No. 4 Di'anmen Miliang Hutong is Hu Shi's home. It is said that such a large courtyard, with a car room, a boiler, a hot water kitchen, a bathroom, and no more than the traditional courtyards of pomegranate trees in the canopy fish tank in the capital, this modern apartment equipped with air conditioning, electric lights, telephones, and running water is obviously not something that Hu Shi, a poor professor of Yan Da, can afford to live in, but Hu Shi has lived here for five or six years.

Come here to eat and reminisce about every guest - such as Ye Gongchao, Xu Zhimo, Ma Junwu, Li Guhang, Luo Longji, Pan Guangdan of the Crescent Society; or former classmates and students, such as Ren Shuyong, Zhou Meisheng, Jiang Tinghuang, Tao Menghe, Fu Sinian, Luo Ergang, Gu Jiegang; Or colleagues in the Civil Rights Protection League, such as Song Qinglin, Yang Xingfo, Lin Yutang, and Hu Yuzhi, they can't help but praise the modernity of this courtyard, which makes Jiang Dongxiu, the hostess, full of joy.

However, it is such a modern apartment, but today it is in a hurry: Hu Shi's bookshelves have been emptied, and the books are packed in a large wooden box. The bedroom was also a mess, and the clothes in the wardrobe were all turned out by the subordinates under the command of Jiang Dongxiu, and they were also packed in mahogany boxes; The gold and silver jewelry and check passbook were packed by Jiang Dongxiu herself, and they were not put in the safe, but in her underwear pocket.

In a hurry, the phone rang again, Jiang Dongxiu's eyes that were deeply immersed in the rich round face blinked, she nunu mouthed, and asked her subordinate Amei to go to the living room to answer the phone. When Amei hung up the phone and came back in, she asked, "Who called?" ”

"Madam, I didn't say who it was, I said that Mr. was not there, and she hung up." Ah Mei's eyes flickered a little when she spoke, but Jiang Dongxiu was so shrewd and capable to keep her position as a wife. She couldn't help but curse: 'It must have been beaten by those foxes again!' After that, I went to the study to find Hu Shi.

"So, what the hell is going on? Why do you have to move in a hurry? Although Jiang Dongxiu is shrewd, she is a woman after all, and she has no understanding of official affairs and politics, not to mention that the shameless female middle school student named Xia Yunxiu recently called from time to time, and once she saw her in the letter and asked Hu Shi for money, and she wanted it rightly [Note 171] - what happened between men and women before a woman dared to ask a man for money so reasonably, of course Jiang Dongxiu knew, but she couldn't control Hu Shi, the only thing she could do was to keep this home.

In addition to Hu Shi in the study, Hu Shi's cousin Hu Chengzhi was helping to pack the books. Seeing that his wife came to ask questions again, Hu Shi, who was sweating all over his head, took her out of the door, he took off his glasses and wiped his sweat with a towel, and said, "Don't ask questions about the east and west, let you go, Wangzu and Sidu will also go." ”

"Wangzu and Sidu are also leaving?" Jiang Dongxiu was taken aback, and then her expression changed greatly, "You ......, you still poison our mothers to death." This will make the house quiet, so that you can live in the foxes. ”

Jiang Dongxiu is so anxious, when is this, women are still jealous and angry. He hurriedly said: "What and what! Japan and the United States will declare war soon, and it will be too late if they don't leave! ”

Hu Shi suddenly pulled the declaration of war between Japan and the United States, but Jiang Dongxiu was still suspicious - her defense against those foxes was already a fixed mindset, and she pouted stubbornly: "What does the Japanese have to do with the war and our departure from Beijing......

"You ......" Hu Shi was really going to be angry with her, if he wasn't a civilized person who didn't beat women, he would have slapped Jiang Dongxiu in the face a few times. He held back his anger and said loudly: "A war between Japan and the United States is equivalent to a war between China and the United States!" If China and the United States go to war, Yang will become a gang of people who will ********! We, the people, are going to step down! Last year, Yang actually said: He wants to hang all of us on telephone poles to dry and rot into ashes! Do you want Zu and Sidu to hang from a telephone pole?! ”

It is rare for her husband to speak so angrily, and Jiang Dongxiu, who was sprayed by him like a dream, woke up like a dream, and finally had a little panic when she heard that her son was going to be hung on a telephone pole: "Yang Jingcheng ......, isn't this illegal?" Dali Temple, Tingwei Mansion ......"

