Chapter 26 Chapter twenty-six.fallen hero

Guan Baye in the abandoned garden knew nothing about the battle between Yanshi and Shawozi at first, and there was no wind that could blow into his ears the whole story of the war.Living in the abandoned garden, Guan Baye deeply understands that there are two different forms of violence in the world; one is caused by agglomeration of external forces, grasping power, and being ruthless and only fulfilling selfish desires; The Beiyang warlords who are constantly in dispute are of this kind; this kind of violent chains locks the masses of the people, expropriates them violently, dominates them, and indulges the bandits. As a result, the people are destitute and difficult to survive.

And this kind of tangible violence, although fierce, is short-lived after all. Too tight bondage and oppression will definitely make people rise up to primitive and angry resistance. The other is the greed and material desire in the human heart. The rise of this desire makes people trapped in a transparent bondage, and they are powerless. This is really the root of all violence. It is extremely difficult to get rid of. If people don’t get rid of this first, it is extremely unrealistic to just keep complaining and fighting, and suffer a lot, because the cause of sin is all in people’s hearts.Some people blame bandits, hate tyrants, hate treacherous evil, and show deep hatred for Tyranny, Li Chuang, and treacherous people of all dynasties, but what is the truth?It's just that there is no such situation, such opportunity. If there is, when people hold power, everyone will become treacherous, rogue and tyrant!This is the original form in the real world, but it is covered by a layer of hypocrisy.

So what if you understand these things? !I often ask myself this question, as if the more I think, the more confused I get.If it is said that the original evil of the human heart is pitiful and forgivable, then there are no extremely evil people in the world!In the eyes of the Buddhists, emphasizing compassion and forgiveness for the ignorant people in the world, so that they can have a clear understanding of the future, but in the law of karma and retribution, right and wrong, good and evil, are still bit by bit clear; Evil comes with evil.If there is no report, and the time has not come, it is the display of the world's confidence in Tianlu.But if everyone sits and waits for the law of heaven, who can act without the law of heaven?Is it really caused by the mysterious and grotesque factors mentioned in the desolate legends?It's ethereal enough.

Although Guandong Mountain is not a wise man, he is not a fool either. He always hopes that people can hold the law of heaven in one hand and justice in the other. Fair punishment should contain forgiveness and compassion.But I can't get out of this gloomy confusion. I always feel that there are too many murders and blood in this world. Whether it's evil killing kindness in vain, or kindness punishing evil, it makes people feel deeply tired and full of blood. An impenetrable sorrow.This may be the difficulty of being a human being, this burden that weighs on the heart, and will never be relieved.

Autumn, also sighing in the abandoned garden, the autumn wind picked all the willow leaves first, followed by the leaves of the garden mulberry and the old elm. The daytime sounds quiet, but there are always rustling sounds in the silence. The whisper of fallen leaves. Even if it is the slightest sound of 跫, as long as it is played in the abandoned garden, it will never escape Guan Baye's keen ears. Not only can he distinguish the fallen leaves, but he can also tell that they are mulberry leaves from the sound of the fallen leaves being blown by the wind. ?Or elm leaves?Withering is always lamentable, but there is always an autumn wind every year, and there is always withering every year. The old leaves fall to the ground, and are turned into mud by the wind and snow. The new leaf clusters will welcome another lively spring breeze.

That's how life is! In the heart of this desolate blind man, it seems that what falls are not withered leaves, but the rain of history, the rain of time, and every drop of coldness is a falling human face. In the blackness, sharply slashed lines were drawn that could be vaguely discerned from the eyebrows. Although he lost both eyes, he can still look back at the scene of the memory that was in his heart, it was white and dark, floating, falling, endless, endlessly chasing back the fallen leaves of that long time ago, the rumors have passed away , The fallen leaves have turned into soil, but they can always pick up some faces from their side and express their sorrow.Some people seem to be trapped in a certain kind of misery all their lives, and they have never been blown by the spring breeze or moistened by the spring rain; the world in which people live in troubled times is already full of depression and chilling autumn.

People in the village are always so stubbornly attached to the two acres of old land in Jiagen. They can grab a bowl of food in the field and never want to get it on the road: always take three points of insurance when going out. It's difficult for a while, these words are hard to chew, the fields are not barren, the land is not old, are you willing to leave your hometown and abandon the unmovable black gold?And they were all forced to walk on an endless road, measuring their short life with numb footsteps.The legal network of the Beiyang government is tightly woven, and any business that can make people live is against the law, except for serving as a Beiyang soldier and selling their lives for that meager salary.

Salt walkers gather in the deserted villages by the sea and the small market towns where the salty wind blows. A group of rootless wanderers, bare chested and bare shoulders, throw all the bitterness of the past into the wine cup, and then swallow it back with the pungent smell .A good man does not need to dwell on the past, do a line of work, do a job, and never look back.On the lips, everyone is used to spit out that kind of wild and strong words, there is nothing difficult in the world, and there is a scar the size of a bowl of head!How heroic it sounds!In fact, only each of you knows that kind of blank sadness, even though you use nonchalant movements to tear off the dirty towel around your neck and wipe the sweat in large quantities, even if you use a large bowl to scoop up the strong alcohol that can make people drunk Drinking wine and drinking, there is a broad haha ​​from the lips with yuli, but it can't hide the tide heart and wet eyes. That heart has been salted for a long time, and the tears that are swallowed back are also full of salt taste.

One day people can live on, and their children and grandchildren will never do this kind of business again!On the windy and sandy wild road where the dead were buried, a flock of hungry geese drifted away. To avoid a checkpoint, they had to go around for three days and five days. At night, they slept in a barn in a barren village. The ground and sky were covered with haystacks.Whether it is playing the huqin, singing slang songs, telling stories, or gambling for small money, it is all just to drive away the dampness in my heart that will never dry up. The only complaint is that sentence: Break the law? !Damn it, is the law determined by God?

The reason why Yanshi raised its guns to protect itself is based on this kind of grievance. Even if I, Guandong Mountain, do not encourage them, they will naturally walk on this narrow road.But at this moment, what happened to Yanshi?In the rain of falling leaves, he walked to the stable to ask the man who kept the horses. The Jiang defense army in the city withdrew to the north, and the gunfire almost boiled the town, Ba Ye.The man who raised the horse said: "Now the militiamen are occupying the west side of Shawozi. I heard that gongs are ringing everywhere in Dongxiang, and the men from all towns and villages have all picked up their guys and went to Shawozi to block them!"

