1978 Synthetic Writers

Chapter 64 Who is it?

People's Literature Magazine.

"People's Literature" was founded in 1949 and is the first literary journal in New China. The first editor-in-chief was Mao Dun. Guo Muluo wrote the title of the magazine, and the teacher personally wrote the inscription for the first issue.

It was not until 1976 that People's Literature resumed publication, and the publishing work was temporarily handed over to Renwen Press.

The magazine is in a festive mood these days.

In the 5th issue of "People's Literature" this year, they launched a "big satellite" and published a novel that was discussed at a symposium before the New Year, "The Record of Director Qiao's Taking Office" by Jiang Zilon, a worker and cadre of Tianjin Heavy Machinery Factory.

This article quickly caused a nationwide response, and its influence was no less than that of "Scars".

For a time, paper was in great demand. All units were eagerly waiting to get their hands on it. Long queues formed at newspaper selling points. Many workers also bought this issue of the magazine to give to their factory director, hoping that he would learn from "Director Qiao" and lead the workers to realize the four modernizations.

In the somewhat narrow cultural circle, a gust of "reform literature" has been blowing.

How profound was the influence of this work? Forty years later, when the "Reform Pioneer" medal was awarded, only two Chinese writers received this honor, one was the late Lu Yao, and the other was Jiang Zilong.

"Teacher Wang Fu, I have sent you a letter from a reader."

"Another sack?"

"Not only that, there are two more sacks downstairs. I didn't move them upstairs."

Wang Fu was the number one contributor to the publication of "The Record of Director Qiao's Taking Office". It was she who visited Jiang Zilon in the rain and asked him to forgive the harm that "People's Literature" had previously caused him, which led to the birth of this novel.

"Hello, Editor Wang Fu."

Wang Fu raised his eyes and saw a tall young man.

"Writer Jiang!" She showed a happy expression, stood up, and handed a chair to Jiang Xian, "Please sit down."

"Teacher Wang, you're welcome. I just came over to ask, has Teacher Liu given you my manuscript?"

"Teacher Liu? Manuscript?"

"."

Jiang Xian's heart skipped a beat when he saw Wang Fu's confused face.

broken.

Liu Yin is such a jerk!

He explained the whole story: "I came to submit my manuscript yesterday, and I ran into Ms. Liu Yin from Contemporary Magazine halfway. She insisted on taking my manuscript to have a look, and said she would send it to you after reading it. So, she didn't send it to you?"

"She forgot, right?" Wang Fu frowned, a little confused.

It's not like it's a blatant robbery, right?
"Contemporary" and "People's Literature" are now considered the right-hand units of Renwen Publishing House. To put it bluntly, they are all our own family members.

How good must the manuscript be to make Liu Yin unable to resist and grab it? !
The more Wang Fu thought about it, the more uneasy he became. "No, I have to go find her."

They both stood up and went to the second floor of the back building where Contemporary was located.

Jiang Xian was a smart guy who walked with a clatter. He asked Wang Fu, "Teacher Wang, who is the editor-in-chief of Contemporary Magazine now?"

"Qin Zhaoyang is now the editor-in-chief of Contemporary Magazine. Mr. Yan Wenjing had an acute cerebral thrombosis and was sent to Friendship Hospital."

"Ah? At the last symposium, I saw that Mr. Yan was in good spirits."

"Alas, the old man has too many things to do. He is so busy running around to establish Contemporary. He is exhausted."

"The body is the capital of revolution."

"Yes, health is the capital of revolution. Take that old man for example. He had bladder cancer, but he still endured the pain and insisted on working. Oh, you can't imagine how sad it is for the people." Wang Fu became sad as he spoke.

"Don't be too sad. As long as our country becomes stronger and our people become richer, the prosperity will be as he wished. It will not be in vain for his efforts. Don't you think so?"

"Yes, yes, what you said is very good, Mr. Jiang. You are so young, but you have such high awareness." Wang Fu wiped his eyes with emotion, and his favorable impression of Jiang Xian increased greatly. A cover torn from a magazine was posted on the wall of the editorial office of Contemporary. It looked very simple, but revealed great confidence.

It is said that after seeing Today magazine, Meng Weizai was inspired and thought of publishing a miscellaneous magazine for Renwenshe, and it should be bigger and more ambitious, so it was named "Contemporary".

"We must leave this blank line here. The blank line is related to rhythm. We need to let readers stop and think about it at the cut point." At the desk, Wang Weiguo and Liu Yin were discussing the revisions of the manuscript.

"Editor Liu!"

"Writer Jiang, Teacher Wang." Liu Yin raised her head and greeted the two.

Wang Fu nodded to her and said, "Old Liu, are you busy? Writer Jiang and I came here to pick up his manuscript. How come you forgot to deliver it to me?"

"I was just about to talk to Writer Jiang about this." Liu Yin said with a smile, "Sit down first and have a cup of tea."

"Writer Jiang, I have carefully read your manuscript. Compared with People's Literature, I think it is better to give it to Contemporary. Contemporary is a good fit."

Wang Futeng stood up and rapped his knuckles on the table. "Lao Liu, what do you mean? Are you trying to steal our People's Literature manuscript?"

This is unheard of.

Wang Fu had never heard of such a thing. It had always been their People's Literature that snatched other people's manuscripts!

Just a few months ago, Liu Xinwu of October and Ding Ling, who had just returned to Beijing, agreed to write a few manuscripts, which have all been edited into the latest issue of October and are about to be published.

Their People's Literature went straight to October and took the manuscript from Liu Xinwu, snatching it right in front of him without even asking for his consent.

Liu Xinwu was so angry that his face turned purple. What was the point? He still had to give up the manuscript.

Do you really think it’s called “Royal Publication” for nothing?
"Liu Yin, if you continue to do this, I will ask the leader to seek justice." Wang Fu said dissatisfiedly.

"Old Wang, please listen to me first." Liu Yin said earnestly, "Writer Jiang's manuscript is a full 19 words. It is definitely not suitable to be published in your People's Literature, but our Contemporary is very suitable. We like to publish medium-length and long novels the most."

"Why is it inappropriate?" Wang Fu was a little angry. "We can divide it into several issues and serialize it. Isn't that how Mr. Zhou Libo published "The Great Changes in Mountain Villages"? After so many issues, how can there be less attention and discussion?"

"Aren't you just making excuses?"

"I presented the facts and the evidence, how could it be considered as making up an excuse?"

Wang Weiguo was stunned watching from the side.

Who exactly is this writer Jiang?
He himself is also an editor of Yanhe, but he has never heard of editors quarreling over manuscripts.

The key point is that these two people are editors of two national literary journals, "People's Literature" and "Contemporary"!

"Teachers, please be quiet for a moment." Jiang Xian stepped forward to mediate. "Editor Liu, thank you for your love for this work, but I made an appointment with People's Literature for this manuscript from the beginning. I can't go back on my word, right?"

Hearing the words "untrustworthy" and "going back on one's words", Liu Yin felt uncomfortable as if there were nails under her butt.

“Really not giving it to Contemporary Magazine?”

Jiang Xian shook his head.

"I believe in the strength of People's Literature and will be able to give me the best arrangement for this manuscript."

Seeing his firm attitude, Liu Yin felt helpless. She took out "Furong Town" with great heartache, handed it to Wang Fushou, and kept giving him instructions.

"This is a good work! You must not bury it!"

"How could that be? We are People's Literature." Wang Fu took it with great pride and confidence.

A feeling of surprise arose in my heart.

Could this manuscript make Liu Yin so heartbroken?

Is it really that good?

(End of this chapter)