The Twelve Years: Song of the Unsung Friends

The telegram in her hand was like a prairie fire, burning all the way into her heart.

Still alive, this is the best news.

But "sickness and difficulty" brought her heart to her throat again, her throat was dry, and she forced herself to calm down.

"You... sent a telegram to home?" She could tell that the second half of the telegram was for Duan Menghe.

"Yes. But if I didn't ask anything important, I was afraid that my family would be suspicious," Duan Menghe explained after seeing her back. "It was just that there was a friend who wanted to visit Fu San Gongzi and asked if others were in Beijing. Look, my family. People say, "There is nothing wrong in Beijing."

Now she understands everything.

Shen Xi calmed down, folded the telegram along the old traces, and handed it back to him: "Thank you, for me, let the family know your whereabouts."

"I always go back, and I won't hide it for a lifetime," Duan Menghe reassured her, "What do you think? I also want to go back to Beijing, so I can take you north."

Shen Xi said nothing.

She wanted to go north, but she couldn't make peace with Duan Meng.

Duan Menghe immediately said: "If Yuan-really wants to ascend the throne, he will fight again. By then it will be more difficult for you to go north. If you go, now is the best time. But you have to wait for me, at least Arrange the patient in half a month."

Shen Xi raised his eyes and stared at him: "Thank you, Mr. Duan." She repeated.

This time, Duan Menghe understood. This is an eviction order.

"Don't you believe me?" Duan Menghe saw through her mind in this terrifying silence.

She shook her head again and said, "I have to think about it."

Emotionally, she believed in Duan Menghe, and he was a good man after three months of getting along there.

But a good person is not suitable, he is a surname. Since he confessed his life experience, Shen Xi has also paid attention to the comments in the newspapers and magazines. In private, she and Mr. Zhu's husband and wife had a chat or two, so they understood better.

The Duan family is the golden threshold, and the relationship with the President is fish and water. President Yuan's goddaughter is Duan Qirui's most favored wife. With this level of relationship, she cannot take risks.

Although it seems that there is nothing wrong with going north with him.

But there are always places she can't think of and can't take into account. In case... she can leave any eloquent help, or in a place she doesn't know, because she is going with Duan Meng and what trouble Fu Dongwen has caused, she can't help it. blame.

Seeing that Duan Menghe still wanted to persuade him, Shen Xi simply opened the latch and opened the door.

When the wind poured into her neckline, she later realized that she was wearing pajamas, and bowed her head more restraintly. She nodded slightly to Duan Menghe and said goodbye: "I will remember this time in my heart, and I will pay you back in the future."

"What else? But a telegram. Think about it again, Shen Xi. It will save a lot of effort to go north with me," Duan Menghe patiently persuaded, "It will also be safer."

She shook her head again.

Duan Menghe was silent for a while.

"Also, sir, don't come here again," she said, "I won't live here anymore."

Duan Menghe was quiet for a while, and said with a wry smile: "Sorry, I broke the agreement between you and me."

Following her to find this place, it was his wishful thinking, neither trustworthy nor rude.

Shen Xi bid farewell to Duan Menghe in the wind. She looked out from the glass window in the kitchen, convinced that Duan Menghe had left, turned around and ran upstairs, opening the leather suitcase in a panic.

Find out the thickest coat and hat, change into pajamas now, and prepare to go out.

She believed Duan Menghe's words, and also believed that Duan Menghe's family would not deceive her own people. Because of "belief", she couldn't delay a moment. Swords are drawn everywhere in the country, and the army and the revolutionary party have been fighting. This is still under the republican system, and it is difficult to quell the war. If Yuan Shikai really decides to restore and re-establish the feudal monarchy... she can't even think about it.

At that time, it should be like the last years of the Qing dynasty, with provinces proclaiming independence everywhere, and troops proclaiming independence...

I'll leave tonight while it's still peaceful.

The room had been cleaned up earlier, the drawers and cabinets were all emptied, and the things returned to their original places.

Just leave an extra letter. In case, I really missed Fu Dongwen, I also have a message for him.

She took out the pen, but couldn't find the letter paper, and took out a book from the suitcase. There was a pile in it, which he wrote to her on the boat, one by one, "Happy at first sight". She had the habit of using letter paper to clip books, and then searched for another book. The address with a few blank papers was copied by Fu Dongwen to his Shanghai apartment.

I didn't pay attention at that time, and unfolded it again, but found that the paper was folded very skillfully.

The letter paper is folded in three altogether, with one fold at the front and one at the back.

At the beginning is a handwritten address, and at the end is written two short lines of words——

The body pays the mountains and rivers, the heart pays the Qing.

Two lovesickness know each other.

Her throat suffocated, and her words slammed into her heart, making her fingers tremble. Shen Xi repeated each word and read it again, as if he was sitting in front of her right now, folded the paper calmly and handed it over...

She opened the letter paper in her hand, closed it again, and gently slid her **** along the crease. She couldn't think of anything else, it was him.

Sitting dry, he finally recovered his soul for ten minutes.

