Chapter 16 Entering Sichuan in the fifth quarter

1. Air strikes In Wuhan, none of us knew much about the fear of air strikes.In the event of a night attack, we must "take a look".Searchlights cut through the darkness, and a few silver lights searched for it in the sky.Found it, they intersected in one place, illuminating the silvery, almost transparent enemy plane.Then, red and yellow tracer bullets hit, and the anti-aircraft guns fired immediately.It's impressive, it's spectacular. We watched from high places during the two big air battles on April 29 and May 31.Seeing the enemy plane being wounded by our plane and fleeing with black smoke, walking and walking, a ball of red light, the enemy plane turned over a few times and fell down; how excited and happy it is!An enemy plane was almost directly above our heads and was intercepted by our two destroyers. It was like a hen about to hatch. Someone caught it, and it just climbed down and was obediently caught. shoot down.

However, as soon as July entered, the air raids became more fierce, and there was no air battle.In my residence, there is a hole in the ground, which is horizontal and vertical. The upper and lower walls and the four walls are densely supported by wooden pillars, and sandbags are piled on the top.One day, at two or three o'clock in the afternoon, we entered this cave during an air strike.The enemy plane has arrived.With a gust of wind, we heard flying sand and rocks; immediately after, our hole was like a small box being lifted by a giant, shaking tightly, making us dizzy.About three feet away from the cave, a 500-pound bomb fell, and the fragments hit it, smashing a large water tank in the courtyard to pieces.A row of poor houses outside our door were destroyed, and there were two large bomb craters on the road.

We were not killed, but we knew we were afraid.If there is another air raid, we will run across the railway and hide in the wild grass.It was hot, the grass was thick, and there was no wind. When the air raids were over, my socks were soaked with sweat. Soon, Mr. Feng sent us to Hankou.Wuchang has been bombed in disgrace.The Gospel Church in Qianjia Street was hit twice.Many people died on the slopes and foot of Snake Mountain. Two, don't Wuhan Because I am the director of general affairs of the "Cultural Association", I don't want to leave Hankou unless I have to.We also often hold parties at friends' homes, and eight out of ten times we encounter air raids. We make a pot of tea, turn off the lights, and talk about the air raids in the dark.Mr. Shao advised us to leave quickly. His reason was: "When it is the most urgent time, you may not be able to get a boat space, and you will not be able to leave if you want to!"

In this way, on July 30th, He Rong, Lao Xiang, Xiao Boqing and I (Secretary of the "Artistic Association"), took the seal and bits and pieces of the "Artistic Association" and bid farewell to Wuhan.Only my friend Bai Jun and the adjutant sent by Mr. Feng came to see him off. The boat is owned by a Chinese company, and it can fly the Italian flag.This is a well-equipped ship, and all equipment is irresponsible.The cabin door has hinges but won't close; the electric fan won't turn; the coat hook is half off; everything is there, but it's useless.The boiling water is in a big wooden barrel.I saw with my own eyes an aunt from Jiangbei who used up the water for washing her feet and poured it into a bucket of boiling water!I started having diarrhea.

A soldier was about to disembark at Chenglingji with urgent official documents.The ship is not allowed to anchor there.He delayed the military plane, and died when he hit the iron pillar wrapped around the anchor rope! Ship to Yichang.We got off the hotel.I continue to have diarrhea.There are air raids every day.Here, there are many people waiting for the boat, so it is very lively-it is lively, not nervous.The Chinese don't seem to be nervous.Maybe this is one of the reasons why the Japanese failed to invade China?The Japanese don't understand the Chinese principle of "taking it easy".

We begged a yellow old man to buy tickets for us.He is an extremely honest and frank person who has worked in Minsheng Company for many years.He would love to be of help to us, but even he can't stop scratching his head.There are many people and few boats, so he can't rush to build a boat for us temporarily.After a week of waiting, he sort of bought us bunks—on deck. We are not picky about the place, as long as it does not make us float on the water. It was as if everyone in Yichang had boarded the boat.Not to mention on the deck, there are dozens of troubled children even under the chimney.Open the meal, open the meal day and night.The tea servants walked back and forth with their meals, printing the dirt from their feet all over our quilt pillows.I had to go to the toilet, but at three o'clock in the night there was a line of waiters standing outside the toilet!

