Be praised when you're there, and miss when you're gone.

- Buyi proverb

In mid-July 1934, Niu Zhanchuan and other young officers of about 280 people followed Ma Ying, accompanied by the Soviet representative and the secretary of the Soviet Consulate in Kashgar, Konstantinov, and others, led a camel team composed of more than 30 camels, carrying a large amount of gold and silver, set off from Kashgar, along the Kizilsu River to the west, through Ucha, Kangsu, Urukchati, Jigen, and then along the gorge between Kyziltau and Kirkkungaitau, which is more than 3,000 meters above sea level, and went out of the canyon to the southwest. Arriving in Simhana, a Kirgiz village in the far west of China, a north-south Irkeshtan River blocked the way. This is the Simhana crossing.

Niu Zhanchuan turned around and looked at the motherland that was about to leave, his heart was surging and emotional. Little did he know at the time that the land he set foot on was once the homeland of his predecessors.

At 3 p.m., they crossed the Sino-Soviet border and entered Irkeshtan, the Kyrgyz republic of the Soviet Union, the land of the Khorezm Empire 600 years ago.

600 years ago, a large number of Saltars such as Ali, Abbas, and Ayisha passed through this level. More than 100 Salur people, including Galemang, Ahmang, and Hassan, passed through this checkpoint. Many Hui people such as the Saidianchi family have passed this pass. They all went from here to the Central Plains Han Land.

60 years ago, the Shaanxi-Gansu rebel army led by Bai Yanhu entered the territory of Russia and passed through this checkpoint.

Today, Ma Ying, Niu Zhanchuan and others entered the territory of the Soviet Union and passed through this checkpoint.

History is like a clever director, constantly performing a strikingly similar scene in this ordinary port. Every time the curtain rises and falls, blood and tears are sprinkled on every corner of the stage.

After Niu Zhanchuan and others entered the territory of the Soviet Union, they were immediately disarmed by Soviet personnel from carrying weapons, and then sent to Andijan, a historical city in Central Asia, and then took a long train to Moscow, the capital of the Soviet Union.

The Soviet side placed Niu Zhanchuan and others in a large hotel 7 or 8 kilometers away from the city of Moscow. He, like an ordinary officer, lived in a room for two people. Ma Ying's residence is of a higher specification and is a separate suite.

Ma Ying attached great importance to his studies, and visited factories, farms, and schools with his entourage, and then went to study at an air force school, but no one was allowed to go out without the permission of the Soviet side, which was no different from house arrest.

In Kashgar, Xinjiang, Ma Ying's brother-in-law, Ma Hushan, was very worried about Ma Ying's personal safety. Soon after, he sent Zhang Mengjiu, the chief of the military quartermaster, and others to Turkey via India, obtained passports through the Soviet Embassy in Turkey, and then transferred them from Turkey to the Soviet Union. Zhang Mengjiu and others met with their Commander Ga in Moscow and excitedly reported to him the recent situation of the 36th Division.

The following year, Ma Hushan sent Ma Shenggui to Moseli to visit Ma Ying and others.

Half a year later, Ma Shenggui returned to Kashgar. He not only brought with him a Soviet anti-epidemic team, movie projectors, gramophones, etc., but also a recording of Commander Ga's speech to all the officers and men of the 36th Division.

Ma Hushan immediately summoned the cadres of the whole division, gathered in the small auditorium, and listened carefully to Ma Ying's speech:

"Dear comrades, comrades who share weal and woe, life and death, I greet you all for your hard work. It's been two years since I left you, and I miss you so much. However, now because my affairs are very complicated and my responsibilities are very heavy, it is not convenient for me to meet with you. So I'm here to talk to you.

First, since I parted with you in Kashgar, I have been fighting for the 36th Division every day, working for the welfare of the people, and working for the future of the great revolution. The 36th Division has been secured, has a great future, embarked on an upright political line, and has its own territory and fields. This is the purpose and cornerstone of my life's leadership in the struggle of the people.

Second, now I will lead the athletes of the 36th Division, the vanguard of the people in the northwest, on a bright and happy track. In the near future, the officers and men of the 36th Division and your local parents will certainly be able to shake off the shackles of the old society and the oppression of the old forces, and will be able to live a happy life for mankind. Comrades! It's not a fantasy, it's practical. Comrades, all of you are witnesses who understand my position. Did I go the counter-revolutionary line in the past? No, there is none. So, I'll give you a few practical examples of this problem, and you can recall it.

Third, I led the oppressed people in the three provinces of Gansu, Ningqing, and Qinghai to fight against the evil warlords for several years, did I ever betray the people? Naturally, there is none. You all know it in detail, so I don't need to go into it......

Fourth, comrades! China's current situation is approaching with an approaching external threat, its internal affairs are becoming increasingly corrupt, and traitors are shamelessly betraying the country. Japanese imperialism has no impunity in encroaching on our territory. The Northwest has also reached a critical juncture. We have to prepare for the war of resistance! If you are negative, you will be a slave to the country!

Comrades, soon, the division commander will lead everyone to advance towards the bright road! ”

Hot tears flowed from the faces of the cadres of Ma Hushan and the 36th Division......

