女人和土匪（英译本）：大屠杀下的弑父灭兄

 

Chapter 25

 

Thinking about this, Liu Lijing heaved a long sigh. He realized that the Dead Mourning Day was coming. At this time every year he would burn offerings for his daddy and elder brother in the wilderness. He would feel relieved by doing that. He seemed to locate his conscience and soul in a better position in this way.

This was a sad memory in Liu’s heart. He never told others about this, but the memory had been torturing him for years. He seemed to hear his daddy and brother speak to him in their local dialect. What an unforgettable memory!

Liu was not facing another challenge of death in his life. His father’s voice rang in his heart and ears:

“Dear son, why do you treat us in this way for the sake of a woman?”

Liu sometimes thought he should probably kneel down before his dead daddy and brother and confess his sin to them, saying, “Dear daddy and brother, I am sorry for my cruelty. I’m coming to redeem my killing.” But then, he would shout at the sky, “No! Rongrong and her relatives are kind-hearted. Why do you treat them in such a bad way?”

At this time the sense of guilt would disappear from Liu’s mind and heart.

Liu still remembered that day when he begged Rongrong for forgiving his rude acts. She moved away in her small sailboat. He shouted:

“Rongrong, come back! I’m not that bad. Please trust me.”

But she would not come back. She replied with a sob, “No! I won’t trust you any longer.”

In the coming days Liu saw her parents and brother go out for trade. It seemed that her family still believed that Liu’s family would protect them well. This made Liu feel better. He went to her house from time to time. She was there but refused to open the door for him.

The harvest of crops was over. Liu was about to join the militia. This was a good excuse for his making farewell to Rongrong. He saw her mending fishing nets in the distance. She saw him and went back into the house and shut the door.

Liu patted the door for quite a while, speaking through the peeping-hole, “Rongrong, I am going to gather with the militia. Why don’t we see each other for just once?”

Quite a while passed, but there was no response.

Liu was heart-broken. He pressed his face against the door, with tears rolling down his cheeks. Then, he said:

“Rongrong, please trust me. I am not that bad. I’ll come back to see you later. Please don’t hate me.”

Liu had to leave her house. He saw Rongrong come back to the outside mending the fishing nets and looking at him in the distance. He went back, but she went back to her house and shut the door again.

Liu acted well in the militia for his braveness. He was now a captain. He was not yet a Communist given his young age. One night, all the captains of the militia got together to receive the order from the superiors. Liu’s elder brother Liu Liguo ordered the militiamen to kill the landlords and rich farmers and their family members according to the plan made.

At first, Liu was puzzled. Then, he heard someone ask, “How can we judge who is a landlord and who is not?”

Liu Liguo gave a simple answer, “Those who lease all their land to the poor are landlords; those who lease most of the land to the poor are rich farmers.”

Another person asked, “Dear commander, do you mean that we should kill those people’s children as well?”

“Yes. We must learn from the past experiences that their children are the roots of revenge and violence.”

The meeting went on in a heated way. Liu was not aware when the meeting finished. But he had a hunch that Rongrong’s family would be regarded as landlords and a target for attack. Rongrong’s parents and brother went trading a lot. That was why they got the tips of the killing.

Someone was patting him on the head. He turned around, and found it was his brother and daddy. All the others had left. Daddy and brother held Liu’s hands and stared at him.

Liu’s brother pounded at his shoulders, saying, “Good! We have three guns now at home. The leadership is happy at this.”

Liu asked in a careful way, “Dear daddy and brother, are Rongrong’s parents, brother and Rongrong landlords?”

They answered simultaneously, “Yes.”

“Then they will be killed?”

“Yes.”

Liu was shocked at this. He cried out of his instinct, “Don’t kill them. I have promised to protect them well. We used to live on their land. Please have mercy on them.” Liu cried sadly.

His daddy stamped his feet, remarking, “Do you know their land will be allocated to us?”

Liu replied, “That is even worse. We are committing sins in this way.”

“Shit!” Daddy boxed Liu on his face.

His brother persuaded, “Dear brother, now you’re a great militiaman. Why do you guard that family?”

Liu remembered his daddy had mentioned that Rongrong would be his woman later. If so, she should be considered as a relative of theirs. Then, Liu held his brother’s hands, arguing, “Rongrong promised to be my woman. She is a member of our family.”

Liu’s brother thought for a while, and then said, “The militiamen cannot have contacts with landlords. You should know that.”

