Li Youcai and Li Guilan witnessed Fengxian Xiao's later years in his seventies. Only in recent years did they know that Zhang Xifeng, an optimistic and easy-going stepmother, was actually a generation of prostitutes in Fengxian Xiao. A few days ago, the reporter saw these two old people in Dadong District and Huanggu District of Shenyang.
"The mountains are green, the water is green, and the mountains and rivers are flowing. Since the general drew his sword and went south, I would like to sing "Companion" tearfully for Changfeng Banner, so that the love story between Xiao Impatient and General Cai E will be famous all over the world.
At the end of the movie "bosom friend", Fengxian Xiao sat quietly in the bow, his heart ached and he missed his bosom friend, leaving too much suspense for his fate.
There are outstanding people here, such as pearls.
In Li Guilan's memory, Zhang Xi, her stepmother, was not beautiful. After all, she married the Li family at the age of 49.
1949, more than a year after her mother died, her 53-year-old father Li Zhenhai returned to a woman's house and said to her three sons and daughter Li Guilan, "She will be your mother in the future." Let the four children knock their stepmother on the head one by one. That year, Li Youcai was in his early twenties, and Li Guilan 14 years old. Although he doesn't want to, his father is a real man, and the children can't discuss anything except obedience. His stepmother Zhang Xifei is 49 years old this year. At that time, I thought the name was strange. Now that I think about it, it does have special significance.
In Li Guilan's view, her stepmother is even stranger than her name: "She likes to be clean, combs her hair smoothly every day, and ties it in a bun at the back of her head. I have been at home for five years. " I often ask her, what did you put on your hair? Why is it so bright? She always smiles and says she didn't wipe anything. When the stepmother arrived in the Li family, she only brought a parcel and a wicker bag. "。 There are three cheongsam and a fur coat in the package. Cheongsam is made of small floral cloth, and its color is inconspicuous. Since she married the Li family for two years, she has been wearing a cheongsam with a small handkerchief under her arm. She walked with twists and turns. In the newly liberated Shenyang, this style is completely different from the ordinary women around her.
What the stepmother cherishes most is her wicker bag. On one occasion, she went back to other places to see her adopted sister. She walked for ten days and then took it away. When my stepmother is free, she always likes to open the wicker bag and look at the photos inside. There are many photos. She never supports others when she looks at photos. The people in the photo are very picky about their clothes. Li Guilan often asks her, "Did you know many rich people before?" Zhang Xifei also didn't answer. Only once, she said to Li Guilan, "You are very kind to me, and you won't make mistakes. When I have a bright future, I will definitely benefit you. " One of the photos is about 20 inches, which is bigger than the others. Stepmother likes to look at photos best. This is a picture of her and a general. There is a big epaulet and spike under the general's clothes, which is very imposing. Li Guilan asked, "Who is that?" Stepmother always answers, "A friend." Now that I think about it, it must be General Cai E.
Judging from the photos found, Fengxian Xiao is a petite woman with eyes down and mouth up. Her skin is not white, her eyes are cold, and her beauty is only medium. However, in Cai E's view, she is elegant. After all, Fengxian Xiao was only fifteen or sixteen at that time, and she was a famous prostitute in Beijing. Cai E once gave Fengxian Xiao a pair of couplets praising her beauty: "There are outstanding people here, there are outstanding people here."
Occasional marriage is a dream, and the color of peach blossoms is also 1000 years ago.
Li Guilan said that at that time, their family lived near the West Gate, and there was a busy alley in front of the door, where singers, westerners, storytellers and vendors gathered. Stepmother and father have a good relationship. After her father gets off work, they often walk in the street. They often listen to folk songs in Jincheng cinema. At that time, she and her brother thought that their father and stepmother used to be good at listening to folk songs. When they knew that their stepmother was Fengxian Xiao, they suddenly realized that their stepmother and father might have known each other for a long time. Li Guilan recalled: "My father burned boilers in Dashuifu when he was young. He is about the same age as Zhang Xueliang and Zhang Xuesi. He often plays together and becomes friends. His relationship has always been good. Later, Fengxian Xiao often came to Shenyang to see Miss Zhao Si. My father probably knew her then. "
After the founding of China, with the help of Zhang Xuesi, Li Zhenhai joined the Northeast People's Government and became a boiler worker. Li Guilan recalled that her stepmother liked it very much. At that time, my father's salary was 50-60 yuan per month. He often buys some fruits for Zhang to wash and eat.