How worth seeing the Three Gorges.However, I can't see it.There are too many people, if they all flock to the bow of the boat to watch the scenery, the boat will be stuck in the river and never raise its head again.All I could do was look down sideways and see human heads—with very black hair—swirling in the water. 3. Chongqing On August 14th, we arrived in Chongqing.When we landed, we went straight to the YMCA.Mr. Huang Cixian and Mr. Song Jieren in the meeting welcomed us, but the dormitory was already full.At this time, many government officials and asylum seekers had arrived in Chongqing, and the hotels were full of people.The YMCA dormitory is quiet, there are no bedbugs on the beds, the house price is cheap, and there are already dug underground air-raid shelters, so it is always full.We resolved not to seek another accommodation.We know that being an alternate in the meeting—even on the floor—is the surest way.Mr. Huang came up with a way to teach us to temporarily live in the machine room.This is a small machine room for cleaning up meeting equipment. It is very dark and noisy.

It's still hot.Chongqing is famous for its heat.I've never slept on a mat, and now I can't help but buy one.Sleeping on the mat, still sweating profusely.The walls, tables and chairs are hot everywhere; people seem to be in a furnace.Only at four or five o'clock in the morning, it is slightly cooler, and the rest of the time is in the hot air mass.There are few trees in the city but many slopes. Under the sun of poisonous flowers, climbing the slopes after a while is really not fun. Things in Sichuan are really cheap. You can buy ten large sesame seed cakes for a dime, and a bunch of fresh longan for a copper coin.Well, although it is hot, but the price is low and life is easy, our hearts are a little cooler.In the small cafeteria of the YMCA, we could have a full meal for ten or twenty copper coins.

Members of the "Cultural Association" gradually arrived, and we rented a clubhouse in Linjiangmen to start working. Our plan was right.Soon we moved from the machine room to a room downstairs that was not very well lit.After a few days, I moved to a room opposite the door with better light.Finally, we went upstairs, the room was wide and bright, and we could see the river and Nanshan through the windows.Mr. He Rong and I share a bed each.He compiled "Resistance to the End", and I wrote my article.He didn't get up until around eleven o'clock in the morning every day.As for me, I had finished writing the one or two thousand words I should have written a day by around eleven o'clock.After finishing writing, I went to have lunch.When I came back from lunch, he also went out to eat, and I happened to take a nap.For dinner, the two of us eat together.At night, I went to bed early and he started working until late at night.In this way, although we live in the same room, no one hinders the other.When we were all drunk by chance, we forgot the non-aggression agreement and quarreled together.

I started to formally learn Dagushu from Mr. Fu Shaofang.It took several months to learn a passage of "White Emperor City", and the accent imitated Liu (Baoquan) school.After learning these few sentences, I feel a little more confident in writing Guci.Over the years I wrote many paragraphs, but only a few were adopted by the rich gentlemen: "New Tethered Doll" (the content is about relief for children in need), sung by Mr. Fu. "The Illiteracy Sighs" (the content is to eradicate illiteracy), sung by Mr. Fu. "Tour with the Capital" (the content is to praise Chongqing), sung by Miss Fuguihua.

