Chapter 8 go to the country

Yingshi was leaning on the railing of the bow alone, just as his mind was flying.A round of bright moon, shining on the boundless water of the Pacific Ocean, is crystal clear.The boat kept moving forward, the spray from the bow was like snow.There are many passengers on the deck, sitting and talking in twos and threes, or singing. His heart was filled with joy and hope. Looking back eight years ago, when he was seventeen years old, his father Zhu Heng sent a letter from the United States, asking him to come to the United States to study civil engineering with one of his friends. He liked it. It's like something.Although he was young, he had great ambitions, and he didn't hesitate at the moment, so he left his mother and eight-year-old little sister and braved the wind and waves to go to the New World.

At that time, it was September of the third year of Xuantong, and he was walking to the middle of the Pacific Ocean when he heard that a revolution had started in the country.Zhu Heng was originally an important member of the revolutionary party, and he returned to China immediately after receiving the order from the party.Yingshi traveled halfway around the world without visiting his father. His father's friends settled him down for him, so he studied in the United States for seven years alone. When the time limit is over, the course is over. His talent and thought are originally very superb, and he is willing to work hard, so his graduation result is the first in the class. His teachers and friends are very envious. I also like it very much.Less than two weeks after graduation, I hurriedly packed up and returned to my motherland.

At this time, he looked back on the boat, then sat down, leaning his back against the railing, and softly sang the national anthem.I thought to myself: "China has been transformed into the Republic of China. Although the degree of republicanism is still naive, but I read from the newspaper that Yuan Shikai wanted to be emperor, but failed once, and the restoration of Xuantong failed again. It can be seen that the people's hearts are very hopeful. For a young man like me, returning to China, where there are many achievements in youth, coincides with the two sentences of "heroes make the times, and the times make heroes". How lucky I am to be a boy, and how lucky I was to be born in a young China, dear parents and sisters! Dear motherland!

I, Yingshi, are getting closer to you every day. " Thinking of this, I couldn't help smiling and stood up, walking up and down the deck, with countless illusions in my mind, the first thing I thought of was my loving parents, although that warm and kind face appeared in front of me from time to time, but now maybe Increased staleness.They saw their beloved son who had traveled far away for eight years, and they didn't know how proud they were to like him! "Petite sister, when I was leaving home, she sent me on the boat, took my hand with tears and said 'goodbye', and cried in her mother's arms. I didn't miss it at all. At that time I couldn't help but shed a few hot tears. After the boat sailed, I saw her and her mother standing on the pier, holding a handkerchief. After a few minutes, her shadow was blurred out of sight. This piece The thing is what I often think of, this year she is already—fifteen—sixteen years old, I think she has grown into a smart and beautiful girl, I go back now, I don’t know if she still recognizes me?——How many more? A classmate who is like-minded, and now I don’t know what career they have built?"

The illusion in his mind changed in an instant, until the bright moon came into the sky, and the passengers on the deck who played with the moon were all gone.He also felt that the sea breeze was so strong that he had to stay longer, so he came down slowly and went back to his room to dream of the "majesty of the motherland". Two weeks later, Yingshi carried two leather bags and walked towards the door step by step. In the smoky twilight, he saw the white stone building behind a few willow trees in the wall of his house, with faint lights peeking out from the green curtains. , as if someone was shaking in front of the window.

He couldn't help being extremely happy, but also a little timid!When he approached the door and rang the bell, a servant he didn't know came out and opened the door. He looked Yingshi up and down, but he didn't dare to ask.Yingshi couldn't help laughing. At this time, an old woman came out from the inside. Seeing Yingshi, she approached and smiled happily, "Isn't this the young master?" Yingshi recognized her as the nanny of his younger sister Fangshi and liked her too. Great; said: "So it's Mama Wu, are the master and wife at home?" While handing the leather bag to the servant, they walked in together. " Yingshi smiled and asked, "Where is Miss Fang?" Wu Ma said, "Miss Fang is still in school. I heard that they played tennis today, so they came back late." While talking, she went upstairs , Zhu Heng and his wife were standing on the stairs, and Yingshi stepped forward and bowed. They liked each other so much that they didn't know what to say.Entering the room, they sat down together, and Wu Ma put on the wash water and watched from the side.The lady said, "Yingshi!

