Chapter 34: Phoenix Ancient Street

  Xin Yuan didn't leave, after scattering the flowers in his hand, he waited for Lu Sihao on the side. After the last citizen who came to sweep the tomb left, Lu Sihao walked up to him: "Xin Yuan, I didn't expect you could come, thank you!"

  Yu Xin Yuan responded, "I've known you for so many years and yet I had no idea about this past of yours. If Fang Zheng Wu hadn't mentioned it, I would have remained completely in the dark! All these years, why didn't you ever tell me?" Her tone was full of resentment.

  Lu Sihao looked back at the "Green Mound" silently: "That is a wound in my heart, unforgettable and painful to recall, why mention it again and cause that heart-wrenching pain?"

  After the public sacrifice was over, Lu Sihao, as a family member of "Qingzhong", began to do his part. The old tombstone had been smashed in **, and the new white marble tombstone had just been erected, but it hadn't been painted red yet. Lu Sihao took out a brand new brush from his cloth bag, dipped it in cinnabar, and carefully wrote on the tombstone. Lightly and slowly, as if he was drawing eyebrows for his newlywed wife, until all the characters of "Chaste Woman Wang Ruihui's husband Mei Xia's joint burial mound" were fully written, bright and vivid, before standing up and taking a long breath; then took out a towel that had been prepared early, carefully sweeping the edge and tombstone of "Qingzhong", like a considerate husband helping his wife sweep the floor at home.

  Yu Xinfang wanted to go up and help, but was firmly stopped by Lu Siyu.

  Ruth carefully swept the Qingming tomb, still with a reluctant look. Yu Xinfang saw that he was still immersed in nostalgia and wanted to change the subject: "Si Xia, I've been in Leijiang for several months, busy with cases, you're busy teaching, we rarely have the opportunity to talk together, today is Qingming, it's also a good time to go out and enjoy the spring. You should be a good host and take me around Leijiang!"

  "Then I'll accompany you for a walk along the frozen lake!" Ruth suggested.

  Leaving the "Green Mausoleum", in the midst of spring colors, Lu Sihao's mood also gradually brightened up. He accompanied Yu Xin for a stroll while telling the story of Wò Bīng Lake and the legend of "Wáng Xiáng Wò Bīng". In April, Wò Bīng Lake was already crystal clear, occasionally revealing tender green shoots emerging from the water, likely newly sprouted lotus stems. A few dragonflies fluttered around the lake surface, sometimes leaning against the lotus leaves, filled with poetic charm. The cherry blossoms by the lake were in full bloom, accompanied by gentle spring rain, petals falling like snowflakes, landing on tourists' bodies, unsure whether it was flower rain or rain flowers.

  Many people strolling along the lake greeted Lu Sihao, who nodded in response, overwhelmed with greetings.

  Around the lake, they arrived at the "Green Tomb" again. Lu Sihao suddenly discovered that a small flower ring made of willow branches and pagoda flowers had been added to the tombstone, with strings of fresh white pagoda flowers filling the tender green willow branches, emitting the sweet and elegant fragrance unique to pagoda flowers. The flower ring was very fresh and should have been left by someone who came to pay respects recently. On the flower ring was a couplet written on fine silk-like cold gold rice paper: "Spring water ripples fall, floating fragrance all the way to the horizon". The font was elegant and subtle, robust and beautiful, Lu Sihao was an expert in calligraphy, one glance told him it was Wang Xizhi's running script, he knew, it was because Master Yi had come.

  At that time, Ruihui escorted Fang's wife to Cuīyún ān and the two never saw each other again. Because Ruihui joined the "Xuān Fú Class", although Fang's wife could understand Ruihui's helplessness, there was an invisible barrier between them in their hearts. It wasn't until she heard about Ruihui and her daughter's tragic death that Fang's wife, who had already shaved her head and become a nun, suddenly realized that she had misunderstood Ruihui's good intentions. Thinking back to the care that Ruihui and her daughter had shown her in those days, she was deeply grieved and extremely remorseful.

