Excerpted from Wang's Women in the Republic of China: Aquilaria in the Depth of Time, Oriental Publishing House.
1915 10 10/0 month10, Cai E and Fengxian Xiao joined hands to make a "great change", completely breaking free from the fetters of Yuan Shikai. A few hours after Cai E disappeared, the spies felt something was wrong. Naturally, Liu Chengyu, Zhang Shaoceng and Ding Huai were questioned. Fengxian Xiao is the most suspicious because Cai E has an appointment with her. However, the spies chased after each other, but all to no avail. They had to lie that Fengxian Xiao sent Cai E to Fengtai by mule cart, but I was afraid that he would go south to perfunctory. Liu Chengyu and others also trumpeted Fengxian Xiao's chivalry to hide people's eyes and ears. As a result, the kind words about taking General Cai away are getting more and more bizarre.
After Cai E left Beijing, Fengxian Xiao was even more lazy to dress up. He simply closes the door and reads the newspaper every day, only caring about the whereabouts of his lover. She finally received a letter from Cai E, saying that she was defending her country and reviving the army, and her sore throat and insomnia were getting worse. Now she shoulders the heavy responsibility of Sichuan government affairs and military affairs, and the burden off her shoulders is very heavy. Only with hard support, when everything is ready, will she send someone to meet her in Beijing.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Fengxian Xiao learned from the newspaper that it was his wife Pan Huiying and his son Cai Duan who accompanied Cai E to Japan for medical treatment, and he was very sad. At this time, she can't accompany her lover in the morning and evening, making soup and feeding medicine, but she can only hang in an anxious mood, hoping for a miracle. She is really anxious. Until this year (1916)11.8, Cai E died in Fukuoka Hospital, Kyushu.
Cai E died young, Fengxian Xiao was heartbroken, and a pair of bosom friends in the world of mortals left forever. The whole country mourned the bad news. At that time, the National Government chose to hold a public sacrifice in Beijing Central Park. Fengxian Xiao is wearing a white dress, and she is very sad. Among thousands of people, she cries the most.
Fengxian Xiao won the hero's love, but he didn't enjoy the joy of the world. Fortunately, his fame and Cai E's fame have been immortal. Heroes and beautiful women are the best in the world, and you should not simply judge who has achieved who.
Because of Cai E's love, Fengxian Xiao became famous in the eight hutongs. Vanity Fair losers rushed to gather in classes and were willing to pay a lot of money, hoping to get a warm night in Fengxian Xiao and win the love of Cai E's "brothers in the same boots", who were chivalrous, courageous and arrogant, and regarded money as dirt. How could she ruin her love with Cai E and damage Cai E's reputation? From then on, she didn't care about lead China, didn't touch silk or bamboo, kept quiet, was willing to be poor and lonely, and even lived among the people, where she disappeared for a long time and never heard from her again.
195 1 In the spring of, Mei Lanfang went to Shenyang to perform and stayed in the guest house of the Government Communication Department. One day, the janitor sent a beautiful note, signed by Fengxian Xiao, who had been missing for more than 30 years.
Comrade Mei: I am now working as a nanny in Zhang Jianzhong, the output department of Northeast Statistics Bureau. If I don't give up, I want to talk to you.
Mei Lanfang certainly remembers Fengxian Xiao's name. He once praised his field. At that time, she was with a well-proportioned general Cai E. After Mei Lanfang read the note, she immediately asked the secretary Xu Jichuan to make an appointment with Fengxian Xiao. The next day, Fengxian Xiao arrived as promised. She was dressed simply, with a haggard face and gray hair. She is in her fifties, and she is old. But she is quite talkative, telling Mei Lanfang about her early life experiences and how to get to know General Cai E and help him escape from the jaws of death. When she talked about General Cai's war to defend the country, he was very ill and died in Fukuoka, Japan, and she burst into tears. Mei Lanfang asked her later life experience with concern. She is full of feelings. She has been in exile for 30 years and suffered greatly. First, she married a teacher of the Northeast Army. After the teacher died in the Anti-Japanese War, she married a worker and now lives in poverty. Mei Lanfang listened to Fengxian Xiao's words, and her heart was full of sadness. He whispered comfort way:
"I will discuss your life with the Communication Office, and the people's government will certainly take care of you."
"I think it is the most glorious to eat by labor. When the Northeast was liberated, I worked in a clothing factory and always worked as a nanny. "
Mei Lanfang hosted a banquet for Fengxian Xiao and gave her some money when she left. After Mei Lanfang returned to Beijing, she received a letter from Fengxian Xiao, thanking him for his kindness and generous help, and informing her of her recent situation:
Director Li of the Mongolian Exchange Office introduced that he is a health worker of the Northeast People's Government School. ..... My future is bright. Thanks to Comrade Mei's help, I am where I am today.
There is a saying that "beauty has been a star since ancient times, and it is forbidden to see bald heads on earth." If Fengxian Xiao hadn't fallen to this point, how could she appear in front of others for help? That heroic and beautiful love affair, that romantic love affair, left a lot of talk for future generations, and also left a lot of feelings: "Only tragedy can gild love." This human law has never failed, and Cai E and Fengxian Xiao are no exception!