Zhang Xifei's daily life is very regular. He went for a walk in a small park nearby early in the morning. When he came back, he crossed the alley, bought some sesame paste cakes and drank a bowl of tofu or mutton soup in the alley. Sometimes the food at night doesn't suit her, so she goes shopping with her father and then goes home. She didn't do any housework except washing clothes. Li Zhenhai's father and daughter cooked all the meals: "She didn't choose whether to cook or not. She is very gentle and never beats or scolds a few children. Sometimes she would yell at the kettle in the yard. I said, what are you doing? She said she wanted to practice her voice. She can also play the huqin. Once she is free, she will play for a while. At that time, yangko was often organized in the street. Zhang Xifeng stands ready to participate. She is very active in various cultural activities. " Li Guilan said.
According to her children, Zhang Xifeng's life has been very quiet in recent years, but I don't know if she remembers her short happiness and glory when studying the general in the photo.
1916165438+1On October 8th, Cai E died of Adam's apple in Japan at the age of 34. Hearing the news of Cai E's death, Fengxian Xiao was very sad. At Cai E's memorial service, she sent two elegiac couplets. One is: "Unfortunately, Zhou Lang is short-lived. I know that Jing Li is a hero. " Another letter was written by someone: "it's a thousand miles away, and going straight up and down can make me worry for life, and marriage is like a dream;" In recent years, the northern rouge has fallen, the hero is red, and the peach blossom color is good. "All kinds of feelings of missing Cai E can be seen.
I don't believe in beauty, but I have never been a chivalrous woman.
Xu Jichuan, teacher Mei Lanfang's secretary, wrote a story about Mei Lanfang meeting with Fengxian Xiao. 195 1 At the beginning of the year, Mei Lanfang, a Peking Opera master, led a delegation to visit the Korean Volunteers, performed in Shenyang, and stayed in the guest house of the Propaganda Department of the Northeast People's Government. After hearing the news, Fengxian Xiao wanted to meet his old friend and needed his help, so he wrote a letter to Mei Lanfang.
Li Youcai clearly remembers the day when 195 1. He is the monitor of the boiler class of the Northeast government and was transferred to the government office to receive Mei Lanfang and his party. Zhang Xifeng asked Li Youcai to give this letter to Miss Mei. This letter was given to him by Master Mei's client, and soon Master Mei met Zhang Xifeng. Zhang Xifei went with her daughter Li Guilan. Li Guilan remembered what her stepmother had said to her: "I'll take you to see Grandpa Mei." He used to be our friend. "Although I didn't know my stepmother was Fengxian Xiao", when I saw Master Mei's courtesy to her, I vaguely felt that my stepmother was by no means an ordinary person. "Li Guilan recalled.
With 70 years' experience, Xu Jichuan told Mei about his life experience, the experience of setting off fireworks, and the situation of knowing Cai E and helping her escape from the tiger's mouth.
Fengxian Xiao, formerly known as Zhu Xiaofeng, was later renamed as Zhang Fengyun and Zhang Xifei, Manchu standard-bearer. Fengxian Xiao was born in Hangzhou on August 1900. Her biological father died when she was very young. Because her mother was an incomplete family, she was abused by her oldest mother, so she had to leave Jia Zhu, and soon her mother died of illness. A nurse named Zhang brought her in, raised her and changed her name to Zhang. Her name is Fengyun.
19110 After the Wuchang Uprising broke out in June, Zhang Jie fled to Shanghai with her, studied under Hu, and made a living by singing. Later, she was resold to the collection class in Shaanxi Hutong, one of the eight hutongs in Beijing, and soon stood out as "outstanding in color and art"
It turns out that Sister Mei has a lot of contacts with Cai E. In a couplet given to Fengxian Xiao by Cai E, she wrote: "I don't believe that beautiful women can't die, and chivalrous women can't go out." This can be said to be a wish and evaluation for Fengxian Xiao.
