传教士和他的女儿---- 双溪坪传奇（下）

 

故事叙述富有的喜欢生物硏究的英国青年亨利，32年走进神奇的贵州山区，他宣扬真爱，制止血腥与残杀…传播主的福音，受到众多山里基督徒的裸拜和崇敬！

本故亊用基督的仁愛精神与共产党人血腥的“阶级斗争”相对比，彰显仁愛的力量：当共产党人要驱逐亨利牧师时，桀骜的双溪坪教徒爆发了反抗……许多扑朔迷离的山村故事，皆在此书中！

 

Zongming Zhang

张宗銘 著

Translated by Tangjin Xiao

肖唐金 译

 

 

 

Yan Zhengfu thought to himself: The Red Army commanders and soldiers are vulnerable to the charge of being a Regiment AB member. He answered casually, “I only know teaching.”

“What’s your relation with Liu Di?”

“Nothing special.”

“Why did you write the letter for him?”

“He told me that the letter was given to Mr. Mao. He said my handwriting was the best in this place and asked me to help him.”

“What an absurd way of dealing with the matter!” Mr. Li murmured. He turned to the two soldiers, asking, “Who is responsible for this case?”

They answered, “Gu Bo.”

“Release Mr. Yan. The people here prove him to be innocent. Can he be from Regiment AB?”

Thus, Yan had a baptism of bullying and frightening. He couldn’t forget the tortures in the dark and cold cell. He couldn’t forget how he had to admit the made-up crime. He couldn’t forget the cruel beatings. He had wanted to join the Red Army. But now the plan was out of his mind.

He was hugging Guo in the weeping. He was thankful for her and he couldn’t feel more thankful for the poor people here. These people had a sense of justice in their mind. If their relatives were found to be guilty and going to be executed, they wouldn’t come to rescue. They knew Yan was a righteous man and innocent. They thought they should help him for the sake of the Communist cause and it was only Mr. Mao Zedong who could make a decision for the fate of the Communists and the poor.

Yan and Guo were still in hug. The people said in a happy tone, “Aren’t you man and wife? Go and get married now.”

Yan helped Guo stand up. She was smiling now. She leaned her face against his chest. The people were excited at the scene.

Yan still remembered Liu Di’s word. He told him: His chess teacher General Chen Yi had almost been killed by Li Shaojiu in the purging movement. The wife of Mr. Chen, Xiao Juying, was frightened and jumped to a well. She died. That was sad indeed. Why did the Communists have such internal fights?

The Red Army was going to take the Long March. General Chen came to the private school. He asked Yan to join the Red Army as a copy clerk. Yan had no intention of becoming a Red Army soldier. He shook his head. Mr. Chen was serious. He admonished him:

“The Kuomintang troops are killing anyone related to the Communists. Please go with us, or you’ll suffer a lot. I’m unwilling to see this happen.”

Then, Mr. Chen had the private school burned down, and Yan Zhengfu became a Red Army soldier. His fiancé Miss Guo naturally went with him for the Long March.

The Futian Event left a wound in Yan’s heart and career. He was a target of attack on many occasions for that reason. It seemed that he was a faulty chess player, leaving much room for others to blame him. He was puzzled and frustrated from time to time.

The second misfortune of Mr. Yan happened in 1943. It was again Miss Guo, a cook for leaders, who saved him. Some people said she knelt down before the leader responsible and pleaded for his life. Yan didn’t care much about the gossips. Maybe Guo would tell him the truth later.

Now, the scene was in Qingyan. Yan Zhengfu felt Zhang Yunxuan’s anger in his glance. Mr. Yan could understand Mr. Zhang’s heart and mind. Both of them were depressed and sad. Suddenly Yan had a sense of disgust. Today’s criticism party aimed at Zhang Yunchang. Why did Mr. Chen Jiagen, the military representative, ask Zhang Yunxuan to come? Was there a purpose of having Zhang Yunxuan clarify his so-called problem and position? Was that a reward for Zhang as a Kuomintang general who went for the Communists?

Yan’s heart was bleeding. Wasn’t it the same case for Zhang Yunxuan at this moment?

