War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1789 Peeping

"laugh!"

In the pitch-black darkness, Wei Ranhe took out a match and lit it. With the light from the match heads, the four of them were finally able to see everything around them.

The space here is not big. There are oil lamps on the only table, and a small light bulb hanging above the head.

Without pulling the cord, Wei Ran relit a match, lit one of the oil lamps and continued to look around.

Not far away, there was a thick cotton curtain. The four of them looked at each other. Wei Ran, holding the oil lamp, walked in front without hesitation and gently lifted the cotton curtain.

On the other side of the curtain is a space as big as two or three rooms. In this space are rows of large ceramic jars, which are basically filled with rice, wheat, pickles, pickled cabbage, corn flour, soybeans, vermicelli and other food.

Not to mention anything else, just those jars of rice, if these things were discovered, the person would be charged with the serious crime of "economic crime".

It was not until this time that Wei Ran belatedly remembered that the two meals prepared by the host yesterday when they went to the church gathering were indeed a show of sincerity.

As for the big cakes that Zhang Zhengqi stole from the Daguan Tea Garden earlier, it was indeed a big enough risk.

What a fucking day this is.

Wei Ran sighed secretly and continued walking while looking at everything in the cellar.

In addition to these "illegal" rations, there was a thick straw mat and a quilt in the middle of the cellar, which showed that someone had been hidden here before.

At the other end of the cellar, there was another thick cotton curtain. Wei Ran was still in the front, and the four of them walked through the cotton curtain quietly, only to find that there was light here.

The light came in through a vent that looked like a wellhead above the left hand side. Below the vent, there was a wooden ladder that was large enough for two people to stand side by side.

On the horizontal bar of this extremely thick wooden ladder, there were pieces of pork, chicken and goose meat that had been frozen into ice lumps, and a circle of cabbage was placed around them.

Climbing up the ladder carefully, Wei Ran also noticed that there seemed to be a large millstone right above this so-called ventilation vent.

It was supported by a circle of half-buried stone rollers, with gaps between the rollers that served as support legs, each only a finger wide.

With the help of these gaps that look like observation windows on a tank turret, he can clearly see the back door of the backyard, the passage leading to the front yard, and even the doors of the row of houses in the backyard and the doors of the east and west wing rooms. This arrangement is similar to tunnel warfare.

After a brief recollection, Wei Ran roughly matched the number. When the old woman brought them in just now, there seemed to be a millstone in the middle of the backyard.

However, there was no millstone on the millstone. Instead, there were several stone benches around it, and next to it there was a large tree that had lost all its leaves and whose shape could not be identified. This was basically the same as what he saw through the gap at this moment.

Dispelling the memories of the inner courtyard scene above his head, Wei Ran had roughly figured out that the cellar was basically located directly below the main house in the front yard, and extended diagonally towards the east wing in the backyard.

The vent was placed in the most obvious place in the middle of the backyard. Climbing down the ladder, Wei Ran looked at another passage connected to the vent that was protected by a brick wall. It seemed to lead to the east wing?

Wei Ran ignored Zhang Zhengqi and others who were taking turns climbing up the ventilation duct behind him, and walked alone with an oil lamp to the end of this passage which was neither wide nor very long.

Directly above here, there is a "wellmouth" which is at most the size of the bottom of a washbasin. Above the wellmouth, there is a metal bucket slightly smaller than the wellmouth hanging down by a rope.

There was already a bucket of rice in the iron bucket, and in addition, there was a big goose that had lost its feathers and was frozen. However, the wellhead above the head was blocked by something from the outside.

Looking back, Wei Ran had a rough guess. This place should be the small kitchen in the inner courtyard. The things in the cellar were probably the ingredients that were pulled up from the small well above his head when the small kitchen started to cook.

I don't know what was hidden here before.

While Wei Ran was secretly curious, Xiao Wu came over and waved his hand to call him over.

Subconsciously turning off the oil lamp, Xiao Wu pointed at Zhang Zhengqi who was standing on the ladder.

Seeing this, Wei Ran also climbed up the ladder, and then noticed that someone outside seemed to be entering the east wing.

"go down"

Wei Ran greeted them in a low voice, then climbed down and took the three of them back to the other side of the cotton curtain.

