Hunger for a hundred years

Chapter 23 (3)
Struggle He Zhongcai was selected in Zhongyuanba, which is the largest and convenient for concentration.There is no time to fight during the day, and there is nothing fun to do at night. It is a good time to fight people.Because of He Zhongbao's presence, the criticism meeting was particularly grand.All households with horse lanterns donated, and those without lanterns also brought kerosene lamps with the brightest wicks.He Zhongbao stopped drinking: "Bet on He Zhongcai!" With this shout, the atmosphere was suddenly raised.He Zhongcai was wearing an old-style double-breasted coat, standing in the center with his head bowed.He Zhongbao spoke first, explaining why this criticism meeting was held.He Zhongbao was very eloquent and quick-witted, and he said a lot of things, all of which were well-founded. Those who were not willing to be bad people listened to them, and they felt convinced that they were really bad people.Then, He Zhongbao asked He Da, the vice president, to speak by name. He Daben was not good at words, and when it came to formal occasions, his throat was blocked, so he just said: "I have nothing to say." He Zhongbao said sharply : "You may not have forgotten all the hardships you suffered before? Forget the pain when the scars are healed? As a poor peasant, as the vice president of the company, where is your class position? Besides, if you don't die this cow, where will you be? Bound to the village to be beaten?" He Da muttered for a long time and said, "Anyway, Brother Cai should be beaten."
Damn, it's still called "Brother Cai" at this time!
Reluctantly, He Zhongbao asked He Jianshen to speak. He was the only farm laborer in Hejiapo, and he suffered a lot and had a deep hatred.He Jianshen was very active. He stood up and shouted loudly: "Down with the landlord and bully He Zhongcai!"
After the slogan, he began to complain tearfully and stammered for an entire hour. The content had nothing to do with He Zhongcai, but how he was dumped by He Da in Wangjiaba, how he was alone when he was begging for food and stealing glutinous rice cakes. And how he was severely beaten, later on, he talked about his visit to a brothel in Qingxichang: in order to visit a brothel, he would rather go hungry and save every penny of the money he begged for, and finally saved enough After counting the number, he went to the red building brothel on Qingxichang East Street, but he didn't know that the watchdog with goldfish eyes wouldn't let him in!Jinyuyan said: "I know you, you are a fucking beggar, what are you doing here?" Jinyuyan's voice was very loud, and several people were attracted, including the thugs from the Red House brothel.He's not afraid of thugs, he's here to whore, so why should he be afraid of thugs?In order to show his purpose of coming here, he took out the money and shook it in his hand.The people inside also knew that he was the beggar in this event, and they laughed, saying that these days, even the beggar wants to be a prostitute, and in a few days, the beggar may have to run to lose weight!A group of people were joking like this, but they just wouldn't let him in.

He was in a hurry and wanted to squeeze in, but the group of people stopped him. One of the reasonable thugs said, "Forget it, forget it, people buy goods with money, why stop him?"Afterwards, he was invited in and told to sit on a bench and wait, saying that the girls would be groomed before he could choose.After a while, a fat procuress came out and said that all the girls were occupied by other customers, and only one of them was free at the moment, if he wanted, he could go upstairs.Of course he wants to, why not?So he followed the bustard upstairs.The old bustard pushed open the door of a room and said to the tall and strong woman who was sitting on the bed with her head bowed: "Du Juan, take good care of this gentleman." Before he could finish speaking, he pushed him in and closed the door.He walked towards the woman beside the bed, his heart stuck in his throat.The woman was wearing a beautiful silk and satin floral dress. He touched the dress, and the woman turned her head away shyly, facing the wall.He grabbed the woman by the hair and threw her onto the bed.With this grab, the woman's hair was lifted off like a cover, revealing a bald head with green skin!Damn, isn't this the thug who allowed him in!The thug laughed, but before he could react, he was punched in the face. Immediately afterwards, the thug robbed him of his money, grabbed his hand and pushed him downstairs.A large group of people had gathered downstairs, including seven or eight prostitutes, who had been waiting to see the moving scene of him being pushed downstairs.Those nasty women laughed out of breath!The thugs pushed him to the door and punched him again before ordering him to leave.He stumbled far away, and heard the whores laughing
There were already uncontrollable titters in the venue.Even his wife He Bi is laughing too!But He Jianshen couldn't hear the laughter. He said, "You are still laughing. This is how the evil old society punished the poor. You are still laughing!" After that, he would continue to tell the story, although He Zhongbao also wanted to hear this unheard story. , but he thought it was too outrageous, so he stopped him, and said to him coldly: "Jian Shen, don't talk anymore, for the old society, for landlords and rich people, we should not only use our words, but also our hands. Why? Zhongcai murdered the scalper in the agency, so he should be attacked. Beat him!"
The venue immediately fell silent, and I couldn't believe my ears.Jianshen was blushing at the beginning of the talk, but suddenly froze, his face turned pale, and his hands kept shaking.He Zhongbao said: "Why not fight? Hit! Farm laborers beat landlords and tyrants, just like fat pigs that don't live until the twelfth lunar month. It's justified!" He Jianshen's lips twitched a few times, looking straight into He Zhongbao's eyes.He Zhongbao's eyes were as hard as stone.The flesh on He Jianshen's cheeks was throbbing, he walked up to He Zhongcai, aimed at his fibula, and kicked him hard twice.

