Chapter 231: The Ancestors
Zhong Jialing turned around and took a look. "Wow, what a grand house!"
Several people looked up at the tall door lintel of the Zhong Mansion. Based on her work experience in the previous time and space, Cheng Yaoyao couldn't help but sigh: "If a landlord of this level is not overthrown and criticized, it will be considered a major mistake in organizational work."
Zhong Jialing turned around and asked Zhong Cunzhi, "With these conditions, how miserable was my great grandfather's childhood?"
Zhong Cunzhi also reacted at this moment, and said helplessly: "Your great grandfather said that when he was a child, his family experienced a great change and life was difficult, so he... went to the mountains to become a bandit."
"Ah?" Everyone was shocked. Zhong Jialing asked hurriedly, "Then how did our family become prosperous?"
Zhong Cunzhi sighed, "Listen to me slowly.
Your great-grandfather was a brave man. He believed that heroes emerge in troubled times, so he ran to the mountains and became a bandit. As a result, he happened to catch up with the nationwide anti-bandit campaign after the founding of the People's Republic of China. He was almost shot and survived because he ran with a broken leg.
He didn't dare stay in the country, so he followed others to sail in Southeast Asia.
Although he had a lame leg, he looked good, tall and strong, and he was smart in doing things.
Later, your great-grandfather married the captain's daughter, your great-grandmother, and gave birth to your grandfather.
After your grandfather was born, your great-grandfather almost stopped sailing. He and your great-grandmother ran a small business in China, returning to their hometown and waiting for retirement.
He committed those things in his early years, but the country let bygones be bygones, so your great grandfather said: "The next generation must walk the right path, must learn something, and serve the motherland in the future."
He wants to send your grandfather to study abroad."
When Zhong Jialing heard this, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that her family was finally getting on the right track.
Unexpectedly, Zhong Cunzhi changed the subject and said, "But in that era, there were strict review standards for leaving the country, and with our family background, we couldn't leave at all.
But your grandfather didn’t believe in evil. He was not allowed to leave China, and he was not given a visa abroad. He was stubborn, so he… sneaked across the border in anger.”
Zhong Jialing bared her teeth, her smile frozen on her face, as if it was solidified, and she couldn't smile.
Jiang An suddenly said, "That's not right. When I first went to your house, I saw a photo of your father and the chief. It was a big photo hanging there. It was when your father was young."
Zhong Cunzhi said with a smile: “That was later, when things took a turn for the better.
My father smuggled himself out and made a career for himself.
He did everything abroad, including smuggling, dealing in arms, and anything that could make money.
In the 1960s and 1970s, he made nearly 100 million yuan.
The big photo you saw was bought with his donation of 50 million to the country."
Zhong Cunzhi found it funny when talking about it, and he said to Zhong Jialing: "That big photo is your grandfather's life-saving talisman. During the ten-year catastrophe, he relied on this big photo and did not suffer any hardship.
Whenever the struggle session personnel came, he would hold up the large photo and sit at the door, and no one dared to touch him.
Zhong Jialing asked hurriedly: "What about my grandma?"
"Your grandmother? Humph, your grandmother is the daughter of a martyr. If your grandfather hadn't been involved, she would have joined the crowd in criticizing others."
After hearing about her family's tortuous story of making a fortune, Zhong Jialing was really frightened.
Even Luo Jiu and others couldn't help but look at Zhong Cunzhi for a while.
Zhong Cunzhi quickly explained: "Don't doubt me, I went abroad to study with a regular quota and I have always abided by the law."
Zhong Jialing glanced at the gate of the Zhong Mansion and said, "What should we do now? Let them wait and knock us down?"
Zhong Cunzhi fell into deep thought, Luo Jiu said: "Why don't we get in touch with him first, and then see if we can help."
Zhong Cunzhi nodded and said, "Okay, let's do it this way."
Luo Jiu said: "Then you guys go to the inn and wait. Jia Ling and I will go and send out invitations to invite Ms. Sui Chunfang to come out and have dinner together."
So everyone split up into two groups. After the others left, Zhong Jialing knocked on the door, and soon a man who looked like a housekeeper came out, "Miss, who are you looking for?"
After the two explained their purpose, the butler led them to a small hall.
As soon as the two sat down, the maid served them hot tea.
Luo Jiu was filled with emotion as he looked at the environment here. Compared with the caves where the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces soldiers lived and the shabby villages they passed by, this place was simply like a paradise.
The room was warm and bright with a charcoal fire. The tea served to the guests was good, and the aroma emanated from the cup as soon as the lid was lifted.
It seems that at that time not all the people in the country could not live a good life. A very small number of people were still living well.
Before they arrived, Luo Jiu whispered to Zhong Jialing, "No generation of your family has ever suffered. They are destined to live in a big house since they were born."
Zhong Jialing chuckled, "It's hard to say anything else, but now that we're here, this generation is definitely going to suffer.
When we were carrying out land reform in the last time, I was working hard on it. This time, I am working on my own ancestors.”
Luo Jiu smiled and patted her hands, "If you don't want to destroy your ancestors for the sake of justice, think of a solution quickly. If we don't come, they can still enjoy themselves for a few more years.
If we come here, we will have to move towards land reform in two or three years at most.”
As the two were talking, a woman with a big belly came in through the curtain and said with a smile, "I heard that guests were coming, so I hurried over.
The housekeeper said that the two young ladies were Chunfang’s friends. I was Chunfang’s aunt Xiuyun, and she was my sister-in-law.
Since you are Chunfang's friends, just follow her and call me sister."
Luo Jiu and Zhong Jialing stood up and said, "Excuse me for disturbing you. Sister Xiuyun, you are not feeling well but you still came out to entertain us. We will just wait. It's no problem."
Zhong Xiuyun smiled and said, "I have nothing to do in my room. I'm just sitting there doing nothing. Chunfang just came back from her parents' home this morning. She said she was going out to buy some fabric for my brother to make new clothes. She should be back soon. You guys wait a little while."
The two of them hurriedly said, "No hurry, we are also idle."
Zhong Xiuyun looked at Luo Jiu and Zhong Jialing's clothes and said, "You two sisters, have you ever been to school? You look like scholars."
Luo Jiu smiled and said, "Yes, I read a little."
Zhong Xiuyun's eyes were full of envy. "That's great. I also love studying. I was so happy when I was studying at the Girls' High School. But it was a pity that my family arranged a marriage for me after just half a year..."
There was a layer of gloom in her eyes. I don't know what sad thing she was thinking about, but she suddenly stopped talking.
Luo Jiu quickly changed the subject and asked, "Is your sister about to give birth?"
Zhong Xiuyun touched her belly and said, "It should be soon. It's already more than eight months."
She stood up with the help of a stool. "Instead of waiting here, why don't I take you for a walk in the garden? I'm bored, and it's so hard to meet new people. You all should just keep me company, okay?"
So the two of them supported Zhong Xiuyun and took a walk in the garden of the Zhong Mansion.
There is not much to see in winter, just some clay figurines placed on the rockery, which are sculpted to be lifelike.
Zhong Jialing couldn't help but wonder, "Who arranged this scenery? It's really unique."
Zhong Xiuyun laughed and said, "How could it be arranged by someone? It was my brother, Mo Xuan, who was playing with him."
The two of them couldn't help but stop and take a closer look. Luo Jiu whispered to Zhong Jialing: "Your great grandfather has great craftsmanship."
"Hateful!" The two were chatting and laughing here, when suddenly they saw two children rushing out from behind the rockery and bumping into Zhong Xiuyun.
Luo Jiu quickly exclaimed: "Be careful!"
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