The Rise of the Writers of the Republic of China

"Down with Japanese imperialism!"

“Oppose North China’s autonomy!”

“Boycott the Ho-May Agreement!”

"..."

On the streets of Tianjin, hundreds of students, workers and people marched angrily through the mud after the floods receded.

Some military policemen were nervously guarding the roadside. Cheng Ke, the newly appointed mayor of Tianjin, quickly rushed to stop and comfort them. He held up a tin trumpet and shouted: "Students and compatriots, I am Cheng Ke, mayor of Tianjin. Please listen. Let me say something! The so-called "Ho-Mei Agreement" is purely a false rumor. I hope everyone will not hear it through hearsay. The central government will not abandon North China, and Chairman Chiang Kai-shek cannot ignore the compatriots in North China..."

Zhou Hexuan's family had just returned from shopping in the department store. Little Wei Lie was lying on the car window watching the excitement and asked curiously: "Dad, there are so many people over there, what are they doing?"

"They are holding a patriotic parade." Zhou Hexuan said.

Xiao Lingjun started to break the casserole again and asked: "What is a patriotic parade?"

Zhou Hexuan explained: "Patriotism means loving the motherland. When the country is in danger, everyone must march together to save the country."

Xiao Lingjun clapped his hands and said: "I know about loving the motherland. In school, the teacher said that we are all Chinese and we must love our motherland."

"Dad, I also want to go to the patriotic parade." Little Wei Lie turned around and looked at his father with an extremely serious attitude.

Zhou Hexuan held his son on his lap and sat down, and said patiently: "Patriotism does not necessarily mean marching. You are students now, and studying hard is patriotic. When you grow up, use the knowledge you have learned to serve the motherland. This is also patriotic."

Xiao Lingjun said ostentatiously: "Dad, I am also very patriotic. The last time the school organized a donation to buy an airplane, I donated the most in the class and donated all my pocket money. Both the teacher and the principal praised me for being patriotic. I was given a certificate of award.”

"I also donated, and I also have a certificate!" Xiao Weilie was not to be outdone.

"Yes, yes, you are all patriotic and good boys," Zhang Leyi lovingly touched her son's head and said worriedly, "Brother Xuan, once the Ho-Mei Agreement is signed, neither Peiping nor Tianjin will be safe. We are Shouldn’t we have made plans earlier?”

Zhou Hexuan shook his head and said: "The "Ho-Mei Agreement" is fake."

"Fake?" Cui Huifu, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, said in surprise, "It has spread all over Tianjin and is being discussed in newspapers now. How could it be fake?"

An ugly smile appeared on Zhou Hexuan's face: "The Nanjing government is eager to hide this secret treasonous agreement. How could it be easily leaked? The contents of the Ho-Mei Agreement are all deliberately released by the Japanese."

"That means you didn't sign the "Ho-Mei Agreement"?" Cui Huifu said.

Zhou Hexuan shook his head and said: "It doesn't matter whether you sign it or not. Although the "Ho-Mei Agreement" is fake, its content is true. Le Yi is right, we should make plans early, and we have to leave Tianjin next year at the latest , this is not a place to stay for a long time.”

Since the beginning of this year, Japan has been causing trouble in North China. It even wants to plan for the independence of the five North China provinces and build a "Puppet North China" after the "Puppet Manchukuo".

In order to achieve this goal, the Japanese even killed two traitors. The two traitors were called Hu Enbo and Bai Yuhuan. They were the presidents of two newspapers, "Guoquan" and "Zhenbao" respectively. They specialized in promoting treasonous remarks.

Takashi Sakai, the chief of staff of the Japanese garrison in North China, planned to kill the two men, and then claimed that it was the Blue Shirts who had done it, forcing the Nanjing government to further give up its sovereignty in North China, and even asked the Kuomintang to remove its party headquarters in Peking and Tianjin, and ordered the Central Army and the Northeast The army withdrew from Hebei.

Of course, He Yingqin did not dare to agree. If such a thing was done, he would immediately become a notorious traitor. Because He Yingqin refused to sign, Sakai Takashi lost his temper on the spot and even took off his pants and peed in the negotiation yard, completely contemptuous of China.

He Yingqin was forced to have no choice but to ask Chang Kaishen for instructions. Chiang Kai-shek had no other choice but to use the "drag" tactic again to get He Yingqin to verbally agree first. Then he played a word game with regard to the withdrawal of troops. It probably meant that China agreed to withdraw its troops and then gave the order to the troops to "retreat." "Self-discretion" actually means to prevent the army from leaving North China.

