Reborn in 1966

Chapter Fifty-Five: Sending Away

Peitian and Peizhi helped Peiyin put on her cotton-padded jacket and trousers. Peiyin saw that the house was very quiet and asked, "Where are Grandma and Mom?" Peitian said that they were all at Doctor Wang's house and no one else in the family was home. After Peiyin was dressed, Peitian took one of them by the hand, locked the door, and went to Doctor Wang's house in the village.

Pei Yin looked around and saw that it was only a little past six in the morning. The eastern horizon was a purplish-blue line, and there were not many people on the streets of the village yet. Everyone would start work after seven o'clock.

The three children hurried towards Dr. Wang's house. Just as they arrived, a man ran out of Dr. Wang's house, saw the three children, and said, "Hey, didn't I tell you to stay at home? Why are you running back again?"

Pei Yin looked over and saw it was Third Grandmother. Pei Tian said, "Third Grandmother, I was also worried about Second Uncle. How is Second Uncle?"

Grandma sighed and said, "You're still too young. Go home first. There are adults here to help. Come on, Grandma will take you home."

Peitian said, "Third Grandma, may we go in and take a look? If we do, we'll go home with you."

Grandma San said, "Alright, let's take a look first and then go home."

Grandma San led the three children into Dr. Wang's courtyard. Dr. Wang's pharmacy was packed with people. Second Uncle was lying on a bed used for injections, his face bruised and swollen. After treating some of the external injuries, Dr. Wang said to Secretary Tian, ​​"Secretary, Shengqin's leg is broken. I felt it, and there are broken bones. We should take him to a big hospital for surgery. I'm afraid there might be long-term consequences if he's treated here."

Secretary Tian looked at his grandfather, who nodded and said, "Okay, let's go to the big hospital. Mother, you hurry home and get all the money."

Secretary Tian also said to his wife, who was standing beside their daughter, "Ling's mother, you should go home and bring all the money we have. We're going to have surgery, so the more money we bring, the better."

The two agreed and went home to get the money. Secretary Tian looked at the people standing around and said, "Fourth brother, you go back first and take him to work. The production team's work can't be delayed. Shengsi can come with me."

Fourth Grandfather said, "Secretary, what if those people come looking for us again?"

Party Secretary Tian said, "We won't go to the county hospital; we'll go to the city hospital."

Fourth Grandfather said, "Let Shengmin take him there. Shengmin, there's a small path on Nanling. You guys carry Shengqin on a stretcher. Once you're down Nanling, go to your mother-in-law's house and borrow a handcart. Use the handcart to pull Shengqin along."

After thinking for a moment, Party Secretary Tian said, "Alright, I know that road too. Let's get ready and head out."

Secretary Tian looked at the people in the room and said, "After we leave, those of you who are supposed to go to work should go to work, and those of you who are supposed to go to school should go to school, just like usual. As for me and Shengsi, just say that we went to work the day before yesterday. If they ask what we went there for, just tell Secretary Du of the commune. I'll go and call Secretary Du right now to tell him."

After finishing his statement, Party Secretary Tian quickly went to the brigade headquarters to call Secretary Du of the commune. How they would cover up the lie depended on how they communicated.

Grandma tiptoed home to get the money, packed a bag of dry food, and hurried back to Doctor Wang's house.

Shen's mother also returned home and took out all the money she had saved. Thinking that the weather was still a bit cold, she took a cotton quilt from home and ran to Doctor Wang's house.

Fourth Uncle went to the team and found a stretcher. He then found a few strong young men to carry the stretcher. Once everything was ready, Secretary Tian said, "We'll take a shortcut to the city. No one can let this slip. Fourth Uncle, have someone keep an eye on those people in the county town. If anyone comes to the village demanding someone, just drive them out. Tell them that Shenjia Village doesn't have the person they're looking for. Remember, you must drive them out confidently. These people are just bullies who prey on the weak. Are we, with nothing to lose, afraid of those who wear shoes?"

Fourth Grandfather said, "I understand. It's getting light. You should hurry on your way while there are fewer people on the road. Be careful on the road, and be sure to come back and let us know if anything happens."

Despite the name Nanling (South Ridge) for the area south of the village, the road there is actually very difficult to travel. Party Secretary Tian, ​​along with Shen's father and several strong young men from the village, carried Shen Shengqin on a stretcher.

Grandma wiped away her tears and watched the group walk away until they were out of sight, then she and Shen's mother helped each other home.

Back home, Pei-Yin learned about the thrilling events of the night through snippets of conversation among the others.

Pei Yin didn't see Tian Aiguo at Dr. Wang's house because Tian Aiguo had been sent to the eldest son of her third grandfather's house overnight by Party Secretary Tian. This was because Shen Shengqin had been stolen from the place where the rebels in the county town were holding prisoners by Tian Aiguo and his men.

Last night, Tian Aiguo went to the county town and inquired with some people he knew beforehand. He learned where his brother-in-law was being held. They were all familiar with the place. After Tian Aiguo asked someone to go in and investigate, he learned that these people had already tortured Shen Shengqin in order to get what they wanted. The person told Tian Aiguo that these people had ill intentions and seemed to want something very important. As soon as the person was brought in, they began interrogating him and using torture at the same time. Knowing that Shen Shengqin was Tian Aiguo's brother-in-law, they said that it was impossible to get him out through normal channels. They should try to snatch him out, otherwise, he might not be able to hold on in their hands.