"Wang Xiao Chasing the Donkey" (the content is about the villagers resisting the enemy), sung by Ms. Dong Lianzhi. The above four paragraphs are often sung in the accompanying capital.I also started writing scripts for old dramas—writing stories about the War of Resistance in the form of old dramas. At this time, I was also writing a novel for "Resistance to the End" - "Slipped".This thing could not be finished. "Resistance to the End" was discontinued later, so I didn't write any more. In the new year, in the spring of the twenty-eighth year, I began to learn to write drama scripts.As far as drama is concerned, I am a 10-10 layman, and I don't even know the difference between a novel and a play.However, I got in touch with friends in the theater circle, and it was fun to watch them write, direct, and act in plays.Fortunately, what things can go from experiment to success.I started writing "Remnant Fog". On May 3rd and May 4th, enemy planes bombarded Chongqing violently.The incendiary bombs were dropped—not to bomb military targets, but deliberately to destroy Chongqing and cause terror. The other day I nearly suffocated in a public bomb shelter.There were so many people, the weather was hot, and the air raids took a long time, so the air in the cave was not enough.I was in the YMCA on May 3rd and May 4th, so I didn't suffer any grievances.May Fourth was the worst, the sirens were not very loud due to obstructions; no one knew for sure whether there was an air raid, so the enemy planes were overhead, and people were still wandering in the streets.The fire was full of fire in all directions, and many people died.I ran to Mr. Feng at night, because there were fires all around the YMCA, and I was afraid of being surrounded by fire.All night, people moved out of the city like flowing water. After this catastrophe, the clubhouse of the "Cultural Association" was temporarily moved to Nanquanquan, next to Mr. Zhang Henshui.I also stayed for a few days. 4. Bookstore of Friends and Writers Mr. Wu Zuxiang's Pig From Qingmuguan to Geleshan, among the literary friends I know, Mr. Wu Zuxiang is the most generous.He raised a little flower pig.It is said that this little animal is worth 600 yuan. Every time I visit Mr. Zuxiang, I must pay tribute to Xiao Huazhu, because I have checked with Mr. Zuxiang: If he advertises with me to sell himself, probably no one will pay 600 yuan to buy it! One day, I went to Wu's house again.I bought some peaches for Xiaojiang, Mr. Zuxiang's young master, that were more sour than vinegar.Take something, so that you can strike up a conversation and cheat for a meal, otherwise you will be too embarrassed.As soon as I entered the door, I saw Mrs. Wu's face was redder than ever.When I thought about it, I thought of Little Huazhu.If the little Huazhu is lost, or something goes wrong, Mr. Zuxiang's magnanimity will immediately disappear!After inquiring, it turned out that it was for the little Huazhu: it had been on a hunger strike for a day.I was in a hurry, and I suggested giving it some quinine. I'm afraid it was a trick.Everyone disagrees with my claim.I also suggested hugging it to the bed and covering it with a quilt to sleep, maybe it would be fine if it sweated a little; how do you know it's not a cold?Pigs these days are more delicate than humans!Everyone still disagrees.Later, the pig doctor was invited, and I was very excited to see how the pigs take medicine.Dr. Pig wrapped some herbs in the thick skin of the bamboo tube, made the little pig hold its mouth horizontally, and tied the two ends back around the neck: in this way, the smell and juice of the medicine will slowly go into it.Tie up the medicine bag, and the little piggy seems to have two wings in its mouth, which is not ugly. Although there was some commotion in the Wu residence, I still had lunch there—naturally, it was a little awkward! Two days later, I went to see Xiaohuazhu again—this time I made a special trip to visit the sick, not to see others; I know how much the pig is worth now—Little Huazhu no longer has the medicine bag in his mouth, and he also eats something up.Everyone was very happy, so I cheated another meal and made a statement: In winter, I will be given a few catties of bacon.Mr. Zuxiang and his wife agreed without any consideration.Mrs. Wu said: "How many catties? Ten catties is fine! Think about it, if it can't get sick that day..." Everyone broke out in a cold sweat! Ma Zongrong's concept of time Mr. Ma Zongrong's watch is probably, I think it is an ornament.Whether you ask him for a meeting or a meal, he is always late for more than an hour, and his watch is not slow. When he came to Chongqing, he mostly lived in the writer's bookstore on Baixiang Street.No matter what he said or not, he always talked about two or three o'clock in the night.It's not that others are so sleepy that he can't think of going to bed.Someone talked with him, and he could sit until two o'clock the next night.Neither the watch nor the moon nor the sun could call his attention to the time. For example, he had to go to Guanyin Rock for a meeting at three o'clock in the afternoon, and he hadn't moved at half past two. "Brother Zong Rong, it's not