Written by Lai Weiping
Quietly the Yandu River, slowly flowing westward.
Lai Fuliang stepped on the wooden bridge that had just been built and walked towards the south bank, he was exhausted from the hard work of assaulting and building the bridge for more than ten days, and his steps were a little floating, he stopped, turned around and looked at the place, everything was normal on the north bank, but few people knew that thousands of troops and horses had been assembled there, and in a few hours they would go far through the wooden bridge and pontoon bridge.
The river wind gusted, the geese chirped, and Lai Fuliang was in a desolate mood. He had been in the Red Army for several years, and he never thought that the Central Red Army would be transferred out of the central base area, and his feelings of loss were beyond words. He had a mixed mentality about whether he was "leaving" or "staying" in this strategic shift of the Red Army, and at first he predicted that he would "go" and later let him "stay"; although it was an accident, it was acceptable, and it was a soldier's duty to obey orders. At the moment, what he can't let go of in his heart is the eldest brother Lai Fubai, who only knows that he is in the Red First Army, but he doesn't know whether he is "leaving" or "staying", Lai Fuliang speculates that Lai Fubai's team must "go", if he "goes", the whole family must be sent across the river. However, the Red Army was about to cross the bridge tonight, and Lai Fuliang had not yet received a little news from his eldest brother's troops, so he could not explain to his parents and sister-in-law, and he was frowning and guilty.
Since the arrival of the Red Army, Lai's family regarded the Red Army as the patron saint of turning over and living a good life, and without hesitation, they sent three men into the Red Army team one after another. The third elder, Lai Fusong, had just been killed in the battle of Guangchang defending the central Soviet region, and now that the eldest was about to leave his homeland, the Lai family was filled with a sad atmosphere, and they were eager to see Lai Fubai, who was about to leave for a long time. The eldest daughter-in-law has a dull expression and is silent these days, she stands at the door all day, holding the door frame with one hand, stroking her stomach with the other, looking straight ahead with both eyes, fantasizing that her man suddenly appeared and said to her, don't go, stay. The child who is about to give birth is about to be born, the woman needs the man, the child needs the father, when will the man on the expedition return to his homeland?
If a man travels far away, a woman takes shoes and sews hand towels, which is a Hakka custom. Cloth shoes imply down-to-earth, and hand towels express peace and security. The eldest daughter-in-law worked all night doing handicrafts, making three pairs of cloth shoes and three hand towels for her man. A handkerchief embroidered with a pair of boys and girls, she is pregnant, hoping that no matter where her man goes, no matter how far he goes, even if it is the end of the earth, he will be safe and sound, and he will not forget that his family is waiting for him to return. One piece is a large white catalpa flower embroidered in the center of the blue cloth scarf, this blue cloth scarf symbolizes the blue sky, and this white catalpa flower is herself, the woman of the Red Army. A piece is a soft white cloth towel with a red Muzi peach embroidered in the center, and this red Muzi peach is her man, the man who was in the Red Army. Under the blue sky, there are white catalpa flowers, and the white catalpa flowers bear red catalpa peaches, which is the simple and endless imagination of the eldest daughter-in-law
Lai Fuliang took the family to the open space between the wooden bridge and the pontoon bridge at the Guzhang Ferry, where they hoped to meet Lai Fubai. Eight ferries on the sixty-mile stretch of the Yandu River passed the Red Army troops, and the possibility of Fuber's team taking the Guzhang ferry was very small, but there was no other way but to try their luck. On the way here, my parents and sister-in-law asked over and over again, "Second son, can I see your eldest brother?" ”
Lai Fuliang didn't want his family to extinguish the little hope in his heart, and replied again and again: "If you can see it, you will definitely see it." ”
People love to listen to suona and love to blow suona, and the accompaniment of suona is indispensable on any occasion, among which "in-laws blow" is the most high-spirited and frustrated, and it is expressive from the heart. The eldest of the Lai family, the second and third children worship the suona master to learn the arts, Fu Bai likes the "Gong Blow", Fu Song likes the "Po Blow", compared with them, Lai Fuliang plays the suona a little less, but he can also play with them. Before the suona master passed away, he passed his "male" suona to Fu Bai, and the "mother" suona to Fu Song, achieving this pair of "in-laws blowing". Fubai's "Gongfu" is high-pitched and bright, Fusong's "Po Blowing" is low and graceful, and their ensemble "Gongfu Fu" gives people a sense of harmony and auspiciousness, which is very popular, and the farmers invite them to play when they run errands, and they are also invited to play at the celebrations held by the Soviets. Later, they respectively brought the "gong" suona and the "mother" suona to join the Red Army. At present, the Red Army is going to leave the Soviet area for an expedition, and it cannot be done without suona to pray for it, Lai Fuliang told the fourth brother Futao to bring the "Po Suona" left by the third brother Fusong when he sends the eldest brother.
