Chapter 12 Chapter 11 Chen Jiazhai’s Blood Letter Surprises the Provincial Government Zhang Xiangdi to Suppress the Bandits Stationed in Wugang

Yi Hao put down the "Ta Kung Pao" discouragedly, and muttered: "The Wanmin blood book we sent should have been published in the newspaper long ago... Lian Sheng, who did you give the blood book to?" Zhou Liansheng replied: "Give it to Zhao Hengti personally." "He is the governor, can you see him?" Zhou Liansheng said aggrievedly: "Brother, this is a matter that concerns everyone's lives. Do I dare to lie? I knew that it was rare to see Governor Zhao, so I thought of a way to hang Wanmin's blood book around my neck and kneel at the gate of the provincial government Before refusing to get up, crying and screaming miserable!"

Yi Hao breathed a sigh of relief, nodded and said, "As long as the blood book is delivered to Governor Zhao, Zhang Yunqing will be dead this time!" However, in 1924, Zhang Yunqing, together with Zhu Yunhan and Zhang Shuncai, bloodbathed Chenjiazhai in Xixi. More than 4,000 people were buried in the sea of ​​fire, and none of them survived. To be a pile of ashes and rubble, how miserable! Zhang Yunqing originally wanted to kill the grass and roots, but Yi Hao's life was not to die. The shrewd Zhang Yunqing and Yang Xiangwan ignored the cliff behind the village to escape. "God's will, God's will!" Zhang Yunqing thumped her chest and said, "I should have thought of this link. Somehow, I've never thought of it, and neither have you, even the drill that often stays here is forgotten!"

Zhang Zuanzi said: "The Houzhai is so high and so dangerous, who would have expected them to jump off the cliff." "Forget it!" Yang Xiangwan said, "As the saying goes, it's never too late to mend the prison. What we should do now is to find out Yi Hao's whereabouts. They have become frightened, and the large troops will go back first, as if they had been burned to death. People are looking for them in streams, Qianyang, and caves. If you don’t find them, once they form a force, it will be difficult to deal with them.” Zhang Yunqing said to Zhang Zuanzi: "I'll leave this side of the stream to you. Don't be lazy. You must search every small village and cave. If you have any information, report it quickly."

Zhu Yunhan also left several subordinates and asked them to go to Qianyang to inquire.Before the large army left, Yang Xiangwan encouraged the spies from all walks of life and said, "You don't have to carry too much burden. It is easy to find out their whereabouts. There are forty or fifty of them, and they have a lot of food and use. Where are these things?" Come? Only go to the sheep. Shutting the sheep will disturb the people, and news will spread. This is an important clue. In my opinion, it is better to go to the post station to listen to the conversation of the guests than to drill the hole. Because there will not be many drills in a day. A hole, you can listen to hundreds of people talk about their experiences at the station!"

Zhang Yunqing went on to say: "Mr. Yang's words are based on experience, and brothers should act accordingly. Mother is a cunt, even if Yi Hao hides in his mother's belly, he has to come out to see the sky!" Afterwards, Zhang Yunqing, Zhu Yunhan and Zhang Shuncai led their troops back to the village.Due to the large number of people and the great momentum, wherever they went along the way, merchants and porters were all scared and fled away. That night, Zhang Yunqing returned to the mountain gate and ordered Xie Laogou to lead his troops back to rest, and then he escorted Yang Lilu to the Zeng Mansion.

At the entrance of the trough, a group of vicious dogs recognized Zhang Yunqing from afar, and they all wagged their tails happily.The gatekeeper opened the door, and Zhang Yunqing ordered his attendants to pour out a basket of meat buns to feed the dogs. Hearing the sound, Deng Jihua came out of the hall and shouted: "Master Man, you are finally back. Man Niang goes to the door three times a day to look at her. She just went to the slot door just now." Zhang Yunqing said: "It seems that she is in a hurry. She has been here for decades, and still cares about these few days?"

"That's different. For decades, there has been no man who can fulfill her long-cherished wish, and finally met you, Master Man. If even you can't do it, wouldn't she hold a grudge for the rest of her life!" "That won't be the case," Zhang Yunqing said proudly, "How could I be so useless." Came to the inner hall.A large gas lamp is hung in the inner hall, illuminating the hall as bright as day.Mei Manniang was sitting on the reclining chair. When she saw the Yangli furnace tied up with five flowers, she immediately got up and asked, "Are you the Yangli furnace?"

Yang Lilu looked suspicious, and said with tears: "Madam, I don't know you. All my relatives were burned to death. I should have been buried in the sea of ​​fire with my relatives. This Zhang Yunqing said, you want to see me. Madam, we two We have never met each other before, so there shouldn't be any mortal enmity." Mei Manniang sneered and said, "Of course you don't know me! I'll teach you how to do it later." As she spoke, she gave Zhang Yunqing a wink. Zhang Yunqing understood, first tied the Yangli furnace to a big pillar, and then rebuked the followers.

There were only three people left in the hall.Zhang Yunqing closed the door, and sat side by side with Mei Manniang, facing Yang Lilu. Yang Lilu burst into tears, and kept saying that he didn't know Mei Manniang.Mei Manniang gritted her teeth and asked, "You said you didn't know me, do you know where this is?" Yang Lilu shook his head: "It will be dark at the entrance of the cave, I really don't know the name of the treasure place." "This is the mountain gate." Mei Manniang deliberately emphasized the word "mountain gate", "Have you heard of this place?"

Yang Lilu's conditioned reflex was terrified, and he was no longer called wronged. He asked in horror: "This, this is the Zeng Mansion?" Mei Manniang stared angrily: "You finally understand?!" "Retribution, retribution!" Yang Lilu slammed his head on the pillar, wanting to die quickly. Zhang Yunqing hurriedly took off the cotton coat and wrapped it around the wooden post, Yang Lilu was dying. "Let me die quickly, I'm old, I don't expect to live." Yang Lilu begged for mercy. "Want to die quickly?" Mei Manniang lowered her face, "It's not that easy! I want to kill you!"

