Chapter 20 Chapter 20 He Still Has a Chinese Conscience

One day, when Xu Shichang was sitting in meditation and practicing Qi in front of the statue of Lu Zu, his cousin Xu Shizhang came again.There was also a young man who came with Xu Shizhang.Xu Shizhang asked the young man to sit in the small living room, and he walked into the meditation room alone, and softly called "Five Brothers" to Xu Shichang who was meditating, and then said: "The thing I talked about a few days ago, people came, Waiting in the small living room." Xu Shichang blinked his eyes, and said to his cousin, "Have you brought anything?" "Bring it." "Have you checked it?" "I saw it, it's true."

"Is it genuine?" Xu Shizhang nodded. Xu Shichang closed his eyes again, and passed in silence for a while—probably because he hadn’t finished reading the scriptures—then he stood up and led his cousin out. --It turns out that a few days ago Xu Shizhang saw a young man selling Jiazhen Duan Inkstone in Quanyechang.Shizhang looked it over and thought it was genuine. He asked the price and was surprised: the young man asked for only three hundred silver dollars.Originally, Shizhang believed that it was a genuine product, but this asking price made him suspicious: "The price of authentic Duan inkstone is three hundred, which is not too low!" He said to the young man, "Young man, I am afraid that this inkstone is a fake. "

"How do you know?" asked the young man. "Such a price is too disrespectful!" "So, sir is not a family man." The young man said bluntly, "at best, sir is a businessman." "How can you tell?" Xu Shizhang asked back. "You can testify with money." "This..." Xu Shizhang was surprised, "Young people have extraordinary conversation, I have to test him." So Said: "Can you tell me about the advantages of Duanyan?" "Do you understand?" "You can try." The young man looked at Xu Shizhang again, and felt that he was elegant and kind.So, he said: "This inkstone is a family treasure from my ancestors. My grandfather once served as the magistrate of Duanzhou. He brought it from his tenure and passed it on to my grandfather; my grandfather hid it as a treasure; my grandfather passed it on to my father and it is also regarded as a treasure. …"

"Why do you despise me so much in your life?" "The family suffered a catastrophe, and they have nothing left." The young man said: "There is an eighty-year-old mother in the family. In order to make ends meet, I had to sell this Duanzhou stone inkstone, which is the most important thing in the world. To tell the truth, in order to sell this inkstone, my mother and son I have cried several times with my head in my arms..." Seeing this situation, Xu Shizhang was tempted. "Young man, we are also the same people who have fallen into the world. I bought this inkstone. Three days later, when you come here, I will take you to withdraw the money."

Shizhang told his cousin about this matter, he knew that his cousin loved inkstones like an addiction, so he would pay for it.Xu Shichang agreed very smoothly.Therefore, only today's young people bring inkstones to the door. ......Xu Shichang walked out of the meditation room, his brows were tightly furrowed, "Now that I have no official position, all expenditures have to come from savings, and if I can save a penny, I can save a penny, so why not take advantage of this to lower the price." He said to The cousin said: "May I ask the young man for another price?" "This is already the price of a scrap product." Xu Shizhang said, "Fifth brother, look at the inkstone before we talk about it. If it's genuine, it's worth three hundred oceans!"

"Okay then, I'll see and talk." Xu Shichang came to the small living room, exchanged greetings with the young man, then asked for the inkstone, held it in his hands, up and down, left, right, right, looked and touched, and then put it on the table for grinding. He thought it was a genuine one. The quality is solid, fine and moist, the ink is not damaged, and the carving is exquisite.Xu Shichang loves inkstone and knows it well. Knowing that it is a treasure, he likes it very much in his heart. He couldn't help but recite a poem: "Duanzhou inkstone is as skillful as a god, and it cuts through the clouds with a sharp knife. Good inkstone, good inkstone!"

The young man said with a smile: "The poems chanted by Mr. Li He and Li Changji, the great poets of the Tang Dynasty, are the lines in "Blue Flowers and Purple Songs". But he still said: "The student's inkstone is undoubtedly Duan inkstone. But it is not the top grade of Duan inkstone. Excuse me, can the asking price be lowered?" The young man came to Mi Duo Shidao, and he already understood that the master's identity was unusual, but he didn't know that this person was the great president Xu Shichang who had stepped down.Hearing the old man in front of him care about the price of inkstone, he felt that he was not a big man.So he said: "Students are only forced to sell the inkstone to understand the urgent need. If nothing happens, if this inkstone is sent to the old president Xu Shichang, the student does not bid, I am afraid that it can be sold for a thousand yuan!"

