Suifenhe-Hunchun. A journey of several months

Xi found that she had been in the cave underwater for a very long time. Much more of that time than she initially thought. It was chilly, it was raining, the wind tore off almost all the foliage from the trees. Nastya barely made it to Mr. Zhang's house. Her feet got stuck in the mud, and she almost lost her shoes. But a surprise awaited her near Mr. Zhang's house. The surprise was not pleasant. No one else lived in the house. It was not known how long ago the tenants left. The windows were shuttered. The door is boarded up. It was possible to turn to the neighbors, but the girl did not dare. She was sure that the Honghuzi, the Chinese bandits, were still looking for her. Xi walked around the house. She needed to get inside. Directly from the house was a passage to the garden. There, the children had a secluded corner where they left secret notes to each other. There was one way to get into the house, but Xi wasn't sure if she could do anything. Only the youngest daughter of Mr. Zhang, little Xiu-lin, could use this hole. Older children tried many times to use this secret passage, but they did not succeed. However, to Xi's surprise, now she easily penetrated the gap and did not even scratch herself. The girl simply did not see herself from the outside. Over the past months, she had lost so much weight that it was simply impossible to recognize her. Passing through the house, Anastasia shook her head sadly. The house was empty. The smell of burning hung in the air. The furniture is gone. Everything in the garden was in place except for the stone. Fortunately, the hiding place was made in one of the supports of the bridge, although the children initially suggested making the hiding place under the stone. Nastya already suffocated when she discovered that her assumption was correct. The Zhang family children have not forgotten about their girlfriend. There was a note in the cache. Here is what was written there:
“Si, if you are reading this note, then everything is fine with you, and you have been found! We searched the entire river bank, but you were nowhere to be found. For a whole month, secretly from my father, we went in turn to where we last met with you, and left food for you. We figured that for some reason, you're hiding from us too. However, the food remained untouched. We visited the place of our last meeting for almost three months, but you never showed up. The day before yesterday, your mother set fire to your things and the place where you slept. We were at work at the time. Mom decided that father still made you his concubine, but hides you somewhere from her. When we ran into the room, everything was already on fire. Mom's rage was looking for a way out, and she also set fire to the warehouse, where the cargo lay ready for shipment. Some were saved, but very few. Dad is afraid of the revenge of customers and hunghuz. So we are leaving tomorrow. We are very worried about you. And we worry that you are left all alone. If you were found, we would take you with us. They would hide it among the bales and leftover goods. But miracles don't happen, you probably won't show up until we leave. In stash #2, we left you some money, all we could collect. We were given something for the New Year and Yuanxiao, something, alas, we managed to steal from Aunt Alate. Every month, for half a year, on the twenty-ninth day, Paul will be waiting for you near the porch, which is located near the Christian church. We were glad, even happy, when your friend showed up. Another hour and he wouldn't have found us. We are writing in a hurry, because Aunt Alate is looking for us everywhere and shouting for us to hurry up. She took unprecedented power in the house. Mom after the arson is silent and does not answer questions. We believe that we will meet again, and you will tell us where you have been all these 2 months. Remember that Pavel will be waiting for you every month, on the 29th, near the porch.
