The Tale Never Ends Chapter 185 Headway

The development in Yahong Bridge in that era was not anyone could easily comprehend. The city today was but a mere shadow of its former glory, which could well be attributed to the auspicious aura given off by the Dragon-slaying Blade when it was kept by Bian Dashou there. But on the other hand, one had to give the old historian great credit for his detailed and meticulous work.

Some of the records even doc.u.mented various miscellaneous events. Merchant Dong Sixiang moved to rejoin his kin Dong Siyuan at Yahong Bridge after moving from Tonghua Village of Pujiang County in Zhejiang during the reign of Qianlong Emperor. He started a p.a.w.nbroker business and opened a shop named Xingshun p.a.w.nshop.

The Three w.a.n.g Brothers from Shanxi came to the town of Yahong Bridge during the reign of Daoguang Emperor, bringing with them printing methods and vinegar brewing technology, and they operated three stores named Jin Tai, Jin Yuan, and Jin Cheng. The Cao Clan from Hedong District later came to Yahong Bridge and introduced the tanning method.

In the notes made during the second and third years of Guangxu Emperor's reign, there was an entry about repairs made at the Temple of the Fire G.o.d. The entry also mentioned about three long-standing enterprises of the Cao Clan of Hedong, three stores selling fur pelts called De Shun, Wan Shun, Yong Shun. These three trading establishments closed around 1987 when China carried out the reform and opening-up policy. In total, they had a history of 150 years.

The second economic surge for Yahong Bridge came in the early twilight years of the Qing Dynasty, beginning from the Opium War when commodities and products from both the East and the West began flowing into the markets of Yahong Bridge from Tianjin. Prominent goods and commodities introduced from the West included kerosene used to fuel oil lamps, candles, matches, flour for food, foreign currency, socks, even cotton napkins, etc. The bazaars of Yahong Bridge slowly became an agora of blending cultures where West met East, and stores that formerly only retailed began to wholesale items and wares, too, providing storage services in addition to logistical solutions. These stores turned into huge goods depot for merchants from abroad.

By the second year of Guangxu Emperor's rule, Yahong Bridge had various goods depot specializing in grain namely the Dongshenglong, Kuishenglong, Fushun, Yongshun, Gongxing, Fuqing, and many other depositories. Fushun, the depot which was started by Jiang Hao, a prominent veteran of the Revolution, sold at least 700 shi (42,000 kg) of grain yearly. Western influences slowly seeped into Yahong Bridge; a Wan Family from Lijiaqiao town near Beijing came and started a pharmacy that sold both Western and Eastern medicine, and a clothing store was furnished with brick and mortar, a method used only by Western buildings in those days. Churches began to open in the city and the sight of foreigners walking the streets soon became a common scene.

The third economic boom for Yahong Bridge then came during the First United Front. The leaders of the city turned the market into a battlefield of political ideals. In the fall of 1928, a meeting held at the Temple of the Fire G.o.d in Yahong Bridge by several communist members from Yutian County pointed out five main points. Out of the five points, the third was about using the huge crowds at the bazaars of Yahong Bridge to spread the awareness for the ma.s.ses to launch a protest to cut rent, cut interest rates, and cut taxes while opposing the notion of raising taxes and rents to finance military expenditure.

Local political groups used the tremendously crowded market population to incite laborers and dock workers on a strike against low wages. Five to six thousand people from Yahong Bridge and neighboring towns came together as one to protest against taxes and triumphed. Their victory attracted many local lower- and middle-cla.s.s landowners to invest into the development of Yahong Bridge by purchasing real estate. Before long, stores selling pottery, porcelain, gla.s.sware, as well as other modern aesthetical decorations began to appear. Books stores selling New Year woodblock prints, erotic ill.u.s.trations, stationary too opened not long after. Another enterprise started by a family of brothers called Zhang would then move to Yahong Bridge, bringing in the trade of seafood and coloring dyes.

Even Muslims migrated to Yahong Bridge; a Muslim family called Ma was famous for owning the Taihexuan Restaurant. Another Muslim family, Xu, was also well-known for their Lanting Restaurant too. Zhang Baifa, First Deputy Mayor of Beijing once mentioned about his childhood in Yahong Bridge. He was particularly fond of his memories enjoying the fragrant smell of food from the restaurants that lined the street outside his childhood home.

The fourth would come after the economic reforms, when the contract responsibility system was introduced to allow part of the population to thrive following the devastation of the Cultural Revolution. More Western merchandise was seen in Yahong Bridge such as sofas and women's handbags. It marked the beginning of the country's industrialization spurt as factories began to open everywhere and jobs at the factories were readily available for everyone.

The bazaars at Yahong Bridge evolved due to this change in trend; their markets expanded, catering wholly for the entire nation rather than just their local community. Trade activities blazed so expeditiously that there were at least three thousand vendors and merchants operating at the bazaar. The name of Yahong Bridge began synonymous with the prestige of national and even international wholesalers as their network began to stretch beyond China's border's and this was shown in various nomenclature of local infrastructure and products. Futuristic brand names bearing the words "Galaxy," "s.p.a.ce," "Shuttle," and many more began to appear, and streets began to sound more modern and avant-garde, namely, the Zhongyang Dajie (Central Avenue), f.u.xing Jie (Restoration Street), Xianggang Jie (Hong Kong Street), Wenhua Lu (Cultural Road), Zhengfa Lu (Lawful Road), Wuzhou Shangmao (the Five Continents Trading Company), Guoji Shangmao Cheng (International Trade City), and so forth. Everyone looked towards the future with hope and fervor and no one was hardly unproud of the stature of Yahong Bridge across the entire country.

