Ritsu Maeda returned to No. 2121 North Sichuan Road before dark.
When I walked into the commander's office of Masasuke Shimomura, I found that there were no lights on, but the cabinet radio on the table was playing the Imperial News Agency's broadcast.
Masasuke Shimomura stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back.
The direction my eyes were looking at was the Chinachem Hotel on the Bund.
"Your Excellency, Commander." Ritsu Maeda walked to Shimomura Masasuke, "The tunnel is about to be opened. Engineers from the Zhabei detachment will be able to dig holes in the west wall of the Sixing Warehouse by tomorrow evening at the latest, and then bury explosives for blasting."
Shimomura Masasuke listened but had no reaction. After a few seconds, he said quietly: "Maeda-kun, the army has captured the entire Nanshi this afternoon. Okamoto is holding a press conference at the Chinachem Hotel to announce the news, and The entire press conference is being broadcast live via Imperial News Agency."
"Baga!" Ritsu Maeda was a little angry after hearing this, "When did the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of War wear a pair of pants? You actually let Okamoto Yoshimasa work so hard to promote the Army Ma Lu?"
Shimomura Masuke sighed: "Hurry up and hurry up, but you are still one step too slow."
"Yes." Ritsu Maeda said with a dark face, "We won't be able to capture the Sihang Warehouse until tomorrow evening at the earliest, but the Army Red Deer captured Nanshi this afternoon, and we lost again this time. "
After a pause, he added: "It's time for Mr. Hasegawa to get angry again."
Hearing this, Shimomura Massuke's expression suddenly became even more embarrassing.
Who can feel better if an Army red deer rides on his face and feeds him shit?
…
On the rooftop of the Chinachem Hotel, Okamoto stood in front of the microphone again.
"Everyone, please look to the south in the direction of Nanshi." Okamoto Jisheng finished speaking and made another invitation.
The reporters, diplomats and Shanghai celebrities who had gathered on the rooftop of the Chinachem Hotel rushed to the edge of the rooftop. Dozens of waiters who had been waiting there quickly took out dozens of telescopes that had been prepared in advance.
At this time, bursts of huge cheers came from the direction of Nanshi.
"On board! The Imperial Army of Japan is on board! The Empire of Japan is on board! His Majesty the Emperor is on board!"
Those huge cheers were still clearly audible even though they were several kilometers away.
The diplomats, reporters and Shanghai celebrities who rushed to the rooftop took over the binoculars, and then used the binoculars to see that the rooftop of Songhu City Hall and the windows on each floor were crowded with Japanese soldiers.
These Japanese soldiers were waving their rifles and cheering in unison, the sound rising into the sky.
Immediately afterwards, the blue sky and white sun flag originally flying on the top of the city government building was also lowered, and replaced by the Japanese military flag-the Rising Sun Flag!
When the rising sun flag rose to the top of the flagpole, more than a dozen Japanese naval warships swimming on the Huangpu River also sounded their sirens at the same time. In an instant, the whole of Songhu was filled with the sound of sirens.
For a time, the entire Songhu was immersed in the exciting atmosphere created by the Japanese army.
Although the Japanese Navy and Japanese Army were at odds, they still cooperated very wisely at critical moments.
The whistle of the Japanese navy warship lasted for a full five minutes before finally stopping.
"Everyone, this is a historic moment." Okamoto continued proudly, "The future history of East Asia will remember this great moment, because from this moment on, Songhu will become a city of free trade in the true sense. She will no longer belong to any country, not China, nor England, nor France. Of course, she will not belong to the Empire of Japan. She will become a star of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Pearl!"
There was sparse applause on the rooftop, and there were actually Chinese people applauding.
"You still want to be shameless?" Zhang Yifu couldn't bear it anymore.
As a law professor at Zhijiang University, Zhang Yifu was also invited.
"What, do you have any objections?" A sinister old man turned around and said sadly.
Mrs. Zhang quickly pulled Zhang Yifu's sleeve, and Zhang Yifu could only shut his mouth indignantly, because he could not afford to offend the old man in front of him, who was Zhang Xiaolin, one of the three favorites of the Songhutan Green Gang.