Shu Yao's Qionghua is gone, and so is the old woman's words.
With the help of Master Mei, Zhang Xifei quickly found a job in the kindergarten of the Northeast People's Government: looking after and distributing children's clothes. The Li family then moved to a two-bedroom apartment under the Northeast People's Government. According to Li Youcai's elder brother and sister, I haven't seen her wear cheongsam since then, but she is wearing Lenin's clothes.
In her spare time, Zhang Xifeng still likes to play with her photos. Someone once wrote a poem about the amazing love between Fengxian Xiao and Cai E: "Heroes love each other, and Hongfu is the predecessor of Fengxian Xiao." Yao Qionghua scattered books, and the white-headed maid said that year. "I'm worried that loneliness and loss are her true state of mind in her peaceful old age.
After working for more than a year, Zhang Xifei developed diseases similar to Alzheimer's disease and cerebral thrombosis. A clean person can't take care of himself at once. 1954 In the spring, she became more and more ill. Li Zhenhai serves her wholeheartedly at home and prepares food for her in different ways every day. Her eldest daughter-in-law and daughter take turns washing clothes and sheets for her. Until her death, she never revealed her experience and identity to anyone. Li Guilan told reporters that a week before Zhang Xifeng died, she had been trying to speak, but she couldn't. It was not until seven days later that she swallowed this tone. I think she was in pain when she was awake for a short time. At that time, it was suggested that Li Zhenhai put a millstone or a heavy object on his wife's chest to help her adjust her tone. Li Zhenhai annoyed his wife and said he didn't agree.
Li Zhenhai buried her in Tawan, and her photos, clothes and secrets were all in her wicker bag. Since then, Li Zhenhai has never mentioned Zhang Xifei to anyone.
Shortly after his father died, Tawan posted a notice to move, because he was a stepmother, and his feelings were not deep, and his children didn't care much. It was not until a few years ago that Li Youcai read in the newspaper that Fengxian Xiao was renamed Zhang Xifei after liberation that he knew the truth. At that time, there was no green funeral for Woman anywhere.
Mysterious appearance
Li Youcai's family no longer lives in Fengxian Xiao. With the transformation of the city, all the houses in those days were demolished. Li Youcai's sister Li Guilan lives here. Now they are over 70 years old, but they are still strong.
Speaking of stepmother, Li Youcai still remembers her. He said, "One day, I came home and there was an old lady sitting in a pit. My father said it was your mother. We don't know. He hasn't discussed it with anyone. My father has a strange temper. He doesn't listen to anyone. He doesn't discuss with his children. People take her home directly. "
At Li Zhenhai's request, the obedient children immediately beheaded their new stepmother, although they didn't want to. Although the stepmother could not be associated with Fengxian Xiao at that time, they soon found that the beautiful stepmother was not like an ordinary person. She never cooks at home, can't cook, rarely washes clothes, and eats breakfast outside. These are nothing. What I'm not used to most is her dress.
Li Zhenhai's youngest daughter, Li Guilan, recalled: "That dress is different from ours. She always wears a cheongsam instead of a handkerchief."
I thought it was ugly. I don't have a handkerchief there. I dare not say. "
Li Youcai also said: "The distortion of the aisle is different from that of ordinary housewives."
In the early days of the People's Republic of China, this kind of clothing was extremely rare in the homes of ordinary people in Shenyang. People who are familiar with old Beijing seem to be able to smell something from this kind of clothing, because it is a status symbol.
Qi Shoucheng, a folklorist, said: "At that time, the eight hutong brothels in Beijing were relatively developed. Like Guan Shu before the liberation of Shenyang, brothels above the second class are generally women who set off fireworks. People in brothels are all jasmine flowers, that is, picking flowers and hanging them on their collars or chests for decoration. "
Where do people in the Academy of Fine Arts know these worldly wisdom? They just think that this 50-year-old woman named Zhang Xifei loves to dress up, is a neat person, is very active and can play the violin.
