Sai Jinhua: Duckweed
, mountains and rivers are broken, wind drifts, life experience is ups and downs, rain beats duckweed. When I was young, I didn’t understand the sadness of
learning poetry, but now I feel like a portrayal of my life.
On August 14, 1900, the Eight-Power Allied Forces occupied the city of Beijing.
I was putting on makeup in the main room when I heard little Cui hurrying in and saying, “Sister, sister!”
Foreigners! Foreigners have invaded the city of Peking! The little girl was only thirteen years old, and she ran out of breath. “The old Buddha has gone with the emperor. The city of Beijing is going to be in a mess. Let’s..” What can we do?!
The little girl was already weeping as she talked, but I was not impatient. “What are you panicking about?”
“First close the gate and lock it.” I told her, “When foreigners enter the city, they must loot and not be injured by mistake.”
“I’ve heard that the foreigners came all the way from the Tientsin Concession, killing and setting fire, and robbing the houses. I’m afraid we’re going to die.” Little Cui wiped away her tears and ran away. “I don’t know what happened to my father.”
“The minister’s wife told you not to panic,” said the visitor, who was none other than most arrogant brother in the courtyard. “With the minister’s wife as a guarantee, we sisters will naturally be safe and sound.” The words
“minister’s wife” were bitten so hard by her that they seemed to come out of her intestines in a roundabout way.
“Go.” I told little Cui, “Pack up some jewelry and hide it.”
“Master Sai, I heard that when you, the minister’s wife, went to Germany, you met Waldsey, the leader of the foreigners.” Brother Yun raised his eyebrows and said, “I don’t know if Waldsey still remembers you, an old lover who is no longer in the limelight.”
“I’ve always been in the limelight.” I corrected her, “Why do you think I’m down and out now?”
“Since the minister’s wife has always been in the limelight, I’m relieved.” Brother Yun opened his thin lips and said, “Now that the foreigners have entered the city, we are in great trouble. We still have to rely on Master Sai for protection.”
“I can still protect you guys.” I turned the bracelet around. “What kind of friendship do you have with Waldsey?” It’s a
mess out there.
Foreigners and the Qing army fought everywhere in the city of Beijing, and the old and young men in the city of Beijing somehow still had some blood and uprightness, and they always had to fight to protect the city of Beijing behind them. Guns, guns, cries, wails never stopped. Standing in the yard, you could see the flames in the northwest, and you didn’t know which mansion the foreigners had burned down.
Fortunately, the golden flower class was not striking, and no foreigners had rushed in to rob it. I told the girls to turn off the lights, and the golden flower class, which used to be bustling, was very quiet. Girls
everywhere knew that it was not the time to lose their temper, and they all crowded together obediently. Brother Yun, who used to be the most arrogant, also found a corner to shrink. The door of the Golden Flower Class was closed, and no girl dared to close her eyes, for fear that the next moment a foreigner would rush in with a knife and gun. I was busy rummaging through boxes and cupboards looking for things. The girls all thought I was hiding my own money. For a moment, they were still dissatisfied. There were a few muttering. I stared back at them, but I turned out a picture and wiped it clean like a treasure.
But two or three days later, the gunfire in Beijing gradually subsided, and the people who went out to inquire about the news came back and said that the Qing army had surrendered. The
girls’ faces were ashen, but I was not surprised. The old Buddha and the emperor of the
Qing Dynasty ran first, and how many of his men were determined to resist. No matter how bloody the old and young men in
Beijing were, they could not resist the powerful cannons of the foreigners by their flesh and blood alone. Late
that night, the door of the Golden Flower Class was broken open, and a group of foreigners rushed in. Armed with rifles and laughing lewdly,
they groped at the young girls in the courtyard. The courtyard was in a mess. The girls screamed and dodged, trying to escape the clutches of these foreigners. The shivering girls looked at me for help. “Second Master, help me.”
At this time, there were still a few people. He came to me with a determined smile.
“Stop!” I shouted, and with a fluent German, I shocked the group of foreigners.
“I am a friend of your Emperor and Empress,” I said, turning to English. “Your commander, Waldsey. The last time I saw him, he was a palace guard.” The
foreigners looked at each other and stopped for a moment. The leading foreigner looked the most cunning. His blue eyes were full of greed and suspicion. I knew I had to calm him if I wanted to stop them.
More than a dozen men crowded into my yard, which was so oppressive that the girls trembled and dared not breathe, but I took out a picture calmly.
That’s a photo of me with the German emperors and empresses when I was a “minister’s wife” on a mission to Germany with Lord Hong. The leading foreigner looked at the
picture again and again, and did not hide the suspicion in his eyes. I bluffed, “Tell your commander that his old friend Mrs. Hung wants to see him!”. People and horses
on both sides were deadlocked for a while. There were dozens of foreigners, five big and three thick. There were only me and the girls hiding behind me. I pretended to be calm and looked at the foreigners gracefully. I even looked at them critically. The leading foreigner rolled his eyes a few times and finally waved to his men to withdraw first.