"What is illegal and not illegal!" After all, Hu Shi was a good gentleman, and his anger was quickly suppressed, and he said: "In the major assassination case tried last year, most of those who were deprived of their nationality and expelled from the country died in Nanyang, and their wives and daughters were all deceived and sold in kilns. We ......" A few traces of pain flashed in Hu Shi's eyes - in front of his wife, he couldn't say what the fraternity had done and what it had given to Americans in the past year. Even if the Inspectorate and the West Factory can't find out those things, as long as they are deprived of Chinese nationality, the death of the whole family is no different from an ant being run over by a wheel on the road. He didn't want to die like that!

"You don't have to ask so much." Hu Shi, who was silent for a while, continued. "Remember the trip you went on last year? You go back to your hometown first, settle down a bit, and then go to Shanghai, and then take a flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong, and then take a boat to France......"

Last year's trip was the best memory of Jiang Dongxiu's life, she thought it was her husband's compensation for her guilt, and the reason why she went to France, her husband's statement was that due to the impact of the world economic depression, the franc exchange rate fell sharply, and the cost was cheap, but she didn't expect that she was already arranging a way to escape. Thinking of this, Jiang Dongxiu's face suddenly turned ugly, and she said with some fear: "I'm going alone, so far, I ...... with the child" She pulled Hu Shi's sleeve even more uneasily: "What about you, do you want to stay in the capital?" If Yang actually kills people, you, what will you do? ”

"Of course I want to stay in the capital." Hu Shi put on his glasses again at this time, and he looked like a dignified university professor. "Don't worry. I'm worried about you and my children, and as long as you get to France, then I'll be relieved. ”

"No, I'm going to stay." Jiang Dongxiu, who was panicked just now, was extremely calm at this time, and she said: "Since we are husband and wife, then we must live and die together." I can't leave you alone in the capital. ”

"Confused!" Hu Shi's temper came up again, "What about the child?" Who takes care of them?! What are you ......" Hu Shiyi said that the child Jiang Dongxiu's tears suddenly fell, and she whimpered: "Shizhi, I don't know what you are doing." But Yang Jingcheng, Yang Jingcheng is not a vicious person, he said that he would kill millions of gentry back then, but in the end he didn't kill him! Can't you just not fight him? Your democracy and freedom are not as important as this family? ”

"Hey!" Hu Shi was completely speechless, this is actually what he doesn't like about Jiang Dongxiu - she is a woman from a feudal and backward family, three from four virtues, diligence and thrift, and she doesn't know what freedom is outside the house? What is democracy? He half-hugged her and said, "Don't worry about me, I can go to the U.S. Embassy if it doesn'......."

"But you ......" Jiang Dongxiu looked at him with teary eyes, "Didn't you say that we also want to fight with the United States?" ”

"Then I'll go ......" Thinking of the place where he usually never wanted to mention, Hu Shi finally gritted his teeth and said: "Then I'll go to the Soviet Russian Embassy." Some of my former friends are in Soviet Russia, and they can help me. Since Yang Jingcheng wants to go to war with the United States, the Soviet Russia behind him will not dare to offend, and I will go to the Soviet Russian embassy without fail. ”

"Really!" Jiang Dongxiu also knew about the previous relationship between China, the United States, and Soviet Russia, although what her husband said reassured her, but she suddenly became uneasy again, and said: "But if you said bad things about Soviet Russia before, will they ......?"

"It was before, and now it is now." Hu Shi said silently. "Besides, maybe I can leave Beijing before the war between China and the United States is declared? You can wait for me in France with your children. I've arranged it over there, you can call Qianjiaju directly when you arrive in Paris, he is still visiting Paris at this time. I was kind to him in my early years, and he will be kind to you. ”

When Qianjiaju went to Paris last year, Jiang Dongxiu saw it, although she didn't want to leave her husband, but when she thought of the child who had no one to take care of, she had to nod her head with tears, but her hand grabbed Hu Shi's body tightly and didn't want to let go for a moment. After a long time, when Hu Chengzhi came over, she had to let go of her husband and turn around to wipe her tears. Hu Chengzhi, who came over, whispered: "Big brother, the car is here." ”

"Good. Open the door and load everything up right away. Hu Shi nodded, and then walked to the courtyard to prepare to command his subordinates to load the car. But something unexpected happened - the small truck was blocked by another truck in reverse. When Hu Shi went out to look, Kong Xiangxi, who was wearing a black silk shirt, came out.

"Yikes! It's such a coincidence, Mr. Shizhi also moved! "Hu Shi called a car, and Kong Xiangxi called three Kaishen Logistics large goods. It is said that Kong Xiangxi should let the housekeeper come forward for this kind of thing, but when he saw Hu Shi, he still came out.

