I am a literary giant in Russia

Chapter 149 The Legendary K/DA King and His Back Road
When Belinsky finally came to his senses from the overwhelming joy, he began to look at the novel from the perspective of a critic.

After reading it several more times, Belinsky couldn't help but marvel at the brilliance of this short story once again.

While having a relatively clear theme, this novel also portrays several concepts of happiness through a few details. The first, of course, is the view of happiness held by the veterinarian Ivan Ivanovich:

"Don't be complacent, don't let yourself fall asleep! While you are still young and vigorous, do good things tirelessly! Happiness doesn't exist, nor should it. If life has meaning and purpose, then that meaning and purpose are not our own happiness, but something greater and more reasonable. Do good things!"

This idea is undoubtedly a call to action, urging people not to remain complacent but to actively participate in a greater and more just cause.

Such a speech was indeed inspiring, but Belinsky felt it was a great pity that Mikhail still did not make his point very clear, such as what kind of cause is truly great and reasonable.

In addition, it also shows that the younger brother fulfilled his "happiness" but seemed to destroy it. Then, the landlord's family, young and old, remained indifferent after listening, which suggests another kind of more selfish happiness. Nothing else can move them except what makes them feel comfortable.

Finally, there might be the high school teacher Burkin's view of happiness. Although he seems indifferent to the veterinarian's words, the detail that "Burkin couldn't sleep for a long time, constantly wondering where the foul smell was coming from" reveals his perhaps somewhat wavering and struggling state of mind.

In short, there is not a single superfluous stroke; every detail reveals something, and undoubtedly makes this short story very complex, as if everyone can see a reflection of themselves in it.

Belinsky grew to love it more and more as he read it, and even wanted to turn back and give Mikhail a hug. To write short stories to this extent, even if Mikhail stopped writing there, he would still be an indispensable figure in the history of Russian literature.

But Mikhail will not stop writing. Not only will he not stop, but he also seems to be preparing to write many novels and popular novels. He also wants to propose new aesthetic principles, innovate the forms of novels and poetry, and perhaps even write some plays, put forward some philosophical ideas, and improve some theories.
Sometimes, just thinking about Mikhail's plans would send shivers down Belinsky's spine. Heaven knows what would happen if Mikhail actually accomplished these things.

Some of these things are still in the planning stage, while others are slowly becoming a reality. For example, in the area of ​​aesthetic principles, Belinsky was very interested in Mikhail's concept of "critical realism." More importantly, this concept was undoubtedly a brand new thing, and even in the leading Western European countries, it had never been heard of before.

The article is basically complete and just needs some revisions before it can be published at an appropriate time. If I had to say, it would probably have a greater impact if it were published in a French journal.

Putting all that aside, while Belinsky was deeply moved by Mikhail's latest short story, Mikhail himself encountered some trouble.

After seeing Belinsky and Turgenev off, Mikhail was planning to help out at the magazine, which was short-staffed. However, on his way there, he unexpectedly ran into the members of the Petrashevsky group who seemed to be looking for him. Upon seeing Mikhail, their eyes lit up, and they approached him, beaming, and said:

"Sir, I think we fully understand the message your novel conveys. Please rest assured that we will respond to your call in the novel and actively devote ourselves to a greater and more just cause! As for what kind of cause that is, we have fully understood it from you."

Mikhail: “?”

So what exactly is the cause you've come to understand?
It should be about doing more good deeds, right?

Furthermore, this is merely a novel intended for a wide readership. If you cause any trouble in the future, you must never utter the name of Mikhail.
After a brief chat with these enthusiastic young people, Mikhail quickened his pace amidst their farewells of "You must come to our gatherings often!" and soon arrived at the offices of "Modern Man".

It must be said that Belinsky was indeed one of the key figures in the magazine "The Contemporary". First of all, he had a great reputation, and secondly, he had many years of experience working in magazines. He was not troubled by many matters concerning the magazine.

In this situation, even though Belinsky had arranged many things for the magazine before he went to the sanatorium, Nekrasov and the other editors of the magazine were inevitably a little nervous after he left. In addition, the pressure seemed to be even greater when it came to the release of the latest issue of the magazine, so much so that everyone in the magazine seemed to be a little flustered that morning.

Mikhail appeared at the magazine office under these circumstances, carrying some pastries that he had personally tasted and approved. While the magazine staff were somewhat stunned, Mikhail simply distributed the pastries and also inquired about their work with a smile.

Of course, since he doesn't usually do these things, Mikhail doesn't really know much, but he can still say some well-intentioned nonsense:
"You have to read the manuscript slowly, just like you have to eat a snack slowly."

"If you're tired, take a rest for a while."

Although they seemed to be just some trivial actions and some nonsense, for some reason, everyone in the magazine felt more and more at ease, and the slightly chaotic situation quickly returned to normal.

All of this may seem a bit strange, but ultimately there is only one reason: as long as Mr. Mikhail is still alive, would "The Modern Man" go bankrupt or be ignored? Impossible!

