I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 147 The Precursor and Embryo of the Organization
Without a doubt, Petrashevsky was indeed a very troublesome figure. The most troublesome thing was that he was both a dreamer who had no clear understanding of reality and was somewhat of a show-off and maverick, and on the other hand, he could be considered a pragmatist. At least in terms of advocating and promoting reform and revolution, he did play a leading role to some extent.

The former, just like his clothing and appearance, is unconventional and likes to go against worldly rules and other people's opinions. He tries every means to attract people's attention. In fact, this guy has become a cross-dresser these days. Once, he came to Kazan Cathedral dressed as a woman, stood among the women, and pretended to pray devoutly.

Why did he do this? What was the purpose of doing so? He himself couldn't explain it, and as a result, it was difficult for others to see him as a responsible and rational person.

But at the same time, he had lofty goals: "I have not found anything worthy of my love—whether it be a woman or a man, I am destined to serve mankind."

Having established this goal, he began to put it into practice. He first used his position to collect banned books and buy various books to supplement his collection for all his friends to use. Then he tried to carry out propaganda and agitation work among all classes of society, arouse their dissatisfaction, and invite them to his gatherings. As a result, the Petrashevsky group included people from all walks of life.

From military officers and nobles to merchants and students, even the legendary King Nai Liu Lao Che was invited to attend the group's gatherings.

In conclusion, although people did not regard Petrashevsky as a particularly important figure, his presence, with its free meeting places, refreshments, and a variety of unusual new ideas, naturally attracted many participants.

By 1848, this group promoting new ideas had undoubtedly become incredibly valuable, attracting some genuinely ambitious individuals. What followed was the story of the Third Hall swarming in and ensnaring these people.
As Mikhail pondered these things, the oddly dressed Petrashevsky was also observing Mikhail, thinking to himself, "This writer, who is rumored to be as dazzling as the sun, doesn't seem special at all. He's dressed like an ordinary citizen. But why do the two people next to him look at him with such strange eyes?"

Although that was indeed his thought, after greeting Mikhail, he still warmly led him to the living room, where many people were already seated.

At this stage, the Petrashevsky group did not have many members; it consisted mostly of Petrashevsky's friends and some of his old classmates, as well as some impoverished writers and students in St. Petersburg today.

It can only be said that it is relatively safe to come at this stage. Just as Mikhail was preparing to discreetly find a suitable place to sit down and try the free pastries such as cheese curd cake and red eggs at Petrashevsky's house, Petrashevsky directly addressed the group:

"Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce you. This is Mr. Mikhail Romanovich."

Frankly, his voice wasn't loud, and with many people in the living room talking, a mere name might not attract much attention. Just as Mikhail was about to politely nod to some people, the noisy living room suddenly fell silent. Then, a series of surprised and delighted gazes all turned to Mikhail, accompanied by bursts of discussion:

"My God, is that really him?"

“But isn’t Mikhail now a big figure in St. Petersburg’s cultural circles? How could he possibly come to a small gathering like ours? He should be at the salons of Prince Odoevsky, Count Sologub, and other important figures.”

Has any of you seen him? Is this really the gentleman?

To be honest, Mikhail was somewhat surprised by such a reaction. As I said before, although he is now somewhat famous in the literary world, he is too low-key to be someone whose name alone could surprise so many people.

In response to Mikhail's question, Dmitry, who was standing nearby, explained in a timely manner: "Misha, the people who often gather here are very familiar with your name. As I told you before, many people like your articles and often read them aloud at the gatherings. Moreover, whenever the topic of emancipating serfs, government corruption, or even bigger issues comes up, people often think of your articles."

We talk about you like we talk about Belinsky; in this case, your name is all too familiar to many people.

Mikhail: “?”

When will I be able to sit at the same table as Lao Bie?

Furthermore, while you're all discussing politics, why are you citing content from a novel?
Despite having these thoughts in mind, Mikhail couldn't directly deny his identity, so he could only smile and nod.

With his nod and the confirmation from Old Dostoevsky and Demi, many people present no longer hesitated, immediately put down what they were doing, and stood up from their seats.

Perhaps because most of the people present were young and enthusiastic, a round of applause rang out in the not-so-large living room after they stood up.

In some ways, the people welcomed him wholeheartedly, but Mikhail was truly heartbroken.

After the applause subsided and Mikhail sat down, the number of voices surrounding him naturally increased. However, one thing was clear: while these young people were enthusiastic, they were also slightly reserved. After all, strictly speaking, Mikhail is already a big figure in the cultural world for many people.

Normally, with this reputation, Mikhail could easily form a group around himself and then find like-minded people from all walks of life. Once everyone reaches a certain consensus and wants to work together towards a common goal, then this simple group can be organized.

For example, formulate certain guidelines and action rules, classify them into different levels, and then gradually expand this circle outwards.
Who knows, in the end, it might become the precursor or prototype of something else.

Of course, Mikhail was referring to literature. At most, he might try to establish a charitable organization with some organizational capacity. That's pretty much the limit of Mikhail's current abilities. As for more, he might need to continue learning and see what future opportunities bring.

