——A bunch of letters about the relationship between the king who lives in Luocao, Baman Mountain, marrying his wife, and the Song family This letter has a large eight-line letterhead, and the end of the letterhead is printed with the nine characters "Border Defense Command Headquarters".The envelope is made of light yellow cotton paper, about eight inches long and four inches wide across.In addition to the "Letter from the Frontier Defense Command" also printed on it, it is written that it will be delivered to Qingji Buzhuang on Liye South Street and transferred to Song Auntie Fuqi, and on the back is "Limited to send money before cooking dinner on March 21st." "Two hangs".The letter reads: Song Auntie's Great Lesson: The author has nothing else to do now. Your nephew dragged the team and turned into a bandit. It was not out of intention. This is what your old man knows.Your nephew is morally patriotic, wants to kill corrupt officials, drive out foreign devils, and restore all the land and property lost in the whole country.It's like life can't be controlled by others, it's played by ghosts, and it doesn't go well for a while, so I live in a poor valley and deep in the mountains, comfort each other with my brothers, endure hardships and pains, and wait for the future.But in the past two months, a lot of lambs with old tickets have been returned, and you can imagine your nephew's intentions by sending them home unconditionally. ...Your nephew has always been a human being, and the old man knows it very well.When I was young and saw growing up, the old man could count the scars on his body!On May 17th of this year, I turned 24 years old. I have not achieved anything, and I feel ashamed of the old man.The little lamb who was not as educated as he was transferred from the provincial capital had only one pair of arms that could beat more than ten big men.But when it comes to appearance, it is not a crooked nose and eyes, and it is always in the shape of a human being.Now on the mountain, although it is not a long-term career, if there is an opportunity in the future, it will always make a contribution. This is not your nephew boasting.

The eldest sister is twenty years old this year, and I heard that she hasn't decided on her yet.When it comes to this age of war and chaos, it is really worth worrying about for the elderly.The old man now has a small number of people in his family, and he has to rely on a few uncles for business on the pavement. If he has three illnesses and two pains, wouldn't he not even have a reliable relative?The army stationed in Ye is changing all the time. It is not safe for a girl in her twenties to live with an old lady in her fifties or sixties! Your nephew is exactly four years older than your eldest sister, and he is looking for a housekeeper who can take care of small household chores, so he probably won't insult your elder sister.In fact, it is said to take care of family affairs, and there is nothing else. If the eldest sister is here, it is just to enjoy the blessings together.

Originally, I wanted to invite a "red leaf" who could talk a little bit to interview the old man.Unfortunately, Mr. Lu went to Xiushan to buy cigarettes in the first ten days, and it was inconvenient for Mr. Zhao to go to the city. Mr. Shen did not know the old man, so your nephew specially wrote this letter to discuss with the old man. Please ask the old man to compare the pros and cons of everything, so I don't need to say more. I mean, the eldest sister can be sent up the mountain before the Dragon Boat Festival.It's not good if it's too late, and I can't prepare if it's too early.If you go to the mountain on the third or fourth day of the junior high, you can get married on the day your nephew turns twenty-four, and you don't have to choose a date. The birthday seems to be the best.

The nephew made all the etiquette arrangements, and he was always worthy of the elderly and his eldest sister.Your nephew knows your eldest sister's disposition, although there is no place on the mountain, with daily necessities, your nephew can always make your eldest sister extremely comfortable, just like at home. The eldest sister was brought up spoiled and pampered, she might think she is not used to it when she comes to the mountains, so the old man can rest assured!Everything is prepared here: toilet water, French Paris soap.There are too many canned chicken, beef, fish, and ham for meals.The eldest sister can play the organ, and there are several here.The phonograph is imported from abroad, and there are many films.You can't buy a large full-length mirror in Liye, it's bigger than a cabinet.Everything else - in short, as long as the elder sister wants it, just ask, if there is no one on Zongshan for a while, your nephew will always try to find it, and he will never disappoint the elder sister!

In addition, Mrs. Zhao's Staff Officer, Mrs. Military Supplies, and Mrs. Lu Shiye's concubine—that is, Miss Zhang's Second Miss, who lives in Xiaohe Street's Smokehouse, and she also knows the eldest sister—all live here. If you want to play, you can play, and there are people who play cards. There will be no loneliness.Girl, old lady, you can have as much as you want.If you don't like strangers, it's fine to send the little girl next to the eldest sister. The rules of the brothers are much better than the provincial army stationed on the street. They know obedience and etiquette, and they are mostly people on the street.They don't need to be instructed to respect their eldest sister, and they will respect them twice as much as your nephew. ...Your nephew has to say again: Please ask the old man to compare the pros and cons of everything. There is no need for your nephew to say more. Although your nephew has sworn that he will never disturb the neighbors because of the matter, but when it is unavoidable, Brothers going down the mountain is also unavoidable!It depends on what the elders mean.

Your nephew's hope is that the old man will hire four laborers to bring the eldest sister to the foot of the mountain in a sedan chair, and your nephew will send some brothers to welcome the eldest sister up the mountain.There is no need to alarm the neighbors with big gongs and drums, both parties will save trouble and everyone will be at peace.If your nephew must bring his brothers and rush into the village with lanterns and torches, to embarrass a few half-dead guards, and frighten the elders to sleep all night, then you can only blame the old man for not being sure of things! Hereby respectfully pay respects to Fu'an, and wait for the reply!

