bullyxtreme Chapter 21: The crimes of the Japanese invaders are too numerous to count, and the wrath of the Chin
Chapter 21: The crimes of the Japanese invaders are too numerous to count, and the wrath of the Chin
Just as the emperors of the Wan Dynasty were furious, Liu Yan led Xu Miaoyun across the threshold of the memorial hall.
The camera slowly pans in, following their footsteps, and the surrounding light dims.
It was as if I had stepped from the mortal world into another world in an instant, a world frozen in time, a black, silent, and despairing world!
Xu Miaoyun's steps were light, but each step felt like it was stepping on the hearts of millions.
Even though her body was trembling, she still followed in Liu Yan's footsteps. This was the ancestral land of China! This was a national tragedy!
"We are now in the main exhibition hall of the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall."
Liu Yan's voice echoed in the empty exhibition hall, carrying an almost pious solemnity and reverence.
"Here we will see that real history."
"The following scenes may make many people feel uncomfortable."
Liu Yan paused slightly, looked at Xu Miaoyun, and finally turned his gaze to the camera, speaking in a heavy and firm tone.
"But! I beg you all not to close your eyes!"
"Because what you see is history! It is the national tragedy during that turbulent period of turmoil."
"This is also a suffering that our great Chinese nation once endured."
Beneath the sky, emperors of countless dynasties held their breath, their eyes fixed on the heavens, not wanting to miss a single detail!
The first exhibition hall.
The walls were covered with black and white photographs.
The photos show mountains of corpses, survivors with vacant eyes, and the ferocious faces of Japanese pirates wielding their butcher knives.
Liu Yan stopped in front of a photograph.
In the photo, at the confluence of two rivers, countless bodies float on the water, and houses on both banks are burning, with black smoke obscuring the sky.
"This is the confluence of the Qinhuai River and the Yangtze River in Nanjing."
Liu Yan's voice was eerily calm.
"In December 1937, after the Japanese invaders massacred the Japanese, a large number of bodies were thrown into the river."
"The river water was stained red, and the riverbed was blocked by corpses."
Xu Miaoyun turned her head away, unable to bear watching any longer.
Liu Yan gripped her hand tightly, knowing that this place was too heavy a burden for a young girl who was still inexperienced in the ways of the world.
But this is a history that every Chinese person must never forget!
Even if it's tough, you have to understand!
Shame inspires courage!
Know the insult before you act!
This is the reason why China has been able to rise from the mud every time it has been defeated!
One step at a time! The sound of footsteps echoed throughout the exhibition hall!
It was as if those desperate souls were crying out!
The lights in the second exhibition hall were even dimmer!
The stench of decay in the air seemed to penetrate everyone's nostrils even through the sky.
That wasn't the real smell, but the heavy weight of history, making it hard to breathe!
In the center of the exhibition hall is a huge glass dome.
Under the glass cover lies the site of the "mass grave" at Jiangdongmen.
The soil was cut open, revealing layers upon layers of white bones.
Skull! Ribs! Arm bones! Leg bones! Densely packed, crisscrossing, layer upon layer, like firewood carelessly discarded.
On some of the bones, knife marks, bullet holes, and traces of burning are still clearly visible!
These skeletons remained in their death postures: some were curled up, some were covering their heads, and some were reaching out to beg for mercy!
A myriad of forms, a myriad of kinds of despair, come rushing towards us!
The bones were grayish-white in color, and gleamed faintly under the light!
This isn't one! It's not ten! It's a hundred!
It is a river of flesh and blood built from thousands upon thousands of bones!
Xu Miaoyun's legs went weak, and she could barely stand.
Liu Yan supported her; her shoulders were trembling violently.
"This is the Jiangdongmen 'mass grave' site! The remains of some of our compatriots are buried here."
"Hundreds of skeletons were buried in this small pit, which is less than a few square meters in size!"
"And this is just the tip of the iceberg of the countless atrocities committed by the Japanese pirates!"
"Remains like these are scattered throughout every corner of Nanjing!"
Hongwu reign, Fengtian Hall!
The layers upon layers of white bones in the sky were like a giant hammer that completely shattered Zhu Yuanzhang's reason!
However, this time there was no hysterical roar! Nor was there a desperate shout!
Zhu Yuanzhang simply stood there, trembling all over, his eyes bloodshot, unable to utter a single word.
Empress Ma covered her mouth, tears silently streaming down her face.
None of the officials in the hall dared to speak.
Zhu Biao clenched his fists so tightly they almost bled!
Zhu Di's eyes were bloodshot, and his chest heaved!
Everyone was shocked by the sight of those white bones!
This is not just a few casual words! Nor is it just numbers in history books, but real, shocking corpses.
Layer upon layer! Densely packed! Like hell!
Xu Da's eyes reddened, and his hands clenched into fists, his knuckles cracking.
Li Wenzhong turned his head away, unable to bear to look any longer, but quickly turned back. He couldn't escape; they were his descendants of the Ming Dynasty, the flesh and blood of his clan.
Liu Bowen closed his eyes, and two streams of tears rolled down his aged cheeks.
Li Shanchang, who had originally intended to come and apologize, was now trembling!
Above the sky, Liu Yan, holding Xu Miaoyun's hand, continued forward.
They walked through exhibition hall after hall! Every single one was filled with shocking evidence of crimes!
The swords of the Japanese pirates still bore the blood of innocent civilians!
Each exhibit is a bloody piece of evidence of a crime.
Behind every photograph lies the story of one or more wronged souls who cannot rest in peace.
Xu Miaoyun was crying so hard she couldn't speak, but she clung tightly to Liu Yan's hand, like a drowning person grasping at the last piece of driftwood.
Liu Yan's eyes also reddened, but he tried his best to hold back his tears as he looked at the camera.
"This is merely a small part of the heinous crimes committed by the Japanese pirates in China!"
"The ruthlessness of the Japanese pirates is unprecedented! Their cruelty is an outrage against both gods and men! Their despicable nature is intolerable to Heaven!"
"Please remember! These are not numbers! Nor are they stories! They are bloody history that cannot be smeared! Cannot be altered! Cannot be glorified!"
"This is 300,000 lives! 300,000 broken families!"
"It's our ancestral homeland! A wound that will never heal!"
"Remember history! Never forget national humiliation!"
Liu Yan's voice resounded throughout the Wanchao!
In the Yongle Hall, Zhu Di's hands were trembling!
He wanted to kill! He wanted to slaughter all these beasts who were slaughtering the Chinese people!
"Who is willing to lead an army to conquer Japan?"
These words were like a spark falling into a pile of dry firewood.
The palace was in an uproar.
The military officers all looked up, their eyes blazing with fury.
"I am willing to go!"
"I am willing to be the vanguard! My horse will trample Japan! My nation will be destroyed, my race exterminated!"
Duke Zhang Fu of Yingguo! Duke Mu Sheng of Qianguo! Marquis Chen Mao of Ningyang! Even Prince Zhu Gaoxu of Han! All rose to their feet! Their voices clamoring for battle rose and fell, shaking the palace!
Even the Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi, who had always been the least willing to fight, twisted his body and stood up.
"Your Majesty, I am willing to dedicate the entire power of our Ming Dynasty to assist you in conquering Japan!"
During the Xuande reign, Zhu Zhanji's voice was deep and resonant.
"Summon Zhang Fu, Duke of Ying, and Yu Qianyang, Vice Minister of War! Enter the palace!"
Zhu Zhanji stared at the island nation on the map, his eyes filled with murderous intent!
"Japanese pirates! I will show you that China cannot be humiliated!"