Chapter 40 Chapter Forty

For the sake of justice and fairness, Cao Ershun, who admitted his death, still dreamed of creating a myth of the eighth year of Tongzhi in the eighth year of Guangxu, which made this strike an inevitable tragedy from the beginning.Cao Ershun didn't understand that the world was changing, that there was a fundamental difference between the eighth year of Guangxu and the eighth year of Tongzhi, and that the era when labor was a scarce resource was over.When the entire coal kiln industry in Qiaotou Town fell into the hands of Xiao Taiping and industrial capital entered into a monopoly, Ken worked hard and still had the possibility of starving to death—even though this monopoly was still in its infancy and primitive stage.

Many smart brothers saw this, and when they returned to Zazipo that night, a wise brother said to Cao Ershun, "...Second brother, let's just forget about it! Today is not the past, and we will not go down to Xiao's house in the past." Kiln, Baijiayao, Lijiayao, Wangjiayao. Now the coal mines in Qiaotou Town are all in the hands of Xiao Taiping, if we really mess up our jobs, we will be finished, and the whole family will have to drink the northwest wind." Another brother said: "That's right. If there are too many radishes and vegetables, the price will drop, not to mention manpower? The kiln wages have not changed in the past twelve years, which can be regarded as benevolence and righteousness on the kiln. It's hard to say that they should give us so much. Let's really stop the kiln." Quit working, and the kiln workers in the three provinces and four counties around here still don’t do the same? Who would be so stupid as to stop the kiln with us?”

Even Cao Fucheng said: "...Second brother, I think we really have to think hard and think about everything thoroughly. There is always no shortage of manpower in the kiln now. I'm afraid we won't be able to hold Xiao Taiping when we stop the kiln. , I will ruin my own job! How about we bear with it, and when we have the opportunity in the future, the manpower in the kiln will be tightened up, and we will settle accounts with Xiao Taiping, and black him out, and force him to be promoted to the kiln. rate..." Cao Ershun was so angry that he jumped up and shouted: "Why are you such cowards? You are so spineless? Why are you talking about such nonsense? Is Cao Ershun doing it for me? You all know that Xiao Taiping is my brother-in-law, who is he? Even if I don't suspend the kiln now, Xiao Taiping can't lose me! I suspend the kiln because of our twelve-year practice! It's to get back a share Fairness! Who... whoever wants to say such cowardly words again, I... my ancestor!"

Hearing what Cao Ershun said, Cao Fucheng and his brothers felt ashamed.Everyone didn't expect that Cao Ershun, who was usually useless and useless, would be so stubborn and loyal this time.For the poor brother on the slope, he had a falling out with his brother-in-law Xiao Taiping at the door of the Xiao family's big house, and even tore his face with his own sister. Cao Ershun said again—it was still an old saying: "...five liters is five liters, and it has been like this for twelve years. This is not rewarded by anyone, this is what we deserve. What about benevolence and righteousness? We Is it unrighteous? For the five liters of kiln wages, we have spent less energy in the past twelve years? Could Xiao Taiping have built a big house for the Xiao family without us digging charcoal and carrying coal?! He built the Xiao family We are not jealous of the big house, we will give it to us, and we deserve it poorly. He will not let us do it!" Before leaving, Cao Ershun confessed again, "...Let's make it clear: this does not belong to anyone This is a matter of justice. It is a matter of all kiln workers at the Sanjia Kiln in Qiaotou Town. No one can be shy when it comes to justice. Tomorrow morning, we all have to go to the kiln and tell Every brother who comes to the kiln: The old rule is five liters, and the next kiln has to ask Xiao Taiping for five liters of sorghum. I don’t believe that the brothers don’t recognize this old rule! I don’t believe that three provinces and four counties come to the kiln Brother, I don’t want to earn this high sorghum!”

Cao Fucheng and his brothers looked at the stubborn and confident Cao Ershun, and couldn't say anything more, so they all nodded. Unexpectedly, the next day it was really time to go to the kiln. Of the 60 and 70 brothers who went to Xiao's big house yesterday, there were only eighteen left.The others either went to the kiln and went up and down the kiln first, or got up early and hid out, so angry that Cao Ershun was so angry that his grandmother beat his grandma and scolded him all over the place. This scolding brought out Cao Fuli, the former master of Cao Tuan. Cao Fuli was so down and out that he looked like a man in his sixties and seventies when he was less than fifty years old, his body was bent like a bow.Her braided hair was almost completely white, and she was holding a walking stick made of a branch in her hand. The clothes she was wearing were also torn and patched, and the original color of the cloth could no longer be seen.