Are you still listening to other news? I only heard that the Northern Expeditionary Army crossed the Yangtze River.Who knows how far it is from here?Baye. Guan Baye nodded, and pondered for a while in a daze. It's too early to say it's consolation, if the man who raised the horse was right, he would have figured out that the Jiangfang army's violent invasion of Yanshi this time was a battle of breaking the embankment and rushing with all their strength, let him Fang De go back first. No matter how steady and capable it is, it is difficult to keep that town, and whether Yanshi can be guaranteed depends on the two or three days and nights when the flames of war first ignited; The fate of Yanshi should be decided before the people from all townships and towns go to Shawozi. Wanjialou's gun team is dispatched?After pondering for a while, he asked the man who raised the horse. It's out!All the major households in the Northland have drawn their guns.The man who raised the horse said: Nearly a thousand guns were drawn into the Lianxiang team, led by Master Gu, but they were all lined up in the west of the Shahe River, and they were not pushed forward across the river. The area around the northwest corner. It's time to stomp your feet and grit your teeth, Guandong Mountain!At least it's time to frown!This is really an annoying mess, his Gu Ye should have known it well; among the poor towns in the north of Yanshi, if it is said that they can really pull out a strong gun team, only Wanjialou, Samsung, etc. Village, Qixingtan, and the northwest corner of Chaijiabao, these big households usually have a gun team organization, and they don’t need to waste time when they pull out their guns; I have calculated that if they can work together and rush to help at the right time, they will definitely be able to keep Yanshi and make it difficult for the Beiyang army on the Huai River to escape the trap. Attacking the back of the Jiangjiang Defense Army can also break the siege of Yanbu, and never turn into a turtle, crouching on the wilderness west of the Shahe River and watching the fire from the other side, basking in its sun? ! Despite the intense torment in his heart, Guan Baye remained calm. Ever since he lost his eyesight, he has often maintained an indifferent appearance, which has become a habit. With his hands behind his back, he walked leisurely along the brick-paved passage outside the stable, while the white horse, a piece of jade, neighed behind him.A gust of wind rose against the ground and rolled up into the air, and countless fallen leaves made countless tiny knocking sounds in the space. Yes, the change I have been worrying about has come. Maybe at this very moment, the dead soldiers guarding Yanshi are also withering in such a gust of autumn wind, and the blind Guandong Mountain is still like a sick leaf. , helplessly attached to the broken branches.When I think of this, I can't help hating the villain who instigated the murderer and gouged out my own eyes. I feel anxious like a thunderstorm, making my internal organs twitch. Survive this ordeal. The man who raised the horse didn't want to disturb him, and left quietly. In the huge abandoned garden, he was the only one wandering around.This world seems to be just a black void, a bottomless void, many transparent and invisible spider threads bind people, and thousands of knots without heads make it impossible for people to untie it, he tried Stretching out his arms, he clenched his fists vigorously. He felt that his body, which was trapped due to the loss of his eyes, was stronger and filled with a hidden vitality. His whole body was covered with steel-like bones. During the activity, there is a rattling sound, he can still think clearly, he can still move flexibly, of course he can do something more! The doubts in his thoughts still fell on Gu Ye. Even I am a little bored; if after confirming one by one, it is confirmed that Master Gu is the villain wearing a fake face, and I am killing him?Or forgive him?This thought has always puzzled him, although he has repeatedly decided to get rid of this treacherous person, but deep in his heart, there is always a swaying idea that he can't bear to persist in that stubbornness prematurely, lest there be a trace of mistakes in this stubbornness , because this is the only major event in the second half of his life. I can't wrong him, he finally said to himself in his heart: No matter who that person is, I want to give him a chance to defend himself But in terms of actual preparations, Guan Baye never relaxed himself for a moment. He knew that if a blind person wanted to eliminate traitors and defeat the enemy, he had to use ears instead of eyes to break the prison of this black hole. First of all, he has a clear mind, so every night, he suppresses the trance-like thoughts and replaces sleep with meditation.At the beginning, he only focused on listening to all the sounds and movements in the abandoned garden, the whispers of grass, leaves, insects, wind and rain, horses neighing, shaking rings, sniffing and hooves. Gradually, through the surrounding All kinds of sounds and movements, he put his hearing far away. He concentrated his mind on the outside of the long wall, listening to the footsteps of