Chapter 134 With so many troops outside, this...
The defeat in the war was even faster than Lu Lin had anticipated. In just a few days, Tianjin was also captured by the Japanese army, and his unit was forced to retreat to the eastern provinces. The flames of war burned ever brighter, and Japanese planes bombed everywhere every day.
Meanwhile, the Japanese army in Shanghai also began to frequently provoke and cause trouble. Shen Rong remembered Sheng Ruyue, who was left alone there, and sent a telegram to her and Lin Wenhui to come to Jincheng.
Lin Wenhui arrived, but Sheng Ruyue did not. She brought a letter saying that she wanted to stay in Shanghai and that she had already figured out how to live. She would do what Lu Chang wanted to do but hadn't done, and she would live on with Lu Chang's beliefs.
The nation is in peril, and the Japanese covet Shanghai. The city is on the verge of collapse, and this is precisely the time when she needs to stay and fight. Lu Chang is still sleeping here; she will not leave. She will hold out until the moment the enemy is driven out.
Shen Rong looked at the letter and fell into a long silence. She was both happy and worried, and her heart was filled with complex emotions.
Perhaps it is because there are countless people like Lu Chang and Sheng Ruyue that we will eventually win. She cried and then laughed. Shen Rong sent her a letter.
Respect her choice and be proud of her, but ask her to take care of herself. This is a protracted battle, and she needs to outlive her enemies.
Half a month later, Lu You also returned from his hometown. As expected, he did not bring his parents back with him. Even Lu You's birth mother, Aunt Huang, refused to come along, saying that she wanted to stay in her hometown.
They all felt that even if the Japanese invaded, they probably wouldn't do anything to them, the common people.
Shen Rong sighed deeply. They thought too highly of the Japanese. They were not even human; they were pure beasts who committed all sorts of atrocities, such as burning, killing, and looting. How could they have any illusions about them?
Shen Rong looked at the several boxes of treasures passed down from the Lu family in her home, and felt very uneasy.
That night, she sent another urgent telegram to her hometown, repeatedly asking Lu's father to come over, even if he didn't come to Jincheng, it would be good if he could go to some other place in the countryside to avoid trouble.
Mr. Lu still refused, saying he would rather die in the ancestral home than leave. His stubbornness gave Shen Rong a headache. Just as she was hesitating about whether to go back herself, tragedy struck.
Ten days later, Japan began a large-scale indiscriminate bombing campaign. The town where the Lu family lived was razed to the ground by artillery shells, and their ancestral home was reduced to ashes in the fire.
Only some young people from the Lu family escaped. They just happened to be out of the house that day, which is why they escaped. When the bad news reached Jincheng, Shen Rong fainted.
The doctor came and said she was pregnant, but had fainted due to a sudden shock.
It's good news, but nobody's smiling.
Jiang Yufen took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears while blowing on the chicken soup for Shen Rong.
"Sister-in-law, have something to eat, don't be too sad."
Shen Rong looked at her protruding belly and suddenly came to his senses: "Have you eaten?"
Jiang Yufen needs more attention than her. Her family was also bombed this time, and she doesn't know what the situation is like at home. She must be worried too.
After bringing the doctor back, Lu You looked grief-stricken and said, "Sister-in-law, I need to go back."
He needed to go back to collect his parents' bodies, to see how things were at home, and how to make arrangements for so many clansmen. With his elder brother away, he was the one who should take care of all these matters.
Shen Rong had completely calmed down and resolutely refused the request: "No."
Lu You was taken aback; he hadn't expected Shen Rong to object: "But what about Mom and Dad's funeral arrangements..."
Shen Rong looked at him, her eyes sharp: "The living are more important," she softened her tone, "The war is changing every day. You haven't even reached your hometown yet, and the Japanese might attack first."
Nothing is more important than the living. Jiang Yufen is heavily pregnant. If he goes back now, it will be a war zone, and he might lose his life there if he's unlucky!
Jiang Yufen and Lu You exchanged a glance, both hesitant. It shouldn't be that fast, right? The previous bombing was just because their troops hadn't reacted yet.
They'll definitely be able to drive the Japanese back eventually. Is the Japanese army really that powerful?
Shen Rong wasn't so optimistic. She couldn't drag Lu You into this; if she did, the Lu family would truly be in ruins, and what would happen to Jiang Yufen and her son?