Although no one knows how many people from the villages around the Guzhang ferry port joined the Red Army, today the Red Army wants to cross the bridge and cross the river and go to other places, but it has touched the hearts of countless people. Even if they could not see their relatives, they had to personally send the Red Army, wishing them victory all the way, and shouting that they must come back if they are victorious.
With the support of his son, the old man Luo Lecai found Lai Fuliang's father, Lai Chongshi. During the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Lai Chongshi's ancestor and Luo Lecai's grandfather participated in Shi Dakai's Taiping Army, and the two families have been in contact for a long time since then, and they were both active members of the masses after the establishment of the Soviets. Lai Chongshi took the initiative to greet forward: "Uncle, why are you here too?" ”
Luo Lecai was out of breath with excitement, and said intermittently: "I can't help but come!" Back then, your ancestor took my grandfather across the river and went with the Taiping army, not wanting to fight the Dadu River, the Taiping army was defeated, your ancestor desperately saved my grandfather's life and helped him escape home, but your ancestor died by the Dadu River, and the Lai family's kindness Luo family will never forget. Now that your boss has crossed the river and followed the Red Army, can I not come? ”
Lai Chongshi: "Uncle, thank you!" As soldiers fighting, leaving home, with our heads hanging from the waistband of our trousers, we pray to the heavens to bless the children. ”
The sun sets on the top of the mountain, and the river is sparkling. A Red Army commander led the commander of the engineer battalion and three trumpeters to the bridgehead, and the commander of the engineer battalion erected a big red flag and shouted: "The pontoon bridge is closed!" ”
The three trumpeters turned sideways, raised their chests and raised their trumpets, and the sound of the trumpets was loud and transmitted across the river.
The neatly arranged wooden boats on both sides of the river rowed together towards the river, one group leaned against the other, arranged in an orderly manner, and after a while, they were closed, and the pontoon bridge was set up in a blink of an eye.
The head of the Red Army raised his wrist to look at his watch and ordered: "Cross the bridge!" ”
The bugle sounded again. The villages, woods, and hillsides around the ferry came out of the Red Army troops, they waved the military flag, were in good spirits, and their steps were not disordered, and they began to cross the river, and the teams walked on the pontoon bridge, and crossed the wooden bridge with their baggage, in an orderly and orderly manner.
The crowd gathered at the bridge, looking for their relatives. The three men of the Lai family squeezed into the front row, their eyes widened, for fear of missing Lai Fubai, and the two women guarded the little brother Futao and picked up two baskets of things to look at the periphery, waiting. As it darkened, bonfires and torches were lit, and the only light could not illuminate everyone's faces, and the procession kept moving so that Lai Fubo could hardly be recognized even as he passed in front of his family. Lai Fuliang thought that it would backfire like this, and there had to be another way, so he withdrew from the crowd.
Lai Fuliang withdrew, making the two women feel hopeless, the eldest daughter-in-law was so anxious that she cried, and her mother Qiu Yue complained that Lai Fuliang did not do things well. Lai Fuliang patiently persuaded: "Don't worry, don't worry." While taking out the "Po blowing" suona left by Fu Song from the basket, holding it on his chest, he said to himself: "Third brother, borrow your suona, the second brother is not good at learning and blowing, and I am smiling." With that, he took a full breath, held the reed, and blew out a song "Sending Lang Tune", and the sound of the tune suddenly lingered around the ferry and penetrated into the hearts of the soldiers and civilians.
