That was seventy years ago. As a Lieutenant of the Military Police of the Central China Garrison of the Dispatch Army, Hashimoto Takayoshi had just reached a peak in his life. He used the information provided by the traitors to capture alive the local anti-Japanese armed forces who were a huge headache for his predecessor.
The leader, Zhao Ziming.
The war of aggression against China entered a protracted tug-of-war against Japan. A large number of anti-Japanese armed forces with different banners sprung up in the areas controlled by the imperial army. The anti-Japanese rescue forces under Zhao Ziming were in trouble. They were hiding in the vast mountains.
, attack small groups of imperial troops mysteriously, assassinate pro-Japanese elements, seriously damaging the originally good public security environment. Lieutenant Hashimoto's predecessor was dismissed because of his ineffective suppression of bandits.
Hashimoto Takayoshi was born in Manchuria and was considered a China expert. He took effective measures when he took office. He first proposed a truce to the anti-Japanese rescuers in a weak manner, but secretly stepped up the search and finally cracked the enemy's traffic station in the city.
Using torture and 10,000 yuan, both hard and soft, he subdued a certain enemy traffic officer who was not determined, set up an ambush, and captured Zhao Ziming alive. Only fifteen members of the Imperial Army and the detective team died in the entire operation. The cost was extremely low.
The anti-Japanese rescue leader was captured, and the anti-Japanese movement suffered a huge setback. For this reason, Lieutenant Hashimoto had an extra star on his shoulder, and he became Captain Hashimoto from then on. Just when he was high-spirited and wanted to continue his efforts to wipe out the entire guerrillas, the prisoner
Gave him a fatal blow.
The blow came from a psychological point. Originally, in Hashimoto's mind, people were simply not worthy of being called human beings. This inferior nation was only assigned to the Yamato people as slaves. He firmly believed that he could conquer Zhao Ziming with his own methods, but the facts proved that he was wrong. This
The tall man endured all the torture, but he still laughed and cursed, and his heroic appearance remained the same. Captain Hashimoto will always remember the majestic appearance of Zhao Ziming when he died generously on the execution ground. He had lost his eyes, and his pipa bone was pierced by a steel wire. He stood tall and contemptuous.
Said to myself: "Little devil, don't shake your hands when you cut the knife, let grandpa do it neatly."
Zhao Ziming's head was chopped off by Hashimoto Takayoshi himself with a family heirloom sword in front of thousands of Chinese people. The purpose was to frighten the locals, but the fact was exactly the opposite. After Zhao Ziming's sacrifice, the local anti-Japanese cause became even more vigorous.
As a result, Captain Hashimoto, who had always been a scheming man, lost his grace and became as superstitious about violence and blood as his predecessor. In the compound of the Military Police on the Nantai Line, wolves and dogs often barked all night long, and sacks filled with people were found every three days.
was thrown into the Huaijiang River.
Hashimoto Takayoshi was quickly retaliated. Plainclothes soldiers from Tobali Road sneaked into the city and attempted to assassinate him. They killed a roomful of detective teams under the noses of the military police and retreated calmly with the captured weapons.
The frustrated captain dispatched the gendarmerie and detective teams into the mountains to search for them, but they were ambushed by the guerrillas. This time, it was not the anti-Japanese rescuers who beat them, but the Eighth Route Army County Brigade, which was more determined and more powerful in combat effectiveness.
In front of the iron chain bridge in Yezhuyu, the military police lost many troops and suffered heavy casualties. Ono Kozo's father, Sergeant Ono Jun, disappeared in this battle. Hashimoto clearly remembered the situation at that time. The opponent had a sharpshooter. If he didn't shoot, he would...
The gunfire must have resulted in the casualty of an Imperial Army soldier. This superb marksmanship was comparable to that of the elite veterans of the Kwantung Army stationed in Manchuria.
The gendarmerie is a force that maintains local security and maintains discipline in the garrison. Its combat effectiveness is not as good as that of front-line soldiers. They had to lose hastily when the opponent had all the right time, place and people. When they came here again with a whole squadron of Japanese troops, they found that
More than a dozen naked bodies of military policemen were found, except Ono Jun.