  From then on, Master Liefeng would recite scriptures and offer blessings for the deceased mother and daughter every morning and evening, with a pious heart, praying that their spirits could be reborn in the pure land. Every year during Qingming Festival, she would come to the "Green Tomb" without fail, offering a wreath made by her own hands, expressing a thread of sorrowful thoughts as a worldly sister. Whether it was during the terrifying period of Japanese occupation or the turbulent years of **; whether her identity was that of a young nun or the abbess of the temple.

  Ruth knew that the pagoda flower was her aunt's favorite thing. In the past, every year before and after Qingming Festival, when the pagoda flowers were in full bloom, her aunt would personally steam a lot of pagoda flower cakes and let his mother bring him together to eat. At that time, it was the happiest moment for him and Mei Xia. This private life detail could only be known by relatives as close as sisters, so Master Tai's use of a handmade pagoda flower wreath vividly expressed her deep friendship with Rui Hua and her deep nostalgia.

  A small floral wreath, like a stone, was thrown into the newly calm lake of Ruth's thoughts. Ruth walked over and stroked the couplet, feeling deeply moved. Yu Xin saw that Ruth was again in a distracted state and hastily said: "Let's go back to town instead, you still have many things to do."

  Lü Sīxiá said: "I'm now mainly focusing my energy on reviewing and preparing for the graduation exam at Lei Jiang Middle School, the county leaders are also very considerate of me, they haven't arranged many administrative tasks, mainly just being in charge of restoring the old appearance of Feng Huang Street."

  Although Yu Xin yuan knew little about the relationship between Mei Xia mother and daughter and Lu Si Xiao, that bustling Phoenix Street and the Phoenix Archway standing on the ancient street were all used by Lejiang people to commemorate Lu Si Xiao's parents, this thing he was still clear.

  Walking along Lejiang River for 30 minutes, we arrived at the most prosperous area in the city center - Fanxiu Road and Fangxiu Road, also known as Fenghuang Street back then.

  Although the "Qingzhong" and "Bai Zhong" were preserved by the people of Leijiang at the cost of their lives, the archway on Fenghuang Street was demolished because it had inscriptions such as "Leijiang National Government, 35th year of the Republic of China, winter" and some "rebels" disregarded the facts and ignored the joint guarantee of the people of Leijiang. Under the strict orders of the "Revolutionary Committee", the archway was forcibly demolished as a "traitor's relic" and "feudal remnant". After the demolition of the archway, Fenghuang Street was also renamed, with the site of the archway as the boundary, into "Fanxiu Road" and "Fangxiu Road", two names with strong "**" characteristics.

  After the end of the Cultural Revolution, under the repeated calls and efforts of people with insight from all sides, the county government carefully verified the archives and listened to a large number of opinions from the masses who personally experienced the "Rui Xun couple's fire burning Lu's grain warehouse" heroic deed. With an attitude of seeking truth from facts and respecting history, it corrected the mistakes, thoroughly washed away the "traitor" stigma imposed on this virtuous couple, restored their reputation, and reported Rui Xun couple's heroic deeds to the Provincial Civil Affairs Department, applying for them to be awarded the title of "Revolutionary Martyr". After being approved by the provincial government, the county decided to rebuild the Feng Huang Paifang, restore "Fanxiu Road" and "Fangxiu Road" to "Feng Huang Street", in order to commend this couple's lofty patriotic sentiments and loyal national spirit. This heavy responsibility fell on their only son, Lu Sixiang, who was in charge of culture, education, and health as the deputy county head.

  Although they had a good reputation, it was really difficult to restore the Phoenix Archway and the ancient street of Fenghuang. Just in terms of funding, Lu Sihao was worried. After the disaster, the land of China was devastated, and all industries were declining. The finances of Leijiang County were strained, and they could not afford to allocate funds for repairs, so they had to launch a donation campaign. Lu Sihao, both publicly and privately, took the lead in donating his 10-year salary and the subsidy he received as a family member of a revolutionary martyr, which was a huge amount at that time! Under his call, the people of Leijiang donated 1 yuan and 5 cents each, and they basically collected enough funds to rebuild the Phoenix Archway and the ancient street of Fenghuang.