In the eastern part of Qinghai Province there is a river called Huangshui. It originates in Baohutu Mountain in Haiyan County, flows through Xining, Ledu, Minhe and other counties and cities, and joins the Yellow River at the mouth of the Dachuan Xigu River in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, with a total length of 370 kilometers, and is the largest tributary of the upper reaches of the Yellow River.

The Huangshui flows between the canyon and the basin, forming a bead-shaped river valley, including Bayan Gorge, Zamaron Gorge, Xiaoxia, Laoya Gorge and Xining Basin, Datong Basin, Ledu Basin, Minhe Basin.

The main stream basin of Huangshui in Qinghai Province covers an area of 16,100 square kilometers, accounting for 2.4% of the total area of Qinghai Province, but the population living there accounts for 57% of the total population of the province, and the cultivated land area also accounts for 49% of the total cultivated land area of the province.

Huangshui is the cradle of the continuation and reproduction of the life of plateau people from generation to generation, and it is also a golden ribbon connecting the mainland and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Ibrahim's family, who live in Xining on the banks of the Huangshui River, live a happy life.

Ibrahim politely declined Ma Lin's invitation to make him an official, but only did some business for the Ma Lin family, and with his good character and prestige in the religious and business circles, he often mediated the entanglement between businessmen and parishioners.

Han Sophie gave birth to two sons, Jianshan and Jinshan, in 1932 and 1934, forming a family of seven with five children.

In his spare time, Ibrahim would take his wife and children on horse-drawn carriage excursions to the countryside.

They visited Ta'er Monastery, one of the six major monasteries of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism in Lushaer Town, Huangzhong County, and admired the pagodas, halls, scripture halls, butter flowers, pile embroidery and murals there.

They also visited the Shixia Qingfeng, Jin'e Dawn, Wenfeng Towering Cui, Fengtai Liuyun, Longchi Moonlit Night, Huangliu Spring Rise, Wufeng Waterfall and Beishan Smoke and Rain, which are known as the Eight Scenic Spots of Xining.

The magnificent Qinghai landscape and the rich and colorful customs have broadened their horizons and deeply imprinted the concept of loving their hometown and the motherland in their minds.

Gong Guoyuan's hometown is also on the banks of the Huangshui River, 30 kilometers east of Xining. In 1929, when Qinghai was established as a province, Nianbo County was divided into two. The 21 castles outside Lao Ya Gorge are designated as Minhe County, and the rest belong to the newly established Ledu County.

The water they use to cook, drink, wash clothes, and water the land all year round comes from the Huangshui River.

Gong Kaiyuan has a weak personality, few words, not good at farming, and has studied in a private school for a few years since he was a child, so he inherited the Gong family's tradition of liking literature and ink, and made a living by teaching literacy to the children of ordinary people.

Gong Kaiyuan, who entered adulthood, was ordered by his parents to marry Wang Tianying, a descendant of Wang Chen and the daughter of the Wang family of the Nanshan Tiger Wolf Den.

Wang Tianying, medium height, fair skin, and faintly visible capillaries on her face. Although she grew up in the northwest with a strong feudal atmosphere, she is different from ordinary women, with a bold and pungent personality, and she speaks and does things neatly.

The Gong family took a fancy to this characteristic of her, and in order to make up for their son's kindness, simplicity and introversion, they were willing to spend a lot of money to marry Wang Tianying.

In August 1932, Wang Tianying gave birth to a white and fat boy for the Gong family.

The Gong family was very happy. First, the firstborn is a boy, which indicates that the incense of the Gong family is vigorous. The second is that the child's eyebrows and eyes are handsome and cute, which is very rare (like). Gong Kaiyuan thought to himself, hoping that this child could continue the happiness and auspiciousness of the Gong family, so he gave him the name Gong Lianchao.

In the month of 1935, the northwest wind carried the overwhelming snow, turning Ledu into a silvery world. Gong Kaiyuan held the 3-year-old Gong Lianchao in his arms, pushed open the door, looked at the snow in the yard, and said to his son: "The snow is a good year." As the saying goes, don't complain about the snow in the cold winter, and all that falls is noodles and rice. ”

At this time, he heard someone knocking vigorously on the courtyard door outside, so he walked over and saw through the crack in the door a woman dressed as a Hui Hui holding a dustpan of charcoal in her right hand and a little boy of four or five years old in her left hand.

The woman who returned to the house saw Gong Kaiyuan and said in a loud voice: "Big brother, the Nao people are immigrants from Minhe County. The fire in the house is extinguished, and the house is so cold that it can't be done, so please take a fire. ”

Gong Kaiyuan took out the foreign fire in his pocket, handed it to the returning woman, and said, "There is still half a box of foreign fire here in Nao, you can use it." ”

The woman took the fire, thanked her repeatedly, and then took the child away.

Wang Tianying asked loudly in the room, "Who are you talking to?" It's so cold outside, hurry up and bring Lian Chao in...... Oops, Nau's stomach is starting to hurt, I'm afraid I'm going to give birth. Kaiyuan, hurry up and call a midwife. ”

Gong Kaiyuan hurriedly returned to the house, handed his son over to his parents sitting in the side room on the right, put on cotton clothes and ran out of the house.

