor!" The man who collected the money suddenly took out a shell gun and pressed the cold muzzle against the man's chest, threatening him fiercely.
Although the middle-aged man was unwilling to do so, he had no choice but to loosen his grip when facing the black muzzle of the gun, and watched helplessly as these people took away all his money.
"Everyone, please be active. Everyone has a responsibility to fight against Japan. Don't be disrespectful and drink wine as a penalty. Please take out your money as soon as possible!"
Faced with these threats and inducements, the property of the unarmed people was quickly plundered, and Zhang Baozi stood there with a smile on his face.
"Where's yours?!" Soon, the person collecting the money walked up to Tang Jie.
"I have no money. Besides, what kind of guerrillas are you? Why haven't I heard of them?" Tang Jie was deeply suspicious of these so-called guerrillas, so he asked one more question.
"We are a newly established guerrilla group, directly under the command of Commander Yu of the Sulu War Zone. Little brother, I think you are strong and have no money, so you can become a soldier and follow us to fight the Japanese." Seeing this.
As Tang Jie stood there, the person collecting the money had a sneer on his lips.
The man waved to the back, and two men with guns strode over, trying to restrain Tang Jie. Their faces were full of amusement.
"I'm not a soldier..." Tang Jie realized the danger and wanted to retreat.
"You'd better follow us obediently, otherwise you know what the consequences will be!" The person who collected the money pointed his gun at Tang Jie and threatened loudly.
Before Tang Jie could react, he was restrained by two people rushing over, one on the left and one on the right. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't get away.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Tang Jie was struggling, but no one around him dared to help.
Because this group of people not only used the banner of anti-Japanese guerrillas, but they also had guns, so who could go against them?
Soon Tang Jie was carried to a dark forest by the roadside, where screams of beatings could be heard, and those who listened were terrified.
The so-called Jieshou Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Detachment also set up cards on the road. All people going north had to pay to pass. If they didn't have money, they couldn't pass.
Just when Zhang Baozi, under the banner of the Jieshou Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Detachment, was taking advantage of the chaos to set up traffic jams on the highway and search for money, about five miles behind them, the same group of people was doing the same thing.
However, what this group of people was fighting was the Sulu Patriotic Corps, and their leader was a tower-like man, who lived up to his name, Liu Heitan.
But their luck was not that good. They had been setting up the trap for a while, but they didn't get much money.
"Boss, boss, I've found out clearly that the stupid Zhang Baozi set up a card in front of us to collect money, and he took all the money away!" Soon, someone came from a distance and rushed towards Liu Heitan.
Report.
"Damn it, I just said that they are all a bunch of poor guys. They dare to love Zhang Baozi and dare to cut off his beard!" Liu Heitan was filled with anger and yelled: "Brothers, I want to see how much Zhang Baozi weighs.