She found the white paper in the book, opened the ink bottle, spread the letter paper on the table, and sat down and wrote:

Third brother,

See the word as meeting. If you see this letter, it is me and you that have missed it again. A friend helped me find out about you, saying that you are in Beijing, and I want to give it a try and go north to see you. Your condition and the current situation make me unable to wait any longer. I am afraid that the war will be together, and you and me will be separated from the north and south, which is unthinkable.

If you miss it, I will be waiting for you in Beijing. As long as you are at Fu's house, I will have a way to find you.

Also, this house was discovered by outsiders because I was not careful enough. After gaining a sense of wisdom, I will be more careful in the future.

Hurry to write, I hope you forgive me.

Yang Yang

November 4th

The pen is full of meaning, but it is endless in a hurry.

She folded the letter paper, feeling uncomfortable, unfolded it, and tore off the signature. Be cautious and don't leave a name.

She picked an empty ink bottle in good condition from the shelf and pressed it on top. I closed the window, and I was afraid of being blown away by the wind in the window, so I added an empty ink bottle.

The letter paper was left on the desk, just hoping that he had no chance to see this letter.

When Shen Xi went out, Mr. Zhu happened to return home and passed her by mistake.

"Miss Shen," Mr. Zhu, as if remembering something, called to her, "That gentleman has been here for the past few days. The gentleman is really a good man. I told him about saving the country and he gave me money. , Asked me to donate. Both of you are good people."

Shen Xi made himself smile and nodded: "He has a good heart."

"Ms. Shen, are you moving to a new home?" The other party asked her concerned about her traveling appearance.

"The new year is over, I want to go back to my hometown to have a look." Shen Xi leaned slightly.

Last time, she was arranged by the righteous men to flee north. This time, it is different, and you have to manage it yourself.

In early winter, the rain came so hurriedly that it drenched the mountains and the sea, and it could not be avoided.

Shen Xi got off the rickshaw at the train station. Even the suitcases were wet and he couldn't care about his embarrassment. First, he asked for today's train tickets. Tickets from Shanghai to Nanjing are very short, and the third and second-class tickets have long been sold out.

She had no choice but to buy a first-class ticket, and one ticket cost half a month's salary. After getting on the train, the receptionist on the train immediately handed her a hot towel and took her to the lounge to change clean clothes. Seeing that she only had this coat, the other party tried to help her dry her coat in the lounge. When the other party asked her if she wanted to go to a western restaurant to dine, she was reluctant to spend money and lied that she had used it, hungry, and sat in her seat until dawn.

When the car arrives in Nanjing, there is no train across the Yangtze River, so we can only do cruise ships. As if she was going to the market, she couldn't get a taxi from the train station, so she simply walked to the dock, bought a ticket across the river, and then changed to Pukou to Tianjin.

It is different from Shanghai. It is crowded and mixed, and there are many people who don't have the money to buy tickets, crowded around, climbing to the top of the train.

Shen Xi was half-pushed into the car in this tumultuous noise. An aunty took her and pushed her to the edge of the wall. Ordinary people, teachers, college students, women holding children, everyone is wrapped in a bag, carrying, carrying, and shouldering. When the car started moving, Shen Xi also carried a burden on his back, unable to move.

The breath of hundreds of people in the carriage condensed on the glass windows and the walls of the carriage, and the drops of water flowed down, soaking the back of her hands. In this way, it is really like returning to the fleeing years ago. At that time, she was still young, and she was guarded by two strange men, circled around the edge of the car door, without talking or crying or laughing. Everyone who saw her thought she was being sold to a girl by her family.

...

When we arrive in Tianjin, we will change the train to Beijing.

Three trains and one ferry took her through most of China.

In the early morning three days after leaving Shanghai, Shen Xi, covered in ashes, landed on the muddy ground of the platform. It was the railway station in Qianmenlouzi, and I looked around, and there was still loess.

There were too many passengers getting off the car next to him, and the dirt was covered with dust.

In the dust, she felt an unreal sense of homecoming in her heart.

she is back.

She had made plans on the way. Although she is the fourth youngest grandmother who has a false name, she must not go to Fu's house rashly. Fu Jia and Fu Dongwen are two different things. If they go recklessly, I don't know what trouble they will cause.

Must seek personal help. And she thought about it, and only one person was suitable.

On the cruise ship, Fu Dongwen and Tan Qingxiang also mentioned this person-Fu Dongshan, the second master of the Fu family.

According to this plan, Shen Xi first went outside the gate of Fujia Street, looked for the two rickshaw drivers waiting at the gate, stuffed money, and asked about the movements of the second master of the Fu family. The news is very favorable. The second master never leaves Beijing. He goes out at noon every day and returns home late at night.

It's still morning, I didn't miss it.

Shen Xi was standing at the entrance of a small alley outside the Fu's house, standing beside the wall with his back against the brick wall, sitting on the suitcase, patiently guarding the Fu's gate across the street. Sit back and wait for the rabbit.

About noon, Fu Erye was wearing a long gray gown, and he walked out of the gate, followed by two servants.