It must be said that, in its later stages, the Petrashevsky Group, under the guidance of certain individuals, subtly showed this tendency. However, many of them ultimately oversimplified reality, and their organization was not rigorous enough—if it were Mikhail… no, there's no "if" for now. At this stage, the activities of the young people here were mostly limited to reading literary works and simple oral explanations of various academic and literary issues. These oral explanations naturally carried the influence of liberal ideas unacceptable in the language of contemporary publications.

If we're talking about more sensitive topics, it's naturally about complaining about the censorship of books and newspapers, or expressing one's ideal of liberating peasants from their serf-like dependent status, although such an attempt is indeed still in the realm of utopianism.

It is worth mentioning that these are, of course, rather sensitive topics. Logically speaking, in front of a newcomer like Mikhail who had never been there before, those present should have been more careful with their words, otherwise they might have stirred up trouble.

But for some reason, these people didn't have these concerns with Mikhail; some even discussed these issues with him with great enthusiasm. Some of the young people, seeing that Mikhail wasn't as unapproachable as they thought, but rather rather approachable, even confided their feelings to him:

“Dear Mr. Mikhail, it was under the inspiration and encouragement of your moving novels that I gradually established my ideal. Although I have only established this ideal for a short time, I feel as if I have lived a whole life. And to say something that may be a little offensive, I feel as if I have known you for a long time, and I have gained a lot from your works.”

At the same time, having finally met Mikhail in person, they naturally shared their interpretations of his works, such as his deep sympathy for the people and his disgust and hatred for serfdom, his denunciation and satire of the corrupt Russian bureaucracy, and the expectation and encouragement for progressive Russian youth in "The Superfluous Man," hoping that they would eventually go further.
Mikhail: “.”

This is much more insightful than the general's interpretation, and of course, it's closer to the main theme of the work.

Mikhail remained silent, simply eating the free cheese curd cakes from Petrashevsky's house. However, faced with the enthusiasm of these young people, Mikhail occasionally nodded in affirmation of their ideas.

And so, even though Mikhail didn't say much and mostly listened to other people's ideas, the atmosphere became lively just because he was sitting there, and everyone unconsciously started discussing many other things.

However, no matter how much they discussed it, it seemed to remain mostly at the level of wishful thinking, and many people's idealistic desires seemed to be stronger than their desire for practice. But as they were talking, someone seemed to have thought of something and then looked at Mikhail and asked, "How do you think we can accomplish those great things we've been talking about? How exactly can we achieve them?"

Upon hearing this question, Mikhail did indeed ponder it for a while. And just when everyone thought this young man, who had achieved fame at a young age, was about to launch into a lengthy discourse, he simply said:
"Different eras often offer different answers. Perhaps the most important thing is to start with what you can do and be mentally prepared for the difficulties and trivialities that may arise in the process. If we're just talking about it personally..."

Mikhail sighed slightly as if he had thought of something, and then continued, "So in life and in action, love the concrete person, not the abstract person; love life, not the meaning of life."

This statement is certainly not entirely true, but it serves as a reminder, to some extent, to those who are obsessed with certain fantasies and grand visions.

Excessive daydreaming can sometimes be an obstacle or even a detriment to real life. After all, even so-called great undertakings are made up of daily mundane work.

After saying this, Mikhail noticed someone looking thoughtful, and at the same time, he was giving a preview of the next issue of "The Contemporary":

“There is a short story in the next issue of Modern People that explores a similar issue. You might want to look it up and read it.”

"Hmm? Is it your new short story?"

"Correct."

Perhaps because many people present were very interested in Mikhail's novels, they showed pleasant expressions after receiving a definite answer. However, at the same time, some of them couldn't help but ask Mikhail, "What about the longer novels? Will there be more in this issue? Will there be any poems or reviews?"

Faced with such a classic question, Mikhail glossed over it for the time being. In fact, quite some time had passed since Mikhail sat down. Seeing that it was getting late, Mikhail found a suitable opportunity to politely decline Petrashevsky's dinner invitation. Then, amidst the rather reluctant gazes of the others, he left with Dmitry and the others.

The reason for this is twofold: firstly, the snacks weren't very tasty, and secondly, the level of political intimacy here was far too high. I don't know if it was always this high or if it only became this high after Mikhail arrived, but if we keep talking like this, who knows where the conversation will lead.

On the way back, Dmitry thought about the party that day and said to Mikhail with great pleasure, "Misha, you must come to these parties often in the future! The atmosphere is much more lively when you come. Perhaps you could also host such parties at your home. I believe many young people from St. Petersburg would definitely come!"

Mikhail: “.”

Demi, you're truly my good brother!
"Definitely next time."

Despite it being a suggestion from his good friend, Mikhail still managed a slightly strained smile.

After politely declining Dmitry's offer, Mikhail quickly returned home.

After briefly contemplating "what my future will be like," Mikhail ultimately chose to drift off to sleep.
(End of this chapter)