Compared with last year's disaster relief fair in Jinan, the scale of Shanghe County's this time was much smaller. Although there were many invitations, the situation in Shandong was so chaotic that only people like Zhou Hexuan foolishly came to accept the invitation.
Although the Nanjing government has announced the restoration of Shandong, the provincial capital Jinan was occupied by the Japanese. The Northern Expeditionary Army could only take a detour. As a result, the remnants of the Zhili Allied Forces were still entrenched in Jiaodong. There was even a power vacuum in the counties surrounding Jinan City, and the Japanese did not bother to go there.
The Northern Expeditionary Army did not dare to occupy it, and the Zhili Allied Forces were unable to occupy it. As a result, it became a world dominated by the Red Spear Club and bandits.
The fair lasted for three days, and Meng Xiaodong's performance astonished the villagers. What was even more sensational was Wanrong's appearance. She didn't even need to perform. She only announced her name as the former Queen of the Qing Dynasty, which made the scene abuzz.
Harriet Abban even gave an exclusive interview to Wanrong. The last queen of China personally went to the disaster area to help the people. Americans will definitely like this report if it is published.
More than 12,000 yuan was raised on site, plus the 2,000 yuan donated by Zhou Hexuan from the Jimin Society and the Shandong Hunger Prevention Association, the total total is close to 2,000 yuan.
There is more money, but unfortunately there is not enough grain, and the grain merchants in Shanghe County are unwilling to sell grain.
It’s not that merchants want to hoard goods to make dirty money, but that there has been a grain shortage since the beginning of last year, and now they have lost their purchasing channels. Grain merchants themselves don’t even have enough grain.
Zhou Hexuan found that he took Chun Heban all the way to hold a charity performance, which was too much for granted. Even if he could raise money through charity performances, it would be difficult to convert the money into food. The only way to open the food road from Northeast to Shandong as soon as possible was the best strategy.
So, when the benefit performance in Shanghe County ended, Zhou Hexuan took the troupe to Tai'an around Jinan City, Jinjiyang, and Zhangqiu.
Now that the Shandong Provincial Government is temporarily located on Tai'an Road, Zhou Hexuan plans to visit the Provincial Chairman Sun Liangchen first. After communication and coordination between the two parties, he will then discuss it with our Principal Chang Kaishen Chang.
The situation in Jiyang is almost as bad as Shanghe, because this is the first stop for refugees from Jinan.
After Zhou Hexuan had a good discussion with the local gentry in Jiyang, they arranged for the Chunhe Troupe to perform for two days on a stage in the county town, raising more than 100 million yuan in charity, all of which was used to relieve the victims.
The gentry in Jiyang also had someone sew a silk banner all night long, and wrote a letter "a benevolent person" to give it to the Chunhe class, which made the class leader Meng Hongrong so happy that he couldn't find it.
After Jiyang County is Zhangqiu County, but something unexpected happened this time.
…
Meng Hongrong sat on the carriage, unfolded the banner, looked at it again and again, and said happily: "Our Meng family has been performing operas for generations, and this is the first time we have received the banner. We must hang it up properly when we go back."
"Uncle San, if you take it out and look at it ten times a day, the pennant is almost worn out by you." Meng Xiaodong teased.
Meng Hongrong said regretfully: "It's a pity that the Japanese occupy Jinan, so we can't go to the provincial capital for a charity performance. Otherwise, it would be so beautiful to get another Jinan banner."
"The scenery is beautiful, but it's a pity that there is no money to make, and you have to pay for the fare, food and accommodation." Meng Hongrong's wife muttered.
Meng Hongrong scolded and said: "What do you know, you woman? If you take this banner out, you will be respected no matter where you go. We opera singers do not lack fame or profit, but we lack respect. When we come to Shandong to sing opera in the future, we will be respected here."
The county magistrate wants to say hello to us."
Zhou Hexuan smiled and said: "The third uncle is right."