When did you leave, why didn't you tell me, Fang Shi still wanted to write to ask. " Yingshi washed his face and said with a smile, "I'll be back as soon as I'm done. I don't need to write a letter. Even if I write a letter, I will arrive at the same time as the letter." Zhu Heng asked, "Are my friends all right?" Yingshi said "All right, Mr. Wu and Mr. Li also sent me on board, and he asked me to say hello to you two old people on their behalf. They also said that they invited father to travel to the United States during the Chinese New Year. They all longed for his demeanor." Zhu Heng smiled.

At this time, Madam Wu smiled and said to his wife, "Ma'am! I see that brother Ying has grown taller than the master in the past few years. He has grown so fast." Madam also looked at Yingshi with a smile.Yingshi laughed and said, "Compared to my American classmates, I'm not very tall!" The servant came up and asked: "It's time for dinner, can you wait for Aunt Fang?" Mama Wu said: "No need to wait, the young master hasn't eaten yet!" In the opposite guest room, talk about things that have happened in the past few years. Yingshi asked his father, "How are things going on in China now?" Zhu Heng smiled and said, "You can find out by reading the newspaper." Yingshi asked again, "Are you actively carrying out the railway business?" Zhu Heng said: "If there is no money, what can we do with it! Now the national treasury is empty, and it is always a loan. When the North and the South are fighting with each other, the money is used in the smoke and bombs, and when the peace is being made, it is all used in In entertainment and communication, spending money is like running water, so where is the time to talk about road administration?"

Yingshi stayed for a while and said, "What about other careers?" Zhu Heng said, "Of course it is the same!" The lady smiled and said to Yingshi, "Why are you so anxious? If you have talent and learning, you are not afraid of having nothing to do. Although the government We are very poor now, so it won’t be like this for a long time, besides, there are many careers that can be done in the industrial and commercial circles, and we don’t have to just look at the government..." Yingshi promised, but he was a little disappointed in his heart, and then talked again to other things.

At this time, the sound of talking and laughing was heard in the yard outside.The lady looked out of the window and said, "Fang Shi is back!" Ying Shi stood up and was about to go out. Fang Shi had already reached the door of the guest room. He called out, "Fangshi! Your brother is back." Fangshi came in with a smile, nodded with Yingshi, and walked closer to his mother, as if a little embarrassed.Yingshi saw that his sister was holding a racket in her hand, wearing white canvas rubber-soled sneakers, and wearing a white dress and green dress. She was dressed very plainly, but her spirit was very lively, and she could vaguely recognize her childhood face.Then he smiled and asked, "Sister! Are you playing football today?" Fang Shi said: "Yes." Turning around, he said to his wife, "Mom! Today is our side that won, and they said that tomorrow they will decide the final victory." Negative!" Zhu Heng said with a smile, "Yes! You only play ball all day long, and when your brother comes back, you have a ball partner again." Fang Shi said, "Can my brother also play ball?"