Thinking about it this way, the initial discomfort seemed insignificant, and doing things that had been done many times before naturally posed no challenge. Mikhail was unaware of the specific thought processes of the others, but seeing the increasingly positive atmosphere in the magazine office, he simply assumed it was due to the carefully selected snacks working their magic. After confirming there were no other problems, Mikhail went to Nekrasov, who was handling the most work, and proactively asked:

"Nikolai, is there anything I can do? Belinsky just left, so perhaps we need some time to adjust."

“Dear Mikhail, you have already done so much for us just by being here.”

Looking at Mikhail, who seemed as composed as ever, Nekrasov felt reassured and said to him with considerable emotion, "Don't worry, just leave these things to us. Besides, it's basically the same as what we've been doing before. We know you're writing a lot at the same time, and these kinds of things alone take up a lot of your energy. How can we let you be bothered with these small matters?"

Upon hearing Nekrasov's words, Mikhail still wanted to volunteer again, but under Nekrasov's insistence, Mikhail could only go to his office and begin his day of being forced to do nothing in the magazine "Modern Man".

Since he was temporarily free, Mikhail thought about what he needed to prepare for next.

First and foremost, the arrival of Mikhail's mother and sister is of utmost importance. Since their last separation, there have been unexpectedly many things to deal with back home, as well as various procedures and the influence of the weather. In short, they have been postponing their reunion with Mikhail until now.

During this time, despite the long distance, Mikhail naturally continued to communicate with his mother and sister through letters.

His mother and sister didn't encounter any trouble back in their hometown. Apart from handling various matters step by step, one of Mikhail's mother's great pleasures was telling their old acquaintances and friends about how Mikhail was doing in St. Petersburg.

Not only has he already established his own career through his talent in writing, but he has also won the favor of many important figures through this career. At the same time, he is about to complete his university studies, and it is likely that he will soon be able to secure a good position in the government after graduation. In the more distant future, Mikhail may indeed achieve a certain status in the Russian literary world, and perhaps he will have the opportunity to improve his position until he becomes a trusted advisor to His Majesty the Tsar.
Frankly speaking, it's possible for someone to have a certain status in the Russian literary world, and Mikhail has already achieved that, even exceeding expectations and almost making it abroad. But someone like the latter probably won't have that chance in their lifetime.

However, it is worth mentioning that due to the long distance and communication difficulties, coupled with the increasingly drastic changes in Mikhail's situation, Mikhail's mother and sister's impression of Mikhail's condition is basically still based on the time they last parted. So, their return this time will likely bring them another big surprise.

In truth, Mikhail did not intend for his mother and sister to remain in St. Petersburg indefinitely. After all, who knew what might happen after 1848? If Mikhail were to be captured, his property would inevitably be confiscated. In that case, how would his mother and sister continue to live after enduring such a severe blow?
In short, given this situation, out of a sense of foresight, Mikhail did indeed need to consider the future of his family.

The old laws in the old revolutionary base areas were not very effective, and the following years were quite turbulent. Moreover, when the dynasty was restored, the control over speech and the management of dangerous figures were really severe.

At the same time, this is the case in many other European countries.

In that case, the UK might be a pretty good option.

Even though this island has the legendary Queen Victoria, whose KDA was nothing short of extraordinary, and the social situation is a mess in another sense, it is relatively close to Russia and the situation seems to be relatively stable. As for exiles, they are everywhere and not unusual at all. It was in this environment that Marx completed his most important masterpieces.

So after his mother and sister arrive, Mikhail will probably take some time to travel to Europe. On the one hand, he wants to meet the cultural celebrities of other European countries these days, and on the other hand, he might submit some articles to explore the local area and make some preparations in advance so that he can earn a place to stay.

Otherwise, in Britain, one could truly feel the iron fist of capitalism. In those days, old London workers had to sleep with their heads hanging from a rope, and even then, they still had to pay a few pence.

And this was the treatment only workers could receive. If you were homeless and were still wandering the streets, under bridges, or even under other people's eaves late at night, the British police would really arrest you. At best, you would be forced into labor; at worst, you would be exiled to Australia or some remote island to serve as a consumable for Britain's external expansion.

In terms of being inhuman, Da Ying has truly taken it to the extreme.

All I can say is that we'll see how things go first, and the final arrangements will depend on the actual situation. If it's not absolutely necessary, Mikhail doesn't want to go that far, since his career and friends are all here. As for love, although it's still uncertain, there is definitely a hint of it.
As Mikhail pondered in his office, the latest issue of "Modern Man" magazine was being delivered to subscribers one by one. Earlier, a seventeen-year-old girl, still half-asleep, came to the living room to get the latest issue. Before she even saw the magazine, she saw a dashing middle-aged man sitting on the sofa, looking very energetic, and intently looking at what he was holding.

Nadya: "???"

They're even earlier than me?

Although she was genuinely startled, after thinking about it from a different perspective, Nadya still felt a strange mix of emotions.

Some things seem impossible, but they don't seem entirely impossible either.
(End of this chapter)