Resistance against Japan: Starting with the local militia

Chapter 248 Opening Ceremony

On the day of the opening ceremony, a gentle spring breeze blew and golden sunlight softly shone on the ridge of Wolong Mountain.

The newly built, spacious playground in front of the school is now filled with students attending school.

More than 500 students, under the guidance of their teachers, lined up in order of age, with the younger students in front and the older students behind, sitting quietly and neatly in the middle of the playground.

Many of the younger students curiously looked around at everything, while some of the girls were happily playing with the flowers in their hands.

Before the students entered the venue, Long Wenying specially gave each student a bouquet of colorful wildflowers that she had picked.

The outer perimeter of the parade ground was already filled with soldiers who were not on duty, while the troops performing the parade were lined up neatly on the east side of the parade ground, waiting for the order to conduct the parade.

At 10 a.m., the opening ceremony of the First Anti-Japanese School of the Wolong Mountain Independent Brigade began. Tang Guo leaped onto the makeshift pine wood platform.

"Fellow soldiers of the Independent Brigade, teachers and students, I now announce that the opening ceremony of the First Anti-Japanese School of the Wolong Mountain Independent Brigade is now beginning."

Tang Guo stood on the prepared platform, holding a megaphone and shouting loudly, her face beaming with joy.

As soon as Tang Guo finished speaking, the soldiers standing on both sides of the school gate lit the firecrackers that had been set up beforehand.

"Slap, slap, slap, slap,"

The quiet playground was filled with the lively sound of firecrackers, and red paper scraps fluttered like butterflies.

When the firecrackers went off, Tang Guo continued to shout loudly.

"Now we will proceed with the first item on the school's opening ceremony. Please welcome Tang Weiguo, the commander of the Independent Brigade and the school's principal, to the stage to give a speech."

As soon as the words were spoken, the students sitting below the stage stood up under the teacher's guidance, raising the flowers in their hands and jumping and waving them enthusiastically, shouting a unified welcome. From a distance, the playground seemed to have turned into a sea of ​​flowers.

"Welcome, Commander Tang."

"Welcome, Principal Tang."

"Long live the Independent Brigade!"

"Long live Brigade Commander Tang!"

Hearing the students' enthusiastic cheers, Tang Weiguo stared in disbelief at the welcoming ceremony in front of him, then turned to look at Tang Guo.

At this moment, Tang Guo ran over excitedly to explain to Tang Weiguo.

"Brigadier, how is it? Do you like it? This is a surprise we specially prepared for you."

"How was it, Brigade Commander? Did you feel a sense of accomplishment?" Tang Guo asked with a look of anticipation.

"I feel so accomplished! But let's not do this kind of great event again!" With that, Tang Weiguo walked towards the stage amidst cheers, leaving Tang Guo, Long Wenying, and the others looking at each other in bewilderment.

"What's wrong, Brigade Commander? Are you happy or unhappy?" Long Wenying asked uncertainly.

"Are you happy?" Tang Guo asked, somewhat uncertainly.

"Oh no, we made a mistake in the rush. I just remembered the most important thing: the brigade commander doesn't like crowds. We've done something wrong with good intentions." Tang Guo suddenly realized that Tang Weiguo didn't like crowds, and he jumped up like his tail was on fire.

On the other side, Tang Weiguo went up to the podium and, seeing the students still cheering and jumping, gestured for them to quiet down. The teacher organizing the students immediately silenced them.

Tang Weiguo cleared his throat and then shouted loudly:

"Students, a warm welcome to everyone here to join our Independent Brigade School."

“Recently, I heard some people say that it is your good fortune to be able to study at Wolongshan School, but here I want to say that it is not your good fortune to study here, but my good fortune, Tang Weiguo’s good fortune.”

"I know that your families who came to this school were all soldiers who fought on the battlefield and risked their lives to fight the Japanese invaders. It is because of the contributions your families made to the fight against the Japanese invaders that we are able to enjoy this hard-won life in Wolong Mountain."

"Classmates!" Tang Weiguo shouted loudly.

"Students, it is an honor for me, Tang Weiguo, that you can come to Wolongshan School. It is also a testament to the trust that you and your living families have placed in our Independent Brigade."