But there were also four downturns which could have almost brought the ill.u.s.trious trade city to its knees. The first came during the j.a.panese occupation of Yahong Bridge during the World War. Strict martial law and curfew were enforced and no one was allowed to roam the streets without a pa.s.s by the j.a.panese forces. The second decline occurred when the struggles of capitalist industry and commerce were the grittiest. The third drop happened when trade was being rigorously held by the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives (ACFSMC). In their ardent ferocity to move toward the socialist market economy, the ACFSMC became the main channel of goods and commodity circulation in Chinese villages and the economy was suffocated. Finally, the fourth economic slump for Yahong Bridge took place when regulated socialist markets were finally implemented and any shred of capitalism was frowned upon by the state and the nation. The great bazaar of Yahong Bridge, with its beating heart of commerce suffocated, became a shade of its former splendor, when the once-bustling trade city had fallen into a ghost city with virtually nothing to be offered for sale.

The creases and wrinkles of the old man seemed to have momentarily vanished as his tale of Yahong Bridge's history went on. He was so lively and energetic with the chance to tell his story, like a little boy whose face was brightened with zeal and pa.s.sion. The things that he told us were rich in so much detail that no textbook could have been able to provide. With my flames of hope rekindled, I asked, my fists clenched with excitement and antic.i.p.ation, "Senior, have you ever heard of a Bian Family and their ancestral burial grounds?" With a beat of silence, the old man thought and answered, "Nope. But I have seen something about it before in the Wu Zhong online forum. It was a news article from the 30s. It spoke about three persons in the Ming Dynasty, all of whom shared the same given name "Dashou." I've heard before the name Zu Dashou, but I can't say the same for Bian Dashou!" "Very well, where was the actual Yahong Bridge located at last time?" "Somewhere not far north from the concrete and mortar bridge today!" With that, we said our thanks to the old historian and we shook his hands, feeling grateful for his invaluable information.

On the way back, Mr. Zhang asked, "So, what do you think with the information he just told you? Do you think it'll help?" "Of course! The old historian has much to offer. Moreover, historians only accept proven findings which are backed with evidence, so we can be sure of the information he provided. What's more, the information he has dated from the period of Jiajing Emperor of Ming to Kangxi Emperor of Qing. This is exactly the time frame we need."

Back at the Center, our discussion continued when Lin Feng suddenly remembered a detail that we had long omitted. "Did you remember old Chen Yixuan's story? Two army commanders were charged by the imperial court to set up a ranch somewhere to the south of the burial grounds as a pretense to observe them. That place was formerly burial grounds for a Feng Family and they were forced to move somewhere south, and the horse ranch was called the Dafeng Zhuang (Great Feng Ranch)! It's now a village and I know where it is! We can go there and ask around! I should have thought of this earlier!" He giggled at his own carelessness.

We went to Dafeng Zhuang the next day. But to our regret, the whole village consisted mostly of families bearing the surname Zhang or Lei; they could be the descendants of the two army commanders who set up the ranch. We spoke to a few more elders but not one of them knew anything about the Bian Family burial grounds or the secret imperial edict given to their ancestors to keep the Bian Family under close watch! Our lead had yielded nothing yet again!

We went back to the Center again and Aunt Fen and Mr. Zhang were there. They had borrowed a projector and a white screen from one of the cla.s.srooms at the Inst.i.tute. I connected the projector to my computer and laid out a larger version of the map on the screen which could help us study more thoroughly.

I looked at the map and narrated absentmindedly, "So there's the Dafeng Zhuang in the north and the old bridge in the south. That leaves only four villages that lasted since the ancient times: the Xiaoliu Zhuang (Little Liu Ranch), Miao Jiazhuang (Miao Family Village), Li Jia Zhuang (Li Family Village), and w.a.n.gjia Hutong (w.a.n.g Family Back Street). What happened then must have happened somewhere near these villages and the river. We cannot be sure which village Master Six's family was from, but we know for sure that his family sold guns! If only we could..." I was still speaking when Lin Feng slammed the table suddenly with a hand and he stood up at once, screaming, "I KNOW IT!"

Every pair of eyes in the darkened room stared at him. Lin Feng slapped his own head, yelling loudly, "I should have thought of this earlier too!" "Spit it out!" Aunt Fen hissed impatiently, "Quit keeping it to yourself!" "Li Jiazhuang (Li Family Village), the village that my family was from had families who made and sold guns!" I sprang up, being unable to contain the contemplation of hope, "How many families were there?" Lin Feng froze. Then he slumped back to his seat slowly, sighing softly, "I don't know... Almost everyone in that village sold guns..."

"Our village was made of smiths and forgers. So almost all the families have guns. Even the soldiers from the Eighth Route Army came to our village to have their guns repaired and maintained!" But he leaped up again, "Wait! But there are only two families with more than six sons!" But just as quickly, he crumbled back into his chair again. "One of the family has eight sons, but the sixth son was just as old as I am... The other also has eight sons, but all eight sons are years beyond Master Six in age... They are almost our father's age..."

"Wait," Aunt Fen spoke suddenly, "Foolish boy! Didn't you tell me that Master Six told his grand-uncle that the latter's father has eight grandchildren? That would mean that the eight offspring are not necessarily of the same branch of the family! The 'eight' is the number of all the children in the entire generation!"

"Oh my G.o.d! You're right!" Lin Feng stammered under his breath, his eyes as wide as golf b.a.l.l.s. He s.n.a.t.c.hed up his phone and called his father. "Father, is there any family in our village which has eight grandchildren in total?" There was a tacit silence as he listened then he clicked off his phone, ending the call. "So?" We asked, almost in unison and all eyes bored down on him. He sighed. "But Father doesn't know... He doesn't know if any families have more than eight grandchildren... Because most of the families in the village bear the same surname Lin! So he doesn't know if how many of the families are actually related to one another..."