40th Propaganda Week

  The next morning, Old Wang got up early, washed and dressed in his new uniform, and checked the time to find it was just right for the start of work as unified by the National Government. He got into the small car assigned to him and headed straight for the Third Hall.

  Arrived at the Military Affairs Committee office on Zhongshan Avenue, Old Wang inquired about the location of the Third Hall at the entrance and went straight up to the third floor. He pushed open the side door on his right hand and saw a group of staff members busy pasting up posters, painting propaganda paintings, and reciting speeches. When they saw someone wearing a Nationalist Party military uniform walk in, everyone was taken aback.

  At this time, a avant-garde girl with a long dress and shoulder-length hair walked out of the crowd. Pointing at Old Wang's nose, she asked: "Did you take the wrong door? Turn back, march in step, go downstairs and turn left."

  "Where is that?" asked Old Wang.

  The avant-garde girl said: "There's a pharmacy and a doctor sitting in the hall."

  Everyone burst out laughing.

  Old Wang thought this little guy was quite interesting. He said: "I'm here to find Mr. Guo Moruo."

  The avant-garde girl looked up and down at Old Wang and said, "What are you looking for Mr. Guo?"

  Old Wang thought to himself: I'll say I'm from the Military Commission and you won't dare drive me away!

  Old Wang lied, "I am a junior commander of the combat troops in Xuzhou. I heard that you are having a propaganda week, and the Xuzhou side asked me to come and introduce the situation."

  The avant-garde girl heard this and her expression eased up, saying: "Mr. Guo has gone out. You can wait here and help us post some notices."

  Old Wang sighed in his heart: "Mr. Guo didn't show up, but instead was pulled over by a little girl to do hard labor."

  Because Old Wang is tall and strong, so "the capable bear more labor."

  At this time, an English propaganda board was stuck with a little girl. Because it is for foreign friends to see, so it must be all in English. However, there are not many people here who understand English. The person who can write decent chalk words and has a big enough body is gone.

  The little girl said anxiously: "This board was specifically entrusted by Mr. Guo, and the content was personally arranged by Mr. Guo. It's for foreign friends to see. If it's not done when Mr. Guo comes back, he will scold us."

  Next to him was a young man wearing a Zhongshan suit, painting a picture of soldiers charging in the rain of bullets. / Hearing Xiaoyu say this, he smiled and said: "Will Mr. Guo scold people? I've never heard of it."

  The little girl muttered: "It's because he doesn't scold me that I feel even more guilty if I don't do well, it would be unfair to Mr. Guo."

  Old Wang said from the side: "Why don't I give it a try."

  The little girl found it hard to believe that a big soldier could speak English.

  "What does this word mean."

  Old Wang took a look and it was Liberty

  "Freedom, this can't hold me back. I've spent two years in the US, so you can invite me to be your interpreter at that time."

  The little girl looked disbelieving.

  "Your Nationalist Party also has cultured people!"

  Old Wang thought to himself, "You look down on the Nationalist Party, that's nothing. But you can't look down on me." He boasted, "I've spoken English for many years, those who have been abroad and speak English are no big deal. This time I'm here by invitation. Mainly I also want to discuss with Mr. Guo about the knowledge of Oracle Bones Script."

  At this time, a voice came from behind Old Wang and said: "Who wants to discuss Oracle bones with me?"

  Old Wang turned around and saw a face full of bookish spirit. A 28-style haircut, a pair of round eyes. Isn't this Mr. Guo Moruo? Old Wang hurriedly rushed forward to shake hands with Mr. Guo, saying: "I have read many articles by Mr. Guo, and I have benefited greatly! Especially Mr. Guo's essays, I think they are really beautiful."

  To be honest, Old Wang's past achievements in literature are almost non-existent. The articles he studied in middle school and high school have been mostly forgotten, and he can't even remember which ones were written by Guo Moruo. He vaguely remembers a prose piece called "The Moonlit Pond" but can't recall whether it was written by Guo Moruo or Zhu Ziqing. So indeed there's nothing to brag about.

  Mr. Guo looked at Old Wang's outfit and said, "Let's talk inside."

  Mr. Guo motioned for Old Wang to sit down casually.

  "When did the Xuzhou Battle have the participation of the Central Army?"

  "Mr. Guo is indeed wise, I did participate in the Battle of Xuzhou, but I was a staff member of the Military Bureau's Xuzhou office." Old Wang feared that Mr. Guo would kick him out when he said this. The number of people whose blood was on his hands while working under Dai Li, he himself couldn't even estimate.

  Mr. Guo fell silent for a moment before saying: "So this time Dai Li has sent you to spy on us."

  Old Wang hastily waved his hand and said, "That's not what I meant. Isn't this the period of cooperation between the Nationalists and Communists? It's said that many Japanese spies have infiltrated Wuhan, and I'm in charge of security for this propaganda week."

  Mr. Guo sighed and said, "You Military Affairs Bureau! Always trying to find a way to get involved here. In the past it was all covert, this time it's overt. Alright, as long as you don't cause trouble for our work, I'll accept you."

  Old Wang immediately expressed that he would absolutely not cause trouble.

  Mr. Guo said, "To be honest, our work here is nothing to be ashamed of. Everything can be done openly. The main thing is that the two companies have already cooperated. You're still being cautious about us, isn't that bad? Give all the information you've investigated to your boss Dai and tell him that we are not afraid of shadows."