Xu Shichang was surprised: "Young people also know that I love inkstone? In this way, you must not reveal your surname. Otherwise, there is no bargaining." So he said: "Young man, how about this, I will keep the inkstone, and I will keep it. How about giving you two hundred and eighty oceans?" The young man looked at Xu Shichang again, and said, "Seeing that you are an old man, it is a good thing to get what you want. Although the students are poor, they don't care about the twenty or thirty yuan. Let's do it, sir. I want to reduce the price." Twenty yuan, and I will reduce the price by another thirty yuan, as a gift to my husband. I will give you two hundred and fifty yuan. I only hope that my husband can cherish this thing!" Xu Shichang finally resigned with two hundred and fifty yuan. A treasure was purchased in the hands of a trapped young man.In this matter, even his cousin felt that Xu Shichang at the moment was somewhat inferior to that young man whose name was not yet known.Later, Xu Shichang made rubbings of the decorative patterns and inscriptions of his Tibetan inkstones, and compiled them into "Hundred Inkstones" and published them. I wonder if this was recorded?

Xu Shichang seldom asked about family affairs, even if he went to live in the wild, he didn't ask about family affairs.Recently, there was one incident that gave him such a headache that he had to go out of his way and make an unexpected decision. One day, his younger brother Xu Shiguang suddenly came to Tianjin from Qingdao.The two brothers hadn't seen each other for a long time, and of course they were very close. After chatting about family affairs and affection, Shi Guang suddenly said, "Brother, there is another matter, which is very important, and I have to ask you to decide."

Ever since Xu Shichang wanted to be Yuan Shikai's Secretary of State, but Shiguang refused to listen to his persuasion, the two brothers seldom talked face to face. "It's not speculative!" Today, Shiguang suddenly came to the door, Xu Shichang was a little surprised.He looked at the younger brother in front of him, and said without thinking: "Is the family in Qingdao all right?" Xu Shiguang nodded in response: "Okay." The two brothers were relatively silent for a moment, and then Xu Shiguang said, "How is your body?" Xu Shichang also nodded, "Okay."

