Chapter 3 legendary

The old lady is from the oil mill to the mill.The stream withered in winter, the milling trough stopped working, and the water wheel stopped turning. Some green silk algae hung on it and turned white, and there were some white bird droppings on the stones.At a glance, it can be seen that the weather is entering winter, and all activities are almost at a standstill, and a longer rest is required.But as soon as the spring snow fell, it seemed to bring some spring information.After days of melting snow, the water collected in Changtan on the dam has risen to the gate, and the workers reported that the water was enough to turn the milling plate.According to the custom, during the Chinese New Year, everyone needs to pick some glutinous millet and rice to make glutinous rice cakes.The new daughter-in-law visits relatives during the New Year, and glutinous rice is also indispensable for glutinous rice cakes and sweet wine.So the old lady came to see, helped the workers who guarded the mill, and cleaned the corners and cobwebs on the grinding plate with a long-handled broom. Shaking the sieve, he ordered the long-term worker in the family to pick a basket of glutinous grains to test the trough to see if it worked.

After the workers went back, the old lady took a thin strip oven basket in her hands and walked out of the mill while drying her hands, and went to the dam to have a look.After looking around and waiting to try the slot, I stopped by the village to see Yang's Dongsheng's mother.It's a new thing for the child to see off the guests for three days without turning around.Twenty or thirty miles is not too far, and there are no wolves, tigers and leopards in normal times, and the road is flat, so you won't get lost in the dark at night.Could it be that there were caterpillars on the eyes, and they fell into the "sinkhole" and "ground hole" (the crater that has been dead for thousands of years) by the roadside?Or chasing a deer and a rabbit, slipping into the snow and rolling into a paddy field, only to be exterminated if he couldn't get out? (There is always a trace in the snow!) There is only one other reason, that is, I have made up my mind earlier, I want to learn from Xue Rengui, and go to the army to go forward. Then he walked, but he was an errand in the bureau, he was already a soldier in the village, and he wanted to take the exam, how could there be more convenient things?According to rural customs, although it is common for young children to leave their hometowns, as a rule, it only happens when they are stimulated by some foreign events: they lose face when they are angry with someone, they cannot explain the money they lost in gambling, and they have a relationship with some woman, which is difficult to end. It is not easy to stay together for a long time, and it is inevitable that there will be such a move in the rear, either walking together or alone, trying to pull yourself out of your hometown and out of your distress, and get a turning point.As far as Dongsheng is concerned, these problems are not a problem.When the master of the bureau went to Zhuangzi to provide a report, it proved that Xue Rengui's military participation was not credible.There is only a little bit of doubt, whether it is because Qiaoxiu is lost, there is no news for half a month, Dongshengzi is honest, there is something hidden in his heart, and he can't say it, so he has to volunteer to find Qiaoxiu back.Maybe he made a vow beforehand and never returned home if he couldn't find it, so he disappeared.Naturally, this is just the conjecture of the master in the bureau, without evidence.However, starting from this point, there were some false rumors in the village: Dongsheng went to Hongyankou, saw Qiaoxiu whose family was fleeing, and knew that he and Chuansuona Zhongzhai people wanted to escape to Changde Mansion, so they bumped into each other by chance. .Fearing that something might happen to Dongsheng's baby, the couple tied him up with a rope and threw him into the big river at the mouth of the river.Although the incident was not witnessed, the words reached the old lady's ears.The old lady felt sad, half-believed, and wanted to go see Dongsheng's mother and comfort the woman.For the time being, twenty large eggs were placed in small baskets.

There are more than 200 families in Gaojian area, except for the Yang family and the Duan family, whose surnames are Manchu, they are regarded as a rich family, and the old lady's family is also the face of this family.Some of the property on the hillside near the village belongs to this family.In addition, there are oil mills, mills and other industries that belong to the clan, which are changed every three years and managed in turn.There is also a small official salt grocery store opened on the outside market of Wulichang. The production is not much, and it is only used as a place for family members to catch up with the market.The man in charge of the house passed away when he was about forty years old, and the current person who took over the management is a hale and hearty old lady who is over sixty years old.Her husband has been dead for almost twenty years.There are two boys and two girls: the girl is married, and there are only two boys around her. The older one is the captain of the local regiment defense bureau who just got married.The two brothers are usually responsible for their duties, and the older one has only studied in private school for three years, and has little influence on "Zi Yue".According to the interests and needs of a child with property in the countryside and the needs of protecting his family, he can't help playing with guns and clubs happily.There are long-term laborers, hunting dogs, and guns in the family, and there are guests, so the whole winter is spent on the so-called hunting work of "catching tigers and chasing elks".

The old lady came from a poor background, simple and thrifty.The family property is inherited from generations of diligence and thrift, so the family retains some traditional rules.As usual, his clothes are patched everywhere, but his eyes are always abnormally clean.The inner and outer clothes are washed with rice milk slurry, and the upper body is neat and tidy, and there is a slight sour taste of rice milk and the smell of hay.The head and feet are neatly tidied up, which not only shows the identity of the elders, but also shows a little bit of the character of the old rural women.All behaviors seem to have nothing to do with books, but they are in line with the suspense of the ancients in every way, especially in terms of temperament.Understand the principle of gathering and dispersing wealth, and usually support relatives and neighbors, and never be too stingy.When part of the property is dispersed, more parts are kept.A village is either relatives or friends, and if someone has a funeral or a happy event, Yue Mao Mao loses her baby, or her son is seriously ill, when she talks to the hostess of the family, she will accompany her in sorrow and joy as usual.Afterwards, he quietly sent someone to send a few liters of rice or two catties of sliced ​​sugar, doing his best.Everything is done very naturally.