After much deliberation, Tian Aiguo enlisted the help of several close friends. In the middle of the night, while the guards were dozing off, they sneaked in and stole the person out.

This place used to be a backyard for capitalist roaders, but when the movement came, it became the Red Guards' stronghold. Tian Aiguo and his group were very familiar with this courtyard. The courtyard wasn't very big, but the walls were high, and many flowering trees were planted inside. Apart from Tian Aiguo and his friends, most people didn't know that there was a dog hole under the wall in one corner. They had originally planned to block the hole, but after Tian Aiguo went home and became a carefree person, they put the matter aside. This provided them with a good shortcut for this "stealing" of someone.

It was Tian Aiguo's first time doing something like this, and he was very nervous. At that time, Shen Shengqin had also fainted and had no idea that his leg had been broken. When Tian Aiguo saw that he couldn't wake his brother-in-law, he thought something had happened and hurriedly led his men to the city gate, where they met Secretary Tian and his group.

Tian Aiguo tearfully handed Shen Shengqin to Party Secretary Tian, ​​and then recounted the whole story. Party Secretary Tian made a decisive decision, instructing Tian Aiguo to go to the train station in the neighboring county that very night to take a train to his cousin's house for refuge. As for the few people who had helped Tian Aiguo, Party Secretary Tian also told them to hurry home, coordinate their stories with their families, and stay home that night without going anywhere else.

After traveling about twenty miles, the group helped Shen Shengqin home under the cover of night. Once home, they took him to Doctor Wang.

Then came what Pei Yin and the others saw.

Peitian said that he woke up in the middle of the night to a knock on the door, so he got up and saw his two older brothers getting dressed and walking out with the adults in the family. He followed them out, but his mother called him back and told him to stay home and watch over his two younger sisters. Peizhi also woke up, and then Peiyin woke up. He heard from his older brother that his second uncle had been beaten badly. He was very worried and was just thinking of waking Peiyin up when she woke up on her own.

After having breakfast around 7 a.m., everyone went to the big locust tree to prepare for work.

Seeing a large Jiefang truck approaching from the direction of the county town in the distance, Fourth Grandfather knew in his heart that it was not a friendly vehicle, so he quietly sent someone to call Third Grandfather of the Tian family over.

Grandpa Tian was very prestigious in Xiping County. During the War of Resistance Against Japan and the War of Liberation, he did a lot of work and later sent several of his nephews and nieces to the army. The Tian family was very influential in the Red Guard and rebel organizations in Xiping County.

As soon as the Liberation truck stopped, several menacing men in military uniforms and red armbands jumped off and walked to the big locust tree. They said to my fourth grandfather, "Where does Shen Shengqin live in your village? He's a fugitive now, a counter-revolutionary. Make his family hand him over immediately."

Fourth Grandfather raised an eyebrow and said, "Which organization are you from? You've come to our village looking for someone, do you have a letter of introduction from your organization?"

The newcomer was taken aback and said, "I am a Red Guard of the great leader Chairman Mao, can't you see me?"

Fourth Grandfather said, “Oh, a few days ago some people dressed in military uniforms and wearing red armbands came to our village to cause trouble. Later it was found that they were fake Red Guards. You must have a letter of introduction, right? Let me see the letter of introduction.”

The visitor said, "What, am I still a fake?"

Fourth Grandfather chimed in, "Are you a fake? Folks, another fake Red Guard has arrived! Hurry up, let's catch him and hand him over to the county public security bureau." As he spoke, Fourth Grandfather rolled up his sleeves and was about to go forward. Behind him were villagers holding hoes. Upon hearing Fourth Grandfather's shout, they grabbed their hoes and were about to step forward.

Then someone quickly followed and said, "Hey, hey, what are you doing? Who said we're fake?"

Fourth Grandfather said, "You said it yourselves, it wasn't me who said it."

A man in a Zhongshan suit got out of the driver's seat and said, "Fellow villager, please take us to Shen Shengqin's house. We have something to ask him." His attitude was much better than the first man's.

Aunt Hua came over from the back of the crowd and gave Fourth Grandfather a wink. Fourth Grandfather said, "Alright, Aunt Hua, let's take her to Shen Shengqin's house together."

The Liberation truck stopped at the village entrance, and everyone got off and followed Fourth Grandfather and Aunt Hua toward the Shen family's courtyard.

Fourth Grandfather said to Aunt Hua, "Aunt Hua, it's not the weekend. He should be at work. Your house is close to his. Did you know he was back?"

Aunt Hua glanced at the Red Guards walking beside her, noticing they were listening intently, and said, "I don't know, but Lingling came back last night. Sigh, she's pregnant, and she rode her bicycle back in the dark. She came home crying, saying that the rebels in the factory had arrested Shengqin. Her uncle even scolded Lingling, saying, 'How can the rebels just arrest people like that? They must have something to do with him. We're upright and have nothing to hide. How could they hold someone captive?' You know, Shengqin was perfectly fine, so how did he become a counter-revolutionary? And Shengsi isn't here. They say he went to get married with the Party Secretary. The whole family, old and young."

As they were talking, they entered the Shen family's courtyard. As soon as they entered, Tian Lingling came out of the house and walked up to a man in a Zhongshan suit. She excitedly said, "Director Zhou, are you here to take my Shengqin home?" She looked behind them and asked in confusion, "Where is my Shengqin?"

Director Zhou, who was the director of the factory's revolutionary committee, was somewhat embarrassed when Tian Lingling asked him this question. He said, "Shen Shengqin has run away. We've come to find him."