Anastasia looked around. The door to the secret vault was charred. Just like the garden, this vault could only be entered from the house. Entering the gazebo, the girl sat exhaustedly on a bench. Suddenly she realized that she was completely unaware of the days. She doesn't know what day it is. Finding the money in the second cache, she silently thanked the children. Having left the house in the same way that she came, Xi decided to go to the village government. Orders and instructions were posted there. From the orders, Nastya learned that today is September 23rd. So she had six more days to wait. Almost all the money was spent on the purchase of uncomplicated clothes, autumn set to work very zealously. The temperature at noon rose no higher than five degrees. There was almost no money left for food. However, this fact did not really frighten Xi. She could eat only once a day and not experience any particular inconvenience. Much worse was the fact that she had nowhere to spend the night. It was no longer possible to stay overnight near the river. At night, the temperature dropped to almost zero. After some hesitation, the girl decided to stay overnight at Mr. Zhang's house. She hoped that no new tenants would appear in the house in the next six days. Finally September 29th arrived. The rain poured down so hard that Nastya got wet instantly, but this did not stop the girl. She wanted to go home to Vladivostok! She wanted to see her friends, to get the latest news about her father and mother. Xi suffered from loneliness. However, Paul was not near the church. Chills shook the girl's frail body, and she made up her mind and entered therkov. Mixing with the few parishioners, she shrank, trying to hide from the attentive eyes of the priest. However, Anastasia was afraid in vain. Father Seraphim's gaze flickered across her face and moved to the faces of other parishioners. The father did not recognize the girl. As time went. The church is empty. Paul didn't come. Evening came. Anastasia warmed up a little, but she was afraid to go outside, but she had no choice. Gritting her teeth, Nastya returned to the porch. The two beggars glanced in her direction with displeasure, but said nothing. Evening has come. One of the beggars called out to the girl, but Nastya pretended not to hear. The beggar stood up, a threat on his face. The upcoming conversation did not bode well. The beggar had already almost approached Xi, when suddenly the girl heard an unfamiliar voice calling to her. An unfamiliar young man looked at her from the cab. He had light eyes, white-white skin, and light brown hair. The beggar immediately walked away. However, Anastasia was already not very happy about this. The threats of the beggar were understandable and familiar, what was to be expected from an unfamiliar young man, Nastya did not know. The young man called out to Nastya again. He shouted something unintelligible. The wind carried the words, and the rain, which suddenly poured with incredible force, drowned out all sounds. However, the girl managed to hear a familiar name: "Pavel", and she hesitantly moved towards the cab. The young man extended his hand, helping Xi to hide from the rain inside the cab. Soon everything became clear. Paul became seriously ill. Victor, that was the name of Nastya's new friend, was Pavel's colleague in secret business. He, like Pavel, accompanied the smugglers. True, his experience was longer than that of Pavel, and he looked older. Realizing that he would not be able to visit the girl, Pavel asked Vitya for help. Victor had urgent business in the city of Hunchun, but Pavel gave such weighty arguments that Vitya was forced to agree. The fact is that Victor had a big debt, and Pavel helped pay it off. Pavel was lucky, but recently Victor was not. Last time, while escorting a consignment of contraband, Victor came across border guards. The goods had to be abandoned, it’s good that at least the legs managed to carry away. However, the debt for the missing goods had to be repaid. Pavel then rescued a friend and did not rush him with the calculation. However, all the same, the debt paid off is red, and now, together with Vitya, a strange tall girl was sitting in the cab, soaked through and extremely exhausted. The girl was shaking and sneezing every minute. Sighing, Vitya ordered the cab driver to take them to the nearest tavern. Having warmed the girl with tea and hot soup, Victor asked Nastya's future plans. Anastasia timidly told the white-skinned savior her dreams. Victor shook his head in time with the words of the girl, but when Nastya fell silent, he said something that upset the girl. Victor couldn't take Xi to Vladivostok right now. The young man had business in the city of Hongchun. Every year, after the Chinese New Year, a fair was held in Hongchun. In order to sort out his faltering affairs somehow, Victor needed to meet some people in Hunchun before the new year and agree on something. As soon as sea routes, rivers, lakes and bays froze, waterways became convenient roads along which goods were transported by carts, drags and convoys to a small Chinese town, which was located on the border with Russia. They brought seaweed, fish, meat, animal skins. During this time it was possible to make good money. However, as in any business, here it was necessary to have important friends in order to be at the right time, in the right place. Victor offered Anastasia this: he would take the girl to Vladivostok. But they will not get in the way Xi thought about. In addition, as Pavel told Viktor, Nastya's mother lived in Hunchun. Of course, the girl agreed. Victor simply left her no choice. We set off on our journey early in the morning. We moved on different vehicles, both on a cart and on horses. Sometimes I had to walk for a long time. Viktor bought Nastya a sheepskin coat. The sleeves of this fur coat were below the fingers. The girl did not want to accept the gift, but Victor explained to her that it would be very cold at night. He told the girl that sometimes they would have to move through sparsely populated areas. There will be no villages or inns for many kilometers. The reality turned out to be even more severe, something Vitya was talking about. The cold was unbearable. They had been walking for three days, all the supplies had come to an end, when, finally, they came across a village on the way. The village stood on the tract path and occupied an advantageous position. The shops and rows for trade were striking in the abundance of goods, there were: huge hats covering the ears, warm mittens, stockings with fur and felt boots. Huge heaps of grain lay right next to the road and waited for their buyers. There were a number of hotels along the road, well painted with freshly papered windows. Barkers stood at the gates and shouted in their guttural language, praising the hotel with which they had a percentage. In the yards of the hotels there was nowhere for an apple to fall, the whole yard was full of animals. People were walking sideways. The tightness and noise were startling and disheartening.