"Sending Lang Tune", the nostalgia of the Hakka people and the longing for the woman, everyone is familiar with it. Although Lai Fuliang's "mother-in-law blowing" is not as beautiful as the third brother Fusong, it is also blown smoothly and delicately, containing euphemism, lingering sadness, just like a wife sending her husband out of the door, reluctant to give up, singing while sending, singing and sighing, such as crying and complaining, and the love is deep and long.
The eldest daughter-in-law understands that Fu Liang blows "Sending Lang Tune" not only to send the Red Army, but also to call to Fu Bai for her, we are here to see you, if you pass from here, come and meet.
Lai Fuliang played attentively, he believed that the eldest brother could distinguish his playing style, they once came from a master, played the "gong" and "mother" blowing, and they understood each other tacitly. The low and graceful "Po Blowing" calmed Lai Fuliang's anxious mind before, and he blew calmly, waiting patiently, waiting for the arrival of the family's expectations.
However, what Lai Fuliang waited for was the second suona sounding, and the third suona sounding...... Countless suona sounded, all of which used the usual "flat blowing", and suddenly, "Sending Lang Tune" resounded in the night sky.
Under the strong "flat blowing", "Po Blowing" seemed a little lonely and frustrated, but Lai Fuliang was unmoved, maintaining the rhythm of "Blowing Po", like a river flowing, the breeze blowing, and it was beautiful.
Suddenly, a high-pitched suona sound came from the air, bright and bold with simplicity and chic, and the blood of a big man.
Fubai's daughter-in-law stood up suddenly, pointed forward with her right hand, and shouted, "'Gong Blow'!" Fauber blows, Fauber blows! Fauber over there, Faucer over there! ”
Everyone in the Lai family could hear the suona played by Fu Bai, and they looked for it in the direction of "Gongfu" together.
Lai Fubai's "Guangchang" troops had been assembled in a grove not far from the Guzhang ferry for a day and a night, and it was only two miles away from Lai Fubai's home, and Lai Fubai really wanted to go home to see his wife, who was about to go to full term, and to see his hard-working parents, and to add soil to Fusong's brother's grave, but the troops could be pulled out at any time, and he did not dare and could not ask the company for leave. These days he has no food, sleeplessness, and his mind is full of his wife and unborn child, and he is sure that he is the son of his dreams. With a mother, the birth of a child is not a problem, Lai Fubo is completely relieved, he just wants to personally name his "son", the roots of the peasants are rooted in the land, it is called "thick soil". The sacrifice of the third brother had a great impact on him, and now he is about to leave his homeland, the road is far away, life and death are uncertain, and the greatest consolation is to see his relatives. When the second brother's "mother-in-law" came, Lai Fubai swept away his melancholy, took out the "Gongfu" suona from his backpack, stood firm, and luckily dantian, and raised his head to send the "Gongfu" and "Sending Lang Tune" to the sky full of stars.
Lai Fubai's family met in the grove, many soldiers gathered around, looking at them enviously, Lai Chongshi and Fuliang Futao took out the eggs and avocals in the basket and distributed them to everyone. Qiu Yu'e pulled Fu Bai and Fu Bai's daughter-in-law aside to speak.
The man looked at the woman, the woman looked at the man, and there was a lot of things that could not be said. Lai Fubai reached out and touched his daughter-in-law's bulging belly and said, "Is my son okay?" ”
The second daughter-in-law felt the warmth of the caress: "Who said it was a son?" ”
"I said it's a son, it must be a son!"
"Mom also said it was a son."
"Soon, huh? How many days are left? ”
"Mom said there are still ten days."
"I named the child, you remember, "Houtu", Laihoutu."
"Houtu, remember."