The family does not have certain religious beliefs. The gods in the house include a heaven, earth, monarch, relative and teacher tablet, as well as Tai Sui and the land god.There is a kitchen god in the kitchen house, and there are ghosts and gods in the pigsty, cowshed, and barn.Every morning and evening, the old lady washes her hands and personally bows and offers incense.On the fifteenth day of every lunar month, you have to eat Guanyinzhai to thank and wish the family and animals a safe life.All kinds of god-worship ceremonies must be held according to the seasons throughout the year, or eating fast to purify the heart, or killing pigs to fulfill one's vows, no matter what, one follows the custom in everything.During the Chinese New Year in December, gold leaf happy money and auspicious couplets are pasted on the gates and pigpens and cattle pens to celebrate the Harvest Festival.He also prepared some money and rice to distribute to relatives and neighbors.There are not many people who are shy and timid to ask for loans, and as usual, they will get what they want.

The property of the family is quite rich, and there are people in need of care and management. In addition to the Ding Zhuang who serves as the regiment defense bureau to protect the security of a village, the family also employs three or four long-term workers and a close relative to manage the affairs.There are inexhaustible by-products from oil mills and mills, so they often raise four fat and strong oxen, a pen of fat pigs, a dozen goats, thirty or fifty chickens and ducks, more than ten litters of pigeons, and several watchdogs.There is a big walnut tree in the center of the compound, two golden pheasants and a pair of big-eared foreign rabbits are fed in the bamboo cage, and there are several boxes of bees in the bamboo garden behind the house.Although the foreign business economy is handled by the children of the family in charge, internal and external income and expenditure, exchanges with relatives, and the amount of debts, there is a "wordless scripture" written in the old lady's heart. When she mentions it, she can tell the source.

The old lady is a realist for daily housework, a symbolist for spiritual life, and an idealist for her children; while acknowledging the present, she pins some hopes on tomorrow.The eldest son has the strength to protect the family, and has the energy to have two sons and two daughters. She still has time to negotiate marriages for her grandchildren.The two granddaughters are also promised to others in one city and one village.As for the matter of the second son, according to the old lady's opinion, since he has studied, he can follow the rules of the provincial city and be free. Find a female student from the city and let her teach in the family's primary and secondary school, play the organ and sing, It's fine for the young couple to stay in the city and teach elementary school, as long as the second son is happy.The second son said that it would not be too late to get married after ten years. ... As for Dongsheng, she thought she would help out this little kid, and when he was an adult looking for a wife, she would give him three or five acres of mountain land to manage his own business.

The old lady's dream was quite healthy and bleak in the local area at the time.Because of the saying that "people have a thousand calculations, and the sky has a calculation", all the reasonably built pavilions will collapse together and become a pile of broken snow and ice when the sky's calculation appears. , over the stone dam, through the bridge, into the river, and finally finished.Because the foundation of this small society is built on the foundation of a larger society.The rural economy is collapsing, and most of the economies of the counties and provinces are maintained by the transit tax of opium.In Gaojian Village, there is a Regiment Defense Headquarters, with 30 old-fashioned self-defense guns. Most of the regiment's expenses also depend on the transit protection tax of 10 yuan for each smuggler who escorts small-scale cigarette dealers within the area they belong to.According to the custom, just send a guide to take a business card to cross the border and fulfill the responsibility.The next section of the road will be under the responsibility of the regiment in another area.

The old lady saw that the long-time worker came out of the village carrying two halves of millet, and walked straight to the mill, followed by two people, one from the face, and the other was Dongsheng's mother who was going to visit.Before I could say hello, I found that Aunt Yang was embarrassed and anxious, and hurried to greet her, "Auntie, Auntie, have you come back from Dongsheng? I was going to see you!" Aunt Yang's feet were covered in slush, haggard and timid, her body seemed to be much smaller than usual, and she softly cursed herself, "Bodhisattva, I really recite time!"

The old lady guessed a little bit from her expression, and asked the strange countryman, "Brother, are you a newcomer?" The long-term worker who picked the millet quickly said, "You are pretending to be an old cousin, this is the old lady of the captain, tell me about you, don't hide it, don't be afraid." The old lady let the crowd into the mill, knowing that the matter was serious. The man was cold and anxious, his mouth seemed to be in knots, he said it two or three times before he cleared his throat and explained his purpose.It was known from the population that Dong Sheng, who had been missing for three days, and the two bags of smoke and earth he was escorting were robbed by two brothers from the Ueda family and a small group of people in the stockade at Hongyankou, ten miles away.Because first of all, I went to the small restaurant opened by the old cousin Jimao to warm up at the foot of the mountain, and then they went up the mountain together, and went to nowhere.Ji Mao recognized Dong Sheng, seeing Dong Sheng still smiling at Mimi, he thought it was not a big deal.Yesterday, when I was rushing to the market, I heard that Dongsheng hadn't returned to the village for a long time. The team leader even sent a message to find Dongsheng to inquire about his whereabouts. Only then did he know that Dongsheng was robbed together with the tobacco gang and could not return.In that group of people, apart from the two brothers Tianjiazhuangzi who are familiar with each other, there is also a man who everyone calls him Fifth Brother, who looks like a Zhongzhai native who can play the suona. He is only a good young man in his twenties. Carrying a box cannon, majestic.Dongsheng also smiled at him and pretended to be his old cousin at the chicken, but he didn't understand the meaning.The visitor repeatedly asked the old lady not to publicize that he had made the report, because he was afraid that the Tian family brothers would burn the house tomorrow for revenge.He was also afraid that if he didn't come to report, someone in the future would hold him back together, thinking that this group of people had gone to his shop to have a fire.The escape of the two natives further proved that what happened before and after is absolutely true.

