Comrade, Your Ingredients Are Too Complicated

Chapter 114: Don’t laugh at romantic drama, don’t laugh at people’s absurdity

 Huang Yourong's idea can be said to be the right medicine, because he heard a special news while eating a banquet.

Wang Taizhong is a theater fan. Peking Opera, Yu Opera, Huangmei Opera, and Hebei Bangzi are his favorites. He will spend money to invite almost any opera troupe that passes by.

Even those who are unwilling to cooperate and perform for Wangcun will be forced to come to this ghost place for a day or two under coercion and inducement.

In order to listen to the opera, this old immortal even built a stage in the village.

 During the conversation between the traitor father and son, the commander of the reconnaissance company heard something. That is, Muramoto, a devil, also has a great interest in drama, and it can even be said that he has done a lot of research.

 This is very reasonable. In modern times, there are indeed many young people who like and know how to appreciate opera. Whenever a famous actor comes to perform, the newspaper will give it a very high rating.

As a Japanese army commander who attended a military academy, although Muramoto Katsuhisa was not taken seriously in the First Army stationed in Shanxi, he did not care about these things.

  Compared to the war, this Japanese is more interested in the culture of the Republic of China. It's just that he doesn't respect culture and just wants to plunder this culture back to his native land.

 When Katsuhisa Muramoto came into contact with the book "Two Hundred Years of Peking Opera" for the first time, he was immediately shocked. Every time Boss Mei was invited to perform there, he would spend a lot of money to get a ticket.

Originally, Wang Lu wanted to invite a famous local opera troupe to perform in the village in three days. If he could please the village, his future career would definitely be brighter.

But the class leader had some issues with the Japanese and refused to come no matter how invited he was. In desperation, the traitor had no choice but to give up the idea.

　　——————

In the county town, outside a deserted compound somewhere.

The commander of the reconnaissance company, Guan Weimin, came here to investigate first. As the only theater troupe in the county, the information here is not a secret.

Many people know that this troupe has offended the Japanese in the county. In order to avoid suspicion, almost no one dares to come here to spend money, and they even have to avoid it when passing by.

 This is a fatal blow to a troupe, and it can be said that it almost cuts off their financial resources.

 There are also three, six or nine grades of opera singers.

Taking Boss Mei as an example, when people go out, they cheer in front and support each other. Listening to one piece can make ordinary audiences show off for a lifetime, and the money earned from one scene is almost something that ordinary people will never see in a lifetime.

 But these are very few cases. The vast majority of troupes are satisfied with just having enough food and clothing.

Just like Team Leader Li in this county, he is just an ordinary theater artist.

 Working in a small team, making a small amount of money, attending all temple fairs and festivals. And if it is slow, there will be no business. If you sing today, there will be no tomorrow. If you sing, there will be no next meal.

I have worked hard all my life and finally saved some money, but when the Japanese came, it was all gone.

 Why does Mr. Mei have the background to grow a beard? Because he is a famous actor, he can make a large group of people around him live comfortably without having to sing new plays.

The reason why he chose to hide was because Boss Mei had a certain social status. If he attended several so-called "East Asia Co-Prosperity" activities, he would be able to exert sufficient appeal and at the same time shake the confidence of the anti-Japanese armed forces.

 In a sense, he is a more influential figure than Wang Wang Wang.

 But it’s very miserable for small artists like Mr. Li who just run around and earn a living. In these troubled times, not many people have the spare money and energy to come to the theater, so they have to do their best just to stay alive.

After Guan Weimin entered the large courtyard, he found that there was not even a receptionist, as if no one existed.

It seemed that the people in the house heard the noise outside, and an old man with an unshaven beard came out of the innermost room. Judging from the wine bottle in his hand and his bloodshot eyes, he must have not had a good rest for a while.

“There are no performances here anymore, and there won’t be any in the future. Please come back.”

 After hearing this, Guan Weimin did not leave, but turned around and closed the door.

Although the other party's actions surprised Team Leader Li, he didn't care. Ever since his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson were killed by the Japanese, this old man has long been bent on seeking death.

  He just regrets now why he didn't have the courage to fight to the death.