Little nephew Shi Daoyi salutes On March 20th at Shanzhai Camp The person who delivered the letter was not as slutty as mentioned in the novel. What kind of green cloth baotou, what kind of night clothes, what kind of single knife in the waist, maybe that has become a thing of a certain era in the past.This man, like any countryman, wore a cloak over his head, which concealed the part above the eyebrows.Blue cloth clothes, blue cloth trousers, the top is a little darker than the bottom, this kind of clothes are mixed among the nine countrymen, when you choose the authentic countryman, you can't take him off!However, in terms of Lingjing, he is really a mountain monkey.Don't look at the pair of extremely loyal water-shoes on his feet, and the short dry pipe of Arhat bamboo on his waist, you will believe that he is a small businessman who sells cotton yarn and vermicelli on the street!He leisurely went to Qingji Cloth Shop to buy the official green cloth of more than three zhang. While counting the money, he took out the letter and put it on the cabinet.

"Oh, third boss, look at this!" The third boss came over, and he was stunned by the line of official titles on the cover.He asked in a very thin voice, "Where did it come from, this—" In fact, he knew it clearly in his heart.However, the content of the letter was not what the third boss expected this time. "Read it to the eldest lady, this," I turned the letter over, and pointed to another line, "During the transition, I asked the boatman, who said that he just fired the cannon at noon, so he didn't know how to cook dinner. Please give me a receipt, I want to go to Sandong Bridge to rest, so that I can reply to the letter tomorrow morning. "

"Have a glass of wine to warm you up," the third boss turned around, "why don't you take—" An apprentice who was standing behind the third boss, wanting to hear the news, yelled at the third boss, slapped him, and hurriedly stood up . "No, the third boss doesn't need it! Send me a receipt, hurry up, and I still have something to do when I walk to South Street." When the third boss folded the receipt and two tickets for Yuji Oil Co., Ltd. into one slip and sent it to the minion, at the same time the apprentice brought a cup of tea and put it on the cabinet.

"Brother, what's the matter?" The third boss handed over the piece of tissue paper, and inquired in a very intimate voice. He counted the bills and receipts, folded them into smaller bundles, and stuffed them into the suede belly, if he hadn't heard the question from the third boss. "You want money?" The third boss added. "No, no, you will know when you read it to the eldest lady. I want you to send a letter back to the mountain before twenty-eight. . . .” The visitor really left in a hurry (but not in a panic).After the third boss took the letter into the back room, the tea in the cup with four seasons flowers on the cabinet was still smoking.

The person who read the letter was the steward of Qingji Buzhuang, the third uncle of the eldest sister, and he told Auntie Song his belief.The eldest sister was not around at that time, and she went to South Street to eat another woman's Dai Huajiu. Song Auntie is not confused.Although the advantages and disadvantages were compared, the result of the comparison is that the daughter is precious.In her opinion, ignore the letter.However, the third boss is a person who understands things, and the man has seen a lot of things. Knowing that this matter cannot be ended by "ignoring", he also called the big boss at that time. The result of the discussion was a very tactful reply letter. , I carefully considered the wording, and made an apology, wrote two thousand yuan on it, begging for forgiveness, and added the words "If we do as the letter says, it will only be disadvantageous for both parties".However, there is really no evidence for this statement, but apart from such a statement, it is not easy to find a more powerful statement, but it is not easy for the third boss who knows how to plan. The letter was written by the third boss, and after it was written, he entrusted the countrymen who came to the city from the foot of Baman Mountain to take it. Everything was kept secret from the elder sister. Daoyi's nephew Yingjian:—— I got a letter from you on the 21st day, my uncle read it to me, and I understood what you meant.Your eldest sister is so old, and I have been sick all these years, so I am willing to help her find a suitable family early.Since you like your eldest sister, I will give it to you. What would I not want?But you said that you are going to send it up the mountain, which is too embarrassing for me! Where on the mountain is where your eldest sister lives?Not only is this not where your eldest sister lives, it's not where you live for a long time!The mountain is not a place for people to live, (Amitabha, I am not saying that you are not a person if you live there now!) Right now, the eldest sister is sick and weak, and if she is asked to go up the mountain, she will die quickly! Besides, we are orphans, widows and useless people, relying on the help of three or two relatives to guard the meager property left by your uncle. Bullying, relying on those troops in tiger skins to donate and scrape.If