In the second half of the day, this matter spread throughout Gao Jian.Tell the captain, this is everyone who loses face.So an emergency meeting of the village security was called at the regimental defense bureau immediately to discuss whether this matter should be a private settlement or report to the county.At the scene, a young and energetic Man family said: "The Hongyankou area is originally within the security range of the captain. This behavior of the Tian family is close to deliberately denying the Man family's account. If it is private, according to the rules, it must be sent in this way." People come forward to contact, discuss the amount, and the whole family can pay a sum of money to redeem the goods. This matter is a bit embarrassing. There must be no exceptions in everything. Once you give in and show weakness, there may be a second story. And there are still people in the group A Zhongzhai man who abducted Qiaoxiu and escaped, abducted Huang Huanv, and dared to show up to deceive others, even more like spit in the face of Gao Jian." His words were not unreasonable.The captain and the master weighed the importance, and they both advocated summoning Ding Zhuang while reporting to the county to suppress the bandits.The team leader went to the county seat to report the matter in person, and asked the county magistrate to lead a team to the countryside to supervise and punish one hundred policemen.The county magistrate is a young soldier who changed his job, and he had a good talk with the captain. He was young and happy, and was about to go hunting in the countryside, so he went to live in the captain's house. sedan chair, and go to the countryside with the captain.When we arrived in Gaojian, the county magistrate lived in the captain's house, and the 30 county police teams all lived downstairs in the regimental defense bureau of Yaowang Palace.The village suddenly became lively. The county magistrate went on a tour of Qing Township and arrived at Gaojian. As soon as the news came out, the head of the brigade sent a local detective from the Tianjiazhai in Bali, Hongyankou, and came back to report that the Tian brothers brought four guns and a few loads of goods in the morning. Picking glutinous rice cakes, three stones of rice, a barrel of oil, more than a dozen people and more than 20 knives and forks, a total of 30 or so people went to the tiger cave together.Dongsheng, Qiaoxiu and the Zhongzhai man who played suona were also in the team.Dongsheng was shriveled and haggard, with only one foot bare.The Tian family brothers also joked, encouraging the courage of the country people in the village, "The county magistrate will come in person, so don't be afraid. We guard the upper and lower holes, and the heavenly soldiers and generals have to look up. When they are tired of watching, they take the people from the nearby villages." The fat hens are gone, the county magistrate still has to go back to the county in a sedan chair, Monet, I am Tian Lao Liu." The county magistrate has long understood that there is a problem with the brutality of the people in the mining areas near the border, and it is not easy to rule with military power.The original intention was to take advantage of the people's fear of their parents and officials, and went out to patrol and suppress bandits in name. In fact, they came to live in the homes of a few local gentry in this area, ate and drank a few times, held meetings, and discussed a solution.So the person in charge of the district where the accident happened can hand over the good and evil of the person involved in the case, or just mention the unlucky countryman (or the one who committed the crime three or five years ago or was just poor and never did bad things). Cut off the head and hang it on the field set to show the public.On the other hand, a meeting was held, and each village was guaranteed to raise a sum of money for bullets, condolences, public banquets, and straw sandals. Fifty, and as Mrs. Zhi was heartbroken, she asked for a hundred and eighty taels of "white flowers, shade-dried pulp" and three or fifty taels of bright red arrow sand, so they blew the victory horn and lined up to go back to the Yamen .He sent his secretary to write a press release and send it to the subsidized newspaper in the province, declaring that the county seat would go on a tour on a certain day and return on a certain day, and personally lead a team into the bandit area to kill the gangsters "Sai Songjiang" and "Peng Yaouma".On the one hand, he reported the incident to the provincial government as a real incident, and also publicized it with a humble title.If there are more tricks, you can also publish a newspaper in the name of a representative of a certain township, and bet three times with one bet.The opportunity is good, the official luck is good, maybe because of this, he will be promoted to a commissioner soon. The Tian family brothers are not stupid, they know all kinds of things well.However, although he saw the county seat's usual psychology, he ignored the emotional state of the county magistrate and the captain who wanted to save face at this time. Five o'clock after receiving the report, Gao Jian's more than a hundred strong men were ordered to gather together, brought self-defense weapons and food, and encircled and suppressed the bandits in Laohudong. The county magistrate personally supervised the battle.Because of the visit of the county magistrate, the whole village and the