"Ling Chi?!" Yang Lilu was surprised, "Although you and I have enmity, it's not enough to repay you like this. I just took away your family's treasure, and didn't even hurt my life. It's too much for you to Ling Chi me!" "It's not too much." Mei Manniang said, "Although you never killed me yourself, if you hadn't locked up the sheep, would he have died?" "Who is he to you?" Yang Lilu asked. "He is my father-in-law." Yang Lilu sneered for a while: "Is he your father-in-law? I thought it was your husband. Since the deceased is your father-in-law, you shouldn't torture me!" "No, I must kill you!" Mei Manniang gritted her teeth and said tearfully, "If it was my husband, even if he died directly in your hands, I would not hate you so much... my father-in-law , he is a special father-in-law. When he was sixteen years old, he fell in love with me and wanted to marry me. I also liked him very much, but his family already had many wives and concubines, so I proposed not to be a concubine. For the sake of the family's reputation, He can't divorce his wife, but he loves me so much in his heart. He has a son who is seriously ill and has dementia. He said that if I want, he can give me the status of the wife of the Zeng family. At that time, I was young and competitive, and I wanted to Wealthier and more powerful than others, I became his daughter-in-law in name, and his wife in reality. He is very considerate of women, especially loves me. I gave birth to two children for him, but the children can only call him grandpa. As long as we are good, he doesn't care. We live a life that is very satisfying to each other. Who would have thought that the good times will not last long. A few years later, my husband in the name died. Once, I accidentally became pregnant , if this matter gets out, this family of poets and books will be ruined. As a last resort, I had to secretly have an abortion. As a result, my lower body bleeds heavily. If it weren’t for my life, I would not be where I am today. After that, he said that he couldn’t bear to make me pregnant. It was impossible to avoid that incident when we were together, so he spent tens of thousands of taels of silver to donate an official position as the magistrate of Huaihua. Before leaving, he told me that he would stay outside for a long time, and he would not be pregnant again after I was 45 years old. I just came back... At that time, I was very moved. He was only in his early fifties at the time, and he was full of energy. It took a lot of perseverance and restraint. It can be seen how deeply he loves me. He knew that I love money when he was in Huaihua. He is not greedy, but he also became interested in money. Every year, he plundered wantonly to make me happy. Before the expiration of the period, he sent his servant Deng Jihua to bring back a letter. The letter said that the current political situation is turbulent, and chaotic parties are on the rise. The imperial court is precarious, coupled with being away alone, the long night is difficult, and I decided not to be re-elected. Knowing that my wife loves wealth, I have accumulated some in private. Then I will laugh at it. There is a saying in the ancients that "a thousand gold smiles". When I first heard it, I thought it was absurd. I read it Only from my father-in-law's letter did I know that there is such a man who loves so much infatuatedly. I also asked Deng Jihua to send him a letter, saying that everything is fine at home, that the two children are lively and lovely, and that the older one is about to grow up. It is also very hard to miss, and the long night is hard, I hope that my father-in-law will return home soon. When Deng Jihua returned to Huaihua, I pinched my fingers at home and looked forward to it. Two months later, my father-in-law came back with a frightened face, dirty all over, and dressed as a poor man. I asked why he was in such a mess. My father-in-law said, wait After bathing and changing clothes, I will talk about it in detail. I ordered my servants to boil water and prepare clothes. After a while, my father-in-law came to my room in a well-dressed manner, and cried when he saw him: "My daughter-in-law, I almost won't see you this time!" After hearing this, I knew something was wrong Yes, after his explanation, I found out that the treasure was robbed. I advised him that although treasure is a good thing, life is more important. You are lucky to come back alive. He said that the Zeng family has been clean for generations, and no corrupt officials were born. It is well-known in the ruling and opposition circles that if this matter gets out, if the higher-ups investigate it, they will humiliate the ancestors. I comforted him, the bandits did not dare to publicize the robbery. He said that the bandits talk a lot and there is no guarantee. In this way, worry plus fright, one disease will not be cured My father-in-law knew that he was dying, and asked me to sit by his bedside every night. He dragged me to cry and told me that he was away from home all these years.On the other hand, there was not a single day when I missed me. When I was in a panic, I got up in the middle of the night and looked at my hometown and cried bitterly... He also said that he met a madam in Huaihua and learned the art of intercourse to prevent the woman from becoming pregnant. Live in love and love..." At this point, Mei Manniang was sobbing, pointing at Yang Lilu with trembling hands: "It's you who ruined half of my life's happiness. Ever since my father-in-law died, in retrospect, I feel that he loved me deeply, and it is impossible for this world to find him again." Such a man! For me, he took the risk of 'incest'; for me, he restrained his lust! This love transcends body and soul!" She wiped her tears, "As time goes by, my loss and The more difficult it is to resolve the pain. My heart seems to have been taken