"Ahh Hu Shi was stunned suddenly, but he was a smart person after all, and explained: "The capital is too hot, my wife is fat and afraid of heat, I really can't stay here, it's better to go back to my hometown for summer......"

Hu Shi hadn't finished speaking, and when he couldn't get into the truck, he didn't hold the wooden box, and with a 'boom', a box smashed on the ground, and all the books inside were thrown out. He thought about it but held back, explaining: "There are too many books at home, and I can't put them down, so I want my wife to bring some back......"

Looking at Hu Shi's far-fetched explanation, Kong Xiangxi just laughed in his heart. As soon as the situation between Japan and the United States became tense and the war was about to be declared, everyone was terrified. What the new cabinet has done and accomplished in the past year, and whether it can eliminate the scourge of war and fulfill the so-called ideals, we will all see in the eyes of the smart ones. Even if we don't look at the 'achievements' of the new cabinet in the past year, based on Roosevelt's speech in Congress yesterday, everyone knows in their hearts that a war between China and the United States is inevitable. Can Japan build nearly a hundred giant battleships? Can Japanese workers' and agricultural goods squeeze American goods around the world, leaving American factories and farms bankrupt every day? Joke! Only China can do this, and all the rice, flour, oil, and grain that the Japanese eat are imported from China.

The United States seems to be for the sake of the female aviator, but in fact it wants to destroy China, or at least China's industry and agriculture. If not destroyed, the title of the world's number one industrial country will be replaced by China. At that time, the United States could not sell anything but oil, grain, and minerals, unless the labor costs between China and the United States were basically the same. But is it possible? Even if you don't take into account the exchange rate difference, even if the Asian dollar and the dollar are one to one, can American workers accept working 26 days a month, more than 10 hours a day, and still pay less than 10 dollars? If they really have to accept it, there will be no economic crisis!

Work 26 days a month, at least 10 hours a day, and the monthly salary of the newcomer starts at 3 to 4 yuan, and there is no upper limit. With stable currency value and low prices, such a salary can live a good life anywhere except Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai. And there is no need to worry about the dismissal of the factory, and the salary can be raised step by step every year without accidents - of course, the factory will have to reduce wages if the performance is not good, and the profit and loss of the factory's accounts are not hidden from the key workers. Everyone knows that if you don't work hard and don't talk about raising wages, the factory may have to go out of business.

It is like a fishing boat in the deep sea, not only to find a way to catch more fish, but also to find a way to avoid the wind and waves that will come at an unknown time. Everywhere with heart and all with their lives, regardless of how they are treated, just hundreds or thousands of people are like a family and never give up, which makes those secondary school graduates who come out of the countryside excited. Can Americans do this? If you could do that, you wouldn't be where you are today.

War is a certainty! Kong Xiangxi knew this very well, he didn't want to leave, but his wife cried and cried at home every day, and he was forced to decide to let his wife and children go first. But he didn't expect that Professor Hu, who was sanctimonious and free-mouthed, would also make such a plan, he really knew people and didn't know his heart!

Hu Shi casually explained that Kong Xiangxi was just smiling, and when he was thinking about haha, a woman suddenly appeared at the mouth of the alley. The woman was twenty-seven or eighteen years old, dressed in light white clothes, and was very well-dressed. Although it is not feminine, it is heroic, especially the round forehead and black eyes, which make Kong Xiangxi, who has read countless women, shine: This woman must be extraordinary!

"Mr. Shizhi......" The woman called Hu Shi in Suzhou Mandarin, Kong Xiangxi immediately sighed a pity in his heart, and then turned around and walked away.

"Oh......" Hu Shi was still embarrassed just now, but as soon as he saw the woman, he immediately used his signature smile. It's Chien-shiung, I can't believe it, didn't you say in your letter that you were going to work outside the Kansai......"

Seeing that Hu Shi actually remembered that he was going to work outside the Guanwai, Wu Chien-shiung's previous uneasiness suddenly turned into joy and even joy. "I can't imagine that Mr. Shizhi still remembers! I wanted to come to Beijing to see Mr. when I went to Kanwai this time, but unfortunately I made several phone calls and said that Mr. was not there. Wu Chien-shiung looked at the moving scene in front of him again, and said with a smile: "Mr. Shizhi, this is ......."

"Ah..." Hu Shi glanced at Wu Jianxiong quietly, but said what he had just said to Kong Xiangxi, "This is what your master and wife will use to go home for the summer, and there are some of my books, so let your master take them home first." ”

After Hu Shi was dismissed from Peking University, he was the principal of a Chinese public school for a period of time, when Wu Chien-shiung was his student, and in an examination of the intellectual history of the Qing Dynasty, Hu Shi scored 200 points on her paper, which led to his idea of this extremely intelligent Suzhou woman. In Wu Chien-shiung's memory, when she was 16 years old and studying at Suzhou Women's Normal School, Hu Shi's three speeches in Suzhou made her unforgettable, because she sat in the first row each time, and she was actually asked questions by Hu Shi and praised in public during the third speech. The girlish feelings and the admiration for the senior authoritative professor, that mysterious feeling is still unforgettable.