“But each of us is familiar with that family. They are close to us. And we didn’t think they were landlords before.”

“Don’t be so silly. If you think so, then both your brother and I will suffer. Also, you are a captain now. Watch out for your words and acts.”

Liu did not yield, arguing, “I don’t care about what the others say. I’ll make sure that Rongrong and her relatives are safe.”

Liu’s daddy was about to scold him when his brother stopped him. Liu’s brother thought for a while and then said, “Ok. Dear brother, we won’t kill Rongrong and her relatives.”

Liu felt relieved at this, asking, “Is that true?”

Liu’s brother patted him on the chest, “Definitely!”

Liu turned to his daddy, “Daddy, did you hear brother’s promise?”

Daddy cast a glance at his elder son and superior, saying, “Ok. We won’t kill them.”

Liu’s brother said in a sulked way, “Dear brother, wipe away your tears. Don’t make us feel ashamed of being unqualified militiamen. It’s not common for us three to speak to each other so long.”

The killing of the landlords began at night. The militiamen got their assignments and began to act the very night. Liu also took part in the task.

The militiamen came to the houses of landlords, telling them they would like to buy grains or poultry from them. Then, the landlords would open their doors. And there killings began. They were put into bags, tied with heavy stones and dropped into the deep lake.

Those landlords who did not live close to the lake were killed and buried on the site.

Liu was sorry to find the militiamen kill those kids of the landlords. One militiaman gave a kid to Liu and asked him to kill it. The baby’s mom knelt down and begged for killing her and her child together.

Liu had a sense of guilt. He said, “Madame Lai, go into the bag first. I’ll put you two together in the same bag.”

Madame Lai went into the bag first. She saw Liu put her baby in the bag, too. She gave thanks to him, saying he would be blessed later. Liu even heard the mother speak to her child inside, “Dear, don’t be afraid. Let’s go out together.”

The two people were drowned in the lake. Liu’s heart was broken. His soul was pierced. He cried to the sky:

“Dear, is that revolution? Fuck!”

Liu had to carry on his work. He passed by Rongrong’s house, and someone asked him to kill that family.

Liu was annoyed, shouting, “They work from morning to night. How can we regard them as landlords and kill them?”

That person refuted, “Don’t make a fuss. Isn’t that family written on your black list?”

Liu was worried. He was aware that those people on the black list, regardless of age, would have to be killed. But then he remembered his brother and daddy had promised not to kill Rongrong and her relatives. So, why should he be so worried? Also, Rongrong was regarded as his woman, and he was a militiaman. So, they would not consider that family as landlords. He was aware that his brother had big power and could decide over who was a landlord or not. He trusted his brother and daddy, and thought everything would be ok with that family.

But one day, Liu saw some boats near Rongrong’s house. He had a hunch that something bad would happen to her family. He felt uneasy. Suddenly he realized that someone else might kill Rongrong and her relatives even though his daddy and brother did not.

With this thought, Liu rushed to Rongrong’s house.

He met a group of militiamen on his way. The captain was named Wang Zhenqiang, with whom Liu was quite familiar.

Someone said, “Is this a secret plan? It’s just a matter of burning down a few houses.”

Someone else said, “Those houses were built a few years ago. It’s a pity to burn them down.”

Wang cursed, “Fuck Liu. He dares not kill, but asks us to do it.”

Someone said, “Why do we burn down the house? That family lives on water trade. The burning won’t hurt them.”

These people left. Liu rushed to Rongrong’s house. He hoped that everything was ok with her. But he smelled of flesh burning in the distance. The house collapsed, and sparks were still visible.

Liu fainted. When he came round two days later, he found his daddy and brother beside him.

Liu’s brother asked a militiaman, “Are you sure that he has not left the house in the past few days?”

“Sure.”

“Is he healthy?” Liu’s daddy asked.

“Yes.”

Liu moved somehow. He heard his brother and daddy call him, “Dear!”

They fed him some liquid food. Then, Liu said in a weak voice, “I’d like to go back home.”

Daddy was sorry to hear that. He cried, “Sorry, son, I didn’t take good care of you. Alright! Let’s go home.”

Liu was carried on a stretcher. He seemed to hear someone call him. It was Rongrong. Then, he realized he was on the bed. Nobody else was visible. He rushed outside, and seemed to find her standing there, but she disappeared soon.

Liu came round. He knelt down before her house and promised to revenge for them.

