Chapter 311 Family members are both soft spots and armor
It turns out that bottom line dignity is something that cannot be lowered.
Once you make a little concession, you can only retreat again and again.
In the end, there is no bottom line left.
Dignity is also gone.
“That’s too much!”
"They clearly, they clearly are——"
The Japanese pirates clearly asked them to burn everything related to China.
What was burned were more than just those insignificant-looking and silent clothes.
First burn the country's clothes, then burn the country's books.
When things that represent China are burned one by one, what is left to be remembered?
How many people can still stand up straight?
The Japanese pirates are worthy of punishment!
The best way to destroy a country is to first make them forget their history, then forget their writing, and finally completely destroy their civilization.
This winter in Jiangcheng is particularly cold.
The cold nights are especially long.
It was so long that they could hear the crying of wronged souls every minute and every second.
Pei Qingsong was in an extremely heavy mood, and his eyes became increasingly lifeless.
His parents noticed that he was unhappy and depressed, so they asked him what happened.
Pei Qingsong then told everyone what happened in the troupe today.
Pei Qingsong's parents were silent for a long time.
Tonight, Jiangcheng had a rare heavy snowfall.
It never snows in Jiangcheng.
I don't know if the willow catkins floating in the sky are tears falling from the sky.
Poor people should remember that there is a god above them, and God is watching what they do.
But why haven't those Japanese pirates been punished yet?
When Pei Qingsong was young, he heard a sentence while listening to the scholar next door reading.
Heaven and earth are not benevolent; they treat all things as straw dogs.
Between the scholar's explanation and his own half-guessing, he roughly understood the meaning of this sentence.
It means that from the perspective of heaven and earth, all things are the same, there is no difference.
Pei Qingsong looked at his parents who were asking Cangtian when he would open his eyes, and wondered in his heart, is it because of this that the gods in heaven don't care about the suffering endured by the world?
They would not bring down divine punishment on the Japanese pirates just because the Chinese people were bullied.
Just like humans would not stop to help the bullied party just because a group of ants are fighting.
The snow fell for a long time. When it stopped, Pei Qingsong's father lay on the straw-covered ground, wrapped in a tattered quilt, and said something to his son.
"Qingsong, your mother and I have lived for half our lives, and we have lived enough."
"I don't know when these Japanese pirates will be able to get out of Jiangcheng. Their words are like the words of ghosts. They cannot be trusted."
"Don't be fooled by their words. If you cooperate, not only will you not die, but we will also live a good life. But if they want, they may kill us and eat us one day."
Pei Qingsong's mother was in tears. Many people around her had died during this period, and she couldn't even cry.
Her eyesight is not good either.
Even when looking at her son's face, she had to squint hard.
She asked Pei Qingsong, "Qingsong, I have never been educated. I just want to ask you, if you really wore their clothes and burned your own clothes, after a few years, ten years, or even decades, would you still remember what clothes you should wear?"
"Can you still remember what your original clothes looked like?"
If Pei's mother had read more books, she would probably think more sharply.
If I can wear the clothes given by the Japanese pirates today, does that mean I have to eat the food given by the Japanese pirates tomorrow?
From now on, do we have to learn and speak Japanese?
When the marks that represent his Chinese nationality are being destroyed bit by bit, can he really still remember that he was once Chinese?
Can he still remember that he once deeply loved the land beneath his feet?
Pei Qingsong suddenly raised his head.
His eyes turned red, "Dad, Mom, thank you."
He knew what to do.
Pei Qingsong wiped away his tears, knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Pei's father and mother.
"Father, mother, I am an unfilial child."
Both Pei's father and mother knew what this kowtow and these words meant.
The two of them hugged each other and cried until their eyes were swollen.
When we returned to our old boss the next day, we all had red eyes from crying.
Everyone, including the old boss, had a suicidal look in their eyes.
A man who was a few years older than Pei Qingsong said, "I talked to my parents last night. They told me that once the spine is bent, it can never be straightened again."
Another man about his age nodded.
"My father said that if I dared to perform for the Japanese pirates, he would treat me as if I were not his son!"
"My mother said that if I became a traitor, she would not be able to face her ancestors even after she died."
"My mother said that if the clothes are burned, they can be remade, but if the knees are weak, it will be difficult to deal with."
When people talk about their parents, their eyes turn red.
We are not fools, and we all know what these words mean.
Family is their soft spot.
But it is also their strongest armor.
The old boss stared deeply at the Wufu and hat sent by the Sakura people.
After a long while, he smiled.
"Everyone, remember what the pirates' stuff looks like. When you go underground and see pirates wearing these, remember to be merciful."
Everyone nodded.
A boy said with red eyes: "Master, no matter what, we can't give away our things."
"Master, the Japanese pirates have killed so many people in Jiangcheng. Even if we die, we have to use a few beasts as a cushion on our backs!"
The old boss' eyes were red.
Yes, even if I die, I would rather have a few beasts to support my back!
The next day, the old troupe owner informed Li Ergou that the play had been rehearsed almost to completion and he wanted to invite the ladies to review it.
Li Ergou admired their awareness of current affairs.
The colonel led a group of Japanese soldiers and rushed into the opera troupe in a large number.
This year Jiangcheng is exceptionally cold, both chilly and humid. When the wind blows, the chill penetrates deep into the bones.
The Japanese soldiers felt cold and ordered the doors and windows to be closed tightly.
There was a hot charcoal brazier burning in the house.
There was a table placed on the charcoal basin, with a thick blanket on it, so that everyone could gather together and feel warm.
Seeing that the people in the troupe were not wearing the Japanese uniforms of the Sakura Country, the colonel became a little angry and muttered a lot of nonsense to Li Ergou.
Li Ergou glared at the people in the troupe and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
He smiled apologetically and said, "Your Excellency misunderstood. If I wear the clothes you sent me during rehearsal, won't they get dirty?"
"If it gets dirty, wouldn't that be disrespectful to you?"
If he wasn't afraid that the Japanese would get angry and kill him along with them, he wouldn't have bothered to compensate these people!
The colonel found this reason acceptable, so he continued to sit there and wait for them to perform.
I don’t know what play is being rehearsed today.
Pei Qingsong was holding a thick basin in his hand, which contained flour or some other powder.
His hands kept turning in the basin, spilling powder everywhere.
The same goes for the people behind.
Everyone adopted the intonation of singing opera, and all they uttered were words cursing the Japanese army.
Li Ergou broke out in a cold sweat after hearing this.