"Just now I saw that old maid went out again," Zhang Zhengqi said in a low voice.

"Let's keep quiet and don't go over there unless necessary. It's so cold, and if you breathe out through the vent, it'll look like a chimney from the outside." Wei Ran said in a low voice.

Hearing this, Zhang Zhengqi and others immediately panicked, and then they heard the rattling sound when the iron bucket under the east wing was lifted up.

After a moment, Wei Ran whispered, "It's cold in here, don't fall asleep, everyone be patient and keep quiet."

As he spoke, he walked through the curtain again and tiptoed to the bottom of the east wing.

When he stood under the small well again, there was a thermos, a teapot, four teacups, two packages of cakes and a piece of letter paper in the tin bucket.

Unfolding the folded letter, it was written in beautiful penmanship, "People have been sent to rescue the troupe members, please wait patiently."

With a slight sigh of relief, Wei Ran took out everything in the iron bucket and ran two trips to deliver it to the cellar.

After handing the letter to Zhang Zhengqi to look at, Wei Ran took two extra oil lamps, lit them and placed them on the lid of a ceramic jar filled with rice, then filled the teapot with tea leaves with boiling water.

With the hot tea and cakes to fill their stomachs, the four people standing around the pottery jar gradually warmed up and their tense nerves relaxed a little.

“I don’t know if my dad got on the train.”

Zhang Zhengqi held a cup of hot tea and sipped it while saying worriedly, "As for the big guys, I don't know either."

“It should be fine.”

Wei Ran comforted him, "We can all escape, there is no reason why they can't escape."

"Too."

Zhang Zhengqi was somewhat relieved, but then he couldn't help muttering, "The New Year is almost here, and I don't know if we can go back. After all this trouble, I guess the pass won't be valid anymore."

“Don’t worry about that for now.”

Wei Ran changed the subject before Xiao Wu and Liu Zi could speak, "Does anyone know why we came to the border?"

"Didn't Second Uncle's friend who was recruiting nuclear weapons insist on inviting us here?" Zhang Zhengqi asked in confusion, "Why did Brother Wei ask that?"

"Do you still think so now?" Wei Ran continued to ask questions along the topic and gave the other party the opportunity to guess.

“That’s definitely not right.”

Xiao Wu whispered, "When we were in Peking, the old master took in about 30 or 40 drummers and apprentices."

"After the train passed Shanhaiguan, the apprentices got off one after another. By the time they arrived in Fengtian, there was not a single one left." Liuzi also said.

“I don’t know where those people came from.”

Zhang Zhengqi said in a puzzled voice, "But when I bought the train ticket back two days ago, I bought theirs as well."

"You never asked?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice.

“Why didn’t you ask?”

Zhang Zhengqi replied, "Grandpa said that they were from another opera troupe, who teamed up with us and borrowed a pass to come here to earn hard-earned money."

"Where is the guest?" Wei Ran asked.

"My father said he was the owner of that opera troupe, but I really didn't think much about it at the time." Zhang Zhengqi said in a low voice.

"Let's talk about our second uncle," Wei Ran said logically, "I'm afraid he knows the details of this matter."

"Our Second Master is not ordinary"

It was Xiaowu who said this, and his tone was full of admiration. Both Liuzi and Zhang Zhengqi nodded subconsciously.

"Tell me what's so special about it," Wei Ran asked in a testing tone.

"How else can it be extraordinary?"

It was Zhang Zhengqi who said this, "My second uncle used to be the leader of our opera troupe. He could sing both male and female roles. My rich uncle met my aunt because he followed my second uncle to the opera."

"Later, the second master went to study abroad with the Japanese, and it only took him one year to learn the Japanese language." Xiao Wuzi added admiringly.

"I haven't even met the Second Master," Liuzi said in a low voice with regret.

"I've only seen him once," Xiao Wu said. "Second Uncle doesn't come back once a year," Zhang Zhengqi sighed, "Since my elder brother Wei and I went to Beijing to learn art, we haven't seen him again. He even said he would come back to test me."

"There will always be a chance to meet each other," Wei Ran said in a low voice, but at the same time he couldn't help but be curious about what that living dad taught him last night.

With doubts in their hearts and worries about the troupe members, the four people who had eaten and drunk their fill did not dare to rest at all. They just sat side by side leaning against a ceramic jar filled with rice, patiently waiting for movement outside.

