1932: Playing with the Japanese Communist Party with a doll

For example, the people here don’t even know who Lu Xun is, let alone the progressive ideas of their “progressive writers”!

After all, the so-called "huge influence" of the League of Left-Wing Writers was just a small game limited to the literary circle and had not penetrated to the grassroots level at all.

A true revolution can influence literature, but literature can hardly influence revolution. The pen is not as powerful as the gun!

If you are unable to directly control the gun, then train people who can properly control the gun!

This is the true mission of a true scholar!

Feng Xuefeng was silent for a while, then asked in a low voice: "Are you going to quit the League of Left-Wing Writers?"

He knew that his friend had long been disgusted with the crazy internal strife that had never stopped since the establishment of the League of Left-Wing Writers.

However, Lu Xun did not directly answer this question:

"Proletarian literature should be created by the proletariat itself, but before the broad awakening of the working class and peasant masses, it is impossible to produce genuine proletarian revolutionary literature. Our task is to cultivate brand-new proletarian intellectuals and launch a genuine New Culture Movement."

So, did Lu Xun intend to "abandon" those old intellectuals? No, he had even started to resort to violence against himself.

"I see. Let me think about it."

"it is good."

As an old party member who joined the party 27 years ago, Feng Xuefeng could not have been as unorganized and undisciplined as Ding Ling, who just joined the party at the end of last year, and ran to the Northeast without the permission of the higher-level party organization.

So, as agreed beforehand, he contacted a comrade working in Northeast China and asked him to help inquire with the Party Central Committee. He soon received a reply:

Lurking in the Northeast, I try to find a way to get a certain position in the education and propaganda departments of the "Five-Star Eastern Republic". Even if I can't, I will learn their advantages and new knowledge and culture!

So Feng Xuefeng stayed and became Lu Xun's "assistant". He easily obtained special approval from Fujiwara no Kanezane, passed a simple civil service exam, joined the Ministry of Education, and began to help Lu Xun.

There were many other CCP members like Feng Xuefeng who had received orders from the Party Central Committee or leftists who had been persuaded by Lu Xun. They all understood one thing:

For now, let's suppress the news that Lu Xun served the "Puppet Manchukuo Regime" and focus on seizing the cultural and propaganda positions here before discussing other matters!

Everything was going smoothly until Ding Ling published an article: "Lu Xun is Dead!"

439 Simplified and Traditional Chinese Public Opinion War

"...Before this, I still held onto a glimmer of hope, thinking that Mr. Lu Xun, known for his toughness, was most likely coerced or even abducted by the Japanese..."

"However, I was wrong. It is still unknown whether the Japanese coerced me, but Mr. Lu Xun told me in person that he stayed in the Northeast voluntarily!"

"Willingly serving as the Japanese's cultural pawns without even realizing it, willingly serving the invaders' cultural aggression! Serve the tiger with all their might! Treat the enemy as their father! Shameless indeed!"

"Mr. Lu Xun, I call you 'Mr.' for the last time. If you turn back in time, you can still preserve your reputation as a Mr. after your death. If you still persist in your mistakes, then I can only declare with regret:"

"Lu Xun is dead!"

—An article titled "Lu Xun is Dead" was published in major newspapers in Shanghai, shocking the entire Chinese cultural circle and gradually spreading to the non-cultural circle.

Ding Ling claimed she had received a letter from Lu Xun inviting her to serve in Manchukuo. She didn't believe he would commit treason, so she went to Northeast China to verify it herself. The result...

Since both the person being accused and the accuser were slightly famous in Shanghai, the article became an instant hit once it was published in the newspaper.

Just as Ding Ling herself said, many people were unwilling to believe that the stubborn Mr. Lu Xun would really betray his country and his nation, but Ding Ling's words were so convincing that they couldn't help but feel suspicious.

Could it really be that "Duke Zhou feared rumors, and Wang Mang was humble before he usurped the throne"?

Previously, Lu Xun was accused by Hu Shih and others of "ignoring the overall situation" for his harsh criticism of the Nationalist government and his defense of the puppet army's 386th Brigade during the "Northeast Massacre." Could it be that he actually had a favorable impression of the Japanese?

Later, news came out that the Nationalist government was persecuting him. Could it be that he really surrendered to the enemy out of anger?

Under the instigation of the Kuomintang, those who were blind followers or those who already had opinions about Lu Xun immediately began to follow Ding Ling in criticizing Lu Xun, while some people still firmly believed that Mr. Lu Xun might have been coerced or had other considerations.

The cultural world was in chaos, and the Kuomintang writers took the opportunity to add fuel to the fire, making the situation even more chaotic, severely undermining the morale of left-wing writers and further eliminating their influence.

Amidst the uproar, some people were the first to become enraged: the Shanghai Party organization and the CPC Central Committee.

Of course, the CCP Shanghai intelligence department, which had close ties with Lu Xun, could not have been unaware of Lu Xun's departure from Shanghai.

They had a vague idea of ​​Lu Xun's whereabouts based on his behavior in the period before he disappeared, and reported it to the Party Central Committee, but the response they received was:

Don't worry, Mr. Lu Xun's life is safe.