After receiving instructions from Chiang Kai-shek, He Yingqin immediately conducted a series of negotiations with Japan and stated that he was "committed to everything proposed by Japan." The Japanese were not satisfied with this kind of empty promise and forced He Yingqin to exchange his verbal promises into diplomatic documents.

He Yingqin had no choice but to hand over the relevant reply letter from the Japanese, but it was not stamped and signed, so it was not legally binding.

Japan took these replies from He Yingqin and immediately began to publicize it, claiming that China and Japan had signed the "North China Agreement", which was the notorious "Ho-Mei Agreement" in history. The "December 9" movement a few months later was launched to boycott the "Ho-Mei Agreement" and oppose North China's autonomy.

As for He Yingqin, it was yellow mud that fell into his crotch. If it wasn’t shit, it was just shit. What's more, he did make verbal promises, and the Nanjing government actually committed a series of traitorous acts.

That's why Zhou Hexuan said that although the "Ho-Mei Agreement" is fake, its content is true - at least a large part of it is true.

Today, the situation in North China is extremely complicated. The Nanjing government, Song Zheyuan, and the Japanese are all fighting. The three parties sometimes cooperate with each other and sometimes undermine each other. Coupled with the vacillation of Zhang Xueliang's Northeastern Army, it was simply a mess that could not be sorted out.

Back home, Cui Huifu immediately supervised Xiao Lingjun and Xiao Weilie to practice calligraphy, while Zhou Hexuan teased the other three children and discussed moving with Zhang Leyi and others.

Zhou Hexuan said: "I have already sent a telegram to my father-in-law, asking him to buy a mansion in Chongqing. When the house is repaired, our family can move there. As for the property in Tianjin, we can slowly sell it off now."

"Moving to Chongqing? That's far away." Wanrong said in surprise.

"Chongqing is safe," Zhou Hexuan said.

Liao Yaquan hoped that it would be as far away as possible, and it would be best if she would no longer be involved with Japan. She hugged her son and suggested: "It is better to go directly to the United States."

"There's no rush now." Zhou Hexuan smiled.

Zhang Leyi said: "Then I will make preparations now. Does the radio station need to be sold?"

"If you don't want to sell it, transport all the machinery and equipment to Chongqing. For employees who are willing to come with us, we can provide the expenses along the way and be responsible for renting a house for them in Chongqing," Zhou Hexuan thought for a while and said, "Wait until I come back from the UK this time. Just move.”

"You're leaving again!" Zhang Leyi said dissatisfied.

Zhou Hexuan smiled bitterly: "We have already agreed, we can't go."

At this moment, the servant came in and reported: "Sir, Miss Yu is here."

"Let her come in." Zhou Hexuan said.

Yu Peichen quickly came to the house. She winked at Zhou Hexuan, who immediately took her to the study for a secret talk.

Yu Peichen closed the curtains, looked into the corridor again, then closed the door and said, "Mr. Nan was followed by someone when he returned to Tianjin this time. It seems that his identity was exposed. He asked me to tell you that he needs to change his identity and lurk temporarily. Within half a year, I will never contact you again. As for the resumption of publication of Fei Gong magazine, he said it would be best not to do it in Tianjin, as the situation here is too complicated."

As the editor-in-chief of "Fei Gong" magazine, Nan Hanchen went to Shanghai to engage in secret work after the magazine was banned. When Zhou Hexuan returned to Tianjin, Nan Hanchen also came back, but he did not dare to show up at all, so he could only change his appearance and use a new identity.

As for Ji Hongchang, despite Zhou Hexuan's repeated reminders, he still generously died at the end of last year, leaving behind his death poem "I wish I could die resisting Japan, but I will leave it as shame today."

Ji Hongchang only focused on avoiding the Kuomintang agents, but he was arrested by the French in the concession and handed over to the Tianjin Public Security Bureau. He was then taken to the Peking Army Prison and brutally killed.

Zhou Hexuan was helpless about this, because Ji Hongchang was too high-profile. Not only did he publicly admit that he had joined the Communist Party, but he also contacted everywhere to form anti-Japanese organizations. Thanks to Ji Hongchang's collaboration, many of the foolish generals of the Northwest Army in Tianjin were ready to make a move. It was impossible for Chiang Kai-shek to allow the Northwest Army to revive.

The only thing that makes Zhou Hexuan feel relieved is that Shi Liangcai, the boss of "Shenbao", is still alive and well. At Zhou Hexuan's reminder, Shi Liangcai successfully evaded the assassination and is now hiding in the Tianjin Concession to remotely control the "Declaration" affairs.

"What about you? Your mission has been completed, right?" Zhou Hexuan asked.

Yu Peichen smiled and said: "I am Mr. Zhou's personal secretary, and of course I will follow you from now on."