into the grave by him. I almost wanted to die, and I turned love into hate. I vowed to take revenge in this life. This kind of thing cannot pass through the government. I found the People inquired and learned that the bandits who robbed my father-in-law's property were the Yangli furnace in Xichen's village." Mei Manniang poked the Yangli furnace with her finger.Zhang Yunqing asked: "The person you invited is Deng Shuangfa?" Mei Manniang nodded: "He is a rascal who cheated me of money, and he has no ability to attack Chen's village." "That's why you plotted against him." Mei Manniang nodded: "This is not the main thing. I plot against him because he knows the privacy of my father-in-law and me." Zhang Yunqing lowered her face and said, "I also know your privacy, will you kill someone to silence it?" "No," Mei Manniang shook her head, "You are different, your relationship with me..." Zhang Yunqing breathed a sigh of relief, and turned her gaze to Yang Lilu: "You have heard it all, you have made her suffer forever. It is not too much for her to kill you." He took out a sharp beef knife from the leggings and handed it to Mei Manniang ,"for you." Mei Manniang waved her hand: "Come here, I've never done it before, just sit and watch to relieve my hatred." Zhang Yunqing was also not polite, saying: "I haven't done it before, I just want to learn. Chief Yang, I offended you." She stripped Yang Lilu naked.First cut off two pieces of meat at the thigh... Ling Chi is the torture used by the government to execute the most heinous bandits. When he killed Brother Chaidao, he planned to use this torture. Later, because there were too many people watching, he was afraid of causing panic, so he changed his head to beheaded. To make a long story short, it is said that Zhang Yunqing helped Mei Manniang kill Yang Lilu, and the two came to the hall and talked about the bloodbath of the Chen family village.When Mei Manniang heard that Yi Hao and others had escaped, she said: "This is a future trouble. If you don't get rid of him, something bad will happen!" Zhang Yunqing nodded: "I have dispatched many spies, once there is a whereabouts, I will not let you down lightly!" Mei Manniang felt relieved a little: "You have fulfilled my long-cherished wish for many years, and there is no way to repay it. When will the beams and incense sticks be placed in your house, I will prepare a generous gift to congratulate you." "You and I don't have to be polite. I caught the Yangli furnace, but it's just a matter of raising my hands. Regarding the incense burning on the upper beam, I think it's better to set it on the first month of the fourteenth year. Mr. Feng Shui said that it will be open in three directions in fourteen years, which is very auspicious." A confidant came to report that the body was buried properly.Zhang Yunqing withdrew his hands, staring at Mei Manniang with lewd eyes.Mei Manniang was also lustful, and both of them entered the inner room, burning into a ball like dry wood... Zhang Yunqing's house was fixed on the twelfth day of the first lunar month in 1925.On this day, there are a lot of guests and high-ranking friends, and rich gentry and rich people from far and near visit relatives and give gifts.Naturally, Mei Manniang sent generous gifts. Not to mention how lively the day of the ceremony was, after the guests had left, Zhang Yunqing went to the cashier to check the gift list. Zhang Yakou happily reported to him how much silver and grain the family sent. Zhang Yunqing said sullenly, "I'm not here to ask about such trivial things Yes. Help me find out if Liu Yi sent someone to bring gifts." Zhang Yakou shook his head: "No." As he spoke, he checked the bill from the beginning to the end, and there was no one with a different name. Zhang Yakou asked: "Has our invitation been delivered? Or he is angry." Zhang Yunqing said nothing, and left sullenly. A few days later, Zhang Zuanzi came back from the stream and entered the new house to report to Zhang Yunqing.Zhang Yunqing was very upset: "Duanzi, I thought you wouldn't come back!" Knowing that he was late, Zhang Zuanzi argued, "I stayed at the Baoyao station and waited for more than 20 days. Suddenly, I heard from some merchants from Guizhou that an accident occurred in Zhijiang on the 20th day of the 10th lunar month. In the kidnapping case, an American doctor named Shi Meili was captured by bandits. The government took it very seriously, and even Zhao Hengti telegraphed Tang Jiyao to ask him to help investigate the case. I thought at the time that Yi Hao left on October 15 Exactly five days later, an American doctor was kidnapped in Zhijiang. Even the governor Zhao Hengti paid so much attention to it, the Yankee must have brought a lot of money. I rushed to investigate without saying a word.” . "What was the result?" Zhang Yunqing became interested. "I walked for three or four days, and first went to Zhijiang County to inquire. I learned that this case had caused a commotion throughout the country, but the time was wrong—it wasn't this year, it was October 20th in the lunar calendar last year." "Mother sells x!" Zhang Yunqing cursed, "Trash!" "However, since I went to Zhijiang, I couldn't run in vain. It happened that Qianyang County was robbed by bandits at that time. I hurried after them and learned that the bandits invaded the county and robbed more than 50 stores. The leader happened to be The surname is Yi. There are more than one hundred people. In order to find out the truth, I am going to inquire deeply. Immediately after that, there is news that Taodao County has been looted by bandits. I hurried over and learned that the leader is still surnamed Yi. They are very fierce. The county magistrate ran away in fright. This time I asked clearly. The bandit surnamed Yi, named Yi Shunman, had more than 20 guns and more than 60 people. Swimming and robbing, using