it's really like what you said, send your eldest sister up the mountain in a sedan chair, and the matter will be publicized. Are they afraid that their officers and soldiers will not come to raid your aunt's house in the middle of the night?Poor your uncle, he suffered a lot when he was a child. He was born as an apprentice and floated across the country with a load of cloth. How many winds and snows he endured, how much painstaking effort he spent, and the meager wealth he accumulated can't be used for himself or for his children and grandchildren. It's because of your big sister's business!The old man knows underground, and he will always feel uneasy in his heart. Don't talk about it.Our shop and my old life may be gone, but do you want your eldest sister's father's hometown?They officers and soldiers, what can't be done, he knows this, won't he scare people by digging up your uncle's grave to expose his corpse?If they really turned against you like this, and for the sake of your eldest sister alone, throw away the blood and sweat of their ancestors who are guarding this point, and expose the old bones that have slept in the ground to be dragged by pigs and dogs, I will This sick person who is about to die, doesn't know three times a day, runs out of oil and turns off the lamp, and will meet your uncle underground, what face do I want to show him? Even if you are not afraid of officers and soldiers, I can't bear to part with your uncle's hometown.According to your words, everything in the Song family is over, even the eldest sister you like may not be able to survive. You have to take care of many things, like the last time you robbed the market, what a mess on the street, but not even a chicken feather was lost in the house, our mother and daughter always ask the Bodhisattva to bless you.Presumably you also remember some of the good things your older sister's father did to you when he was alive.Now that your eldest sister's father is gone, you will have to take care of many things in the future! You are so old, you should have found someone in the house, and you will raise children in the future, and you will have a lot of people.Otherwise, your elder brother has just passed away, and you are such a wandering person, leaving a sister-in-law, hiding in the countryside, holding your elder brother's spirit plaque to observe the festival, it will not be a problem!I always like you as a human being, you are capable, courageous, smart and capable. When my eldest sister's father was around, he often said that you were a future hero.Even though your eldest sister has read a few books, she has met since she was a child, and she would not be unwilling to help you make contributions.But you are taking such a path now, say it is temporary, and not out of your heart, if one day things don't go well and fall into the hands of the army, they will forgive you for temporarily falling grass that is not out of your heart, just keep you all right? You can let go of your career, (a man should make contributions, walk on the road, you know this.) As long as you like your big sister, the big sister is still yours.Don't do anything in the future, just watch over your big sister, and by my side, I can support you, as long as you are willing. Or, the mountain is really lonely, and I can't find anyone to be considerate. I will take 2,000 yuan from here, and ask someone to go to another county to buy a better young lady.If money is needed, I will ask someone to tell Longtan Village to make the payment. I spoke this letter next to your elder sister's third uncle and asked him to write it for me.When you see others bullying my orphans and widows, you are all here to fight the injustice.I compared the pros and cons of this matter according to what you said, and I didn’t say these things only for my own sake. I’m an old bone who is tired of living in this world, and I’d rather die if I were to die.When you really don't believe my words, the Hengshun people are in Liye, and if you want to disturb the neighbors, there is nothing I can do. Yang Baldzi who lived in Guanyintang died, and people outside said that you kidnapped him to tear up the ticket.We are all people who grew up in the same street, why do such crimes?Where can one not accumulate Yin Gong to increase blessings? Amitabha, may the Bodhisattva bless you! Song Liu's Concubine March 24 This letter was received on the twenty-fifth morning. "Someone come!" the king called from the staff office. "Hey," a young man answered under the window, his style was no different from that of a big officer. Everything about the cottage has not been said yet, and everyone wants to know it.This is an old temple, and it has become a temple without incense in an unknown number of years.The person who begged for alms and built the temple asked him to be able to calculate at that time, and if he wanted to calculate, the temple would become a headquarters in the future. Moreover, the desk in front of the god was specially used for the future king's trial of sheep and spies. It's not unreasonable.Now it is like this: the middle one, the place where Sanqing meditates, is the place where the great prince and the military law judge the case.The desk is much cleaner than when