As the commander of the reconnaissance company of the 772nd Regiment, Guan Weimin has seen too many similar situations, and that look made him familiar and distressed. "Leader Li, I am from the 772nd Regiment of the Eighth Route Army. I came uninvited today because I want to talk to you about something."

 It turns out that the veteran’s eyes are very vicious. The old man in front of him opened his eyes wide when he heard the words "Eighth Route Army", and his originally lifeless body seemed to be rejuvenated with vitality.

He rushed behind the door with incredible speed, locked the door with a big lock and an iron chain, grabbed the guards and ran toward the back room.

Originally, Team Leader Li felt that he, who had performed for the Japanese, was already considered a traitor in the eyes of outsiders. Unexpectedly, the Eighth Route Army came to him today, and things seemed to have turned around.

Although he lives in an enemy-occupied area, he still knows the reputation of the base area.

If there hadn't been a group of people who had to rely on the troupe to make a living, Team Leader Li would have defected with his whole family, and he would not have ended up in such a miserable end.

After entering the room, the old man immediately knelt down. He pulled the trouser leg of the soldier in front of him and said in a hoarse voice:

"Comrade, you must help me! As long as you can help me take revenge, I will give you my life!"

Seeing that the other party was almost collapsed, Guan Weimin first helped him up, and then remembered that the political commissar told him the difference between obedient people and traitors.

 What is obedient people?

Those have always been ordinary people, doing some small business and crafts, and have never joined any Democratic Party. They work hard every day to support their families.

  There is no place for the Japanese to escape even after they come. People of all ages still have to earn money to eat. Those who have no choice but to accept rule and have no ability to resist are called obedient people

 What is a traitor?

 The middle and high-level officials in the original government or the military, as well as various social celebrities, control power and the means of production. When the day comes, he joins the puppet government, sells out intelligence, and has his hands stained with the blood of the people.

These people who have the ability and obligation to protect their homeland and the country, but who choose to sell their ancestors for glory because they are greedy for life and afraid of death are called traitors.

Ordinary people have to work hard to eat. They pay taxes and military rations, and they have fulfilled their obligations.

 But those high-level traitors only think of the people when they need cannon fodder, and completely forget what their obligations are.

I found that the Eighth Route Army in front did not speak immediately, but remained silent. Leader Li thought that the other party disliked him for having performed for the Japanese, so he explained:

"If I had a choice, I certainly wouldn't sing about my little life. But it's not easy to survive in troubled times. Since I have the ability to protect myself, there is no reason to want to die, not to mention that my family was still in the hands of those beasts at that time."

"The gun is pressed against my head. If I don't sing and die on the spot, will there be any loss to the country? Will it be helpful to the country? In troubled times, human life is like nothing. My life is insignificant to the country, but it is not important to me. Is it wrong for me to cherish my life only once? Why can’t I choose to live?”

"You're talking about a traitor and a traitor. I'm just an actor. I don't know a few Chinese characters. I just rely on some traditional crafts and can only count on getting married and making a living. What country do I have to sell?" What do I know? Even if I say something, the devil will believe it?”

 When he said this, he picked up the wine on the table and took a sip, as if to give himself more courage.

“Ma Lianliang also sang opera for Xiaozhi, and Hou Baolin also performed cross talk for the Japanese. Are they also traitors?”

“You give me a gun and a bomb now, and I dare to fight them to the death!”

 Ordinary people in this era have limited education and little sense of national justice. They often have that desperate **** spirit only when their relatives around them are persecuted.

Moreover, even if you are a soldier, isn’t it enough to surrender and become a puppet army?

Looking at the excited Team Leader Li in front of him, Guan Weimin said his second sentence after entering the room.

“In three days, Katsuhisa Muramoto will go to Wangcun, and our regiment will attack there. If you are willing to help us”

The sentence was rudely interrupted before he finished speaking. The other person stared at Guan Weimin with red eyes, and every word seemed to be squeezed out of his teeth.

"You don't have to say it. The worst possible outcome is death. I don't want to live without my family."

"I have only one request. I need your Eighth Route Army to provide me with bombs. The more, the better."

Facing this situation, Guan Weimin did not answer immediately, but silently poured a glass of water for the other party.

“Comrade, you have drunk too much. I will come back tomorrow. I hope you can keep our meeting a secret.”

I was so afraid of being scolded when I wrote this chapter.

 (End of this chapter)