Siheyuan: Happy Life of Jia Zhang Family

There is a small house about 100 meters in front of the Zhang family cemetery. There is a shed next to the house for cooking. The house is more than 10 square meters and was used by the people who guarded the cemetery. There is a kang, a water tank and other items inside. It can be lived in after a little cleaning. It is said that the small house was built during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, a scholar appeared in the family, and the family gradually prospered. The clan paid for the house and found someone to guard the cemetery.

Now it is a new society, and there is no one to guard the cemetery. It is winter, and no one has come for a long time. The house is very dirty. Zhang Dabao put his luggage into the space, took out a broom and started to clean. The house is built on the hillside. Not far in front of the house is a small ditch with water flowing all year round. There is a small road above the ditch, which winds its way to Qinjiagou, a village deep in the mountains of Xiangyang Commune.

After cleaning, Zhang Dabiao cut a lot of grass and spread it on the kang, brought a bucket of water from the ditch and filled the large water vat in the house. He cut a tree from the ditch and dragged it to the front of the house, ready to light the kang. After the fire was lit, the smoke in the house was so thick that Zhang Dabiao choked. He went out of the house and came to his parents' graves, and began to tell his parents about his experiences over the years.

"Is Comrade Zhang Dabao here?" a voice shouted.

"It will be over soon." Zhang Dabao stood up and returned to the cabin.

"Comrade Zhang Dabao, you have been in the army for five years. Are you retired and coming back?" asked the older one of the two people standing at the door.

"Yes, is there something? Come in and talk." Zhang Dabao invited the two people into the house.

"Someone just said that you beat someone up and you escaped back. We are from Xiangyang Commune and came here to ask about the situation," said the older man.

"Is there a problem if I beat up a robber who robbed my own home? I joined the army to defend my country, but after I came back I had no home. Can you tell me why? My legs haven't healed yet, and a grenade knocked me unconscious. I stayed in the hospital for more than a month, and you treat me like this? I dare not say that I am a meritorious minister, but at least I have made some contribution to the country. Should I suffer such a fate?" Zhang Dabao asked several questions in a row, and the two people from the commune could not answer.

"This is my material. You two take a look at it. I won't go to the steel mill. I will go back to the army tomorrow. When I get back, I will ask the leaders of the army what I should do. I can't shed blood and tears." Zhang Dabao continued to put pressure on the two.

"Captain Zhang, you are seriously injured." The young man saw the diagnosis certificate the doctor gave to Zhang Dabao.

Zhang Dabao did not answer.

After reading all the materials, the two men handed them to Zhang Dabao. The older one said, "Captain Zhang, I understand your situation. We will go back and report to the leadership immediately and will definitely give you a reply. Please don't cause trouble for the leaders of the army for now."

After the two of them finished talking, they walked out of the hut. Zhang Dabao also came out, but he didn't come to see them off, but started chopping wood.

The cemetery was exceptionally quiet at night, but Zhang Dabao was not afraid at all. All those buried there were his closest relatives, and what others were afraid of was exactly what he liked. Zhang Dabao slept exceptionally well, just like when he was lying in his mother's arms when he was a child.

The leaders of Xiangyang Commune did not get a good rest tonight. The two people who returned reported Zhang Dabao's situation to the leaders and said that Zhang Dabao wanted to return to the army to appeal for justice. The first and second in command of the commune slammed the table on the spot and demanded that those who occupied the combat hero's house be arrested immediately. They also wanted to severely criticize Zhang Zhiling, the village chief of Zhangjia Village.

Zhang Dasong did not show up for what happened during the day. He originally wanted to be the last buffer zone, but he did not expect his little cousin to be so stubborn. He beat people up without saying a word. Zhang Dasong is a little angry now. He has invested a lot of money in this house. The roof was repaired once, and the wall is covered with mud every year. He thought his little brother died on the battlefield, but he came back. Now the house is not big enough for him. The second son Shouyue and the third son Shouping have grown up and are about to get married. What should he do?

"Build another house, and after dawn, go to your aunt's house in the city to see if you can borrow some money. I can borrow some from other brothers. Don't mess with your seventh uncle in the future. That man has been a soldier and has killed people. He is very ruthless." Zhang Dasong was afraid that his son would cause trouble for Zhang Dabao, so he gave him some special instructions.

At dawn, Zhang Dasong had just knocked on the gate when he was tortured by Director Liu of the commune and his men. "Leader, why is this happening? I haven't broken any law," Zhang Dasong shouted loudly.

"Zhang Dasong, isn't it illegal for you to rob someone else's house? Let me tell you that is the home of a combat hero. Who gave you the courage to rob the house?" Director Liu of the commune said loudly, "And you, Zhang Zhiling, can you still take care of the village affairs? If you can't, just tell me earlier and I will find someone to replace you. Do you have no eyes or ears? You don't know about such a big thing? You are the uncle of a hero. What kind of uncle are you to do such a thing?"

Director Liu's words made Zhang Zhiling feel ashamed, but there was nothing he could do. As the village chief, he was under the jurisdiction of the commune, so he just endured it. He lowered his head and said nothing.

"Leader, Dabiao and I are cousins. We have the same grandfather, and his father is my third uncle," said Zhang Dasong.