Cao Fuli wiped his nose and said out of breath, "...Second brother, well... well done, you... you are still... the boss of our old group! Today you finally stand... Stand up!" Cao Ershun was still scolding: "Japanese ancestors, these bastards, they spoke well yesterday, but they won't come today!" Cao Fuli said: "Second brother, you... don't scold, these bastards won't turn back when they scold you. Don't be rude to anyone, just... just take these eighteen brothers with you! Back then, your father and our old group In short, it was our sixteen old... old brothers who pulled up the Cao regiment of the Nian Army on the West Road! Just... just made a big fuss... for many years!"

Cao Ershun gained some confidence, and said to Cao Fuli: "Brother Shi Ye, you are right, let alone... there are still eighteen brothers, just... even if I am the only one left, I... I have to fight with Xiao Taiping in the end!" Cao Fuli nodded, and said solemnly: "You won't be the only one left, at least two people—and the other one is me! Brother also has to fight to the end with Xiao Taiping, even if we die together with Xiao Taiping, I...I also believe Already!" At that time, Cao Ershun didn't know how this old and useless senior brother was fighting with Xiao Taiping, and he didn't take Cao Fuli's words seriously.

In front of Cao Fuli, Cao Ershun divided the eighteen brothers who had the backbone to continue to follow him and break the kiln into three groups.He took one group to the old kiln of Baijia, asked Cao Fucheng to take another group to Xiaojiayao, and the other group was led by a brother surnamed Xiao to Lijiayao.When leaving, Cao Ershun already thought about the possibility of a fight, and confessed to Cao Fucheng and the brother surnamed Xiao: "...we have few people now, so we can't fight hard with Xiao Taiping's kilns, so as not to suffer losses. Let's not enter their kilns. , and intercepted the brothers who were going to the kiln on the road outside the kiln.”

It really reminded Cao Ershun that three groups of people went to the three kilns, and two groups were beaten.Cao Fucheng suffered a broken rib at the crossing of Xiaojiayao, and the six people who went with him were beaten, and three of them went out of the kiln after being beaten.The group of four who went to Lijiayao were not beaten, but under the coercion of sticks from the kiln guard team, they all gave up the old practice of five liters of sorghum advocated by Cao Ershun, and earned a new kiln salary of four liters of sorghum. The worst thing was the group led by Cao Ershun himself. Cao Ershun led seven people to the gate of the Baijiayao kiln. He just blocked a group of brothers who came to the kiln from Jiunian County. Xiao Taizhong, the head of the kiln guard team, brought over twenty kiln workers.After coming over, Xiao Taizhong yelled at the brothers from Jiunian County: "Those who want to work, go to the kilnkou workshop to get a license, and those who don't want to do it, stay away from me!" The brothers from Jiunian County dared not Chattering with Cao Ershun, he walked obediently through the human wall formed by Xiao Taizhong's more than twenty kilns, and entered the wooden gate of Bai's old kiln.

Cao Ershun didn't give up, and shouted at the backs of the brothers in Jiunian County: "...Brothers, the old practice in the kiln is five liters, and the kiln pitted you for one liter of sorghum! You have to stop the kiln!" Xiao Taizhong came over, pointed at Cao Ershun and said, "Second Cao, I will make it clear to you: if you want to rest in the kiln, you can go to the Kuzipo to rest, and no one will invite you if you rest here for ten years! If you stay here with Laozi If you make trouble, I will be rude to you!" Cao Ershun ignored Xiao Taizhong, and when he saw another group of people descending from the embankment of the Great Mo River, he called his brothers to meet him...