  At this time, the door suddenly opened. A head slowly stretched out and then a girl said: "Aunt Guo, can I borrow this person for a while?"

  Mr. Guo smiled and said, "Go ahead! This can be considered your first task since you arrived at our place."

  Old Wang thought: Fortunately, Mr. Guo didn't ask about that Oracle bone script business, or else he would have lost face.

  Old Wang helped finish posting the English blackboard newspaper and was attracted to a nearby blackboard. On it was the planning table for this propaganda week.

  Monday: Distribute flyers on major streets.

  Tuesday: Set up promotional platforms and demonstration blackboards at several main locations in the city.

  Wednesday: Hold a large-scale parade across the city.

  Thursday: Organize speeches at each promotional platform.

  Thursday: Broadcast the chairman's speech throughout the city.

  Friday: Organize a city-wide donation drive.

  Lao Wang thinks that the rally and parade over the past two days have been problematic. With many people, it's easy to get confused. Japanese spies would think it best to stir up something during these two days.

  Old Wang was thinking of a countermeasure. At this time, Old Wang suddenly noticed that the young man in the Zhongshan suit who had been painting earlier had finished his painting. Without looking carefully, Old Wang burst out laughing.

  Zhongshan seemed quite satisfied with his own painting. Just as he was moving his body to check the proportions, he heard Lao Wang laugh and felt embarrassed, so he said: "Don't you also have some knowledge of painting?"

  Old Wang said: "I don't dare to accept this compliment, this painting is vivid and lifelike, it's the ultimate in capturing the spirit."

  Old Wang heard himself boasting about his Zhongshan suit looking extremely pleased.

  "There's just one problem."

  "What's wrong?" Zhongshan asked again.

  "This painting is unrealistic!"

  Zhongshan said discontentedly: "Then point it out to me!"

  Old Wang smiled and said: "This painting of yours depicts a soldier charging forward with no regard for his own life, doesn't it?"

  Zhongshan nodded slightly.

  Old Wang said, "If soldiers charge like this, I don't know how many will die. Soldiers charging forward shouldn't be with their heads held high and chests out. That's heroic, but it exposes the vital chest area to bullets! When charging, you should lower your waist as much as possible. This way, your legs can block your chest. Even if you're injured, it won't be fatal."

  Zhongshan said discontentedly: "I know, but wouldn't it be better to paint like this? Art should come from life and be higher than life."

  Mr. Guo walked out of his office and said: "Guo Bo, you have to admit your mistakes. Is this how you learned art in Japan?"

  Zhongshan stopped talking and lowered his head to erase the drawing on the blackboard.

  This tone is probably Mr. Guo's son.

  The little girl smiled and said: "I didn't think you were of any use, help me take a look to see if there's anything else wrong."

  Old Wang got authorized and started bossing people around. After messing around for a whole day, he returned to the dormitory with a sore waist and back.

  No sooner had he lain down than he heard a long-short-long siren. Old Wang got up and cursed, "What the hell is this?"

  The guard at the gate replied: "Air raid warning."

  Old Wang knew the ferocity of Japanese planes and said that his place was a high-risk area for bombing, so he put on his clothes and ran. After figuring out where the public air raid shelter was, he drove his car there and took off. Along the way, Old Wang felt strange - why were there no people on the road?

  Ran to the air raid shelter and found that there were only a few vendors selling snacks inside.

  Old Wang bought a bag of pine nuts and sat down beside the pine nut vendor's wife, asking: "Why is nobody here?"

  The old woman flipped her fan non-stop and said: "This is the first warning, the devils' planes have just taken off from the airport."

  Old Wang cursed the security guard in his heart.

  "Old lady devil bombs you, are you afraid?"

  The old woman said: "I'm afraid! Why shouldn't I be afraid? I'm just afraid that the devils won't come to bomb."

  Old Wang was stunned when he heard what his wife said.

  The old lady pointed to the old man opposite her and said, "Look, this is my husband. When the devils come, this air raid shelter is full of people, and he makes a lot of money in one day. It would be great if the devils came every day."

  Old Wang felt very embarrassed. The old lady would definitely be an outcast in later generations.

  The old man opposite scolded him.

  "What are you saying in front of the military officers! We're being invaded, don't you understand?"

  The big girl was not willing to show weakness either.

  "I get it, you said the little devils have been bombing for several months now. The biggest casualties were when two donkeys were blown up in the east of the city that time. What's the harm in coming to bomb a few more times?"

  Old Wang felt he couldn't listen anymore. If they continued listening, these two would have a fight.

  Lao Wang ran out of the air raid shelter and took a breath of fresh air, at which point a long-short alarm sounded. Lao Wang asked: "What does this mean?"

  The person next to him replied: "This alarm just proves that the devils' planes are rushing towards Wuhan. Generally speaking, civilians should also go out and run for air raid drills."

  Old Wang thought this running script was used just right, it both conveyed the meaning and didn't look awkward.

  At this time, a small sedan stopped in front of Old Wang, and several officers crawled out from inside. Old Wang took a look and thought to himself, "How did these guys end up running into the air raid shelter to escape the bombing?" This was quite an amusing thing.