Xu Shiguang said: "I don't know if I remember something, I came here specially for this." "What's the matter?" Xu Shichang asked. "Our family once married Yuan Xiangcheng." Xu Shiguang said: "I can't remember it. The day before yesterday, Aunt Wu of the Yuan family asked Sun Baoqi to come to Qingdao and said that when my eldest brother was appointed as the Minister of Finance, he would The newborn little girl refers to the baby as marriage, and agrees to marry Xiangcheng as in-laws. Now that the children are grown up, I want to discuss a regular marriage date." Xu Shichang suddenly frowned, pondered for a moment, and said: "There is such a thing, it is the tenth son born to Xiangcheng's third concubine Wu's family, named Ke Jian. As for the marriage? …" "Brother's meaning..." "Let me think about it." "Kejian, the tenth son born to Aunt Wu of the Yuan family, is said to be a bad person. I wonder if elder brother knows?" Xu Shichang nodded slightly, but didn't speak - in fact, he knew in his heart that Yuan Kejian went to study at Harvard University in the United States, tried to rape the principal's daughter in the middle of the night, and was expelled from school.Xu Shichang didn't bring up the matter of marriage change after he knew about it. Now, his younger brother mentions it, which seems to mean regretting the marriage.Xu Shichang remained silent because of this.Xu Shichang had long intended to regret the marriage, but he was always afraid that people would say that he had broken his promise; he did not regret the marriage, but he was afraid that his daughter would repeat the same mistakes as Li Yuanhong's daughter (Li Yuanhong's daughter married Yuan Shikai's nine son Kejiu, and after Yuan died, Li Buhui married his daughter and married her. Discord after marriage, and died of mental illness), so it dragged on.Today, the Yuan family came to ask for a settlement, so Xu Shichang had no choice but to make up his mind hastily.He said to Shiguang, "Tell Sun Baoqi immediately that my little girl suffered from a disease when she was a child. She has been stupid for many years and dare not climb up. I have no choice but to give up the discussion back then." Xu Shiguang also nodded and said, "This is very good. I will tell Sun Baoqi immediately." After hearing Sun Baoqi's reply, Aunt Wu of Yuan's family had no choice but to say, "Humanity is humanness!" People in the know said contemptuously: "Li Huangpi is not from Beiyang, but he is still trustworthy. Xu and Yuan are brothers for many years. It's shameful not to miss the old love. Isn't this just playing with your daughter's marriage?" On the day Xu Shiguang left Tianjin, Xu Shichang's old friend Hua Shikui paid a surprise visit.Xu Hua was once the associate minister of Yuan Shikai's cabinet, and he became Mo Ni's brother under the family of Qi Shichang, Minister of the Ministry of worship, in the early days.As soon as they met each other, Xu Shichang smiled and said, "It's been many years since we parted in a short while, isn't your luck not bad these years?" Hua Shikui said with a smile: "How lucky is a scholar?" "You have a good calligraphy, but you can't get a good price!" It's worse than you." "How can I find it?" "In addition to writing books and talking about books, don't you also sell calligraphy and paintings?" "I...! Compared to you, I'm nothing compared to you!" Xu Shichang said, "Why do you suddenly think of me today?" "If you are the elder brother and you're the only one, why don't you go to the baby's place? Or else, I'll leave you alone, and you'll have no day job. When you grow old, you'll fall in love with the Ming Dynasty! It's like this, choose a quiet place , it's over!" "You, you are not a lone boatman fishing in the cold river and snow alone! You have written a lot, and your name will last through the ages. I am afraid that you will shine more light on future generations than a big president!" Saying that, the two smiled at each other. "You don't have to go to the Three Treasures Hall for nothing." Xu Shichang said: "If you have anything to say, just tell me." "There is one thing, I'm here to worship Ju Shuai." Hua Shikui said: "Do you still remember our benefactor Qi Shi The elder has something to entrust, right? It will be more than thirty years in a blink of an eye. Think about it." "Remember, remember!" Xu Shichang smiled. "At this age, yesterday and the day before yesterday are forgotten, but the events of decades ago, and even the incident of stealing a jujube in childhood are vividly remembered. Do you think it's strange!" Jing looked up and laughed.After laughing, he said: "Our old Shangshu is also considered a good man. He took a concubine at the age of 70 and gave birth to a son? What is he called here?" Hua Shikui said: "It's called Yunmafeng. Floating, a cold word." "That's right, that's right." Xu Shichang said: "At that time, I was stumped by the word horse mouse. After looking it up in the "Kangxi Dictionary", I found out that it was a variant of the word "Fan". The Chinese characters are really good enough. Difficult." Hua Shikui said: "The teacher once said to you and me: I committed this crime again in my dying years. If you can grow up in the future, you must take good care of me. Now, this young master Qi is almost 40 years old. Unable to make a living, I came to Tianjin for help." When Xu Shichang heard that he was here to "ask for help", his heart sank.But still said: "You should help, you should help!" Then asked: "Did you help?" Hua Shikui nodded and said, "I gave him a hundred oceans." Xu Shichang