Chapter 12 "Work for the people for another fifteen years"

When people see the heroic appearance of the dove of peace and hear the extraordinary whistling of the pigeon whistle, they can't help but think of Zhou Enlai's symbolic childhood name Daluan and his nickname Xiangyu, and they can't help but recall that he is different from his cousin Wan Xusheng. Ordinary friendship, family affection, patriotism. When he was a child, Zhou Enlai liked to release pigeons with his cousin Wan Xusheng in his hometown of Huai'an.Wan Xusheng was the son of Zhou Enlai's thirteenth uncle, Wan Fuzhi, who was six years older than Enlai.Wan Fuzhi and Enlai's biological mother was born to the same mother.Brother Xu Sheng was big, dark and strong, and Da Luan was very close to him.This is not simply a blood relationship, but more because of the honesty of this cousin.The cousin also loves this cousin very much, and often teaches him to make some small toys, and comes out to protect him when he is bullied.Xu Sheng is an expert in pigeon breeding, and he has a lot of pigeons!He also gave each pigeon a pleasant and interesting name, such as Snow White, Red-billed Parrot, Grey-tailed Tit, what else is Xueliqing, Black Peony... Enlai also knew it from Brother Xu Sheng. There are many stories about raising pigeons, such as Zhang Qian and Ban Chao of the Han Dynasty who used carrier pigeons to deliver letters when they were sent to the Western Regions, and Tang Dynasty Prime Minister Zhang Jiuling's "Flying Slave Biography" when he was a child. These stories fascinated Da Luan.

One day, Mr. Jiashu asked for leave, and the students went to play their own things. Enlai asked his cousin to accompany him to Zhenhuai Tower to release pigeons. Zhenhuai Tower is located in the center of Huai'an City.Climbing to the top of the building, Brother Xu Sheng held the two pigeons in both hands, and whispered to Enlai mysteriously: "Listen carefully, my pigeon will still sing after it goes to the sky today." "Singing?" Enlai's eyes widened.All he knows is that pigeons can make a cooing sound, which is very unpleasant. Mama Wan often said angrily, "Pigeons are easy to raise, but the cooing sound is unpleasant." How can pigeons sing?Enlai shook his head: "I don't believe it." "Close your eyes." Enlai mischievously half-closed his eyes, and saw Brother Xu Sheng quickly tied something to the tail of the pigeon, and as soon as he let go, the pigeon flew into the air, "Woo, woo, woo", really sang.The sound also fluctuates rhythmically with the up and down flapping of the pigeon's wings. If the pigeon's wings are gliding without moving, the sound is like a flute in a troupe, melodious and clear.The dove got into the white cloud, and then quickly passed out of the cloud to fly to a high place, and the sound also changed from near to far; the dove flew back in circles, and the flute-like sound from far to near, more pleasant Beautiful.

Looking at the pigeons flying freely in the sky, En was dumbfounded and fascinated. He thought, how did brother Xu Sheng make the pigeons make such a sound?Seeing his cousin's focused expression, Wan Xusheng asked mysteriously, "Brother Enlai, does it sound good?" "It sounds good. How did you make your pigeons sing?" Brother Xu Sheng laughed.He whistled immediately, and the "Magnolia Flower" carrier pigeon, which pierced the clouds and mist, spun around twice in the air above his head obediently, and landed on his shoulder obediently.The crisp and sweet singing voice also disappeared.Xu Sheng untied the small round thing tied to the tail of the pigeon, and flashed it in front of Enlai's eyes: "Hey, the 'organ' is here." made.He looked it over and over several times before he said, "Brother Xusheng, what is this thing called?" Wan Xusheng told him that it was called a pigeon whistle.Carve out a small windward "mouth" with a bamboo piece, and then install the "mouth" on a small gourd, bamboo tube or ginkgo shell. When the wind blows, the small mouth can make a pleasant sound. "That's great," Enlai said happily, "Did you make this?" Cousin Xu Sheng nodded and said, "If you like it, I'll give it to you." Then, he was about to tie the pigeon whistle To the tail of Enlai's pigeon named "White Osprey". "I don't want it." Enlai hid the "White Osprey" behind him.Xu Sheng looked at him puzzled. "Will you teach me how to do it well? Really, cousin, I want to do it myself." Wan Xusheng was stunned for a moment, and said, "You are so young, it's not easy to make this stuff! If you don't do it right, you might even cut your fingers. Enlai shook his head: "I'm not afraid that I won't be able to learn. It's more interesting to do it by myself!" Seeing his seriousness, Wan Xusheng happily held him back and said, "Okay, as long as you are not afraid of difficulties, I will teach you." You." Enlai was very happy, and he took Xu Sheng and ran back home like a brother.