pedestrians passing by at night. The sound of soft, slight footsteps came from a distance, and gradually sounded over, past the ditch with three stone slabs at the corner of the garden. , that is the clearest three steps, at first glance, it sounds like just the same monotonous and empty ding-dong, but this is not enough, it is no different from ordinary people's hearing; To find out many different characteristics and changes, the sound is a brand-new and intriguing world for him. He not only uses his two ears, but also uses his rational thinking as thin as a hair in time to hear clearly and distinguish immediately. Footsteps sounded, one, two, three, four, and he began to count silently in his heart, estimating the pace and length of the person coming, so as to judge the person's physical strength, height, and even according to the priority of footsteps, Can guess a person's character.According to general calculations, it usually takes between sixty-seven and seventy-five steps for pedestrians to turn from the corner of the main street, walk eastward along the long wall of the abandoned garden, and step on the stone slab of the ditch. After about thirty to thirty-seven steps, I arrived directly opposite the old house I lived in, and then gradually moved away. There were two patrolmen who often passed the alley outside the long wall. After walking ten or so steps, knocking a broken dumb gong, the latter one always followed in a drowsy way; The man who is full of energy, the latter walks in disorder, his feet are of different weights, he often bumps into something or stumbles over something, and makes the sound of gun belt rings hitting, shaking shoulders and moving belts, it can be seen that he is a yellow, thin and weak person, Every night, he seemed to be out of energy, with a gun on his back and a lantern, he followed the man who was beating the gong, and dozed off while walking. At dusk, there were more people passing through the alleys. From the sound of their footsteps, Guan Baye could tell that most of them traveled from west to east in the early morning or during the day, and returned from outside the town in the opposite direction at dusk.There are a few men with plow targets on their shoulders who often lead their oxen. An old woman with an earthen pot has splayed feet. She walks like a treadmill, always hitting the ground with her heels first. Judging that she must have a pair of small feet.The footsteps of a person who bears weight are always light on one side and heavy on the other. After changing shoulders, the lightness and heavyness are still the same. There was a young man who must have contracted tuberculosis. He had an empty cough without phlegm, which was a bad cough. At the same time, he always stretched his neck forward, leaned forward, and wiped the ground with his toes when he walked, making his steps make a distinctive rubbing and rubbing. The sound of rubbing.According to the law of physiognomy, most of this kind of people want to live a short life, and they will not live for too long. Both ends of the alley are high walls, you don't need to touch it with your own hands, you can tell from the sound of footsteps alone. When people come and go, when the footsteps sound at both ends of the alley, the sound is hollow. Approaching echoes combine to produce a sound, but as soon as you walk to the middle of the alley, the echo disappears. In the middle of the alley, there is only a long wall on the side of the abandoned garden, and an empty yard on the opposite side. There are haystacks, and there are often women tearing grass with their feet, chickens picking up bugs by the side of the stack, and around dusk, there are the sounds of children playing heartily. Think of the distance, Guandong Mountain, no matter how big the outside world is, you have to calm down first, anxiety is always empty, it can't help you! He kept repeating this reassuring voice in his heart. Darkness is a mountain, he must first try his best to overcome it!In the past few months, he has seen a glimmer of light in his hearing, which can open up a world of judgment and detection from complex sounds. He wants to further expand this world, making him seem to lose both eyes. In fact, his world is also expanding all the time. First, he listens to sounds and distinguishes objects in the silence of the night. As a result of his gradual progress, his ears can hear a certain kind of sound alone among many sounds. Sound not only recognizes the sound, but also determines the state of the situation and the relationship with other sounds. In the early morning, he can hear the sound of vehicles on the main street, the chaotic voices of people, the sound of pigeon wings beating on the roof of the Wanjia ancestral hall, and the sound of children. According to the sound of running and jumping, he can imagine the space, the dynamics and colors of the characters, just like seeing it with his own eyes. Among these sounds, there are only two footsteps that often make me suspicious. According to my judgment, one is a half-old man with a dull and slow personality, sometimes sober, sometimes slightly drunk, The other should be a young woman, with soft and unsteady steps, as if trembling with a little fear. These two