Hashimoto, who was furious, led the army to surround Yezhuyu, set up machine guns on the threshing floor, and forced them to hand over the guerrillas and captured imperial troops. However, there was only silence. Hashimoto ordered the shooting, and the three men were killed.
One hundred and twenty-eight people fell in a pool of blood, including the elderly, women and children.
After the massacre, Hashimoto was devastated because he discovered that the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere in his mind would never succeed. The people on this land were not as weak and incompetent as he imagined. A month later, Hashimoto
There was a cold gun attack in the city, and a bullet hit his thigh, which almost killed him. After being discharged from the hospital, he was disheartened and moved to the hot southern battlefield with the army. The gunshot wound on his leg never healed, and finally the army
After surrendering to the Allied forces in Burma, he returned to Japan after being promoted to major, contacted family members of his old army, established a fraternity, and adopted Sergeant Ono's son as his adopted son.
During the period of American rule, Japan was suffering from hunger and cold. In order to support his family, the lame Hashimoto worked several jobs at the same time. He often said to himself: Work hard, Hashimoto-kun! You must go back alive and find the remains of Ono and other comrades.
And bring it back for burial, this is your responsibility!
Now Hashimoto Takayoshi has finally returned to the land that left him endless memories. Nantai County has long been transformed. The city is no longer the city it was, and the people are no longer the same people.
The heroes have long gone with the wind, replaced by a group of bureaucrats who follow the trend. Their appearance is exactly the same as that of the traitor who betrayed Zhao Ziming for 10,000 yen. They only paid 10 million yen to make them obey. Thinking of this bridge
Moto Takayoshi even felt that the time for that war was wrong. If it were fought now, perhaps these people could be defeated with Toyota cars and Japanese yen without guns.
But when he saw the old man on the hillside, the long-lost feeling came over him again. He saw the anti-Japanese hero again. He even suspected that this old man with flowing white hair was the guerrilla who shot him.
Old Chengtou also saw Hashimoto Takayoshi on the sliding pole. The old man's pupils shrank, and veins suddenly appeared in the hand holding the steel fork. Three words burst out from between his teeth: "Little devil!"
…
Finally arrived at the dreamy Yezhu Valley. Hashimoto Takayoshi had mixed feelings. Compared to the county town, the changes here are quite small. The house is still the same as before, the threshing field is still the same as before, and the mountains and green waters are green.
, the military police captain whose appearance remains the same and who was so heroic back then has now become an old man.
"Mr. Hashimoto, where do you think the monument should be placed?" The translator conveyed Secretary Zhang's words to Hashimoto. He nodded, pointed to a piece of soil slope next to the threshing floor and said: "That's right there.
!”
"Yes, with the mountain behind and the village facing, this location is really well chosen!" Secretary Zhang chuckled.
Deputy County Magistrate Tang also flattered him: "Mr. Hashimoto must have studied Feng Shui."
Old man Hashimoto shook his head and said: "Years ago, I ordered the shooting of more than 300 civilians here, and they are buried here."
As soon as this statement came out, everyone was shocked. They only knew that Hashimoto Takayoshi was once a Japanese invader, but they didn't expect that he was actually a bloody executioner!
It was Secretary Zhang who reacted the fastest. He said slowly: "War is the enemy of mankind, and peace is the mainstream. We should not be bound by hatred, but should look to the future, build harmony together, and contribute to the cause of Sino-Japanese peace."
The staff immediately applauded, and Secretary Zhang pressed down his hands with grace and said: "The monument is located here, which has far-reaching significance. It not only commemorates the deceased, but also symbolizes the long-standing friendship between the two peoples.
"
Everyone applauded warmly again. The Japanese old men and women in the visiting group were all descendants of Hashimoto Military Police soldiers. When they came to the place where their ancestors died, they also had mixed feelings. They all shed tears when they heard Secretary Zhang’s touching speech.
Hot tears.
"Zhang Sang, I want to meet the people living in this village and talk to them." Hashimoto said.