Li Guilan recalled, "She had to practice her voice when she got up in the morning. If she has nothing to practice, she will hold the kettle to the sky and practice her voice there, just like every day. Why don't you ask her? ) I said, I said what are you doing? She said she wanted to practice her voice. Even if I say to practice my voice, I won't sing. She can play, she can play the huqin, and sometimes she can play a paragraph or two. "
Although it doesn't look like ordinary people, there are so many women setting off fireworks in old Beijing, so it happens to be Fengxian Xiao. Another memory of Li Guilan seems to make the facts clearer. She married the Li family with only a wicker bag. In her spare time, she would sit there alone and browse every photo in the wicker bag.
Li Guilan and her sister-in-law can't remember how many photos there are. They just think that the people in the photos were beautiful before, and they should be people who have seen the world. Among these photos, her favorite is a general. Forget it. The general in this photo may be Cai E.
Li Guilan said while painting, "There is a photo of a military uniform. The ear is here and the collar is here. " I asked her who she was, but she didn't say who she was, just a friend. "
Special status
When I heard the old people talking about this, I once guessed that the general in this photo must be General Cai E, and Zhang Xifeng was consistent with Fengxian Xiao in clothes, living habits and personal hobbies. However, only her children's guesses prove that Zhang Xifeng is Fengxian Xiao, which is somewhat unconvincing. In recent years, it is not uncommon to impersonate a celebrity to gain attention, especially Li Youcai's answer is disturbing.
Reporter: "When did you know that your stepmother was from Fengxian Xiao?"
Li Youcai: "I was interviewed by a reporter."
Li Youcai thinks that his stepmother Zhang Xifeng is the foundation of Fengxian Xiao. This is not Zhang Xifeng's personal statement, nor is it his father's statement. On the contrary, this is just the media's statement, and the rest is his own guess. Their father Li Zhenhai died 20 years ago. Except for these three old people, most of the witnesses in those days have passed away, and these three old people can't produce any particularly strong evidence.
When interviewing here, the reporter can't help but be disheartened. According to the progress at this time, this can only be regarded as a problem. There is still a long way to go to unlock this secret. Just as the reporter was about to give up this topic, Li Youcai remembered an amazing clue, that is, 195 1 year, he accompanied his stepmother Zhang Xifei to visit Mei Lanfang, a Peking Opera master who came to perform in Shenyang.
Being able to hook up with Mei Lanfang, this Zhang Xifei looks really unusual.
195 1 year, Li Youcai, the monitor of the boiler class of the northeast government, was transferred to the administrative office to receive Mei Lanfang and his party who came to express their condolences to the Korean War. When Zhang Xifeng learned the news, she asked Li Youcai to find a way to take her to see Mei Lanfang.
In the evening, Li Youcai went with her stepmother, worried that people would have no time during the day. It's a pity that the sympathy group moved to the Northeast Hotel, but it can't be found.
The next day, when Li Zhenhai had no time, Zhang Xifei took his little daughter Li Guilan. Li Guilan recalled: "She said Mei Lanfang was here, and I'll take you there. It turned out to be our friend, so I took you to see your uncle. Well, I'm small and curious. Just say I'll go. In Taiyuan Street, is it Liaoning Hotel? "
In order to meet Mei Lanfang, Zhang Xifeng specially asked her neighbor to write a cover letter. The day after the application letter was sent, Zhang Xifeng went with Li Guilan, who was only 17 years old.
According to Li Guilan's memory, the meeting was held in a large living room upstairs. Their mother and daughter went to mention it, someone reported it, and then they came down to pick them up.
According to Li Youcai's brother and sister, Zhang Xifeng not only met Mei Lanfang, but also arranged a job for Zhang Xifeng. Is Zhang Xi really Fengxian Xiao? Why did Mei Lanfang help her? In the memorabilia of Liaoning Hotel, we can see that Mei Lanfang lived here in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, but there is no record that Mei Lanfang met Zhang Xifei.
Search seems to have reached a dead end again. However, the reporter got a valuable news: Mei Lanfang's son Mei Baojiu also came to Shenyang. He may know some details of that year. When the reporter finally contacted Mei Baojiu, Mr. Mei Baojiu said that although he came to Shenyang to perform with his father, he was too young to go to see Zhang Xifei with his father.