smiled. "I heard that your calligraphy has been quite high in the past few years. You must have made a lot of money. Although I also sell calligraphy, my calligraphy is not good, and my income is not much. I have to cut it in half according to your amount and give him 50 yuan to help. Bar!" Hua Shikui was startled: "With your imposing president, can you give fifty yuan to the descendants of your mentor?" He really wanted to dismiss it and criticize him a few more words.However, the young master was in a difficult situation after all, "he was full and hungry", and fifty yuan was enough for a few days.Therefore, Hua also had to accept it on his behalf. When Xu Shichang was leisurely in Tianjin, great changes took place on the land of China, especially in the east of Japan. They tore open their skin and launched a war of aggression against China from encroachment to annexation: September 18, 1931, Japan The Kwantung Army stationed in Northeast China suddenly bombarded Shenyang and launched attacks in Jilin and Heilongjiang at the same time.By January 1932, the Japanese invaders had occupied the entire three provinces in Northeast China; in this year, the Japanese manipulated and established the Manchukuo government in the Northeast; On the night of July 7, under the pretext of a missing soldier, the Japanese army demanded to search Wanping City and the Chinese garrison to withdraw from Wanping City. After these unreasonable demands were rejected by the Chinese army, the Japanese army bombarded Wanping City and Lugou Bridge.From then on, the Japanese army aggressively attacked China, which opened the prelude to the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Japan invaded China, and China fell into a heavy disaster.However, there are some Chinese who have lost their national integrity and help the invaders to rape their country and people. One day, Xu Shichang's good friend Cao Rulin came to Tianjin suddenly.This veteran diplomat who is 22 years younger than Xu Shichang called out respectfully as soon as he entered Xu's house: "Brother Ju!" Where are you from? I haven't heard from you for years." Cao Rulin smiled lightly and said, "There's nothing to do, so it's better to live in seclusion. So, I just disappeared." This student studying in Japan who served as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Qing government since 1911 is a natural pro-Japanese faction. When he was the foreign minister of the Yuan Shikai government, he was ordered by Yuan to negotiate with Japan with Lu Zhengxiang, and finally signed the "Second Agreement" that humiliated the country and humiliated the country. During the "May 4th Movement", President Xu Shichang was forced to dismiss him, Lu Zongyu and Zhang Zongxiang from their posts on June 19 because students across the country opposed the signing of the "Paris Peace Treaty".Now, he is the top adviser of the traitor organization "North China Provisional Government".However, Xu Shichang still doesn't know his details.Therefore, Xu Shichang still said: "The current situation is turbulent, so it's better to disappear, so as not to cause trouble." Cao Rulin came here "on business", so he was naturally unwilling to "silence".He said, "Brother Juren, what do you think of the current situation?" Xu Shichang blurted out: "No matter what is the situation in Shichang or what is the situation in China, it is not acceptable for the Japanese to invade China. This is an act of aggression." Cao Rulin is a pro-Japanese faction, and Xu Shichang knows this.Although Xu Shichang made an impromptu confession, Cao Rulin felt uncomfortable hearing it.Busy said: "Nanjing's pro-British and American faction is in power, supporting Britain and the United States to suppress Japan, which has caused Japan's rights in China to be lost, and Japan has no choice but to send troops to fight China." When Xu Shichang heard this, he understood in his heart: it turned out that the student studying in Japan came to promote the invasion for H himself! He said: "Britain and the United States have not sent troops. Can we negotiate if there is a problem? Military invasion should not be." "It's easy to ask Japan to withdraw its troops." "Why don't they withdraw?" "There must be conditions." "What conditions?" "That's what I'm here for today." "Tell me." Cao Rulin was overjoyed. He had been with Xu Shichang for many years, and he knew that this person valued profit over righteousness, and would do anything as long as it was profitable.So he said: "Brother Ju is a former president. He has great influence. If he can come out and sign a treaty of goodwill with Japan, Japan will naturally withdraw his troops." "Go out?" Xu Shichang was taken aback. "How do you get out of the mountain?" As he said, a pair of energetic eyes turned to Cao Rulin. Cao Rulin thought that Xu Shichang was tempted, so he said: "It depends on Brother Ju's wish. Now that the North China Provisional Government has been organized, it is entirely possible to preside over this government according to Brother Ju's qualifications; Obviously the position, of course, you can also be a senior consultant, brother Juren, what do you think?" Xu Shichang didn't answer, but turned his back gently. --In all honesty, Xu Shichang has not completely given up his desire to be an official. He dreams of making a comeback, but he has not yet met a strong backer. "Li Yuanhong, this broken branch, can return to Lin Ke again, it's not because of the hard pillar, maybe I will come out one day!" Now, Cao Rulin has provided him with an opportunity, as long