He Zhongcai screamed and fell to the ground.

He Jianshen seemed to feel an indescribable joy suddenly, raised his right fist, and shouted again: "Down with the landlord and bully He Zhongcai!"
There were sparse responses from the audience.

He Zhongcai was lying on the ground all the time, and He Zhongbao yelled, "Play dead? Stand up!" He Zhongcai got up tremblingly, but he couldn't stand still, and was knocked down by He Jianshen again.

There are two places where Hejiapo holds meetings habitually, one is the middle courtyard dam, which is usually used for struggle meetings; the other is a lobby room left by He Jianxiang.The main room is next to Jianshen's house, because the house that Jianshen got was originally owned by Jianxiang.The meeting held in Jianxiang's main room is mainly to learn the spirit of the above.During this period of time, most of the meetings were held in the main room, because the high-level leaders demanded that all the Chinese people tell the truth once, "If you know everything and say it, you are innocent." This request appeared in the form of a movement, and the wave spread to the He family. Po, a total of seven, no. 80 people, big and small, all gathered in the main room, and even those babies who were still breastfeeding with their yellow and thin breasts in their mother's arms were wrapped in the choking smoke of men.

The topic is to start a big debate centered on food.This is of course a major event, so He Zhongbao still came back to stay.As usual, he can't do without a long speech, explaining clearly the policy from the top to the central government and down to the countryside, and let everyone speak.There was no sound in the main room, except for the loud farts coming from nowhere, adding some anger.Half of the kerosene in the ink bottle was burned, but there was still no sound in the main room. He Zhongbao couldn't bear it anymore and started to roll the roll. .” This is the line taught by He Zhongbao to the president.He Zhongbao knew the essence of this movement a long time ago, because there was a colleague in his hometown whose uncle was in Chengdu. During the Kuomintang period, he was the director of a bone meal factory in Chengdu. Just criticizing the government, who knows that he didn't say anything about the government's fault, all he said was that he was a big villain, but the government didn't shoot him, which proved that the government's kindness was higher than the mountain and deeper than the sea.He was saved, and in the ensuing criticism meeting, he was not allowed to bow his head and hang his head on stage.He told his nephew about this experience, and warned his nephew "never tell the truth"!His nephew relayed his uncle's warning to several close friends, including He Zhongbao.

He Da sat on the threshold, and Chen Yuexiang sat on the bench under the threshold. He Da was about to open his mouth after hearing what the president said. up.He Zhongbao sat under the lamp, looking at He Da.He Da lowered his head and patted the soot on his shoes.He Zhongbao stopped calling names and just stared at He Da. When He Da raised his head, he saw two beams of cold light shooting at people.After a few minutes of silence, He Da finally stood up and muttered, "I've long wanted him to step down."
He Da started with this ambiguous sentence, but the atmosphere was created, and then many people spoke.The most concentrated topic is complaining about the poor life, saying that the cloth is good, and you can wear several layers of pants with a fart!Speaking of good food, the green oil prepared for two years can only be brushed with a feather duster for one year!In short, this day is far from being as prosperous as advertised.

The meeting lasted until midnight, and after returning home, Chen Yuexiang threw the sleeping He Kou onto the bed, touched her husband's nose, and couldn't say a word for a long time.She hates iron but not steel.He Da said: "What should I do? He Zhongbao came back specially for this meeting, and no one said anything, so I am sorry for him?" Chen Yuexiang said, "You...you are sorry for him, but are you sorry for me? Are you sorry for the baby?."
She threw herself on the quilt, coughing and crying.He Dacai felt that the matter seemed a little serious.

Of course serious.A beggar, I will give you food, clothes, housing, and make you a decent farmer. You don't want to be grateful, and you even say weird things!One can imagine his fate: he was identified as an "anti-socialist" (he has been wearing this hat for four years), imprisoned, wrote a review, and was beaten.Although He Da said "he" did not know who he was referring to, his words were undoubtedly extremely reactionary. Therefore, He Zhongbao did not need to hide behind the scenes, but went directly to the front desk to direct the arrangement and punishment of He Da.

