Chapter 208 207 [Go to Lu for Disaster Relief]

When Zhou Hexuan was writing "The Chrysanthemum and the Knife", Sun Liangcheng, who had just assumed the chairmanship of the Shandong Provincial Government, was so worried that he wanted to buy a piece of tofu to kill him.

What Sun Liangcheng took over was the biggest mess in the country--Shandong.

Since Shandong was hit by the disaster last year, not only has the situation not improved, but it has gotten worse.

Zhang Zongchang has also been involved in disaster relief. Last year, he ordered that every penny of silver be one tael plus one yuan for disaster relief donations. However, most of the collected money was used as military expenses. Immediately afterwards, Zhang Zongchang withdrew the salaries of his military and political personnel in the name of "transfer relief", ranging from 30% to 50%, but the money was actually used to celebrate Zhang Zongchang's father's birthday. Birthday donation".

This bastard doesn't care about the life and death of the victims at all, he just uses the disaster to make money.

The only way out for the victims in Shandong was to go through the Guandong. Zhang Zuolin did a good job in this regard, arranging a lot of special trains to transport the victims in Shandong to the Northeast for free. At the same time, Zhang Zuolin sold grain from the Northeast at a low price and shipped it to Shandong by sea. These grains were called "red grain."

But now Shandong is occupied by the Northern Expeditionary Army, the special trains to pass through the Guandong have been suspended, and the "red food" for disaster relief has also been cut off immediately, and the hopes of the victims in Shandong have once again been shattered.

Compared with the corrupt Beiyang warlords, the Nanjing National Government still looks like a government. When only part of southern Shandong was occupied, Nanjing established a Disaster Relief Committee to actively assist the victims under its rule.

The problem is that there are too many victims!

The orderly walked into the office quickly, saluted and said: "Report Chairman, the four counties of Zichuan, Dongping, Changyi, and Qingyun have sent telegrams, requesting the provincial government to allocate funds for disaster relief."

"Another telegram requesting disaster relief!"

Sun Liangcheng was so angry that he dropped his pen and said dejectedly, "I, the chairman of Shandong Province, am about to become a disaster relief commissioner."

Sun Liangcheng is definitely the most pitiful governor in the Republic of China. Shandong under his rule is full of starvation, but the provincial government has only tens of thousands of yuan left in its finances.

In the next few days, Sun Liangcheng called his subordinates for meetings to discuss detailed disaster relief matters.

He first set up the Zhongxing Coal Mine Reorganization Committee, and forced each ton of coal cargo to be surcharged with a Shandong donation of 1 yuan, with a limit of 100,000 tons.

But the money was still not enough. Sun Liangcheng even put his mind on opium and cigarettes, ordering all counties to change the fines for tobacco seedlings into disaster relief funds, and collect charitable donations from cigarette smokers (this move was abolished by Nanjing after a lot of complaints).

At the same time, Sun Liangcheng also called on private merchants and charitable groups to actively organize charitable relief activities to save themselves.

...

Shandong, Shanghe County.

Wealthy businessmen from all over the county gathered together to set up a charity association. There are countless charity associations like this in Shandong—the government’s treatment is not good, and everyone can only choose to save themselves.

If the famine is allowed to continue, the merchants will not be able to do business well, and the more hungry people are, the more bandits will be. Out of kindness on the one hand, and long-term considerations on the other hand, the wealthy businessmen all hope that the disaster will be brought under control as soon as possible.

When Zhang Zongchang was in charge of Shandong in the past, there were too many moths, and everyone's enthusiasm for disaster relief was not high. Now that the Nationalist Party has come and issued a decree calling for non-governmental charity, Shandong people are instantly excited.

"I will offer 800 yuan."

"I offer 1000."

"I donated one-tenth of the medicinal materials in the pharmacy."

"I will offer 30,000 catties of grain."

"Hey, Mr. Zhang is really generous!"

"..."

Many wealthy businessmen enthusiastically donated money and goods. Some were stingy and only donated a few hundred dollars, while others threw thousands of dollars.

At the end, someone suddenly said: "We alone are not enough, we have to organize everyone to donate together."

"Why don't we just learn from last year's Jinan charity event and hold a fundraising and entertainment event?"

"It's a good idea. The fundraising and fun fair in Jinan was very successful. I went to see it. There were so many people there that I almost lost my life. In three days, 50,000 yuan was raised."

"But most of the famous Peking Opera actors in Shandong live in Jinan. Now that Jinan City is occupied by the Japanese, where can we invite opera singers?"

"It's better to go to Beiping and Tianjin to invite them. There are more famous actors there."

"Will they come?"

"Whether they come or not, send an invitation telegram first. This is charity, and there are always some who are willing to participate."

"How about asking the Red Cross and the Red Swastika Society to come forward and issue invitations in their names."

"Yes, yes, let the Red Cross please!"

...

At Zhou Hexuan's house, four women gathered together.

As a famous Peking Opera actor popular in Beijing and Tianjin, Meng Xiaodong naturally received the invitation. However, the strangest thing is that Zhou Hexuan, a literati and scholar, also received a charity invitation telegram.

Zhou Hexuan's good reputation has spread to Shandong along with the mouths of the victims he helped.

"Brother Zhou, should I go?" Meng Xiaodong asked.

Zhou Hexuan smiled and said, "Do you want to go?"

Meng Xiaodong said worriedly: "I kind of want to go, after all, it is a good deed. But the front line is fighting, and I heard that Tianjin is about to be surrounded."

"Don't worry about this. You can go directly to Shandong by boat from Tianjin Port, and you don't need to go through the front line." Zhou Hexuan said.

"Then I'll go." Meng Xiaodong nodded.

Zhou Hexuan looked at the telegram in his hand, thought for a while and said, "I'll go too, Leyi stays in Tianjin to manage the radio station, Yaquan and Wanrong will go with me."

"Are we going too?" Wanrong asked in surprise.

Zhou Hexuan smiled and said: "You are a celebrity. Whether it is the status of the queen or the author of "San Mao", it can inspire the masses to pay for disaster relief. We are going to Shandong this time, not only to participate in the charity performance in Shanghe County, but also to You have to act all the way through by yourself. Play him dozens of times, and all the income is used to help the victims. How meaningful is it. Xiaodong, send a message to ask your family to see who is willing to go with Chun and Ban. Let’s go to Shandong together. .”

"Okay, okay, I'll ask." Meng Xiaodong cheered up. She doesn't have to worry about food and clothing. She can do good deeds and has Zhou Hexuan to accompany her all the way. It is much more interesting than singing every day.

Meng Xiaodong sent a telegram back home, and after her family held a meeting to discuss, they unanimously decided to go to Shandong to perform a charity performance for disaster relief.

The head of the class, Meng Hongrong, thinks a lot. Now is the most difficult time for the people of Shandong. As long as Chunhe Ban sends charcoal in the snow, they will surely become famous in Shandong. When the people's livelihood in Shandong recovers, I don't know how many people will rush to invite the Chunhe Troupe to sing in the future. This business is not bad!

In mid-May, Zhou Hexuan, Wanrong, Liao Yaquan, Meng Xiaodong, reporters from Ta Kung Pao, and members of the entire Spring He Team took a boat from Tianjin to Shandong, and then went directly to Shanghe County by land.

Only Zhang Leyi stayed in Tianjin, and the radio station needed someone to guard it, and Zhang Leyi also took over for the "7:00 P.M. Gossip".