War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1585: It’s Better to Hurry Sooner rather than Later

"This devil candy is poisonous? How did you know?"

In the bear's den, the one who asked this question was not Hu Bazhi, but Zhao Jinyu.

“Not poisonous”

Wei Ran picked up one and looked at it, then explained, "This metal tube used to hold poison and opium paste. I thought it was still filled with opium paste."

"Can it be eaten?"

As Hu Bazhi spoke, he had already knocked out two candies and gave one to Zhao Jinyu.

“Eatable”

As Wei Ran spoke, he had already thrown the candy into his mouth and continued to check the Japanese soldier's backpack.

The remaining space in the bag was filled with several cans of Japanese beef, a Japanese lunch box, and a large bottle of sake.

When I opened the Japanese lunch box, I found that there was no food in it, but it was almost full of tobacco. On the tray there was also a small snuff pipe, a stack of cigarette papers, and a brass lighter.

It is obvious that this pack of cigarettes, alcohol and candy is not someone's personal property, but is very likely the "common property" of the Japanese squad just now.

"I want to taste this devil's pipe"

As Hu Bazhi spoke, he had already picked up the Japanese soldier's pipe, pressed some tobacco into the pipe bowl and lit it. After taking two puffs, he shook his head and said, "This is not as strong as the dry tobacco, and the pipe bowl is a little small."

"I'll try it"

As Zhao Jinyu spoke, she also picked up a piece of cigarette paper, skillfully rolled a Toad cigarette and lit it.

"Brother, how did you get captured by the devils? What were you doing today?"

As Hu Bazhi spoke, he opened the two sacks containing the spoils and poured out everything inside, motioning Wei Ran to count the spoils with him.

"The Japanese captured me when they searched the mountains more than half a month ago."

Zhao Jinyu, who was puffing out smoke, unbuttoned his cotton coat when he said this, revealing a piece of white cloth sewn on the prison uniform underneath, and explained, "I was a thought prisoner. After being caught by the devils, I was sent to the forest farm to cut wood.

As the weather was getting colder, the Japanese soldiers listened to Hu's translation, which was the nonsense of the puppet soldier just now, and decided to kill some wild dogs to make some dog-skin hats to wear.

"Let you fight?" Wei Ran asked subconsciously, "Don't they have guns?"

"No!"

Zhao Jinyu said angrily, "Those damned Japanese devils are trying to torture us to death in various ways, and I heard that the girl who worked as a driver became the mistress of Hu the translator.

This time the dog was beaten, most likely because the father-in-law and son-in-law colluded to get some dog skins to warm themselves up.

Anyway, those little devils didn't know how to make dog-skin hats, so in the end, didn't they let that translator Hu come forward? "

"Are the remaining people also thought criminals?" Wei Ran asked, suppressing the hatred in his heart.

"The one who was ready to fight to the death after beating the dog was a thought criminal, and the rest were all able-bodied men captured from the surrounding area."

"These damn devils are willing to kill people and dogs just for a dog-skin hat!"

  Hu Bazhi cursed with gnashing teeth. His father had also been drafted into the army and his life or death was unknown. At this moment, had he also been taken away to beat dogs?

He didn't know, but he couldn't help thinking this way. The more he thought this way, the more hatred he felt in his heart.

"Are you a member of the Anti-Japanese United Army?" Wei Ran asked, "Otherwise, how could you become a thought prisoner?"

“I am not a member of the Anti-Japanese United Army yet.”

Zhao Jinyu took a puff of the Toad cigarette she rolled herself, "My brother is. I was planning to go to him, but I was arrested before I even found him."

Seeing that Wei Ran did not continue to ask, Hu Bazhi said in time, "We can discuss the rest when we get back. Let's work together to see what we can grab."

Hearing this, Zhao Jinyu also looked at what was poured out of the large sack.