After resting and having a good dinner, travelingThe Tvenniks dispersed into tiny rooms. Then Victor knocked on the door of the room where Nastya was dozing and told her that he had gone to buy something on the road.
Victor even agreed with a cab driver, and the guys met the next day at noon far from the hospitable village. However, they did not travel long. From the words of the Chinese, Victor understood that gangs of hunghuzes had reappeared in the district and were instilling fear in the locals. Honghuzi are engaged in robbery and robbery. The travelers had nothing to take, but the Honghuzi did not know this! After driving a few more kilometers, the timid driver dropped off the travelers and set off back. I had to walk again. By evening we came across the ruins of the ancient city of Jurchen.
Near the ruins stood a small village of several houses. The Chinese did not care at all that they lived near the ruined ancient city. An earthen rampart 14–15 meters long surrounded the remains of the inner city. The squares of the former halls and pavilions have been preserved, as well as the stone foundations of the wooden columns that once supported the roof. The city was built in blocks of solidified lava, even a temple was preserved, standing closer to the outer city. The temple had an old incense burner of an unusual shape, carved from a whole piece of lava. It was made in the shape of a pagoda that grew out of a lotus flower. There was an inscription on the stone stele, it announced that this temple was built during the Han Dynasty by Emperor Wu-Fi.
  Now the whole village consisted of a dozen houses and a couple of miserable shops.
There was no hotel to stop for the night, no one agreed to take a stay either. The travelers sat in a shabby hut serving as a teahouse until dusk, and then set off again. Anastasia knew that if she stayed under the arches of the city of Jurchen for the night, she would receive protection, but she did not dare to tell Victor about this. The young man was preoccupied and not talkative.
We walked all the next day and all night.
Finally we came across a military post. Victor breathed a sigh of relief, which meant that Hunchun was no longer far away.

To the east of the port, at the mouth of the Tumen, was the border of three countries - Russia, China and Korea. She converged here. There was also a Russian military post in this important place.
We came across a Russian church, it was with a high pointed bell tower, painted in lime color, and topped with a dome. The guys were met by a Chinese pop.
The priest showed them a miraculous icon with the face of St. Nicholas, in front of which a candle burned in a massive silver candlestick.
Rested all day long. The remaining distance was covered in a day and a half.
The next morning, after arriving in Hunchun, the travelers went around the whole city, the garrison of which numbered about three thousand people.