Taking this opportunity, Wei Ran divided the money he borrowed and picked up yesterday into four parts in advance, and handed three of them to Zhang Zhengqi and others.

"Brother Wei, what are you doing?" Zhang Zhengqi asked in confusion.

"Keep it with you in case you need it someday."

Wei Ran said as a matter of course that he had gained a lot last night. Apart from other things, he found 20 to 30 silver dollars and a stack of Japanese military bills on the two Japanese soldiers he killed, and even found four or five gold rings. There was no need to ask, it was definitely stolen by those bastards.

Before Zhang Zhengqi and the others could put away the valuables they had brought with them, they heard faint voices talking outside.

The four of them looked at each other, and Wei Ran and Zhang Zhengqi were the first to run out through the curtain.

"Cover your mouth tightly"

Wei Ran reminded him in a low voice, and at the same time took off the top hat he borrowed yesterday and covered his mouth with it.

Seeing this, Zhang Zhengqi immediately took off the dog-skin hat on his head and covered his mouth, then followed Wei Ran and climbed up the vent using the wide ladder.

Through the tiny gap, the two of them could clearly see the master of the house hurried out the door, and then saw the old woman walk to the side of the millstone, carefully sweep away the snow on the millstone and the stone bench with a broom, and then spread a fox skin mat on the stone bench.

Soon, Aunt Wu Si sat on the stone bench and said to herself, "Don't worry, Boss Zhang has already taken the train this morning and left with his people.

You guys just rest inside, and once the old boss and the others are found, we will send you over and take the train tonight to leave Fengtian."

After saying this, the soft-spoken Fourth Aunt Wu stood up and walked towards the main room in the inner courtyard with the fiery red fox fur blanket without waiting for Zhang Zhengqi and Wei Ran to say anything.

This good news obviously made Zhang Zhengqi feel relieved, and a hint of joy appeared on his face.

In contrast, Wei Ran was on edge. His mission this time was to escape from the drama troupe and board the train. If there was no danger, the word "escape" would not be used.

It is just that it is still unknown whether the danger lies with Aunt Wu Si or if something else unpredictable will happen.

Not long after, the sound of a metal bucket hitting the ground was heard again in the passage leading to the east wing.

Wei Ran and the other man also came down from the ladder immediately. When they came to the wellhead leading to the east wing, the iron bucket was slowly lowered. Inside the iron bucket were four hot water bottles with fur insulation covers, and several quilts were thrown around. However, the wellhead above their heads was covered with wooden boards again.

After taking the hot water bottle out of the bucket, Wei Ran and Zhang Zhengqi returned to the other side of the cotton curtain with the quilt in their arms and told Xiao Wu and Liu Zi the good news.

Seeing that the three young men were about to talk about a topic that they had no power to discuss, Wei Ran slightly increased the brightness of the oil lamp and asked Zhang Zhengqi, "Zhengqi, can you show me that camera?"

"Take it yourself"

Zhang Zhengqi pointed to the camera bag on the lid of a large jar not far away. He didn't value the camera as much as Old Zhang did.

He took this not-so-big camera bag and opened it. As expected, Xiaowu and Liuzi subconsciously came over to look at it curiously.

In addition to the Rollei twin-lens reflex camera, handheld flash, spare flash bulbs and batteries, there are also four tinplate film tubes.

However, after taking out the camera, flash and other items one by one, Wei Ran noticed that the weight of the box seemed to be wrong.

Wei Ran pinched the soft padding at the bottom of the small box imperceptibly, then calmly put all the things back in, buckled them up again and put them aside.

"My second uncle said he would come back after the film is used up."

Zhang Zhengqi said, "There is still one roll of film left here, and we can take 12 more photos. After we finish taking pictures, maybe our second uncle will really come back."

"How many years has he been studying abroad?" Wei Ran asked casually, "He's been getting confused day by day."

"It's been four years. This is the fourth year." Zhang Zhengqi said expectantly, "Second Uncle said he would come back to celebrate the New Year this year."

"Let's all get some sleep."

Wei Ran ended the topic, and while distributing the blankets he had just brought to them, he whispered, "We never know when we might have to leave. We didn't sleep well last night, so we should take a nap while we still have time."