"Appropriate ......" Jiang Dongxiu appeared at the gate of the courtyard unconsciously. She shouted in her mouth, but her eyes looked at Wu Chien-shiung vigilantly. This woman is not beautiful, but she has a kind of attraction that makes people love and be close. If it weren't for Wu Chien-hsiung's frank gaze towards her, and the age was inappropriate, she would almost have regarded this woman as Xia Yunxiu, a middle school girl who kept asking her husband for money.

"Oh," Hu Shi frowned, but he still pretended to be serious, "Jianxiong, this is your master." ”

"I've seen my wife." Wu Chien-shiung immediately saluted Jiang Dongxiu. She saluted, and Hu Shi quickly said to his guarded wife: "Chien-shiung was my student when I was teaching at the Chinese Public School in Shanghai, and then I don't know why I suddenly transferred to Tongji University, I still studied physics, and now I have graduated with a doctorate. She was about to go to work at a research institute outside the Guan, and she happened to come over to have a look after passing through the capital. ”

With her husband's explanation, especially the title of doctor in the Department of Physics of Tongji University, Jiang Dongxiu finally let down her guard a little, but she still didn't invite Wu Jianxiong to drink tea inside, but just looked at Wu Jianxiong with a smirk.

"Mr. Shizhi, Mrs., since you are busy, then I will come back next time." Although Wu Chien-shiung was young, he also saw Jiang Dongxiu's hidden hostility, and immediately said goodbye politely, but she came to Hu Shi not just to see Hu Shi, so she took out a piece of something in front of Jiang Dongxiu and said: "Mr. Shizhi, the last time you asked me about the Tridacnida, I checked some information in the past few months, and also made some guesses, and the general answer is written in this." ”

Under the gaze of his wife, Hu Shi took the things in Wu Jianxiong's hand a little stiffly, but he didn't keep it, he only said: "It's really unfortunate that you came today, next time you come home in winter, I will invite you to eat brush mutton." ”

Hu Shi said politely, and Wu Jianxiong bowed and drifted away. When Hu Shi, who entered the courtyard, wanted to see the thing, Jiang Dongxiu said: "Why do female students come to the door all the time, I will leave our ......"

When his wife said this, Hu Shi had to put down that thing for the time being and comfort his wife. Wu Jianxiong, who left Miliang Hutong, returned to the hotel where she lived in frustration, she thought that this meeting would be able to listen to Mr. Shizhi's teachings again, but she didn't want her beloved Mr. Shizhi to be tightly guarded by a chubby woman as jewelry. In her fidget, she sat down unconsciously and began to write to the mysterious gentleman who had helped her get to this day, and had always replied with only a few words. She didn't know why he was doing everything for herself, but over the years she had grown accustomed to seeing her benefactor as a taciturn confidant.

At the beginning of the letter, Wu Chien-shiung heard an inexplicable commotion outside, and when she got up to close the window, the sound she heard completely confused her mind - Japan has declared war! The Japanese have declared war!! Several voices below the hotel shouted frantically.

*

"Inheriting the blessing of heaven and inheriting the imperial lineage of the great emperor of the Japanese Empire, the emperor of the Japanese Empire showed his loyalty and bravery, and other people said:

We declared war on the United States, and the army and navy generals worked hard to engage in the war, with hundreds of officials and divisions, and all the people in the country did their duty, and they must be united in one mind, and thoroughly exert the total strength of the country to achieve the goal of the war.

Ensuring the stability of East Asia and benefiting world peace is indeed the grandeur of our ancestors and ancestors, and I have never forgotten it. It is also the Empire's consistent diplomatic policy to maintain good relations with other countries and enjoy the joy of common prosperity among all nations.

Now it is unfortunate that he and the United States have started a war, Xun has no choice, how can I have my wish. In fact, the US navy caused trouble in vain, killing 3,000 virtuous subjects of the empire in Marshall; In addition, it repaired its war preparations day and night, and its ships frequently infested the seas of East Asia, and the empire and trade with other countries were threatened, and the peace in the Far East was on the verge of destruction. The resumption of the situation by the government of the United States through peace negotiations has first caused the government of the United States to sincerely advise the government of the United States, but the appointed date has arrived, and the government of the United States has not received the promised reply.