Yingshi said, "I don't play well." Fangshi said, "It doesn't matter. It's not dark yet. Let's play again later." Then, his brother and sister went to the court together.Only Zhu Heng and his wife were left in the room. Madam laughed and said, "Yingshi has just come back from a foreign country. He is very excited. Why do you say all those disappointing things? I think he seems a little disappointed." Zhu Heng said, "These are the truth. He will know it in the future. Why hide it?" What about him?" Madam said: "I see that your recent remarks and thoughts are very pessimistic, which is quite different from before, what is the reason for this?" At this time Zhu Heng stood up suddenly, walked around the room a few times, sighed, and said to his wife: "Since my father died when I was eighteen, I joined what was then called the 'Tongmenghui'. I spent more than half of the hundreds of thousands of family property left by my father. The relatives in the village all regard me as a loser and a madman, and I am also on the wanted list, so they dare not talk to me , In fact, I even ignore them. In the past twenty years, I have traveled all over the world and met many people. Whether they are Chinese or foreign revolutionaries, we hit it off. Surprised head is good' is the portrayal of my day...." The madam suddenly laughed and said, "I still remember a friend of my father who said to my father, 'Zhu Heng is such a bad kid, his pictures are hanging everywhere now, and he is being arrested very closely. With the Fa-rectification on the spot, your daughter will finally have to suffer." So I persuaded my father to dissolve the engagement, but it didn't come true for some reason." Zhu Heng said with a smile: "I was full of enthusiasm for 'the Huns are still alive', so I was very willing to terminate the contract. But your father still thinks highly of me, so it's fine if you don't want to do it." Zhu Heng sat down again, picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, lit a cigar, and said: "At that time, it really could be regarded as the word "crazy". Turned around, several times they were already on the verge of danger. Just like the incident in Guangzhou, I still got a secret message from my friend, rushed back from Japan, brought a box of bombs from Shanghai, and entered Guangzhou with a smile City. Comrades met. On the morning of the day when the incident started, we all gathered together and were ready to go. After I was done, I picked up the wine glass, and my heart felt like a tide. It was neither miserable nor happy. Everyone took glasses with half-smiles, shook hands, and set off one by one with great enthusiasm." When Zhu Heng said this, his voice trembled, his face gradually turned red, his eyes flowed, and the blood of his youth boiled with anger in his heart again. He went on to say: "I can't remember the scene of that day clearly. At that time, I could only feel gunshots and sword shadows in my eyes and ears, and flesh and blood flew everywhere. At night, more than a hundred people died like falling flowers in rain. Walking and taking, everything was gone. I ran to a secluded place with blood all over my body, changed the clothes I brought, and slept in the wild grass. The next day Early in the morning, I went to the city again and met a few comrades, all of whom had changed their costumes. They only exchanged notes with wry smiles. Before I left Guangzhou, I went to Huanghuagang and wept with dozens of my comrades. And don't. Cough! 'The bones of the battlefield are more beautiful than the flowers', they are honorable to die for the country, but it is a pity that the big event has not been accomplished, and our party is young and weak. ——You also know about Fengtian Hanyang incident.At that time, he went through fire and water like that, risked his sword, today's world, tomorrow's world, but he just thought he was having a few nightmares.Thinking about it now, it's really dumbfounding. This is "starting with shooting the table, then stroking the thigh, and finally holding the mirror". "Speaking of this, unconsciously, two lines of tears came down. Madam laughed and said, "So why bother. The republic has already been created anyway, and the success is hidden, and the whole process is completed. What is there to regret?" Zhu Heng stood up abruptly and said, "If it wasn't for such a republic, I wouldn't be so sad and indignant. It's a pity that we shed a lot of blood and lost many heads in exchange for only a plaque. All the hard work of the past has become nothing." .Thousands of comrades have all been wronged ghosts. Cough! When Emperor Yuan’s assassin came to see me that year, I regretted not going out to meet him..." The lady said: "The end of your words is this sentence, It's really meaningless!" Zhu Heng said: "I didn't say it at first. I just said it when you mentioned Yingshi's matter. Yingshi is young, inexperienced, and has just returned from a foreign country. I don't know all about it. I think his ambition is too high. will always be hit." Madam said: "Even so, you should plan for him." Zhu Heng said: "Naturally, there