There are five "Taro bags" in there. In addition to a Japanese kettle with a suede cover and filled with gasoline, each bag also contains some sundries such as rations, letters, seals, etc.

In addition, they also found 13 Japanese lunch boxes with animal hide insulation covers.

These lunch boxes were all filled with still hot rice, with a thick layer of braised pork on top. On the trays were some side dishes like shredded red ginger and pickled cucumbers. On the handles of the lunch boxes, there was a small aluminum bowl hanging from each.

"These items were found in the bed of the car."

Hu Bazhi said as he pulled out two red copper hot water bottles that looked like tortoise shells and were also covered with animal skins. "These two, too, were filled with hot water. I filled them with gasoline."

"Every time that group of Japanese soldiers made an excuse to go out, they would find a place to secretly drink," Zhao Jinyu explained, "I've seen it several times."

"Come on, it's a bargain for us!"

As Hu Bazhi spoke, he casually picked up two lunch boxes and handed them to Wei Ran and Zhao Jinyu respectively.

"Don't rush to eat, see what else is there."

Wei Ran said as he rummaged through the pile of clothes. In addition to a few Japanese cotton-padded jackets, trousers and boots, the rest were 15 ammunition boxes, nearly 500 rounds of Type 8 bullets and Japanese grenades, as well as various silver dollars, military notes and some valuable items such as gold rings.

And that’s not even counting the three boxes and the hand warmer that have already belonged to Hu Bazhi.

"There are only five Japanese devils, but they are so fat. If we keep all of them, we can celebrate the New Year in advance." Hu Bazhi said greedily.

“We were lucky this time.”

Wei Ran reminded, "If you hadn't scared them with the machete and thrown the grenade accurately, they wouldn't have retreated so easily."

"Cook, cook first!"

Hu Bazhi didn't care about that. He picked up a lunch box, opened it, poured all the side dishes on the tray into the "rice with gravy", then pulled out his food knife from his boot, took out a pair of chopsticks and started to scoop rice into his mouth.

Seeing this, Zhao Jinyu rummaged through the pile of spoils, found a spoon and rubbed it on the Taro bun, then picked up the lunch box that was allocated to him and started working.

"Don't just eat, let's drink some of the devil's wine too."

As Wei Ran spoke, he picked up the large bottle of sake from his bag, took down the three small aluminum bowls hanging on the handles of the Japanese lunch boxes, and poured a glass for each person.

"Cheers!" Wei Ran said as he picked up the cup.

"Dry!"

For a moment, the cups in the hands of the three people clinked together, and then each of them took a sip.

"This wine is not as good as sorghum wine"

Hu Bazhi frowned and said, "It doesn't have much alcohol content. It's just like diluted water."

"It's not as good as mare's milk," Zhao Jinyu said subconsciously.

"Have you ever drunk kumiss?"

Wei Ran asked curiously, and at the same time pulled out the food knife given by Hu Bazhi from his boot, picked up a piece of braised pork from the lunch box given to him and put it into his mouth.

Fortunately, although the sake was not quite to the taste of the three people, the braised pork was a real Chinese flavor.

Zhao Jinyu grinned, "I am from the Mongolian ethnic group, and my home is in Hailar."

Taking advantage of this topic, the three of them started chatting while eating. It was during this casual chat that Wei Ran and Hu Bazhi also learned that Zhao Jinyu had four brothers and sisters.

The eldest brother Zhao Jinge and the third brother Zhao Jinshan joined the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army a few years ago, and the second sister Zhao Jinlan married and moved to Shanxi.

"At the beginning of this year, my father, my fellow villagers and I were captured by the Japanese and taken to Beishankou to build an airport and dig fortifications."

Zhao Jinyu couldn't help but shudder when he said this, "That place is the King of Hell! My father died of exhaustion in less than a month.

Before he died, he told me to escape no matter what, to find my elder and second brothers, and to fight the Japanese together to avenge him."

