Chapter 56 Cremation(10)

During the war in Wencheng, the life of Old Zheng—Ms. Menglian's Uncle Song—was almost a nightmare.Since the arrival of the army in the pine forest, his tranquility has been greatly disturbed.He didn't know where to put the "coffin book", and carrying it with him was the most worrying thing.He was also worried about his iron-clad cement son—this young man was so stupid that he might cause trouble at any moment.Daughter-in-law, it's even more difficult!It is harder for her to find a proper place to hide than the coffin book.If it's unfortunate, she... the old man dare not think about it!The daughter-in-law is young, and the courage of young people often makes them deliberately ignore the things that should be paid attention to.Lao Zheng repeatedly told her to hide a little bit, but she still came out and went in as usual.She didn't resist her father-in-law's order, but it could be seen from her eyes that she was going to say: "If I don't leave the house, how can I bring in the firewood and pour out the dirty water?" Lifting the heart, the palms of the hands are always sweating nasty cold.

For the safety of his son and daughter-in-law, he told them to be careful, but he took the risk himself.There are often illogical aspects of a father's love.Don't wait for the soldiers to come to him, he thought, he must go to them first, so he carried the dung pan on his back, or held an axe, feeling uneasy in his heart, as if nothing had happened on his face, and wandered around where there were soldiers. After slipping away a few times, everyone in the barracks seemed to know him.Unexpectedly, the soldier was so polite and kind, almost like a teacher in a school.They told him many things he didn't quite understand, many places he didn't know where they were, and told him where they were from and the situation at home.In the past, he always thought that soldiers were bad guys with no family and no job, wearing tiger skins to bully good people everywhere.Now, wow, he began to understand why Ding Yishan was willing to join the army.Thinking of Ding Yishan, he also thought of Miss Menglian. He didn't have anything else to be proud of. He told them everything about Miss Menglian and added all the beautiful adjectives he could imagine to her.She was like——after wiping his old eyes that wept in the wind three or four times before he remembered——the tender green pepper just after it rained!

He is not afraid of soldiers anymore.Instead, he fell to chopping firewood and carrying water for them.They gave him money, and he swears to God, (neck flushed) If he reaches out for the money, next year the locusts will eat up all his crops!When he didn't have time, he would use iron bars and cement instead.However, he had already made an agreement with the officer: I only have such a "beast", you can't take him away! They also knew that he had a daughter-in-law, so they sent a lot of clothes and begged her to mend them.They gave money, and she took it privately.With his status and dignity as a father-in-law, he never dared to say a word with dirty words in front of her.When he found out that she was being paid to mend clothes, he almost forgot all manners and manners, and pointed at his daughter-in-law's face and scolded: "Damn! Despicable! What are they doing? They are fighting for the great China! ( Ever since the day he cut his braids, I don’t know where he learned it. He changed the Qing Dynasty to the Great China.) Without this money, will you starve to death? To give money to the people who fought in the Great China, you Steal the grave and dig it up, okay! Despicable! Shameless!" Asking for the money, he sent it back in person.

However, these were his happiest days.He was ready for loss, humiliation, and pain.Unexpectedly, what he got was friendship and work.He felt that the world had indeed changed.How did it change?Why change?Who made the change?He couldn't figure it out.He felt only a joy he had never experienced before.He really wanted to tell Miss Menglian about this fun and change.She, he thought, must be able to tell him the reason for this change, and appreciate his work--work that seems to be called "serving the country." When he was carrying water or chopping wood, he was thinking of Moraine.When he stands or sits and rests for a while, he must face the city wall.As if he would see her through the wall.For a while he thought, if she could see him serving the army, how would she praise him; for a while, he thought, what would she do if the Japanese devils really invaded the city?He wanted to go to the city to see her many times, but he refused to delay the work entrusted to him in the army.He can only work while missing her and caring about her, but the image of her in his heart always makes him feel sweet.

However, this happiness is short-lived.One day, just after dawn, he got up, ate a piece of pancake left over from last night, and drank half a gourd of cold water. He went to the forest to see what work was available.When he got to the place where the army was encamped, he doubted whether he was fully awake.Patting his head and rubbing his eyes, he knew that he was indeed awake, not dreaming.strangeness!The army is gone!The ground was swept so clean that not even a lump or two of horse manure could be seen. He sat on the ground that had just been cleaned, the pancakes and cold water in his stomach almost turned out.He felt empty, disappointed, and ashamed—when did they leave?Where are you going?Why don't you tell us Lao Zheng?He didn't expect that the actions of the army must be kept secret, and he only thought subjectively: "Our old Zheng is good to you, why are you so unfriendly and drive away without saying a word?" His self-esteem was greatly affected. He almost regretted helping them so enthusiastically! "Our old Zheng is a poor man, so he can't please others!" He didn't eat anything all day, and lost his temper with his son several times.

Yes, there are still troops in the city and by the river, but that doesn't seem to be "his" army.The pine forest was government property, but he thought it was his own, even the squirrels and owls on the tree were his own.Therefore, the army living in the pine forest should also be his, at least, "you should also tell me! Why leave without saying goodbye?" Fortunately, Company Commander Tang often went from the city to the river. Whether he was walking or riding a bicycle, he always went to Lao Zheng to rest for a while.At first, Lao Zheng was not very affectionate to Company Commander Tang, because Song Lin's army had just left without saying goodbye.Company Commander Tang, however, didn't mind Lao Zheng's expression and attitude.He drank two big bowls of boiled water from Old Zheng affectionately.