three o'clock. Is there a meeting? Is it time to go?" Someone reminded him, and he immediately went to put on his hat, picked up the wooden stick as thick as the mouth of a teacup, and walked out. "Dinner at seven. Come back early!" Everyone told him.He replied "surely come back" and hurried out. If you go out at three o'clock, you will see Mr. Ma Zongrong talking with an old woman or two elementary school students at the door!Even if that wasn't the case, he wouldn't have walked to Guanyinyan before five o'clock.Every time I meet an acquaintance on the road, I have to talk for at least ten minutes.If he encounters someone who is fighting and quarreling, he has to go over and persuade them, and maybe persuade others to leave, and he fights with another one who persuaded the fight!When there is a fire somewhere, he has to help to save it.If someone is chasing a pickpocket, he must join in and catch him.When he sees something new, he has to go over and ask the price, no matter whether he buys it or not.Seeing the play newspaper, he immediately went to borrow the phone and asked if there were any tickets... In this way, he could walk from Baixiang Street to Guanyinyan for a day. Fortunately, he remembered the meeting, so he only walked for two or three hours. When he arrived at the meeting place, even if everyone had already left the meeting, he still had to sit at two o'clock. He could talk to everyone, and they talked interestingly, kindly, and delicately.Someone just bought a rope, and he immediately used it to practice skipping rope-fifty years old! At seven o'clock, he remembered to go back to Baixiang Street for dinner. On the way home, he continued to persuade fights, fight fires, chase thieves, ask prices, and make phone calls... At the earliest, he reached his destination around 8:30.Sweating profusely, taking three steps as two steps.When he came in, the meal had already been served. Therefore, when we make a date with our friends, if we say any time, morning or evening, anyway, I don't go out all day, you can come anytime, we will say "Ma Zongrong's time"! Mr. Yao Pengzi's inkstone The Writer's Bookstore is a mysterious place. If you don't believe me, if you submit a manuscript there, and then go to get it back in person after three or five days, you will definitely not accuse me of lying. When it comes to bookstores, nine times out of ten you won’t be able to find the owner of the bookstore——Mr. Yao Pengzi.He wasn't sure where he was hiding.His quilt is a manuscript, his pillow is a manuscript, his desk, chair, window sill...all are manuscripts.To put it simply, he was buried by the manuscript.When you ask for a manuscript, you can see a miracle.If the manuscript is written on ten sheets, the owner of the bookstore will dig out two sheets from under the pillow, three sheets from his trouser pocket, two sheets from the bookshelf, one sheet from the window, and two sheets still owed. .Take your time, he'll pull those two out of the mouse hole, nothing less. Just talking about Mr. Pengzi's inkstone is amazing enough!It was an indescribable stone inkstone.Not round or square, with many corners, at any angle.There is a little edge, many gaps, the strangest foundation, the four sides are raised, and the middle point protrudes, like the back of an ingot, it will turn around on the table like a top, and it will tilt from one end to the other, like a wave. The ship in the middle.I always thought that Monkey King jumped out of this stone! When it's time to grind the ink, it will roll from one end of the table to the other, making a noise like a galloping carriage.I have to go to bed at ten o'clock every night, and the owner of the bookstore across the door has to work until dawn.From ten o'clock to dawn, he did it at least ten times, and each time it was louder than the last time-in the quietest part of the night, probably even the south bank felt a little shaking.Since I came to Baixiang Street, I haven't had a good dream. As soon as I fell into the dream, there was a thunderstorm on Yantai, and the dream was broken.In summer, as soon as the inkstone blew, I got up to pick up bedbugs.It's hard to handle in winter, so I had to cough a few times to let him smell it. Now, I have given a book to the author's bookstore. When it is published, I will spend dozens of yuan to give the owner of the bookstore a flat, silent inkstone! Mr. He Rong's smoking cessation First of all, it is necessary to declare: the smoke mentioned here is cigarettes, not opium. From Wuhan to Chongqing, I stayed in the same room with Mr. He Rong until August of the previous year.When we were in Wuhan, we all smoked the "Daqianmen" or "Embassy" cards; the small and big "Ying" seemed not enough.When we arrived in Chongqing, the small and big "English" seemed to have changed in nature, and became more and more "enough". The "Qianmen" and "Embassy" seemed to have no meaning.Slowly, the "Knife" card and "Hardman" became our friends again, and the little "Ying", no matter who took the initiative, seemed to be indifferent. Soon, the "Knife" card He and "Hardman" had disagreements with us again, and it seemed that they were about to break off.Mr. He Rong is determined