team leader have been busy and excited to an incomparable situation.The two women were particularly careless, frightened, and very sad. They didn't know what to do. They were silent and hid together in the mill, watching the procession start from the gap in the low wall with trembling hearts.One is Dongsheng's old mother, who is only worried that Dongsheng, who is forced to flee into the tiger's cave with her, will die together in the chaos, and die with that group of strong men, cutting off her life and all hopes.The other one is the old mother of the captain, who thought it was not an option for the Hetian family to have a grudge over this trivial matter.Instead of mobilizing a large number of people and letting the city guards come to eat and drink and entertain, and make a whole village feel panic-stricken, it is better to send acquaintances to negotiate and spend some money to save trouble.There was the new daughter-in-law next to the two of them, her face was shy and bright, and she didn't know what to say or think.Although the captain had already mounted the white mule, put on a loaded box cannon, and set off after the county magistrate, he seemed to have suddenly realized the widowed mother's frail love and foresight, and hurried back to the mill. "Mommy, mommy, don't worry about me, there are so many of us, we won't suffer!" But when I see the wrinkled and wet eyes of the old lady Man and Aunt Yang, and the dark eyes of the new daughter-in-law, I understand that there is a deeper meaning to the worries of the older generation in the family, and I can't help but look a little bit worried. Panicked, she said congealedly: "Mother, don't worry! We won't kill people casually. They are all family members, and there is no wrong or enmity. The county magistrate also said that as long as he is willing to hand over Dong Shenghe... just pay a small fine and it will be settled. I will not do stupid things to kill a person, and let future generations become enemies and entangle them endlessly!" The old lady said: "You must be careful, don't have any accidents! You are no better than the county magistrate, and you can cause big disasters. If you get into trouble, you will run away. You are a local, with your back stuck to the dirt, and your grandfather's grave They are all buried here, so you can’t do anything wrong! My heart aches from this incident. I beseech you, Lao Tzu, bless you, Bodhisattva bless you, I made a wish to kill two pigs for you! I hope all is well! " The new daughter-in-law was young and ignorant, but felt that the team leader was extraordinarily powerful. When Yingjun and his party set off for Tiger Cave, the women, children, and elders of the village stood together on the fields in front of the gate and in the open lawn in front of the Yaowang Palace to watch the excitement.This messy team and the tranquility of the countryside after the snow just formed a contrast, giving people a very vivid impression. It doesn't look like an unnecessary war, just like a field hunt for instant gratification. Tiger Cave is located 20 miles east of Gaojian, just two miles away from the border with the Ninth Free Zone of the county.The Tian surname was originally a common surname in Jiubao. In the first few generations, there were a tribute student, a general, and a battalion commander after entering the Republic of China.One house managed the mercury mine in Houziping for two years.This little fame and power is quite meaningful in the countryside.What affected this family was that some of the children transferred from peasants to middle schools in the county, and the other part transferred from the fields to the cottages, retaining the illusion that they have no interest in muddy fields and inkstone fields without farming.At first, they only used sickles to harvest other people's crops. With the development of the long-term civil war and social degeneration in the Republic of China, they learned to use firearms to harvest other people's property.There are some unworthy children who can't keep a foothold in the village, so they transfer to Gaojian to plan the barren mountain.The richest land in the Gaojian genus was originally in the village where Manjia lived, the Yiba Dongshui field and the Sishan tea Tongzi lacquer, plus the big market on Wuliguan Road to the village. Trading, that is, the collection and distribution of mountain goods, salt, cloth, tea and lacquer, also affects the economic life of many people. The unique advantages are enough to make other villagers envy.Coupled with the concentrated power of the big Manchu family, it is naturally easier to feel unfair for other village security guards.Tiger Cave is considered extremely barren in Gaojian. It is located in the lower reaches of the Wuchao River. In winter, the water source is small, and the riverbank is full of bluestones and weeds.There are two rows of cliffs on Jia'an, some of which grow boxwood trees and miscellaneous trees, while others are standing on the wall without vegetation.Tiger Cave is divided into two caves, the upper and lower caves, both of which are located on the cliff hundreds of feet away from the river beach. The location is inherently dangerous.One hole was dry and filled with white sand.There is a natural well spring in one hole, which is inexhaustible in winter and summer, flowing outward into a small hanging waterfall.The area of ​​the two caves can accommodate about a thousand people. Usually, after October, only the countrymen