people come to the alley almost every day, neither passing through the alley, nor Passing by the end of the alley, there are no ordinary pedestrians at all, just wandering slowly along the long wall, as if looking for something? In such an abandoned garden, what mud is there to look forward to? !And every day, I heard their footsteps continuously, only separated by the long wall behind the house, wandering back and forth, as if they were looking for something left behind. Well, there it is over the wall!The old man pointed and said in a hoarse voice: "It's just across this high wall." Is there a guard at night?said the woman. Someone is patrolling. Only once did I vaguely hear such a dialogue.After a sentence or two, the voice suddenly dimmed. And where did I hear that woman's voice in a trance, yes, I must have heard it somewhere, where exactly? !Strange to say, in my half-life experience, I have encountered many thrilling catastrophes, many storms on flat ground, and bright guns and arrows on the table, and I have never had the slightest doubt. In the town and city that I have always cared for, in front of and behind me, I always feel that there are some strange eyes watching all the time, wrapped in a misty green mist; No matter how I think about it, I can't figure out why there is such a strange feeling? Doubts one after another, revolving around me like phantoms shaken by moths, mysteries one after another spread around me like a gauze, making me pursue everything and everyone, carefully and carefully. Playful interest.Maybe they are just insignificant on the surface, but there is always a thread that is related to the villain hidden behind the scenes. These two people should have walked over from the empty field opposite the high wall. Judging from their tone of voice, they were looking for someone or something in this abandoned garden!That is no ordinary person or thing, otherwise, they would not have listened to the watchman.When they appeared, it was mostly at dusk, when the autumn wind brought their footsteps from the northwest, and they slammed against the corridor wall very clearly, but before dusk, they were never found among the many sounds. Just when Guan Baye was about to explore this matter, another wave swept over him, distracting his mind. The wave was formed by many noisy sounds during the day, starting from the main street in the west, and gradually meandering to the end of the alley. Salt City is on fire!big fire The dam was captured by Jiang Fangjun! Last night the security regiment blew up the Yangqiao over the Yanhe River, and all the township teams in the four fields were pulling upwards.Our gun team is still stationed in the west of Shahe. Except for the news about the fall of the salt market from the babble of surprise and astonishment, the discussions of the crowds of people could not be heard clearly.It is undeniable that Yanshi fell under the full pressure of Jiang Fangjun as he expected, but knowing these things is not enough. I have to find out more detailed and true facts from some people. He had to go out for a walk. Go out through the side door of the abandoned garden, walk through the alley towards the main street to the west, and several running children rushed past him one by one, wiping the hem of his robe.Vehicles transporting grain and grass rolled across the street with a rattle. He touched a porch pillar, and quietly stopped under the long corridor at the corner of the main street. There was a large group of people in the corridor, listening to the narration of a militiaman escorting a cart. They are all honest, and there is no exaggeration in their tone. The civilian army first attacked Dadukou and occupied Fanjiapu. They had hoped to stabilize the northwest corner of Yanshi City.The grain cart rolled past Zheng's family, and the wind was stinky. In the Fan's shop alone, hundreds of Jiang Fangjun died Have you seen the fire in Yanshi?Someone in the crowd asked anxiously. On the Shahe River, everyone can see the red light.Looks cooler at night.He smacked his lips and said: "Which doll help me, I will drink a ladle of cold water."It is said that the fire was set by the people in Yanshi themselves, and the Jiang Fangjun of the brigade was trapped in the fire. The air slowly quieted down, and the muddy noise gradually became deeper and deeper. The man took the ladle from someone's hand, and drank the water gurglingly. They rushed into the street from the east.He said. According to this, the salt market is over? The front is very chaotic, and no one has ever been there. The Jiangfang Army built a pontoon bridge in the east of the Yanhe River, and one by one rushed into the sand nest. Someone climbed a tree and looked at it. No one was to be seen.It is estimated that in the sand nest, another fight is inevitable.I don't know how many township regiments the township regiments have, and their heads are rolling all over the field. Even if they stretch their necks and let them kill each other, the Jiang Fangjun probably won't have that many bullets. Isn't our Master Zhen also in the salt market? !Someone thought of it and shouted: Do you know that after the fire in Yanshi, no one in the security regiment withdrew? I heard that there were people