to quit smoking! Before he quit smoking, I had already stated: "Hang yourself first. Quit smoking later!" Originally, the "abandoned wife and young child" were in exile, and they dared not enter the big three yuan for food, and they were all the same (yellow wine was expensive, so I had to buy it) Eat something for nothing), girlfriends dare not make friends, boyfriends are all poor, live in a two-person room, sleep in a bed full of bedbugs, and don’t smoke two cigarettes, what are you doing alive?However, seeing Mr. He Rong quit smoking, I was touched after all. I felt that I was brave and admired his greatness; therefore, when he was in the room, I hardly dared to take cigarettes with my hands!So as not to shake his determination! Mr. He Rong slept for sixteen hours that day without smoking a single cigarette!When he woke up, it was dusk, so he went out alone.I didn't dare to go out with him, fearing that I would break my precept by accidentally handing him a cigarette!After lighting the lamp, he came back, with a red face and a smile, and took out a pack of local cigarettes from his pocket. "Try this," he asked me politely, "it's only one copper coin! With this, it seems that there is no need to quit smoking! There is no need!" I took the cigarette, and I didn't dare to say anything, for fear of hurting his dignity.Face to face, light up the cigarette, and we appreciate it carefully.The first sip was astonishing, and the smoke was yellow. I thought he had bought firecrackers by mistake!After listening for a while, fortunately, it didn't explode, so I boldly continued to inhale.After taking less than four or five puffs, I saw the mosquitoes scrambling to fly outside, and I was very happy.It is both smoking and mosquito repellent, so precious!After a few more puffs, the bugs were found on the wall again, presumably about to move, and I couldn't be happier!After smoking half a stick, Mr. He Rong and I also ran out. He said in a low voice, "It looks like I have to quit smoking!" It took half a day for Mr. He Rong to quit smoking for the second time.That afternoon, he bought pipes and tobacco leaves. "Tobacco leaves worth a few cents are enough for three or four days, so why quit smoking!" he said.After smoking the pipe for a few days, he discovered: (1) It is inconvenient to carry; (2) If you don’t use force, you can’t smoke it; trouble!With these four disadvantages, he quit smoking the pipe and went back to cigarettes. "The one who started rolling cigarettes. There are no more!" he said. In the past two years, Mr. He Rong has quit smoking countless times, but his fingers are always yellow. 5. "Remnant Fog" and Sword Northbound In the early summer of 1939, the "Cultural Association" was funded by the field party and government work committee, and sent a delegation to the field, with Mr. Wang Lixi as the head and Mr. Song Zhi as the deputy head, leading Luo Feng, Bai Lang, Ge Yihong, etc. Come, sir, go to the North China battlefield to visit the soldiers of the Anti-Japanese War. At the same time, the Consolation Association organized two consolation groups from the north and the south, and invited the "Cultural Association" to send members to participate.The board of directors decided: to recommend Yao Pengzi, Mr. Lu Jingqing to join the southern group, and myself to join the northern group. The "Cultural Association" wants to act in order to raise some money.Everyone said, let's write a satirical play this time, for a change.Who wrote it?Everyone look at me.Not because I can write a script, but because or I can be satirical.I think, first, it is incumbent; second, it is not useless to try to write it once.I don't know how much genius and skill a writer needs.I just know that hard work must be right.So, I promised to hand over a four-act play in half a month.Although I have never written a script, I have heard that it takes two years to write a complete script.I want to use it for only half a month, so I don't know what to do.However, there are also reasons. The "Artistic Association" is willing to perform this play in May, so it must be done soon.Besides, friends who have experience in drama writing and acting, such as Mr. Ying Yunwei, Zhang Ming, Song Zhide, Zhao Qingge, Zhou Boxun, etc., promised to give me advice and make corrections.I emboldened myself and wrote an average of more than 3,000 words every day. On the day of the "May 4th" bombing, I finished writing it. People gradually settled down, and I went back to Chongqing to prepare for the departure of the consolation group and the visiting group.I bought two gray cloth Chinese tunic suits for a long journey. Of course the "Cultural Association" would not give me any money, so I picked up a small bedroll and a few dollars of my own, and went north for an expedition. Before getting up, "Remnant Fog" was not revised, so it was handed over to Mr. Wang Pingling for publication.I walked for half a year.When I came back, "Remnant Fog" had already been staged, and it was very successful.The director is Mr. Ma Yanxiang, and the actors include Shu Xiuwen, Wu Yin, Sun Jianbai, and Zhou Boxun.Unfortunately, I didn't see it. The condolence group first went to Xi'an, then bypassed Tongguan and went to Luoyang.From Luoyang to Xiangfan Laohekou, then out of Wuguan and then to Xi'an.From Xi'an to Lanzhou, from Lanzhou to Yulin, and then to Qinghai, Suiyuan, Ningxia, and Xingji, it took more than five months and more than 20,000 miles. What I saw and heard during this Long March is recorded in "Jianbei Pian" - an unfinished and not very decent, long poem.In Shanzhou, I was almost killed.In Xingji, I was almost washed away by the flash flood.These dangers and excitements are all recorded in "Jianbei Chapter". 