come to boil the cave salt, which is used as gunpowder for earth cannons or fireworks. , took food and cooking utensils, and fled to the cave for refuge, and returned to the village after the dangerous period passed.Later, a refugee gave birth to a child in the cave, and the child grew up to become a career. Therefore, a temple for the goddess was built in the dry cave. The robes are all pink.Since there are often incense offerings in the place, there are not many people.It’s just that it’s too dangerous. Although the place is beautiful, it’s desolate. Standing at the entrance of the cave and looking down, looking into the distance, sometimes you can see a haze covering trees and rocks, gurgling springs, and singing strange birds, which makes people feel unworldly and detached. Since the two holes were pre-occupied by the Tian family, once the road is blocked, it will become a desperate situation.In addition to the thin vines and miscellaneous trees growing in the crevices of the nearby small hills, flying squirrels and monkeys can climb up, and it is impossible for anyone to go up and down. The intention of the Tian family who committed the crime was simply to seize the local goods and let Dongsheng go back to spread the word. They estimated that the whole family was rich and fearful, so they could exchange two or three guns.Things don't scale up.Coincidentally, Dongsheng and Guaiqiaoxiu fled to Tianjiazhai to meet with a suona player, so he temporarily detained Dongsheng, and released Dongsheng when they sent people to exchange guns and fled to the edge of Guizhou.Unexpectedly, Wu used Kong Ming to make calculations and couldn't grasp the reality.For the sake of saving face, the captain invited the county magistrate to go out on a patrol to suppress the bandits.As a result, due to the sudden change, it is impossible to catch the turtle in the urn and let people plot against it, so everyone had to flee into the tiger's cave together, wait for work with ease, and drag the captain into a soft place before negotiating. When the local people's armed forces concentrated on both ends of the cliff at the bottom of the river, and when they were about to blockade Tian's family, the gang in the cave really just waited for work and didn't care. They beat drums, gongs, shouted and laughed every day.If everything is confident, we must fight for a long time. And if it goes on for a long time, the officials and the people of Gaojian Village will definitely admit defeat under fatigue and hunger.Since the terrain is favorable for the group in the cave, the new firearms below are not only impossible to use, but also they have to find cover among the grass and rocks to prevent the firearms or stone eggs from above to aim at them. Many situations are similar to the war methods described in Homer's epics.The difference between the present and the past is that under such circumstances, even if a smart person thought of loading warriors on a wooden horse, he would still be unable to get close to the entrance of the cave, so he took advantage of the gap to enter the cave. The county magistrate first stopped behind a large rock pile and directed the offensive.After firing a hundred shots, the sound of gongs and drums above became even more lively.It was dusk, and the night wind in the valley was getting tighter, so we had to stop attacking, and sent soldiers to cut down pine trees and build a shed in a secluded place, set up a fire to make food, and everyone stayed overnight. The next day, I came up with an idea, mobilized 30 county police teams to climb up the opposite mountain from Hongyankou, three miles away, and leaned on the cliff of the opposite mountain to find the cave. The three statues in red satin robes approached the entrance of the cave, and the gongs and drums came out of the cave again.Although the bullets hit the target in the hole, they couldn't hurt the mocking performances made by mixing wildness and stubbornness.There were really new weapons in the cave, and about a dozen gunshots fired back at the entrance of the cave. From the gunshots, the captain could distinguish the famous springfield, small-mouth tight and box cannons at that time, and there were five guns in total, one more than the detective report. . Although the captain killed sheep and pigs as a reward, he also prepared bacon, game and Maotai wine for the county magistrate, and sent someone from home to bring tiger skin and raccoon leather mattresses to live in the field. On the fourth day, the county magistrate's hunting interest Excitement has faded away, but the bandit suppression excitement is exactly like what the Tian family brothers said, it is completely replaced by exhaustion. They say that the county still has a township cleaning meeting, and they have to rush back to preside over it.He also said that the gangsters in the cave have become turtles in the urn, and sooner or later the leader will be awarded. As long as a few people are sent to guard the intersection at the foot of the mountain, and then make a good plan to guard both ends of the rock wall and the road of Hongyankou Village, no matter how stubborn the bandits are, they will still be awarded the leader sooner. Success!So he summoned the people of Gaojian, gave lectures for an hour and a half, commanded a large set of strategies, and quoted many words from "Sun Tzu's Art of War" piecemeal, which proved that martial arts, morality and martial arts are both perfect and beautiful. The