Shen Rong took the chicken soup and drank it all in one gulp. She quickly got out of bed, put on her shoes, and said to Lu You, "It's no use you rushing over now. Mom and Dad are already gone. You can't bring them back to life. Let the clansmen help with the burial first. After we drive away the Japanese, we'll give our elders a grand reburial. I'm sure Mom and Dad would agree with what I'm doing. The Lu family can't afford any more trouble!"
Lu You lowered his head, rationally knowing that his sister-in-law was right, but he still felt unfilial.
"Try to send a telegram back..." Thinking of the town being destroyed, he didn't know if the message could be sent. "In any case, find a way to send a message and tell the survivors to take care of their affairs and come to Jincheng to find us as soon as possible. Don't hold a big celebration yet, let them hurry up."
I'm afraid the second wave of Japanese air raids will come soon, and the Lu family can't all perish there.
The resettlement of these people after they arrive in Jincheng is also a problem, but fortunately, Lu's father had Lu You bring some money beforehand, so it shouldn't be a problem. However, it's not advisable to let them squander their money, but they can still make ends meet.
Lu You nodded: "My factory is doing alright." Providing them with financial assistance shouldn't be a problem.
The Lu family still has some businesses in other places. Although the elders of the Lu family have suffered, the businesses are still there, and they can start over if necessary.
"That factory," Shen Rong frowned, "Come with me to the study, we'll talk about the factory."
Once inside the study, Shen Rong pulled out Lu Lin's map and showed it to them: "Look, there aren't any natural barriers along the way south. I'm afraid Jincheng isn't safe either. If I'm not mistaken, we'll all have to flee in a few months..."
Jiang Yufen clutched her stomach and exclaimed, "This is the capital... With a million soldiers stationed here, how could it not be defended?"
Shen Rong comforted her, "Don't be afraid."
She looked at Lu You: "We need to be prepared, do you trust me?"
Lu You looked at his sister-in-law and nodded firmly, "I'll listen to you, sister-in-law." His sister-in-law often visited the official residence and had many dealings with Madam Wen and the others, so she might have heard some news.
Besides, before his elder brother left, he told him that if he was ever unsure about anything, he should always listen to his sister-in-law's advice!
Jiang Yufen nodded in agreement: "I'll listen to my sister-in-law too."
Shen Rong: "Alright, let them handle things back home for now. We don't care about filial piety. You have more important things to do. The Lu family only has these people left. How should we arrange things for these surviving members? Now that your eldest brother is gone, you are the eldest in the family. Everything depends on you to plan. Also, your factory. If the Japanese really come, I'm afraid the factory will not be able to be saved. You need to prepare for relocation in advance."
She glanced at Jiang Yufen's large belly and said with some worry, "Her belly is getting bigger every day. If it's really time to retreat, I'm afraid she won't be able to hold on on the way." It would be best to leave in advance.
Now all the refugees are crowding into Jincheng, but it's not safe at all here.
Lu You looked somewhat confused: "Where can we go?"
Should we go to Huguang? That was the first thought in his mind. Surely those Japanese devils couldn't possibly catch up to Huguang.
Shen Rong shook her head. It wasn't safe enough yet. They should head towards the mountains: "Go to the southwest."
“We’re leaving now. What about your sister-in-law?” Lu You asked her with some concern.
"Don't worry about me, they didn't abandon me. I'm just a little slower than you." Presumably, the higher-ups were already considering moving the capital at this point.
That evening, Shen Rong wrote a letter to Lu Lin, telling him the bad news, explaining her own arrangements, reminding him to be careful on the battlefield, and finally casually mentioning the child's situation.
The child's arrival was too coincidental, as if he had overheard their conversation. The night before their parting, she was still regretting in Lu Lin's arms, saying that she should have had another son.
That way, when Lu Zhan grows up, he can go and help him, while he can keep his youngest son by his side.
Lu Lin joked that there was still time, so he decided to take a gamble, and his luck was pretty good.
There had been no news from the front lines for a long time. Sometimes she wanted to go directly to the Ministry of Military Affairs to ask, but she was afraid of being accused of leaking military secrets.
Madam Wen did summon her several times, always offering kind words of comfort, repeating the same few phrases over and over again until she was tired of hearing them.
Although she didn't know when the letter would reach Lu Lin, Shen Rong carefully wrote a few extra pages.
Knowing that Shen Rong was pregnant, Madam Wen sent over a lot of tonics. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Shen Rong visited the official residence many times and managed to find out a lot of inside information.
As expected, the capital is going to be moved, but the news has not been announced to the public yet. There are several locations to choose from, but Shen Rong knows in her heart where the final choice will be.