shooting back across the river on both sides of the river.The other party said: Maybe we will escort the car over this time, and we will figure it out. Guan Baye stayed alone in the shadow behind the colonnade, listening silently to the conversation of the militiaman. Although he couldn't describe it vividly, he could at least outline the battle according to what he heard and saw. He didn't talk about it. The situation of casualties on both sides in the fierce battle in Yanshi, but he knew that the heavy casualties could be expected in this kind of desperate fire. He couldn't see the figure of the militiaman. When he was talking about these things, there was no fear or fear in his voice, but there was a trembling of slight excitement transformed from calmness, grief and anger, just as he said: Damn, if in the early years, who would have dared to attack Beiyang with swords, spears and guns? !Isn't it hard to find a rock with an egg and feel overwhelmed?Someone grabbed me on the road and asked: Are you afraid of going to the fire line?I said: You only need to look at those streaming heads, if you are afraid, you will not be afraid!Aren't you a man with a straight back?Isn't it someone with a name?The white-haired old man is swinging his pole, his eyes are blazing, and he is running ahead of you!The half-pile boy in his teens also followed to fight Beiyang!Siye's bull horns are playing the trombone against the wind, and your blood is blown hot by it, how can there be a word to be afraid of?Really, now I feel that the Beiyang Army has turned into eggs, and we have turned into stones! What kind of emotion is tumbling in Guan Baye's guts? It is the original fighting spirit, the fire of resistance in the rural soul, which has been passed down from generation to generation, flowing in the depths of the soul. In people's blood, in normal times, they hide so deep that even people themselves can't find them. They are docile and obedient, just like any poultry raised by the government. A mess as big as sesame and mung beans will make people horrified. Just wait for any official who is stained with official air to fart, and he will take it as an imperial decree. The common people are self-deprecating and insignificant weeds. Bar!As long as there are no tyrants in the past, can such a humble group of people say that it is difficult to govern?As long as the devils and tyrants don't use extraordinary high pressure to make people arouse their long-suppressed wildness in despair, they can enjoy feasts and sit in power for a long time.The warlord leaders of various departments in Beiyang should understand this, and they should have understood this long ago, it is too late now! The people are like tides, they can carry a boat, and they can capsize it!The words of the ancient sages and sages can be regarded as profound and to the point. Anyone who holds power should learn from time to time and think about it over and over again; This is the cause and effect of reaping melons and reaping beans, not to mention the tragedy of blood staining the yellow sand and corpses lying in the wild, this result is only caused by the original thought. He didn't ask the militiaman any more, because the man had already told everything he knew.Unless you wait until tomorrow to hear the update.What makes people sad is not the catastrophe that has already happened, but that in this catastrophe, I was accidentally deprived of my eyes and could not do my best to save it. In my own imagination, as long as the civilian army pulls out of Dahuze, the flat nose does not mean that it will not surrender, Yanshi will be spared, and the Beiyang Army will also be spared from the foreseeable disaster in Shawozi, although the development of the facts is not so far If it goes as smoothly as expected, there will never be too much difference.A worthy death is what people want, but it also depends on the opportunity. If I don't lose my eyes, I would rather die on the important matter of saying that I can't surrender, and let his nose goug out, and then I don't have to do it again. One thing hurts my soul, now that the catastrophe is over, I am living alone, facing the villain hiding in Wanjialou, my hands are bound to be stained with blood, even if I want to forgive it, I can't forgive it!This is not a personal grudge at all, but a public enmity. The news about the fall of Yanshi and the siege of Shawozi was just the first big wave that day, and the waves came one after another, shaking the Wanjialou in the deserted lake.I have never seen so many people, all of them are strange faces, I don't know which desert they came from?They crossed the wilderness in groups, stepped on Wanjialou and headed eastward, they were a few clouds among hundreds of ragged clouds. For the first time in many years, Wanjialou was shaken from the root by this new and strange force from outside, all the gates were opened, and the shops on the main street were busy day and night for these strange guests, outsiders ordered by Gu Ye were not allowed to enter here The town's ban no longer has any reason to stop this group of people. They are neither bandits nor refugees, but they are a combination of the entire northern countryside, a gust of wind blowing towards Shawozi from