“Madam Hong, I will certainly tell General Waldsey that you will wait for him here.” He left a meaningful smile and closed the door of the Golden Flower Class for me as a gentleman. Then the
girls stood up shakily, but still did not dare to disperse. Little Cui walked close to the corner, trying to go to the door to find out what was going on, but I called her back and said, “There’s no need to go there.” There must be foreigners
outside the door.
My “old friend” Waldsey will surely come to visit me soon.
“Do me a favor and make up.” I said to little Cui.
The night was dark, but I was in a rare good mood. Little Cui, who was still in shock, shook her hands with red eyes and pulled up her hair for me. I pick and choose from a pile of mouth fat. As I grew
older, I could not compare with the girl in the yard who was so tender that she could pinch out water.
Pink and light pink can’t hold down my age, and a little makeup can’t hold down my dusty body. The vicissitudes of life in my eyes are the experience given to me by the twists and turns of the past 20 years. Finally, my fingers turned a few times in the makeup box, and what I held was crimson lipstick. The
night was dark, and the room was not bright in the light of the candle, but the mirror showed a beautiful face.
Different from the young girl’s shyness and purity, the beauty in the mirror is full of mature woman’s charm and charm. Her eyelashes are raised, and the charm of her eyes and eyebrows is like the best wine, which is mellow and long endowed by the years. Naturally,
I knew that my face was extremely beautiful, like a sin.
“Sister..” Little Cui called me timidly, “Will Waldsey come to see my sister?”
I shook my head gently. The disappointment in
Little Cui’s eyes appeared in the mirror. Before she could speak, I said, “Probably.”
“Sister,” said Little Cui in a low voice, “if that foreigner is willing to come to see my sister, can Little Cui beg my sister to protect my brother. I will listen to my sister and make money for her.
“I’m not absolutely sure.” Looking at the little girl’s hopeful eyes, I didn’t have the heart to refuse. I just sighed softly. If I could talk to Waldsey, it wouldn’t be hard. The only thing I’m afraid of is that Waldsey won’t come to see me, so the Golden Flower Class won’t be able to keep it.
Little Cui’s face turned white and white, and finally she went out in a wooden way. I looked in the mirror alone under the lamp. The person in the mirror was me, the first prostitute in Beijing, Sai Jinhua, and the former minister’s wife.
I was born in the south of the Yangtze River, but because of my poor family, I was sold into the land of dust and fireworks early. When I was
fifteen years old, Lord Hong passed by the shore, but he fell in love with me on the flower boat at first sight. He said that when the gauze curtain on the boat was blown up by the wind, a beautiful face appeared behind the curtain, and the girl on the boat was half holding the lute, and the music was melodious, like a fairy.
So the next year I became the third concubine of Lord Hong.
Lord Hong became the minister of the Qing Dynasty and was going to Europe as an envoy. Mrs. Hong abided by the rules and refused to follow her, so she lent me her clothes and asked me to go out with Lord Hong.
I spent a very happy time in Europe. As the wife of the minister of the Qing Dynasty, I met many upper-class people in Europe, including the emperors and empresses of Germany.
It was a pity that Lord Hong’s errand was over. Not long after I returned to China with Lord Hong, Lord Hong died of illness. Mrs. Hong could not bear to see that I was born in the dust and was embarrassed with me everywhere. I had a hard time in the Hong family, and my body was cheated by others. I had no way out. I left the Hong family and went to Shanghai first. After many rounds, I entered Beijing alone.
Fortunately, God treated me well, a few years later, I also formed a golden flower class, still have a place to settle down.
But two days later, the door of the Golden Flower Class was knocked. It was a very polite gentleman, but it meant that he could not refuse. The girls in the
courtyard did not dare to say anything, so I went up to meet them myself and opened the door. It was Waldsey, my “old friend” whom I had not seen for many years. Dressed in a military uniform,
he was very noble. Unlike the modest and low-key adjutant beside the emperor at the German palace banquet that year, he is now like an unsheathed sword. Even from the enemy’s point of view, I have to admit that he is excellent.
His appearance has always been extremely outstanding, even though he is no longer young. His gestures and gestures are romantic, and his gentle appearance almost makes me forget that he is the instigator of the three days of near-massacre in Beijing.
As soon as I was stunned, I was still smiling affectionately, but my heart was clenched. Mrs.
Hung, I haven’t seen you for years. Do I have the honor to invite you to a few days? He stretched out his hand and made a gesture of invitation. Before I could react, my instinct, which had been struggling in the dust for many years, had opened my mouth fluently: “It’s my honor to be invited by Mr. Waldsey.”
I took his hand and got into the car, just instinctively smiling all the way, pretending to be reserved and lowering my head, pretending not to see his hot eyes, and letting him look at them.
In fact, my heart is very flustered.
As soon as I opened the door of the Golden Flower Class, I saw not only Waldsey, but also the bodies that had not yet been disposed of not far away. My
eyes were sharp, and I could see that it was Mr. Gao who lived in the same alley.
The man was just a poor scholar. Because his family was poor, he was tall and thin, and he had never come to the Golden Flower Class in the past. Because he could read, he used to write letters for the people around him. Although the brothers of the three religions and nine streams could not bear to see his powerless appearance, they also called him “sir” because he could read and was enthusiastic. How did
this man die. And died in the street.