After the Japanese army captured the riverside defense line in Shanghai, she immediately sent Lu You with Jiang Yufen, the children, and some clansmen to the southwestern mountain city.
"You two go ahead and don't worry about me. Take good care of Yufen and the children, and don't mistreat the other members of the clan. I will definitely come with Madam Wen and the others, so don't worry about my safety." Shen Rong carefully instructed the couple, and the children also bid each other a reluctant farewell.
When she returned from the dock, Zhang Ma told her that Miss Lin had come, and she had brought another acquaintance she hadn't seen in a long time, who was none other than Han Xiwen's ex-wife, Xu Youzhen.
After not seeing each other for many years, they naturally exchanged pleasantries. Xu Youzhen looked much more haggard than before; her round face was gone, and her once black hair was now streaked with silver.
Xu Youzhen touched her head somewhat embarrassedly and said with a sheepish smile, "I'm getting old, so my hair has turned white. But you are still as beautiful as ever."
Shen Rong's nose stung with tears, and she lowered her head to wipe them away. It must be because of Han Xiwen.
When she met Xu Youzhen's eyes, she couldn't bring herself to say "please accept my condolences," afraid that saying it would bring back painful memories.
"Auntie." A teenager led a five- or six-year-old child into the room. He looked at Xu Youzhen with some restraint.
"Jiaqi, Junsheng, come here quickly and greet Aunt Chen." Xu Youzhen waved to the two children and then introduced them to Shen Rong: "These are the two children from the Han family."
Her words were vague, and Chen Rong didn't want to ask too many questions in front of the child, so she just suppressed her doubts for the time being.
She smiled and patted their heads, giving them some small gifts as a greeting.
"You're staying at Auntie's house for dinner today. I have an older brother there, and he'll be so happy to see you." She touched the little boy's face; he was a chubby-cheeked boy with features that looked just like Han Xiwen.
Han Junsheng nodded obediently, then looked up at his brother again. Seeing his brother nod, he answered crisply, "Then I have two older brothers."
Shen Rong called Gui Chun over and asked her to take the two children to play in the next room. Shen's mother bought things for her grandson in revenge, with toys being the most numerous. Shen Rong then specially set aside a room for him to use as a playroom.
Lu Zhan really enjoyed it and often invited his friends over to play, where they could spend most of the day.
After the child left, Xu Youzhen explained her purpose for coming: it was about the child's schooling.
They had just settled down in Jincheng and were unfamiliar with the place. They visited several schools but were not satisfied with any of them. The younger children were fine, but the older children were the main problem. Many schools were afraid that the older children would not be able to keep up with their studies and refused to accept them.
After a moment of thought, Shen Rong nodded: "My father knows people, so it shouldn't be a big problem."
Xu Youzhen and Lin Wenhui exchanged a smile. She breathed a sigh of relief and took Shen Rong's hand to thank him, saying, "Thank you for your trouble. Please thank Uncle for me."
Shen Rong: "Do we still need to say these polite words? You helped me a lot back in Bincheng, but..." She changed the subject, "Why are you the one coming to see me? Where is their mother?"
Is Ma Langhua too ashamed to ask for help?
To everyone's surprise, when this person was mentioned, both of them lowered their eyelids and sighed.
Lin Wenhui cursed, "That Ma Langhua is a real scoundrel! She ran off with the money and the man, abandoning even her child!"
Xu Youzhen tugged at her, her brows furrowed, but she didn't say anything harsh: "She's having a hard time too, it's just the way things are in this world."
Lin Wenhui curled her lips: "Who isn't having a hard time? Aren't you having a hard time? Now you have to raise her child for her. You're too kind."
Shen Rong was shocked for a long time: "Ma Langhua ran away?"
Xu Youzhen nodded: "She left a letter and left after only a few days in Jincheng. I haven't dared to mention it to the children."
She turned to the two of them and explained, "She didn't run off with the money, she just took her own savings. I still have some of the Han family's savings in my hands, enough to support two children. They are, after all, of the Han family bloodline. Although I'm no longer a daughter-in-law of the Han family, he is still my cousin! For his sake, I can't just abandon the children. They still have to call me aunt!"
"That was the compensation the Han family gave you. Besides, the younger one calls you aunt, but the older one is her ex-husband's. What does it have to do with you? I just think she's heartless. The children are already pitiful enough without their father. How could she, as their mother, bear to abandon them? How could she leave so peacefully? I heard that after the accident, the government gave them a pension, and Mrs. Dou sent them some money through someone. She didn't leave any for the children."
This mother is ruthless!
Xu Youzhen held the handkerchief in her hand without saying a word.