Is this the only clue that is so broken? In this case, whether Zhang Xifeng is Fengxian Xiao has become an unsolved mystery. With the idea of trying, the reporter found the Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall in Beijing. Although there is no meeting record yet, fortunately, the reporter heard about a man named Wu Ying, who is said to know something.
On the recommendation of Mei Baojiu, the reporter found Wu Ying, vice president of Mei Lanfang Art Research Association. At the age of seventy, he grew up with Mei Baojiu and knew the Mei family well. Xu Jichuan, Mei Lanfang's secretary, wrote a picture of Wu Ying's home when he returned to his hometown in his early years. At that time, Wu Ying heard a very important inside story, which can prove that Zhang Xi is not Fengxian Xiao.
Wu Ying recalled: "When he wrote his memoirs, he talked about many things. One of them talked about Fengxian Xiao, so I was impressed because I was very sensitive. I said why I didn't hear it. "
Wu Ying took out two long-cherished documents, one is Xu Jichuan's memoir "Xu Jichuan Walking in the Art Circle", and the other is the application letter mentioned by Li Guilan, which is very consistent with the records in "Walking in the Art Circle".
It says, "195 1 year, Mei Lanfang Troupe performed in Shenyang." One day, the public relations department sent a white letter, but her name aroused everyone's interest. She used to live in Shaanxi Lane, Beijing. Zhang changed her name to Zhang Xifei. "
At this time, Zhang Xi, who has been anonymous, signed Fengxian Xiao directly. Does she already care that others know her former identity?
Wu Ying explained, "She will never care. If she cared, she wouldn't be so famous. "
The book even records: "In order to know the news of Cai from Ban Lai Jin, I agreed to talk to her in advance."
Wu Ying said, "Uncle Xu told me that they had discussed it in advance. Teacher Mei said that I didn't know her well, so I met her once. How can I meet a 54-year-old middle-aged woman casually? A lot of things are inappropriate. Uncle Xu is a scholar. He is a writer. He is very interested, so he can speak very well. Teacher Mei will listen. Teacher Mei came out to give Fengxian Xiao a face, and Mrs. Mei was there, so I met him. "
Real insider [/s2/]
Cai E's life after she left was very clear, but before she met Cai E? What kind of life experience has she had? Who are her parents? Why did she fall into the dust?
Wu Ying told reporters: "She 1898 was born in Hangzhou. Her mother is a concubine of a wealthy businessman in Hangzhou. Later, her first wife abused concubines. She left home with Fengxian Xiao and a wet nurse. After leaving, her mother died, and she died when she was very young. The nurse instructed Fengxian Xiao to live independently. That's hard. The nurse's surname is Zhang, just like Zhang. 13 years old, the nurse took her to Nanjing to sing Peking Opera. Later, she gradually went to Shanghai and sang in Shanghai. She arrived in Beijing around 19 16. Shaanxi Lane in Beijing was a red light district at that time. Fengxian Xiao and her nanny live in Shaanxi Lane and sing together. It was there that Fengxian Xiao met General Cai E. "
How can two people fall in love at first sight? One is an ill-fated woman, and the other is a general who commands thousands of troops. Just like in the movie, the revolution brought two people together. Is it true?/You don't say. /You don't say.
Wu Ying said: "It is wrong to say that Cai E and Fengxian Xiao had political ambitions to overthrow Yuan Shikai from the very beginning. They didn't, because Cai E was really in a gathering class, and that prostitute class was called gathering class. " After seeing Fengxian Xiao in the party class, he was fascinated. This is a fact, not because of the revolution. Uncle Xu told me that he knew it very well. He said that this kind of thing is very suspense now. No, it's not true. The fact is that he likes Fengxian Xiao very much. Of course, Fengxian Xiao suffered from this discrimination since he was a child, and his life was very poor. So she really has a curiosity and yearning for these new things, so she can have a good talk with Cai E. "
In Elysium
As for Fengxian Xiao's helping Cai E escape, the movie "Biography of Ji, Tan Yi Manlu" said that they were pretending to get married, but the gossip said that Cai E's classmates in Japan planned Cai E's escape plan. So, which statement is correct? The record of 2008 may be closer to the history of that year.
