Chapter 1, Leaving Home (5)

We promote resistance against Japan; what trouble could it bring him? Is this still not Chinese territory? We even have to watch our words based on the Japanese's mood

As they contemplated the potential troubles ahead, the cheers of the crowd gradually diminished. Deep down, everyone understood that the two leaders had underestimated the situation, yet no one felt comfortable to voice this concern first. They feared being misinterpreted as lacking resolve in the fight against Japan, retreating at the first sign of difficulty

"You can't really expect to carry your own luggage, can you!" Zhang Songling murmured quietly to himself from behind the group. He had joined the propaganda team halfway through and had made no preparations beforehand. Among the two suitcases he brought with him, one was completely filled with books. If he really had to carry it on his shoulders, not to mention reaching Beijing, he would probably be crushed to death by the luggage before even getting to Hejian.

What is there to be afraid of? Despite having detected the provocation in the other person's words, Liu Jing still raised her palm. Just as she was about to slap hands with Tian Panzai to make a vow, she was pulled back by the long-fingered Lu Ming, who said, "You must not fall for his tricks! The largest horse-drawn carriage business in Qingdao is run by his family. They are well aware of the ins and outs of it!"

In front of the girl he admired, Tian Qingyu would certainly not admit to being incapable. He patted his chest a few times and responded loudly, "Of course I can! Don't you see who I am? If you don't believe me, let's make a bet!"

"To the front lines, facing the hail of bullets!" Fang Guoqiang waved his arms and added loudly, "Are we afraid of such minor troubles? Even if we have to carry our luggage, we will walk all the way to Beiping!"

If there are no objections from everyone, then it is settled. After passing through Ping'an Village, we will hike to Beiping. We will walk along the road, while simultaneously educating the public about the principles of resisting Japan!" Fang Guoqiang did not notice the pale faces of the two girls at all, as he waved his arms and spoke loudly.

Consciously striving to perform well in front of the girl he admired, Tian Qingyu's chubby round face was filled with joy. Liu Jing had just suffered a loss at his hands and, feeling dissatisfied, furrowed her brows and smiled as she asked, "Tian Fat, you went to hire a carriage, so what about our performance? No one can portray the Japanese devil better than him!"

Walk while awakening your compatriots! Promote the principles of resisting Japan and saving the nation

So what, just like that, cut ties with Brother Lu? Tian Qingyu, emboldened by his power, teased with a smile.

No way! As soon as everyone heard this, they immediately erupted in chaos. Although this train had been moving slowly and stopping frequently within Shandong, at least it was still making progress. How is it that as soon as we just entered Hebei, it has completely broken down?

If we head straight to the carriage and horse station after getting off the train, it shouldn't be too expensive. However, we need to act quickly to avoid having too many people needing to hire a vehicle, or we might not get a spot!" Tian Qingyu thought for a moment and responded with great expertise

At this moment, the two girls in the team, Liu Jing and Han Qiu, wore expressions of worry just like Zhang Songling. Before their departure, they had imagined countless possible difficulties they might encounter. These included being killed by artillery shells, being shot by machine guns, being surrounded by the enemy after a bloody battle, bravely refusing to yield, pulling the pin on their last grenade, and perishing together with the Japanese invaders. Before dying, they envisioned smiling, using their smiles to awaken countless numb souls. However, they never imagined that they would be exhausted and dirty, dying on the march, nameless like wild dogs.

"Tian Panger! It is still nearly four hundred miles from Ping'an Village to Beiping. Will the coachman be willing to travel such a long distance?" Han Qiu stepped forward and raised another question

The bad news is that the railway ahead is damaged, and it is uncertain when it will be repaired. Therefore, the train will stop at Ping'an Zhai, and the departure time will depend on further notice from above

It is estimated that the train conductor is timid and fears being burdened by us, so he found an excuse to force us off the train. The long-fingered Lu Ming is a conspiracy theorist, and at the first opportunity, he concluded that there was something fishy about the train stopping.

"It's nothing, you only have one line and two actions once you take the stage. I will start teaching you now, and I guarantee you will learn it before getting off the car!" Tian Qingyu had finally caught a stand-in, so how could he let go easily? He immediately grabbed Zhang Songling's hand and imparted all his skills, "Come, learn from me. This way, Yaji will give you—"

After all, they are still young, and the mood of the crowd instantly lifted again, with everyone waving their arms and shouting excitedly. The passengers in the same carriage heard the commotion and looked up, offering encouraging smiles to the young people. These students may be noisy and their speech and actions may reveal a certain naivety, but they are indeed young, brimming with energy and vitality. Just seeing them makes one feel that life is full of hope. These students may be noisy and their speech and actions may reveal a certain naivety, but they are indeed young, brimming with energy and vitality. Just seeing them makes one feel that life is full of hope

If you choose to send luggage through the post office, it can indeed save a lot of effort However, in this day and age, with train services suspended, when will the post office deliver the luggage to its destination Furthermore, boys tend to pack lightly, managing with just a lunchbox and a few pairs of shoes and socks for their journey But what about girls? They certainly cannot go for over ten days without changing their underwear

Tian Pang'er... Han Qiu could not bear to continue watching her friend in embarrassment and softly intervened. Indeed, one thing overcomes another; the previously playful Tian Qingyu instantly transformed into a model of propriety, retracting his smile and stating seriously: "No more talking, no more talking. When the train stops, I will immediately go to the carriage station. We must secure the necessary carriage and driver ahead of the other passengers!"