"That's even more inappropriate. You're robbing the houses of brothers who have the same grandfather. Are you still a human being?" Director Liu scolded.

"The leader and I have held a meeting in our clan. I have adopted my eldest son to my younger brother. He joined the army and we are afraid that he might have an accident on the battlefield. The house is for his son to live in." Zhang Dasong did not want to be taken away, and continued to explain to Director Liu.

"Is that the son adopted by Comrade Dabiao?" Director Liu also knew that there was a custom in the village to adopt sons to brothers. He thought that Zhang Dasong was somewhat human, and he was worried that his brother who was a soldier would have no descendants.

Zhang Shoucheng came over with his body bent. Director Liu was so angry that he laughed when he saw him, "Zhang Dasong, how dare you deceive the organization? This man is a few years older than Zhang Dabao. How could he be his son? Take him away." Zhang Dasong was taken away while crying.

Zhang Dasong's wife stopped Zhang Zhiling who wanted to leave and said, "Fourth Uncle, you have to find a way to save Dasong."

Zhang Zhiling didn't want to get involved, but he couldn't leave. "Dasong's wife, how can I get involved? I can't. Dabiao didn't like me yesterday, and you saw it."

"Shouping, go call your sixth uncle. Your youngest uncle has a good relationship with him. Let's go and beg him." Zhang Dasong's wife was also quite clever.

Zhang Dasen, the youngest son of Zhang Dabiao's second uncle, came over and asked, "Sister-in-law, what's the matter?"

"Dasen, your elder brother has been captured by the people from the commune. Please go and talk to Dabiao to release him," Zhang Dasong's wife began to beg her cousin.

"Da Biao has such a bad temper, what can I say?" Zhang Dasen was a little embarrassed. He also heard about what happened yesterday.

"Dasen, ask Dabiao what he wants. We will do it even if we have to sell everything we have, as long as Dasong is released. Shouping is still young and can't be without his father," said Zhang Dasong's wife.

"Okay, Fourth Uncle, you have to go with me. I don't dare to go alone," Zhang Dasen called to Zhang Zhiling who was standing beside him.

Zhang Zhiling had no way to go up the hillside with Zhang Dasen.

"Da Biao, you're back," Zhang Dasen said, scratching his head.

"Sixth brother, you and Fourth Uncle must have something here, just say it directly." Zhang Dabao asked the two to come into the house and sit on the edge of the kang.

"Da Biao, my brother was captured by the people from the commune today. My sister-in-law asked me to beg you to release him. If you have any requests, you can just say them directly and they will agree to them." Zhang Dasen went straight to the point.

"Sixth brother, what do I lack? What does Zhang Dasong have? Fourth uncle, can't you see such things? Now I ask you, have you ever said anything about Zhang Dasong and his son? I actually have the most opinions about you. You are the elder, the village chief, and the leader of our clan. I always thought that you are fair, but today it seems that you are different from what I thought." Zhang Dabao directed his spearhead at Zhang Zhiling.

"Dabao, your fourth uncle was wrong in this matter. I thought the same as they did. We all believed that you would never come back. Zhang Dasong was wrong, but he is also my uncle's grandson. You have the same grandfather." Zhang Zhiling admitted his mistake directly and began to persuade Zhang Dabao.

"Please let Zhang Dasong, this beast, go for the sake of my sixth brother. My grandfather loves him, but what kind of things has he done? Fourth uncle, I want to sever ties with Zhang Dasong's family. We are no longer brothers, and we will no longer have contact at weddings or funerals. Please call a meeting," Zhang Dabao stated his request.

Zhang Zhiling thought for a moment and asked, "Is it with Zhang Dasong's family, or with Brother Zhifeng's branch?"

"Did Zhang Dayang and Zhang Dabai also participate in occupying the house?" Zhang Dabao asked.

"No, it was all the idea of ​​Zhang Dasong and his wife," said Zhang Zhiling.

"That's Zhang Dasong's family, including his children. We will have no contact with them in the future. After the meeting, let Sixth Brother come to get the letter of understanding, and then find someone to go to the commune to take him back," said Zhang Dabao.

"Okay, then you take a rest. If you have anything, let us know in the village." Zhang Zhiling and the other man had completed their mission.

In the morning, Zhang Zhiling organized a family meeting. The young and old men in the clan testified that Zhang Dasong and Zhang Dabao had severed their relationship. Zhang Dasen went to the mountain to get a letter of understanding, and Zhang Shoucheng went to the commune to pick up his father Zhang Dasong.

When Zhang Dasong heard the decision of the family meeting, he couldn't help but sigh.

"It's over if it's broken off. Who wants to be related to him..." Zhang Dasong's wife muttered to herself.

Zhang Dasong came over and slapped her hard, causing blood to come out of the corner of her mouth. "If you say another word of nonsense, get out." Zhang Dasong's wife was terrified and dared not say anything.

"Shoucheng, have you been to your aunt's house?" Zhang Dasong asked.

"Not yet, let's go tomorrow." Zhang Shoucheng was also afraid of his father's angry look.

"Bring something with you when you go," Zhang Dasong instructed, then lay down on the bed.