When Company Commander Tang came for the second time, Lao Zheng made him a large pot of jujube leaf "tea" - a substitute for tea, dried young jujube leaves. For the third time, Lao Zheng brought out real tea leaves.He liked this black tower-like officer very much.In order to determine the official rank of Company Commander Tang, he asked, "Is your old official higher or lower than the guard?" Company Commander Tang has never compared the level of the company commander and the guard, so he could only answer with a burst of laughter. "How can airplanes fly?" Recently, Lao Zheng has become very interested in the military.

Company Commander Tang explained for a long time, but Lao Zheng didn't understand, and kept saying, "Ah!" Anyway, Old Zheng and Company Commander Tang became good friends.Slowly, Lao Zheng told about the fact that the army in the pine forest had left without saying goodbye. Company Commander Tang explained to him in detail, and told Lao Zheng that the friends who had been transferred sent letters, and they all said hello to Lao Zheng. Lao Zheng was so grateful that he was speechless.Then I walked around in the pine forest alone.Back from the pine forest.As if the poet was inspired by seeing the beautiful scenery, he came up with a sentence.Company Commander Tang came again, and Lao Zheng hurriedly said this sentence: "Commander Tang, when you write to them, also greet them for Lao Zheng!" The "Old Zheng" here shows a very high status and deep concerns.

But the military situation went wrong again, and friendship seemed to inevitably produce pain.Company Commander Tang wants to dig trenches on Wang Juren's land outside the pine forest!Old Zheng knew Jurengong's temper very well. If he didn't report it, the Juren Association would send him (Old Zheng) to the county with a post.On the other hand, Company Commander Tang made it very clear; this is a major national event, and individuals should help!Lao Zheng was in a dilemma, and he couldn't think of a way to be both sides.Finally, he secretly met Miss Lian. Miss Lian's thin white index finger pointed to her small nose without any freckles, and said: Please feel free to dig them out, I will be responsible—"Don't you need to tell Jurengong?"

Miss Lian shook her head lightly. Lao Zheng almost ran to find Company Commander Tang to report the good news.But he solemnly "declared": "Company Commander, I'm too embarrassed to help you dig! You dig, I'll lift the soil! One day, if someone asks you, I'll tell you; I didn't dig!" The company commander agreed to this proposal, which was enough to comfort Lao Zheng's conscience. The trench outside the pine forest had just been dug a few feet when a battle broke out by the river.Old Zheng was very excited.He doesn't like fighting, because fighting and farming are never compatible.However, he was excited.It seemed to him—after he had developed some friendship with the soldiers—that he saw with absolute certainty that our troops would win.Besides, this time he was fighting the Japanese, and he hated the Japanese almost by nature.In the excitement, he was also concerned about his hut, his son and daughter-in-law, and he was extremely worried about Miss Menglian.What if the bullet hit the thatch and burned the house down!My son was not taken away by our army, and my daughter-in-law was not in any danger.However, can the Japanese soldiers be so polite?No, definitely not!Miss Menglian, who is so pampered, can she be terrified by this bombardment?For several days and nights, he barely slept for an hour.When he came out and went in, he listened to the gunshots from all directions, looked at the thatch on the roof, and said to himself: "Sooner or later, sooner or later, this matchbox must be completely burned!"

Sometimes, he forgot about the danger because of his concern and worry, and wandered all the way to the river in a daze. The bullets passed by his head or ears repeatedly, and he just stopped and looked around, as if It's like finding where the bullet landed.At such a time, if he encounters someone carrying wounded soldiers or transporting ammunition, he will go to help.However, he did not join their organization because he had to look after his son and thatched cottage.This made him feel a little ashamed.So, in the middle of the night, when the gunfire was at its heaviest, he would boil two barrels of boiling water and take them to the front line, so as to teach him peace of mind. He only went to the city to see Miss Lian once.On the city gate and on the street; he saw strong men patrolling or standing guard with swords, guns, swords and halberds.They almost all know each other.In the past, they all respected him quite a lot, because they would inevitably go to his hut to drink a bowl of boiling water and rest their legs when they went to visit the tomb on Qingming or October 1, or when they went out to the east gate for business.Now, they have changed their attitude.They actually asked him loudly: "Where is the iron pillar? Why didn't he come to defend the city?" Lao Zheng's dignity dropped to zero.Seeing Miss Lian, he was almost speechless; he only took a sip of the good tea she made for him, and then he said goodbye and went home, not daring to raise his head all the way.However, he made up his mind, no matter how everyone talked about him and insulted him, he must not let go of his son!He only has such a "beast"!He tightened his belt.Stretching his stiff back, he muttered to himself: "If they come to the door, my old man will go by himself! Nothing else, the flower gun can still stab you a few times! You can't teach the Zheng family to get rid of their roots!" The gunshots were getting closer.He didn't know how the thatched huts and the haystacks hadn't been burned yet, and had caught fire.To be honest, he has almost forgotten the danger of the hut and the haystack, and doubts whether the lives of the family of three can be saved!He was eagerly hoping that Ju Rengong would send him a letter, instructing him on some methods.But Juren Gongxiang completely forgot what he looks like, and there is no news at all!Even Miss Lian didn't send someone to tell him a word! A fire broke out outside the west gate, and the birds that had already slept peacefully in the pine forest cried out in panic.Old Zheng stood blankly outside the hut, as if chewing a grain of rice that would never be broken in his mouth, even his cheeks and temples moved slightly. "Wencheng is over! It's over!" He covered his face and cried.