caves as rooms, and no fixed residence. Now I thought about it a bit, and thought that although Yi Shunman is not Yi Hao, will Yi Hao have a clan idea and be merged into Yi Shunman's family? It is very possible, and the most convincing thing is that Yi Shunman originally only had about sixty people, but suddenly increased to one hundred, and this increased number coincides with Yi Hao's number." Zhang Yunqing became interested: "You should continue to investigate." Zhang Zuanzi said proudly: "So I lived in the hinterland of Xiangxi. I didn't dare to come back during the Chinese New Year. One day I saw someone putting up beams and offering incense there. So I hurried back." "Mother sells x!" Zhang Yunqing cursed, "Who told you to come back at the critical moment?!" Zhang Zuanzi scratched his head: "I'm coming back today, don't you already think I'm late?" "Mother sells X, mother sells X!" Zhang Yunqing scolded. At this time Yin Dongbo came in: "Master Man, you said you want to send someone to the city to contact Captain Liu, can you send Zhong Xuehua?" Zhang Yunqing restrained her anger: "It's just in time for you to come back. Zhong Xuehua doesn't know Liu Yi, so you should go there!" Zhang Zuanzi: "I don't know what to do." Zhang Yunqing said patiently: "This time I went to the beam and sent a message to Liu Yi, but he didn't even send a single subordinate. You can't mention this when you go there. He is a sensible person. He will naturally take the initiative when he sees you. mention." Zhang Zuanzi pretended to be a charcoal seller and went into the city carrying a load of charcoal. In the afternoon of the next day, Zhang Zuanzi came back, dropped the basket and ran to Zhang Yunqing's room.Zhang Yunqing was playing cards and betting money with some small bosses, when she saw Zhang Zuanzi, she turned her back and asked, "What did Chief Liu tell you?" Zhang Zuanzi: "He didn't send anyone this time, but he had no choice but to find an opportunity to explain to you." Zhang Yunqing nodded, expressing understanding. "Captain Liu wants you to understand the current situation. Since the 10th year of the Republic of China, Zhao Hengti represented the Beiyang government and Tan Yankai represented Sun Yat-sen on the territory of Hunan. These two years are the golden time for us to make a fortune. Since the second half of last year, Tan Yankai went to Guangzhou to join Sun Yat-sen's Northern Expedition, so the situation in Hunan Zhao Hengti has basically stabilized. Due to the continuous The kidnapping of foreigners happened. In order to please the foreigners, Zhao Hengti made up his mind to send heavy troops to Xiangxi to suppress them. He asked me to tell you that during this period, we can no longer be as public as in the past. Once the army suppresses them, we will be overwhelmed." Zhang Yunqing sighed: "No wonder he didn't send anyone to congratulate him, because he was afraid of being suspected of being a 'bandit'." Zhang Zuanzi said: "Captain Liu said that it is best not to contact him in the future. He will send someone to inform us if there is an emergency. Zhao Rong, the county magistrate, is Zhao Hengti's relative and confidant, and he is a loyal lackey. Captain Liu dare not offend him. , let alone let him take advantage of it. Once Captain Liu is lost, we will be of no benefit." Zhang Yunqing said repeatedly: "That's right, that's right." "Captain Liu also said that he is Chen Guangzhong's confidant, and whoever Chen leans on, he must also lean on. Not only is the situation in the country complicated, but also in the province. In addition to the grievances between Zhao Hengti and Lu Diping, new ones have emerged. Cheng Qian and Tang Shengzhi also have a certain force, and they are showing a formidable future. However, generally speaking, it is the dispute between Sun Yat-sen and the Beiyang warlords. At present, the Beiyang government is temporarily in the upper hand, and Chen Guangzhong and Zhao Hengti will fall to the Beiyang government. When will the Northern Expedition If it succeeds, Chen Guangzhong will fall to Sun Yat-sen again. If there is such a day, there will be two factions of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party co-existing inside Sun Yat-sen..." Zhang Yunqing waved her hands, and said impatiently: "Why are you talking so complicated? To sum it up, there is one sentence: If you have milk, you are a mother. I can play this trick. I can guess what you didn't say—now the wind It’s tight, it’s not advisable to stand out, brothers, you should calm down and watch the current situation. Isn’t that the case?” Zhang Zuanzi nodded again and again: "Exactly, exactly like this!" Zhang Yunqing leaned back on the grand teacher's chair, let out a long sigh of relief, and said, "I'm a little tired after tossing around for the past few years, it's time to relax. You bring Yin Dongbo here, and I'll tell him something." Yin Dongbo came and stood in front of Zhang Yunqing: "Master Man, what's the matter?" Zhang Yunqing pointed to the chair opposite, and asked, "Since I came back from the stream last winter, I asked you to pay attention to Zhang Guangwen's movements. I wonder if there is any gain?" Yin Dongbo said: "Last winter, his tenant Zheng Zhengliang came to the entrance of the cave, and he probably came into contact with Yi Hao. However, since then, there has been no movement. They are really calm." Zhang Yunqing sighed: "What a cunning fox!" Then she straightened her waist, "Old Yin, go to Zhang Guanghuo's house and tell him when Zhang Tuan is free, I want to go to his house to talk." Yin Dongbo came back in less than an hour to report: "Master Huo said that his younger brother has been at home these two days and is always ready." Zhang Yunqing nodded: "Go down and prepare the sedan chair, I'll be there right away." Two bearers came to the door, Zhang Yunqing ordered