Chapter Twenty-Three
GERMANY SURRENDERED unconditionally.
Peiping's newspapers dared not discuss the reasons for the surrender but tried to divert attention by saying that the Imperial Army of Japan would fight to the end，and that even if the allied forces should invade the homeland，Japan could not be conquered.The “sacred war”discussed in this way seemed somewhat shopworn.
The Japanese living in Peiping worked all the harder to make friends with the Chinese，and now it was not on instructions from their officials but on their own initiative.Some Japanese even went so far as to become sworn brothers with Chinese，or acknowledged old ladies in Peiping as their “sworn mothers.”
During this period the Japanese Army had to show its leniency by letting go a few prisoners who were not yet quite dead.They also selected a few young Chinese from the prisons whose bones were not yet broken and told them to write confessions，and then sent them into the interior to seek the news of peace and to spread rumors of peace.“The Japanese military love peace.How wonderful it would be if now China and Japan should make peace and together fight against England and America.”
Except for the Japanese the busiest were the traitors.Their greatest talent was to turn the rudder when the wind changed.Even the surrender of Germany meant they must do something.Some of them quickly announced that they had divorced their wives so that even if they themselves could not escape the most severe punishment，their wives and children could still have their property.Some of them sent their children secretly to the interior，hoping they could keep a foot in each boat and lessen their guilt in selling their country.Some of them sent close friends or relatives to the interior to join the Chinese，to make it seem that their surrender to the enemy had really been underground work for the Chinese.
Even in the Little Sheep Fold，Commissioner of Education Niu — who lived in the house with the four willow trees outside the gate and had never admitted that he was a traitor — could no longer remain calm.He could no longer be absorbed in his collection of books and scientific equipment but tried to slip secretly away from Peiping.He got only as far as the Chien Men Station and was caught by the Japanese and put in prison.
On the wave of leniency the storyteller，Fang the Sixth，with the black mole on his face，was freed from prison.
The people of the Little Sheep Fold were more interested in the release of Fang the Sixth than they were in the arrest of Commissioner Niu.They surrounded Fang the Sixth like a swarm of bees and comforted him.Although when he was arrested they had not had the courage to sign their names to get him out，since he was out they could not be cold to him.
Fang the Sixth was no longer the Fang the Sixth they had known.He would no longer tell funny stories at any moment.He had been in prison; he had seen death and torture.
He soon began telling stories again to earn his living，but he went with his head hanging and he came home the same way.He could not go back to the broadcasting station，and the tea shops would not engage him as they had done before.He could only go to the amusement park at the Bridge of Heaven，and to the temple fairs in the east and west cities，to tell his stories in the open air and earn a few coppers.
Whether it was at the Bridge of Heaven or elsewhere，he would frequently use the most poisonous words to reveal his hatred.He not only made his audience laugh，but he would also take the opportunity to speak in irony and sarcasm about current events，and so stimulate the patriotism of the audience.
The audiences were able to catch his inferences and innuendoes，so when he told his stories he was always surrounded by so thick a crowd that even the wind could not get through.They all liked to hear the jests and stories that had strength and sinews and could carry their hatred.
He even went to Rey Shuan to ask him to explain the new terms in the papers，and the news which he could not understand.
Rey Shuan was pleased to be a volunteer teacher but he warned Fang the Sixth not to come too often，and that it would be better to meet in the streets where they could use the time while Rey Shuan went to school or came back，and talk on the way.Since Rey Shuan had taken Mr.Chien's place as editor of the underground paper he had to be very careful.If Fang the Sixth came to see him and John Ting should see them，there would very likely be trouble.
If Rey Shuan liked Fang the Sixth，he despised John Ting.When John Ting heard that Germany had surrendered he began to come often to see Rey Shuan.Rey Shuan was most fearful that John Ting should see his manuscripts，but he dared not refuse to see him，and say that he was busy.
John Ting thought that Germany had been defeated by England alone.He did not know much about world affairs，but he always had his own point of view about the international situation.
Next to England，John Ting most admired Germany.German bicycles and chemical dyes were perhaps the main reasons for his admiration of Germany.In his conversation he liked to say，“Outside of English goods one must count the German brands as the best.” This kind of speech was to show that he understood world affairs.Before the word Germany he always put the word “old” as though he and Germany were old neighbors.
He must try to be friendly with Rey Shuan.All his goods and chattels！Suppose the English Palace opened its doors again one day，and Rey Shuan should tell them that John Ting had had dealings with the Japanese — could he endure that？
He talked with Rey Shuan about how much more powerful England was than Germany.He would also ask Rey Shuan's advice： “Suppose Japan is also defeated，should we not kill all the Japanese in Peiping？”
Rey Shuan could not make any answer，and wished only that he could kick John Ting out with one swift kick.
When Rey Shuan did not answer John Ting thought that what he had said was right，and quickly added，“In our Little Sheep Fold，I am Head of the Li，so wait and see.It would be strange if I did not show the people in house Number One and Number Three.Mr.Chi，you are my witness to prove that from the beginning to the end I have always been a man of the English Palace.When Mr.Goodrich comes back I can go again and serve the old gentleman.Am I not right？”
Rey Shuan knew that if he should say “Yes，” John Ting would immediately bow and ask Rey Shuan to be kind to him，as though whether he could get back to the English Palace or not depended on Rey Shuan's words.If he should say “No，” John Ting would certainly ask for detailed explanations，and he had no time to waste words with this running dog.
Cheng Chang Shun brought Rey Shuan a piece of news.Chang Shun told him that recently the Japanese had begun to sell things.Chang Shun himself had not bought anything from them because he was unwilling to trade with the Japanese，but he had been stopped by them，and had seen others of his profession buying from them.“Mr.Chi，judging from this it would seem that the Japanese are really going to be defeated. They are selling their odds and ends to get a bit of money for returning to their homes.”