If you piss off this big gangster, you can strangle this university professor to death with just one little finger.
Jason Xu walked off the rostrum again, and after inviting Okamoto Jisheng off, he raised his hands to Yu Hongjie and said, "Mayor Yu, this is also a historic moment for the National Government. Don't you say a few words?"
Yu Hongjie's heart was bleeding, and his whole body was about to burst under the pressure of such huge humiliation.
But he also knew very well that not only Japan's Imperial News was broadcasting live at the moment, but many Eastern and Western news agencies, including the government's Central News Agency, were also broadcasting the press conference live, so the national dignity could not be lost! His personal reputation can be disgraced and he can be infamy for thousands of years, but he must not disgrace the country and the nation.
So even with tears in my eyes, I must hold this press conference to completion.
Yu Hongjie stepped onto the podium with heavy steps and stood behind the microphone.
"Dear citizens of Songhu City, I am Yu Hongjie, the mayor of Songhu City. Today is the afternoon of November 8, 2020, at 5:06. It is with great sadness that I announce to everyone that Songhu has fallen. "
…
Chairman of the Standing Committee has returned to Jinling and is listening to the radio in his official residence.
I saw Chairman Chang lying on the rocking chair, his eyes slightly closed, and there was no expression of joy or anger on his face.
Naturally, what was playing on the radio was the live broadcast of the Central News Agency. Chen Yanji wanted to step forward and turn off the radio several times, but he did not dare to make a mistake and could only stand by carefully.
Yu Hongjie was announcing an announcement to the compatriots in Songhu on the radio, his voice was hoarse.
"I really want to say that our Songhu City Government has tried its best, and I also really want to say that the national army has really tried its best."
"We have really done everything we can. Including me, all public officials in the city government have not received a penny of salary for three months, and the frontline soldiers have abandoned their homes and careers, even risking their lives... "
Yu Hongjie's voice became a little choked: "Too many soldiers died on the Songhu battlefield. Many soldiers could not even put together their complete skeletons because the enemy's artillery fire was too fierce. A shell often hit us. The soldiers in the platoon and even the entire company are broken, really broken, really broken..."
…
At Caojiadu Pier, dozens of coolies were gathering under the lampposts to listen to the radio.
When Songhu Mayor Yu Hongjie announced the fall of Songhu and cried in public, dozens of coolies sighed in unison.
Just as a propaganda team from the Anti-Enemy Support Association passed by carrying a donation box, dozens of coolies invariably put the meager salary they had worked hard for all day into the donation box.
…
Gordon Road, Paramount Ballroom.
It's just getting dark, and the nightlife in Dasonghu has not yet begun.
But the dancers at the Paramount Ballroom have already started putting on makeup in the dressing room.
During the Republic of China, university teachers were always regarded as high-income earners. Their monthly salary could reach 300 or even 500 yuan, but it was nothing compared to the salary of dancers.
The monthly income of a dancer can reach more than 3,000 or even 5,000.
Although they are eating youth food, they are definitely high-income people.
The atmosphere in the dressing room was originally very relaxed, but when a dancer who was more concerned about current affairs turned on the radio, the relaxed atmosphere was destroyed in an instant.
Especially when they heard Songhu Mayor Yu Hongjie burst into tears at the press conference, many dancers also shed tears.
Mayor Yu often comes to Paramount. Many of the dancers here even danced with Mayor Yu on stage. A man who is usually so majestic and dignified, was crying like a motherless man at this time. child.
A dancer immediately took off a gold bracelet from her left wrist and asked the dance hall maid to send it to the Anti-Enemy Support Association.
Seeing this, the other dancers also took off their earrings, gold necklaces or gold bracelets. Some even simply opened their delicate handbags, pulled out a thick wad of cash, and handed them to the maid.
…
Not just the coolies at Caojiadu Wharf.
Not just a dancer at the Paramount Ballroom.
Yu Hongjie's cry spread through the radio to every corner of the two concessions. Almost every Chinese who heard the radio silently wiped away tears. Those who still had some strength left tried to struggle and contribute to the country and the nation. With little effort, more Chinese people can only let the sadness flow back into a river.