At this point, Zhao Jinyu scooped a large spoonful of braised pork into his mouth, chewing and saying, "I took advantage of a strong wind one day and climbed over seven wire meshes before I escaped. I was so badly blew that there was not a single piece of good skin on my body.

I followed the address my brother left me, begging for food along the way to get here, but when I finally found someone who knew where my brother went, I was blocked by the damn Japanese traitors. "

"Can you still find your brother?" Wei Ran asked.

“Should be able to”

Zhao Jinyu thought for a moment and said, "That person told me where my brother and the others went."

"Where?" Hu Bazhi asked subconsciously.

However, after asking this question, Zhao Jinyu fell into silence.

"Let's eat first. We can talk about the rest when we get back."

Wei Ran said, winking at Hu Bazhi, changing the subject and deliberately asking an unimportant question, "There's one thing I don't understand. When we were ambushing just now, how come you fired the iron sand gun and then ran so fast to fire another shot somewhere else?"

"I didn't hide it at the iron sand gun."

Hu Bazhi said proudly, "I tied the iron sand gun to a tree not far from the mass grave, and tied a stone to the trigger. When I want to shoot, I just shoot an arrow from a distance to make the stone fall and I can shoot. It was just bad luck that he was able to hit the puppet soldier."

Taking advantage of this topic, the three of them slurped up the braised pork and rice, but they didn't drink much of the sake that didn't quite suit their taste.

After filling his stomach, Wei Ran pointed to the spoils scattered all over the ground and said, "Let's divide this stuff among the three of us brothers."

"I don't want it anymore"

Zhao Jinyu said quickly, "You two brothers saved my life and I don't know how to repay you. And you also gave me the ring. I am very grateful."

"Brother Wei, please choose first."

Hu Bazhi also patted the three boxes on his waist in an especially righteous manner and said, "I'm satisfied with just this. Teach me how to use it later."

"Then I'm not welcome."

As Wei Ran spoke, he first pulled the cowhide Zhaowu backpack in front of him. This thing could help him cover himself when taking things out of the metal notebook.

Then, he took out the lunch box with tobacco, the bottle of sake, and the can of candy, and said, "This bag is mine. I want a box of rice and a gasoline hot water bottle. I want these things."

"Nothing else?"

Hu Bazhi asked in surprise, there were more than just these spoils, there were also a lot of silver dollars and military notes and the like, especially since Wei Ran had just thrown a string of gold rings into the pile of spoils.

"Keep those gold and white items, and go back to buy brother Jin Yu a decent outfit." Wei Ran said as he shook his dog-skin coat.

“It’s not possible to use this.”

Wei Ran waved his hand nonchalantly, "If you don't need it, just keep it and find a place to hide it. This time we have guns, bullets, and even several grenades. When we follow you to ambush the Japanese in a few days, our chances of winning will be better."

"also"

Hu Bazhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he heard Wei Ran say this. He thought that Wei Ran was planning to follow Zhao Jinyu to find his brother Zhao Jinge.

"You guys are going to fight the devils?"

Zhao Jinyu spoke at this time, "How about taking me with you?"

"Are you going too?"

"I went to find my elder and second brothers just to fight the Japanese."

Zhao Jinyu said as a matter of course, "If we can't find them, it's the same to follow Brother Wei and Brother Hu to fight the Japanese. Anyway, as long as we can beat the Japanese, it's fine."

Seeing Hu Bazhi looking at him, Wei Ran put away his things and said, "I'll follow you to fight the Japanese. You are the boss. It's up to you whether to take us with you or not."

"Okay! Then the three of us brothers will do something big together!" Hu Bazhi made a straightforward decision.

As Wei Ran spoke, he stood up, holding his backpack filled with his belongings, and said, "I'll go around and see if there are any Japanese soldiers chasing us."

"Let me go!" Hu Bazhi and Zhao Jinyu also wanted to get up.

"You two take a break."