are still a few people in Beijing's political circles who have friendship with me and can talk to me, but I'm afraid that the salary will not do things, and it will not suit the hearts of Yingshi..." At this time, Yingshi and Fangshi came in talking and laughing. Their father, son, mother and daughter were together again, talking gossip until late at night. The next morning, Yingshi got up early.After reading the newspaper for a while, I felt unhappy; Fang Shi went to school again, and the house was very quiet.Yingshi then went out to visit his friends, and several of his friends were separated, and only two of them were seen: one was a teacher in a primary school in the county, and the other was an interviewer for a newspaper. When they met Yingshi, they were not the same as before. His boldness and polite talk complimented Yingshi again.Yingshi felt that he couldn't hear them, so he asked them about their careers, and they just sighed and said, "Where is the career, but it's all 'rice bowl doctrine'. What kind of construction is there?" Then he talked about state affairs, They were even more emotional, so they told everything about the situation in the middle school over the years.After hearing this, Yingshi felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured on his back, so he had nothing to say, sat for a while, and then took his leave and came back. Back home, Zhu Heng was sitting at the desk writing a letter.Madam sat reading a book while Yingshi talked with his mother.After a while, Zhu Heng finished writing the letter, handed it to Yingshi and said, "You said you want to go to Beijing, take my letter with you, or you can get a seat." The lady then said, "You just came back, and you also need to go to Beijing." Take a rest and go back in two days." Yingshi agreed, and went back to his bedroom, put the letter in his leather bag, leaned it against the window, looked at the scenery in the garden downstairs, and recounted his impressions after returning home. , thinking over and over again, feeling very depressed in my heart.Thinking of when he was in the United States this spring, the owner of a machine factory asked him to work in the factory, and the salary was very generous. He felt undecided in his heart; because he himself had invented a new machine and had already drawn a pattern. , have not engaged in manufacturing, if you work in the factory, it is a good opportunity to manufacture.But at that time, he hadn't graduated yet, and he wanted to return to China as soon as possible after graduation. He didn't want to use what he had learned over the years to serve other countries, so he tried his best to refuse.The factory owner still reluctantly said: "After you return to China, if you don't have any good opportunities, please come to us." Yingshi agreed temporarily, and then ignored it.At this time, he thought, "If there is really nothing to do in China, why not go to the United States and make the machine at the same time, wouldn't it be a wish fulfilled." Suddenly he changed his mind and said: "No wonder people say that foreign students have no ambitions once they return to the country. I have only been back for a while, and I haven't observed all the conditions in society carefully, so I have the idea of ​​going abroad again. It’s because I don’t have a little perseverance, so I can’t bear it. If I go to the United States again, people will laugh at me. Why don’t I go to Beijing tomorrow and see the situation before we talk.” At this time, Fangshi came back from school and was walking into the yard. He looked up and saw his brother standing alone by the window in a daze, and he smiled and said, "Didn't brother go out today?" Yingshi heard it suddenly, and smiled, "I went out in the morning and came back , why did you come back early today?" Fangshi said, "Today is Saturday, and we have half a day of school as usual. If brother is fine, please come down and speak some English for me." Yingshi then went downstairs. On the evening train of the next day, Yingshi went to Beijing. The train was going fast, but he still thought it was slow, and wished he could arrive soon! When bored, just rely on the window to watch the scenery. After crossing the north of the Yangtze River, the weather gradually becomes colder, the wind blows dust, the sand blows, the grass and trees gradually turn yellow, and the accent of the people gradually changes.There are two other things that make Yingshi laughable and pitiful, that is, most of the villagers in the north have braids hanging down their heads.Every time the train stops, there are countless beggars, begging and begging, and it is not until after driving that their mourning voices gradually cease to be heard. When Yingshi arrived in Beijing, he took his father's letter to see a certain chief. He went twice, but he didn't see him.It was too early, he hadn't gotten up yet, and it was too late, and he went out again. It was the third time that he came out to meet him. Yingshi presented the letter. After he finished reading it, he asked first: "Your Excellency Okay? We haven't seen