Chapter 2

  In the dining room, Liang Zhongguo and his parents Cheng Changying and Liang Liangfeng were having dinner together at the table. Cheng Changying was adding food to Liang Zhongguo's bowl as usual, but he frowned and said: "Mother, don't always give me food, I can serve myself."

  Chang Langying furrowed her brow and said, "Zhong Er, you don't like it when I do this for your mother."

  Li Chongguo said: "Mother, I can serve myself. You always keep putting food in my bowl."

  Changying glared at Liang Zhong and said, "Even being a mother is against the law for you."

  Liang Liangfeng stood on his son's side and said, "Zhong Er is right, he has grown up, his hands are not disabled, he can pick up dishes by himself, you don't need to worry about that."

  Changying said: "I was scolded by you father and son for giving my son a dish, that's fine, I won't give Zhonger dishes from now on."

  Liang Liangfeng said displeased: "What's wrong with you, kid?"

  Changying angrily said: "I'm just venting."

  Li Chongyu saw that the situation was not in his favor, so he immediately said: "Mother, what I mean is that I am already 20 years old and have grown up completely. Things that are within my power to do, I will do myself, like serving dishes, this kind of small matter I will take care of."

  Changying happily said: "After all, my son knows how to talk. Second child, I want to discuss something with you."

  Li Chongyu took a mouthful of rice and said: "What's going on?"

  Changying said: "Zhong'er, since you say you've grown up, it's time to get married too. Hurry up and find a daughter-in-law for your mother, to continue the incense of our Liang family."

  Li Chunya almost spat out his food and said, "Mother, I just turned twenty, how can you say such things?"

  Liang Liangfeng also said: "That's right, let alone his son now has no career at all, who would marry him."

  Changying said: "What's wrong with no career? Didn't ancient people always establish a family before having a career?"

  Li Guonan smiled and said: "Now that we have a national government and are in the Republic era, which is a new era, how can we still follow the old path?"

  Liāng Liàngfēng said: "Right, we must let our son inherit our ancestral martial arts hall first."

  Changying asked: "When will you give the martial arts hall to your son?"

  Liang Liangfeng furrowed his brow and said: "What's the hurry? Isn't it too early?"

  Changying said: "How can it be that the time has not yet arrived, when my son's swordsmanship in the martial arts hall is unbeatable by anyone except you, and all the fellow disciples do not also yield to Zhong'er? Is the timing not already ripe?"

  Liāng Liàngfēng said: "I have made arrangements for this matter, you don't need to worry about it anymore."

  Li Chong said: "Father is right, I don't want to take over the martial arts hall so early either, let's talk about it in a few years."

  Chang Yan angrily said: "Why is it that every time I discuss something with you and your father, you both take the same side?"

  Li said with a loud laugh: "Is it because we are all men?"

  Changying suddenly remembered something and said, "Zhong Er, in two days it will be the Spring Festival. Go to Teacher Huang's house and invite Teacher Huang and Xiangsu to our home for New Year's celebrations. Take this opportunity to accompany Xiangsu and have some fun."

  Liáng Zhōngguó said: "Please ask Teacher Huáng if it's okay, but I still need to practice with the knife, no time to play with Xiāng Sù."

  "For the time being, let's put it down. Chinese New Year is all about relaxing and having a good time. Now that it's almost Chinese New Year, all the disciples have gone back home and won't be practicing sword fighting anymore. Let's wait until they come back after the holiday and practice together again."

  Changying smiled and said: "Kid's dad, you finally agree with me."

  Liang Liangfeng said: "I stand on the side of whoever is right."

  Just then, a loud noise like thunder came from the doorway, and Cheng Zhangying exclaimed: "What is this sound?"

  Liáng Liàngfēng said: "Get someone to go and take a look." Just as he was about to shout for someone, Chéng Chángyīng said: "Hey, kiddo's dad, you forgot that all the servants have gone home for Chinese New Year, today I even cooked the meal myself."

  Li Zhongguo said, "I'll go take a look." After finishing speaking, Li Zhongguo ran to the door and opened it. A large group of people was seen walking out from in front of Li Zhongguo's house. Those people were all students holding banners with slogans written on them that read: "Down with Japanese imperialism", "Oppose the North China Autonomous Government", "Support the establishment of the Hebei-Chahar Political Council", and "Oppose the establishment of the Jehol Anti-Communist Autonomous Government".

  Liáng Zhōngguó ran back to the dining hall and said: "Dad, Mom, it's the students who are demonstrating."

  In Beiping, students doing such things had long been countless, and everyone was used to it. Liang Liangfeng said: "Now that the matter is clear, let's continue eating."

  Li Chong said: "Dad, let's go and take a look."

  Chang Yingqi said: "The tides of learning are so beautiful, Zhong Er, why do you go to see them every time."

  Li Chongzhao said: "You want to know the outcome of their parade."

  Liang Liangfeng said: "I'm telling you, I shouldn't be thinking of participating."

  Li Chong shook his head and said: "I went early just out of curiosity."

  "The earlier you go, the earlier you'll be back."

  Liáng Zhōngguó got his father's permission and immediately went out of the house to the street, catching up with the student procession and running to the front. He pulled over a leading student who looked handsome and had a conversation with him.

  The team continued to move forward, and the student stood on the street with Liang Zhongguo. The former asked the latter: "Why did you pull me?"