As soon as this reply was given, everyone understood that the Party Central Committee had already known Lu Xun's whereabouts and even the other party's purpose, but for some reason was unwilling to interfere.

If nothing unexpected happens, Mr. Lu Xun's trip to Northeast China should be...

Therefore, regarding Lu Xun's disappearance, Shanghai pretended to know nothing and continued to investigate and search to fool outsiders. It even deliberately released false information in an attempt to interfere with other forces' investigation into Lu Xun's whereabouts.

As for Wu Hao, who already knew about it, it was even more so.

Although he did not know how Fujiwara no Kanezane persuaded Lu Xun to stay in the Northeast, he was certain that Lu Xun would never be a traitor, and the intelligence transmitted back from various lines later also proved this.

So, was Lu Xun attracted by Fujiwara no Kanezane's "Three Represents" and the "reforms and innovations" of the Sejong Party?

They really are worthy of it.

Well, with the help of Mr. Lu Xun, the education and cultural undertakings there will surely develop more smoothly.

Therefore, the CCP actually intended to handle the Lu Xun incident coldly. No matter who asked, it would just say it didn't know. It pretended that Lu Xun had been secretly killed by the Kuomintang reactionaries and even his body could not be found.

Anyway, at the current rate, it is estimated that in five years at most, the entire Northeast will be completely "red", and the CCP will be in control from top to bottom.

By then, the "Northeast Multinational Red Army" will have defeated the Japanese invaders under the leadership of that person. No matter how many questions there are in the early stages, they will be able to be explained clearly to the whole of China in the later stages.

However, no one expected that Ding Ling, a Shanghai Party member who had only been a member of the Party for a year and had just passed the probationary period, would actually expose this matter directly!

So, just like that weird operation in history, the CCP was instantly caught in an extremely embarrassing situation because of Ding Ling's article.

To respond is not, and not to respond is not either;

It is not right to comment, and it is not right not to comment; it is not right to scold Lu Xun, and it is not right not to scold Lu Xun.

Under the premise that the true situation cannot be disclosed for the time being, the CCP has been directly framed and can do almost nothing. It can only watch Lu Xun being scolded and even being assassinated by extremists in the future!

When things got so bad that the usually good-tempered Wu Hao was discussing whether to summon Ding Ling from Shanghai to Nanchang for "custody," he secretly vented his anger at Qu Qiubai, Ding Ling's party introducer:

"How could this Jiang XX have no sense of organizational discipline at all? How could such a thing be distributed without the Party's permission?"

This made Qu Qiubai, who was already extremely saddened by the "Lu Xun betrayal" incident and was planning to write a letter to the Northeast to inquire about the situation, look puzzled and dissatisfied:

"Lu Xun's escape to the Northeast might not have been a betrayal, but his service in Manchukuo was certainly a genuine act. She was a scholar, and writing a few articles criticizing him wasn't a big violation, except for not informing the organization, right?"

The eloquent Wu Hao was choked to death.

In short, Ding Ling's unauthorized attack on Lu Xun not only put the Communist Party of China in an extremely passive position, but also later triggered a heated debate on "whether the party should control literature and art, and whether literary and art workers should abide by the party's discipline."

(The historical article "Thoughts on International Women's Day" was also published without the organization's permission or review. Some people thought it was inappropriate before it was published, but Ding Ling felt good about herself and used her own authority to publish it directly.)

Now, everyone, including the uneasy CCP, is waiting to see how Mr. Lu Xun, who has disappeared from the literary world for a long time, will respond and what the Northeast will do.

Then, Mr. Lu Xun did not respond directly. Instead, his "Travels in Northeast China", which had been delayed in publication due to the obstruction of the Kuomintang reactionaries, was announced to be officially published at this time.

The Republic Daily and various Japanese newspapers reported the news and selected parts for publication. After paying enough money, various Chinese and foreign newspapers in Shanghai also got involved.

The 200,000-word Northeast Travelogue had long been shipped from the Northeast to North China, South China, and Jiangnan by merchants, and sold at almost free prices.

In addition, with the full use of various forms such as national broadcasting and storytellers, the Five-Star Oriental Republic easily broke through the Kuomintang's blockade of public opinion and spread the news.

As a result, people all over the country have a more detailed understanding of the changes that are taking place in the Northeast.

what?

The Northeast is actually cleaning up the landlords and distributing land and even housing and food to the poor people?

what?

The Northeast is actually vigorously dealing with filth and stabilizing the region, leaving bandits and bullies nowhere to hide?

what?

The laws in Northeast China are not only applicable to ordinary people, but also apply to everyone equally?

what?

Officials in Northeast China are required to "serve the people" and be law-abiding and moderate.

what?

In Northeast China, cursing the government is not illegal, and some people even cursed Hachimangu Shrine without getting hurt?

What...

Shocking news like this broke out one after another, and in an instant, the rumor of "Lu Xun's treason" was dispelled.

How can eating melon be as delicious as eating cake!