This man’s family is so poor, and his temper is so gentle, how can he provoke foreigners.
I just don’t know if any other brothers have lost their lives.
In the past, I had only heard of foreigners killing innocent people, but I had never seen them. Now that they really appeared in front of me, I realized that they were human lives, brothers, and unjust cases. How tragic and painful they were. The
pain was so deep that I didn’t even have the strength to grieve. I just felt out of breath.
I run a brothel.
The prostitute can’t do other business well, so she has to pick up her old job.
At that time, I rushed into the huge city of Beijing alone. Without the loyalty of the brothers of the three religions and nine streams, my Golden Flower Class could not be sustained to this day.
Now, the city of Beijing has fallen, foreigners are doing evil constantly, brothers are in trouble, how can I stand by and do nothing.
It’s my turn to be loyal.
I was sad and worried, but I made up my mind and settled down. I just couldn’t show it on my face. I just pretended to be a little shy and let Waldsey take me to his residence.
Close the door and I’ll be alone.
Waldsey poured tea for me. “I haven’t seen Mrs. Hong for years. How are you doing?”
He had long known that the stunning wife of the Chinese minister had already fallen into the dust, less than one tenth of the glory of that year.
I shook my head with a light smile and hid many details, saying only that I had no one to depend on since the death of Lord Hong. I was not allowed by the main house. I was driven out of the house alone. After several turns, I arrived in Beijing. I focused on describing my experience of being excluded and cheated since the death of Lord Hong. My tone was soft, and my face was not too sad, except for a pair of eyelashes trembling and trembling. When he heard this, his eyes
were filled with pity. From ancient times to the present, there is no man who does not like women to show weakness, and foreigners cannot avoid vulgarity.
“If I had known that my wife was having a hard time, I should have come to Beijing earlier so that I could help her.” He is filled with emotion: “I was lucky enough to see her several times at a palace banquet, and I only felt that she was as bright as a pearl, and I have never forgotten her.”
“Speaking of that time, Monsieur Waldsey was already an aide to the German emperor, and when we danced at the palace banquet, Monsieur Waldsey was especially good.”
“At that time, Mrs. Hong wore the clothes of the Qing Dynasty, and dressed up four court maids as the maids of the Qing Dynasty. When Mrs. Hong came out, she really surprised the whole audience.” As
we talked and laughed, I accompanied him to recall the days in Germany, and the success reminded him of the confident and generous me at the palace banquet. Everything in
Germany was new and strange. I quickly learned German and became friends with the Empress of Germany at several banquets. At that time, I was the protagonist of the palace banquet, and every time I appeared, I had a different pattern of the Qing Dynasty, which made the Germans look silly. Waldsey and
I chatted happily. Waldsey suddenly mentioned Deguan, my daughter with Lord Hong, and asked if she was all right.
I lowered my eyebrows appropriately. “Since Lord Hong died, I had to leave the Hong family. I never saw her again.”
Waldsey had not yet spoken, but I added with a wry smile, “Mr. Waldsey doesn’t have to call me Mrs. Hong anymore. I’m called Sai Jinhua now. I’m just a prostitute.”
“Mrs. Sai..” He spoke earnestly and took my hand. “If there is anything you need, Waldsey will do his bit for you.”
“How dare I bother Mr. Waldsey?” I lowered my head again, but I didn’t break free. “It’s just that I have no relatives in Beijing, except a group of sisters who support and help each other. They are like family to me. It’s just that Mr. Waldsey’s troops in Peking are now so undisciplined that they really frighten us.
Waldsey frowned apologetically. “Please don’t be afraid, Mrs. Sai. I will send someone to protect you. My army has done a lot of wrong things in Beijing. I just learned that.”. Because I didn’t go to town a few days ago, and now that I’m here, I won’t make you afraid any more. I leaned down
close to his face, and while the train was still hot, I said, “I went to Beijing all by myself, and I’ve been able to get to where I am today because of the care of my friends in Beijing. Now that Beijing is in trouble, I can’t just sit back and do nothing.”
“What’s more, it’s important to have discipline in the army. I’ve always heard that Germany is a country of European etiquette, and has always regarded reputation as a second life. Now Mr. Waldsey allows his soldiers to kill people in the streets of Beijing like this. In fact, he is discrediting Germany.”
Waldsey’s smiling face cooled, revealing the pressure of the commander of the Eight-Power Allied Forces. I knew that he was no ordinary person who could sit in this position. Gentle and elegant was just the skin he used to disguise himself. In fact, he was decisive, cold and rational. He came to see me, but not really just to meet old friends.
I know he covets me for a long time, but the person who can sit in this position is afraid that he also sees my influence in Beijing. Although I am just a small prostitute, but the three religions and nine streams, all walks of life, all factions of forces, I can catch up, although foreigners can not stay in Beijing for a long time, the old and young men in Beijing wave after wave of counterattack also makes foreigners extremely hard and headache, at this time, naturally need a person who is exquisite enough to coordinate, so that all parties are satisfied.
