While thinking about all sorts of things, Yang Yizhong had already followed the team to the off-white monument in the center of the square. He watched them scatter and take out all kinds of flat blocks and point them at the monument.

"People's heroes...will live forever." Yang Yizhong recognized the handwriting on the stele, but he was a little confused about its meaning. Who could these heroes be? His eyes fell on the exquisite life-size reliefs at the bottom of the stele, but he still couldn't tell what they were depicting. Just as he was confused, a group of children came over from a distance, all wearing red scarves around their necks. Their leader took out a loudspeaker-like object and began to explain loudly.

"Students, what we are seeing now are the eight reliefs on the base of the Monument to the People's Heroes. Can you guess what they are engraved on? Are there any children who can tell me? Please raise your hands - that's right, it's the Destruction of Opium at Humen..."

Yang Yizhong listened attentively. Due to the difference in pronunciation, he had a hard time listening. Fortunately, the teacher who taught the children spoke in simple language and was able to understand a little. It seemed that nearly a hundred years ago, the official's hometown was in a precarious situation, with internal and external troubles and humiliation. The court was unable to fight against foreign invaders and lost power and humiliated the country. There was also constant chaos and many uprisings...

Wait, isn't this uprising just a rebellion? Yang Yizhong was shocked. Rebellion is justified, and it is possible to openly erect a monument to commemorate it like this? Did the rebels later take over the country? But the teacher clearly said that the "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom" was suppressed in a few years... And the subsequent Wuchang Uprising and Nanchang Uprising were even more treasonous, which made him dizzy. What is anti-imperialism and anti-feudalism, overthrowing the corrupt and backward feudal dynasty? The country cannot be without a monarch for a day. Without the emperor, how can the world survive? Children here learn these things from childhood?

Yang Yizhong's mind was buzzing. He didn't quite understand what was said about the founding of the Republic of China and the revolutionary war, but the Anti-Japanese War... Japan? Which Japan? Yang Yizhong almost choked on his breath. After a moment, he was confused again. If it was really Japan, how could the emperor, as a native of this country, keep Taira no Kiyomori and his men? Didn't he find a way to pacify Japan like he did with the Western Xia?

He was completely confused, but the teacher didn't wait for him to figure it out. He continued to talk about the relief, saying that the Japanese were eventually driven away, and after a few more years of fighting, the land finally cleared of gunpowder and was considered peaceful. It was only then, when the team circled the monument, that Yang Yizhong saw the inscription on the back of the monument.

"For three years, the people's heroes who sacrificed their lives in the People's Liberation War and the People's Revolution will be immortal! "For thirty years, the people's heroes who sacrificed their lives in the People's Liberation War and the People's Revolution will be immortal! "From this, dating back to 1840, since then, in order to oppose internal and external enemies, fight for national independence and the freedom and happiness of the people, the people's heroes who have sacrificed their lives in various struggles will be immortal!"

People's hero. Again, the word "people". What do these two words represent? Yang Yizhong rubbed his eyes. On the eight reliefs, there were men and women, old and young, farmers with cloth wrapped around their heads, students holding books, warriors holding swords and sticks, and civilians wearing cloth. But there were no emperors and generals in luxurious clothes, no romantic figures who left their names in history, and even the teacher who frequently used lewd words did not mention any of the people in the paintings when he was teaching.

While he was daydreaming, a group of schoolchildren over there, under the guidance of their teacher, presented a bunch of white chrysanthemums still covered with dew to the monument, and then lined up neatly, raised their hands above their heads to salute. Zhao Jiu and his group of college students did not need the teacher to explain the reliefs one by one. After taking pictures and visiting, the class monitor and the league secretary took the lead in presenting a bouquet of flowers and bowed together. In addition to flowers, there were also tourists who placed fruits and candles in front of the monument to pay tribute.

Yang Yizhong looked at this scene and suddenly remembered the orange lanterns floating on the Huai River, the densely packed memorial tablets on Yao Mountain, and the huge memorial tablet at the center of the Yuetai Grand Sacrifice without a name! At this moment, he vaguely understood something.

As the night was drawing to a close, the east was already glowing with the morning glow. The teacher in charge once again raised the flag and led the students to the city gate tower. Yang Yizhong also followed and walked to the bridge built of white marble. He saw three city gates, but no guards. When he was wondering if he could go in directly in this state, the red lacquered city gate suddenly opened, and a team of young men in dark green shorts and high black boots came in line, with their steps in unison and their steps clanging. The leader held a red flag, and was flanked by soldiers. He walked across the jade bridge with a proud and high spirit amid the cheers of the crowd and stopped in front of the towering flagpole.

A team of elite soldiers. Yang Yizhong immediately made a judgment. In terms of physique, formation, pace, and momentum, these few people were no less outstanding than the elite soldiers in the imperial guards. Before he could figure out what this small team of elite soldiers was for, a loud music sounded from nowhere, startling Yang Yizhong. The red flag was unfurled, and the familiar five golden stars shocked him, while the humming sound like a sea tide came from behind him, embracing the red flag, facing the eastern glow, and slowly rising to the sky.

Several children in front of Yang Yizhong raised their hands above their heads, while more people just stood up straight, their eyes following the rising red flag. When the morning breeze fully unfurled the flag at the top of the flagpole, the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds in the east and sprinkled on the vermilion city wall.

Yang Yizhong looked at the flag with five golden stars and suddenly realized the significance of this ceremony. He also understood why so many people gathered in the square before dawn. They were waiting for the red flag to rise with the rising sun! And the music played, from the elderly to the children, everyone could sing along, which made him feel incredible.

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