As Wei Ran spoke, he had already picked up a Type 38 rifle loaded with bullets and went out, "Let's take turns, three of us."

"Where does this person come from?" Zhao Jinyu asked in a low voice, "Is he really an outsider?"

"The pipe is bright, the transmission is correct, and the gourd is tight."

Hu Bazhi muttered incoherently, "There are thousands of hills and mountains in this white mountain and black water. If he enters any red flower pavilion, I think he will at least be a gun head! If he catches the east wind, even the boss of the bureau may not be able to be guaranteed."

After saying this, Zhao Jinyu couldn't help but reveal a look of surprise.

"Brother Zhao, which flower pavilion are you worshipping? Is it on the beams or pillars?"

“Neither the beam nor the column”

Zhao Jinyu replied, "On the way here, I was pulled by a horse for the gang leader. I just learned a little skill and then it went bad. I was covered in blood and just got out, but I ended up in the Japanese kiln again."

In the bear's den, while Hu Bazhi and Zhao Jinyu were questioning each other, Wei Ran had already put on his skis again and slid a hundred meters away, hiding in the den of a pine tree.

After observing the surroundings for a while, he first took out two magazines of Mauser pistol bullets that he had seized from his arms, then took out the box gun from the metal book, replaced it with a 20-round magazine, pushed all the two magazines of pistol bullets into it and loaded the bullets into the chamber.

After putting away the box gun, he opened the Japanese backpack again, threw two magazines into it, then opened the hot water bottle filled with kerosene, and filled the hand warmer in the metal book with oil.

Wei Ran calmly put the lit pocket warmer into his arms, immediately packed up everything in the bag, then took off his dog-skin coat and carried the Japanese backpack on his chest.

After some adjustments, he put on his coat again, curled up against the tree trunk, and quietly observed everything around him.

The snow that started yesterday when they met Hu Bazhi has shown no signs of stopping, and the marks left by their skis when they came here have long been covered up.

It is almost certain that the Japanese will not be able to catch up. Now it all depends on whether he will meet the manager Cao who needs Hu Bazhi to pay tribute when he goes back.

After all, the exchange of fire just now was quite noisy, and the shopkeeper Cao would most likely send someone to check out the situation.

Not long after, Hu Bazhi also came to Wei Ran on his skis.

"Is this fast horse from the devil?"

Hu Bazhi sat down next to Wei Ran against a tree, pointed at the set of skis sticking out in the snow next to him and asked Wei Ran.

"I found it in their car," Wei Ran explained calmly.

"Brother Wei, don't you plan to tell Brother Zhao about your identity?" Hu Bazhi continued to ask.

"Not urgent"

Wei Ran shook his head and said, "Let me defeat the Japanese with you first."

“I just asked.”

Hu Bazhi said abruptly, "Brother Zhao told me where his eldest brother might be."

"That's better after we defeat those devils you've been targeting," said Wei Ran.

"Then I won't be polite to Brother Wei."

Hu Bazhi paused and said, "When we defeat that wave of devils, I will probably have to flee."

"Are you worried that Manager Cao will take action against you?" Wei Ran asked casually.

"Manager Cao is a businessman at heart"

Hu Bazhi taunted, "Although he is now the king of the mountain, fighting the Japanese is not a good deal for him. If he knew about it, he would most likely tie up the three of us and send us to the forest farm to be shot."

"You plan"

"I also plan to join the Anti-Japanese United Army to fight against the Japanese!" Hu Bazhi said seriously, "I also hope that Brother Wei can show me a way and introduce me to someone else."

"I don't think it would be a problem to make an introduction."

Wei Ran smiled and said, "I think we have to rely on Brother Zhao Jinyu to point out a clear path. Besides, I guess Manager Cao will send someone to question you later, right?"

Hu Bazhi nodded and said, "When we go back after dark, I'll arrange for you two to find a place to hide. I'll pick you up after I've fooled Manager Cao."