“Mrs. Sai is right, but my soldiers have come a long way without enough food or warm clothes, and they are forced to do so.” Waldsey laid out his terms. “Maybe they’re being a little aggressive. I’ll make them change.”
“Mr. Waldsey’s soldiers have come a long way and really need some supplies.” I smiled. No matter how unwilling I was, I didn’t show it. “Of course the people in Beijing are willing to provide Mr. Waldsey with food. It’s just that Mr. Waldsey’s men have been taking food too aggressively these days. We’re scared to go out.”
I deliberately let him smell the perfume on my body, which was the scent of roses. “The Qing Dynasty has never been stingy with food and other dead things, but only with the lives of innocent people.”
“As long as the problem of food and clothing for the soldiers can be solved, I will give an order tomorrow that the soldiers are not allowed to go out without permission to disturb the people.” Waldsey smiled and reached out to touch my shoulder, and the meaning was self-evident.
I chuckled and didn’t push Waldsey away. The deal was done. When
business is done, it’s time to talk about personal matters. I was born in
this line of work, and I didn’t have to touch Waldsey’s bad luck for this little thing. The
room was full of the smell of roses for a moment, and the two people in the room were intoxicated but sober.
Waldsey is not a good man, but his words count.
After a day or two, the city of Beijing had basically settled down, with fewer foreigners killing and burning everywhere, and a few bold people daring to come out and have a look.
I went back to Jinhua class and asked the little beggar who ran errands to ask my brother Lu Yufang to come over. The two of
us had known each other for a short time, but we felt very congenial after a few general remarks, so we simply worshipped him as our elder brother and me as our younger brother. Therefore, many brothers in Beijing were willing to call me “Second Master Sai.”.
He was a famous merchant in the city of Beijing. If he had taken the lead and asked the grain merchants of the Chamber of Commerce to provide grain, the food for the foreigners would have been solved. When
Lu Yu-fang came in, she kept a very low profile. As soon as she entered the door, she asked with concern, “Second brother, how are you these days? I heard that Nawadsi saw you?!”
“Don’t worry, I’m all right.” I stood up to greet him and said, “I’ve asked my eldest brother to come here today because he has something to ask for.” I asked him to sit down. “As a younger brother, I dare not hide it from my eldest brother. A few days ago, I went to negotiate with Waldsey.” I really can’t sit back and do nothing
now that foreigners are wantonly killing innocent people in Beijing.
Waldsey said he was willing to ban soldiers from going out to kill and rob without permission, but we had to help him solve the problem of feeding the soldiers.
Foreigners came from afar and were in urgent need of food supplies. The grain merchants in the city of Beijing avoided the foreigners. The foreigners could not find food, so they robbed from door to door. Brother Lu, you have quite a reputation in Beijing. Gather some grain merchants and raise some grain to save the lives of innocent people in Beijing.
“You want me to be a running dog for foreigners and to flatter them. Isn’t that making me ruin my reputation and making people poke me in the spine?!” With a wave of his hand, Lu Yu-fang did not agree. “This is really trampling the face of the Qing Dynasty into the mud, and breaking the integrity of my Han people. I can’t agree for my brother.”. 「
“Big brother,” I said in a gentle voice, “the city of Beijing is the city of Beijing people, not the city of foreigners. Now foreigners are riding roughshod over the city of Beijing, and even the emperor dares to sit on the throne, but the people of Beijing are so frightened that they dare not go out, and they are on tenterhooks every day.
“It’s already a fact that the Qing Dynasty is unable to resist the artillery of the foreigners. If we continue to allow the foreigners to ride roughshod over Beijing and kill innocent people, I’m afraid that if we continue to develop, things will develop to the point of massacring the city, and that will be irretrievable.”
「…… I don’t have as much integrity as Brother Lu. I just want to live well, and let the people in Beijing live well.
What’s more.. By the time the old Buddha fled west with the emperor, the Qing Dynasty had already lost face.
I hid my face and cried bitterly.
No integrity and feelings can bring back a human life in Beijing.
This world is too bitter to allow us to live with both life and dignity.
I grew up in a poor family and was sold on a flower boat. I had several ups and downs in my life. I was stabbed in the spine and scolded many times. I still live in the world, but I think it’s better to live than to die.
Now I take the initiative to flatter Waldsey, naturally know that in the future I do not know how many people will poke my spine to scold me as a traitor, scold me as a soft bone, I and Waldsey carefully deal with the night, on tenterhooks and gentle, how I do not have half a grievance.
“Second brother!” After a long silence, Lu Yu-fang finally relented. “You’re right.”
Now it’s still important to save people. As long as Waldsey can restrain his men from killing a few innocent people, it will be a good deed for someone like me. He stood up and sighed, “Even if I am nailed to the pillar of shame later, I will admit it.”
“I’ll help you with this. I’ll ask Li Si and the others to contact the grain merchants in Beijing. You don’t have to worry about the grain merchants. It’s just Waldsey.” He patted me on the shoulder. “You’ve worked hard to deal with it.”
I wiped away my tears, but I couldn’t laugh. I nodded, and I heard him say, “Maybe our names will never be in the history books.” He got up and left. His voice came from the courtyard. “But the people will remember.”