all directions to wipe out the enemy! Those grotesque and ferocious wild men showed their respective wild and rugged characters, exuding a murderous look eager to fight. Some of them rode their own animals, ugly donkeys and hairless donkeys. Walking mules, people and animals were splashed with sweat. Some people's upper body was covered with a thick layer of flying sand, and their lower body was wading through muddy water and mud, which was full of mud and water stains. Sleeping overnight, hair, bamboo hats, and clothes are covered with thorns nailed with weeds, and fine flying catkins of reed flowers. Some people roll up their trousers high, take off their jackets, and wrap their necks around their necks when they get wet. On the road, some people used knotted trousers to carry food such as dry food and pancakes on their shoulders. The belts of machetes, ox horns, and guns were more varied, some were new hemp ropes, and some were rags of different colors. The mixed cloth ropes, some are thin beef tendons twisted into strands, and some are actually a few potato vines picked from wild fields. Among those people, they exude the peculiar smell of ordinary poor rural people. , the smell of dry sand, wet soil, compost, tobacco, cotton yarn soaked in acid sweat and personal grease, etc., will become more intense after steaming in the autumn sun. No matter how ferocious they looked and how fierce their hearts were before going to war, they were all so honest when dealing with local merchants, and they never forgot their usual stubborn and slightly stingy attitude. Old habit, when shopping, carefully and repeatedly pick and choose, tirelessly complain about the goods, complain about the price, return and return, still have the expression of being cheated, and when it is the turn to pay, touch carefully Out of the purse, they cherish the value of their hard work so much, as if using it to buy anything in the world is a bit wronged, and the unwilling fingers trembled a little bit at a loss, pinching out one by one, how much The old and clumsy heartache! The Wanjialou in the desolation, all the shopkeepers in the neighborhood are familiar with these, not only are they used to letting the other party pick, complain and blame, but also look forward to doing this kind of transaction in Anxin, thinking that only through this form , to enjoy the joy after finishing a fair transaction no matter how big or small, as if if the other party didn’t pick and choose in that way, he wouldn’t find how exquisite and solid the goods in his store are, as if the other party didn’t complain about this or that, the seller would I can't take this opportunity to talk about the benefits of my own products to customers, a kind of exhilarating and boastful satisfaction. Car loops, shredded tobacco and tobacco rods, black gunpowder, iron lotus seeds, iron sand and copper gun bubbles, new straw sandals and home-brewed wine, steamed buns, hanging furnace cakes and large pancakes. , All kinds of simple food and rough pastries, bamboo hats, sweat towels, ropes, baskets, these have become the hottest business. It is precisely because of this special trading habit in the northern countryside that people are exchanged at the same time as goods are traded. No matter which shop, when buying and selling, there are always some simple conversations that have nothing to do with the business itself. Words, in this way, the strangeness between the two parties quickly disappeared, and the emotions quickly became harmonious. Based on the basic awareness of the same roots in the countryside, they became not outsiders. Where did you come from?Sir. What kind of master, we are all plowing and harrowing the land, we have never eaten grain, and we have never worn tiger skins. Hey folks, right? Exactly, the same as each other. Then don't you also use the banner? You see, what kind of banner is that? !The divine mantle we borrowed from the temple is tied on a bamboo pole, and it is regarded as the apricot-yellow flag that acts on behalf of the heavens.Killing Beiyang finally has a banner!Funny isn't it? There's a black flag over there! The witch banner used by witches, just wash off the spell! Listen to the accent, who are you? ! We arrived in Shangba County. Shangba County?What a long way! is it far?Walking is not far away, how far is the distance between the feet and Shawozi? There is still a day to go to cross the Shahe River.From the darkness of the shop, I stretched out my hand, pointed roughly in the direction, delivered the goods, collected the money, and then continued to talk about it: Shangba County is a good place, the snake that Liu Bang, the emperor of the Han Dynasty, killed there. no?Knowingly asking such a kind of strike-up, still keeps people. That was in Mangdang Mountain, and we should be considered fellows of Chu Xiangyu. Drink, out of the hero's place. It's a pity that feng shui has already exhausted the two heroes of the Han Dynasty, and now there are only peasants who don't want to play with words and ink, and don't want to use guns and knives. Except this time, no one else can save them. Do you have the heart to let him die in Yanshi? ! Are you here to rescue Guan Baye? Isn't it? !It is rumored in the north that Ba Ye, who