six or seven relatives to accompany Ma Bian, and rushed to the East Village with him. Zhang Guanghuo was in East Village, less than two miles away from Zhang Yunqing's new house.After a bag of cigarettes, Zhang Yunqing's sedan chair came to the door of the trough, Zhang Guanghuo and Zhang Guangwen came out to welcome each other, and each other politely embraced Zhang Yunqing and went to the living room to divide the guests and sit down. Zhang Guanghuo's prostitutes Manxiu and Manjiao came forward to serve tea, Zhang Yunqing looked at it carefully, and felt that although it was not beautiful, it was also delicate and charming, so she couldn't help but look at it a few more times.The two daughters served tea and left, Zhang Yunqing turned around and said to Zhang Guangwen, "Brother Guangwen is well-read and knowledgeable, especially the current situation. In my opinion, what will be the end of the world today?" Zhang Guangwen said with a smile: "Brother Shunlu has won the award. Guangwen is so talented and inexperienced, how dare he make rash comments? The current situation is so chaotic, even if Liu Bowen is reborn, it will be difficult to make sense of it, let alone me and ordinary people? However, it seems that the overall situation is initially settled. Sun Yat-sen's political platform has won the hearts of the people, and most of the Kuomintang organizations are people who are well-educated, have gone abroad, and have studied. In theory, they seem to be better than the gangsters of the Beiyang Army. Once the Northern Expedition succeeds, the Kuomintang However, there is another hidden danger that cannot be ignored-the Kuomintang, and the Communist Party, which is a very threatening party. This point, Sun Yat-sen himself may have overlooked. I don’t know the Communist Party, only from the brochures I learned that the Communist Party advocates public ownership—even people are public property. Land, factories, farms, houses, etc. are all public property, and private ownership is not allowed.” "Doesn't this mean that the rich are equal to the poor?" Zhang Yunqing exclaimed. "Exactly." "Absolutely not!" Zhang Yunqing said loudly, "A few years ago I would raise my hands in favor, but now I have 10,000 against it. If the Communist Party's plan succeeds, my busy work these past few years will not be in vain!" Zhang Guangwen said: "It's not just a waste of time. In order to achieve this goal, the Communist Party has to kill a group of local tyrants and evil gentry—especially bandits!" Zhang Yunqing was stunned. "It's terrible, it's terrible!" Zhang Guanghuo also yelled, "To distribute houses, land and money to the poor, isn't it killing us!" Zhang Guangwen sighed: "The majority of poor people in the world, the Communist Party is better than the Kuomintang. What's more frightening is that anyone who joins the Communist Party must meet three conditions: first, not afraid of death; second, not afraid of suffering, and dare to fight against the rich; third It's not rebellion." Zhang Yunqing opened her eyes wide: "Is there a high salary for joining the Communist Party? Otherwise, how can you not be afraid of death?" Zhang Guangwen shook his head: "There is no salary for joining the Communist Party. They don't do it for money. They only have one goal - to make the poor all over the world stand up, not to be bullied by the rich, and not to be murdered by bandits. In October 1918, a group of poor Soviets, With such a spirit, he overthrew the thousand-year-old tsar in one fell swoop." Zhang Yunqing clicked his tongue and said, "It's too scary! Is there a Communist Party in Wugang County?" Zhang Guangwen nodded: "Of course there is. Now is the period of cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and no one can do anything to them." Zhang Yunqing looked at Zhang Guangwen and said, "Can Zhao Hengti not deal with the Communist Party? He is also a rich man, so he should represent his own interests." Zhang Guanghuo knocked on the table with his bong and said, "It's unreasonable. For thousands of years, no dynasty has wanted to turn the poor. These years are simply chaotic. In every year of chaos, strange things will happen. In the 10th year of the Republic of China (1921 ), Zhong Banxian predicted that the yellow snake essence would come to the world in Wugang. In that year, there was a severe drought for 70 days, and the harvest was less than 20% to 30%. After the mid-autumn harvest, the yellow snake essence hatched and came out of its shell. It rained continuously and did not clear until winter. It has been a long time since the rice was harvested, and the people depended on fried rice for food. In the eleventh year, as expected, bandits and bandits arose, and ransacked from Dongxiang to Xixiang. It took twelve years to stop. In the past two years, more than 10,000 hungry people lived on the river bank of Wugang. Begging for porridge, there is a long queue every day; a hundred people in a village of Panjiasuo in Xixiang died after eating Guanyin soil. This year’s omen is even worse: on the first day of the first lunar month, a dozen roosters in the Yinjia ancestral hall in Nanxiang turned into hens; On the fifteenth night of the Lantern Festival, a meteorite fell from Dongxiang Fuchong and burned down a village. All kinds of ominous things are not limited to one end. It seems that the Communist Party is really going to mess up the world, and Zhao Hengti should kill it as soon as possible." Zhang Guangwen said: "Zhao Hengti is still able to suppress the Communist Party. At the beginning of the new year, he ordered the arrest of Communists Mao Zedong and Liu Shaoqi in Hunan Province. This is not the case in Guangdong. The peasants there were organized by the Communist Party to reduce rent and interest, and fight against local tyrants and evil gentry. Fast." Zhang Yunqing took a sip of hot tea, calmed down and