each other for a long time." Then he continued: "Now the ministry is overstaffed, and I still have hundreds of titles in my hand, so it's really difficult to arrange. Outsiders don't know these hardships, and say that I don't take care of relatives and friends, It's really difficult. But my friendship with Mr. Zun is no better than others. Since you have come from afar, you should try your best. Please wait for a few days, and there will be a reply." Yingshi was about to tell him that he wanted to do something practical and didn't want to get a vain job. He then said, "I have to go to the State Council now, so I don't have to accompany you." He stood up, and Yingshi had to get up and leave.A week later, there was no reply. Yingshi was very anxious, and it was inconvenient to urge him.After another five days, he received a letter of appointment, and he was replaced.Yingshi thought that there must be something to do for this project, and he liked it very much. The next morning, he went to the ministry to go on business. It's eight o'clock on the clock.Yingshi walked into the department. The huge yamen was still quiet, and there was no office staff. He was really puzzled, so he had to sit in the technical room, then stood up again, and walked around the room.After ten o'clock, a few more technicians came one after another, and two of them were Yingshi's classmates when he was in the United States, and they liked each other very much when they met.Those who have never met, also introduced that they have met, so they sat down and talked.It was half past ten when Yingshi looked at his watch and said, "I won't delay you any more. You can do business quickly!" They all laughed and said, "This is official business." Jizheng used to be an idler with nothing to do, so the Jizheng room was their conversation room, they would come and chat when they wanted to, and kill the time; otherwise, it didn't matter if they didn't come sometimes.Yingshi said: "Could it be that the country provides our own salaries to support overseas students like us?" They sighed and said, "How can we be willing to do this. But there is really nothing to do in the yamen. It is good to have this position, and other students also do it." The dispatchers have low positions and even thinner salaries, and those who have no human feelings will be eliminated." Yingshi said: "It's because you are willing to stand alone, why don't you go out and do something yourself?" They said with a sad smile: " Needless to say, a few of us originally wanted to set up a factory. Not only would it revitalize industry, but it could also help the poor. But to set up a factory, you need capital first, and we are all empty-handed, so although the charter has been drawn up, all the equipment , and everything has been properly arranged, but the equity cannot be raised, and after a few days, it will be considered as nothing.” This conversation completely dispelled Yingshi’s joy. When the time came, I had to come out listlessly. Yingshi's classmates and colleagues all lived in the same apartment, and Yingshi also moved into the apartment.All day long, I went to the main technical room in the morning and talked for a day, and when I came back in the evening, my classmates went out to play, and they didn't come back one after another until one or two o'clock in the night.Sometimes they would play cards and drink in the apartment, which became a habit, and they spent their salaries on drinking and playing.The days when Yingshi returned to China were still young, and he hadn't been infected with this bad habit. He just sat alone under the lamp in the house and read books and newspapers, but he also felt very lonely.Sometimes when I wake up in my sleep, I can only hear them playing games and drinking pheasant hulu, and I can't help but feel sad.However, Yingshi can't persuade them, because every time they mention it, they say a lot of complaints.From then on, Yingshi sometimes went out to evacuate. When it was cool in the evening, he sat on the tea table in the Central Park or read a book under the tree. On Sundays, he took a photo box and rode a donkey out of the city alone to see places of interest everywhere. I took a lot of landscape pictures and sent them to Fangshi.Sometimes in the technical room, I translate articles from foreign magazines and submit articles to newspapers, and there is nothing else to do. One day, a classmate quietly said to Yingshi, "Do you know that our chief executive is about to be replaced?" Yingshi said, "I don't know, but what does changing the chief executive have to do with us?" The classmate laughed and said, "Why are you doing this?" I don't understand the sophistication of the world, every time there is a new head in the yamen, there will be some changes. I'm afraid our position is not secure, you should try to exercise yourself." Yingshi smiled slightly and didn't say anything. That night was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and everyone in the apartment went out to watch the excitement, leaving only Yingshi alone, watching the lonely night, feeling