The people will remember. After the
food problem was solved, the city of Beijing settled down for the time being. No foreigners killed people in the street wantonly, and people went out one after another.
Waldsey still invited me to stay with him from time to time, but I could not refuse, so I simply agreed, dressed as a man, and went out with him in places I had never thought of.
Yesterday he sent a message back, saying that he would invite me to visit the other gardens of the Royal Garden today. The beautiful gardens of the
past have been destroyed out of shape, many places are empty, and there are still traces of violent destruction. The
royal collection is the best in the world, but now it has disappeared.
My heart is sad, but helpless, but Waldsey’s words do not like to pick up, just have a word without a word to hum twice.
“Mrs. Sai doesn’t look very happy?” He asked, looking down.
“It’s not that I’m unhappy, it’s just that I feel a little sorry,” I sighed. I didn’t dare ask Waldsey to return our things. “What a glorious and solemn place it used to be, but now there’s nothing left. I just feel the decline of the Qing Dynasty.”
“This land has a long history,” Waldsey said, looking out into the distance. “And I’m very sorry about that.”
I lowered my eyes and did not accept his apology. “Those who should be sorry are those who did not guard them well.”
It’s someone far away in Xi’an.
In fact, after I persuaded Waldsey to give up the massacre, Lord Li Hongzhang sent someone to find me twice.
I declined twice, for no other reason.
For the Empress Dowager Cixi, who said that our prostitutes were just something that brought disaster to the country.
Her careless words made us almost beg for a living, and now she has fled to the west of the city, but it is we, the prostitutes she despises most, who stand out.
I know that Waldsey and Li Hongzhang are discussing the issue of reparations after the defeat of the war. This is a matter of national affairs. I can’t get a word in edgewise, nor can I get a word in edgewise. No matter how confused Waldsey is, he will not listen to me when it comes to national interests.
However, the war was due to the killing of Minister Klinde, and the widow of Minister Klinde demanded that the Empress Dowager Cixi be killed in order to vent her hatred. The Qing Dynasty and the foreigners could not reach an agreement on this matter, and the peace talks were delayed again and again. It has not yet been decided. When I came back from a trip with Waldsey
that day, I heard little Cui say that Lord Li had come in person. Startled,
I quickly changed my clothes and went to the main room.
As soon as I entered the door, I was greeted by Lord Li himself. Before I could open my mouth, he made a deep gesture. How dare I accept such a big gift from him? I hurriedly returned the gift, “What is Lord Li doing? How dare I accept such a big gift from you!” Lord
Li got up slowly. The old man with white hair had gone through the wind and frost. These days, he tried his best to negotiate for peace. He only hoped to make it happen as soon as possible. However, Mrs. Klinde refused to let go, and the matter reached a deadlock for a while.
“The first thing I want to thank you for is the righteousness of your wife, who stood up for the Qing Dynasty when it was in danger,” Li said sincerely. “Although your wife is a woman, she is not inferior to men. With her own efforts, she saved the city of Beijing from being massacred. I thank your wife for the city of Beijing and for the people of the Qing Dynasty.”
“My second time,” Lord Li wrote, “It was a misunderstanding of my wife in the past. In the past, my wife had a lot of difficulties in Beijing because of my prejudice, and I asked my wife to forgive me.”
He took the prejudice of the Empress Dowager Cixi on himself.
“But now the Qing Dynasty is worried about domestic and foreign aggression, and the Eight-Power Allied Forces have directly entered the Forbidden City. The Qing Dynasty has lost face, and the people have suffered even more.” Lord Li burst into tears. “As long as the foreigners stay in Beijing, the people of Beijing will not dare to sleep.”. Today’s plan is, of course, to negotiate peace, but Mrs. Klinde is so aggressive that she strongly demands that the old Buddha be killed to pay for his life. Now that the Qing Dynasty is in a precarious situation, if she kills the Empress Dowager again, she will be angry with the foreigners. First, the face of the Qing Dynasty will really be trampled into the mud by the foreigners. Second, I’m afraid the Qing Dynasty will lose its backbone, and there will be chaos everywhere. Lord Li wrote the third part: “I know that my wife knows four languages and has visited various European countries. I may ask your wife to come forward and persuade Mrs. Klinde to help deal with one or two things and promote peace talks as soon as possible.” After Lord
Li’s three episodes, I didn’t feel any resentment. I just felt that I should go through fire and water for Lord Li. It was just that when I woke up a little, I turned to this: “Naturally, I should go through fire and water for the people of Beijing. It’s just that I can only say that I will try my best, and I don’t dare to guarantee for Lord Li.”
“As long as your ladyship is willing to help the Qing Dynasty,” he said, “I can’t thank you enough.”
I calmed down for a few breaths, but still impressed by Lord Li, I bowed down and said, “I’d like to try my best for Lord Li.” When
I saw Mrs. Klinde, it was in the afternoon. The Western lady was sitting by the window meditating. When she saw me coming in, she raised her head. It was because of the different aesthetics of Eastern and Western cultures. I was also surprised by the style of the lady. She was not an Oriental beauty who was as reserved and gentle as a weak willow, but very aggressive. Although she looked like a girl, her eyes were as sharp as those of a man. When she saw me coming, she was not reserved, but went straight to the point and asked, “Are you the person sent by the Qing Dynasty to negotiate?”? When will you kill your Empress Dowager Cixi?