"It's okay, I'm still here. I'm all alone, but God took pity on me and left me with two children to depend on each other. It's good enough. You don't know how sensible the older one is; he can help me a lot!"
Shen Rong sighed. Ma Langhua is still unreliable after all these years!
"With everything so chaotic outside, where did she run off to? Did she tell you in the letter?"
Xu Youzhen shook her head.
Shen Rong sighed and could only comfort her with kind words: "When do you plan to tell the children the truth?"
Xu Youzhen shook her head: "I won't say anything. Let them think that their mother went out to do something and asked me to take care of them temporarily. If I tell them that their mother doesn't want them anymore, they will feel so sad and like they are living under someone else's roof."
Lin Wenhui: "You're so kind-hearted. If it were me, I wouldn't let it go like that!"
Speaking bluntly, Shen Rong laughed and said, "What if it were you? Would you really have the heart to send them to an orphanage?"
The Han family has no relatives left. If Ma Langhua's ex-husband's family still had members, given her personality, she would never have raised this son by her side.
With war raging on the front lines, there will only be more and more orphans like them in the future. It is a good thing that Xu Youzhen adopted them, reducing the number of displaced orphans in the world.
"If they encounter any difficulties in the future, just let me know. Their father sacrificed himself for the country, and his sons should not be displaced. I will help them as long as I can."
Lin Wenhui nodded in agreement: "Me too."
Xu Youzhen was moved to tears: "Thank you all."
"What are your plans for the future?" Shen Rong asked her.
Xu Youzhen said, "I want to take advantage of the money I still have to buy some property, otherwise I'm afraid I won't be able to last long if I just sit around and live off my savings. Do you have any good recommendations?"
She looked at Shen Rong. The Shen family was a prominent family in Jincheng, and they could definitely help with property acquisition. She didn't expect to earn a lot; she just wanted enough for her and her two children to make a living.
Shen Rong frowned: "Acquiring property in Jincheng at this time?"
Before Xu Youzhen could answer, she shook her head: "My suggestion is to think about it some more. I'm afraid Jincheng won't be able to stay for long!"
The two were shocked. Lin Wenhui asked in a trembling voice, "Did you get some inside information? How could this be? This is the capital!"
With so many troops outside, how can they not hold the line?
Xu Youzhen had experienced the Battle of Pingcheng. Upon hearing that the Japanese would pursue them to Jincheng, her face turned pale and her hands trembled: "What should we do? Should we run away again?"
When will this end? Where can they escape to be safe?
Shen Rong took their hands and said, "What I was actually going to say earlier is that there's no need to rush things at school. If we're thinking about the long term, Jincheng isn't a good place to settle down. You both have children with you, so why don't you move to the southwest first? I'm worried that if there are too many people later, we might not be able to leave!"
Xu Youzhen and Lin Wenhui stared at her. It wasn't that they didn't believe Shen Rong; on the contrary, they believed her too much and couldn't believe it for a moment.
"This city has a population of over a million and so many garrison troops... isn't it safe enough?"
Before Lin Wenhui could finish speaking, Xu Youzhen had already made her decision: "Let's go. You're right. We're an orphan and a widow, we need to make plans as soon as possible."
"I believe you. I'll pack my things and have someone buy boat tickets in the next few days." She looked directly at Shen Rong, hoping she could offer a way out.
She fled Heisei and saw countless refugees along the way. She knew all too well how terrible war was. She dared not gamble. The Japanese were too cruel. They had committed countless crimes in Heisei. Just thinking about it made her tremble.
Shen Rong grasped her hand in return: "Let's head as southwest as possible."
Considering that she was a frail woman with a child, Shen Rong suggested, "My second brother and sister-in-law just left for Shancheng today. If you want to go there, I can send you a letter so you can take care of each other. His factory is also planning to move there. Didn't you want to start a business? If you trust us, you can invest. They are a reliable couple, and they should be able to provide for you."
Lin Wenhui nodded: "That's a good idea. I'm thinking of investing in it. I received a letter from Rong Yi. He's coming to Jincheng to meet with us, so I'm waiting for him."
Xu Youzhen nodded: "Then I'll go to Shancheng."
The group talked about their journey and offered advice to Xu Youzhen. They worried that it might not be safe for her to be on the road with two children by herself, and that it would be best if she could have someone with her. They decided to inquire about the situation themselves.
Finally, Lin Wenhui returned to the area where several teachers were preparing to go to the southwest with their families to seek refuge, and asked them to take Xu Youzhen and the other two along on their journey.
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