"It's up to you," Wei Ran replied.

"Okay, Brother Wei, stop staring here. The Japanese can't get close to us, so just take a nap."

As he spoke, Hu Bazhi, who had just sat down, called Wei Ran to get up, leave the tree den and return to the bear den not far away.

The three of them rested here for most of the day. During this time, Hu Bazhi asked Wei Ran to teach him how to use the three box guns.

In the afternoon, the three of them even lit a small bonfire, heated up the braised pork rice in their lunch boxes and filled their stomachs again, and then walked back under the cover of night.

Halfway through the journey, Hu Bazhi led the two of them to a hillside that was sheltered from the wind, pointed at a dead tree and whispered, "You two brothers, wait here. I'll go back and take a look. I'll come back to pick you up if everything is OK. If you hear gunshots or artillery fire, run away quickly."

After saying that, Hu Bazhi also pulled out the three boxes from the wooden gun box on his waist, and handed them to Zhao Jinyu together with the hand warmer given to him by Wei Ran. Then he took off the sack containing the spoils and threw it into the tree hole. He only took his iron sand gun, Berdan rifle and bow and arrow, and ran away on his skis.

"Will Brother Hu be in danger?" Zhao Jinyu asked in a low voice.

"probably not"

Wei Ran shook his head and asked, "Can you ride a horse?" while tidying up the makeshift hut covered with a thick layer of pine needles under the dead tree.

"Brother Wei asked this question."

Zhao Jinyu sat on the pine needles at Wei Ran's invitation. "My family used to have dozens of horses. I was lying on the horse's back before I learned to walk."

"No wonder."

"what?"

"nothing"

Wei Ran shook his head, took out the cigarette box, took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth and lit it, "Let's wait for the movement."

Hearing this, Zhao Jinyu wisely said no more. She just took out the Japanese lunch box full of tobacco, skillfully rolled a Toad cigarette, lit it, and took a sip with relish.

However, neither of them expected that they would have to wait for almost three hours, until it was completely dark and the wind and snow were getting stronger, but they neither heard any gunshots nor did Hu Bazhi come to pick them up.

"Has something happened to Brother Hu?"

Zhao Jinyu wrapped herself tightly in her cotton-padded clothes and asked anxiously, "How about we..."

"hold on"

Wei Ran also wrapped his dog-skin coat tightly around him. "Since they haven't come for such a long time, I guess Cao's people have already arrived. They might be drinking right now."

“Will he come out?”

"will not"

Wei Ran shook his head without waiting for Zhao Jinyu to finish speaking - no matter whether the other party wanted to talk about betrayal or something going wrong.

As if to verify his judgment, before Zhao Jinyu finished smoking a newly rolled Toad cigarette, Hu Bazhi came around in circles on his skis from a distance.

"Take your things and go back with me."

Hu Bazhi, who was drunk, greeted them but was not in a hurry to explain what happened. He just reached out to take the box gun handed to him by Zhao Jinyu and put it on his waist, then took it and put it in his arms.

Without much delay, Wei Ran and Zhao Jinyu took all their stuff, followed Hu Bazhi to change the route, and circled back to the dugout next to the cave on their skis.

Lifting the curtain and walking into the cave that was still filled with the smell of alcohol, Hu Bazhi said while brushing off the snow on his body, "I'm going to get something to eat and leave here as soon as I'm done."

"Is there any trouble?" Wei Ran asked with a frown.

"Manager Cao sent someone to ask what happened, but I sent him away."

Hu Bazhi explained, "But I think something bad might happen. Manager Cao is not easy to fool."

As he spoke, he had already taken off his coat and hung it on the pillar. He took the leftovers from the kang table and called Wei Ran to leave the warm dugout together.

"Manager Cao must have suspected me."

Hu Bazhi said, "I guess he sent people to the forest farm to get information. He might bring the devils here with him."