leader got into the sedan chair, escorted thirty huddled earthen teams, several loads of local specialties donated by the captain, a large jar of rice wine, a large jar of fungus oil, and a reward from the people. One hundred and forty catties of fat officials' meat mounds were pressed on the backs of the three bearers, and they swayed back to the county seat. The captain became a war supervisor, adopted the opinion of "Military Advisor Wu Yong", and used the idioms in "Sun Tzu's Art of War" to stabilize his sense of failure and continue to encircle. On the seventh day, Gao Jian belonged to the self-defense forces in other villages.Most of the food they brought has been eaten up, and the Chinese New Year is approaching, and everyone has something to do, so they have to ask to go home.According to the team leader, the weather is so cold, it is very natural for everyone to go home.However, the county magistrate issued a very strict order at this time, "The conquest is limited to ten days, and there is no delay and hesitation, which will make it inconvenient to do it."The last sentence seemed to have kicked the head of the team hard in the waist, making him feel dizzy, anxious and angry.It's true that if you can't bear it, you will make big plans. I deeply regret that I didn't discuss it with my mother in advance, and it turned out to be a difficult situation. In the game, the master and I each carried a quilt and went to Hongyankou Tiger Cave to watch the battle.First, I went down the river to look for a long time, and then climbed up the opposite mountain to enjoy it.All the scenes were prepared as if they were suitable only for a landscape painter, not for bloodshed. But in fact, in the two caves, there are about 30 lively people who are under siege.If the siege continues, one day all the people in the cave will starve to death.However, at this time, the sound of gongs, drums and cheers can be heard day and night in the cave.Sensitive to the scene, the master came up with a new idea, thinking that he could climb up the rock from behind.If you can climb up, it is estimated that the distance from the top to the entrance of the cave will not be one hundred and fifty steps.There are many stonemasons in the village, why not send two of them to the top of the Tiger Cave, slowly build a path from the crack of the rock to the entrance of the cave, and make an offensive from above?Before we reach the entrance of the cave, we can send someone to negotiate with the person at the helm inside to see if we can negotiate. The two stonemasons really set to work and worked for seven or eight days. When they reached the top of the peak wall, they knew that the rocks were scattered in the cracks in the mountain, and they could barely climb up and down by climbing vines and vines.Therefore, at the same time, people were sent to guard the top of the mountain, so as not to escape by this road.In just nine days, the cliff road has been driven to less than three feet away from the upper cave, and people in the cave can already be heard talking. The team leader climbed the rope from the top and slipped onto the stone mouth, calling for the people in the cave to negotiate.As long as the three parties are allowed to hand over all three, the safety of a group of people can be guaranteed.The man in the cave promised to return the goods, but he would not hand over his gun.The purpose is to hand over the guns. Although everything is fine now, there is not much confidence in the safety of the few people in the future.Especially the Tian family brothers who were the chief conspirators, and the Zhongzhai man who escaped from Qiaoxiu and played the suona, who called the fifth brother in charge at the entrance of the cave, I am afraid that the captain will not let him go.If they don't hand in their guns, the team leader can't help worrying.Because he is familiar with the habits of country people, the incident started from "not convinced". After running away for ten miles, the master of the bureau and the people from Zhongzhai discussed the solution, but the problem was still deadlocked and could not be resolved.But because of this, she knows that Qiaoxiu is indeed hiding in the cave as the wife of the village, and she doesn't speak when the master calls her. The last one is Dongsheng’s mother, Aunt Yang, with a thick hemp rope tied around her waist, and she brought two new clothes, a pair of shoes, and two catties of glutinous rice cakes. To summon souls alive. "Dongsheng, Dongsheng, are you still there?" I only heard a message from someone in the cave: "Dongsheng, Dongsheng, someone is calling you! Your mother is here!" Dongsheng, who was detained, also crawled to the entrance of the cave after a while, raised his head and called his mother timidly and happily, "Ma, Ma, I'm still alive, neither cold nor hungry, you don't have to worry!" Fragile The voice is full of emotion. Aunt Yang was half crying and half hissing with tears in her eyes: "Dongsheng, you are still alive, and you are urging people to death! What sins did your father do in the past three lives, and the retribution will be on your head! Please beg them to let you out!" While feeling overwhelmed with grief, he greeted Qiaoxiu and the brothers of the Tian family, "Boss Tian and the second son, my Yang family and you have no grievances or enmities, and the Yang family's incense is only this seedling, why don't you accumulate some virtue and let him out? Qiaoxiu , Qiaoxiu, you evil