it was prepared for the Bodhisattva, and it is covered with a bed of nondescript felt, on which there are stick holders and pen holders.The desk was moved out a little, so that another "tiger skin golden chair" that the king sat on could be placed.The main hall is very large, so it is divided into three rooms with mats. The left is the staff office, the right is the secretariat, and the king lives on a big stage opposite the main hall.These three important places are all pasted with white paper, which is extremely clean. It is very bright during the day and convenient for work. At night, there is a big ocean lamp in these three places, so it is not lonely.The staff office has one more clock than the secretariat, but the secretariat has one more landscape hall than the staff office: the two places have the same four box guns on the wall.When it comes to the king's bedroom, it's a room—it's a... what is it?I can't tell!People who are good at dreaming may not be able to dream of such a room.The room is a stage.The stages in the temples in the south all look the same. Those who have seen the stages in other temples probably also want to know the style of this stage, but this stage has been installed by the king, so we can't recognize it as a stage.Square in shape, each side has a big suitcase, and the suitcases are placed on the floor, as if the suitcases are used as a coffee table. A big clock is placed on one of the suitcases, and a large cinnabar red porcelain vase is placed on the other. , a peacock tail of different grades from the former Qing Dynasty was inserted in the bottle, and the sheath tip of a short knife or sword was exposed beside the bottle mouth.The other two boxes were not empty, and on the box near his bed were a few books, one of which was the New Testament in Mandarin in black leather.The king's bed is in the middle, occupying one-third of the total area of ​​the stage. The bed is a large pear wood acacia bed with lacquer gold and carved hollow flowers. There is no mosquito net or quilt, and more than ten flowered velvet blankets are piled on top of each other on the bed.Two Jingqixiang small pistols and two box cannons were hung on a corner of the bed frame.The foreign gas lamp is suspended from the conical top of the stage, just like the big roc Garuda on the Buddha's head, covering the bed.I also forgot to mention the door curtain upon entering the room, which is a valuable piece.Red satin is woven with gold, and nine dragons seem to be alive on it.It would be a pity to hang such a rich curtain in this place, but no one deserves to hang such a curtain except in this place! There are a total of more than twenty houses in this temple, and the rest of the master's adjutant's grandmother and wife are all owned by brothers and sisters.As for Yangzai's residence, it is a Lingguan Hall half a mile away. The king looked through the lamb roster for a while at the staff office alone, and remembered something. After calling the Bianbing in. "Call the young man Ji who lives in Sha Village No. 23,—do you really hear me?" "Return to Commander, you really listened!" "Then go!" "Hey," Xiaoluo went out. Not a moment later, a thin and timid boy was brought in. "Return to Commander, Ticket No. 23 is here." When the king came out, the skinny boy wanted to bend his legs at a loss. "No, no, no, don't be afraid. You can transfer it today, I will let you go back, and the money at home doesn't have to be sent!" "Turn away?" The boy's eyes were red. "I sent several letters in a row, all urging my mother to hurry up, saying that the mountain is just asking for money. I don't know what's wrong with them, but they don't..." "Friend, don't be so soft, twenty-year-old A man!" Xiao Luo teased with a smile. "You didn't listen to what the commander just said? I transferred it today, and I don't want your money!" The young man misunderstood the word "transfer" and thought it meant to transfer to his hometown, which made him even more sad. "Listen to me!" The king was slightly angry, but the cyclone calmed down. "Look at you, is it okay to cry? I'm talking to you seriously. I think you can't find any money at home for a while, and we don't need any money on the mountain recently, so I want to let you go back. Do something for me. Are you familiar with Qingji Buzhuang?" "That's my cousin—did the Commander mean Mrs. Song?" "By the way, cousin, then we are still relatives. You go down the mountain and tell her for me, and I received the reply letter. My meaning is still the meaning of the last letter. I have tens of thousands of dollars here. What do I want her to do with 2,000 yuan? What do I want her to do with 2,000 yuan? She said those words so nicely, thinking that if she told me that kind of words, I would accept my heart, that is She was wrong! I had a good discussion with her and she refused to comply, so it will definitely make me angry. I can't do it by burning her clean. I have a good talk with her because Boss Song used to Some of my advantages. But I am finally worthy of her family. What I am going to do this time is not to ruin her family. The property has long been over. Now you transfer, just write a letter to her face to face for me, asking her to make a decision. The day is coming