"Thanks also to Ta Kung Pao for helping with publicity." Meng Hongrong thanked him. Because there were reporters from Ta Kung Pao accompanying him, Chun Heban's charitable deeds would surely appear frequently in the newspapers, so Meng Hongrong agreed to come to the charity performance. He is very smart.
When everyone was joking, Liao Yaquan occasionally joined in with a sentence or two, but stayed silent the rest of the time.
Female spies are also human beings, not to mention that Liao Yaquan is only 17 years old. She can't bear to face the miserable victims. However, this most basic compassion is quickly offset by the thought of "loyalty to the emperor" in her mind. She even thinks
:China had better become more miserable, so that it would be easier for the Japanese Empire to occupy this place.
Liao Yaquan's "real identity" is a Shandong refugee. She has to show pain, so she has been looking sad these days. When Zhou Hexuan asked, she said she thought of her lost mother and uncle.
The group advanced for a while and reached a fork in the road. They turned around and said, "Mr. Zhou, it's almost noon. Not far ahead is Caozhuang. We can go get some water and take a rest."
Zhou Hexuan was about to speak when suddenly the sound of horse hooves galloping came from the other side of the fork.
"No! They're bandits."
Handlebar's expression changed dramatically, he threw his whip and jumped out of the car, planning to run away.
Unfortunately, it was already too late. More than a dozen bandits on horseback rushed over and surrounded their convoy, each carrying a long gun.
"Haha, before we even get there, we've got a fat sheep in our arms!" the leading gangster laughed.
Another person said: "Hey, there are some other girls, they are really pretty."
Wanrong was already trembling with fear, Meng Xiaodong was a little calmer, and only Liao Yaquan quietly took out the pen.
Among the people in Chunhe Ban, there were also some practitioners, but they were useless. They jumped out of the car, ready to fight back with a full range of tricks at any time.
The Sun brothers wanted to draw their guns, but Zhou Hexuan immediately shouted in a low voice: "Don't act rashly, there are many of them."
These bandits just surrounded everyone and did not move anything. Not long after, the sound of rumbling footsteps was heard again. Zhou Hexuan looked around and suddenly felt distressed in his heart. There was actually a large group of bandits coming again.
The bandits who arrived later were all on foot, only the leader was on horseback, and there were about a hundred or so of them. Some of these bandits had guns, some had sticks, and they were dressed in various colors.
"Boss, we caught a fat sheep!"
The leading horseman rushed over with his whip, pointed at Zhou Hexuan and the others and said, "Watch them all. When Caozhuang is captured, we will take them back to the stronghold together."
Zhou Hexuan clasped his fists and said, "May I ask the name of this strong man?"
"Oh, he is a scholar," the bandit leader said with a smile, "I will not change my name in business, but I will not change my surname in office, Zhang Mingjiu!"
Zhou Hexuan was extremely depressed. He heard President Zhang from Shanghe County mention Zhang Mingjiu just a few days ago, but he didn't expect to meet him so unluckily. The most speechless thing is that Zhang Mingjiu was entrenched in Qidong County and actually came to Zhangqiu.
Zhou Hexuan said: "I, Zhou Hexuan, have an old relationship with Marshal Zhang Zongchang. I once played cards with Marshal Zhang in Tianjin. By the way, Marshal Zhang was also present at that time."
Zhang Mingjiu used to be Zhang Zongchang's orderly. When he heard this, he was shocked and said: "Hey, I said you look so familiar. It turns out to be Mr. Zhou. I remember you. We were sitting in the side hall together at that time. When we were eating, the young marshal also
Please go over and talk. You were Marshal Chu's secretary at that time, right?"
Zhou Hexuan was speechless for a moment. He was really familiar with this guy. When Zhang Mingjiu reminded him, he also had the impression that this guy was Zhang Zongchang's follower.
Zhang Mingjiu said happily: "Mr. Zhou, you are a scholar, come and be my military advisor!"
Zhou Hexuan's facial muscles twitched a few times, and he smiled bitterly and said: "Okay, please also ask Village Master Zhang to be kind to the people." 8