spirit! You should also do something good and say something good! Manjia raised you for sixteen years and treated you like their own son and daughter, you want to fly far away before you grow wings!" Qiaoxiu felt ashamed and couldn't reply, but Dongkou Tian's second child said, "Aunt Yang, I want your captain to let us go! We are all from our hometown, so why bother to kill us all? The captain said he would starve us to death. I don't believe it. We won’t starve to death if we drag it on for another half a year. We keep what we say, and we won’t misidentify people. The Manchu family used their power to force the county magistrate to come to Hongyankou to clean up the village and clean up the chickens and ducks in the village. He didn’t succeed, so he returned to the yamen on three sedan chairs. One of our Tian’s family members died, and his whole family should pay for it. We can escape or not, and see how long he can delay.” "This is your own account, what do you care about my doll named Yang?" "Madam Yang, don't worry, you were born here in winter, we won't touch a single hair of him. You ask him if he is hungry or cold.Whether the bell is untied or the one who tied it depends on what the captain does! " Aunt Yang had no choice but to throw down the little food she brought, and left the place sadly and desperately.Soon this place was replaced by a few country fools, who brought big moso bamboo to make fireworks with pepper powder, tied them to one end of a long bamboo pole, lit them and hung them down to the entrance of the cave. After a while, only poisonous fireworks were seen. Roaring and emitting smoke and fire towards the entrance of the cave, the valley between the two mountains continued to echo strangely and frighteningly.The man in the cave figured out a way to put a temporary wooden fork against the bamboo pole and move it sideways.When the fireworks burst, the valley shook even louder.But it is obvious that all these inventions are of no avail and are almost child's play. Both the attacking and the defending sides have exhausted the brains of the country people and are full of classical romantic atmosphere. After exhausting the wisdom and knowledge gathered by the peasants in the villages and villages through thousands of years of fishing and hunting, both sides still refuse to admit defeat and will not give in in the end.After the seventeenth day, due to the shortage of people in the cave, they took turns defending too hungry and exhausted. On a foggy morning, finally a few strong countrymen from Gaojian, full of courage and excitement of hunting, captured the entrance of the dry cave.The fourteen people guarding the cave had no time to escape to the upper water cave, so they had to retreat inward, and refused to surrender even though they were at a dead end.Because of the attack on the entrance of the cave, one of the Gaojian people was injured and died. The stonemason of Gaojian built a stone wall in the narrow part of the cave to seal the way out. Guzi's wooden wind donkey came up the mountain, opened a hole between the stone walls, prepared twenty or thirty catties of spicy peppers, and ten catties of sulfur, and slowly ignited the poisonous smoke with charcoal fire. The smoke fanned into the hole.All designs are still based on the experience gained from fishing and hunting, and are full of the basic excitement of fishing and hunting.Since there was no water in the cave, the fourteen peasants were smothered to death after half a day.Three days later, after the poisonous smoke cleared, someone from the team went into the cave to check, only to find out that all fourteen people had died on the ground for a long time, and at the same time, more than 20 large white mice were found, each weighing more than ten catties. The fat ones are like piglets.The leader of the team cut off the hands of fourteen people at the wrist, together with those big mice, picked up a load of hands and four loads of mice, and transported them to the Gaojian Regiment Defense Bureau, and hung those white hands in front of the gate of the bureau. Displayed under the walnut tree.The women and children of a village were all frightened and curious, and they stood on the ridge of the field from a distance to look at the display.Early the next morning, the vice-captain took this thing to the county seat to repay his meritorious service. On the fifth day after the capture of Qiandong, the mouth of Shuidong was also attacked by some fierce countrymen, forcing the remaining group to flee to the depths of the cave.But this time the situation is quite different, and both the offensive and defensive sides understand it very well.The situation of this cave is very special. Once you enter it less than five zhang, there is a rock gate as high as zhang, and you have to climb more than zhang high to go deep.The well spring inside is inexhaustible all the year round, and the cave is still warm and dry, which is very suitable for living in. The inside is tall and spacious, and it is extremely dark, but the entrance of the cave is condescending, which is very clear.The people inside defecate and flow out with the water, and the drinking of those who occupy the entrance of the cave is a big problem, and they have to fetch water from the bottom of the mountain.Dongsheng and Qiaoxiu are both in the cave, the previous method is obviously not suitable or useful, and they still have to use the method of sitting and sleeping to wait for changes.Therefore, a wall