soon, and I have sent people to Hankou to handle the application. . . . Do you remember what I said words?" "Remember, remember, the meaning of reporting to her commander is still what I said in the first letter, I don't want her money, as long as she--as long as she--" "I want her to agree to that," the king laughed even more. It's amiable. "Yes, as long as she agrees to that matter, the commander will not want to talk to her too much on the scheduled date. It's just a matter of love, and the meaning of the politeness before the soldiers is that Boss Song did some good to the commander back then—" "And they are somewhat related," the king added next to it. "Yes, and there is also some relatives, so I came to discuss with my cousin. If my cousin doesn't understand the benefits of the commander and doesn't care about the commander, then the commander will get angry. The result of the anger is that the leader Brothers!..." The young man recited the mission entrusted by the king in one breath. "By the way, that's it. You hurry up——Wang Yong, you use that small order to lure him out of the headquarters, and then ask a brother to send him out of the pass, saying that this person is something I want him to go down the mountain,—— Did you hear that?" "Understood." With a short answer, Xiao Luo dragged the timid boy who was still about to kowtow away. The third letter was sent by the mouth of a timid young man. The meaning was simple, and it boiled down to: the eldest sister had to go up the mountain within the time limit specified by him. Remember Buzhuang. Four days after the timid young man went down the mountain, the young king wrote another letter to Aunt Song. A little bit.Regarding Yang Baldzi, he wrote in his letter: ...As for the matter of Huangao Yang Baldzi last month, it was because the brothers hated him for doing all kinds of evil, being mean and taking loan sharks, he was such a jerk.Once your nephew sent a brother down the mountain to sew military uniforms, and he saw it (Of course there are many people who recognize the brothers on the mountain, but your nephew is finally right with the people in the street, and they never drag each other).Your nephew has never had any grievances or enmities with the bald man, but who knew that the ghost tricked him, and he immediately went to the provincial army camp to report.At the end of the matter, it was the two captured brothers who were tortured and tortured, the legs were broken, and half of the pig was hung for a long time, and then they were taken to the scene to chop off their heads for public display.Another brother saw with his own eyes that our brothers who were beheaded had their heads chopped off, and even opened their mouths for their provincial army, and took the guts to go.If Yang Baldzi hadn't flattered the provincial army and went to report, how could the brothers have suffered so much?In addition, he repeatedly went to the provincial army camp to attack your nephew, trying to kill your nephew.Although he is allowed to design and dig holes, your nephew is not afraid of timidity.But what is the deep hatred between me and him raised by this dog?It's not that when I dare to be presumptuous in front of the old man and say a bad word, I'm so different that I'm so damn good! ...Fortunately, your nephew went to Sanmen Beach to "treat guests" on the night of Lantern Festival, and when he came back from business, he met this wild bastard at the ferry, so he was hoisted up the mountain. The brothers said in unison, "We don't want his money, or his grain, or his wife or daughter—what we want is his life!" It is our fault! Indeed, it is impossible to find him if you want to find him, and now he himself has come across your nephew.If you don't give him the bitterness he deserves now, he will exaggerate a lot in another time and place!This exaggeration is to make it difficult for your nephew when we meet in the future.If you don't treat him well, he will treat your nephew as the same as the two brothers who went to the city to sew clothes last time: chopping off his head doesn't count, and he has to take out his guts to heal his neighbor's heartache.Is your nephew's gallbladder a cure for the heartache of the guests? According to the opinions of the other fiery brothers, the day after he was captured and went up the mountain, he should be used to deal with our brothers by the provincial army.It's still your nephew who refuses to agree, saying that he will be interrogated.When he was interrogated later, he cried and kowtowed. It is said that I have always admired the commander as a man, but I still hate that I have nowhere to go to become a small secretary, so that I can serve the commander, meet a little, learn some official documents, and copy regular characters. How dare I do it with the commander? opposite.As for what happened in the past, he didn't even know about it, and he didn't even dream about it.It is said that because of his informant, the brothers were punished and sacrificed. This must be another person who has a grudge against him, and there are no more than two people who framed him: one is the house next door to Tongqingji Buzhuang. Jiang Xijiang, because Jiang Xijiang once stole his family's chickens, was discovered.The