6. "Jianbei Chapter" Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty, in the past three years, Japan has tried every means to bomb with various tricks. I had to leave Chongqing in the summer because I couldn't write in the air-raid shelter.So, once the foggy season passed, I had to prepare to go to the countryside, and Mr. Feng always sent someone to greet me: "Come to my place, there is no way to write in the city!" In the summer of 29, I lived in Chenjiaqiao In the garden of Feng Mansion.There are only two huts in the garden, and I live alone.There are many trees outside the house, and all kinds of birds are singing for me—maybe for themselves—in the trees.I am writing "Jianbei Chapter" here. I don't have any great talents, but I am willing to try various forms of literature and art.Fiction, tried, nothing spectacular.Drama, only dare to try it during the Anti-Japanese War, is useless.I also tried to write some popular drum lyrics and scripts, and found it very difficult to write. I have nothing to say except a little real experience and lessons that "vulgarity is more difficult".Now, I'm picking up the heaviest thing again - poetry!I have written old poems, which are not very clever, but I think they are very interesting, and the format is controlled, so it is not difficult to put together one or two poems.I am determined to learn a lot, and now I want to write new poems.New poetry is really difficult: there is no format to control, I lose confidence as I write, and I can't help asking myself, is this poetry?Secondly, I want to write in a vulgar way, and there is no place to find so many poetic vulgar characters, so after repeated repetitions, it becomes "new writing of old poems" or "Chinese food and western food".Also, on the one hand, I can’t find enough poetic vulgar words, and on the other hand, when describing landscapes and things, I can’t wipe away the aesthetic concepts planted since childhood; I can’t force myself to become a foreigner, Not only are the eyes green, but the red flowers are also regarded as green flowers!In the end, whether the new poems should rhyme or not is not a problem at all; this time I decided to rhyme (actually "Zhe"), and imitated the more rigorous method of using rhyme in Guci, using rhyme for each line in order to read. It is loud and pleasant to read.This is simply difficult for myself!The rhyme is not difficult to find, the most important thing is to be natural, and I don't know why the more natural it is, the more effort it takes! If you have the above-mentioned difficulties, you should give up knowing the difficulties; but you don't!Not only did not retreat, but also wanted to write ten thousand lines!It's not brave to tear off your face and do it hard; besides, literature and art are not expensive, and the more stinky things are, the more stinky they are, I know.However, what I want to write is a travel note, which cannot be described in a few words, so it must be as long as ten thousand lines.Here, there are not many Chinese long poems, so it is advisable to try to write them; or according to some theory, they must be long; but it is purely out of the need to make the experience of long-distance travel into "poems as evidence".Then, some people may ask: why not write in prose?The answer is: I traveled in a hurry, and I couldn't ask everything, so I didn't dare to write in detail.All I got were impressions, written in poetry, or better. Writing and stopping from time to time, only 27 paragraphs, a total of 3,000 lines, were completed in one year.Therefore, the remaining material is only enough to write more than ten paragraphs, or a total of 6,000 lines.Due to the rhyme relationship between the sentences, there are quite a few long sentences in the 6,000 lines. If they are dismantled and rearranged, the number of lines can be enough. In the early spring of 1941, due to anemia and dizziness, all work stopped. After recovering from the dizziness, I wanted to continue writing poems, but my body was weak and writing poems took a lot of effort, so I put the manuscript aside with tears in my eyes, not daring to look at it again.After staying for a long time, my heart became more and more unable to get stronger, and finally I lost my perseverance-a writer must have the ingenuity like a silkworm, which can spit out silk that can be woven into satin, and at the same time, must have a body as strong as an ox. body!By the end of 1941, seeing that it was hopeless to write the whole poem, I shamelessly published the completed twenty-eight paragraphs in a book.I dare not say when the whole poem will be completed! ① -------- ① It was not completed and written in full.