Chapter 26: The Rise and Fall of the World is the Responsibility of Every Individual

  As the train started moving, Jian Yu Mei looked at the platform disappearing into the distance, and this city was once again vanishing before her eyes. She and her father were about to head to an unfamiliar city. The fields on both sides were desolate, autumn wind blowing, Jian Yu Mei felt a sense of drifting.

  Although I was young at that time, I always liked reading books and read all kinds of books I could find. At that time, the Four Books and Five Classics were being criticized, although I had studied them and thought they didn't have any bad effects. However, when I opened the newspaper, it was all about criticizing the Four Books and Five Classics, and I was also thinking in confusion.

  In the face of those ideological debates, I couldn't participate in them. I think Confucius is not bad either, and his teachings were quite small at first, nothing wrong with that. But being able to come into contact with many new things was still very fascinating. Once my mind opened up, all those things introduced in the newspapers opened up another world for me.

  For example, foreign things are what Jian Yu Mei likes the most. He has also read some books about how countries develop and knows foreign philosophers as well as the latest social ideas. After all, he is a studious person who likes to learn everything.

  Jian Yu Mei admired those who gave speeches on the streets, he thought they were all very passionate.

  He once saw young people marching and demonstrating on the streets of Beijing, when people were so passionate.

  "Father, what are they doing? Why are they so excited?" Xian Yu Mei asked her father.

  At that time, his father brought him to Beijing's Liulichang Street and sold a batch of things taken from an ancient tomb.

  "They're all hot-blooded young people!" Father said.

  "Are they all students?" Xiang Yu Mei asked.

  "Yes, they're doing this to express their anger because our country has been sold out again! We are the victors, yet our territory is still going to be carved up by others!" Father said.

  Jian Yu Mei was astonished, her father rarely commented on current events, she didn't know why, but her father always seemed to be recalling something from a long, long time ago, he rarely made many comments about things happening right in front of him, but this time her father was truly angry, only trying hard to suppress his temper.

  Jian Yu Mei remembered that later she herself knew what the Paris Peace Conference was, at that time seeing those angry students, she really admired them.

  Jian Yu Mei remembered that she had locked herself in her room at the inn that night, reciting those students' speeches to the wall.

  "Compatriots, friends, our country has been ravaged again. We Chinese people, are we forever to be bullied? Are we forever to be the lambs of the powerful nations? Compatriots, what can we do to free our country from its fate of being divided? What can we do for our compatriots to free them from their fate of being treated like pigs and dogs?! Gentlemen, the signs that say 'Chinese and dogs not allowed' are still hanging in many places in the concessions imposed on us by imperialist Shanghai. What can we do? What else can we do? We must resist! We must struggle!" Jian Yu Mei was repeating those passionate words over and over again.

  Jian Yu Mei clearly remembered that after the student finished his speech, people around him shouted his name, "Zhang Guotao, Zhang Guotao, good job, good job!"

  His father came back from buying things, and he was attracted by Jian Yu Mei's voice. He smiled, and Jian Yu Mei smiled awkwardly.

  "Mei'er, if you weren't following me around, and instead focused on studying, when you grow up, you can be just as excellent as them!" Father said.

  "Can I be as excellent as that big brother Zhang Guotao?" Jian Yu Mei asked.

  "Great! You will be as excellent as him! You are excellent in many ways, do you remember what the high monk of Nanhua Temple said? 'You have a gift from heaven'?" Father said.

  "Dad, I understand, but right now my biggest wish is just to be with you!" Jian Yu Mei said.

  "Alright, in a few years we'll settle down quickly, once we really find a valuable ancient tomb, we can stop then. After that, your father will have to find you a good master, and let you make a name for yourself!" Father said.

  Jian Yu Mei remembered that on the second day, after her father had received several hundred dollars from an antique shop owner in Liulichang, he took her to Tiananmen Square.

  There were many students still speaking, many people sitting quietly and watching. Many people slept there overnight, those students looked like they were from other places, their clothes were very thin, their faces also looked malnourished, but they persisted there.

  "Refuse to sign, refuse to sign! Down with the traitors!" they shouted.

  The father came to the students' donation box.

  "Sir, please donate some money so that we students from afar can have food to eat and a ticket back home. Thank you, sir!" A thin and weak student stood there, his clothes too thin, the cold wind blowing, he was shivering slightly.

  His father took out several hundred dollars he had just taken from his pocket, left a little for himself and put it back in his own pocket, and gave the rest to that student.

  That student excitedly trembled with gratitude, "Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir! You are a great good man, the country will thank you, we patriotic students will thank you!"

  "No need to be polite, fellow students, we are all patriots, let's do our part for the sake of our country! Come on!" Father said.

  "Alright, we will definitely work hard and not give up until we achieve our goal. We are not afraid to sacrifice ourselves and shed blood for it. We have made all the necessary preparations!" The thin student said with a wave of his arm and a clenched fist.

  Jian Yu Mei looked at her father, and in that moment, her father's image was so tall and majestic in her eyes.

  "Alright, classmate, you all work hard. The country needs you to study well now. What's happening now is just a small matter, let it be for now. Once you've achieved something, then make even greater contributions to the country!" Father said to that classmate.

  That classmate looked at his father and said, "Sir, I promise you that I will still go abroad to study, hoping to truly find a way to save the country and its people!"

  "Good, kid, you really have spirit! Hope to see you again in the future!" said his father.

  "Ah, my name is Cai Hesen, I'm from Hunan! Hope to see you again in the future!" said Cai Hesen.

  "Come on, China is relying on you all now!" Father said.

  Jian Yu Mei was on the train, thinking of his father's actions. He knew that his father's behavior would have a profound impact on him. His father had set an example for himself because when they left Tiananmen Square, his father said to him, "Though my position is low, I dare not forget my worries about the country!"

  At this moment, Mr. Sun and Mr. Du next door couldn't calm themselves down, it was as if there was a huge magnet over there that attracted them.

  This great attraction made Jian Yu Mei unable to sit still, he got up and walked towards the private room of Mr. Sun and Mr. Du.

  "Where are you going?" asked his father.

  "I'm going to take a leak!" Jian Yu Mei said with embarrassment.

  At this time, several people walked past Jian Yu Mei's side. Jian Yu Mei did not notice their gloomy faces and fierce eyes. They took a distant look at Mr. Sun's compartment and disappeared into the carriage.