Back to 1942 Page #7

War Area Circuit Court,

I never thought I'd be selling people.

Don't say that.

You're answering the government's

call to save the refugees.

If we want to help them survive,

we should pick as many as we can.

Give them a better life.

Dad?

What?

Sell me.

What are you talking about?

If we have to die, we'll die together.

The Fan family doesn't sell people.

We buy them.

Dad,

I can't take it anymore.

We don't even have any

firewood left to eat.

Let me live.

Liubao,

Let's go.

Don't push!

Go.

Go back.

What are you doing?

Get away!

Don't let me see you again.

Go!

Mom.

What's this?

Buy a big one and you get two small ones.

It's a bargain, mister.

A bargain?

I'm buying one mouth to feed, not three.

You think I'm stupid?

Get out of my sight!

I've gone to school.

I can read.

She's the daughter of a landlord.

Good.

Go ahead.

What would my ancestors say?

It's New Year's Eve, Dad.

Ineverthought

I'd be selling my daughter

on New Year's Eve.

Dad...

Forget about me.

Just pretend you strangled me to death

when I was born.

You said she'd be with me.

Of course I wanted you to be together,

but she'd starve if she stayed.

I want to kill someone!

Shuanzhu,

I'll marry you.

So you can have a wife before you die.

We got a few new girls today.

I saved the best one

for you.

You think I don't know?

They are all refugees.

With the famine, how can we do this?

It's too much!

It's our way of helping the refugees

with some relief funds.

Right?

Of course.

I chose a student for you.

Let's go.

Did you wash yourself?

How old are you?

Seventeen.

Seventeen.

A good age.

Put down the basin

and give me a massage.

My dad washes his feet

before he goes to bed.

All right...

wash my feet first, then.

All right...

Enough bowing.

Put down the basin.

What?

Don't want to serve me?

No,

mister,

I want to.

It's just that I ate too much

and I can't bend over.

It's good you two are together...

you can take care of each other.

Your parents are gone,

so we might as well celebrate

during the New Year's fireworks.

Bow before Heaven and Earth.

And then to each other.

Do you know why I married you?

Didn't Master Fan say why?

So we can take care of each other.

If you have a wife,

then tomorrow you can sell your wife.

I've only had a wife for one day.

I can't sell her.

Sell me.

You can get a few pints of grain.

I'll live,

and you will, too.

Nobody would buy me with the kids.

Now they have a father

and I won't have to worry.

Mommy.

Mommy?

Three pints.

You must be joking.

Yesterday someone offered

five and I didn't sell.

Who is she?

It's embarrassing,

but she's my daughter.

If your daughter was 16,

then I could give you five quarts.

Don't you see how old she is?

Never mind, then.

If you buy me,

where will you send me to?

It's not like that.

I don't sell people,

I sell cattle.

I'm just trying to help.

Well...

If I buy you,

If you are nice to me,

I won't sell you.

I'll keep you as my wife.

How does that sound?

Four quarts

and I'll go with you!

Remember,

your hometown is Yanjin.

Don't cry.

Lingd-Eng.

See this?

This is to remember your daddy by.

Don't lose it.

Mommy, don't go.

Can you stop? I have something to say.

What?

Shuanzhu,

Come here.

After I'm gone,

don't sell the children, no matter what.

Okay?

My pants are less tattered.

Let's switch.

I'm honored that the

Generalissimo has found time

to visit my humble abode

on his trip to Xi'an.

I didn't come here to see you.

I came to see your mother.

Please.

Madame,

Last year when I saw you,

you were having your eyes treated.

Are they better?

My sight is blurry,

but I can still weave.

This is where I'm having problems now.

They don't even want to talk to me anymore.

When my mother was alive,

her eyesight wasn't so good either.

She would weave with her eyes closed.

How's your appetite?

I can eat two steamed buns each meal.

I won't die in the next few days.

They still have to put

up with me for a while.

Generalissimo,

I'm an old woman.

There is something that I want to ask you.

I don't know if I should.

Please.

I'm from Henan.

I heard about the famine there.

Lots of people died.

The government is sending aid.

Trains are transporting

grain to the disaster area

and transporting refugees to Shaanxi.

Amitabha.

My fellow people can be saved.

Old friend,

This time I've come, because I'd like to

borrow something from you.

You are not here to take

my head away, are you?

Here is the thing.

War is going to break out again in Henan.

Generalissimo Chiang would like to

borrow grain from you.

The battle in northern Henan

is very special.

The Americans, British, and Soviets

are meeting secretly

to discuss arrangements for after the war.

I understand.

At this key moment,

we need to show the world what we can do.

Since last week,

the Generalissimo has cut back on meals

in support of the war effort.

I may not agree with the

Generalissimo's politics,

but at this time of national crisis,

I will donate half of my assets

to support the war in Henan.

Old friend,

You set a good example for industrialists

and business leaders alike.

This will make Lisheng's job easier too.

I'm just worried that whatever I give

will be siphoned away by corrupt officials.

You can trust us.

I have already ordered investigations

in the disaster areas.

This time,

I am going to imprison some

and execute the rest.

Dong Jiayao.

Male.

Forty years old.

Former colonel of

the 1st War Area's supply office.

During his term,

he neglected the war

and efforts to provide relief aid.

Through hoarding

and embezzlement,

he amassed great personal wealth.

To uphold the people's justice,

he is sentenced to death,

effective immediately.

Director Lin,

Shall we start?

The citizens already saw them,

but I'd like the refugees to see them too.

The audience is too small.

Is this what you call

organization here in Luoyang?

The refugees are busy boarding the train.

It's hard to get them together.

One or two representatives will suffice.

It's not about the size of the audience,

it's about corruption

being strictly punished.

You don't think the

public cares about that?

Yes, sir!

Execute!

Ready?

Fire.

It's OK.

Master Fan,

they're executing people.

Maybe we've been rescued

and we don't have to go to Shaanxi.

I don't believe anything they say.

There are soldiers on the road,

and that means Henan is still at war.

Shuanzhu,

we've had nothing but

bad luck at every turn.

We must go to Shaanxi.

Let's go.

Once we get back on our feet in Shaanxi,

things will get better.

Let's go.

I know

how to go from rags to riches

in less than ten years.

I'll be a landlord again,

and we can come back

for Xingxing and Huazhi.

Master Fan,

I'll be your hired hand again.

Fast-acting hunger relief pills.

Eat one, and you won't be hungry for a day.

These are longer-lasting.

Eat one and you're not

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