Hongchun was partly a military town, although there were several trading houses engaged in catching seaweed, harvesting mushrooms and medicinal herbs. A large amount of the above was exported to Ningutu and Jilin, and from there to the central regions of China. Merchants were also happy to trade in deer antlers. First of all, Nastya silently praised the cleanliness that reigned in the city and favorably distinguished Hunchun from other places they had seen. Hunchun's appearance was due to a rule set for all owners of houses and shops. They were obliged every evening to clean that part of the street that was adjacent to their house or shop. While Nastya and Vitya are looking around and relaxing, let's delve into the history of the city of Hunchun. Here is what was written about the city of Hunchun in historical records of the early twentieth century:
“...in early Russian sources, the city was known as Hunchun. In 1889, the Hongchun Administration was formed. Hunchun was surrounded by a high clay battlement wall 3 fathoms thick, with barbettes, loopholes and a deep ditch. The city served as the seat of the military governor. A heavily fortified Chinese camp was set up near the city. Despite being heavily armed with modern guns and a large garrison, Hunchun was taken by storm by a detachment of General Aigustov in August 1900, and the city itself was occupied by Russian troops. At the same time, Khunchun was connected by telegraph to Girin and Novokievka. At the beginning of the 20th century, a Chinese school of the Russian language operated in the city, there were many Chinese firms trading with the Amur region and Korea. Hunchun was the center for hiring Chinese coolies (workers) for the trepang and seaweed fisheries. In 1902, it was merged with the Yanji Commissariat, and in 1910 a separate Hongchun Commissariat was formed.
But back to our travelers. Anastasia was fascinated by the wide streets and the cleanliness that reigned around. It was also crowded, as in the village of Pogranichny, but clean and more calm. Victor went about his business, and Nastya thought deeply. They decided that they would go together to look for their mother at the address given by Pavel. In the evening, Victor returned, and Nastya, with a trembling heart, went to meet her fate. She wanted to see her mother and was afraid of it. After all, so many years have passed. Anastasia's mother was busy, she was taking another client. So, the girl had to wait her turn along with other sufferers. Methe hundred where the girl was now was hard to call with one word, it combined a magical salon with a first aid station. In simple terms, Xi's mother was a healer. She not only treated, but also predicted fate. And she did it very well. There were always crowds of people in front of her doors. In the old days, these people were called shamans.
"Mudans" or "Phunsu". Anastasia's mother's name was Khe, which translated into Russian meant wisdom. Finally, it was Nastya's turn. The girl entered with trepidation into the chamber in which her mother sat. He was considered a great seer, but she did not immediately recognize her daughter. After everything was cleared up, there was a great commotion. He cried with happiness, not believing that the thin, tall and ragged girl standing in front of her was her daughter, her beautiful daughter was Xi. All the sufferers were sent home. He took her daughter to an apartment where she lived with relatives. We agreed to meet with Vitya in a week. For a week, Hye somehow brought her daughter to her senses. He even tried to persuade Nastya to attend the sessions, but the girl categorically refused. For some time she shunned everything otherworldly. However, she did not refuse the help of her mother. He treated her daughter in the evenings and asked questions. Mom wanted to know everything, everything, but Xi still had a bad throat and could not speak for a long time. Xi drew, and then my mother looked at her daughter's drawings for a long time and clenched her fists in pain. She did not want such a fate for her beautiful baby. However, the past could not be changed, but it was possible to make the future the way one dreams. He thought so. And she began to act. She warned Xi that she would have to leave for 1-2 days. Not far from Hunchun was the sacred mountain of Changbaishan. Once a year, Hye went to a place sacred to all Koreans, Changbaishan Mountain, and recognized the future by signs known only to her. Now there was a time when it was necessary to urgently ask a question, and Hye broke the tradition. She went to the mountain at an odd time. The woman returned in a depressed mood. Nastya tried to find out the reason for her mother's sadness, but Hye avoided answering. She returned in the evening, and in the morning Xi was waiting for a traditional Korean dress. The girl did not want to wear it, but her mother insisted. The attire consisted of a skirt and a magaji jacket. The jacket was fastened with two buttons. Hye said that she bought the outfit the way Xi sees it, only she sewed on different buttons. Nastya did not know how to argue with her elders and obeyed, although she did not like what they put on her. The girl got used to other clothes. The