That time, if Dean Yang of the county hadn't protected him, He Da would have been in prison, or even worse.Dean Yang felt that He Da was an honest man, and after learning about He Da's experience, he manipulated him to protect him.The reason why Dean Yang felt that He Da was honest was because he had a comparison. That time he took He Da to the countryside and said to leave, He Da followed them away, and later he went to Zhongjiaba to arrest people. People from Ba and Huangjiaba all united, saying that whoever dares to arrest people will not even think about getting out of the dam!The most unreasonable thing is that the person to be arrested clearly chopped off his neighbor's leg, but his neighbor's family even held up a hatchet and yelled at Dean Yang aggressively: "This is our internal matter." I don't want you to take care of it!" As for the murderer, he even lifted a stone lock and really wanted to throw it at Dean Yang's head.Dean Yang and the others had no choice but to run away. Two days later, the County Public Security Bureau sent more than 20 policemen to capture the murderer when he was going to the Dongba market.
Although he didn't go to prison, He Daxiang shed a layer of skin when he came back from the countryside.

Decades later, his third son—that is, I—became a reporter. The reporter's "right to know" spoiled my temper. I wanted to know the details, but He Da always refused to elaborate. Ask him: "You said you wanted him to step down a long time ago, who does 'he' refer to?"I didn't want to let it go, and kept asking, He Dao: "I don't know either. Maybe I mean Chairman Mao? Chairman Mao has been kind to me, maybe I will suffer from epilepsy, and I want Chairman Mao to step down I just want to take the lead in making a speech. Since it is a big statement, I think the more serious I say, the more loyal I am to Chairman Mao." He still regrets the words he said in a daze.But there was something he couldn't figure out.So many people on the slope have spoken, and no one has spoken more concretely than him, so why is he only arrested?At that time, Xiangshang temporarily set up a team to review him, and transferred both Jianshen and Kuiyuan.He had forgotten most of the words he could recognize before. Sitting in a dark room and painstakingly writing down the self-criticism, Kui Yuan was supposed to hand it over to He Zhongbao, but Kui Yuan used it all to wipe his ass; If he said something wrong, he slapped He Da, "What right does he have to hit me?" He Da said, "I took him with him when he didn't know how to beg for food!"
He Da's vice president was dismissed, and He Jianshen replaced him.

Soon, the county came up with an instruction: a group of anti-rich and rebel elements could be absorbed into the cooperative and become members or alternate members.He Jiapo has only one place, of course He Zhongcai.In this way, He Zhongcai became an equal to the poor and hired peasants. Although he was still a landlord, he was never criticized again, and he was no longer told to carry firewood when he held a meeting with Zhou Zisitai in the village.He followed his brother's instruction, bought back bellows, anvils, hammers and other tools long ago, and started blacksmithing. Hejiapo people have never smelled the smell of charcoal, which always wafts out in the afternoon or dusk. The iron-like hardness is slowly and stubbornly changing the folk customs here that have not changed from generation to generation.When he first entered Taoism, his craftsmanship was very poor. He used a scimitar with a blade as thick as the back of the sword, which could not be sharpened even after a lot of effort. , not curved, but straight, so although he used the bellows to blow the flames blue, the business was very poor, and it was just a tool for beating his own brothers.Now that he has become a member, the situation has changed immediately. Beside his bellows, there are often piles of pig iron or broken hoes and machetes.

Chen Yuexiang didn't want to bring things to him, and would rather carry them to Dongba Street, but He Da often took them to He Zhongcai's shop behind her back.Since he became a member of the club, He Zhongcai didn't want to pay any attention to this short, wretched dog at all. He Da talked to him as if to please him, but he just raised his hammer and beat hard on the anvil.Under normal circumstances, He Zhongcai works for people in order of priority, but the big things are not worth it, and he always puts them off until the end, that is, when there is no new work sent, why does he make a big deal.Why is he doing so much work? His heart is full of shame, and the hammer is very heavy.On the contrary, He Da felt grateful for the work he did better than others, and sent things more frequently.

If He Zhongbao returns to the slope, if he sees He Da delivering farm tools to his brother's shop with a humble expression, he will feel in his bones that there is order in this world after all, and the so-called upside-down of human beings and monsters will always be just... Can be temporary.

What He Zhongbao couldn't see, however, was that no real order had been established.True order may never be established.

Just two months after his elder brother He Zhongcai became a member, He Zhongbao was fired.His crime is right leaning.He Zhongbao didn't know what the crime of "rightist deviation" was, and neither did the people in Hejiapo.Although the cadres from the village came to Hejiapo for a meeting and explained according to the documents, those who explained did not understand themselves, and those who listened were even more confused.But since it is a sin, it must be punished as a sin.After He Zhongbao was dismissed, he was sent back to Hejiapo and became an ordinary member of the commune.

When he set foot on the Tide of Tears Bay, he wished he could jump off the cliff from Tide of Tears Bay.But it was just the sense of desperation in his heart, and his strong rationality made it impossible for him to do such a stupid thing.He just sat alone at the mouth of the bay from noon till dark.For such a long time, he recalled the whole time when he was a township cadre, recalled how cruel he was to his elder brother, and at the same time recalled the long past of this land based on the description of his ancestors.He found that his despair did not come from being released from the countryside at all, but was deeper and more unforgettable.
(End of this chapter)