said, "The Communist Party is still some distance away from us, so let's leave him alone. I came to visit today to ask Brother Guangwen. What kind of attitude?" Zhang Guangwen said: "Zhao Hengti just drove away Tan Yankai this year, and he already has enough energy and troops to deal with local armed forces. Judging from the newly published "Ta Kung Pao", it may be solved by military, especially in the western Hunan area. Focus on suppressing." Zhang Yunqing shuddered, at this moment, someone was poking his head outside the door, he recognized it at a glance, and asked, "Zhong Xuehua, what are you looking at?" Zhong Xuehua stood with his head down: "Master Man, my wife said she was not feeling well, please go back. Seeing that the masters are having a good time talking, I dare not disturb you." Knowing that there was something to do at home, Zhang Yunqing bid farewell to brother Zhang Guangwen: "Originally, I have something to ask for, but today is too hasty, so I will talk about it another day." Back at the gate of her house, she saw a big white horse tied to the gate of the trough, so she let go of her pace. Back to the living room. In the living room, Yang Xiangwan got up to greet him.Zhang Yunqing held his hand tightly: "Brother Xiangwan, long time no see, let's go into the inner room." The two entered the inner room, and Yang Xiangwan asked, "Brother Shunlu, is there any news about Yi Hao's whereabouts since he left the stream?" Zhang Yunqing shook her head: "My subordinates are a group of idiots. I was about to visit the garden for this matter, and you just happened to come. I think you must have gained a lot." Yang Xiangwan's face was covered with a cloud of sadness, and he sighed: "My younger brother finally found out some news about Yi Hao. It turns out that after they escaped, they defected to Yi Shunman's subordinates and looted in several counties in western Hunan. Recently, they I heard that Zhao Hengti was going to send troops into Xiangxi to suppress the bandits, but he disappeared, and secretly instigated the people of Xixi to write a blood letter signed by the people, asking the provincial government to send troops to suppress Zhang Yunqing, Zhu Yunhan, and Zhang Shuncai." Zhang Yunqing was taken aback and said, "I just came back from Zhang Guangwen's house. He also mentioned that Zhao Hengti was going to suppress the bandits in western Hunan. If Wanmin's blood letter was submitted to the province, wouldn't we become the first target of the suppression? This matter is very important, and we must discuss a countermeasure." .” Yang Xiangwan said: "I came to your residence to discuss countermeasures with you. Have you been in touch with Liu Yi recently?" Zhang Yunqing sighed: "The wind is too tight, he said that it is not appropriate to look for him. In case something happens, he will notify in time." "You are stupid!" Yang Xiangwan said, "This is his prevarication. Now even his master Chen Guangzhong is uncertain about which side he should fall to. How can he care about you? If you dare to break into him Come home, prepare a gift, maybe he will reveal some insider secrets to you. However, it seems more legitimate for you to go to his house to find an excuse." Zhang Yunqing thought for a while: "His daughter may get married after a while." "Very good. I'll wait for your news here." In the middle of the night, Zhang Yunqing galloped towards Wugang City on a bay red horse. The horse was taken care of by Yingchun Inn, opened the city gate with the old method, and quietly came to Liu Yi's house on Zhengnan Street. Seeing Zhang Yunqing, Liu Yi asked in surprise, "What are you doing here again? Have you forgotten what I told you last time?" "I haven't forgotten. There has been a lot of rumors recently. I heard that someone sent a blood letter to the provincial government and asked to send troops to fight me. Anyway, since I started this road, life and death have long been ignored. The only regret is that your love is getting married soon, and this ceremony cannot be done. Little, because I didn’t dare to show up on that day, lest the captain be implicated, so I came here early and gave a small gift, just to express my heart.” After speaking, he took out eight hundred and eighty-eight yuan from the bag, a pair of emerald jade bracelets, Two gold rings, a pair of gold hairpins and gold hairpins, a pair of gold earrings, and a bolt of fine Hangzhou silk. When Liu Yi saw him, he immediately pulled him into the bedroom, dismissed the concubine, and asked, "Who did you listen to about the Wanmin blood book?" Zhang Yunqing said: "I don't tell lies in front of real people, and I don't hide the truth. I have my eyes and ears everywhere in Wugang, and they came to investigate." "What else did you find out?" Zhang Yunqing asked back, "Where is the Wanmin blood book?" Liu Yi said: "It's in Zhao Rong's hands. This thing is not good for you. Once it is submitted to the provincial government and published in the "Ta Kung Pao", it will definitely arouse public outrage. At that time, even if you have 10,000 lives, you will never want to save them." !" Zhang Yunqing felt dark in front of her eyes, and knelt down with a plop: "Mr. Liu, you must save me!" The words are divided into two ends.But he said that after repelling Zhang Yunqing's first round of attack, Yi Hao knew that he would come back sooner or later, so he immediately took precautions.He also estimated that Zhang Yunqing would use fire to attack, and he was even more afraid that the other party would use kerosene to burn the village.He sent many villagers to pretend to be guests on the post road every day to investigate whether there was kerosene coming in.As a result, only an increase in alcohol sales was found.Who would have thought that it was these so-called "wine" that brought disaster to Chenjiazhai. Fortunately, Yi Hao made another