That's when something went wrong.As soon as the brothers walked a few steps towards the embankment of the Great Mo River, Xiao Taizhong's kiln men rushed up from behind, and two or three beat one at a time. In the blink of an eye, all seven brothers were knocked into the mud ditch at the bottom of the road. He also guarded the edge of the ditch to prevent the brothers from climbing up. Xiao Taizhong said very rationally: "This road is opened above the kiln, those who don't go down the kiln should not occupy the road above the kiln!" Up to now, no one has made a move to Cao Ershun. However, when Cao Ershun saw his brothers being beaten, he became angry first, pointed at Xiao Taizhong and scolded: "I am your ancestor Xiao Taizhong! When did this road become your kiln?! Since the seventh year of Tongzhi, I am the first!" The next time I go to the Baijiayao, this road will be there! Don't fucking rely on your brother's power to bully people like this!" Xiao Taizhong also became angry: "Second Cao, in the past, I always thought you were my brother's brother-in-law, and gave you face everywhere. Today, if you really want to embarrass yourself, I will help you! Get the fuck out of here now!" Down the road! Get out!" Cao Ershun ignored it. At this moment, the gang of kiln workers from the Dam River embankment had already approached—not brothers from other places, but old brothers from Qiaotou Town, and the one who walked in the lead was Qian Chuanzi, who had fought with Cao Ershun earlier. As soon as Qian Chuanzi came over, he said to Xiao Taizhong: "Hey, yo, Captain Xiao, what are you doing? Why did you blackmail Second Brother Cao? Second Brother Cao is a well-known honest man in our Baijia Kiln!" Xiao Taizhong glared: "It's none of your business, don't fucking interrupt me!" Cao Ershun called to Qian Chuanzi: "Brother Qian, you...you are an old man, you know that the kiln rate in our Qiaotou town kiln has always been five liters, isn't it? Why does Xiao Taiping blackmail us now? one liter?" Qian Chuanzi said: "Second brother, what do you say? This is probably called being rich and unkind?!" Xiao Taizhong took aim at Qian Chuanzi: "You fucking make it clear, who is rich and unkind?" Qian Chuanzi said: "All rich people are not benevolent! If it is benevolence and righteousness, can we take this sorghum out of the poor mouths of our poor brothers?" Cao Ershun's eyes lit up, and he said to Qian Chuanzi, "Well said, Brother Qian! Let's stop working our lives for the rich and heartless Xiao Taiping! As long as the kiln doesn't return the sorghum to us, we'll stop the kiln and fuck his mother!" of!" Xiao Taizhong kicked Cao Ershun to the ground, pointed at Qian Chuanzi and asked, "Do you really want to stop the kiln? You really want to stop. If I don't stop you, get out of here too!" Qian Chuanzi still wanted to be tough, but was persuaded by several brothers who came with him. An older brother repeatedly smiled at Xiao Taizhong and said: "Qian Chuanzi didn't say to stop the kiln, he didn't. How could he stop the kiln? His family won't eat anymore?" Xiao Taizhong snorted: "Then what are you still doing here? Why don't you hurry up and get your badge? If you don't get your badge if you go late, you're going to scold him for being rich and heartless again!" Qian Chuanzi half-pushed, and was forcibly dragged away by a group of brothers from Qiaotou Town. After walking a long way, he turned around and yelled: "The rich are all fucking rich and ruthless!" However, Xiao Taizhong stopped being entangled with Qian Chuanzi, and stared at Cao Ershun who got up from the ground again: "Cao Ershun, if you still know your senses today, go back to Kuzipo as soon as possible, and if you don't, go to the ditch and stay there! " Cao Ershun stepped firmly on the road with a pair of worn-out straw sandals, and said, "Your second master will not go anywhere today, but just stand here, and fight to the end with your Xiao family! You are so good at it!" Just kill me!" With a wave of Xiao Taizhong's hand, several kiln workers flocked in front of Cao Ershun, kicked and kicked Cao Ershun down again, and then kicked Cao Ershun into the black mud ditch with sewage flowing under the road. There were more than 20 kiln men guarding the road, and none of the brothers who fell down the ditch dared to try to climb up.Only Cao Ershun refused to accept it. As soon as he fell into the ditch, he climbed up the road with mud and blood all over his head and face.Xiao Taizhong waited for Cao Ershun to climb to the curb, kicked Cao Ershun down the ditch again.Cao Ershun cursed loudly, struggled to climb up again, and tried to hug Xiao Taizhong's leg.Xiao Taizhong stepped back, dodged it, and kicked Cao Ershun down the ditch for the third time. This time the kick was so heavy that Cao Ershun struggled in the shallow black ditch for a long time without getting up.The brothers who came up from the slope together were all scared, and no longer cared about fighting with Xiao Taizhong's gang, they lifted Cao Ershun and wanted to go back to Zazipo. A brother raised his face and begged Xiao Taizhong: "Xiao... Captain Xiao, don't beat our second brother Cao. If you beat him again, you will be killed. I... let's go back..." Xiao Taizhong said: "That's right, don't fucking beg for beating yourself..." Unexpectedly, after being carried to the road, Cao Ershun refused to leave, pushed away the crowd, stood up unsteadily, and stood in front of Xiao Taizhong like a