"Yes, I am the special correspondent Dragon Boat Festival!"
Duanwu stood on a high place and used his loudest voice to identify himself to everyone present.
"Special Commissioner, this man captured my husband!"
"Special Commissioner, my son was taken away by them, you have to make the decision for me?"
"Special Commissioner, my brother was arrested by them..."
·················
All the people came forward to petition. If the guards hadn't blocked it, they might have surrounded the Dragon Boat Festival on three levels, inside and outside.
Facing the crowds of people, Duanwu kept his expression unchanged and said in a loud voice: "Don't be anxious or excited. Let me understand the situation and then make the decision for everyone, okay?"
"Okay, we trust the special correspondent!"
"Yes, Commissioner, you are a good official!"
The people supported him one after another and backed away slightly.
However, at this time, Cheng Wanli reported to Duanwu: "Brother Duanwu,..."
"cough!"
Duanwu coughed heavily, Cheng Wanli immediately understood, and quickly changed his words loudly: "Report to the special commissioner, I was ordered to recruit troops, but these people did not cooperate, so I had no choice but to arrest them."
Duanwu asked loudly: "Then do you know you are wrong?"
Cheng Wanli replied loudly: "Report to the special commissioner, I know I was wrong."
At this time, Duanwu shouted again: "If an officer of your 87th Division makes a mistake, what kind of punishment will he receive? Please tell me loudly?"
At this moment, Cheng Wanli seemed to understand something. This guy in Duanwu wanted to use his head.
Of course, that's the meaning, but the heads may not be borrowed. What's more, it's not that it's just that the recruitment is unfavorable and it arouses the dissatisfaction of the people.
So Cheng Wanli replied loudly: "If an officer makes a mistake, his crime will be increased and he will be given forty military whips."
"After I miss you, I will lead troops to fight and receive twenty military whips!"
Dragon Boat Festival Order. At this time, all the soldiers of the Eighty-seventh Division were stunned. Because this recruitment was unfavorable, the camp should not be entirely blamed.
The order of the Dragon Boat Festival was to recruit troops quickly, recruiting hundreds of people in one hour. How can this be so easy? Although they came with oceans and gave each person two oceans, no one was willing to join the army.
Because the people were frightened by the Japs, and there were rumors that the Japs only killed those with guns, so no one was willing to risk their lives for two pieces of ocean.
What's more, now that they have food, drink, and a place to live, they don't want to leave anymore.
Therefore, comfort can sometimes kill people. Even if it is a short period of peace, they are still trying to enjoy it.
Little did they know, the danger was approaching step by step. The 44th Division's arsenal was bombed. The Japanese might rush over at any time.
Therefore, the Dragon Boat Festival recruitment and the evacuation of the people in the city must be accelerated.
And this is also the reason why the Dragon Boat Festival has to sing this bitter trick.
Calm down the public anger, let the people know what a soldier is, let them know that soldiers are not all cowards and fearful of death, but there are also tough guys like Cheng Wanli and the 87th Division Independent Battalion.
Amidst Cheng Wanli's roar, the soldiers had already begun the flogging.
Cheng Wanli's men may not listen to Duanwu, but they will definitely listen to Cheng Wanli. Cheng Wanli asked them to fight. Although they felt it was unfair, they still wanted to fight.
Cheng Wanli was shirtless and the first blow from the whip was a streak of blood.
"Try harder, haven't you eaten?"
Cheng Wanli roared again, and the soldiers of the Eighty-seventh Division whipped him with tears in their eyes. With this whip, the flesh and blood suddenly swelled, and the blood seeped out instantly, which was shocking to see.
When the people saw it, they covered their eyes. Although the whip did not hit them, they seemed to feel the same.
The kind of skin-cutting pain makes people shudder.
When Cheng Wanli was whipped five times, some people couldn't stand it anymore and shouted loudly: "Don't beat him, after all, he still has to stay in Changshu!"
The soldier in charge of the execution stopped and looked at Dragon Boat Festival, because everyone knew how this man would be beaten after these twenty lashes.
But Duanwu was indifferent. Cheng Wanli roared again: "Keep fighting, what are you looking at? It is a shame for a soldier to win sympathy. If I, Cheng Wanli, can't even resist twenty military whips, what kind of soldier am I?"
"yes!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!...
A series of whippings left Cheng Wanli bloody and bloody. Cheng Wanli gritted his teeth and endured without making a sound.
At this moment, the people couldn't stand it any longer. Some were crying, while others were kneeling and begging.
People's hearts are made of flesh. Although Cheng Wanli did use improper methods to recruit soldiers, they did it for this country and to protect them.
And the reason why they resist is just because they don't want to die.
But they also know that if no one stands up to stop those devils, then who will protect this country? And where can they escape?
Duanwu waved his hand at this time, and the soldiers in charge of the execution stopped immediately.
When the two soldiers removed Cheng Wanli from the hanging crossbar, Cheng Wanli almost lost his balance due to pain and knelt on one knee on the ground.
But Cheng Wanli managed to stand up and said: "Thank you to the special commissioner for showing mercy, and thank you to the folks for interceding for me. I, Cheng Wanli, was wrong. I am just a rough person. Please don't argue with me."
Cheng Wanli saluted all the people present. Not to mention angry, the people were filled with regret.
They regretted why they had been so aggressive and wronged such a good officer.
At this time, Duanwu said loudly: "Folks, all those who have been arrested will be released. But I want to say: This time the conscription is not for you to go to the front line to fight, but for you to pick up guns and protect your country."
Family, protect the good people in Kong Dashan who provide you with food along the way.
As the saying goes, people's hearts are made of flesh. There is nothing unreasonable about eating other people's food and escorting them to the rear. Although they are rich people, why should they give out food to support all of you?
If it were you, would you do this? Spend all your food to relieve thousands of refugees?
I don't think anyone would do that.
Therefore, you now have two paths to take. The first is to stay in Changshu and live and die with our soldiers.
The city exists and we all live together; if the city is broken, we all die together.
Or the second option is to temporarily form an escort team of 100 people, take your military pay, bring your guns, and go straight to Nanjing with the Kong family to avoid this war.
You need to know how long it takes to walk from here to Nanjing. How much food do you need?
And you will be a team instead of fighting alone. You will be safer, even if the bandits in the mountains see you, they will take a detour.
Now, I have finished my words! Please tell me, what are you going to do? Stay and wait for death. Or go to Nanjing with the Kong family to escape this war?..."