overwhelmed.He thought, "Half a year after returning to China, I have understood almost everything, but I am still reluctant to leave, because my eight years of hope are not willing to end up like this, and I still look forward to it in case There is something to do. For half a year, I endured everything and refused to follow the trend and get involved in the vortex of this evil society. I don’t want to put aside my real talents and learning, and take my seven-foot body to learn from that servile His actions, ambitions, and exhaustion. Cough! How unfortunate that I am a young man in China, and how unfortunate I am born in today's China..." Thinking of this, his nerves almost became deranged, and he turned back to the stove and pulled the He sat down in a chair and gazed at the fire.Watching it gradually dim from blazing red to ashes.At this time, Yingshi's heart was cold, and he sat with his head supported, watching the fire, without moving. Suddenly he heard a knock on the door. Yingshi stood up, opened the door, and received a letter.Opening it under the lamp, it turned out to be a letter from Fang Shi, saying that she graduated this spring and that her father wanted to send her to study in the United States, and said many happy words.There was also a letter from an American factory in the letter, still inviting him to go to the United States, and saying that if he was promised, he was invited to leave immediately and so on.After reading it, he stood there blankly for a long time, and suddenly gritted his teeth and said, "Go! Why don't you go to the United States first, and make that machine, and you will also be traveling with Fangshi. It's just... Poor! My original intention is by no means like this, my motherland! It's not that I, Yingshi, have rejected you, but you have rejected my Yingshi! At this time, although Yingshi had made up his mind to go to the country, his tears rolled down like pearls with broken strings. He could still faintly hear the singing on the street and the sound of firecrackers all over the sky, embellishing the scene. Taiping New Year. The next day, Yingshi handed in his resignation letter, and the chief executive was not very persuaded to stay because he was about to resign.On the evening train that day, Yingshi resigned from his companion and left for Beijing. When I got home, the treetops were covered with snow, the lights were still shining through the windows, and the music of the piano could still be heard.The bitterness and joy in Yingshi's heart are quite different from the previous time when he went home.Going upstairs, Zhu Heng and his wife were sitting by the fire, playing chess in silence, while Fangshi was playing the piano by the window.It was very strange to see Yingshi coming up.Yingshi didn't say anything. After seeing his parents, he said to Fangshi, "Sister! I came back specially to send you to the United States." Fangshi said happily, "Brother! Is it true?" Yingshi nodded.Madam said: "Why do you want to go to the United States again?" Yingshi said: "I understand everything. It is too boring to stay in the country." Zhu Heng looked at Madam and smiled slightly.Yingshi also said: "I handed in my resignation letter the day before yesterday, and I left Beijing on the same day, because I thought that instead of wasting the time of this young man in the country and being contaminated with the habits of this evil society, I am afraid that it will be incurable after a long time. Going to a foreign country, doing some practical things, and being able to take care of my sister, when she graduates, we come back together, wouldn’t it kill two birds with one stone?” Zhu Heng nodded and said: “You can send my sister there, so I don’t have to go through it myself. "Fangshi said very fondly: "I am worried that although my father sent me there, I will not be able to grow up there. Without relatives to take care of me, I will inevitably miss my family. This is the best!" The boundless water of the Pacific Ocean and the bright moon in the sky are still the same as last year.Yingshi leaned on the railing and felt infinite emotion in his heart.Fang Shi was chatting and laughing with his female companion on the same boat, and when he turned around and saw Ying Shi staring into the distance, he seemed to feel something, so he came over and smiled and called, "Brother! Why are you so sad tonight?" Ying Shi slowly Looking back, he smiled slightly and said, "I'm not unhappy, but this year I crossed the Pacific Ocean again, which I never expected." Fang Shi smiled and said, "I have been looking forward to when I can be like my brother. "A boat crossing the Pacific Ocean" was something I was proud of at the time, and today I really met this scene. I think that when I finish my studies and return to China, I will definitely have something to contribute, and I am not in vain looking forward to it." Shi Yingshi looked at Fangshi with sad and earnest eyes and said, "Sister! I hope that the China when you go back is not the China I have met now, that’s fine! " Included in the collection of novels "Going to the Country". )