is in the wild, is strangling Yanshi with a group of people and guns, and he is fighting against Beiyang alone. None of us have suffered enough from the Beiyang defense army, so we take this opportunity to fight It is a stopper, so that they can also taste the taste of self-inflicted crimes. Do you know that Ba Ye is not in Yanshi, he asked two incompetent guys in our clan to goug out their eyes, and he is still trapped in Wanjialou?No matter how surprised the other party was, the speaker continued to speak, changing from a high-pitched voice to a mysterious whisper. This whisper spread among the group of men like a gust of wind, and countless people immediately wanted to meet Guan Baye, who was famous in the north; finally, they found this man who had met in the Shangjia teahouse next to the tall building of the ancestral hall. Miserable character. Thousands of wild men gathered in the square in front of the Wanjia ancestral hall, waiting to listen to the speech of Guandong Shanbaye. Many people stretched their necks, eager to see the true face of this legendary hero. They were so eager Waiting, deep down, they have been waiting for a long time.Most people are still in great confusion, not knowing why they were framed in Wanjialou with such skill and reputation as Ba Ye?He even lost his eyes.Why hasn't the news of Eighth Master being framed spread to the north? Look, Eighth Master has come out! ah!His eyes!His eyes are really blind! There was a slight disturbed commotion in the crowd, and through a low stone wall they could see the face and shoulders of the man. With the support of a man, Guan Baye bent into the square from the broken part of the stone wall on one side of the ancestral hall, and the mid-day sun bathed his shoulders and back.He was wearing a loose blue jacket with a half-worn collar and thin-soled cloth shoes. The autumn wind tore the hem of his robe fluttering, giving his tall and strong figure a strong yet bleak look, as if It is a pine tree covered with frost and pressed with snow, which makes people awe-inspiring, but also makes people feel a little sad, pity for his loneliness.But when he stepped on the stone platform, he slowly turned his face and raised his head to face the crowd, the sun illuminated his face, and a bright smile like a stone sculpture appeared on his face. On this day, he said in a loud voice: This day has finally come. Although I have lost my eyes on Guandong Mountain, I am still happy to hear the news of the Beiyang defense army's rout. The fire in Shawozi, the defense army is doomed , However, I really hope that the elders will kill as little as possible, those who can surrender, those who are persecuted, those who eat food and sell their lives, will not be killed in vain, and I will feel at ease when I am closed. Listen, listen to these pigeon bells, he pointed The sky where the pigeons were flying, paused for a while, then pointed to the ground and said: Would you believe that there was a killing here?The killing on the ground is too heavy! The smile disappeared from his face, and his brow was still locked with cold frost. Only a few real murderers deserve blood!He said: Indiscriminate use of benevolence is still not fair. The ragged clouds are endless, and almost everyone who comes from the West Road knows that Haoshi Guandongshan, who once advocated in Yanshi, lives in Wanjialou, and they have people asking Ba Ye to tell them something all day long , but news from the east made him shake his head. The war in Shawozi is over!There is no business for you anymore.He said: I still advise you to take an extra day's journey to see those piles of corpses!Remember that blood-stained place is full of tragedies caused by greed for power, remember it! That night, news from the east disturbed him. The news is detailed. It is said that tens of thousands of Beiyang remnants were dispatched from the county seat. The crowd retreated outside the county seat, and most of them were killed. The person who sent the message described that the ox carts that transported grain were not returned, and they stayed in Yanshi and Shawozi to haul dead bodies.There were so many trucks and trucks that I forgot the number of trips. I am a person who never shouts at the sky, so I have to look up at the sky now!難道這就是萬民長久等待的日子麼，除卻一場暴力，要刮多少日子的腥風？人們若真有那種聰明，那份穎悟，就早該人人及早自惕，不讓貪欲在心裏滋長，不去依附權勢，權勢何由而生？暴君也全是愚眾自己抬出來的！與其到後來醒覺，怎如醒在當初？ !說是領悟也罷，看穿了也罷，哪一代人的人心淡泊，哪一代才會真有太平。Kanto Mountain!祗有那種依稀的遠夢才是最值得珍惜，值得追懷的，一聲聲悠悠緩緩的更鼓樵樓明月下無驚無恐的萬里江山。 而這一夜卻是長而曲折的，在三更之後，他敏銳的兩耳聽見了長牆外的聲音 最先他聽見的，是由遠而近的腳步聲，踩得極輕極慢，穿過長牆對面的空場一側，停頓了一忽兒，然後又動作起來，反覆的逡巡什麼的橫走著。 It's him!correct!關八爺一想到多日來懸疑未決的那個窺伺這座廢園的人，不由心裏一動，因為這腳步聲告訴自己，來人正是那個老頭兒。 他仍然枯坐在那張敝榻上沒有動彈，他覺得若想弄清這老頭兒為什麼要窺伺這座廢園，枯坐等候是最好的法子，若由自己先動作，打草驚蛇嚇著了他，他也許就不會再來了。 腳步反覆響了好一會兒，折回去，又重新走了回來，這一回，腳步細碎沉重而又急速，顯係荷負著重物，落葉颼颼的飄刮著，正是風勢轉緊的月黑天，自己料得不錯，克嚓一聲磚木的碰擊，有一架長梯搭上了牆頭。 緊跟著，那人沿著梯子爬上牆來。 他的動作是迂緩笨拙的，完全是那麼一個平時缺欠走動的老年人的動作，無論對方在哪一種緊張的情緒裏，也是無法掩蓋得住的，越是想動得機敏些，兩條腿越是不肯聽話；他笨重的體態，更是可以想見的，還沒爬上三級，就推倒了一塊壓在牆頭上的磚頭。 幸好廢園裏沒有畜養雞犬，要不然，他還沒爬上牆頭就該把人給驚動了。 關八爺仍然一動不動的靜坐在敝榻上，他一時可真料不透這個笨拙的老頭兒鬼祟的行蹤！說他是尋找什麼失落的物件嗎？那是根本說不通的！廢園是牯爺家的產業，平時向無外人進入，園裏的角門經常上閂落鎖，外人不可能有什麼物件遺落在這裏。說他是來偷竊吧？廢園除了馬匹，並無金銀財寶，而且這個人的動作，一點兒也不像是幹那一行的。 那麼他究竟想幹些什麼呢？在這樣黑暗的，秋風颯颯的深夜？ !忽然他不再胡疑了，因為那人已經抽取長梯反搭在牆內，悄悄的爬了下來，並且一路摸索到自己所住的倉屋門前了。他這才豁然想到，這人正是為自己來的。 