Then, the people of the Republic of China were shocked to find that although they lived under the rule of an "orthodox" government, their lives did not seem to be as good as those of the people under the rule of a "pseudo-regime"?

We are all Chinese, why?

As the saying goes, what is worrying is not the lack of wealth but the inequality; what is worrying is not poverty but instability.

Just like before the emergence of the Communist Party of China and the Red Army, ordinary people believed that all governments and armies in the world were the same, so they could only accept the rule of the Nationalist government and then the local warlords;

But now, with such a sharp contrast, the past "daily life" suddenly seems so unbearable.

People's hearts are floating.

Not only in the white areas, but even in the red areas, many people expressed their yearning for the Northeast region after hearing these rumors.

Especially in North China, which is closest to the Northeast and has long heard similar rumors, some families even immediately began to move to the Northeast!

As long as we can get the "Five-Star Oriental Republic Resident Identity Card", our family will have hope in this life!

It’s not that no one wanted to jump out and accuse Lu Xun of lying, but the events of the "Northeast Counteroffensive" were still vivid in people's minds, and the names of several co-authors of "Northeast Travels" were too important, so no one believed the accusation.

The most important thing is that the attention of the common people, and even the cultural and media circles, has been diverted. No matter how much you say, even if your literary talent is comparable to Zhuge Liang scolding Wang Lang, it will only be useful if someone listens!

In the face of the "Heaven on Earth," this kind of literary sparring is nothing! We've seen enough of it. Put it away!

Therefore, they could only focus on the "bad things" described by Lu Xun and others in "Travels in Northeast China", but this actually increased the credibility of "Travels in Northeast China".

Because, although the Northeast has its bad spots, it's all mentioned in "Seeing and Hearing" that everyone in the Northeast is changing, and changing immediately. There's even a chapter where the King of the Northeast personally punishes the bad guys!

Hey, you know what, ordinary people just love to watch this kind of "Saint King's Secret Visit" plot!

"Minister Li, this is the latest intelligence sent from Peking, Shanghai, and Nanjing. Please review it."

"Well, hard work."

Li Yaokui took the information from his subordinate with a smile, said thank you, and then closed the door. The frivolous expression on his face disappeared and he began to read seriously.

Well, as expected, no one is discussing Mr. Lu Xun anymore...

As the first public opinion crisis encountered by the "Propaganda Department of the Republic" and also its first official battle, Li Yaokui, who once served as the Propaganda Minister of the Manchuria Provincial Committee and is still the Propaganda Minister, took it very seriously.

In order to gain Fujiwara no Kanezane's trust and take a more important position, he organized a group of writers and drafted some articles, intending to write articles to counterattack the national government from various angles, including the legitimacy of national rule.

However, when he presented his confident "package plan" and part of his "counterattack outline" to Fujiwara no Kanezane, he was "scolded":

"First, you should report this to your superiors, Comrade Zhao Ziqi and Comrade Doihara, instead of coming to me. Second, do you need such a complicated plan to counterattack these people? Aren't you overestimating them?"

Embarrassed, Li Yaokui had no choice but to go back to his old boss, Zhao Ziqi, and received a simple yet complex answer:

The power of propaganda has always depended on reality. As long as we release the situation in Northeast China through trustworthy people, the country's strength and the support of the people will always be the strongest weapons in the war of public opinion.

As a result, "Travels in Northeast China", which had actually been published in Northeast China, was brought out again and was no longer limited to the Northeast, but began to spread throughout the country.

It turns out that the effect is excellent.

"...Using a bigger incident to cover up the original big incident... I didn't expect them to be so accomplished in propaganda warfare..."

Li Yaokui's heart is very complicated.

Emotionally, he certainly did not want to "be a lowly servant of the tiger" in this way, but what he wrote in "Travels in Northeast China" was true, and Mr. Lu Xun had indeed held a "fake position" like him!

Even if Li Yaokui wanted to "interfere", he couldn't find a way!

Moreover, who could have imagined that a pseudo-regime would have many policies that are more "progressive" than those of the CCP, and that its internal competition is even more fierce than that of the CCP!

If you don’t study, you’ll fall behind immediately!

If you violate any discipline, you will be reported immediately!

If your performance is slightly worse, your work ability and dedication will be questioned!

Given the fierce competition within the Republic, if Li Yaokui, as Minister of Propaganda, doesn't work harder, he'll be ousted in a matter of minutes.

So, like Lu Xun, Li Yaokui also thought that if he didn't do his job well and someone else became the Minister of Propaganda, who could guarantee that the newcomer wouldn't harm the Party and the people?

The only thing to be thankful for is that neither the Party Central Committee nor Fujiwara Kanezane and Zhao Ziqi imposed too many restrictions on them, nor did they require exaggeration and false propaganda, otherwise, he would really become schizophrenic.

Anyway, even the Party Central Committee seems to implicitly approve of theories like the "Three Represents" and many of the things Fujiwara no Kanemitsu has done in Northeast China, so let's get to work!

Li Yaokui calmed himself down and determined from the intelligence that the time was ripe, so he issued a new "combat order" according to the pre-planned plan.