stone statue.Xiao Taizhong and the kiln servants knocked him down once, and he got up once.Knock down again and get up again.I couldn't stand up anymore, so I sat on the road.In the end, he couldn't even sit still, so he simply lay down on the road.Xiao Taizhong and the kiln workers were stunned. Seeing this situation, the seven resting brothers all shed tears, and later all lay down on the road. No matter how hard the kiln workers beat them, they couldn't get up, and they used their bodies to block the road for people and coal to be transported. ... The news of Cao Ershun's beating spread to Zhang Zipo, and Dani was so angry that she left Dong Wang, who was dying of illness, and ignored her. She hugged the seventh child and dragged the sixth child, Wu Feng, and Xia Wang to Xiao's house. In front of the gate of his big house, he had to tie a rope to the gate of Xiao Taiping Courtyard and hang himself.Only then did Cao Yue'e know the scene of blood and tears at the gate of the Bai family's old kiln, and hurriedly took her family to the gate of the kiln, scolded Xiao Taizhong, carried Cao Ershun back to the Xiao family's big house, and invited Ju Rentang overnight The old Mr. Wang diagnosed Cao Ershun's injuries. When he was first brought home, Cao Ershun fell into a coma and was unconscious, and only woke up in the middle of the night. Cao Yue'e stood by the bed and cried, "...Second brother, you... What are you trying to do? Are you really crazy? Taiping told you so clearly in front of everyone, no one's salary will be missed. You, you... you are still making trouble like this." Cao Ershun closed his eyes and ignored him. Cao Yue'e wiped her tears again and said, "Second brother, do you know? The unscrupulous Qian Zhixian swindled Xiao Taiping for more than 10,000 taels of silver at once. Tell me, can Xiao Taiping lower his salary? He also has his Difficulty..." Cao Ershun still ignored him. When Cao Yue'e wanted to say something more, Cao Ershun tried to sit up.Sitting up, she immediately pushed Cao Yue'e away, staggered out of bed and wanted to go home.Seeing that she couldn't stop it, Cao Yue'e took out twenty taels of silver and stuffed it into Cao Ershun's hand.Cao Ershun ruthlessly threw the silver at Cao Yue'e's feet, and then swept a set of fine porcelain tea sets on the table to the ground, smashing them to pieces. Cao Yue'e fell to the ground and began to cry. While crying, she said in a low voice, "Why did our Cao family get into this...such trouble? How did it get into such...such trouble..." After stumbling back to Zhang Zipo's house, Cao Ershun heard the cries of his wife Dani and a room full of children. On that night, Dong Wang, who had been ill for many days, died.Until his death, Cao Ershun, who was so focused on stopping the kiln, never went to Pastor James to ask for medicine, let alone invited Pastor James to treat Dongwang.Cao Ershun seemed to have been struck by lightning, and he couldn't even cry for a while, but couldn't help crying silently.Later, I couldn't stand the crying from the whole room, so I dragged my wounded body to the courtyard alone, and sat on the stone that I used to sit on in a daze. At this time, under the moonlight, a person came staggeringly. It was Cao Fuli, the former master of Cao Tuan. Cao Fuli went to the opposite side of Cao Ershun and squatted down, digging out a pot of cigarettes with trembling hands to smoke. Cao Ershun was also smoking a cigarette sullenly. After a while, Cao Ershun said to Cao Fuli: "Brother Shi Ye, I... my Dong... Dongwang died, it was... I killed him." Cao Fuli nodded, and also opened his mouth—he didn't answer Cao Ershun's words, and only talked about his own business: "Second brother, I've thought it over, I've finally made it up, I... I'll just die with Xiao Taiping once! No There is no more Cao Tuan who accumulated private money, I...how can I live?" Cao Ershun said to Cao Fuli, "I... If I had gone to Pastor Zhan to ask for medicine earlier, Dongwang would not have died." Cao Fuli said to Cao Ershun: "I... I will go to Mohe tomorrow to sue the officials, only Xiao Taiping! I am Master Qianliang of Nianzi, and Xiao Taiping is the head of the Second Regiment of Nianzi. I will not mention the other brothers. ..." Cao Ershun said to Cao Fuli: "Dongwang was also killed by Xiao Taiping, how could I not care about Dongwang if I didn't stop the kiln?" Cao Fuli said to Cao Ershun: "I... I just said that Xiao Taiping and I came to Zazipo while we were in the midst of your fleeing famine..." Cao Ershun said to Cao Fuli: "He Xiao Taiping only... as long as he can't beat me to death, this... this kiln I have to stop, I... I have to let all the new kiln workers in three provinces and four counties know. The old rule is five liters. Sorghum..." Cao Fuli knocked on the cigarette pot and stood up, and said to Cao Ershun, "You just need to know about suing the officials, don't tell anyone else." Cao Ershun didn't know what Cao Fuli had said to him at all—it was too late to find out later, this elder brother failed to die with Xiao Taiping for the crime of conspiracy as he wished, but was framed by Master Qian of Mohe He was killed alive in the cell of the county government office. Cao Ershun didn't want to ask, but nodded and said, "I know." Cao Fuli said sadly, "Then I... I'll leave?" Cao Ershun said dumbly: "Brother Shi, you...you go..." After Cao Fuli left, Cao Ershun cried bitterly at the shameful night sky of the eighth year of Guangxu...