  Li Chongzhao smiled and said: "I'll ask you, recently there hasn't been any big news in Beiping, what's the purpose of your trip?"

  The student pointed at the banner and said: "The four major issues on the banner have not been resolved, that's why we are demonstrating."

  Li Guoqiang said: "I remember that two years ago, during the December 9th movement, you had already demonstrated for this matter."

  The student sighed: "The National Government is not doing what we asked for, so we have to continue the parade."

  Liáng Zhōngguó looked at the procession in front of him and said, "Two years ago, there were thousands of people in the December 9th Movement procession, why are there only white people today?"

  "That student sighed: 'We launched the student movement many times, but the Political Affairs Committee was established as usual. Many students were disappointed and thought this protest would not succeed, so they didn't come.'"

  "Then why did you come?"

  The student shouted: "No matter how difficult the situation in front of us is, I will march without hesitation and without looking back."

  Li Chong said: "Your will is still quite firm."

  The student said, "I won't talk to you anymore, I'm going to continue the parade." After finishing speaking, he ran quickly to the front of the parade and continued his patriotic activities. Liang Zhongguo followed slowly behind him.

  Those students marched while shouting slogans on the banners, each one shouting with all their might. Suddenly, a group of soldiers in blue uniforms without guns on their shoulders came running towards the procession, led by a fifty-year-old man. When that man and those students were only ten steps apart, he shouted: "All stop." The blue-uniformed troops stopped according to the man's words.

  That group of students also stopped in their tracks. The student who had just been talking to Liang Zhongguo said, "General Song, it's been a while!"

  Liáng Zhōngguó looked at the fifty-year-old man, he knew that the student who had just spoken to him was referring to Sòng Jūnzhǎng, that fifty-year-old man was the highest military and political leader of the National Government in North China, Garrison Commander of Pingjin, Mayor of Beiping, Chairman of the Hebei-Chahar Political Council, Director of the Hebei-Chahar Pacification Headquarters, and Chairman of Hebei Province, Commander of the 29th Army stationed in Pingjin and Hebei.

  Song Zheyuan sighed and said: "With you students around, I'm afraid nothing will go smoothly."

  "That student said loudly: 'General Song, this statement is wrong. You should say that the Japanese are the ones who give you a headache, how can you point at us patriotic students.'"

  Song Zheyuan pointed to the student who had just spoken with Liang Zhongguo and said, "Xiao Zhen, you really are a die-hard demonstration student. Every time there's a demonstration, you're always involved, and every time you're leading the charge. I'm tired of catching you."

  The student was astonished and said: "How did General Song know my humble name?"

  Song Zheyuan said: "I had too deep an impression of you, I specially came to your school to investigate you."

  Xiao Zhen Zheng said: "Song Jun Chang, you've investigated my name, then you should know my character?"

  Song Zheyuan nodded and said: "A true patriot, with a heart that wishes for the country's prosperity and strength."

  Xiao Zhen said: "Since General Song knows my temperament, then please agree to the requirements written on our banner. If not, we will never give up."

  Song Zheyuan said with a heavy heart: "Xiao Zhen, I know you students love the country, but what you are asking for are all major national events. Since they are major national events, they should naturally be handled by the government. Without the government's call, don't interfere blindly."

  Xiao Zhen angrily said: "Song Jun Chang, how can you say we are blindly meddling? Our actions are what any Chinese person should do."

  Song Jun said calmly: "You are students, your main task is to study hard, and when you grow up, you will be useful to the country, this is the right thing."

  Xiao Zhen said loudly: "Now the country is in internal and external troubles, there is a way for the country to rise and fall, every individual has a responsibility. The country is in such chaos, as students we must do our part!" As soon as Xiao Zhen spoke, the other students' hearts were boiling with enthusiasm, and they shouted loudly: "The country rises and falls, every individual has a responsibility!" Liang Zhongguo didn't shout, but his emotions were also stirred up.

  The students were excited, and Song Zheyuan's heart was also surging with emotion. He said: "I'm delighted to see that you can be so patriotic. A country needs students like you to have hope. However, you don't understand the specific situation of the country at all. Blindly launching one student movement after another will only make the country more chaotic."

  Xiao Zhenyi spoke bluntly: "General Song, don't we know? We are very clear that the little Japan is step by step invading our Chinese territory, while the National Government is step by step retreating. China is step by step moving towards the situation of national subjugation and extinction, isn't this the case?"

  Song Zheyuan fell silent for a moment before saying, "You just need to believe that the National Government can handle everything."

  "What if we don't believe it?"

  Song Zheyuan said calmly: "Xiao Zhen, what do you want to do?"

  Xiao Zhen said: "In accordance with the slogans on our banner, we will crack down and establish the Hebei-Chahar Political Affairs Committee, establish the Ji Dong Anti-Communist Autonomous Government, and go to war with the little devils!"

  "Recover the Three Eastern Provinces", "Expel the Japanese Invaders", "Protect Our Homes and Country" The students all shouted loudly.

  Song Zheyuan's face sank, and he said, "These are matters that have been decided by the national government. I, Song Zheyuan, have no authority to decide."

  Xiao Zhen said loudly: "Then we won't leave and confront you." The students responded in unison.

  Song Zheyuan said calmly: "Then I'm not being polite! Bring these students to the prison and lock them up for a few days."

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