other is a boatman who lives in Baishitan, who is also wrong with him. ...Kowtowing and talking about how pitiful, the family just had a child, and my wife was short of milk, this time when I went to the ferry, I just told my father-in-law that I had a child, so that he could rest assured.He also borrowed some money from his father-in-law to transfer home, and bought a chicken for his wife to make up for the emptiness.At last, a brother threw a roll of bills and three IOUs in front of him, and he didn't make any distinctions.However, the head is still knocking.Looking at the three pieces of written evidence, it is clearly written that "the person who borrowed the word is Dukou Zhou Da, and today he is short of money. With the help of Liao's cousin, he borrowed copper coins under the name of Mr. Yang Baldzi in Huangcun..." Some words, the other is Wu The township agreement is famous, and the other one is that Wu Xiangyue's brother-in-law is famous, and it is always written that he is the creditor. "Whose property is this?" Asked him, he didn't dare to say, snot and tears flowed unscrupulously.In the end, he even said some shameless words, willing to tidy up the people in the house and send them out to make atonement. He also helped ten stones of rice and thirty catties of salt every month, only to ask all of them to go home alive so that he could rehabilitate. Seeing his weak and shameless appearance, your nephew and other brothers cut him off, although it is not difficult, but ask the brothers, no one is willing to use a hero's knife to cut down such a worthless dog!So if he wanted to let him go, he didn't expect that when he left the camp, a fireman felt dissatisfied, thinking that it would be too easy for him to let him go so easily, and cut off his left hand as soon as he went with his saber.The thing fell to the ground and passed out as if on purpose.The brothers thought he was really dead, so they dragged him to the edge of White Wolf Rock and threw him down. Unexpectedly, this dog didn't faint or fall to death, but after waking up, he ran to the house to lose his temper!This dog should have been chopped up thousands of times and fed to the old ravens on the mountain to eat, so it is in line with the retribution he deserves. It is considered that his ancestors are virtuous and can run home. Yesterday your nephew sent two brothers into the city to inquire about the news in the city. According to the brothers, the reason for the inability to negotiate this time is because of the recent death of the bald man.His wife went to the camp to report, saying that your nephew harmed him, and asked the provincial army to recruit your nephew, and then try to lure him to justice in order to take revenge.This bitch woman is really cruel in doing things like this, and she wants to fight against your nephew. One day, I want to make a show for her.Whether the recruitment is successful or not, your nephew is not in a hurry, and the brothers have the same meaning.There are a lot of oil, salt, rice wine, pigs and cattle on the mountain. If the provincial army is happy, they will definitely come to the foot of the mountain to challenge and have fun. Your nephew does not need to be polite to them.If you like to take care of them, ask your brother to put down the mountain and bombard him a few times, and knock a few shots with him; if you don't like them, close the gate and sleep.Let them surround the mountain for as many months as they like.Whether it's three months or two months, if they eat up all the food donated by the pie, they will raise the flag and blow the trumpet to go to the original defense!Your nephew is prepared for everything here, don't be afraid that they have many magic weapons! The eldest sister obeyed her mother's will and wrote to the secretary's wife stationed in the Ye army camp.This lady is his classmate.The wedding wine on March 21 was the day before this classmate became the secretary's wife, and now it was more than half a month. Letter is very simple.The eldest sister used her usual innocent and optimistic style to write intimate and witty words, and the letter was as follows: Fourth sister: What I promised you will come true today.I said my mother would miss you and invite you to my house for dinner. As expected, she asked me to write to invite you in the morning. There aren't many customers, except you and me, because that's what Mom said.This time it was her old man's treat, so she invited me into it too--when I treat you as me the other time, I made my mother a guest too! Since there are so few customers, there are no special dishes.The last time someone sent a Jinhua leg, we steamed the ham to eat.In addition, there are dried red yeast rice fish, fried tofu with bacteria, and hot and sour peppers (from millet) that you and I like to eat very much.There is black fermented bean curd which I don't like but you like it.It's quite a lot, and if you add a little more, it's four plates and four bowls. It's not a nuisance when you are a newlywed.Come early, we can eat water dumplings made by each of us at noon. My mother also said that she wanted to ask you something.I think, "how does my brother-in-law look like?" The old man is very concerned about things like nieces and