It took a long time for the public to get quiet. A county official announced the beginning of the criticism party, the target of which was Zhang Yunchang, Zhang Yunxuan’s cousin.

The poor villagers accused Zhang Yunxuan of being a vile landlord. He provided food to the bandits who attacked the county town. He rented his land and charged people a lot. He raped women and girls. The crimes he committed, according to the poor, were beyond description. Then, Madame Pan came out. She cursed Zhang Yunchang for the rapes he had done:

“Damn you! Damn you the devil!”

The minority people on the site responded, “Beat him son of bitch!”

“Kill him son of bitch!”

Li Qingshan was responsible for maintaining the order. But he joined Madame Pan in the actions despite the oppositions from the other workers present. Zhang Yunchang had running noses and a scratched face. Li Qingshan held a wood stick in his hands, and poked at Zhang Yunchang’s noses, demanding:

“Zhang, do you know me your master?”

Zhang Yunchang nodded.

Li Qingshan asked, “Let me ask you again: Did you rape my sister Little Manmei?”

Zhang Yunchang lowered his face, replying, “No, I didn’t. Dear Yunxuan my cousin, help me! I can’t bear the tortures any more!”

The villagers shouted together, “Beat him! Beat him flat! Beat him and he the son of bitch will tell the truth!”

Zhang Yunxuan turned his head away. He was sorry to see his cousin suffering in this way. He saw Yan Zhengpu motion to Cao, who stood up in a hurry and went up to the conflict site.

Cao said something to Madame Pan and Li Qingshan. Li Qingshan was unhappy at first, saying, “This landlord is a dog worthy despising. Why do you guard him?”

Cao whispered something again to Li Qingshan. The latter moved aside. Cao cleared his throat, and lowered himself a little, asking:

“Zhang Yunchang, raise your head and answer my questions.”

At this Zhang Yunchang felt better. He was still kneeling down but erected his waist.

“You say that you aren’t a landlord. Tell us today if the land is yours.”

Zhang Yunchang sobbed pitifully, “It isn’t mine. I am not a landlord.”

Cao asked again, “Then whose land is that?”

Zhang Yunchang replied in a sorrowful way, “It’s my uncle’s. The title deed you get has my uncle Zhang Jitao’s name on it, doesn’t it? Please believe in my innocence! Please let me go!”

Cae was serious, saying, “Confess the truth. The land was granted to you by your uncle. Otherwise, how could you have the title deed?”

Zhang Yunchang kowtowed, “Help me! Fuck the land! I don’t need the land. Please set me free!” He pleaded, “Take the land away from me, and let me go. I can’t bear any longer!”

Uncle Li cursed, “Fuck Zhang, who doesn’t know the land is yours? Are you afraid of death? Do you want to find a scapegoat for you? Is it so easy a matter? I’d like you to die today.”

“Dear Yunxuan my cousin, help me! This is the last time I ask you for help.”

Yan knew Zhang Yunxuan’s frustrations at this time. His cousin Zhang Yunchang was still taking him for a Kuomintang general who could do many things in public. He was still thinking that he had enough power and money to save him. Zhang Yunchang might not know what communism was, and could be puzzled at the outcome of getting the land free from uncle. He didn’t know what exploitations were. Should the landowners get such treatment from the landless people? Was that fair?

Yan closed his eyes and felt depressed. He wondered: Should violence be used in the times of peace? Should violence be used for peace? Should violence be used against the wrongdoers to console those who had suffered once? Couldn’t some other means be used? This wasn’t politics but a man-made disaster.

At this time Li Qingshan shouted at the public, “Tell me who is the landlord here.”

The people responded together, “Zhang Yunchang!”

Li Qingshan beat the ground with his wood stick, cursing, “Fuck Zhang Yunchang, don’t you hear the response? The land is yours. You can’t escape from the death punishment.”

There were some noises a little away from the criticism party site. Someone shouted, “Li Qingshan, something bad happened. Your sister Little Manmei is on the Ghost Cliff. She may want to kill herself.”

The Li’s were furious. They vented their anger on Zhang Yunchang. Then, blows of wood stick fell on him. He moaned somehow and fell to the ground. His eyes protruded bloodily. He was beaten dead.