precautionary plan in advance. He prepared dozens of quilts for wrapping himself up and jumping into the pool.More than 20 guns were tied with bamboo tubes and thrown into the deep pool at the bottom of the cliff.In this way, the lives of more than 50 people in the headquarters were saved, and the firearms were not lost. The next step is the question of where to settle.Yi Hao reckoned that Zhang, Zhu, and Zhang's three forces will definitely pursue and fight fiercely, and the only way is to take refuge in another force. At that time, although there were no fewer than several hundred gangs of bandits in Xiangxi, there were less than ten gangs with more than 50 or 60 people, of which Zhu Yunhan, Zhang Shuncai, and Zhang Yunqing were the three largest gangs.The next row is Yi Shunman, who often occupies Huangmao Fengmuling in Northwest Township. Historically, the most famous banditry in Wugang is Maple Ridge.This is the main road from Wugang to Suining, with high mountains and dense forests, and many caves, which are convenient for hiding. Bandits of Maple Ridge have a reputation for brutality.Their method of robbing is indiscriminate. They kill the first few people they catch, cut open their stomachs and drag their intestines on the ground, then cut off their hands, feet, and heads, and hang them on trees by the roadside... People passing by behind Seeing this situation, there is no one who is not afraid, so he honestly handed over all his belongings.If a person who dares to hide and refuse to hand over is found, a small elastic tree will be bent down, and then the rectum of the person will be cut open, tied to the top of the tree with an iron hook, and all the intestines will be pulled out by the elastic force to let the victim People die slowly in pain... It is said that the bandits on Maple Ridge have the habit of eating people's hearts and skins. The word "Maple Ridge" is a chilling spell in the southwestern part of Hunan. If a child is disobedient, just say "the one from Maple Ridge is here" and the child will not dare to cry. Maple Ridge has also seen fires and incidents throughout history.In order to compete for territory, bandits killed more bandits than passers-by.Yi Shunman, the bandit leader currently occupying Maple Ridge, defeated and captured his last formidable enemy, tied him to a maple tree, cut him open with a sharp knife, took out his heart, and ate it alive.This move shocked every one of his subordinates, and also made Xiangxi Lvlin look at him with admiration. In the past, from Wugang to Suining, one had to pass through Fengmuling, so the bandits here were very rampant and there were a lot of people.At the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, Wu Sangui and the Qing soldiers were defeated in the battle in Wugang City, and they were chased by the Qing soldiers to Xuefeng Mountain. Wu Sangui did not dare to pass through Fengmu Ridge. The road, climbing to the middle of the mountain, was blocked by a huge boulder, and the pursuers were approaching.In desperation, Wu Sangui swung a big knife and cut seven steps on the boulder to let the soldiers pass.At that time, tens of thousands of people were killed and injured in the battle between the two armies.After the Qing soldiers entered the city, there was bloodbath for three days, countless innocent people died, and Zijiang was stained red with human blood.In order to remember this tragic history, the local people named the boulder cut by Wu Sangui "Seven Step Stone", and built a temple under the boulder named "Banshan Temple".These two place names are still in use today. Since the passage of "Seven Step Stones", many merchants who were afraid of the bandits in Maple Ridge have detoured, which greatly reduced the number of passers-by in Maple Ridge, which also affected the development space of bandits. Therefore, Yi Shunman often only has forty or fifty famous men. Gossip aside, Yi Hao had nowhere to go and decided to take refuge in Yi Shunman. First, it was difficult to write two "Yi" characters in one stroke, and second, Yi Shunman was famous for being vicious in the green forest. Zhu Yunhan and Zhang Shuncai were somewhat afraid of him.He led more than 20 guns and more than 50 people to Fengmu Ridge to explain the situation to Yi Shunman.Yi Shunman was really straightforward, and he agreed, but he said worriedly: "Fengmuling Temple is small, and I am afraid it will be difficult to feed a family. If you go down the mountain to rob the house, you may run into the government, and send troops to suppress it. I am afraid We can’t even hold onto this territory.” Yi Hao sorted out his seniority, and Yi Shunman was two generations older than him, so he said: "Grandpa Man's words are indeed true. But my grandson is not here to compete with grandpa. Before coming, my grandson has a plan. We There are more than a hundred brothers and seventy or eighty guns in total, it is better to leave this poor village and go to a farther place to fish for the world." Yi Shunman is a brave and reckless man in the forest. Hearing what Yi Hao said, he suddenly became enlightened. He slapped his thigh and said, "Yes, we should have done this a long time ago. I don't know where to go?" Yi Hao said: "Parts of Dongxiang, Nanxiang, and Xixiang are flat land, and there is no place to hide. Only Xuefeng Mountain in the north can be used as a barrier. However, there is Zhang Shuncai in the northeast, Zhang Yunqing in the north, and Zhu Yunhan in the northwest. The territory in the west is the most barren, and it is reasonable to seize their territory. However, now that the three of them are in contact, we are not opponents, so we can give up temporarily and expand to the hinterland of Xuefeng Mountain. For example, Huitong, Qianyang, Tongdao, Jishou, Fenghuang, etc. Counties are beyond the reach of the government. Why don't we take the opportunity to make a fortune?" This remark hit Yishun's heart, so he gathered more than a hundred thugs and ran northward from Changpu Town in Suining, passed through Huitong, Hongjiang, Xinhuang, Zhijiang, and then turned back to Qianyang. Xiangxi banditry is well-known throughout the country, so "Ta Kung Pao" pays special attention to this land.