Brother Xu Sheng told Enlai that the power of the pigeon to fly in the air is very small, and the material of the pigeon whistle should be light; Sealed, if there is a leak, there will be no sound.Enlai listened very carefully, and his hands were also very dexterous. He listened and worked, and after a while he made a two-tone pigeon whistle made of two reed pipes joined together.Enlai also painted it with "magenta water", so that it would be more eye-catching and beautiful when tied to the tail of the pigeon.Brother Xu Sheng praised and said: "You are really good, you are more beautiful than mine!"

Enlai blushed.He took Brother Xu Sheng to Zhenhuai Tower again, carefully tied the Luchai two-tone whistle to the tail of the "White Osprey", and then slowly let go. The "White Osprey" dragged its conspicuous red dot and flew into the blue sky, "Woo, woo—" There was a pleasant and harmonious two-tone whistle in the sky. The sound of the pigeon whistle echoed in their minds for more than half a century.Until August 25, 1950, when Premier Zhou Enlai met his cousin Wan Xusheng in the office of Xihua Hall in Zhongnanhai, Beijing, he still mentioned with great interest the matter of releasing pigeons when he was young.

At noon that day, the prime minister entertained his cousin for a meal of noodles with fried sauce, which they all liked to eat when they were young, although it was very simple. Friendly conversations begin at the dinner table. The Prime Minister asked: "Do you remember teaching me to do the pigeon whistle?" In one sentence, Wan Xusheng, who is over half a century old and has gone through vicissitudes, is introduced into a happy childhood.He felt young and free.He felt that the person sitting and talking with him was not the prime minister of the country, but his favorite cousin back then.He hurriedly said: "Remember, remember...you did a really good job!"

Pigeon whistle was a favorite childhood game of the Prime Minister.After his cousin taught him, he improved and made a new pigeon whistle that was small, light and loud.So decades later, he was praised by Wan Xusheng again. Then, the Prime Minister asked Wan Xusheng about his personal and family situation.Wan Xusheng said that when he was young, his family became increasingly poor. He had to work as a manager in a bank warehouse in Yangzhou to barely support his family.In 1939, the Japanese invaders occupied Yangzhou, and the bank was taken over by the Japanese. He refused to work for the Japanese, so he led his family to the countryside to escape.He survived the liberation of the whole country in the plight of hunger and cold.Now, the two eldest children have jobs, and life is no longer a problem. I plan to stop worrying and worry about it, and live a peaceful old age.

The Prime Minister listened patiently, and did not interrupt him at all except for brief interjections, allowing him to pour out his thoughts to his heart's content.After he finished speaking, the Prime Minister handed him a peeled apple and said: In the past, you didn’t work for the Japanese, it was patriotic, that’s fine; now, it’s the people’s world, so how can you not want to work?Doing work now is not for eating, but for serving the people.You see, the whole country is holding a model worker conference, and labor is glorious!Some people are much older than you!According to your age, you can still work for the people for another fifteen years... As he said, he stretched out five fingers and quadrupled.

