Paper Mache Figure

In the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, there was a skilled craftsman in Beiping who ran a paper mounting shop named Zhou Youlu. He had great skill in mounting beautiful paper figures, and his "dead business" was quite prosperous. However, things took an unexpected turn - after the passing of the President, warlords fought for territory, chaos reigned, and people were fearful, no longer caring about preparations for the deceased. The business of the paper mounting shop began to decline.

One day, Zhou Youlu was worried about his business when a young man entered. Dressed in a Zhongshan suit with shiny hair and glasses, it was clear he had been abroad. The young man introduced himself as Zhang Jin and said he wanted to buy paper figures. After looking around the shop, he shook his head disappointedly.

Zhou Youlu, feeling unsure, tried to inquire, "May I ask who has passed away in your family? And what kind of paper figures are you looking for? Whether it's a Manchu soldier who can shoot a thousand arrows or a mule carrying treasure, I can mount them all. They will come to life once burned!"

Zhang Jin closed the door, approached Zhou Youlu, and said, "Can you mount soldiers? Not Manchu soldiers, but the soldiers under the warlords." Zhou Youlu was taken aback, as this was something he had never done before. However, unable to refuse a potential customer at his doorstep, he reluctantly nodded.

"Very well!" Zhang Jin adjusted his glasses and said, "Mount one hundred soldiers for me. Complete it in three days, and I will pay you in a month."

Zhou Youlu responded, "You should pay the deposit first." Zhang Jin smiled bitterly, "I have no money now, but I will have it in a month. We can make a written agreement, and in a month, I will pay you the full amount."

Zhou Youlu hesitated, but considering that he hadn't opened his shop for several months and seeing the sincerity in the foreign student, he agreed.

Zhou Youlu's skill was truly remarkable. Despite the enormous task of mounting one hundred paper soldiers in three days, he managed to complete it. The gray military uniforms, large hats, and soldiers with gun holsters around their waists looked exactly like the guards outside the warlord's mansion.

Three days later, Zhang Jin came to inspect the work, accompanied by a soldier wearing a military uniform claiming to be a captain under General Zhao. General Zhao was the top warlord in the capital, and upon hearing this, Zhou Youlu hurriedly bowed. The soldier handed him a book. Zhou Youlu opened it and saw a list of names: Li Mancang, Zhang Ergou, Xu Xiaomai... all with military ranks listed alongside their names.

The soldier said, "These are the names of my one hundred brothers. Write them on the paper soldiers! Be careful not to make any mistakes, or your shop will be set on fire!" With that threat, he left.

Zhou Youlu had no choice but to write the names of the soldiers on the paper figures following the list. Zhang Jin, seeing his struggle, decided to stay and help. Zhou Youlu, emboldened, asked, "Mr. Zhang, what is all this deception for?" Zhang Jin sighed and said, "You will find out tomorrow."

The next day, Zhang Jin hired a carriage to transport the one hundred named paper soldiers to the warlord's mansion, and Zhou Youlu followed. They found General Zhao waiting outside the mansion, surrounded by several injured soldiers.

After informing the guards, General Zhao came out. The soldier with Zhang Jin burst into tears, "General, my one hundred brothers all died for you..." Zhang Jin quickly stepped forward and bowed to General Zhao, saying, "The soldiers have said when they enlist, they are willing to die in battle and be cremated. In the afterlife, they want to follow you into battle."

People coming and going around the warlord's mansion were all impressed by the quality of the soldiers. General Zhao, feeling a sense of pride, scrutinized Zhang Jin and asked, "Are you the accountant from Shuntian Prefecture?" Zhang Jin quickly claimed the title and said he was an old friend of Captain Jin, and he had arranged the paper figures for the soldiers.

General Zhao agreed and asked Captain Jin, "Have you distributed the aid fund to the soldiers?"

Captain Jin brightened up and said, "Without your command, how dare I touch the money?"

General Zhao was pleased and decided on the spot: each family of the one hundred deceased soldiers would receive ten silver dollars as compensation.

Zhou Youlu finally understood the whole scheme. Through the collaboration between the foreign student and Captain Jin, they were deceiving General Zhao to obtain the compensation money. However, the soldiers deserved their pay for their service, even in their afterlife - but why resort to such a deceptive method for the money? At that moment, Captain Jin gave him a warning look, prompting Zhou Youlu to begin burning the paper figures, with General Zhao at the forefront, as the others followed in saluting the fire.

As the month deadline approached, Zhang Jin did not come to pay. One night, Zhou Youlu heard gunfire and two drunken soldiers stormed into his shop, robbing him. The leading soldier carried a bag of rice, while the other carried two pieces of cloth. Realizing the mistake, the soldier scolded, "Li Mancang! You are blind, see where you are robbing? Bad luck."

As they left, Zhou Youlu was shocked, "Li Mancang? But isn't Li Mancang dead?" He remembered distinctly the name Li Mancang on Captain Jin's list of deceased soldiers.

"You are the one who is dead!" The soldier named Li Mancang viciously beat Zhou Youlu, stole the money from his counter, and left contentedly.

Beaten and without money to seek help, Zhou Youlu remembered Zhang Jin mentioning his employment in Shuntian Prefecture and rushed there to seek compensation.

