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Your ancestors were all broke anyway.

You little bastard.

Liubao,

don't forget to bring

the ancestral tablets.

OK.

We're fleeing from a famine,

not going to watch a show.

Why are you taking that cat?

I don't want to go, dad.

What?

I want to go back and find my schoolmates.

Where are they now?

Some went to the front

to fight the Japanese.

Going to the front lines

means going to war.

Going to war means killing people.

A girl like you? Killing people?

Then I'll go back to school

and guard it with the others!

Shuanzhu! Stop!

Get back here!

Out of the way!

Why are you being difficult now? Let's go.

Your brother got a bright idea too...

and it cost him his life!

Don't think about it.

My dowry from my parents

and all of my money was

in that jewelry box!

Where did it go?

We're not like them.

They're running from the famine.

We're temporarily avoiding the crisis.

A month at most...

maybe just two weeks...

and then you can go back to school.

Shuanzhu, didn't you see my jewelry box?

How many times to I have to tell you?

What are you trying to say?

That I'm a thief?

Search me then! Search!

Shuanzhu.

Don't take it the wrong way

that's not what she meant.

Master Fan!

Don't get upset. It's

not good for the baby.

I'm not leaving.

Find someone else to drive your cart!

What is it?

In the 1931 famine

my parents ran...

and they starved to death on the road.

We're dead either way.

Don't be foolish.

Look at all the grain we have with us.

Nobody's going to starve.

Go look.

It's going to be rough going,

and Xingxing is so young...

I'll feel much better if you come along.

Here.

As long as I'm here,

noone'll dare lay a hand on you.

Sorry to interrupt.

Mr. Minister,

allow me to introduce myself.

I am Theodore White, I

report for Time magazine.

Mr. White.

Yes, sir.

You have become famous in Chungking.

Is that right?

Yes.

I have read your reports on the battles

in Changsha and the China-Burma highway.

I don't mean to be rude,

But I am going to head

back to the US next month

can you spare a moment?

Sure.

Thanks a lot.

There is a lot of talk

in Chungking about the

severity of the drought in Henan.

I've heard that many people

are starving to death every day.

And there are many refugees

fleeing to Shaanxi.

This is true.

But

starvation is primarily

a problem in the occupied areas.

The war has made this

natural disaster even worse.

A large battle is imminent.

If people are moving west,

it is also to avoid the war.

From the perspective of the Chinese people,

they can only have enough to eat

if the Japanese are wiped out.

Do YOU agree?

Shuanzhu!

Master Fan!

Xialu.

You're running too?

Is the whole village leaving?

Everyone.

Let's go together.

We'll look after each other.

Let's go.

We can take care of each other.

Let's go.

The drought can't be all bad

if it's making the Fans poor too.

Poor, maybe.

Still richer than us!

As Commander Jiang prepares to

lead his forces to the front,

The 30 million people of Henan

greet your troops with food and drink.

We wish you and your soldiers

a swift, decisive victory.

Please!

There's no need for all

the courtesy, Governor.

Let's get straight to the point.

What can I do for you?

Henan experienced a devastating

drought this year.

We also had locusts.

The land is barren

and the corpses of those

who have starved are everywhere.

is more than the province can give.

Please, general - cancel the request.

The people are suffering.

You are quite right, governor.

I agree.

Thank you, commander, for your kindness.

The children of Henan will never

forget your compassion.

But you need to do two things for me.

Only two? I'll do twenty.

First,

go to the Japanese

and talk them out of attacking Henan.

Second,

go to the Generalissimo

and get him to move

my troops back west to Shaanxi.

Do that, and we won't eat

a single kernel of your grain.

Commander, it's not like that.

Famine years are different.

There are millions of

people starving to death.

Governor Li,

there are tens of millions of men

marching to the front.

Who knows how many of them

will live to next month?

If it's a matter of

choosing who will starve...

a dead refugee won't

lose the war for us.

A soldier starving to death

is another matter entirely.

Good day.

Commander!

That's not right!

All gone.

We'll starve if we keep going.

There's people going hungry and

you're feeding a cat?

I'm giving her my share.

I just won't eat later,

all right?

You're eating for two.

You can have more later.

Master Fan...

The donkey has the runs.

Should I feed it?

If we can get through this in a month,

then yes.

Then go ahead.

If it takes longer,

I'm afraid we'll be down

to eating the donkey.

Xialu!

Xialu!

Who is it?

Wake up.

Brother Sim,

are you fleeing too?

God had Moses lead the

Israelites out of Egypt.

Now God wants me to lead you out of Henan.

So the war is about to start and

you're afraid of dying?

A favor to ask you.

Liang, the rich landlord from

Changyuan, was running.

He just died of typhoid

but his eyes are still open.

Why do you think that is?

Why?

Because he didn't believe in God.

Now he's waiting for God.

I want to say a mass for him.

Can you play the erhu?

I'm too weak. My ribs are practically

touching my backbone.

What...

trying to win converts with

the famine, Brother Sim?

After the famine is over,

you'll see how great God is.

It'll work better if you play the erhu.

People will see it's a serious thing.

Give me my erhu.

Hungry little devil!

It's too late at night to be eating.

Go to sleep!

"A long, hard month out on the road."

"Braving illness, hunger, and cold."

"Landlord Liang had piles of gold."

"And a lonely death none

could have foretold."

"His horrid end and tragic fate."

"Resulted from his lack of faith."

"Lay down your burden, the time has come."

"God is before you."

"Lay down your burden, the time has come."

"God is before you."

Bury him.

This famine isn't all bad, Old Ma?

If the government hadn't set up

a circuit court for the refugees,

you'd still be a cook at the yamen,

instead of a judge!

They couldn't find anyone else to

take the job, is all.

Not enough people, and

it's a sh*t job anyway.

Who wants to deal with refugees?

No profit in it.

No one wants to do it.

Sir.

There's something I don't understand.

So...

if we're working with refugees,

how come we're the "War Area Circuit Court"

instead of the "Refugee Circuit Court?"

Don't be stupid.

"War Area" sounds like

it's a big, proper court.

"Refugee Circuit Court" just sounds bad.

You see?

That's right.

Stick with Old Ma, boys,

and you'll be officials

once the famine's over.

Yes sir! We'll be good!

Hear ye, hear ye!

The 9th Circuit Court of the 1st War Area

is now in session!

KneeH.

He was carrying a concealed gun

in violation of wartime regulations.

It's not mine...

my landlord bought it three years ago.

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