Shen Xi had a face-to-face encounter with him, and he recognized that face. It's just different from what she expected. He has someone next to him. If he rushes past, it will be troublesome if anyone recognizes her.

She looked away, and people shrank unconsciously.

Soon, Fu Erye got into the black car. Drove away.

He wants to have someone by his side, when will he wait?

In the morning, I received her rickshaw driver with the head of Yuan Yuan. Seeing that Shen Xi had been waiting all morning, he looked like he wanted to see his lover but didn’t dare to come forward. , Erye goes there every day."

The coachman immediately said a name: Rouge Hutong.

Shen Xi awoke and hurriedly sat up with the leather suitcase: "Okay, go now."

The coachman yelled and pulled her to the front door. Going down to the theater, tea house, and restaurant, he finally walked into an alley and stopped outside the gate of the courtyard. A large courtyard occupies almost half of the alley, with rickshaw drivers outside.

The plaque on the street door reads "Shihua Pavilion".

"Er Ye and Xiao Su San here are good. They are here every day." said the coachman.

Shen Xi thanked him and stepped into the gate of the courtyard. There is an inscription on the screen wall in front of it, making it look like a scholarly family.

A guy who was waiting at Chuhuamen saw her innocent girl coming in quietly and was very surprised: "This girl is this?"

The man wanted to ask if she had gone wrong, but he thought it was impossible.

The whole capital knows what Rouge Alley does.

"I'm looking for someone," Shen Xi took out his pen, wrote his name on the train ticket, and handed it to the other party, "Trouble, give this to the second master of the Fu family."

"Looking for the second master?" The guy couldn't figure out the way he came from, so he didn't dare to neglect, "You come with me."

The man led Shen Xi into the Suihua Gate.

This is a large quadrangle courtyard with three entrances and a cross courtyard. After entering the Chuhua Gate, there is laughter in the right wing. The dude and maid were so busy that they were curious to see Shen Xi. The man said that he was looking for the second master, and everyone lowered their heads and laughed again, as if they had guessed that it was a love debt.

The guy took Shen Xi to the left wing: "You wait."

Sitting here, she lifted her heart, lest she see what she shouldn't see.

Before meeting Fu Tongwen, she was the most inferior brothel in that Huayan House. There are many women who are old and delinquent, who accompany the smokers to chat and solve all sexual needs. Sometimes, when she walked over, she could see the smoker take off her belt, peel off the clothes of the smoker woman a few times, go inside, shaking the wooden bed creaking. She was shocked when she saw it for the first time.

Later, I went to New York to study medicine and took anatomy class. I saw the man's body structure for the first time. I could still think of that time, blushing so much that the professor ridiculed him. In the second year of study, with the edification of professional courses, and the teaching of Wanfeng and European and American students, I learned more openly.

But now...

She put her legs together, looked down at her shoes, and waited patiently.

Across the doors and windows, someone was singing "Su Sanqi Jie", the famous Yizhe play in Yutang Chunli, right at this line: "...Whoever goes to Nanjing to pass the letter to my Saburo. Just say Su San I will repay my life and change it into a dog in the next life—"

In this lyric it is Saburo, she is looking for the third brother.

In the play, Su San dignitaries pass the message to Saburo, and outside the play he also wants to find someone to pass the message...

A little girl came in, lit an incense, held a hot towel, and asked her to wipe her hands: "My girl sings well?" The little girl guessed that she was the confidant of the second master, and deliberately said, "How many people Come, just to hear this discount."

Shen Xi absently agreed.

She patiently waited until the fold-up was finished, and finally waited until the door curtain was opened again.

Fu Erye stepped into the threshold and looked at her closely behind the lens.

Shen Xi immediately got up: "Second Lord."

Following him in, the one who pressed the curtain was a girl with slender eyes, double eyelids, and unspeakable character. Just wearing a jacket and skirt, otherwise it really looks like a new school girl, including her smile is also soft and weak, with the fragrance of books. Shen Xi guessed that this is the Xiao Su San that the rickshaw driver said.

"What are you doing following up?" Er Ye laughed.

"San Ye's people, naturally want to take a look." The girl laughed softly.

Fu Erye didn't give her a chance to talk more, and persuaded people out.

Only she and Fu Erye were left all around, and he looked at Shen Xi again: "They all said that the third brother went abroad to find you, but he didn't bring anyone with him when he came back. I thought they were wrong. It seems that he can't make it through. It's always the hurdle of a woman," he just sat down, "Go ahead, what do you want me for?"

"I heard that he is sick and want to see him."

Fu Erye pondered: "I can't help you with this."

She hurriedly said, "I'm not trying to pester him. I had an agreement with him to see each other again, and now that the agreed date has passed, and I heard that he is ill, I have no choice but to ask the second master.

The other party was silent unexpectedly.

Shen Xi was flustered, lest he hear the news that he was terminally ill: "Is he really sick?"

"The illness is real, but it's hard to tell how sick it is," Fu Erye said to her after a long silence, "When he comes back, no one can see him, neither can I."

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Remembering that I learned Su Sanqi Jie when I was a kid...I made all the material for the book ==...