was still built near the rock wall in the cave to seal off the inside and outside.The captain and more than a dozen people guarded the entrance of the cave, and waited in a way of waiting for work. Aunt Yang ran back and forth for another forty miles, climbed up to the entrance of the hanging rock cave and negotiated for Dongsheng, but was unsuccessful, so she returned to the village timidly and timidly with heartbreaking sorrow.The masters in the bureau are willing to volunteer and enter the cave bravely, and take care of each other's safety with their lives, but they can't negotiate a result.Outside the cave, in order to express calmness, the team leader sent someone to move the gramophone from home to sing operas to comfort the team members.In order to resist this kind of stimulation, a sobbing suona was added to the sound of gongs and drums, and "Mountain Sheep" was played again and "Wind and Snow Full of Mountains" was played again. It turned out that when the Zhongzhai people took Qiaoxiu on the road, they did not Not forgetting his ancestral musical instruments, but also well preserved. But the strength of each other has gradually divided, and the county magistrate sent a small captain to inspect it again, and brought an order, thinking that the evil should be eliminated, and the gangsters should not slip through the net, and rewarded a few empty words, which made everyone The captain had no choice but to make a plan to kill the weeds. Inside the cave, he knew that things were hopeless, and his emotions became more and more solidified and agitated.The Tian family brothers repeatedly wanted to punish Dongsheng to vent their anger. When they wanted to put their hands on the child's throat, Qiaoxiu always managed to save him and begged him not to take his anger out on others. Dongsheng was spared in the end. First of all, when the upper and lower caves were not submerged and the top of the mountain was not blocked, there was still time for everyone to escape, and they could have dropped their heavy weapons and quietly escaped along the mountain crevice.But since I said it first, I said that it would take a year and a half to exhaust Gao Jian's family, this move would be a loss to the Tian family's face, and it would be shameful in the future.In addition, he thinks that he has the natural danger and is confident, so this time he is bold enough to underestimate the opponent.到半月后经过一回会议分析检讨，结果有十六个少壮，揣带一腰带烟土，半夜里爬山沿山缝小路逃走，预备向下河去掉换几支短枪，再返回来找机会打救援。其余人都刺手指吃了血酒，盟神发誓，有福同享，有祸同当，至死不离本位。下洞既已失陷，生力军牺牲大半，上洞中连同巧秀和冬生，已经只余八个人。虽说洞口已砌了墙，隔绝内外，还是不能不防备万一，六个人分成两班，分班轮流坐在洞里崖壁高处放哨。巧秀和冬生却不分派职务，可以各处走动。 冬生和巧秀原本极熟，一个月来患难中同在一处，因此谈起了许多事情。冬生和她谈起逃走后一村子里的种种，从满家事情谈起，直到他自己离开药王宫那天下午为止。加上这一个月来洞中生活，从巧秀看来，真好象是整本《梁山泊》、《天雨花》，却更比那些传奇唱本故事离奇动人。把这一月经过的日子和以前十七年岁月对比，一切都简直象在梦里，更分不清目前究竟是真是梦。 巧秀听过后吁了吁气说：“冬生，我们都落了难，是命里注定，不会有人来搭救了！” 冬生福至心灵，忽然触着了机关，从石罅间看出一线光明，“巧秀，人不来打救我们要自寻生路。我们悄悄的去和五哥说，大家不要在这里同归于尽，死了无益！只有这一着棋是生路！” “他们都吃了血酒，赌过咒，同生共死，你一说出口，刀子会窝心扎进去！” “你和他有床头恩爱情分，去说说好！他们做他们的英雄，我们做我们的爬爬虫，悄悄的爬了出去吧。” 当巧秀趁空向吹唢呐解闷的中寨人诉说心意时，中寨人愣愣的不则一声。巧秀说，“你要杀我你就杀了我，我哼也不哼一声。我愿意和你在这洞里同生共死，血流在一块。不想我死，你也不愿死，做做好事，放冬生一条生路，杨大娘家只有这一个命根根，人做好事有好报应，天有眼睛的！” 中寨人心想：“冬生十五岁，你十七岁，我二十一岁，都不应当死！可是命里注定，谁也脱不了！” 巧秀说：“五哥，你拿定主意再说吧。要死我俩一块死，想活我陪你活。” 中寨人低低叹了口气：“我要活，人不让我们活，天不让我们活！” 谈话于此就结束了。思索却继续在这个二十一岁青春生命中作各种挣扎燃烧。 到了晚上，派定五哥和另外两个人守哨。大家都已经一个月不见阳光，生活在你死我亡紧张中苦撑，吃的又越来越坏，所以都疲乏万分。两个人不免都睡着了。只中寨人反复嚼着和巧秀白天说的话，兴奋未眠。在洞中生活过了很久，原来还有一盏马灯，大半桶煤油，到后来为节省煤油，在灯下也无事可作，就不再用灯，只凭轻微呼吸即可感觉分别各人的距离和某一人。守哨的去洞口较近，休息的在里边，两者相去有二三十丈。中寨人从呼吸上辨别得出巧秀和冬生都在近旁，轻轻的爬到他们身边去，摇醒了两个人。 “冬生，冬生，你赶快和你嫂子溜下崖去，带她出去，凭良心和队长说句好话，不要磨折她！这回事情是田家兄弟和我起的意，别人全不相干！我们吃过了血酒，不能卖朋友，要死一齐死在这个洞里了。巧秀还年青，肚子里有了毛毛，让她活下来，帮我留个种。你应当帮她说句话，不要昧良心！” 大队长在洞口拥着一条獾子皮的毯子，正迷蒙入睡，忽然警觉，听到洞里窸窣作响，好象有人在急促的爬动。随即听到一个充满了惶急恐怖脆弱低低呼喊：“大队长，大队长，赶快移开石头，救我的命！赶快些，要救命！” 大队长一面知会其他队兵，一面低声招唤，“冬生，是你吗？你是鬼是人？你还活着吗？” “你赶快！是我！我鼻子眼睛都好，全胡全尾的！”末一句原是乡下顽童玩蟋蟀的术语，说得几人都急里迸笑。 石墙撤去一道小口，把人拖出后，看看原来先出的是巧秀，前后离开了高枧不到五十天的巧秀。冬生出来后还来不及说话，就只听到里面狂呼，且象是随即发生了疯狂传染。很明显，冬生巧秀逃脱事已被人发觉，中寨人作了卖客，洞中同伙发生了火并。中寨人似乎随即带着长嗥，被什么重东西扭着毁了。二十一岁的生命，完了。夜既深静，洞中还反复传送回音，十分凄冽怕人。几人紧张十分的忙把墙缺口封上，静听着那个火并的继续，许久许久才闻及一片毒咒混在呻吟中从洞穴深处喊出，虽微弱却十分清楚：“姓满的，姓满的，你要记着，有一天要你认得我家田老九！” 第二天，发觉洞中流出的泉水已全是红色。两个乡丁冒险进洞去侦察，才发现剩下几个人果然都在昨晚上一种疯狂痉挛中火并，相互用短兵刺得奄奄垂毙了。田家老大似乎在受了重伤后方发觉在暗黑中和他搏斗的是他亲兄弟，自己一匕首扎进心窝子死了。那弟弟受伤后还爬到近旁井泉边去喝水，也伏在泉边死了。到处找寻巧秀的情人，那个吹唢呐的中寨人，许久才知道他是坠入洞壁左侧石缝中死去的。大队长押了从洞中清扫得来的几担杂物，剩余烟土和十只人手，两个从洞中夺回死里逃生的生口，不成人形的巧秀和冬生。冬生手上还提着那个唢呐。封了洞穴，率队回转高枧，预备第二天再带领这十只惨白的手和两个与案情有关的生口，上县城报功，过堂。 当那一串人手依旧悬挂在团防局门前胡桃树下，全村子里妇女老幼都围住附近看热闹时，冬生和巧秀，都在满家大庄子侧屋烤火。各已换了干净衣裳，坐在大火盆边，受老太太、杨大娘、师爷、大队长、二少爷和作客人的我作种种盘问。冬生虽身体憔悴，一切挫折似乎还不曾把青春的火焰弄熄，还一面微笑，一面叙述前前后后事情。一瞥忽发现杨大娘对他痴痴的看定，热泪直流，赶忙站起来走了两步，“娘，你看我不是全胡全尾的回来了吗？” “你全胡全尾，可知道田家人死了多少？作了些什么孽要这样子！” 巧秀想起吹唢呐的中寨人，想起自己将来，低了头去哭了。 满老太太说：“巧秀，不要哭，一切有我！你明天和大队长上县里去，过一过堂，大队长就会作保，领你回来，帮我看碾坊。这两天溪里融雪，水已上了一半堤坝，要碾米过年！ 冤仇宜解不宜结，我明年要做七天水陆道场，超度这些冤枉死了的人，也超度那个中寨人。 ——”当我和师爷和大队长过团防局去时，听到大队长轻轻的和师爷说，“他家老九子走了，上下洞都找不到。 ”又只听到师爷安慰大队长说，“冤家宜解不宜结，老太太还说要做七天七夜道场超度，得饶人处且饶人！ " ……… 快过年了，我从药王宫迁回满家去，又住在原来那个房间里。依然是巧秀抱了有干草干果香味的新被絮，一声不响跟随老太太身后，进到房中。房中大铜火盆依然炭火熊熊爆着快乐火星，旁边有个小茶罐咝咝作响。我依然有意如上一次那么站到火盆边烘手，游目四瞩，看她一声不响的为我整理床铺，想起一个月以前第一回来到这房中作客情景，因此故意照前一回那么说，“老太太，谢谢你！我一来就忙坏了你们，忙坏了这位大姐！……”不知为什么，喉头就为一种沉甸甸的悲哀所扼住，想说也说不下去了。我起始发现了这房中的变迁，上一回正当老太太接儿媳妇婚事进行中，巧秀逃亡准备中，两人心中都浸透了对于当时的兴奋和明日的希望，四十天来的倏忽变化，却俨然把面前两人浸入一种无可形容的悲恻里，且无可挽回亦无可补救的直将带入坟墓。虽然从外表看来，这房中前后的变迁，只不过是老太太头上那朵大红绒花已失去，巧秀大发辫上却多了一小绺白绒绳。 * 巧秀的妈被人逼迫在颈脖上悬个磨石，沉潭只十六年，巧秀的腹中又有了小毛毛。而拐了她同逃的那个吹唢呐的中寨人，才二十一岁，活跳跳的生命即已不再活在世界上，却用另外一种意义更深刻的活在十七岁巧秀的生命里，以及活在这一家此后的荣枯兴败关系中。 我还不曾看过什么“传奇”，比我这一阵子亲身参加的更荒谬更离奇，也想不出还有什么“人生”，比我遇到的更自然更近乎人的本性——一切都若不得已。 满家庄子在新年里，村子中有人牵羊担酒送匾，把大门原有的那块“乐善好施”移入二门，新换上的是“安良除暴”。上匾这一天，满老太太却借故吃斋，和巧秀守在碾坊里碾米。 一九四七年十月北平