uncles. When I saw my third uncle coming in from the outside with a frowning look on his face, I thought of you.Come here as soon as you have breakfast, I want to take a closer look at your mouth, is it really imprinted with the beard of your brother-in-law... I have to look at the dots in the previous line, I hope everything is happy! Your sister Song ×× morning of April 7th What mother meant was that she wanted to get some news about the recent discussions and recruitment with the provincial army on the mountain from the clerk's wife's conversation.The eldest sister who wrote the letter didn't know this, but she was still dreaming about the matter of asking her to be Mrs. Yazhai on the mountain! The deputy of the garrison sent it, took a receipt from the bunk and went back.On the cover of this envelope was written "Miss Cheng Song".This is the ninth day after the invitation. Sister: The first thing I want to say is to thank Aunt Ma for me.I was so happy the day before yesterday that I overdid my drinking before I knew it.When I went back, Xunsheng said that my face was hot and I fell asleep soon. Aunt invited me once, sister, when will your master be able to do it?I have to ask you with a thick face all the time, lest my forgetful sister forget.If my sister really wants to be the host once, I ask the host not to forget the mushroom oil tofu and ham!I don't appreciate any other dishes.The dumplings have to be the same as the day before yesterday. You report to your aunt, I will ask Xunsheng what the old man wants to know, your brother-in-law said that the recruitment is certain, but the conditions are too strict, the provincial army has to listen to the news from the Changde military headquarters to make a decision.If the two parties negotiate with sincerity, your brother-in-law said that there will be no further rift.Recently, there was news about the departure of the battalion, which was because the people from the mountains were asked to move to Liye after the recruitment. ...Please rest assured, auntie.Xunsheng is going to the ministry today to handle errands, and if he has more reliable information, he will let him know by letter. ... Soon, I will congratulate my sister! your fourth sister nine days Congratulations to my younger sister after the letter made my elder sister a little confused. …If recruiting fails, the first ones to suffer are the people in the whole city.The second is the defense team.Third, even if it falls into my own home, after I am recruited, how can I congratulate me?The loss of the cloth shop may not be greater because of the failure to recruit security.Congratulations on what? ... Regarding the matter of He Xi, the eldest sister guessed half of it based on her virginal sensitivity. She guessed it must be her own marriage.For a girl over the age of sixteen, when you say congratulatory words to her, it seems to be an instinct. She will think of her own marriage as soon as she thinks about it, and her face will burn red at the words. The eldest sister studied the meaning of the word "Hexi" by herself, with the weight of her whole body on her heart, and her face felt burning. Very indifferent, with many different faces imagining in front of his eyes.The first one, the head of the peasant association who had graduated from the sericulture industry he had met on the fourth sister's wedding day, was moving in front of him with a long and thin figure.The second one is the adjutant of the garrison, a military cadet graduated from Yunnan, who often rides a horse and rushes into the street, with a greasy face like a ruffian.The third one is the young boss of Hengji Oil Company, a student of Yali School. ... Also, the third uncle's son once wrote a poem to praise himself, and his pale face dangled in front of his eyes at the same time. Starting from the marriage, she thought of many men who seemed to be close to or admired by herself, but she never expected that the king on the mountain was her fiancé. I couldn't get any results from my own search, so I had to read the letter to my mother.At the end, the mother sighed and forced a smile again. The eldest sister felt that her mother was looking at her with a very interesting look. The eldest sister avoided her mother's gaze, and the last resort was to lower her head to look at her feet. The mother is so inconsiderate, she is still staring after burning the eldest sister's face into two camellias! "Mom, what does this mean?" The words were so light that he didn't listen to the truth. It means to ask mother why she looks down on her, and it is also the meaning of the word "Hexi" in the letter from the fourth sister. "Say what"?The mother clearly saw the elder sister's mouth move. The eldest sister shrank again. After a short pause, the eldest sister came up with another trick, and said, "Mom, I think that after recruiting security here, I won't have to worry about going down the river. After the festival, I will go to Changsha to do some homework. I hope I will come in autumn." Beijing to go to a women's normal school." "I don't want you to be a teacher, go outside to find money to support me, what are you doing far away?" "Didn't you promise me that you would move your family to Hankou after the river cleared?" "Do you