as he is willing, he will have another "Qiu Hu Embrace "years.However, Xu Shichang had received a strict traditional Chinese education after all, he knew how to be a man, and Cao Rulin felt uncomfortable hearing it.Busy said: "Nanjing's pro-British and American faction is in power, supporting Britain and the United States to suppress Japan, which has caused Japan's rights in China to be lost, and Japan has no choice but to send troops to fight China." When Xu Shichang heard this, he understood in his heart: it turns out that the student studying in Japan came to promote the invasion for the Japanese! He said: "Britain and the United States have not sent troops. Can you negotiate if there is a problem? Military invasion should not be." "It's easy to ask Japan to withdraw its troops." "Why don't they withdraw?" "There must be conditions." "What conditions?" "That's what I'm here for today." "Tell me." Cao Rulin was overjoyed. He had been with Xu Shichang for many years, and he knew that this person valued profit over righteousness, and would do anything as long as it was profitable.So he said: "Brother Ju is a former president and has great influence. If he can come out and sign a treaty of goodwill with Japan, Japan will naturally withdraw its troops." "Go out?" Xu Shichang was taken aback. "How do you get out of the mountain?" As he said, a pair of energetic eyes turned to Cao Rulin. Cao Rulin thought that Xu Shichang was tempted, so he said: "It depends on Brother Ju's wish. Now that the North China Provisional Government has been organized, it is entirely possible to preside over this government according to Brother Ju's qualifications; Obviously the position, of course, you can also be a senior consultant, brother Juren, what do you think?" Xu Shichang didn't answer, but turned his back gently. --In all honesty, Xu Shichang has not completely given up his desire to be an official. He dreams of making a comeback, but he has not yet met a strong backer. "Li Yuanhong, this broken branch, can return to Lin Ke again, it's not because of the hard pillar, maybe I will come out one day!" Now, Cao Rulin has provided him with an opportunity, as long as he is willing, he will have another "Qiu Hu Embrace "years.However, Xu Shichang has received a strict traditional Chinese education after all. He understands the etiquette, righteousness, and shame of being a human being. What? Whether it is a successful prince or a failed bandit, they are all Chinese, and they are making troubles about housework. But doing things for the Japanese and oppressing their own national brothers for the invaders, they are the sinners of the nation through the ages! "Xu Shichang thought: "I am a person who is about to enter the soil, and I am not short of food and clothing. I can't be a sinner of the nation." forget things, You often lose control of your bladder and bowels, so how can you deal with one party's political affairs again? Please choose another master!" "Brother Chrysanthemum..." Cao Rulin wanted to persuade him with his interests.But Xu Shichang had already raised his hand to prevent him from continuing. "If there is nothing else, please go back." Xu Shichang issued an "exit order" for the first time in his private house. Cao Rulin left listlessly. Xu Shichang still felt uneasy, and specifically confessed to the concierge: "When Sheng Runtian comes again in the future, just say that I am not at home. There is no need to reply." Xu Shichang knew that the Japanese were trying to trick him, and he was a little flustered: "I'm already 80 years old. Could it be that the evening festival is broken by the Japanese?" He became frightened from panic: "They kidnapped me and forced me to Under my banner, wouldn’t I be able to wash myself away if I jumped into the Yellow River?” He wanted to escape, to hide far away, to Qingdao, to Hui County, to... “Oh! If those places are destroyed The Japanese occupied it, and it’s not a safe place, it’s not as safe as Mido Shidao, which is safe in the British Concession.” So, he warned his family and the concierge: “From now on, the gate must be closed every day, and any visitor will tell me that I am not in Tianjin, and refuse to go. Guests!" It is said to be "declined to receive guests", but it does not refuse to meet with my own family.On this day, his nephew Xu Yida, who lived in Beijing, unexpectedly came to him and stood there for a long time without saying a word.Xu Shichang was in a hurry: "You came here in a hurry, but you didn't say anything, why?" "Uncle, I don't know if I should report something to you." Yida still lowered his head--Xu Shichang had no children in his life, but he was very strict with his nephew and grandchildren, so they dared not come to him when they had nothing to do. Come in front of me, and I am very cautious when I come--. Said: "This disease can be cured with certainty. But it can't be done in Tianjin. Tianjin's conditions are not good, so I have to go to Beijing." Xu Shichang shook his head at Dr. Xia and refused to go to Beijing - he was afraid that the Japanese would detain him while he was boiled, control him, and use his name to deceive the Chinese.He said to the Xi people in a low voice: "My home is in Tianjin. Tianjin... Hey, Tianjin..." He stretched his hands, leaned back, and asked for a paper Pen, slowly wrote: The vegetable patch behind the house can be cultivated, and the concession is like a water bamboo village! After writing, he closed his eyes and did not speak again. In the summer of 1939, Xu Shichang died of illness at the age of 85.