"Here I promise all the students here that the school will definitely nurture you into talents. Today you are proud of Wolongshan School, and tomorrow Wolongshan School will be proud of you."

"Now, I hereby declare the First Anti-Japanese School of the Wolong Mountain Independent Brigade officially established!" Tang Weiguo shouted with great passion.

The students below the stage stood up again and cheered, waving flowers and shouting:

"Long live the principal!"

Once everyone quieted down again, Tang Guo, who had already walked onto the stage, called out in advance.

"Now we will proceed with the second item on the school's opening ceremony: the military parade."

"Students, a warm welcome to Tang Weiguo, commander of our Independent Brigade and principal of the First Anti-Japanese School of the Wolong Mountain Independent Brigade, who will personally preside over the military parade to show you the spirit of the Independent Brigade soldiers. Please welcome him."

Tang Guo excitedly shouted loudly through a megaphone.

This time, enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience, and the students' palms turned bright red from clapping.

After the applause subsided, Tang Weiguo looked at the energetic students in front of him and felt a surge of excitement.

"The military parade is now officially beginning," Tang Weiguo shouted.

The drum and gong team, which had been waiting in front of the stage, began to beat drums and gongs, and played the marching score provided by Long Wenying with great enthusiasm.

Upon hearing the sound of gongs and drums, Zhang Haoshan, who had been waiting on the east side of the parade ground, immediately ordered his troops to advance.

"Attention, all men! Line up! Forward march!"

Zhang Haoshan led the parade troops toward the drill ground. The four parade formations, armed with Type 38 rifles, thundered across the ground, their gleaming bayonets forming a moving steel forest.

"One, two, one, one, two, one!" The troops in the parade shouted in unison.

As he approached the students, Zhang Haoshan changed his slogan.

"The whole nation should resist the Japanese invasion and defend China."

"With one heart and one mind, let us face this national crisis together!"

"Kill the enemy to serve the country, and vow to recover our lost territories!"

"Unite as one and fight to the end!"

With each shout, the soldiers stomped heavily on the ground, kicking up clouds of dust.

"What should we do in the face of the Japanese invaders?" Zhang Haoshan shouted.

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The warriors' roars echoed through the clouds, followed by a chilling atmosphere of killing intent.

The students on the playground spontaneously stood up and shouted loudly:

"Down with the Japanese devils! Drive them out of our hometown!"

"Down with the Japanese devils! Drive them out of our hometown!"

Many students, their eyes red with hatred for the Japanese invaders, shouted loudly, and the soldiers watching joined in the shouting.

"Down with the Japanese devils! Drive them out of our hometown!"

The shouts of the crowd echoed through the mountains, bringing the entire military parade to a climax.

The military parade ended quickly, but the excited atmosphere on the parade ground took a long time to calm down.

After the military parade, the opening ceremony ended briefly. Tang Weiguo said goodbye to the students and then asked the teachers to lead them back to their classrooms to begin their new school life.

“Brigade Commander, our training program has been worthwhile.” Long Wenying appeared behind Tang Weiguo at some point, still clutching a few wildflowers that hadn’t fully bloomed.

Tang Weiguo watched the students walking towards the school and said softly, "These children are the driving force behind our protection!"

"Tang Guo, stop right there." Tang Weiguo caught sight of Tang Guo, who was about to slip away, and called him over.

"Ah, brigade commander, I have other things to attend to, I'll be going now." Tang Guo decisively made an excuse to leave.

“Remember to write me a 3,000-word self-criticism when you get back! What ‘Long live’ nonsense? Our Independent Brigade doesn’t do that kind of thing!” Tang Weiguo glared at Tang Guo.

"Three thousand words! There are too many brigade commanders. Can you write a thousand words?" Tang Guo bargained.

"Four thousand characters."

"No, no, no, three thousand it is." Tang Guo immediately made her escape.

Tang Weiguo and Long Wenying couldn't help but exchange a smile.

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Accompanied by the sound of students reading aloud, the Independent Travel Group has gradually grown and expanded in the Wolong Mountains.