know when the river will be clear?" "Fourth sister's letter, isn't it just about calling for safety? Since all the people on the mountain can call for safety, why can't the river be clear?" "We can't move out after recruiting Ann." "Why can't we move out after recruiting security?" The elder sister didn't say this sentence.I weighed the fear or surprise that arose after I said this, fearing that my mother and myself would not be able to bear it at this time, so I stopped speaking and swallowed a sentence that was already on my lips.The letter from the fourth sister who just arrived is still in the hand of the eldest sister. "Mom, Fourth Sister wants us to invite her to dinner again. What date will we set?" "It's tomorrow. She likes ham, and asks the kitchen master Wang to keep what should be eaten tomorrow, and take the remaining half to her. The mushroom oil will also send a can for her. Tell her, when there are good mushrooms I make another fresh one for her." "I want to invite her myself." The mother seemed to know the intention of the eldest sister to invite the fourth sister in person, and felt that if the eldest sister wanted to know about it, it would be much better for the fourth sister to tell the story than herself, so she said, "Okay, you must go by yourself. I want her to come, I still have something to ask her..." "..." The eldest sister has some opinions and wants to express. "If you have anything to say, you can tell her. When she comes, she will tell you a lot of things you want to know." "I don't have anything to say, I think my mother seems to have something in her heart—" the eldest sister said in a low voice. “心里不快么？不是。不是。妈精神非常好。找四姐来，她会同你说我要说的话。你们姐姐妹妹可以到另一个地方——书房也好，你自己房中也好——你们可以好好谈一回……”“妈你怎么……”大妹见到母亲眼睛红湿了，心极其难过。 “没有。没有。妹你今天就去吧，要你四姐今天来——这时就去也好，免得她又出门到别处去。” “好，”大妹一出房门，就不能再止住想泻出的眼泪了。 四月十六，山上有人到城，送来一信，并一个小拜帖匣子。送信的已不是第一次寄信那个喽啰了。这人长袍短褂，一派斯文样子。年纪二十多岁，白白面庞，戴顶极其好看的博士帽。脸上除了嘴巴边留了一小撮胡子外，还于鼻梁上挂了副眼镜。手上一支小方竹手杖，包有铜头，打着地剥剥的响。 后面一个小孩，提了一个小皮包，又拿着一根长长的牙骨烟管。……这是个一切都表示地位尊贵的上等人。三老板一见他进铺，以为守备队的秘书，或别处来此什么委员上门做生意来了，忙立起来。那人一脸极和气的微笑，对着三老板：“阁下想来是三老板了！”同时把信陈列柜台上，另于信旁置了一张小名片。 ……主任参谋 陆钰 金玉酉阳 “哦，陆参谋！请，请，请，请到客厅坐……”隔个柜台，那来人伸出一只手来，三老板也懂得是要行外国礼握手了，忙也伸过一只手来，相互捏了一会。 那人并不忙着进客厅，把袖口搂着，对布庄柜台上那个大钟拨动手表时，三老板偷瞧了一下，表是金色崭新的。 姓陆的虽曾听到三老板在谦虚中自己把“草字问珊”提出，但他竟很客气的把三老板称为亲长了。 “请亲长这边凡事预备一下，”那是姓陆的同三老板告别鞠躬时一再说了几次的话。 那日宋伯娘没有在家。来人受过吩咐，若宋伯娘不能出面，则三老板亦可以，所以就把大王所嘱预备同宋老太所谈的一概与三老板说了，那个拜帖匣中聘礼也都点交件数留下。 夜间在宋伯娘的房中，三老板念山上陆参谋捎来的书信。 大妹虽说早已知道此事，但因为对此终有点羞涩，在未念信以前就走开到自己房中去了。 信中口辞变了，开首已把“宋伯妈”三字改称“岳母大人”了。信如下：岳母大人尊鉴，敬禀者：前数函知均达览，复示诲以自新之道，且允于招安之后，将大妹妹于归，备主中馈，尤臻爱怜，实增感激！ 近来因岳母大人同大妹故，以是婿将对省方提出之条件已特别减至无可再减的地步，且容纳省方派员将部队枪枝检验之律令。果无临时变化发生，谅招编事已不成问题了。 编收以后，婿之部伍将全队移住耶市，守备队下拔移驻花垣，让出防地归婿负责。 沿河一带治安，亦由婿部担任，以后有劫船情事，由婿察缉，察缉无从，则应由婿部赔偿。此条虽将婿责加重，但为地方安宁，婿固当有所牺牲也。 此后支队部（改为清乡第三支队司令），婿意拟设于天王庙，地势好点，亦可备万一别种事情发生时，退守方便。 ……十六至二十，三天中，婿所部全队。即可开进耶市大街，到时再来谒见大人。 大妹喜事，婿拟照先时所约定之日举行。岳母方面，亦不必多事花费，婿知道岳母极爱热闹，到时此间有许多兵士，固能帮助一切也。 前派陆参谋来同省中代表接洽一切，并嘱其将此函并些须聘礼饰物呈达于长者。所有未尽之意，统由陆参谋面呈，此人系婿至友，亦由学校出身，祈大人略加以颜色，婿实幸甚！ 谨此恭叩福安小婿道义谨禀 附聘礼饰物单如左 赤金钏镯一对 赤金戒四枚（二枚嵌小宝石） 赤金丝大珍珠耳环一对 赤金簪压发各一件 赤金项链一件 赤金项链一件（有宝石坠子） 净圆珍珠项链一件 金打簧手表一枚 白金结婚戒一枚 白金结婚心形胸饰一枚 白金镶钻石扣针一枚 上等法国香水两瓶（瓶悬小纸签标明每瓶价值，一值二十四元，一值六十元。）法国香粉二盒此即大王在另一函中，曾经提过，说是派人往湖北去办的。那位老太，听着三老板把信同聘礼单念完，看看桌上那一堆各在一个小盒子里的东西，忽然放声大哭了。 这时的泪，不是觉得委屈了女儿，也不是觉得委屈了自己，或是对不住大妹的父亲。她是象把一件压在心上的石头，骤然解除，忽然想到过去的惶恐同将来的欢喜，心里载不住这两种不同的压力，不知不觉从眼眶中挤出泪了。 哭了不久，这老太就走到大妹的房中去送大妹看信。 既不怕抄家，也不怕谁来刨挖大妹父亲的坟山，在这位老太太看来，真是没有什么理由来说不愿意将大妹嫁给一个大王的话了！何况大王如今又已成了正果，所以老太太把信掷到大妹妹面前时，眼中已无些子泪痕。 大妹妹的婚事 热闹，阔绰，出了里耶人经验以外。一切布置的煊赫，也出了宋伯娘在期待中所能猜想的以外。迎亲那日，八个黄色呢制服的人，斜斜佩着红绿绸子，骑在马上，各扛着一面绸国旗，都是副官之类。 一对喇叭，后面一队兵士；一对喇叭，后面一队兵士；……几乎近于是迎接“抚台”样，一直从天王庙支队司令部起，到宋家门前止，新的灰线布制服上佩着一朵红纸花的，是昨日的喽啰（今日的兵士）。军队是这样接接连连。满地红的小爆仗，也是那么接接连连，毫不休息。花轿过路时，喇叭爹爹哒哒吹着各样喜庆的曲子。 宋宅杀了两只猪六只羊犒赏兵士还不够，到后还加了两只肥猪才分得开堂，即此一端，参预此番喜事的人之多可想而知了。 大王彪壮，年青，有钱，里耶市中人尽他们所能夸赞的话拿去应用还总觉得不够，到后只好把类于妒嫉的羡慕落到那宋家母女身上。 结了婚约两个月，大妹有给驻花垣守备队营中书记官太太的一封信。 四姐：我不知要同你说些什么话，关于我的事，这时想来可笑极了。在以前，我刚知道他要强迫我妈行他所欲行的事时，我想着一切的前途，将葬送到一个满烧着魔鬼的火的窟中，伤心得几乎想自杀了。四姐你是知道的，一个女人，为一点比这小许多的事也会以死做牺牲的。但我当时还想着我妈。我妈已是这么可怜的人，若是我先死，岂不是把悲哀都推给她了吗？我想走，当时我就想走。到后又用做女儿的心再三衡量，恐怕即能走脱，他也会把我妈捉去，所以后来走也不走了。……日子一天一天过去，拚我死命，等那宣告我刑罚的可咒的五月初五来到，我身不由己的为母亲缘故跳进一个坟坑里。在期待中，想死不能时，我也是同一般为许多力量压着不能挣扎的女人样，背着母亲，在自己的房中去低声的哭，已不知有过多少次了。我那时想象他，一个杀人放火无事不做的大王，必是比书上所形容那类恶人还可怕！必是黑脸或青脸，眼睛绯红，比庙中什么判官还可怕！真是除了哭没有法子。眼泪是女人的无尽宝藏，再多流一点也不会干，所以我在五月五日以前，是只知道终日以泪洗面的。……过去的都是梦样过去：雷霆是当日的雷霆，风雨也是当日的风雨，不必同四姐说了；我只告你近来的情形。 近来要我说，我又不知怎么来说起。我不是怕羞，在四姐跟前，原是不应当再说到害羞的事的。我真不知要怎样的来说一个同我先时所拟想的地狱极相反的一种生活！ 你不要笑，我自己觉得是很幸福的人，我是极老实的同你说，我生活是太幸福了。幸福不是别的，是他——我学你说，是你妹夫。你妹夫以前是大王，每日做些事，是撒但派下来的工作，手上终日染着血，吃别人的血与肉，把自己的头用手提着，随时有送给另一个人的恐惧绕在心中。但他和我所猜想的恶处离远了。他不是青脸同黑脸，他没有庙中判官那么凶恶。他样子同我三舅舅的儿子一个面样，我说他是很标致，你不会疑我是夸张。……他什么事都能体贴，用极温柔驯善的颜色侍奉我，听我所说，为我去办一切的事。（他对外是一只虎，谁都怕他；又聪明有学识，谁都爱敬他。）他在我面前却只是一匹羊，知媚它的主人是它的职务。他对我的忠实，超越了我理想中情人的忠实。……前几天，我们俩到他以前占据的山寨看望一次，住了两天。那里还有一连人把守。四姐，你猜那里象个什么样子呢？ 比唱戏还可笑，比唱戏还奇怪。一切一切，你看了不会怕，不会战抖，只有笑！不伦不类的一切一切，你从一类小说上所看到的人物景致，到这里都可见到。我问你妹夫以前是怎么生活来的，他告我，有时手上抱着两支枪打盹。我们那天就到他那间奇奇怪怪的房中睡了一晚。第二天，又到各处去看，又走了半天。 ………… 一个女人所能得到的男子的爱，我已得到了。我还得了一些别的人不能得到的爱。若是这时是在四姐面前，我真要抱住你用哭叫来表示我生命的快适了！四姐呵，同姐夫说说，转里耶来住两天吧。我可以要他派几个人来接。我妈还会为你办菌油豆腐吃！ 我妈近来也很好，你不要挂念！ 你妹同你妹夫照来张相赠你，快制一个木框，好悬挂在墙上，表示你还不忘记你妹妹。你妹妹是无一时能忘记你的，就是他，这时也在我写信桌子的旁边，要我替他问你同姐夫的好。 你的妹七月十日 大妹近来就是这样，同一个年青、彪壮、有钱、聪明、温柔、会体贴她的大王生活着，相互在华贵的生活中，光荣的生活中过着恋的生活，一切如春天，正象她自己信上所说样：雷霆是当日的雷霆，风雨是当日的风雨，都不必再去说了。过去的担心，疑虑，眼泪，都找到比损失更多许多倍数的代价了。 至于那些里耶人呢，凡是在那年五月五日对宋家母女有过妒嫉的心的，无用的妒嫉还是依然存在。 一九二六年三月二十四日毕于西山