"Let us guard it," Xiaowu said proactively.

"No need, let's all go to sleep." Wei Ran pointed to the top of his head, "The dog will bark first if there is any movement."

Hearing this, the three of them stopped arguing, wrapped themselves tightly in quilts, squeezed together and sat on a mattress, leaning against the big jar, holding the hot water bottle and closing their eyes.

Soon, all four of them, including Wei Ran, fell into a deep sleep. They had only slept for a few hours last night, and they really needed to rest now.

Sleeping in this cold cellar, squeezed together with other people against a large vat, it was certainly not a very comfortable sleep.

But compared to these, what was even more frightening was the barking of a dog that woke them up and the subsequent gunshot.

When Wei Ran realized something was wrong, he pulled back the quilt, threw away the hot water bottle that was still releasing warmth in his hand, and ran towards the vent, at which time he heard a rough shout from above his head.

Covering his mouth and nose with his hat, Wei Ran quickly climbed up the ladder, but he was stunned. Through the gaps between the stone mills that served as supports, he could clearly see that the snow outside had stopped and a group of Japanese soldiers had rushed into the inner courtyard of the house. He could also see that the big wolf dog had been killed.

At the same time, Zhang Zhengqi also climbed up with his hat covering his mouth and nose.

"Go get the camera and film," Wei Ran whispered.

Zhang Zhengqi was stunned for a moment when he heard this, then he gritted his teeth and climbed down, fetching the camera and new film as quickly as possible.

Just as Wei Ran was changing the film in his camera, a Japanese soldier holding a samurai sword outside the narrow gap issued an order, "Search each room one by one and bring everyone here."

Is it Daisho Hirano?

Wei Ran frowned. It was probably noon outside at this time. Not only had the snow stopped, but the sun was out as well. Such good visibility allowed him to easily see the wakizashi in the hand of the Japanese soldier who was walking towards the millstone. Naturally, he also recognized the handle of the knife.

Soon, the stone bench that was covered with snow again was covered with a fox skin mat, and the Japanese soldier suspected to be Hirano Daisho also sat on it with his back to the millstone.

Shaking his head at Zhang Zhengqi who was also standing on the ladder, Wei Ran gently pressed down the spear in his hand, which could not reach the Japanese soldier even if he stabbed it out, and then made a gesture to silence Xiaowu and Liuzi who were below the ladder.

As he and Zhang Zhengqi watched with gritted teeth, all the people in the house were taken to the inner courtyard. The two Japanese soldiers also carried the old maid who brought Wei Ran and three others in to the side of the seated Japanese soldiers.

At such a close distance, Wei Ran could clearly see the wound on the old woman's chest caused by the bayonet, and could also see the remaining hatred in her eyes as she died.

"Sir, I don't know what happened."

At this moment, Aunt Wu Si had walked out of the main room in the inner courtyard, and she actually spoke fairly authentic Japanese.

"Your husband has been arrested for harboring the murderer who murdered the nuclear expatriates and soldiers last night."

The Japanese soldier sitting next to the millstone said, "Most of the members of the troupe have been found in your husband's warehouse. Now the only missing member is the troupe leader.

I caught this woman when she was running back trying to report the news, and she ran into the bayonet herself.

Mrs. Wu, hand over the director of the drama troupe that I have not yet found, and your husband will live."

"Are you talking about the theatre company that was supposed to perform for us today?"

Aunt Wu Si asked in Japanese, "To be honest, I'm looking for them too. They were supposed to come to our house to sing today, and the stage in the front yard has already been set up."

“I’m not a police officer”

After saying this, the man who was suspected to be Hirano Daisho stood up, then pulled out the wakizashi and swung it out fiercely!

At the same time, Wei Ran also reacted and covered the mouth of Zhang Zhengqi beside him with his hand.

"puff!"

When the knife was stabbed, Aunt Wu Si subconsciously let out a scream of fear and despair, and Wei Ran and Zhang Zhengqi also subconsciously tensed their nerves.

"puff"

Aunt Wu Si fell down on the snow-covered ground, staring blankly at the bloody butcher knife in the hand of the Japanese soldier in front of her, and also at Wei Ran and Zhang Zhengqi hiding in the ventilation hole behind the butcher knife.