He came back to the house, and saw Daddy and brother sleeping in the house. They were snorting. There were some sweet potatoes and porridge on the table. Liu tasted one sweet potato, and found it got ripe by burning. He realized that the sweet potatoes were Rongrong’s. He took some porridge and decided to revenge for her and her relatives.

He locked the door of the house carefully and blocked the house with bulrushes. Then, he heard his daddy shout, “Dear son, what are you doing at midnight?”

He lit up a torch in a hurry. Then, he burned all the bulrushes around the house. The fire spread quickly. He heard his daddy cry for help, and his brother shout, “Damn! Who dares to fight against me? I’m Liu Liguo!”

He heard his daddy cry sadly, “Dear son, this is your younger brother doing the burning. He isn’t on the bed. We’re sorry for killing Rongrong and her relatives. But please open the door for us!”

Liu’s brother was still pleading, “Dear brother, don’t do the silly thing. Let us out. Revolution can bring you a bright future.”

Liu knelt down and shouted, “Why did you break your promise. This is the price you have to pay.”

Liu’s daddy screamed, “Dear son, have mercy on me!”

Liu’s brother pleaded weakly, “Dear brother, have mercy on me! I can’t bear any longer.”

Tears rolled down Liu’s cheeks. The fire was the redemption for Rongrong and her relatives’ death. Liu shouted sadly, “Damn! You have to die for your guilt!”

Bullets came from the house. A third bullet hit the ground beside Liu and wounded his leg lightly. Liu thus revenged for his love.

The gunshots alarmed the people nearby. The fire was still burning. No longer did Liu’s daddy and brother shout or cry. There was a bad smell of burning.

Liu rushed to the lakeside. There was only a small boat there. He realized that the big boats were taken by the militiamen. He seemed to see Rongrong and her relatives greet to him with fruits and nice drinks.

Liu seemed to find Rongrong standing before him. She said nothing but gave him a basket. Inside the basket, he found some eggs, pears, persimmons, sausages and sweet potatoes. He wanted to taste them, only to find it was a vision.

Liu was heartbroken. He sobbed sadly. He remembered Rongrong’s worries about the safety of her family. He remembered his calf love with her. Now the sweet memory became a sad blow. He was sorrowful.

Liu began to reflect on the revolution. Why should people carry out revolution in this way? The Liu’s family had disappeared from the lake since then.

Years had passed and Liu was now in Guizhou. He sat down on the grass and smelled a bad smell from himself. He had sweated a lot. He then felt something hot approaching. Out of a soldier’s instinct, he rolled down and took out his pistol quickly. He found it was Xiao Jiutong standing before him. Xiao said:

“Come into the hut and eat.” Liu saw some tears in Xiao’s eyes. He was aware that Xiao cried for Cao Shaohua, their captured commander.

Xiao cried sadly, “It seems that Commander Cao only has a few days to live. He will be executed in public in three days or so.”

Liu was startled. He cursed, “Watch out for your mouth. Commander Cao won’t die so easily. There are some of our brothers who will die with him. I think we should do something violent in the city as a warning to the Communists.”

Xiao replied, “No use. Give me a grenade, and I’ll die with Commander Cao. I am old and weak. I can’t do anything great.”

The wind was cool. Liu was scared somehow. Liu helped Xiao to get up, saying, “Dear brother, don’t do that! I think you should continue to hide here as our agent. I think we will get the control of power later.” Liu realized he was hungry. Then, he said, “Ok. Let’s eat first.”

Then, the two men went inside the hut, without a word.

Liu wondered: What was the point of living in this world?

Liu was aware that it was not easy to be bandits, cased by the Communists troops here and there. In early 1951, the armed forces of the new government were strengthened, and they could easily give a fatal blow to the bandits. Thus, Commander Cao of the Kuomintang army made three decisions. First, they would scatter in the city and wait for the chances. Second, those who would like to go back home could get some jewelry as payment. Third, those who would like to escape abroad could get some pistols. The decisions were applauded. Everyone had to keep the secret. Only Commander Cao knew the whereabouts of all his soldiers.

Liu decided to escape abroad. He even persuaded Cao to do that. The road from Guiyang to Burma was not yet much controlled by the Communists. If they wanted to leave, they had better act early. Or something worse might happen.

Cao was named General Commander against the Communist power. He got Liu’s support, and Liu was named his aide. Their attacks once frightened the people in Guiyang and nearby. But soon, the Communists strengthened their forces, and the Kuomintang bandits were no longer their match.