next day, Nastya, as promised, was visited by Victor. The young man was pleasantly surprised. Xi changed in a week. Traces of exhaustion still remained, but no longer disfigured the girl's pretty face. However, Victor noted all these details casually. He was only interested in when the girl would be ready to go on her way. Friends were talking in the room that served as a living room, when suddenly Vitya closed his eyes. A beam of light fell on one of the buttons decorating Nastya's jacket and blinded her for a second. The green glass button sparkled like a jewel and cast a glare on everything in the room. Victor's eyes darkened, waking up, he did not immediately remember who he was and where he was. Xi was frightened for her friend, but the young man turned off the conversation, reassured the girl and left, promising that he would return tomorrow. Xi remained at a loss, she did not see that her mother was standing near a secret hole, looking at her daughter, and biting her lips until she bled. Victor didn't sleep all night. He remembered the events of four years ago. Then, because of a boyish prank, the whole life of his family went awry. Victor remembered the drawing that he drew under the influence of some unknown magic. The picture was depicted, he, Victor. He was in the building of a Chinese pharmacy and handed a girl who looked like Nastya a bag of medicine from medicinal herbs. Instead of a payment, the girl gave Victor the pharmacist a green button, similar to the one that Vitya saw today on C. A lot of bad things happened during these four years and the memory of the beautiful girl in the picture has faded over the years. Vitya recalled and became more and more convinced that then, in a dream, he saw Nastya and her friends. During the time spent on the road, the girl told Victor a lot about her friends. Only in these moments, her always sad face was transformed and it became clear that Nastya was a real beauty. In the morning, Victor ran to the girl, as soon as dawn broke. They talked all day, the youth's delight and excitement somehow passed on to Xi. She timidly admitted that she, too, had long had the feeling that they knew each other, but had never met in real life before, even though they lived on neighboring streets.
Victor lived on Pekinskaya Street, and Anastasia lived on Semyonovskaya. The voice of the young man, the turn of his head, the wave of his hand - all this was very familiar to the girl.

Victor looked at the girl with tenderness. Nastya told him about how she lived for two long and difficult years away from her family and friends. The young man warned the girl that tomorrow they had to set off. Until the snow finally fell, it was possibleto get to Vladivostok quickly and painlessly. However, the next morning brought bad news. Nastya's mother categorically forbade the girl to return with Victor. None of the arguments worked for her. Khe promised that soon she and her daughter would return to Vladivostok, and there Nastya would meet Victor again. The lovers parted hard. They did not discuss the mother's decision. Everything was clear. Victor was only tormented by heavy forebodings. It seemed to him that he would never see the girl he loved again. In the morning the caravan, to which the young man joined, set off. Xi sobbed all day. Not easier was and Heh. The woman knew that Nastya would be safer with Viktor than with her, but the will of the spirit of Changbanshan Mountain was an order for her. And the order was carried out. Victor set out on his own. Nastya did not like what happened over the years with her mother. The fanatical glint in her mother's eyes frightened the girl. Anastasia got used to answering for herself, and soon her mother's guardianship began to burden her.
Mom promised that they would soon return to Vladivostok, but she put off the trip from day to day.
A month later, Anastasia's mother decided it was time to hit the road. But just at that time, heavy snow began to fall. Then the blizzard started. It snowed for three days. Then the thaw began. Then it snowed again. As a result, we decided to wait for spring and not move. Nastya experienced a delay painfully. Now that the danger had passed and Vladivostok was within easy reach, any delay was painful. There was nothing to do. It was very dangerous to go out of Hunchun in such weather. Anastasia thought about Victor. She remembered one incident. That day, she stole Madame Haruko's dress and had to run to the entrance to the catacombs. For two weeks Nastya sat underground, and then she got to the surface to find any kind of food. And that's when she met the boy. Rather, she fell right under the boy's feet. The boy had bread in his hands, and he shared this bread with Nastya. Then even the girl's green button came off from the jacket. The boy raised the button. Then Nastya ran away, and the button remained in the boy's hand. Anastasia was not sure that Victor remembered this story. But she, Nastya, remembered this incident well. And almost immediately she recognized Victor when he called out to her near the temple in the village of Flags.
The old name of the Chinese city of Suifenhe is Flag Village.
Full text here http://proza.ru/2014/08/13/182