“Madame Klinde,” I said as I walked in, “I think we met at a dinner in a German palace.” “I remember you and your husband, Mrs. Hong,” the
beautiful and aggressive lady recalled, looking at me critically. You always shine brilliantly at court banquets. Every time you and Mr. Hong attend a court banquet, the court has to talk about you for a few days.
“The clothes and food you brought to the Qing Dynasty were very interesting.”
“The food and clothes in Germany are also very beautiful.” The
two of us chatted for a while about that time in Germany, and she was actually very straightforward, talking about the excitement, and showing me the clothes she had brought with her that were now popular in the German upper class.
I found a suitable time to say, “So Mrs. Klinde came to the Qing Dynasty, did she personally see the clothes and food of the Qing Dynasty?”
Her smile suddenly disappeared, and her face turned cold. “Mrs. Hong, my husband died in the Qing Dynasty. I’m very sad, and I’m not in the mood to see what to eat and wear.”
“Mrs. Klinde, we are also very sad about the death of Mr. Klinde.” I bowed my head. “It was the rebel forces of the Qing Dynasty that killed Mr. Klinde. It was not the intention of the Qing Dynasty. Now the Qing Dynasty has joined hands with the German countries to wipe out the Boxers. It is also revenge for Mr. Klinde.”
“Mrs. Hung, you can’t understand how I feel about losing my husband!” She hid her face and cried bitterly. “He is a very good man, a very ambitious man..”
I listened to her sobs in silence until she calmed down and then said slowly, “Mrs. Klinder, I understand exactly how you feel.”
“You don’t understand!” “When I lose my lover, I lose everything..” she cried.
“One year after Mr. Hong returned to China, he died of illness.” I pursed my lips. “Because his family couldn’t tolerate me, I had to leave his home alone and come to Beijing to make a living without any money.”
“So I very much understand your grief and helplessness in losing your husband, and the Qing Dynasty is willing to compensate you in other ways for this.” I said softly, “The Qing Dynasty is more willing to make friends with Germany, to be a brotherly and friendly country, to open docks in each other, and to facilitate cultural exchanges and trade between the two countries.”
“It’s just that if your ladyship insists that the Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty pay for her life, it won’t bring Mr. Klinde back to life, and it won’t be good for Germany to make friends with the Qing Dynasty. What’s more, the man who killed Mr. Klinde has already had his head cut off. I’m sure Mr. Klinde’s soul in heaven will rest in peace.”
Mrs. Klinde remained silent, and I continued. “Madam, Mr. Klinde died for Germany. He is a hero of Germany and deserves a monument.”. It’s just that the journey back to Germany from the Qing Dynasty is too long. It’s better to bury Mr. Klinde in the Qing Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty is also willing to build a monument for Mr. Klinde to commemorate the sacrifice he made for Germany.
Mrs. Klinde still did not speak. She lowered her head and thought for a moment. She said, “I want the Qing Dynasty to build a monument for my husband in Beijing, a tall monument.”. So that we can come to Beijing to worship him in the future.
“That’s no problem, Mrs. Klinder.” I promised, “In the Qing Dynasty, our monument was called a memorial archway. I will go back and discuss with Lord Li, and I will make a memorial archway that you are satisfied with.”
Mrs. Klinde nodded slightly when she heard this. I was relieved that I had fulfilled Lord Li’s instructions. I turned to Mrs. Klinde and said a few polite words and chatted for a while before saying goodbye. Coming out
of Mrs. Klinde’s house, I didn’t realize it was already dark, but I didn’t take a breath and turned to go to Lord Li’s house. Lord
Li was in the study, and someone was waiting for me to come in. Seeing that it was me who came in, Lord Li got up from a pile of official duties and said, “Mrs. Sai is here.”
“My concubine is fortunate enough to fulfill her mission.” I smiled, but I saw this white-haired old man with a solemn expression. “I thanked your wife for the people of the Qing Dynasty. Your wife saved the Qing Dynasty.”
I didn’t dare accept his gift, so I quickly turned sideways and dodged. “Lord Li’s words are really serious. I’ve only done something within my power. How dare I deserve Lord Li’s praise?”
“My wife fought bravely and courageously, and never complained about going through fire and water for the Qing Dynasty,” said Lord Li. “I’m really ashamed. I taught my wife to stand in front of all the men. It’s just a pity that the weapons of the Qing Dynasty are not as advanced as those of the foreigners, but there are 400 million men in the air, who can’t resist the artillery and long guns of the foreigners, and teach their wives to sacrifice their lives to protect Kyoto.
「…… I’m really ashamed to face my ancestors. Lord Li gave a deep sigh. I only felt that he was carrying too many things on his body. He had a clever tongue like me. I didn’t know how to comfort him for a while. I just felt the same way. I had to shed tears for a while.