"After the baby is born, Mom will take care of you, and she has six children. Eat more and let Mom cook it for you. I'm relieved that you and your child are okay. ”
"Hello, I'm relieved, you must come back, I and the child are waiting for you." The eldest daughter-in-law put three hand towels in Fauber's pocket.
Lai Fubo held his daughter-in-law's face with both hands, and wiped the tears on her face with his thumb: "You don't have to worry, maybe I'll go out and come back after a circle, the Red Army fights like this." ”
When her parents came over, Qiu Yu'e stuffed a few pairs of cloth shoes into Fu Bai's backpack, and Lai Chongshi hung a plaque around Fu Bai's neck and whispered: "I asked the 'wooden guest' in the mountains to make it out of the heart of a yew tree and take it to protect my body." ”
Lai Fubai picked up the wooden sign and looked at it, one side was engraved with a five-pointed star, and the other side was painted with Lai's totem. He put the wooden sign inside and said: "Don't worry, Mom and Dad, the Red Army is not the Taiping Army, the Red Army must come back, and your son can also come back." ”
The "in-laws blow" completed the reunion of Lai Fubai's family, and also attracted the head of the Red Army, who Lai Fuliang recognized as the bearded chief who had come to inspect when the bridge was being built and paved. The chief asked about the situation and said to the entourage: "I went to Europe to work and study, and the people there like pianos. The beautiful 'Sending Lang Tune' is gripping and inspiring. The revolution has its own life and death, and we should not be taboo, but let it inspire us to win victory. Today, the people of Yandu bid farewell to the Red Army with the 'Sending Lang Tune', and on the day of the victory of the revolution, the people of Yandu will welcome us back with the 'Victory Order'. ”
The bearded chief shook hands with Mr. and Mrs. Lai Fubo and said: "Congratulations, new life is about to be born, isn't our revolution for them?!" ”
Faced with the scene of the masses of the people bidding farewell to the Red Army, the chief couldn't help choking up, raised his hands and shouted: "The people of Yandu are so good!" The people of the Soviet district are really dear! ”
The order to cross the bridge was issued, the troops set off in full gear, Lai Fubai's family followed the team closely, the eldest daughter-in-law grabbed the man's hand until the bridge, Lai Fubo waved to everyone, stepped on the pontoon bridge, and disappeared in the faint firelight.
Lai Fuliang and Lai Futao raised their hands and shouted: "Big brother! Definitely coming back! ”
Maybe the mental shock these days, maybe I followed her husband in a hurry just now, the eldest daughter-in-law had abdominal pain, sat on the ground, shrunk into a ball, and shouted in her mouth, everyone panicked, but Qiu Yu'e was not flustered and shouted: "It's time to give birth, the man goes away, the woman comes over, bring the torch." ”
The women surrounded the mothers with torches.
After a while, wow! Wow...... The cry pierced the night sky, Qiu Yu'e knelt on the ground, held the baby high from the middle of the fire with both hands, and shouted: "Son! ”
The eldest daughter-in-law pointed to the other side and said weakly, "Quick, tell him, son." ”
Lai Chongshi ran to the bridge and shouted to the other side: "Fu Bai! You've got a son! Did you hear that? You've got a son! ”
The affectionate sound of suona echoed over the Yandu River.
Author's statement: On October 17, 1934, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission of the Central Revolution led the Central Red Army to cross the Gongshui River from the assembly place of Yandu (now Yudu) in Jiangxi Province, and began the world-famous 25,000-mile Long March. The Central Red Army of 86,000 people, including 17,000 children of Yandu, participated in the Long March. My father's three brothers joined the Red Army, and after the defeat of the fifth anti-encirclement campaign, the strategic shift began, my father was left to persist in guerrilla warfare, and his elder brother and younger brother followed the Red Army on the Long March. His father was a survivor of the Agrarian Revolutionary War, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the War of Liberation, while his two brothers died on the Long March. On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the departure of the Long March, I would like to do this beautiful article to commemorate the immortal Long March and to remember my uncle and uncle. Don't forget the original intention and keep the mission in mind!
The original title of the work is "The Sound of Suona"