He went up the high slope along the dirt road behind the courtyard, and around a few courtyards, he came to a house that looked like it had been newly built. He ran to the door only to find a brass lock hanging from the door.

Broken! The midwife is not at home. What can I do?

At this time, a woman came out of a hut next to a Hui. The woman who returned recognized Gong Kaiyuan, who had just lent her a foreign fire, immediately greeted her and said, "Big brother, the midwife went to Ping'an Post to see her relatives, and she won't be able to come back for a while." Do you have something to do with her? ”

Gong Kaiyuan shook his head helplessly and said: "The daughter-in-law of the family is going to give birth to a baby recently, and the midwife and the midwife two days ago are the twentieth day of the first month, and today is only the sixteenth day of the lunar month. Nau went to Nanguan to find a midwife. ”

The woman who returned to the country asked, "It will take you half an hour to go back and forth to Nanguan, I'm afraid it's too late, right?" ”

Gong Kaiyuan was so anxious that he slapped his face, muttering in his mouth: "What can I do?" What can I do? ”

The woman who replied said, "Big brother, you're in a hurry! Nau will deliver Gawa. Nau went home and took the baggage with him, and he was there right away. You go back and boil a big pot of boiling water first. ”

Gong Kaiyuan was so happy when he heard this, he ran home.

Gong Kaiyuan returned home, put the iron pot on the stove with a fire, and poured a large wooden bucket of water into the pot.

The woman came in with a blue bag. She quickly took off the black cotton jacket on her body, threw it on the antique chair, turned around and walked into the side room, talking to Wang Tianying while busy packing up her things.

The main house of the Gong family belongs to the typical traditional layout of the Hehuang area: when you enter the main entrance, a picture of a pine crane is hung in the center of the facing wall. On either side of the painting is a couplet. The upper link is blessed with the spring of the East China Sea, and the lower link is the new autumn color of Shoubi Nanshan. Underneath the scroll is an antique square table with no paint removed. On either side of the square table are two antique chairs, also unpainted.

Turning to the right of the main house is a bedroom, which is usually occupied by the elderly. Turning to the left is also a bedroom, mostly occupied by the younger generation.

Gong Kaiyuan boiled the water, poured it back into the wooden bucket, and then moved from the kitchen to the bedroom on the left, then walked into the bedroom on the right, and picked up Lian Chao, who was playing on the hot kang.

After the old mother handed over Lian Chao to Gong Kaiyuan, she quickly got off the kang and took out a crockpot, took out the brown sugar stored in it, soaked a pot of brown sugar water and put it on the square table in the main house, and then hurriedly got into the chicken coop next to the kitchen, grabbed a fat old hen, walked to the kitchen in a few steps, picked up the kitchen knife on the board, slaughtered the hen three times and five by two, and then plucked the feathers, broke the chamber, rinsed, chopped into pieces, threw it into the pot with water, pulled up the bellows, and stewed it over high heat.

At this time, the faint cry of a baby came from the side room.

Gong Kaiyuan's mother muttered: "Seven lives and eight don't live." This Gava is eight months old, and I'm afraid she won't live for a few days. ”

The woman who delivered the baby came out and told Gong Kaiyuan: "Congratulations! gave birth to a girl. ”

Gong Kaiyuan looked at the snowflakes fluttering outside the house, and said: "This girl was born in Layue, and she was born prematurely, so let's just call Lamei." I hope that she will fight in the wind and snow like Lamei and grow up healthily. ”

Although Lamei was an 8-month-old premature baby and was relatively weak when she was born, under the careful care of Gong Kaiyuan, Wang Tianying and her grandparents, her body was getting better and growing up healthily.

Later, Wang Tianying successively gave birth to three daughters for the Gong family: Yingchun, Xia He, and Qiu Ju. The people of the Gong family gradually prospered, and they had the three treasures that ordinary people hoped for: chickens flying, dogs jumping, and dolls making trouble.

Gong Lianchao has been very sensible since he was a child, helping his parents grow vegetables, chop wood, burn kang, etc.

Lamei helps her grandmother and mother take care of her younger sisters.

Lian Chao and Lamei inherited their father's weak and introverted character, moved slowly, didn't like to talk much, and worked silently all day long.

Wang Tianying's own personality is strong, but the personalities of the children she gave birth to follow her husband's personality are very uncomfortable, and she is not satisfied with what they do, and she is always urging and scolding loudly. Therefore, it was always Wang Tianying's voice that came out of the Gong family's compound, as if she was the only one in the Gong family.

With the development of the times and the gradual progress of various undertakings in the northwest, public primary schools have been opened in Ledu County and nearby villages and towns, and the tuition fees are not too expensive, and ordinary people can basically afford it, so they send their children to public schools to study.

As a result, Gong Kaiyuan lost a stable income. He also couldn't farm, and the number of people in his family increased year by year, and the economy became strained. He had no choice but to leave Ledu County, carry a bag of books and pen and ink, and go to the remote and poor Beishan to teach, earning some silver to support the family business.