Upon arrival, he learned that Zhang Jin had indeed worked there as an accountant but was later noticed by General Zhao, who transferred him to the warlord's mansion. Pointing to a small western-style building opposite Shuntian Prefecture, the gatekeeper pointed out as Zhang Jin's residence.

The luxury of the building left Zhou Youlu feeling frustrated. Despite living in lavish accommodations, Zhang Jin was still withholding the payment owed to him. Feeling upset, Zhou Youlu entered to demand his payment, only to be confronted by several armed soldiers who promptly forced him out. Realizing that Zhang Jin had ascended in status, with soldiers guarding his residence, Zhou Youlu understood.

Unable to gain entry, Zhou Youlu waited against the wall. From dawn to dusk, the constant flow of visitors included many officers and well-dressed individuals. Observing the diplomatic attempts of the guests towards the foreign student, Zhou Youlu thought bitterly.

As night fell and still no sign of Zhang Jin returning home, Zhou Youlu, hungry and thirsty, was just about to give up when he heard a car approaching. Zhang Jin had returned! Zhou Youlu was about to scale the wall to enter, but as the car door opened, General Zhao stepped out, accompanied by a lavishly dressed woman. They entered the building, laughing and chatting, not to be seen again outside.

Shocked, Zhou Youlu found himself standing before Zhang Jin's home. Before he could ponder further, a pat on his shoulder made him turn around - it was Zhang Jin.

"Mr. Zhang? What are you..." Zhou Youlu was speechless.

In a hushed tone, Zhang Jin said, "I came to see my home. It's not convenient to talk here. Let's find another place to talk."

They settled in a tavern, and under the dim light, Zhou Youlu saw a weary-looking Zhang Jin. After a few glasses of bitter alcohol, Zhang Jin finally poured out his sorrows...

It turned out that after returning from overseas studies, Zhang Jin learned that his father had perished during the conflict, leaving behind their ancestral home, now claimed by Captain Jin under General Zhao's command.

Heartbroken, Zhang Jin wished to reclaim his family home. However, Captain Jin not only denied him but also relocated more than one hundred soldiers into the mansion. Contacting Zhang Jin, Captain Jin proposed the soldiers' compensation money be reclaimed, or he would not relinquish the property.

Aware of General Zhao's excessive greed for money to maintain power, Captain Jin even deducted the soldiers' rations. Knowing Zhang Jin studied economics abroad, he hoped Zhang Jin would help recover the soldiers' wages, or else he had no plans to return the property.

Cornered, Zhang Jin reluctantly agreed, thus setting the stage for the "paper soldiers, deception for relief funds" plot. With General Zhao newly in power in Beiping and preoccupied with accumulating wealth, he easily believed Captain Jin's claim that one hundred soldiers had perished. After the ruse succeeded, Zhang Jin had intended to reclaim the property, pay Zhou Youlu from the earned money, yet Captain Jin refused. Instead, he dismissed the soldiers without proper compensation, handing each three silver dollars, and still claimed Zhang Jin's property. The soldiers, exhausted from constant battles, gladly took their money and left to seek better fortunes. On the night Zhou Youlu heard gunshots and witnessed Li Mancang’s robbery, it was these soldiers trying to gather one final plunder before departing.

As Captain Jin's villainy transpired, Zhang Jin's growing resentment led him to bravely confess his deceit to General Zhao and expose Captain Jin's greed.

Infuriated, General Zhao ordered Captain Jin's execution by firing squad and seized all his possessions. Grateful for Zhang Jin's courageous actions, General Zhao, valuing talented individuals, invited Zhang Jin to serve at his mansion. Appreciative of the opportunity, Zhang Jin accepted the offer.

Unexpectedly, upon reclaiming the property from Captain Jin, General Zhao became enamored with the residence. Bringing his concubine to reside there, General Zhao converted it into an annex, leaving Zhang Jin bewildered. Zhang Jin realized too late that, as the saying goes, power corrupts; he had fallen into the trap of General Zhao. Hearing Zhang Jin's account, Zhou Youlu could not close his gaping mouth in shock. Zhang Jin beat his chest in sorrow, "How can I face my late father..."

Feeling lost for words, Zhou Youlu said, "Let it go, I don't want the money for the one hundred paper soldiers!" After downing a glass of wine, his heart aching. One hundred paper soldiers, worth quite a sum!

Deprived of food and drink for a day, combined with the somber thoughts burdening his mind, Zhou Youlu swiftly succumbed to intoxication. The following day, he awoke outside the tavern, presented with a wad of banknotes from the innkeeper, supposedly left by Zhang Jin. Counting them, they fell short. Despite the shortfall, realizing the hardship faced by the foreign student, Zhou Youlu still operated a shop and decided to return the money.

Upon rising, Zhou Youlu made his way to the warlord's mansion. However, as he approached, he noticed several soldiers posting a notice on the wall. The announcement read: "This morning, the warlord's mansion killed an assassin, and his head is displayed on public view for three days as a deterrent." Alongside the notice was the head of the man - Zhang Jin's head.

That night, Zhou Youlu mounted a paper figure without a head and set it ablaze.