Chapter 22 twenty two

Two days later, traffic on the street resumed.Commander Zhang's army is still stationed outside the city.It is said that the warlord will leave the city on this day, and the security in the city will be temporarily maintained by the newly appointed city defense commander.Although the flames of war have subsided, the market is still chaotic, and people's hearts are still unsettled. There are defeated soldiers everywhere on the street, walking in groups of three or four, looking very embarrassed, either with their hats or leggings off, some with their clothes open, and some with their serial numbers torn off.Weapons are of little use now: everyone carries them, carries them, carries them on their shoulders, and carries them on their backs.Even then, however, they had not lost their usual pride, and they continued to look for trouble in the street with the same raised eyebrows and eyes, which often reminded one of their sleight of hand in such situations.Then the air of terror suddenly thickened again.

In the morning, Mrs. Zhang's servant, Zhang Sheng, came to Gao's house to report that a platoon of soldiers stationed in their mansion had already left, leaving only two old soldiers staying there, and it was said that they would leave soon.No soldiers entered their houses, so nothing was lost.He also said that the servants of Miss Mei's family had also been to Zhang's house, and said that they would come to Gao's house in two days to pick up Miss Mei.This news reassured Mrs. Zhang and Qin, and they stopped talking about going home. In the afternoon, the Qian family sent another servant to take Mrs. Qian's message to thank Mrs. Zhou, saying that this time Miss Mei was treated generously by Mrs. Gao in the Gao family, and Mrs. Qian was very sorry. Thank you in person.The servant told Mei her mother's words again, saying that the family is safe and she needn't worry about it. If she wants to play at Gao's house, it doesn't matter if she stays for a few more days, and she doesn't have to go home immediately.Mei originally planned to go back with this servant, but Zhou Shi and Rui Jue couldn't help trying to persuade her to stay, and finally decided to stay.

Although the street is full of terror, the garden is quiet and peaceful.Time passed very quickly in this peaceful environment, and it was evening before we knew it. The half moon was hanging in the sky, and the night had not yet fallen, and the air carried the fragrance of evening.The sky gradually darkened, and the moon's brilliance also gradually increased.It was another beautiful, warm night. Before lunch time in this mansion, there was a commotion suddenly, and the calm air was disturbed.At first, Mrs. Fourth's father, Mrs. Wang, sent someone to pick her up, saying that there were many rumors outside that there might be a robbery tonight. The Gao family is the richest man in the North Gate area, so they would inevitably bear the brunt of it, so it's better to avoid it early.So Wang and her five children were taken away in four sedan chairs (Qian'er and nurse Yang with Shufang also followed).Then the Zhang family sent someone to pick up the third wife, Shuying, Jueying, and Jueren for the same reason.The fifth wife, Shen Shi, saw that something was wrong, so she decided to send her and Shuzhen back to her natal home.Only the Zhou family and Rui Jue were left. Their natal families were not in the provincial capital, so they had no place to go. Although they still had two or three relatives, it was not convenient for them to go to those houses temporarily, and it was not easy for them to escape when there were guests at home.Later in the evening, there were no pedestrians on the street, and no one dared to walk on the street except soldiers.

The old man went to his cousin Tang's house this morning.Aunt Chen also returned to her elderly mother.Ke An stayed at home for a while, and then went to the old man's house.Only Keming stayed in his study to write letters.Now only Juexin is left in this big mansion.This big family maintained by the old ethics suddenly revealed its internal emptiness: people who live together on weekdays, now that disaster is imminent, they only care about their own safety. Mrs. Zhang couldn't go home, so she stayed in Gao's house to accompany Juexin's family. She had a very good relationship with them, but even if she could go back now, she would not abandon them.She said to Juexin: "I am not young, and I have seen a lot of things, but I have never seen a good person be rewarded with evil. Your father has been a good person all his life, and his children will never suffer evil. .I believe the sky has eyes. What else am I afraid of?"

What she said didn't reassure them.It was still early at night, and there was no sound on the street.The dog began to bark, which seemed to be rarely heard on weekdays, but it was especially loud this night.Time passed very slowly, a minute seemed like a year.There was a little loud noise, people thought it was the rioters breaking in, and a picture that people will never forget appeared in their minds: gun stabs, knives, blood, fire, women's naked bodies, scattered on the ground. Money, suitcases wide open, bloody corpses lying on the ground.With desperate efforts they fought against the irresistible invisible force, but they grew weaker and weaker, and terror surrounded them with greater ferocity.