"What are you betting on?" Liu Jingyan asked, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, with a sense of alertness.

"Is it expensive to hire a large vehicle?" Upon hearing Tian Qingyu's words, the team leader Zhou Jue also calmed down, frowning as he inquired.

The good news is that the next stop, Pinganzhai, is a major station. The train conductor has agreed to help us borrow the waiting hall of the station for everyone to use for promoting the anti-Japanese efforts

"Just gamble, just gamble..." Tian Qingyu racked his brains, truly unable to think of anything that Liu Jing held that was worth winning from him. "How about this: if I can rent a carriage and it is cheaper than the normal price, you will call me 'brother' from now on. What do you say, do you dare?"

The other students were also filled with righteous indignation. In particular, two girls in the group, Liu Jing and Han Qiu, were so enraged at the thought of having to solve personal issues in the wilderness in the future that they gritted their teeth in anger

Hebei has not yet declared independence, yet they are already trying to please their new master. If they were to announce independence, wouldn't they immediately turn their guns against the Chinese people?

I was just thinking the same thing! Tian Qingyu, known as Tian Fatty, stood up without hesitation and said slowly, "If we go to the post office to send the luggage, we cannot guarantee the time, nor can we ensure its safety. Moreover..."

"It's nothing, I've long found a replacement!" In front of Han Qiu, how could Tian Qing be stumped by such a simple question? Looking around, he grabbed Zhang Songling, who was about to sneak into the back of the car. "Let him take my place; he's chubby and shorter than I am. Perfect for playing a Japanese soldier!"

"I will take care of this and talk to them. At the very least, we can get the car service to take us to Baoding!" Seeing Han Qiuming's bright eyes, Tian Qingyu immediately felt a surge of courage. He patted his own chest, taking on the responsibility with confidence.

When everyone hummed the graduation song for the fifth time, the two leaders, Zhou Jue and Fang Guoqiang, finally returned, bringing with them both good news and bad news.

The girls' luggage is divided into several parts; we boys can help carry some. If there are items that are unnecessary to bring or not urgently needed, we can go to the post office in Ping'an Village and send them to Beiping! I have a classmate at Peking University who can help receive them first. Zhou Jue's considerations are relatively comprehensive, and he adds to Fang Guoqiang's remarks.

Tian, Brother Tian, I, I cannot. I truly cannot! Despite my efforts to evade, I still suffered the misfortune of being caught in the crossfire. Zhang Songling, with a pained expression, pleaded for the other party to show mercy.

"Moreover, if you continue, I will..." Liu Jing's face instantly turned bright red, and she stomped her foot in threat

"Hey, hey, hey!" Upon seeing his trap exposed by his good friend, Tian Qingyu immediately protested loudly, "I made a bet with Liu Jing, what does it have to do with you?! This is not how you bully someone. I've heard of father and son fighting together, but I've never heard of a couple teaming up..."

In a moment of frustration, Lu Ming suddenly jumped up, pointed at Tian Qingyu's nose, and shouted, "Tian Fatty, don't you always say that you have friends all over the world? Can't you find someone you know in Ping'an Village? Borrow a few horse-drawn carriages from them, and we can hire a driver to take our luggage to Beiping!"

"Are you capable? Tian Panger, don't boast!" Liu Jing, being naturally cautious, held onto Han Qiu's arm and once again sought confirmation from Tian Qingyu

He cautiously looked around and lowered his voice, saying, "The donations we have collected along the way are not convenient to carry on our backs! It would be better to hire large carts from the transport station. With a total of twelve people, three large carts will be sufficient. Two carts for people and one for luggage"

Walk to Beiping, walk to Beiping

The task is entrusted to you. We are all waiting for your good news in the waiting room! Hearing that Tian Qingyu is very confident, the team leader Zhou Jue decisively made the decision to take a taxi.

Among the highlights of the performance, there is a musical drama titled "On the Songhua River." In this piece, Tian Qingyu portrays a Japanese soldier, wielding a saber and chasing a group of Chinese civilians. Although this segment of the musical drama is brief, it serves as the grand finale of the Blood Flower Society's repertoire. Each time it is performed at train stations, it receives enthusiastic acclaim from the audience. If Tian Qingyu were to leave the stage early to hire a carriage, the musical drama would lack an important supporting character, undoubtedly diminishing its impact.

Everyone, please be quiet, everyone, please be quiet. Listen to me, first listen to me! After all, being a few years older, Team Leader Zhou Jue has more experience and a broader perspective on issues. This road has not just become problematic today; it has often been interrupted in the past. Moreover, the Japanese have been pressing us step by step in recent years, and both the central and local governments are overwhelmed, lacking the energy and financial resources to repair the railway. Therefore, the problems we face today are inevitable. However, this further illustrates how difficult the living conditions are for the soldiers of the 29th Army. We need to go to the front lines and bring the support and condolences of all Shandong students to them. I believe that our efforts in resisting Japan will not be hindered by such minor troubles