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The cadres and people who supported me were even more angry, arguing, “how could you treat Xu Wenrong like this?” They sent me a message when food was delivered to me that they had a plan to get me out.They would sneak in a wooden stick for me, and we would fight together.The Rebels were also aware of the plan and brought in sticks and bamboo guns to reinforce security.
This plan was sure to result in a fight.In order to avoid a bloody confrontation between people on both sides, I firmly disagreed with the plan and told my supporters not to come to rescue me.
At the same time, I was thinking of another way of escaping.I figured if I escaped on my own, there would not be conflict.There would be no bloodshed.
In the evening, I told the Rebel who was watching me that I had come to my senses and would tell the truth.I asked him to fill up the oil lamps and bring paper, and I would write a confession.I also told them to send more for dinner because I would probably write until late in the night.They were excited.
At night, I lit the lamp and went up and downstairs and back upstairs, deliberately walking to the front door to see how they would react.The Rebels kept a close eye on me around the clock.The young man who guarded the door said to me, “Uncle Wenrong, it was not our choice.The Rebels wanted to imprison you.Don’t run away.We’ll suffer if you do.” I said, “I’m not leaving.I just came down to get some air.It’s stuffy in the attic.” In truth, when I was down there, I had secured a small back door by the bathroom that didn’t normally open.
I went back to the attic, deliberately making a loud noise and coughing now and then to let them know I was still upstairs.When it was late.I came down.“What for?” the guard asked.I said to use the bathroom.When they weren’t paying attention, I slid open the little door by the toilet and ducked out.Next to the door was a field of corn grown to a man’s height, and I ducked into it.
My stepmother came to bring me a snack, she called my name while going upstairs, the Rebels followed.When they reached the attic, they saw that there was no one there.
The Rebels quickly organized teams, lit torches, and armed themselves with spears and clubs, and beat drums all over Hengdian.They searched my mother-in-law’s house uptown.By that time, I had already run to the mountains southeast of Hengdian.I could see the Rebels’ movements from a distance in the mountains.
I knew that whether in Hengdian or any other village I could not go to my relatives.The Rebels would certainly search their places.I followed the canal to the East Stream Reservoir, crossed a few mountains, and finally arrived at my friend’s home in Furong Tang Village.I sent a message to the director of the “Revolutionary Committee” of Hengdian Commune, asking him to take care of the matter since I wanted to come back.This person was also a native of Beixiang.His family was friends of a family friend.His father and my father were friends.We were both superiors and subordinates and old friends.He was the head of the Finance and Trade Group during the period of Eliminating Counter-Revolutionaries, and at that time I was an investigator reporting to him.I knew he was not going to rat me out.
I lived in Furong Tang for nearly half a month.Later, Wenhao came to see me secretly and brought me some food.Because his wife’s cousin was married to someone from Furong Tang.It didn’t arouse suspicion when he came to Furong Tang.But his relative slipped the information carelessly that Wenhao was coming to see me when she was washing her clothes in the pond.My whereabouts were leaked out.
I left Furong Tang in the middle of that night.It was cold.I walked toward the Water Temple.I couldn’t cross Hengdian bridge since it was guarded.I could only take the mountain road and waded over to Nanjiang County, and then to the Houling Mountain.I passed by the house of the director of Houling Mountain Supply and Marketing Cooperative and knocked on the door.No one answered.I kept walking and went to a friend’s house in Kuzhuling.He was very warm and cooked two bowls of dried noodles for me.He told me the Rebels here were very powerful, and it was hard to hide here.He suggested I should go to the Zhuwu Brigade Branch Secretary, and the Rebels wouldn’t do anything to him.
It was four o’clock in the morning.I travelled to the Zhuwu Brigade Branch Secretary.He was my friend, and his family warmly received me, setting up a place for me upstairs.He told me not to come down for food or open the window.He brought food upstairs for me.I holed up in his place for four days.One afternoon, I felt the room was too stuffy and opened the upstairs window, but I was seen immediately.
Zhuwu was only 10 li away from Hengdian, and I knew the Rebels would be here soon.I left immediately.I made up my mind.That night, shortly after I left Zhuwu, the Hengdian Rebels came to my friend’s house to arrest me.But again, I escaped.
To avoid the Rebels’ search, I walked five li overnight from Houling Mountain to Sanhukou.I had a friend, Yu Bingshui, there.He was a country ophthalmologist.He poured tea and put out pastries for me.He wanted to give his room to me, but I refused.He said, “Take your pick.You can have any room you want.” I took a look around and decided it would be better for me to stay upstairs.It was secluded and easier to escape from.
After I settled at Bingshui’s house, on the fourth and ninth day of every month, when it was market day in Hengdian, I would go to Hengdian to inquire about the news.When I found out what was going on at my home, I was in a hurry to get back.Bingshui said, “You can’t go back.Your wife, Caixian also sent me a message to tell you to stay here.” She was fine.The Rebels had men at the door of my house day and night and had sent men all around the town to search for me.Caixian told me to stay at Bingshui’s and never return.
I stayed at Sanhukou for about three months.As time went on, the cat was let out of the bag.One day, a relative came to say that the Hengdian Rebels seemed to know where I was.I had wanted to leave a week before, but Bingshui insisted on me staying for one more week.That day I was determined to leave, even though he was still trying to talk me out of it.In darkness I left Sanhukou, and Bingshui moved me to Dalianhou Village, six li away, where I stayed for twenty more days with Bingshui’s brother-in-law.
The next day, Hengdian Rebels went to Sanhukou and searched Bingshui’s house.They found my clothes and took Bingshui away.They tried to force him to hand me in.Of course, Bingshui didn’t betray me.
Later, I hid in a few other spaces before finally sneaking back to Furong Tang because the last time I left Furong Tang, the villagers said if Wu （the Hengdian Rebel leader） came to arrest people in Furong Tang, they would catch him and feed him to the wolf dog.Wu heard the news, and never dared to go.He didn’t expect I would go back to Furong Tang.
My exile lasted seven months.In these seven months, a lot of people protected me.Whenever I arrived at a village, my friends, Party secretaries or cadres always put me in the homes of the poor and honest people, who treated me very well.For one thing, poor families wouldn’t cheat; for another thing, they didn’t attract much attention.But I brought them many troubles, even disasters.When I stayed with the Jin family in Furong Tang, I had no money to give them, but they cooked rice for me and had porridge themselves.It was the same in Sanhukou.They gave me the best things in the house.Even their own children were not allowed to eat the things they prepared for me.I had no money to give them but brought them disaster: their places were searched, their possessions were smashed, or they were arrested.Their families were not peaceful because of me.I’ve long been very grateful to those who selflessly offered their help to me.Without their protection, my life would have ended a long time ago.