They would have liked to close their eyes now and not see everything, not feel a little, but the fact is that even the dim light stings their eyes.It makes them understand what kind of environment they are in.On the one hand, they prayed, hoping that the time would pass quickly and the sun would rise earlier; but at the same time, they knew that the faster the time passed, the closer the terrible moment would be.They seemed to be a group of death row prisoners awaiting execution.It is true that they are men and women with various personalities and thoughts, but as far as the fear of death is concerned, they are all the same.What's more, women have the pain and terror that are more terrible than death.

"Sister Mei, what should we do if the rebels really come in?" Qin asked Mei in this way. At this time, everyone gathered in Zhou's room to discuss the way to escape. She was also trembling, she didn't dare to think about it. "I have only this life," Mei said coldly, in fact her voice was miserable.She quickly covered her face with her hands, her thoughts gradually became blurred, and before her eyes was a vast expanse of white water, rolling one after another, really boundless. "What should I do?" Rui Jue asked herself in a low voice beside her, she understood what Mei meant.She felt that she had only one ending.But she didn't want to go that way, she didn't want to leave the one she loved, she looked at Haichen playing in front of her, and felt as if several knives were cutting her heart.

Qin stood up silently and walked slowly in the room.She is fighting terror.She cried out in her heart: "Never," she wanted to find a different answer.She felt that she should have something else besides life.At this time, any new trends of thought, new books, newspapers, Ibsen, Ellen Kay, and Yosano Akiko no longer existed for her.She saw that disgrace standing before her, looking at her with a wicked smile, and mocking her.She felt she had her own pride and she couldn't live with this.She looked at Mei, who was sitting on the couch covering her face with her hands; she looked at Rui Jue, who was holding the child's hand and weeping there.She looked at her mother, and Mrs. Zhang was sighing behind the light.She looked at Shuhua, Juemin, and the rest.She could find no one in them to save her, and at the same time she felt that they were so dear to her that she could not leave them.She was tired, she was desperate, and it was only at this time that she began to feel that she was no different from people like Mei and Rui Jue, and that she was actually as powerless as them.

So she sat down in an empty chair.She buried her head on the coffee table and wept softly. "Qin'er, what's wrong with you? Doesn't your appearance make me feel more uncomfortable as a mother?" Mrs. Zhang couldn't help crying, calling Qin in a mournful voice. Jean didn't answer, didn't look up.She just cried in a low voice.She mourns the shattering of her dreams.She is grieving herself.She worked hard for many years to create that wonderful dream scene.She struggled, she struggled, she pursued hard, only to get a little result.However, how fragile this result is in the face of terror.The old society is now oppressing her from another angle, and in just a moment, it can destroy everything she has painstakingly created over the past ten years.Ibsen said "try to be a human being", what is the use of such loud words at this time?She cried, not only because of horror, but also because she saw her true face.She had more or less believed herself to be a brave woman before, and had heard such compliments from others.But only then did she realize what a fragile woman she was.She can't avoid waiting here like a pig and sheep to be slaughtered by others, and she doesn't even have the strength to resist.

Not only her mother didn't understand this mentality, but other people, even Juemin who thought she knew her most deeply, didn't understand.They all thought that she was crying out of terror, and everyone was tormented by the same terror. They could not find a word of comfort for her, but felt that the crying was like a knife cutting their hearts.Juemin almost wanted to go forward and hug Qin to comfort her, but he didn't have the courage. Juehui couldn't sit still in the room, so she came out.He was surprised to see that the middle-eastern corner of the sky was emitting a reddish light, and it was gradually expanding, and sparks flew in the red light from time to time.He unconsciously yelled: "It's on fire!" He felt that the blood in his whole body was congealed.