"Is it too late to be his man?"

Wei Ran asked directly, no matter what kind of relationship Hu Bazhi had with Manager Cao, now in the cave, not only the donkey was gone, but even the leather goods that had been kneaded were also much less.

"Forget it. They just took away the gift that was given to Cao this year. I gave the donkey to Cao. I can't keep the animal, so I just repay his kindness. Besides, all the hilltops are preparing to divide the red boxes and the harvest and hibernate for the winter. Don't mess with them at this critical moment."

Hu Bazhi explained with a bit of helplessness, then lifted the lid of the pot and poured a large bowl of steaming hot dog meat into the enamel basin, which even contained stewed soft potatoes and vermicelli.

He also shoveled in a few pancakes that were sticking to the edge of the pot. He asked Wei Ran to bring the food over first, while he walked to the corner, pushed aside the pile of firewood, and took out two sacks hidden inside.

“Here’s the good stuff.”

As Hu Bazhi spoke, he dug out packages of varying sizes from all over the cave and stuffed them into a sack. Then he and Wei Ran left the cave and walked into the warm dugout.

After Wei Ran brought the food to the table, Hu Bazhi took out a set of clothes that were not much different from Wei Ran's from his sack and threw them on the bed, "Brother Zhao, put on this set of clothes later. Brother Wei paid for it."

Before Zhao Jinyu could say anything, Hu Bazhi took out a pair of deerskin boots that he didn't know who had taken them off and two pieces of cloth cut by the Japanese soldiers from the sack and threw them on the kang. "Try them on for size. They're more comfortable than the Japanese soldiers' leather shoes."

Zhao Jinyu didn't hesitate to hear that and simply took off the Japanese-woven boots on her feet.

Looking at his dirty big feet covered with frostbite, Hu Bazhi said, "Wash your body and feet first, and I'll find you some frostbite cream."

Without waiting for Zhao Jinyu to say anything, Wei Ran had already poured hot water into the wooden basin, added cold water, and brought it over along with a towel.

It was just such a trivial action, but Zhao Jinyu, who was sitting on the edge of the kang, had her eyes red. She pursed her lips and took off the cotton coat and trousers that she had stolen and the tattered prison uniform with a piece of white cloth sewn on it.

In this late October weather, he was only wearing this single set of clothes.

However, compared to the frostbite all over the body after taking off this single garment, what are more noticeable are the healed or unhealed whip marks on the back, as well as the comet-like scars.

"Are these all caused by the Japanese?" Hu Bazhi asked as he stepped on the edge of the kang and rummaged through the rafters.

"Being whipped is still good"

Zhao Jinyu explained as she scrubbed her dirty body, "It's getting colder these days. Every now and then, we thought prisoners are ordered to take off our clothes and slap each other in the face with our bare buttocks in pairs. We have to count loudly while slapping each other. At least 100 slaps are considered enough."

As the water in the basin turned black little by little, Wei Ran and Hu Bazhi, who had already taken out the ointment, could gradually see with the help of the pine oil lamp that there were still large bruises on Zhao Jinyu's face.

"If anyone didn't hit hard enough, or counted incorrectly, they would be pushed into the ditch and made to kneel until they started to shake or couldn't help laughing. Only then would those damned Japanese and traitors let the people around them carry the kneeling person back."

Zhao Jinyu took a piece of soap and a razor that Wei Ran had found in the devil's bag and said, "I've seen quite a few of them kneeling in the ditch and laughing, then freezing to death while laughing. I've also seen quite a few people die from being slapped in the face until their noses, eyes, and ears bled. Those damn devils, they want us all to die before they'll stop!"

"This vengeance will be avenged sooner or later!" Hu Bazhi gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

"It's better to do it earlier than later. So when should we start?" Wei Ran asked.

"Tonight," Zhao Jinyu said, "let's go to the Temple of the God of Wealth tonight and wait for them!"