A few days later, I heard that the peace talks were coming to an end. Mrs. Klinde no longer insisted on punishing the Empress Dowager Cixi, and Lord Li was willing to pay more money in compensation. But when I heard the Empress Dowager Cixi’s words, “Measure the material resources of China and make the country happy,” I still couldn’t resist clenching the teacup in my hand.
There are drops of water falling from my eyes, rippling in the teacup.
I think of Lord Li’s tired figure that night, and I really don’t know whether he was right or wrong to protect the Empress Dowager Cixi.
Measure the material resources of China and make the country happy.
Thousands of melancholy echoed in my intestines, and I felt that I could not even swallow a mouthful of rice, but eventually turned into a sigh. I
sigh that the Qing Dynasty is weak and incompetent, I sigh that the ambition of people with lofty ideals can not be realized, I sigh that Lord Li has worked hard to help the royal family of the Qing Dynasty when the wind and rain are shaking, and I sigh that the people of the Qing Dynasty are suffering constantly.
Waldsey was leaving, and he wanted to see me again.
I asked him to meet in the suburbs of Beijing, midsummer is about to pass, the forest is also cool, rare such a good scenery, cool breeze, I have been depressed for days also swept away, inexplicably relaxed a lot.
Waldsey came by car, and when he saw me from afar, he laughed. “Mrs. Sai.”
“Mr. Waldsey.” The two of
us walked up the forest path and chatted as we walked, far and wide. Without the original mutual design and plot, we had a little more sincerity and appreciation. Putting aside the position of home and country, I actually felt that his thoughts were strikingly similar to mine. Deep
in the woods, Waldsey suddenly asked me, “Mrs. Sai, would you like to go back to Germany with me?”
He asked sincerely, not as if he were joking, but I had to keep silent for a long time, because I really couldn’t promise him. In what capacity did
I go with him? He had a family and was a famous German general. I was just a small prostitute in Beijing. The unequal status doomed the tragedy between us.
It must have been on a whim that he saw me silent for a long time, and he could only smile, “It seems that you are quite nostalgic for the Qing Dynasty.”
“The landscape of the Qing Dynasty nurtured the people of the Qing Dynasty, and the people of the Qing Dynasty also loved the landscape of the Qing Dynasty.” I said a word in the clouds, for a moment I do not know what I want to say, can not help laughing.
“See you later, Mrs. Sai.” Waldsey said goodbye to me. He was going back to Germany in a few days. This farewell was probably a farewell forever. See you
later, Mr. Waldsey. But I hope you don’t have to bring troops with you next time.
“I hope so, too.” Waldsey smiled and strode away. The
evening wind was somewhat cool, and I wrapped my shawl tightly. I lowered my smiling eyebrows and leaned against the tree trunk to light a cigarette. It’s
finally over. After the
foreigners left Beijing, the old Buddha and the emperor returned to Beijing in a mighty way, looking as if they had won a battle.
It’s just that the people in Beijing don’t like the old Buddha, and there are a lot of people who spit and curse behind their backs. Waldsey, after all, although there is no massacre, but his soldiers also robbed a lot of people’s property, as well as robbed the mansion, now also plunder the people’s property to compensate for their own home, and even worse.
The only thing that makes me a little happier is that my Golden Flower Class can be said to have made a name for itself. Now I am the “Empress Protector of the Country” passed on by the people by word of mouth, and the “Minister of Peace, Master Sai,” to whom they are grateful. Now in my small courtyard, there are often clients who come to admire me, so I have to raise the threshold of the girls. I don
‘t accept guests. I am old, and my appearance and figure are not as good as those young and tender girls. On the contrary, it spoils the interest of noble people. It’s just that most of the visitors are dudes who can’t afford to be offended, and I have to talk and laugh with them.
The business of the Golden Flower Class is booming, and I also want to make the business bigger, so that I can save some money, so as not to suffer in my old age.
I have been doing this for too many years, and my food, clothing, shelter and transportation are all very good. If I have to live a poor life incognito, I can’t live it, and I can’t get used to it. There is simply no need to wronged themselves, Li Bai said that life needs to be happy, don’t make the golden cup empty to the moon, I think life needs to save money, don’t make old age too miserable.
The golden flower class is getting bigger and bigger, and I have to go out to collect a few girls. There are many people selling children in Beijing now, and it’s not hard to buy. It’s just that people are emaciated now, and it’s really sour in my heart. But I’m not the queen mother sitting in the Forbidden City. Although I can’t bear it, I can’t do anything about it.
War has always been the suffering of the people.
Others thought that I had done a good job in protecting the city. Even if the old Buddha didn’t reward something, he should issue a decree of commendation. However, the old Buddha returned to the city for more than three months, but there was no news in the palace. Not to mention the commendation, the old Buddha didn’t say anything.
That’s right. It is not a glorious thing for
a prostitute to save the nation.