"Where is it?" Several people in the room asked in surprise, "Where is the fire?" Juexin ran out immediately, followed by Shuhua, and after a while, everyone was standing in front of the steps. The flames in the sky were like human blood burning. Facing this scene, everyone suddenly felt that their lives were gradually disappearing, as if something was eating away at it. The moon entered the clouds, and the sky was dark, showing that the fire was expanding. The red light actually covered half of the sky, and the stone slabs on the ground and the tiles on the roof were all red.Sparks flew wildly in the red light.Seeing this strange scene, everyone could no longer have the slightest doubt about their own fate. "It must have caught fire at the pawn shop. Alas, everything was robbed, and they still refused to leave the house to others!" Mrs. Zhang sighed. "How is this good?" Rui Jue was so anxious that he had no choice but to say in panic. "Let's change our disguise and escape," Juemin suggested. "Where are you going to escape at this time? Who will take care of the affairs in the mansion? If there is no owner in the mansion, the mutiny will run in and set fire to the house," Juexin retorted. In fact, he has nothing to do. idea. Suddenly there were several clear gunshots, breaking the silence of the night.So the dogs outside barked wildly, followed by human shouts, but they came from a distance. "It's over, I can't escape this time!" Juexin hissed, stamping his feet.Afterwards he yelled again: "Maybe all of us are waiting to die here? We must find a way to escape." "Flee, where are you going?" Zhou said anxiously, weeping, "If you escape and meet mutinies on the street, you will inevitably die. It's better to stay at home." "You should find a good place to hide even at home. It is always good to save one more person. We should also keep a seed in our house." Juexin's voice was full of grief and indignation, and he continued He changed his tone and said: "Second brother, third brother, you should accompany your mother, aunt, and your sister-in-law, cousin Mei, and sister Qin to the garden. You can hide there for a while, and when there is no other way, there is a lake , your sister-in-law knows how to protect her body." When he said this, his eyes greedily swept over Rui Jue's body, and then at Mei, tears like raindrops fell from his eyes.Although he supported it with all his strength and seemed to have great determination, in fact there was nothing in his heart. "What about you?" Everyone asked in unison. "You just go, I have my own way," he said coldly after a short pause before showing his composure. "If you don't go, neither will we," Juehui said firmly. Gunshots rang out several times in succession, but the fire did not increase. "Third brother, why do you only care about me? Mom, aunt, they are important!" Juexin stamped his feet anxiously. "If there is no master outside, won't they find the garden when they come?" Rui Jue, who was sitting silently holding Haichen these days, suddenly put down Haichen, walked to Juexin's side, and resolutely said to Juemin and Juehui, "Second brother, third brother, please stay with mom and aunt." Let them go. Please bring Haier to me too. I will accompany your elder brother here, and I will take care of him." "You, you stay here with me? What do you mean?" Juexin said in surprise, then pushed Ruijue away gently, and then said sadly, "What good is it for you to stay here? Go quickly , so as not to be too embarrassing." He stamped his feet anxiously as he spoke. Rui Jue grabbed his arm and whimpered, "I won't leave you. If I die, I'll die with you." Haichen also came over and pulled Rui Jue's lapel and begged sadly: "Mom, I won't go either. .” This made Juexin even more anxious, so he made several pleas to Ruijue, "Please look out for Haier's sake. What's the use of you dying with me? I will die. If they come, I have a way to deal with it. What if they see you? You should also cherish your own innocent body, besides, you still have..." He couldn't go on. Rui Jue stared blankly at Juexin without blinking a glance, as if she didn't know him.She stood in front of him like this, let his greedy eyes rest on her face for a moment, and then said to him in a sad and gentle voice: "Okay, I will follow your orders. I will go." She called again Haichen called out "Daddy", then turned around. Everyone slept in the water pavilion tonight.The windows were open, and the moonlight shone bleakly on the water.The red light in the sky gradually faded.Everything is the same as before, only the barking of the dog is unusually scary.The lake water trembled slightly with the moonlight, just like usual, but in the eyes of everyone, the lake water became more mysterious and colder now.Especially Rui Jue and Mei, they wanted to see how deep the lake was, and they even thought: I don't know what it's like to sleep under there. There were some more scary moments.Later, seeing Juehui looking tired, Mrs. Zhou told him to go to bed. Juehui went to bed, and after a while, just fell asleep vaguely.Zhou suddenly went to his bed, opened the curtain, woke him up, bent her round face, and said softly and solemnly in his ear: "Now the gunshots are ringing again, it seems It's very close. You have to be careful and alert, don't fall asleep, and I will wake you up if something happens." Her hot air sprayed on Juehui's cheeks, and a concerned expression appeared on her face.She covered him with the quilt, put down the curtain again, and walked away gently.Although she brought bad news, Juehui was very relieved. He felt that now he had another mother.