Wan Xusheng listened silently, meditating... In the past, when they were children, he admired this cousin's sharp eyes that could see everything.Today, he is the prime minister of the country, and his words carry even more weight in his heart. "Then what can I do?" The Prime Minister said: "Anything that is beneficial to the people, you can do whatever you can, just like the ordinary peace dove, running around for the peace and stability of the people. Regardless of the position or reward, this is called serving the people." This conversation started with a lighthearted memory of raising pigeons in my childhood and ended with a serious theme of serving the people.

After Wan Xusheng returned to Yangzhou, he couldn't calm down for a long time.It just so happened that the street mobilized him to participate in the work of the residents' organization, and he joined with the mood of giving it a try.He is a clerk who has suffered a lot in the old society. His hatred for the Japanese puppets and the Kuomintang reactionaries can easily be transformed into strength under the party's education.He diligently devoted himself to the work of the neighborhood committee of the street, and was trusted and respected by the people.This is something he never enjoyed in the old society.He tasted the sweetness of the people being the masters of the country.Thinking of the Prime Minister's instructions to him, he strengthened his determination: for fifteen years, he must do it for another fifteen years...

He became the director of the Qionghua Neighborhood Committee.Later, he became a juror in the People's Court.He has also served as a co-storage clerk of the bank, a tax coordinator of the tax office, and a clerk of the Red Cross.He is happy to do anything that benefits the masses.Later he was elected as the deputy director of Xuejiaxiang residential area. He wrote to the prime minister about his work situation, and he always received enthusiastic encouragement, so he became more and more active. In 1953, during the first general election in the country, in order to find out the composition of each voter, he worked day and night to assist relevant agencies to find out the political situation of each household.In 1954, there was a flood in Yangzhou area. He waded through the water to inspect dangerous houses and mobilized residents to move out.Due to his active participation in social welfare activities, he was selected as a representative to attend the Jiangsu Provincial Health Work Conference. In the residential area where he lived, a resident surnamed Qi suffered from foot disease in winter and his toes were festered.After he found out, he immediately helped him to the hospital for treatment, and paid all the living allowance he received to the patient. People are old and red-hearted.Wan Xusheng's deeds are more and more widely praised by people. In 1963, a serious accident occurred in Yangzhou City: a pharmacy mistakenly sold DDT powder as baking soda to residents.After receiving the report, the Municipal Party Committee immediately mobilized resident cadres and public security personnel from all districts to investigate.Seventy-one-year-old Wan Xusheng learned of this situation in the middle of the night.Regardless of his old age and frailty, he declined people's dissuasion and visited more than 80 families overnight.Later, this major accident was finally ruled out. In the newsletter "A Shocking Midnight" published by "Wen Wei Po" for this reason, he was praised for his deeds. In February 1964, on a snowy morning, Wan Xusheng suddenly passed out while sweeping snow.They rushed him to the hospital immediately.People told the doctor about the advanced deeds of the old man, praying that the doctor could try his best to save him. He was diagnosed with myocardial infarction, and emergency rescue was carried out immediately. Wan Xusheng woke up.But he found himself unsupportable.He asked the nurse for paper and pen, and struggled to write a letter that no one else could understand: By the time the medical staff figured out the reason for the letter, he had already left the world with the regret of failing the Prime Minister's high expectations. The Municipal People's Government held a memorial service for him, expressing its condolences to this grassroots cadre in the street.Wan Xusheng's daughter, Wan Mingzhu, wrote to the Prime Minister to report what had happened. After the Prime Minister learned of this situation, he immediately wrote a letter to the Yangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau and sent 150 yuan, saying: Wan Xusheng did something useful for the people, and it should be done.If money was spent on the memorial service, the one hundred and fifty yuan will be used as compensation; if no money is spent, it can be transferred to his relatives for use. After Wan Xu's life and death, people praised his advanced deeds, and finally knew that the main driving force of the old man's enthusiasm for serving the people was the encouragement from Premier Zhou... In front of the coordinates of serving the people, both Premier Zhou and Wan Xusheng have made indelible contributions.Cousin Wan Xusheng brought peace and happiness to the people in Yangzhou residential areas; cousin Zhou Enlai brought peace and tranquility to the Chinese people and even the people of the world.