A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Chapter 1045 Japanese Atrocities

Gui'er continued, "Actually, the Marshal's Mansion no longer exists. To be honest, I don't want to maintain this empty title anymore. When I graduate in two years, I'll have my own income. At that time, I'll issue release papers to Brother Acheng and Dingxiang, and they can go or stay as they please. Brother Wu, you're the most capable. Although the pawnshop relies on your help now, I can still issue you release papers if you want. After all, you saved my life this time, and I wouldn't have come back without you."

Wu Mingqiang stood up abruptly: "Miss, I don't need you to issue a release order. I am willing to stay by your side for the rest of my life and protect you."

He paused for a moment and said, "Acheng and Dingxiang, it's fine if you insist on letting them go, Miss. But it really needs to wait two years before we talk about it again. And before that, please don't tell them about this. Otherwise, they might become disloyal. Sister-in-law Aying and Liujin are examples of this. After all, hired hands will run away faster than rabbits if anything happens."

Gui'er was somewhat surprised. She had a vague feeling that Acheng and Dingxiang seemed to have different views from Wu Mingqiang in private. Both of them had been subtly reminding her to be wary of him. She didn't expect that Wu Mingqiang also distrusted the two of them.

She sighed inwardly; she was really bad at this kind of people-managing technique, so she could only give a vague answer: "Since you say so, I agree."

After a few days of rest, the start of the new school year arrived. Gui'er returned to school and looked at the familiar campus. Her classmates were chattering about what had happened during the summer vacation. She breathed a deep sigh of relief. She now deeply felt that the reason she could be carefree in the Marshal's Mansion before was because Sha Yanxiao had sheltered her from the storm.

"Good morning, Sha."

Gui'er suddenly heard someone calling her, and quickly turned around to see that it was Professor Xu Jing.

"Professor Xu, good morning." Gui'er wasn't familiar with him; she had only met him once during Ouyang Bao's operation. She didn't expect him to remember her.

"I heard that you helped escort supplies back to Guangzhou during this holiday. That's amazing."

Gui'er thought he must have heard it from Chen Zhongyu, so she quickly said, "No, I was just doing my part."

"How is the situation in mainland China now? Although Xiao Chen has already told me once, I would like to hear your firsthand account."

"The people were destitute. All the docks in Guangzhou were shut down, only able to transport Japanese goods. Dockworkers were all unemployed. Nine out of ten shops were closed, and those that were open had signs saying 'Protected by the Imperial Japanese Army.' People walked with their heads down, their eyes filled with fear." She paused, recalling painfully, "The businesses that were still operating in the city were all run by people who had paid protection money to the Japanese or had connections. Those traitors, Japanese, and high-ranking officials in the puppet government lived very comfortably. Ordinary people couldn't even afford to eat. There were rations for buying grain, and even with rations, you weren't guaranteed to get any. Most people ate sweet potatoes and bran. The black market was very active in the city. You could buy rice, medicine, and all sorts of things that the Japanese had forbidden Chinese people from using at high prices, but the prices changed every day, and ordinary people simply couldn't afford them."

After listening, Xu Jing frowned deeply, took out a pair of reading glasses from his pocket and put them on: "You're right. Hong Kong has now become a hub for transshipment of supplies. Anti-Japanese organizations are raising money and transporting goods here. How could the Japanese sit idly by? They've occupied Guangzhou, and their next step will be Hong Kong. It's only a matter of time."

Gui'er was surprised that Xu Jing had such foresight in predicting the Japanese actions. She sighed and said, "I hope the Hong Kong government can prolong this period. After all, Britain is an ally. If Japan crosses this border, it's tantamount to declaring war on the ally."

“In war, the so-called ‘territory’ is no match for guns and cannons.” Xu Jing looked at the clock tower in the distance. “The Japanese have great ambitions. They want the whole of East Asia. They have their eyes on Hong Kong, this pearl, for a long time.” He turned to Gui’er and said, “It’s good that you young people are daring and adventurous, but you also need to be careful. The days ahead will probably be even more difficult.”

Gui'er's heart sank; Xu Jing's words coincided with her premonition. The two chatted for a few more minutes about the war situation in the mainland. When Xu Jing talked about the guerrilla warfare in the northern base areas, his eyes shone brightly: "Don't be fooled by the ferocity of the Japanese. Our people have a strong will. As long as that will not dissipate, we will eventually drive them out."

When the school bell rang, Gui'er walked towards the classroom, but overheard several classmates talking in the corridor. "My cousin escaped from Hebei. He said the Japanese were carrying out the 'Three Alls' policy in Rehe, burning houses and killing people indiscriminately, not even sparing newborn babies..." a girl's voice trembled with tears. "He said the village wells were full of corpses, the river water was stained red, and when he escaped, he was followed by a cavalry of Japanese soldiers..."

Gui'er's steps abruptly halted, her fingertips icy cold. She had witnessed death in Guangzhou, but never imagined such horrific scenes. Those numbers, those descriptions, suddenly transformed into vivid images—burning villages, wailing civilians, and blood on Japanese bayonets… Her stomach churned, and she had to lean against the wall to steady herself. She realized that war was never just distant gunfire, but a bloody catastrophe befalling everyone.

"Are you alright?" A classmate next to her helped her up, but Gui'er shook her head and suddenly clenched her fists.

“Classmate,” she walked up to the girl, her voice trembling slightly, “would your cousin be willing to talk about what happened back then? I want to write an article and publish it in the newspaper so that more people know what the Japanese devils did.”

The girl paused for a moment, then nodded: "He said he'll never forget it in his life, so he'll definitely be willing to talk about it!"

After school, Gui'er and Lin Peishan followed the girl to her house. It was a small attic room with old luggage piled in the corner. A man in his thirties sat on the edge of the bed, with a long scar on his face that ran from his forehead to his chin. When they came in, he stood up abruptly, his hand unconsciously reaching for his waist, as if he was still on guard against something.

"Cousin, this is my classmate. She wants to hear about your escape," the girl said softly.

The man relaxed a little, and the stool creaked as he sat down. "That day, the Japanese suddenly stormed into the village, claiming it was a 'mopping-up' operation, but it was really just killing people." His voice was hoarse, as if it had been sanded. "My mother pushed me into the cellar of the woodshed and ran towards the edge of the village, trying to distract them… I heard her calling my name, and the Japanese soldiers laughing, then gunshots…" He wiped his face, tears welling between his fingers. "When I crawled out, the houses in the village were burned down to their frames, and my mother lay under the old locust tree at the village entrance, still clutching the cloth shoes she had made for me…"