There is a Pang Fahe in Baishitun, who is more than ten years older than me. The family was poor, and he went out to serve as a soldier to earn a bowl of food.

He first went to the Seventh Route Army of the Kuomintang and fought with the Seventh Route Army for a year. A year later, he asked someone to write a letter to his family, saying that he had called the Communist Eighth Route Army prisoner, and now he was the Eighth Route Army.

At that time, there were not many literate people in Baishitun. Whoever comes with a letter will find a literate person to read it. The Pang family later received a letter and found someone who was not very literate.

Fa and Niang said: "Big child, my family has sent a letter, saying that it is a letter from your second brother, and you read it to me." ”

The eldest child opened the letter, did not know a few words, he saw that there were "cow", "west" and "sheng" in it, and thought that he had given the cow and things, which was a promotion. He said: "Auntie, my second brother has been promoted on the side of the Eighth Route Army. ”

The family was overjoyed, and Fa Heniang saw who told whom: "My son has been promoted in the Eighth Route Army." ”

The boss of the Pang family also told people: "My brother is an official outside." ”

The family was happy for many days.

After many days, a well-learned person came to the Pang family, who was the uncle of Fa and Yuanmen. Fa He Niang said: "Big brother, Fa He has sent a letter, and the eldest child gave me a message that day, and Fa He was promoted." You are a good learner, read it to me, how big an official is he? ”

After reading the letter, the uncle didn't say anything and cried.

Fa Heniang asked, "Why are you crying?" How big an official are we doing? ”

The uncle said: "Fahe is gone, sacrificed, not promoted, but killed in battle." ”

Fa Heniang's face was sallow, she was stunned for a while, and then she cried loudly, and the whole family cried.

Uncle Fa and Uncle didn't eat and left.

Walking outside the door, many people asked this distant uncle: "Fahe is an official, why are the family crying?" ”

The learned man said, "That's a notice of sacrifice, and the sacrifice means that this person is gone." ”

Fa Heniang dragged a long voice and cried and said: "Son, my poor son, you can't see anyone alive, you can't see a corpse when you die, why is your life so bitter?" My son, I won't see you again in my life, my poor son! ”

Fa and Niang didn't eat or drink, her voice was hoarse, and she was still crying.

The next day, Fa He's mother asked Fa He's father to buy a small coffin with the boss, found someone to write a tablet for Fa He, put it in the coffin, and buried a small grave.

Later, during the Qingming Festival, July 15, and before the Chinese New Year, Fa and his mother went to burn paper, and then went home after crying enough. The township ** also hung a sign of the glorious martyr's family to the Pang family.

After the founding of New China, Fa He sent a letter, but the family didn't believe it, and after being dead for so many years, how could he write it?

The Pang family found someone to write a reply and asked, "Are you Fahe?" If you are really Fahe, write back and indicate what your nickname is and what your brother's name is. ”

Fa He replied: "Why are you asking something useless? What is my brother's name, I still don't know? My nickname is three shrimps, and I often can't eat enough at home, and my waist is bent. I don't bend my waist now. Now that there is no war, I will be arranged to work as a worker in a flour mill in Shanxian County. ”

The Pang family looked for someone to read the letter, and they were overjoyed.

The next day, the eldest of the Pang family went to Shanxian County to see his brother, and Fa He's father picked up his son's grave, pushed the coffin home in a small cart, split the fire, and leveled the grave.

Two days later, the boss of the Pang family came back and said, "It's really my brother, he's still alive." ”

Fa and his father asked: "Why didn't he send a letter to his family for so many years?" ”

The boss said: "He can't read and write, and he has to write letters with pen, ink and letterhead, and when he fights, where will he go to fix those things?" ”

The family asked, "What's the matter with the sacrifice notice?" ”

"Their team is named before every battle, and they are called after the battle. He had an awkward relationship with the captain and went out to fight and went to another team. There was no one for naming, thinking he was dead. ”

Fa and Niang asked: "When will the second child come back?" ”

"I'll be back for the New Year."

In the Spring Festival of 1950, Pang Fa and Zhen returned.

Fa Heniang saw her son crying again: "My poor son! I thought I wouldn't see you again in my life! ”