Roar - (Illustrated Edition)

Author: Lu Xun / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1976-12-01
Features: The boat then brought great unrest to Wuzhuang. By noon, the entire village was in turmoil. The boat's mission had originally been kept secret by the Zhao family, but in teahouses and taverns, it was said that the revolutionaries were coming to the city, and the scholar-official had come to their village to seek refuge. Only Madam Zou did not believe it, saying it was merely a few broken trunks that the scholar-official had intended to store, but had been returned to the Zhao family by Lord Zhao. In reality, the scholar-official and Zhao Xiucai were not on good terms, and logically, they could not have "fellowship in adversity." Moreover, Madam Zou was a neighbor of the Zhao family and had more firsthand information, so she was probably right. However, the rumors grew wild, saying that although the scholar-official had not personally arrived, he had sent a long letter to the Zhao family, forming a "turning-point kinship." Lord Zhao thought it would not do him any harm, so he kept the trunks and now stored them under his wife's bed. As for the revolutionaries, some said they had entered the city that very night, all dressed in white armor and plain robes, as if they were the loyal subjects of the former Emperor Chongzheng.
In A Q's ears, the word "revolutionary" had long been heard, and this year he had even witnessed the killing of a revolutionary. But he had an inexplicable opinion that revolutionaries were rebels, and rebels were those who troubled him, so he had always "hated them with a passion." Unexpectedly, this made the famous scholar-official, Lord Zhao, so afraid that A Q could not help but feel a bit "enamored" of it. Moreover, the panicked expressions of the birds and men of Wuzhuang only made A Q even happier.
"Revolution is fine," A Q thought, "to overthrow this bunch of mothers, how hateful! How hateful! Even I will surrender to the revolutionaries." A Q had recently been short on money and felt somewhat resentful; adding to this, he had drunk two bowls of empty stomach wine at noon, making him even more drunk. As he walked and thought, he once again became elated. For some reason, he suddenly felt as if the revolutionaries were himself, and the people of Wuzhuang were his captives. Overwhelmed with joy, he could not help but shout loudly, "Revolution! Revolution!" The people of Wuzhuang looked at him with terrified eyes. This kind of pitiful gaze had never been seen by A Q before, and seeing it made him feel as comfortable as drinking snow water in June.
Even happier, he walked and shouted, "Good! Whatever I want is what I get! Whoever I like is who I like. Get, get! Too bad, I mistakenly killed Comrade Zheng under the influence of wine. Too bad, ah, ah, ah, get, get, clang! Get, clang, clang!" With his steel whip in hand, I will beat you!" The two men from the Zhao family and the two true clansmen were also standing at the gate, discussing the revolution. A Q did not see them and sang on, his head held high.
"Get, get,"
"Old Q," Lord Zhao timidly greeted him, calling softly.
"Clang, clang,"
A Q did not expect his name to be linked with "old," thinking it was just some other word and had nothing to do with him, so he continued singing.
"Get, clang, clang, clang!"
"Old Q."
"Too bad,"
"A Q!"
The scholar had no choice but to call him by name.
A Q finally stopped and tilted his head, asking, "What?"
"Old Q, now,"
Lord Zhao, however, had no more to say,
"Now are you getting rich?"
"Rich? Of course. Whatever I want is what I get."
"A Q, brother, poor friends like us don't matter,"
Old Zhao said nervously, as if trying to gauge the revolutionaries' stance.
"Poor friends? You're still richer than me,"
A Q said and left.
Everyone was left speechless and disheartened. Lord Zhao and his son went home and discussed lighting the lamps that night. Old Zhao went home and took a pouch from his waist, giving it to his wife to hide in the trunk.
P117-119