Chapter 30 Return to Peking

The old capital, which has been away for 9 years, has returned to Lin Huiyin's dream. The scene of Beiping that she had sketched in her mind many times had become confusing.The overwhelming sun flags are gone, replaced by the blue sky and white sun flags, like prayer flags, waving on the lintels of every house. Lin Huiyin was like a cloud and mist falling five miles away, so he asked passers-by, it turned out that today is Teacher's Day.The Beiping government is preparing to hold a grand ceremony to worship Confucius in the past eight years. The melodious pigeon whistles floated in the air, and the years of war did not let these winged angels of peace lose their sky.

On Qiansanmen Street, ten-wheel trucks rumbled past.It is a huge steel monster with a half-covered gun jacket and a thick barrel exposed. The coldness of the metal seems to freeze the sun in midsummer.Arrogant soldiers sat on artillery carts and whistled to the people in the street. Standing under the eaves of "Xinzengzhai Watch Repair Shop" with her two sons and daughters, looking at the chaotic street scene, she couldn't understand that Dacheng's most holy master was invited to this old capital again, although there was no foreign bayonet against him. I don't know how to let him "be in heat, stop at etiquette" with the cannon carriages all over the street.She felt earnestly that the fight of blood and fire was about to begin.

After returning to Peking, they settled their home in the dormitory of Tsinghua University.Liang Sicheng hastily established the Department of Architecture of Tsinghua University, and soon went to the United States to investigate post-war American architectural education.At the same time, at the invitation of Yale University, he gave a one-year lecture on "History of Chinese Art". In Beiping after the war, due to the soaring prices brought about by the economic depression, industries and businesses closed down one after another.The banknotes of the Kuomintang-controlled areas have grown wings.Within a few months of their return, the price of rice in Beiping rose from 900 yuan a catty in French currency to 2,600 yuan a catty.In front of the student cafeteria of Tsinghua University, there are often crowded students selling clothes. On the old newspapers spread on the floor, there is a writing with a brush: "Sell all the things around you, temporarily satisfy your hunger."

Looking at the disheveled faces of those children, Lin Huiyin felt very sad.The shadow of hunger hangs over Beiping, and also hangs over Tsinghua Garden.On the Democracy Wall of Tsinghua University, there were anti-hunger cries: "The civil war is louder, public funds are less and less, silk cakes today, and grass tomorrow." There are also slogans that read: "Starving to death is a big deal, and reading is a little thing." Another poster Appeal: "Beg for food from the mouth of the cannon!" At this time, Shanghai, Nanjing and other places also started campaigns to rescue the education crisis, and the tide of anti-hunger and anti-civil war surged from south to north.Tsinghua University started a class strike, and the loudspeakers broadcast the student's strike declaration: "Today hunger forces us not to be silent. Today, for the sake of thousands of people who are struggling on the verge of death, and for the sake of our compatriots who are starving under the fire of the civil war, we have to put down out of our books. . . . The root of all is civil war. Hunger will always follow the people if there is no civil war."

The life of Lin Huiyin's family became more and more difficult. Their family has been wandering for 9 years, and they came back empty-handed, and all the clothes they brought out were eaten in Sichuan.As soon as they set foot on their homeland, poverty and hunger followed them like a shadow. Her illness was getting worse and worse, and the pain was tormenting her again. In the summer of 1947, Xiao Qian, who had suffered from gunpowder and smoke in the European battlefield, came to Peiping from Shanghai to visit his old friend Lin Huiyin.Before coming, he had received a letter from Lin Huiyin: must leave a whole day for her.

When Xiao Qian came to Tsinghua Garden Huiyin's residence, he saw a wooden sign with the height of a person erected in front of her house from afar, which read: Here is a patient who needs to rest as prescribed by the doctor. Passers-by should not make noise. As soon as he entered the door, Xiao Qian softly called Miss Lin. Lin Huiyin came out of the room, held Xiao Qian's hands tightly, tears filled his eyes, and shouted in surprise: "Binggan, come in quickly, why are you so light-handed?" Xiao Qian pointed The wooden sign at the door. Lin Huiyin said: "You probably don't think that I, a patient who needs rest, receive guests here with a loud voice all day long. The sign is written by the General Affairs Office."

After sitting down, Xiao Qian asked about Lin Huiyin's life in the south in recent years.Lin Huiyin said: "We have already talked about it, and I will listen to you first today." Xiao Qian took a sip of tea and talked about their experiences after parting in Kunming. Xiao Qian started when he first arrived in England. At that time, the German army had annexed Austria and the Czech Republic, and the situation in Europe was very tense. Like a powder magazine that exploded at one point, a big war was bound to break out.During this period, Xiao Qian received a letter from the School of Oriental Studies, University of London. The Chinese Department of the school lacked a lecturer. After being recommended by Mr. Yu Daoquan, Xiao Qian was invited to take up the position. Hu Lin, editor-in-chief of Ta Kung Pao, was also very happy.He imagined that Xiao Qian could first go to the Oriental Academy to teach, and at the same time pay attention to the developments in the European War and write articles for "Ta Kung Pao".Xiao Qian's travel expenses to England were also provided by Ta Kung Pao.The place where he works at the University of London is said to be the dormitory where Milton lived when he was studying in Cambridge.