After hearing what the translator conveyed, Secretary Zhang immediately ordered Mayor Gao to ring the bell and call for people.
Township Chief Gao personally knocked on a section of railway track hanging under the big tree at the head of the village, summoning the villagers of Yezhuyu to come to a meeting. The sparse villagers came to the threshing floor with their children and rice bowls in their arms, chattering like this,
Looking at this group of strangers holding sun flags, staff from the county government and township government stood around, and the Japanese guests stood where the machine guns were set up, overlooking the villagers.
For a moment, Old Hashimoto was in a trance, as if he had returned to the past. It was here many years ago that he ordered the massacre of hundreds of villagers in Yezhuyu. Today he returned to this place again, but no longer as a conqueror, but as a conqueror.
As an investor, the weapon he relies on is no longer a machine gun, but a lot of yen.
After all the villagers in Yezhuyu gathered together, Mayor Gao shouted at the top of his voice: "Fellow villagers, please be quiet. Our international friend Hashimoto Tai-kun has something to say."
After saying this, Mayor Gao slapped himself in the mouth. Why should he not be a good person with such a bad mouth? The word "Taijun" slipped out unconsciously.
Hashimoto Takayoshi took a deep breath and said: "Gentlemen, I am Hashimoto Takayoshi. I directed a military operation here many years ago and killed many innocent people. I have caused you trouble. Please forgive me!"
Not only was the female translator the only one at the scene who understood Japanese, Deputy County Magistrate Tang had taken a Japanese course in college, and he could still understand the general content. As Hashimoto spoke, he quietly translated to Secretary Zhang, and Secretary Zhang screwed up.
Mei Mei said seriously: "How can you say that if you play the piano randomly!"
The translator first told the contents to several leaders present and looked at them with uneasy eyes. She also knew that these words might cause some trouble, especially in such uncivilized mountains and wilderness.
Secretary Zhang had an emergency consultation with Deputy County Magistrate Tang, Township Chief Gao and others. Township Chief Gao offered his advice: "Anyway, the old devil can't understand Chinese, so let's try to deceive him and change what he said.
.”
Secretary Zhang nodded and praised: "Xiao Gao, you still have a way."
Since most people living in remote areas like Yezhuyu have never entered the county town, Secretary Zhang's authority is not as effective as that of Mayor Gao, so Mr. Hashimoto's words were transmitted to Chief Gao through a translator, who then conveyed them to the villagers.
Mayor Gao shouted with a loud voice: "Young and old men, I am Gao Yishui'er, the mayor of Tianjie Township. Today all the county leaders are here, um, and Mr. Hashimoto, an international friend from Japan.
They want to invest and build factories in our county and vigorously develop our township's tourism resources. Yezhuyu is the first place chosen. They want to build a monument on this slope. The county will pay and our village will provide labor.
The labor is thirty yuan a day, taking care of the food!”
This was the content of the speech urgently formulated by the leaders, and the effect was truly extraordinary. The villagers were able to work and earn money without leaving home, and the salary was as much as thirty yuan a day. The crowd suddenly became excited, and many people reached out to sign up.
Seeing this scene, Secretary Zhang and Deputy County Magistrate Tang both smiled, thankful that a crisis had been resolved. Hashimoto Takayoshi in the wheelchair also curled up his lips and smiled. Ono Kosaku bowed to the side and asked in a low voice: "Father,
What are you laughing at?"
"What I'm laughing at is that we are as humble as we were seventy years ago." Hashimoto said with a sneer.
As soon as he finished speaking, a voice from below shouted: "It can't be repaired! Those are the Japanese devils who killed our fellow villagers in Yezhuyu!"
An old man with white hair and beard rushed up with a flying stride, the three-stranded steel fork in his hand flashing cold light. The public security personnel responsible for security around Secretary Zhang immediately stepped forward, protected the county leaders behind them, and stared at the old man warily.
Hashimoto Takayoshi stared at this man closely, a familiar feeling came to his mind, and his soldier's intuition told him that danger was coming.
Ono's eyes fell on the military kettle on the old man's body, and the three faded words "Ono Jun" stimulated his eyes and nerves like needles.