Chapter 114: Don’t Laugh at Romantic Dramas, Don’t Laugh at People’s Absurdity

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

Wang Taizhong is a fan of opera. Peking Opera, Henan Opera, Huangmei Opera, Hebei Bangzi are his favorites. He will pay to invite almost any opera troupe that passes by.

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

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

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

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

As a devil army commander who has attended a military academy, although Muramoto Katsuhisa is not valued in the First Army stationed in Shanxi, he does not care about these things.

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

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

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

But the owner of the troupe had some grudges with the devils, and he refused to come no matter how he was invited. In desperation, this dog traitor had to give up this idea.

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In the county town, outside a deserted courtyard.

Guan Weimin, the captain of the reconnaissance company, came here to investigate first. As the only opera troupe in the county town, the intelligence here is not a secret.

Many people know that this opera troupe has offended the devils in the county town. In order to avoid suspicion, almost no one dares to come here to consume, and even has to avoid passing by.

This is a fatal blow to a troupe, and it can be said that it almost cuts off their source of income.

Opera singers are also divided into different levels.

Take Boss Mei for example. When the actors go out, they are surrounded by people. Listening to a piece of music can make ordinary audiences show off for a lifetime. The money earned from a play is almost something that ordinary people can never see in their lifetime.

But these are very rare cases. Most troupes are satisfied with just enough food and clothing.

Just like Boss Li in this county town, he is just an ordinary drama artist.

With a small troupe and small money, he has to rush to perform at temple fairs and festivals. And if he is slow, there will be no business. He will have no tomorrow after singing today, and no food for the next meal after the previous meal.

After working hard all his life, he finally saved up some money, but it was all gone when the Japanese came.

Why does Boss Mei have the background to grow a beard? Because he is a famous actor, he doesn't need to sing new plays to make a large group of people around him live comfortably.

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

In a sense, he is a more influential person than Wang Wangwang.

But it is very miserable for a small artist like Li Banzhu who runs around to make a living. In troubled times, not many people have the spare money and energy to listen to operas. Just to survive, they have to do their best.

After Guan Weimin entered the big yard, 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 a beard walked out of the innermost room. Judging from the bottle of wine in his hand and the bloodshot eyes, he must have not rested well for a while.

"There are no performances here anymore, and there will be no more in the future. Please go back."

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

Although the other party's behavior surprised Li Banzhu, he didn't care. Ever since his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson were killed by the devils, the old man had been thinking about committing suicide.

He only regretted why he didn't have the courage to fight to the death.

As the captain of the reconnaissance company of the 772nd Regiment, Guan Weimin had seen too many similar situations, and that look made him familiar and distressed.

"Master Li, I am from the 772nd Regiment of the Eighth Route Army. I came here uninvited today because I have something to talk to you about."

It turns out that the old soldier's eyes are very vicious. When the old man in front of him heard the three words "Eighth Route Army", his eyes widened, and his lifeless body seemed to have regained vitality.

He rushed to the door at an incredible speed, locked the door with a big lock and an iron chain, and pulled Guan Weimin to run to the inner room.

Originally, Master Li felt that he, who had performed for the devils, was already a traitor in the eyes of outsiders. Unexpectedly, the Eighth Route Army came to him today, and things seemed to have a turn for the better.

Although he lived in the enemy-occupied area, he still knew the reputation of the base.

If there had not been a group of people who depended on the opera troupe for their livelihood, Mr. Li would have taken his family to join the trousers and would not have ended up in such a miserable situation.

After entering the house, the old man immediately knelt down, grabbed the trouser leg of the soldier in front of him and said hoarsely:

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

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

What is obedient people.

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

When the devils came, there was nowhere to go, and they still had to earn money to eat with their parents and children. Those who had no choice but to accept the rule and had no ability to resist were called obedient people.

What is a traitor.

The former high-level officials of the government or the army and various social celebrities, who held power and means of production. When the life came, they joined the puppet government, sold intelligence, and their hands were stained with the blood of the people.

Those who have the ability and obligation to defend their country, but choose to sell their ancestors for glory because of greed and fear of death are called traitors.

Ordinary people have to work hard to eat a meal. They have paid taxes and military rations and have fulfilled their obligations.

But those high-ranking traitors only thought of the people when they needed cannon fodder, and completely forgot what their obligations were.

I found that the Eighth Route Army in front did not speak immediately, but remained silent. Li Banzhu thought that the other party despised him for singing for the devils, so he explained:

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

"The gun was pointed at my head. If I didn't sing and died on the spot, would it be a loss to the country? Would it help the country? In troubled times, human lives are worthless. My life is insignificant to the country, but for me, it is only once. Is it wrong for me to cherish my life? Why can't I choose to live?"

"What do you mean by traitor and traitor? I am just an actor. I can't read a few words. I rely on some traditional skills to struggle and can only rely on weddings and funerals to make a living. What can I sell? What do I know? Even if I tell the devil, will he believe it?"

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

"Ma Lianliang also sang opera for Xiaozizi, and Hou Baolin also performed crosstalk for the Japanese. Are they also traitors?"

"If you give me guns and bombs now, I dare to fight them!"

Ordinary people in this era have limited education and no sense of national justice. They often have the blood of fighting hard when their relatives are persecuted.

And even if they are soldiers, are there not many who surrender and become puppet soldiers?

Looking at the excited Li Banzhu in front of him, Guan Weimin said the second sentence after entering the house.

"Three days later, Muramoto Katsuhisa will go to Wangcun, and our regiment will attack there. If you are willing to help us..."

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

"You don't need to say it. The worst thing is death. I don't want to live without my family."

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

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

"Comrade, you've had too much to drink. I'll come back tomorrow. I hope you can keep our meeting a secret."

I'm so afraid of being scolded for writing this chapter.