易顺满、易豪的举动自然引得该报频频报道。 易豪感到不妙，立即收敛，与易顺满盘踞黔阳边界——此地正好与溪接壤。 易豪最关心的是仇人的状况，在黔阳盘踞期间，多次派周连生外出与张光文联络，均告失败。周连生说：“依我看，张光文不会理我们了。这也很正常，万一被张云卿发觉，他一家老少都要遭殃。我们还是另想办法。” 易豪摇头：“没有别的办法，只有他才更了解张、朱的情况，替我们想出一个万全之策来。不如我冒险去一趟石背张家。” “大哥，你疯了吗？”周连生反对，“如今石背张家也成了张云卿的窝巢，你这一去岂不是送死？” “不会，最危险的地方往往最安全！”易豪说，“不去的话，我们只有等着张云卿来收拾。你不必劝我，我自有安排。” “我们两人一起去。” 易豪拍着周连生的肩：“你不要离开这里，万一有什么，你可以稳住弟兄们。我们与易顺满合作，终不是长久之计。他喜怒无常，性格暴戾。等我们度过了这一难关，再和他分手。如果他问起我，就说我去武冈打探张云卿的情报，千万别提张光文的名字。” 周连生点头答应。 易豪扮成挑夫，从宝瑶驿站出发，到双壁岩天黑。因担心前面的杨相斌认出，在山上躲至半夜，才悄悄出来上路。到石背张家已是拂晓，幸好村人多未起床。张光文的槽门有人把守，易豪越墙而入，来到张光火的卧室。舔破窗纸，见张光火在床上与家妓满秀调情，并无旁人在场。他放下心来，走到门前，轻轻地敲了几下。 房内，张光火以为是下人找他，不耐烦地叱骂。易豪不答，再敲门。一会，满秀开门，认出是易豪，吓得倒退几步，幸好没有叫出声来。 随后张光火也认出易豪，一把将他拖进屋内，一再警告满秀不许外传。紧张地说：“你好大的胆，张云卿就住在这附近，你难道不知道？” 易豪点头：“我知道。可我也是迫不得已才铤而走险的。我想和二弟见上一面，请你一定转告。” 张光火连连摇头道：“你既然来了，当然要让你见到真佛。只求你今后千万莫如此。” 易豪道：“以后绝不会再来。” 张光火道：“你就呆在这里，千万别乱动。半夜后，我会叫弟弟过来。” 张光火满脸不悦离去，易豪掩上门，和衣上了床。被窝是热的，有一股很熟习的女人体香。心里不觉一热，情不自禁想起上一次来这里与满秀云雨的情景……不知过了多久，外面有人敲门。原以为是张光文回来了。睁眼看时，窗外阳光灿烂，起身开了门，原来是满秀送饭进来。 易豪喜出望外，待满秀把饭菜从条盆取出放至桌上，他一把将她抱住，欲行好事。满秀不依，含着泪求饶：“易大爷，放了我，让东家知道，我会挨打的。” 易豪道：“你东家上次还把你送给我呢。” 满秀抹着泪说：“上次是上次，这次又不同。” 易豪警觉，问：“此话怎讲？” 满秀紧张地看门外，说：“上次你是东家用得着的客人，故让我接待。这次，东家说你是给他添麻烦来的。我送饭时，他警告说，如果与你上床，打断我的腿。大人，你放了我吧。” 易豪咽下欲望，松开了手。恰在这时，门外传来张光火的咳嗽声。 满秀离去，张光火也没有进来招呼。吃罢饭，易豪在书房里翻看了几张过时的《大公报》，倦意上来，便上床休息。他知道张光火会去通知张光文，但用心很难猜定，说不定还会萌生出卖朋友的恶念。不过，转而一想，也不用担心，张光文是不会这样做的。 不觉间便入了梦乡。醒来时，天已漆黑。再等了一个钟头，窗户上映着灯光，夹杂着脚步声。一会，房门敲响。 易豪打开门，果然是张光文。易豪一阵内疚，哽咽道：“二弟，又给你添麻烦了……” “别说这些。”张光文拍着他的肩，“你既然到这里来了，就是对我的信任。我知道你处境危险。除了我，没有人可以帮你。” 易豪心里一热，流出泪来，感动得说不出话。 “怎么这么暗呢，哥，点盏大号灯吧。” 张光火点上灯，小心说：“这里不便，还是去楼上的书房吧。” 张光文二话没说，领着易豪上了楼，随哥哥进入一间封闭的小书房里。 望着书架上蒙了尘的各种线装书，张光文叹道：“我已经有十多年没来这里了。这是我小时候的书房。”坐定后，转向易豪，“易大哥仍在四处躲藏？” 易豪点点头，叹道：“败军之将，又能怎样。” 张光文道：“去年正月初一那次，真是功亏一篑。若不是半路杀出个张顺彩，你也不至于有现在的惨境。最令人同情的是陈家寨那些无辜百姓。唉，若追究起来，我也是祸首之一。真没料到张云卿如此狠毒，早知如此，早该置他于死地。”说着连连叹气，“现在不行了，他羽翼已丰，我动他不得了。我有一种预感，总有一天，他会摸进团防局，杀了我，夺走那批枪——他最眼馋我的两挺机枪。” “归根结底要怪我，”张光火说，“先时是我不许弟弟杀他。” “过去了的就不要再提。”张光文转对易豪，“易大哥此来有何目的？” “这段时间我疲于躲藏，对张云卿、朱云汉他们的现况一概不知。总是躲藏也非长久之计，想向二弟讨个万全之策。” 张光文沉思片刻道：“张、朱二人正四处打探你的下落。他们也很怕你，怕你壮大起来，所以急于要找到你。” 易豪点头：“我也是这么想。所以不敢在武冈境内出现，投靠易顺满在湘西打游击。现在风声紧，才回到黔阳靠近溪的地方。” 张光文道：“目下风声确实很紧，说不定赵恒惕要派大军进剿。这段时间，连张云卿、朱云汉也不敢轻举妄动。你要我想个万全之策？不如这样，你回去后发动溪群众写一份万民血书，控诉张云卿、张顺彩、朱云汉在陈家寨制造惨案。这份血书一旦到了省府，由《大公报》发表，一定会在全省激起民愤，这时候除非赵恒惕不想在湖南呆下去，要不，哪怕踏平雪峰山，他也要把张云卿捉住才罢休。” “妙，真是妙！”易豪一扫愁容，兴奋地赞道，“二弟真不愧是诸葛亮再世！” “过奖了！”张光文说，“此事还须你多加小心。要弄血书，少不得要去溪挨户签名捺印，万一被张云卿碰上……” “这个我自有办法。”易豪自信道，“我手下有三十余名陈家寨人，他们有不少亲属分布在溪各寨。只要发给他们一张纸，要不了几天就能收回一份万民血书。” 张光文又提醒：“血书要有两份，一份送给赵融，一份送长沙。县城刘异和张云卿的关系非同一般，应多一个心眼才是。” 易豪起身：“谢二哥，我告辞了。” 张光文兄弟也不挽留。临走，张光文又提醒：“易顺满是个惯匪，在武冈民愤极大。希望你早日脱离他。” 易豪点头道：“我会考虑的。现在我用的是化名，江湖上很少人知道我在易顺满部。 离开张家，已是凌晨三点，赶到洞口雪峰客栈正天明。易豪开了一个房间，白天休息，天黑再上路。以此避开双壁岩关羊的时间。 次日上午，易豪回到黔阳，向周连生及手下谈起张光文计谋，众人兴奋不已，三十名陈家寨子弟，都迫不及待要去办理万民血书。 易豪当即答应，要他们天黑后分头行动。众人离去，易豪又问周连生：“我走后，易顺满来过这边没有？” “来过。见你不在就走了。好像很不高兴。” “他问我去了哪里没有？” “没有。只说，你若回来，去他那里一趟。” 易豪摸着下巴，思忖着易顺满何事找他。正在这时，易顺满的粗嗓门已在远处喊开了：“易豪，易豪，我以为你真的不回来了，去哪里也不打声招呼！” 易豪慌忙迎上：“这几天我去了山外，没什么大不了的事，故未向满爷爷说明。” “你真是的。这两天我找你商量个事。” “满爷爷请讲。” “前段时间呢，弟兄们忙着发财，什么事都顾不上。这些天闲了下来，我的手下就谈起你。他们说，你是张云卿、朱云汉、张顺彩的仇人，会连累我们。这不怪你，只怪我被你几句'满爷爷'说昏了头，糊里糊涂地答应了你。现在还真有点后悔。手下在我耳边叽叽喳喳，烦死了。有的说，干脆把你们全杀了，夺了二十多杆枪；有的说，易豪一伙不是泥捏的，打起来会两败俱伤，不如请他们喝酒，在酒中下毒；有的说，易豪那小子不知安的什么心，要剖开你的胸腔看一看，到底是红心还是黑心。我也拿不定主意，看在同宗的分上，我要问你，该如何处理。” 易豪暗忍住想笑，说：“满爷爷的意思我都明白，你去转告他们，就说你把什么话都跟我说了。不过，我觉得你是他们的大哥，不能全听他们的，应该自己做主。我要问你想怎样处理我。” 易顺满坦言说：“我当然想杀了你，夺了你们的枪，可是你们不是泥捏的。既然如此，我不如送个顺水人情——分点财产给你，从此各走各的路。只是从此你欠了我的人情，什么时候我有难，你也要救我一命。” “一言为定！”易豪内心暗笑，却伸出了手。 易顺满紧握着易豪的手。他双眼布满凶光，如狼眼，嘴唇蠕动，说：“算你走运，我终于决定不吃你。你那声'满爷爷'是我这辈子最中听的话。多年前我被宗族逐了，凡姓易的人都不承认我姓易，管我叫'满阎王'。但是我打心眼就喜欢听你的。” “满爷爷——”易豪又叫了一声。 易顺满听出没有以前叫得中听，他叹了一声，扭头走了。 易豪用了六七天时间，弄了两份万民血书。血书的全文虽不足五百字，但字字血，声声泪，列举张云卿、朱云汉、张顺彩自为匪以来，杀人放火、抢夺财物、霸人妻女等诸多事实，特别是民国13年血洗溪陈家寨，六七百栋房屋化为灰烬、数千寨民葬身火海，惨绝人寰，乃湘西有史以来绝无仅有之惨案，闻者胆寒，见者心惊，湘西境内若让张、朱、张三匪长期横行，人民便处于水深火热之中，无法安居乐业。据此，溪八团全体父老破指血书万民请愿书，跪请政府派兵搜剿，以安闾阎，而维民生云。 为安全起见，两份血书分两路呈送：一路由一群溪父老扮成要饭乞丐把血书藏置破棉衣里直接去县城击鼓鸣冤，亲呈赵融；一路由周连生绕道怀化、淑浦插资江下游转省会长沙。 送往县城的血书很快有了反应，半月后，赵融乘坐轿子率五十余人亲临溪陈家寨实地视察。手下从瓦砾中取出一具具烧成焦炭的残骸让他观看，这位封建官僚也不觉流下同情之泪。当看到寨中防火渠堆满无人收殓、煮成熟肉的尸体时，赵融怒气冲天，咬牙切齿骂道：“可恶，我赵融若不剿灭悍匪，无脸在武冈为官！” 赵融率部怒气冲冲离去，易豪松了口气。他把队伍拉回老家扎下，仍以“自卫队”相称。周遭寨民因惧怕张云卿，也愿意为他们提供食粮。 一个月后，周连生从长沙回来，声称已将血书送达省府。 溪地方偏僻，消息闭塞。易豪就令周连生弄一份《大公报》回来。周连生为难地说：“《大公报》县城的机关才有，我怎么敢去那里弄？”易豪挠着头，觉得确实难办，正为难间，屋外传来了歌声： 云山秀，资水长， 雄秀毓都梁； 运动会，破天荒， 群英聚广场； 南风起，鼓乐扬， 健儿争自强； 吼东亚，震吾乡， 勖哉我武扬。 易豪一听，颇觉清新，比起听惯了的师公道土和尚唱的调子悦耳得多。情不自禁间，推开窗内，认出是同族一位远房叔伯的亲戚刘卓。于是灵机一动，解决难题有眉目，招手道：“刘卓老表，你在北京读书么，何日到你姑父家里来了？” 刘卓二十四五岁年纪，比易豪小不到四五岁，两人早就认识，他答道：“学校是开了学的，但一时学费没有筹足，想来姑父家借一点，谁想姑父遭土匪抢劫，也无余钱。老表，听说你成立了自卫队，你可要保护百姓，不可像张云卿那样。” “那当然。”易豪转谈其他，“刚才你唱的是什么歌？很好听的，比起和尚师父咿咿呀呀唱的好听。” “那当然，这是新歌，怎好跟腐朽没落的东西相提并论。说起来，这还是武冈县的一件大事呢。去年春，全县召开第一次学生运动会，也是武冈两千年来的第一次，思思学校的校长欧阳东特地作了这首歌词，如今早已唱遍全县。” “你认识思思学校的校长？”易豪发现了希望。 “认识，我们之间还有很深的交情呢，你也认识他？” 易豪摇头：“我很想认识他。听说他们学校订了不少报纸杂志，我整天坐在家里没事干，想看看报刊消磨时间。” 刘卓来了兴趣：“你也喜欢读书看报？很好呀，我今天回家去，你跟我一起走。明天进城我介绍你认识欧阳东——他确实是个值得认识的人物。” 易豪摇头：“我没时间，要负责溪民众的安全。让他跟你去吧。”他指了指周连生，并特意吩咐，“特别是最近的大公报，你一定要想办法带回来。” 几天后，周连生抱回一大捆报纸，另有几本小册子。易豪把小册子扔在一边，打开报纸按时间顺序往下浏览。 1925年3月15日：孙中山3月12日逝世消息传到长沙，省府通令全省各机关、团体下半旗致哀一天。 4月1日至今日，全省第八届体育运动会在衡阳开幕，唐生智为会长，名誉裁判长何键……武冈思思学校取得较好成绩…… 易豪急急地翻，没有发现他希望看到的报道，他不死心，再倒过来复看了一遍，仍没有。他泄气地把报纸放下，喃喃道：“我们送去的万民血书应该见报了，怎么会没有呢。连生，你把血书交给谁了？” 周连生：“亲手交给赵恒惕。” “人家是大省长，你怎么见到他的？” 周连生倍觉委屈：“大哥，这是关系到大家性命的事，我敢说谎吗？我知道难得见到省长，就想了个办法把万民血书挂在脖子上，跪在省府大门前不肯起来，还一边哭叫'惨呀惨'。” 易豪松了口气，拍着周连生的肩说：“我当然信你。可能我们的血书引起了赵恒惕的重视，正在认真研究。过不了几天，《大公报》一定会刊登出来。连生，在思思学校你还听到什么消息？” 周连生拾起几本小册子递给他：“这是欧阳东校长特意要我带给你的。我不识字，不知上面写的是什么。” 易豪拿过一看，是《三民主义》、《俄国十月革命成功之经验》、《土地与农民》。他皱皱眉头，把小册子扔回桌上，不耐烦地说：“看这些没用。我现在最关心的是赵恒惕什么时候发兵围剿张云卿。要不，张云卿就会来打我。连生，过两天你还要去思思学校借报纸。见了欧阳东校长，就说我对他的小册子很感兴趣。” 周连生点头，临走又说：“大哥，还有一件大事。今天我有意绕道去了廻龙洲桥头，恰好张二哥的佃户细狗在等我。” 易豪问道：“他有什么紧急情报？” 周连生说：“你前次去石背张家回来没多久，张云卿就去拜访二哥。二哥估计张云卿已怀疑我们暗中有来往，张云卿执意要娶张家的满秀、满姣为妾。” 易豪吃了一惊：“如何是好？我去张家那天，正是满秀送饭给我。二哥答应把她嫁给张云卿没有？”