I accepted the fact with equanimity, but I still had some undeserved reputation, which made me a lot of money, and if I wanted to retire now, it would be enough. The girls in
my class also have a lot of fame, that is, they are as arrogant as brother Yun. Now some people are willing to praise her. Little Cui also receives guests. She has learned a lot from me. In the past two years, there have been signs of separation from brother Yun. I am relieved that Jinhua class has these two people to take over. The girls in the
courtyard were carefully trained. Even if some of them had a bad personality, they would be sensible when they were older. It had been almost three years since Waldsey returned home. The city of Beijing had gradually recovered its former vitality. The people had struggled out of the trauma of the war, and the heat of my Golden Flower Class had gradually subsided.
I’m going to leave after autumn.
Where to go.
I don’t know. Maybe go home.
I really thought I could leave Beijing smoothly.
But little Cui said that Feng Ling, a newcomer, had committed suicide by swallowing opium paste. The
teenage girl was sold by her father himself. I was a little weak, and I didn’t care about it. I just felt that the girl couldn’t make any big waves. I wanted to go, and I didn’t want to ignore the infighting between Brother Yun and Little Cui. The Golden Flower Class was gradually divided into two factions. Feng Ling was a newcomer, but she was excluded by the two factions. The little girl didn’t have enough to eat and wear, and felt that being a prostitute was really cheap, so she swallowed opium and died.
I asked someone to report it to the government office, and gave brother Yun and little Cui a good scolding. The fame of the
Golden Flower Class is still there, and these two people need to work together to make the Golden Flower Class go on. Although
I lamented Fengling’s death, I didn’t take it to heart. It was only a matter of a few taels of silver. I also asked someone to inform Fengling’s father to take the girl’s body back, which was the last decent thing for the sisters.
However, this matter is far from simple. When
the bailiff came, the first question was not where Fengling’s body was, but loudly called me out for questioning.
My heart was not good, but the man hastily asked a few words on the shackles, brought back to the government.
I’m in custody. The environment
in prison is tolerable, but I don’t know how to get away from it, but I think my brother will run for me, and if little Cui and brother Yun have a little conscience, they will also take care of me.
I haven’t been brought to trial yet. I’m just being held here. My adopted brother, Lu Yufang, heard about this and came over.
“Brother Lu,” I looked at him with gratitude. “It’s rare that you dare come to see me.”
“Sai Erdi,” he said hurriedly, “do you know that your crime is to abuse a child prostitute to death?”
I nodded. The charge should not be too bad. “Brother Lu, please take care of it for me.”
“Second brother,” he said, lowering his voice and looking around. “Listen to me. I can’t judge you.”
“You are?” He pointed to the roof. “She means.”
I nearly collapsed on the ground.
If she.. If you want my life, how can I turn over.
I thought that after three years, how could she still remember me? I never thought that she would hate me so much.
She was the empress Dowager of the Forbidden City and the master of the Qing Dynasty. She had rich clothes and jade food, and was above ten thousand people. How could she have a hard time with me, a little prostitute? It was just that she had been criticized for fleeing to the west that time, and some rumors had privately compared me with her, laughing that she was not as brave as a prostitute. Although
she does not act, how can she tolerate the actions of others.
She can do nothing, but I can’t do better than her.
Even if what I get is just a few empty words, for me, it is just a few insignificant fluorescent lights in the night, and for her, it is the icing on the cake.
But the flower was taken away by others, and the Empress Dowager was not happy. Although
they are dispensable, they can’t fall into the hands of a prostitute.
You see, the “Empress Protector” is a murderer.
I leaned against the wall, crying and laughing, but I didn’t dare to make a sound.
This world is not fair.
The dignitaries, dressed in bright clothes and riding tall horses, never worried about their livelihood, while the common people, scantily clad, struggled to make a living.
If the former crushed the latter in the downtown area, there is no matter of life for life, it is a matter of three taels of silver.
I come from the south of the Yangtze River, several ups and downs, but I will have nothing.
Forget it.
If you keep a cheap life, you can always earn it back.
I wiped away my tears, used a gold bracelet to send a message, and asked my brother to help me. I took out all my body and myself over the years, and arranged them everywhere, and all of them were ruined. What I have saved
all these years, I have nothing. What
I don’t have is not only money, but also the desire to live a stable life.
Brother Yun and little Cui, at least the two girls I brought out, are really heartless, so Baba ran away.
I guess I know that I probably can’t turn over this time. They were so clever that they cleaned themselves up and left me nothing.
These girls are smart enough to know that I can’t protect them, and they won’t stay and make trouble for me. When I
came to Beijing, I really left nothing behind.
But fortunately, I didn’t spend my own money in vain. It worked
. They didn’t kill me after all.
In the autumn, I was ordered to return to my native place.
That’s all. It’s to my liking.
Originally I was going to return home in splendid clothes, but now I am a person, how to come and how to go. There was a heavy fog on the day
I left.
Unexpectedly, many people came to see me off spontaneously. Remembering what my brother had said a few years ago, “The people will remember,”
I couldn’t help laughing. Of course
they remember me. Smiling,
I said goodbye to the city of Beijing, the old and young men of the city of Beijing, the grass and trees of the city of Beijing, and boarded the way home. The
early morning fog is quite heavy, gradually I disappeared in the fog, disappeared in the sight of the old and young men in Beijing.
But I know I won’t disappear in their memory.
They’ll remember I was here.
Beijing City will remember that I have been here.