八爺八爺 那人使用比耳語較大的聲音，那樣急促的、微帶著兢戰的叫了兩聲。 who?Who are you? ! 關八爺不能不答他了，雖然他並不知來人是懷著怎樣的心意，但他總是坦然的。 那人咻咻的喘息著 門是開著的，老爹。關八爺的聲音從黑裏發出來，平靜而溫和：我知道您找我很久了，還有那位年輕的姑娘，您不必在這樣黑的夜裏爬牆來的，白天我常逛街，您隨時都可找我。我的兩眼業已叫人剜走了，一條命還在這裏，對不住，我實在不知您的來意？ 八爺，我是萬家棺材鋪的老木匠萬才，那人說：我祗是受人之託，來找您通個信的。 是那位姑娘嗎？she 是，是的！萬才摸了進來，反手把門給掩上了。 關八爺沉吟著。 她找我這沒眼的人，有什麼事呢？ 八爺，您真是個神人？ !您怎會知道她來到萬家樓的？ !老木匠自言自語的說：她說她是經您搭救過的人，從沙河口珍爺的田莊上來的。可憐珍爺已死在鹽市了，落得個屍骸無存 I know.關八爺說：您可知她叫什麼？ 她化名姓金她說她叫小餛飩，嗯，小餛飩，她說我祗要跟您一提這名字，您就會知道的。 小餛飩，她在哪兒？ 在我的鋪子裏。老木匠說：如果她從沙河口來時，不摸岔了路，如果她早見著您，八爺，您如今也許就不會失去兩眼了！她是受了咱們族裏菡英姑奶奶臨終重託來的，我這麼說，您就該知道我為什麼要夤夜單獨來見您的原因了吧？萬家樓對您是一個陷阱啊！Baye 老木匠挨著床沿站著，一屋子漆黑，有眼人也成了沒眼人，在黑裏，關八爺摸著了老木匠那隻滿是裂紋和繭結的粗糙的手。 他不能也不願在此時此刻打破這份靜默，他是一片獨留在枯枝上的葉子，眼看著一樹所生的葉子紛紛被秋風擷走，連夢裏也該有著刻骨的霜寒珍爺兄妹死了，可憐的愛姑死了！六合幫的一干弟兄都死了，散了！連那般俠義的戴老爺子師徒幾個，也都灑血拋頭死在這場劫難裏了！關東山，你翼護得了誰呢？ !連你本身的兩眼也護不住，祗有任人取去，這人世簡直就是一場不醒的噩夢，充滿了重複，禪續，令人厭倦的魔性。儘管你厭倦這些，憎嫌這些，你活著就必需忍受這些，因為真實人世原就是這麼一種樣式！ 那小餛飩，不，那卞姑娘，她要跟我說什麼呢？Guan Baye said. 她沒跟我詳說，八爺。除去見您之外，她是不會吐露的了。 關八爺徐徐鬆開那握著老木匠的手，去摸自己的額頭，幫助他進入沉思。 巡更的啞鑼聲一路響了過來，為這樣略帶淒寒的秋夜，加上一層神秘、輕恐的意味 鹽市有人來過，老木匠說：那人卻沒見得著您。這，我是從槍隊上一個酒鬼嘴裏套出來的。從那時，我就躺在棺材裏頭，費盡心血想猜破這個啞謎了！您甭見怪，棺材裏搭的有臨時鋪蓋，咱們幹這一行的人，不忌諱這些。 oh!那人結果怎樣了呢？ 老木匠幽幽的吐了一口氣。 據說是叫拖到紅草坡去，埋了！老木匠說。 您探聽過那人的姓名麼？關八爺在難耐的沉寂中追問說。 老六合幫裏，一度跟您走道兒的人。老木匠說：那醉鬼說他姓姓什麼來著？ah!correct!說他姓王，叫王大貴！不錯，他確是叫王大貴！ 巡更的啞鑼一路響過去了 老木匠吐出王大貴三個字的時候，關八爺的肩胛就猛可的聳動一下，一縷看不見的獰猛的慘笑出現在他的唇邊。 是誰殺了王大貴的呢？ 是牯爺！ 一片更難忍的寂默又湧了過來。 就在這座園子的那邊，牯爺後宅裏，就有一處石砌的地牢。那醉鬼說，王大貴死前曾被關在那裏動刑，那醉鬼動手用刑，他親眼看見過，看見過王大貴是怎麼來？How did you die? ! 有天我跟他一道兒在萬梁鋪裏喝酒，酒甕的黑影落在他的桌角上，他避到我的桌角邊，扯著我的袖子發了酒瘋，指說鋪裏有鬼 一經追述起那宗往事，老木匠就有些神經質的嘮叨，自顧那樣瑣瑣碎碎的說下去，說下去，儘管他的述說是有些錯亂的，同時王大貴意外的死因確實使關八爺受了猛烈的打擊，而他仍得以極大的耐心，抑平心頭翻湧的情感，一句一句仔細的聽著。 他覺得，早些時自己朦朧的料想並沒弄岔，眾多複雜的、多方進行的事象，是一捆無頭的亂絲，絕不是一時就能理出眉目來的，老木匠的話，正是一根線索，從王大貴的死為起頭，逐漸伸入亂絲的堆裏去，他就要順著這根線索，逐步的清理下去，他慢慢發現，這根神秘的線索，總隱隱約約的圍著牯爺打轉，他心裏的疑慮，逐漸的澄清了 他說：那個王大貴是他們在雜樹林子遇上的，他騎著一匹青騾，帶著槍，正在林裏埋屍。 埋屍？ 嗯，一具腐屍，正是萬家樓槍隊上人要找的，失蹤了好些時的紅眼萬樹。王大貴當時說是要找八爺，他們就帶他到牯爺那裏。 牯爺從沒跟我提過關八爺忖著，頓一歇說：他沒道理殺掉王大貴的。 除非存心隔絕，不讓外間跟您一通消息。老木匠說：牯爺把王大貴跟紅眼萬樹的案子連在一起，硬指他是殺人兇犯。 一個過路人殺一具腐屍？ ! 所以我說：王大貴是冤枉的，他們寫好供狀，硬抓著他的手把指模給捺上，這事就是牯爺指撥著那醉鬼幹的，埋人的差事也有他一份兒！心虛著，就整天那樣疑神疑鬼了。 關八爺朝空裏抬起臉，雖然他根本不會再看見什麼，但總覺無邊的黑暗裏，有著冥冥的神靈。有些事是微妙得難以解釋的；就拿王大貴屈死這宗事來說吧，無論做案的人設想得怎樣周密，到頭來仍由老木匠嘴裏傳到自己耳裏了！ 牯爺是個心計極深而又極善潛藏的人，他若沒別的存心，絕不會把這宗事這樣糊塗的處斷，硬把一個過路人和一具久已腐爛的死屍牽連在一起。假如他心是實的，事後也該跟自己說個明白，這就是一個最大的疑點，說明他這樣處斷王大貴，不祗存心枉屈，而且還別有詭謀，這詭謀是針對著自己而發的。 我的疑心就是從這兒起的，老木匠說：回去之後，我想了又想我想到有一天，大板牙在天快落黑的時辰，揣著酒，來到我的鋪子裏，提起牯爺著我準備兩口棺材的事。 兩口棺材？ !關八爺困惑的說。 是了，老木匠說：那時八爺您腿傷沒愈，住在萬梁鋪兒裏，牯爺正準備著行族議，宗祠聚議前，他們設柵門，把您軟禁在鋪兒裏，您該記得，老二房槍隊攔著您，柵門是我開的。 不錯，關八爺意味著說。 我想得到，那兩口棺材，至少有一口，是留給八爺您睡的！牯爺跟老二房，都想在各房族面前栽誣您，萬振全端的是牯爺的飯碗，不得牯爺示意，他敢在各房族面前那樣栽誣您？再說，您跟萬振全向無仇隙啊！ 照您這麼說，是牯爺？ 再沒有旁人了，八爺。老木匠說：我甚至懷疑萬家樓所有壞事全是他幹的！最早，他們老二房就起過怨聲，埋怨長房主領族事太久，牯爺又是個不肯服人的人，即使他沒有爭權的意思，也叫老二房裏那些邪皮抬舉壞了，唆弄壞了！他要爭主族事，就得拖倒長房這幾根擎天柱子，若想拖倒長房，又必先除去長房的朋友，老六合幫裏的雙槍羅老大那一把子人，十有八九是他陷害的。 老爺子死後，老六合幫叫他拔除了，他的膽子更大起來，於是，他就借刀殺人，勾引朱四判官來殺保爺，再在暗中下手，翦除了業爺，雖則這件事都辦成了，他心裏卻更不安，因為有您八爺在世上老木匠越說，聲音裏越帶著深沉的怨憤：朝後，牯爺百般施為，像逼殺萬小喜兒，坑殺王大貴，氣殺小姑奶奶，嚇走大板牙，斷送了珍爺，唆使萬振全兄弟剮您兩眼，捕拿小錕飩，火焚萬梁鋪，無一不是對著您八爺來的！ 有證據麼？關八爺嘆說：你說這些，都祗是猜測之詞罷了！我也曾這樣反覆推斷過；也曾採聽過五千現洋和那匹黑疊叉的騾子！但也抓不著一點兒實據，我不願憑一己推斷，枉屈牯爺。 您真是個大好人，八爺！老木匠說。 還有些事，是我弄不清的。關八爺頗費一番思索說：就算他牯爺真的要怎樣我，他原可以黑裏伸槍，要了我的命去的，他卻祗剮去我的兩眼，又這樣養活著我，究竟是什麼用意呢？去我兩眼並不能算除掉關八，這是很顯然的。 牯爺毒就毒在這裏了，八爺。老木匠說：他若在萬家樓著人使黑槍打掉您，人死無對證，一次把您了結掉，原夠爽利的不是？可是，就因人死無對證，就難保其他房族不起疑？您想想，假如流言蜚語傳開去，說關八爺是死在牯爺手裏的，他牯爺是主領族事的，能得脫身麼？憑您八爺在外的名聲，跟鹽市那干人，跟民軍，跟北地江湖道上諸多人物的關係，牯爺吃不住他們一人一口咬的！他牯爺剜您雙眼，反做了現成的好人，為您緝兇，又這般奉養著您，是要留下您這張活口替他做護身的靈符！如今他握著槍隊，還怕您這瞎了眼的人麼？他是在審時度勢，等到江防軍破鹽市，除去那班能替您報仇的人，然後，他洽北伐軍，請領民軍的番號，把彭爺擠回大湖澤去，使西北這一角荒天，成他牯爺的天下，那時候，他不用再使黑槍打您，祗消一碗毒藥，就要了您的命了！您倒下之後，他自會替您大張旗鼓的經喪營葬：從頭到尾都扮成好人，誰還敢再疑他？ 夢魘，真是一場渾渾噩噩的夢魘！ 自己多日來想不透的疑團，想不到在今夜竟為一個老木匠的一番言語指破了！老木匠娓娓的述說著這些，聲音是粗嗄低啞的，過度的憤慨常使他停頓下來喘息。 我打了一輩子棺材，八爺，我手打的棺材，也不知睡過多少人了！我常常躺在棺材裏，想著人的生和死，論世上的邪人惡漢，很少見牯爺這樣狠毒的！就是她卞姑娘不來，我也打算把這些告訴您您祗要知道這些，就不會被他的陷阱陷住了，我相信，您雖沒了眼，可是在這世上，唯有您能除得掉他！ 我仍然要有證據！Guan Baye said. 好吧，卞姑娘就是個活證據，八爺，您得儘快見她才好！最好就在牯爺回萬家樓之前，如今牯爺還沒著意毒害您，等到那時，他布妥耳線眼線，見面可就更危險啦。 我該怎麼見呢？ 她在北街的巷口彈琴唱曲兒，您不妨藉散心聽曲兒為名，先跟她碰個面；人散後，您沿巷子東拐，再折向南走，我自會接您到我鋪子裏去，讓她把詳情告訴您！最好是明天，晚飯後您就去見她。 All right!Guan Baye said. 那，我得走了，八爺。 老木匠說著，悄悄的站起來，輕輕拉開一角門，隱進滿園的濛黑裏去。 雞在不遠的地方啼叫著 天還沒有亮。也許就快亮了！ 江防軍殘部在沙窩子大半被殲的消息，北伐大軍已經渡江北上的消息，革命軍先頭某部已克湖西的消息，飛蝗般的遍落在整個北方荒涼的野地上，新的希望彌補了舊的創痕，鄉野的人們都鼓舞起來了！原先隱伏地下的革命黨人，紛紛出現在人群裏，使各地的鄉團鄉隊，都成了維護地方安靖、迎接北伐軍的民間力量。彙聚在沙窩子周圍，參與沙窩子殲敵之役的鄉人們，硬是以軟困困垮了縮在縣城的小鬍子，使他在北伐軍來到淮上之前就換了旗幟，並且被他的部眾逐走。 九月十六那一天，整個江淮地區全部光復了，人們祗是準備著盛大歡迎，歡迎北伐大軍過境罷了！這是一場在深秋時分吹起的春風，使人忘記了饑餓和寒冷。一日夜之間，春風便吹過了古老的萬家樓 牯爺率著槍隊沒有回來，反而開拔到縣城外的長街去了，名是防止江防軍降眾再生變化，實是去做一做萬人仰望的順水英雄，去接受各界的恭維、抬舉和日夜無休的歡宴。萬家樓更是一番昇平的景象，從縣城外圍撤回的鄉勇民團，逃難在西返回舊地的民眾，一一流經這裏，使這個荒湖蕩子裏的集鎮，成為一個大的棧口，不但白天交易盛繁，人煙茂密，夜來時，更是滿街燈影，別有繁華光景。昔年少見的夜市鋪陳在繁燈裏，大鼓場子，說書場子，都在尚家茶樓一帶擊鼓開鑼，客棧生意成了各宗行業中最吃香的行業，正街橫巷，有幾家新粉刷開張的棧館擠得像淺塘的鴨陣。 質樸老民是習慣地把舊創遺忘的。 北伐軍總算打過來了！ 可不是，天下不久就會統一了。 老天爺終算睜眼啦！兵荒馬亂翻雲覆雨的鬧了這許多年，荒地上鏽了多少沒人埋的戰骨？ !這一回，日子總該承平了吧？也許叫諸多人馬的禍患折磨得太多太久了，一個乾瘦的老婦人說話時，希望中總固執的帶有半分不肯全信的猶疑，彷彿安樂和幸福，老天一向是吝於賜給鄉野黎民的。 儘管多數人都或多或少的懷著這麼一份自然的猶疑，鄉野上無知人們一旦面對著一種新的浪潮，都會有這樣迷茫的、輕恐和欣悅混融的，微微戰慄的情緒。但他們仍然那樣虔誠的感謝上蒼，抬出古老的少見陽光的供桌來，沿街起貢，並且晝夜鳴響爆竹，使整條街都飄蕩著年夜般的熱烈的情緒。 茶樓聽書去吧！ 小地方都這般熱鬧，縣城可不知熱鬧到什麼程度了呢！ 你若跟牯爺的槍隊走，可不就瞧著那份熱鬧了，老夥計！ 我兒子倒湊合上了！那人說：我五十五啦，骨頭硬啦，槍隊早沒我的份啦。 咱們牯爺真算是因緣際會叫他遇上了！另一個望著鬧市的燈火，平白的發起感慨來：人生際遇，真是難說啊！就拿牯爺跟關八爺來比照吧；人家八爺闖蕩江湖，受了半生辛苦，一隻肩膀挑重擔，獨抗北洋，從小辮子張勳，到五省聯帥孫傳芳，進大牢，走關東，從沒懼怯過，年前說動鹽市拉槍，實在該居首功；像這等人，北伐軍來了，原該吐氣揚眉的，可是事實如何？反遭不爭氣的萬振全挑去雙眼，變成個瞎子，牯爺呢，當初鹽市吃緊，坐不赴援，硬把珍爺葬送掉了！等到大勢已定，他一拉槍，仗是沒打，反而耀武揚威進了縣城，如今他有人槍在手上，又打的是抗北洋的旗號，北伐軍一來，你瞧吧，一放就是個現成的司令，這不硬是際遇造成的嗎？ 甭信口批斷牯爺了，好歹他是咱們萬家的族主呀，兄弟，再說，這話讓老二房聽了去，豈不是招惹麻煩嗎？還是聽書去吧！八爺就像書裏唱的落難英雄，好漢秦瓊，還不是照樣貧病賣馬？ !歷朝歷代，真英雄，大豪傑，都是際遇坎坷的呀！