In the year of Art Road, Fengxian Xiao recalled: "It was Zhang Ban's birthday, and people came and went in the yard. I found the North House for sighing. He has his back to the window and his face to the mirror. His coat and fur hat are hung on the hanger, and his pocket watch is on the round table. In order to calculate the accurate time. Sighing and drinking, he could see the detective team and movement outside from the mirror. We also removed the veil from the window and replaced it with paper blinds, which were deliberately rolled up to let outsiders see the situation in the house through the glass. It was estimated that Shu Tianjin's car was leaving, so he stood up and went out, pretending to be bored. There was a lot of noise in the court. He left Sakaguchi Jiyun and walked to the station. When he left, his coat was still on the hanger and his pocket watch was not taken away. The detective team thinks he will come back after urinating. Then Liu Ma put down the paper curtain, so that people outside don't know whether the people inside are still there. These are all arranged in advance. "
After Yuan Shikai was overthrown, General Cai E did not travel around the world with Fengxian Xiao, nor did he indulge in landscapes. Ten months after Yuan Shikai's death, the hero who rebuilt the country died of throat disease. It is said that a couplet was left at General Cai's memorial service: "Unfortunately, it is short-lived. I know that Li Jing is a hero. "
Wu Ying said: "After Cai E's death, Fengxian Xiao was still doing his original job, proving that Cai E didn't give Fengxian Xiao much money, otherwise she wouldn't have done so."
Wu Lao's explanation has a flavor of keeping pace with the times. However, before the establishment of People's Republic of China (PRC), how did Fengxian Xiao appear in the northeast of China? It is said that Fengxian Xiao came to the northeast of China through marriage. He married a teacher named Wang Yukui from the northeast of China, and then came to Shenyang together. Later, Wang Yukui was imprisoned for selling opium and later died. After that, he left the Wang family and lived incognito among the people.
Li Guilan said, "We live in the alley of Daximen and Tianguangdian Cinema. My father always likes listening to stories, so they know each other. "
At that time, Li Zhenhai worked as a boiler worker in the Northeast People's Government. His wife died a few years ago, leaving four children. Life is relatively difficult. In such a family, Fengxian Xiao, alias Zhang Xifei, are you happy? She once had a legendary marriage with General Cai E. Can she live such a hard life with a boiler worker?
Li Youcai recalled, "Zhang Xi is not that person. He is good at coaxing people and husbands. My father couldn't say anything at that time. They always take a walk together after work and go out for a walk together. We live in Daxiguan, and there is a small market at the gate. What are you doing in a small market? In the cinema, there are storytellers, opera singers, Westerners and wrestlers. She can stay there listening to the drums. Sometimes I don't cook at home when I come back, and it's not smooth to go out to eat. "
According to the description, Fengxian Xiao's life in recent years is ordinary, even pitiful, but it can be seen that she is in a happy mood. Like others, Fengxian Xiao lives a happy life in New China.
Li Youcai told reporters that if something happened in the street, she would go out and dance yangko. At that time, the new government was established, and she took part in yangko outside.
The reporter took a photo of Fengxian Xiao after he took part in the work. In the photo, he is wearing Lenin's winter clothes and has two badges hanging on his chest, one of which reads "Northeast People's Government".
Wu Ying commented, "Fengxian Xiao is in a good mood in this society, so she still wants to sing and play in her fifties, which shows that she still has feelings for what she learned as a child." Most people think I'm trapped in a trap where eight generations live under one roof. I'm singing. No one better know I did it. It hurts to think about it. Fengxian Xiao is not like this, which shows that she is really a character. "
1954, Fengxian Xiao died in the northern suburb of Shenyang at the age of 54 due to cerebellar atrophy for one year. General draws his sword, and I am willing to be the flag of Changfeng. Fengxian Xiao changed from a chivalrous woman who helped General Cai E rebuild the Republic to an ordinary woman who lived in an ordinary street, and finally lost her fragrance. This is Fengxian Xiao's last story!