Lin Huiyin became excited: "Bingqian, you are so happy, I admire Milton very much, his "May Morning Song" is so touchingly written-welcome the magnificent May, /You inspire joy, youth and passionate hope ;/Trees and groves are your attire,/Wills and valleys boast of your happiness./And we salute you with the song of the morning,/Welcome to you, and wish you eternity!" Xiao Qian talked about what happened at the beginning of the European War. At that time, the University of London had moved back to London from Cambridge, just in time for the year-long bombing by German planes.Xiao Qian talked about the air battle between the British army and the German army he had witnessed.That afternoon, above the downtown area of ​​London, there was a crowd of black crows, the sound of machine gun fire, and the sound of bomb explosions, as if the whole London was turned upside down. This day was September 15, and it was also the German Air Force Commander Goering who announced that "Eagle Day".Xiao Qian listened to the broadcast on the radio with the tenants, and he imitated Lin Huiyin vividly: "Oh, my God, they are fighting. You see, this is not like broadcasting war news, it is simply broadcasting an interesting match."

Lin Huiyin said: "The English nation is so inherently humorous and optimistic. When I was studying in England, I went to the South China Sea with Mr. Keblik's family for vacation. On the way, Keblik let someone steal the suitcase containing the money. Shrugged and said, the train hasn't got off yet, and the person who helped with the suitcase came in the morning." Xiao Qian said: "Yes, the British are so open-minded and optimistic. The leaflets that Hitler sent out by planes also made the British a tool for fundraising. They collected those leaflets persuading surrender and sold them for one penny or two pennies a piece. , You can collect more than ten pounds in a few minutes. Later, each ticket was expensive to five shillings, and the collectors came up with a new trick, paying a penny for just a glance, which raised more funds."

Lin Huiyin laughed out loud. Xiao Qian said: "When the German planes were bombing in turn that day, the pianist Miura Hayes and a group of British musicians held a lunchtime concert at the National Art Gallery in the city center. I often go there and spend a shilling , Buy an admission ticket, eat bread, and listen to beautiful music while listening to beautiful music, while outside the window is the sound of bombs and anti-aircraft machine guns. The psychological quality of a nation will determine the future of the nation. This is what I understand the most." Lin Huiyin agreed and said: "That's right! I just returned to Beiping from Chongqing, and I felt sad when I saw the people on the street. They all looked like they lacked sleep and nutrition. , all looked tired and degraded, which was disappointing."

Xiao Qian also talked about the scene where he met the great poet Eliot at a poetry reading.At that time, the world-renowned great poet was serving as a London air defense patrolman.The host of the poetry reading introduced Eliot to everyone in this way: "Mr. Eliot just finished his air defense patrol last night, and it may be worthwhile tonight. When he is reading poetry, if he suddenly falls asleep, Forgive me a lot, but don't slumber." That night, Eliot recited his anti-war poems such as "Defending the Islands" and "Little Gidding". Xiao Qian was deeply moved by Eliot's recitation.He couldn't connect the Elliott in front of him with the Elliott who was wearing a steel helmet and walking on the patrol road. Xiao Qian then talked about his experience of going to the front line for interviews as a full-time special commissioner in the UK.At that time, the Allied forces were approaching the Rhine day and night, heading straight for Hitler's lair. The military uniform he wore for the first time in his life was an American-style yellow serge uniform, tall and shiny black riding boots, a yellow woolen cloak, and He carried his passport with the army, which said: If this person is captured, he must be treated as a major in accordance with the provisions of the League of Nations. During battlefield interviews, he met the writer and journalist Hemingway.During World War I, Hemingway volunteered as an ambulance driver and was seriously wounded in Italy. During World War II, he went to China for interviews.On the European battlefield, like a soldier, he took up arms and directly participated in the anti-fascist battle.During the battle for the liberation of Paris, he quietly left the army and organized a guerrilla force to wipe out the German army near the Arc de Triomphe, saving the lives of thousands of French people.After the Battle of Paris, Hemingway was court-martialed for participating in the war without permission. When he saw Hemingway, the world-renowned great writer, in a bar, drinking alone, drinking very happily, took a sip of wine, and touched the scar on his face with his hand. Xiao Qian said: "At that time, I thought of Elliott heroically performing his duties as a civil defense member during the bomb explosion, and Hemingway in front of him, who took up arms and exchanged fire with the fascists face to face. I also thought of For my friends far away in the motherland, Qifang, Zhilin, Ding Ling and you, maybe at that time, you were braving the smoke of the Japanese bombing, walking through the hail of bullets and on the road of investigation." Lin Huiyin said: "It's really sad to mention it. At that time, I was sick in Lizhuang. There was a flood in Tianjin. Before we retreated, all the pictures and materials stored in the British bank vault in the British Concession in Tianjin were lost after the flood. It was flooded, this is how many years of hard work and sweat we have accumulated! Hearing the news, Sicheng and I hugged each other and cried, which scared the children and mother too." As he spoke, Lin Huiyin wept again. Xiao Qian said: "This is war. I was in a car and drove along the Hitler Highway to the front line. The road was full of refugees with white symbols, and there were also carloads of prisoners of war with broken arms and legs. There were bomb craters everywhere and dripping water everywhere." Blood, many villages and towns were razed to the ground, the corpses of countless mules and horses lay on the ground, there were also destroyed tanks, and the ground was covered with shot through helmets. At that time, I thought, this is war. What impressed me the most was Germany People, when our car stopped, the children gathered around to watch the fun, while the young people immediately walked away, casting hostile looks on the faces of some old people, all they saw were arrogance, I think this It was also war. After the surrender of the German army, I went to the United States to report on the United Nations meeting. When I was walking on the sidewalk, an old lady walked up to me. She looked at the United Nations badge on my chest and suddenly hugged me. I kissed and kissed again and again, and said tearfully, this is all right, my George is coming back soon, and my little Jeff doesn't have to go to the army. At that time, I thought, this is war." For a long while, no one spoke. They talked for a whole day.Lin Huiyin also talked about their family's chaotic life in Yunnan and Sichuan.They each look forward to the victory of the War of Resistance with full of hope, but the current situation in China makes people feel deeply worried. None of them can comfort the other, and they think more than their own fate.