In the long run, the Empire's years of efforts to stabilize East Asia will inevitably come to naught. The grievances of the three thousand subjects are not even more silent. The existence of the empire will also be on the verge of extinction. The empire is forced to deal with this, and in order to survive and defend itself, it can only rise up resolutely and smash all obstacles. I am convinced of the loyalty and courage of the people, and the heart can magnify the legacy of the ancestors, eradicate the root causes, and establish eternal peace in East Asia with the great shame of the blood of 3,000 compatriots, so as to maintain the honor of the empire......"

The Japanese government's edict declaring war on the United States was repeatedly broadcast on the radio, and Weng Wenhao's eyebrows were raised a few points every time he heard it. After learning yesterday that the British Government had issued a final advisory to Japan, he thought that the Japanese Government would pull back from the precipice and settle the matter. Who would have thought that the Japanese would rather be at war with the two major powers in the world than give in, he couldn't help but think of Yang Rui's previous evaluation of the Japanese - barbarism.

"Prime Minister, everyone is here...... Wu Jingchao saw Weng Wenhao listening to the Japanese government's edict declaring war on the United States over and over again, and had to remind him on the side that everyone had been waiting for a long time.

"Hmm." Weng Wenhao finally turned his head to look at the cabinet members who were working, and his eyes finally fell on Gu Weijun's face, and he said, "You all talk about it, what will happen next?" ”

Seeing Weng Wenhao looking at him, Gu Weijun had to say: "The next step will be the declaration of war by Britain and the United States on Japan." I think the war won't last long, Japan will be defeated, and then ......" Gu Weijun glanced at the participants before saying, "We are very dangerous. ”

Gu Weijun's sentence 'we are dangerous' is very clever, and different people have different understandings. In the eyes of the Brotherhood, we are very dangerous, that is, Britain and the United States will start a war against China next, and those outside the border are likely to seize power by this, so everyone is very dangerous; But it can also be understood as 'our country is dangerous'.

"So how should we deal with it diplomatically?" Weng Wenhao's eyebrows twitched a few times and asked a question.

"It's better to send a trusted person to the United States to replace Ueyuki." Gu Weijun said. "He had already called the day before yesterday to ask for his resignation."

"What?!" Ambassador to the United States Shi Zhaoji actually resigned, Weng Wenhao said unhappily: "Why did he resign? Doesn't he know what time it is? How many things do he need to communicate with Washington! ”

"Prime Minister, we failed to negotiate with the United States, and Zhizhi felt that he was deeply guilty, so he resigned." Of course, Shi Zhaoji's resignation is not a reason, he just doesn't want to be a sinner for the country.

"And who can we send to replace him?" Weng Wenhao found it difficult to accept this explanation, but there was no way to accept it, and he had already resigned.

"We ......" Gu Weijun opened but couldn't continue, and he didn't know who he could send.

Gu Weijun groaned, Weng Wenhao's gaze turned to Song Ziwen, the household servant, and said, "Can Ziwen go?" From last year to now, you are familiar with the United States, and American public opinion and people are also familiar with you......"

Seeing that Weng Wenhao asked him to be the ambassador to the United States, Song Ziwen immediately chuckled in his heart. After a year in the United States, he knew it was an impossible task. When he was struggling with no reason to resign from this appointment, Kong Xiangxi, who was in contact with his interest rate hike, laughed, "Don't hide it from you, I have a candidate who is definitely better than Ziwen." ”

"Who is it?" Weng Wenhao immediately turned his head to look at Kong Xiangxi.

"Hu Shizhi!" Kong Xiangxi hit the knot. "It is a beacon of freedom in the intellectual circles of our country, and this is something that the American press knows; He was also a proud disciple of Professor Dewey, who had a great influence in the United States. And he is not an official official of the government, just a university professor, which in the eyes of the Americans can fully represent the public opinion of our country - Americans are different from us, they value the attitude of the people, while our country values the attitude of the government officials, so the Americans trust the people more than the officials, and this point is that eight horses can't catch up with the ......"

Kong Xiangxi's words almost lifted Hu Shi to the sky, and when Weng Wenhao asked Jiang Menglin, Jiang Menglin said: "From all aspects, Shizhi is indeed a more suitable candidate, so I don't know what Shizhi means." ”

Kong Xiangxi said that Hu Shi had many advantages, but he didn't directly say Hu Shi's identity in the brotherhood. Although Hu Shi's opinion is still unknown, Weng Wenhao has decided on the candidate, he patted the table with his hand and said: "Now that the national disaster is at hand, the appropriate opinion is not important, he will go if he goes, and he will go if he doesn't go." (To be continued.) )