Chapter 13 Mr. Duff's Backstory

Some time ago, I wrote to Mr. Shi Zhecun in Shanghai to find me a copy of "The Collection of Letters of Modern Chinese Writers" edited by Kong Jiaojing, which was published by Life Bookstore before the Anti-Japanese War.He wrote in a short time saying that this kind of old books were originally very common, but they have been published for a long time and have gone through vicissitudes. In recent years, many people like to collect this kind of historical materials. Judging by that tone, I am not sure when I will be able to buy that book for me. I am eager to get this book because there is a rather long letter from Mr. Yu Dafu.I can't remember the details of the content now, but I only remember that this was the first letter after we had some opinions. It can be said to be a "letter of resubmission", so I really want to read it again.Of course, the original letter was originally with me, but after the war, it was not easy to buy even the book in which this letter was published, let alone the whereabouts of the original letter.

For some reason, in recent years, it seems that many people are very interested in the questions of Yu Wang and his wife. However, since Yu has passed away for many years, he no longer has the opportunity to speak. Other people's articles are inevitably a little sentimental.Because if he is alive, everyone will know more about his "destruction of the family". I am anxious to read Mr. Duff's old letter, which is also indirectly related to this question.Because when Mr. Duff wrote this letter, he had already moved to Hangzhou after "128" and the "Storm Thatched Cottage" had already been completed.I was in charge of the editorial department of Modern Bookstore in Shanghai at the time, so I wrote to him in order to contact him about publishing a book.This is the first time I wrote to him after a few years, so I told him in the letter that everyone should not bear in mind some past grudges.

After he got the letter, he wrote back a letter to me, which was rather long and full of emotion.This is the one that Kong Jiaojing collected in "Letters of Modern Chinese Writers". I remember one time, Mr. Shi Zhecun once told me that when Mr. Duff wrote this letter, he happened to be in Hangzhou and went to visit Mrs. Yu in the "Storm Thatched Cottage". He was a little surprised to see him writing to me. Ms. Wang Yingxia Seeing him next to him, he explained: "The two of them have made peace now." To say it is "negotiating peace" is a bit presumptuous to me.Because according to Mr. Duff's age, seniority and knowledge, I am between a teacher and a friend, so it should be said that he forgave me who was "young and inexperienced".

It is also because of this that I feel a little sad when I think of his tomb now that the tomb has been arched, but the right and wrong behind him are still being teased endlessly.