Rey Shuan could not but admit that Chang Shun was right.
“Mr. Chi， have you noticed that from the time Germany surrendered，” Chang Shun's nasal tones said， “the Japanese have changed their manner？ They now bow to us and smile at us. And see，the people of house Number Three always have their gate closed as if they were afraid that someone might go in and kill them.”
One day Rey Shuan received an unexpected letter. Although the letter was signed with a false signature he saw at a glance that it was Old Three's writing. He wondered how Old Three dared to send a letter in this way to his home. Old Three's letters had always been sent through some secret channel and had never come through the post office.
After he had read a few sentences he began to feel easy. A letter such as this could not make any trouble even if it were seen by the censors.
“I have seen our fat sister-in-law at the Drowned Horse Lake. Her goods have all been confiscated and she can do nothing but sell her fat flesh. There are running sores between her fingers. I do not pity her and I do not revile her. She will very likely rot there.”
Rey Shuan could guess that the fat sister-in-law must be Fat Chrysanthemum，and althoughh he did not know where the Drowned Horse Lake was，he could guess from between the lines that it could not be a respectable place. He went to ask Fang the Sixth. Fang the Sixth told him that it was the main district in Tientsin for the lowest houses of prostitution.
While the Japanese in Peiping were busying themselves to secure adopted mothers and to sell their possessions， the Chinese in Japan were seeking every means to get back to China. The home-land of Japan was suffering from severe air raids. And they — whether traitors or students — were not willing to lose their lives and money in Japan. Seeing the bombs they remembered their own homeland.
In Peiping，those who had thought of going to Japan now all feared that they might be sent to Japan to attend meetings or on business. They thought of all means to avoid being sent. Their lives were more important than anything else. They could not go to places where bombs fell like rain.
Lan the Eastern Sun only was still fired with the idea of going to Japan. He had been ill for a long time. While ill a Japanese doctor and nurse had watched him constantly. The Japanese doctor，under orders from the Japanese militarists， could let him live or die as they commanded. If， while delirious， Eastern Sun had said a word or two that showed he was not satisfied with the Japanese， the doctor could have given him poison and let his eyes roll up and never come down again. But Eastern Sun， even when delirious，still shouted， “Ten thousand years to the Heavenly Emperor ！” This not only touched the hearts of the doctor and the nurse， but caused them also to make a good report and to praise him as a Chinese most loyal to the Emperor. They nursed him carefully and did everything they could to cure him. They took X-rays of his whole body and sent the plates to Japan to be the material for scientific investigation， to see what special structures there were in his heart， brain，liver，and lungs，that could make him so faithful to Japan.
Eastern Sun was still afraid that Rey Tang's bullet would fly into his heart. Having recovered from his illness he wanted to go to Japan and be out of danger of Rey Tang's threats.
Because of his illness his position as Department Head in the New People's League had been given to someone else. This did not make him unhappy because the Japanese doctor and nurse had both told him that if he went to Japan he would be given an even higher position. He believed what they told him.
Because of Commissioner Niu's arrest，the position of Commissioner of Education was vacant. The Japanese began to think of Lan the Eastern Sun. He was their loyal servant and faithful dog. His good work was on record and they could trust him absolutely.
Yes， Eastern Sun would be glad to be the Commissioner of Education，but he must first go to Japan in the name of investigating Japanese education. Suppose while he was in Japan， Rey Tang were caught and killed — could he not then come back in peace to be the Commissioner of Education？ Moreover， who knew， he might in Japan marry a Japanese wife. Would he not then be a Prince Consort to Japan？
Lan the Eastern Sun went to Japan.
Those who had planned to see him off were disappointed， because he had disguised himself， and protected by two secret police， had quietly and in the night left Peiping. He had been afraid to go to the station and have a fuss made over him — that would certainly have attracted Rey Tang， who might have shot him.
Those who had prepared gifts for him， to see him off， sighed after he had left， and said to each other， “That man Lan will do， after all. Japan is bombed every day and yet he dares to go. That is what I call being a good Son of Han. Hum — look at us — we want to eat but are afraid of the heat of the stove！ We will never get anywhere.” But it did not enter their minds that Eastern Sun could go to Japan and never come back. Not even a splinter of his bones was ever found.
Lan the Eastern Sun and the five-thousand-year-old culture of his race had no connection whatsoever. His cunning and ruthlessness were still barbarous. He belonged to the ages of man eat man， dog eat dog. When he met the war，the war started by the Japanese war lords， his dog-eat-dog philosophy fitted exactly with that of the Japanese war lords， so he was able to push up to high position， and with them use the language of men and the bodies of men to display the ruthlessness and cunning of beasts.
What kind of world there should be he had never thought. He was a fly — knowing only his own satisfaction when he had sucked a drop of blood or eaten a piece of manure. The world had nothing to do with him. If only he had a piece of offal to eat the world was a beautiful world. He had never considered a world without firearms， bombs， and war; and so he had never thought whether the world should have firearms， bombs， and war.
Science had reached beyond all other realms of human thought and had invented the atom bomb. Just as blundering and stupid as the Japanese who had never thought what the world should be， just as blundering and stupid as Eastern Sun's barbarous cunning and ruthlessness， was the creation of the atom bomb by those who had never thought what the world should be. That atomic energy was first used for war is the greatest shame of the human race. It was in this shame to the human race that Lan the Eastern Sun met a weapon of death more cunning and ruthless than he. He did not see the beginning of the new age， but succeeded only in scattering his bones in the old age — the age of man eat man， and dog eat dog.