1978: A Literary Giant Who Began His Military Service

Chapter 82, "Wreath at the Foot of the Mountain," was published.

May.

The snow has melted now; Wuhan doesn't have much snow each year.

Although it is springtime in Wuhan, it is already very hot, with average temperatures in the twenties and sometimes reaching the thirties.

Of course, it's also the plum rain season now, and every household experiences rain during the plum rain season!
Raindrops the size of soybeans fell from the sky.

Early in the morning, Zhou Xu arrived at the studio. As the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, but Zhou Xu had only been recuperating for a little over two months, not even a hundred days yet! So he didn't need to do any exercises.

We went straight to the bookshelf, where the creative studio subscribes to every issue of "PLA Literature and Art".

He took a copy and returned to his seat.

"Wreath at the Foot of the Mountain" - Zhou Xu

I discovered an additional line of text below: "First-Class Merit Recipient, First-Class Combat Hero."

Well, the fact that the People's Liberation Army Literature and Art magazine wrote such a passage makes it seem like the author is quite accomplished.

A group of people gradually entered the studio, and Lei Yuansheng went straight to flip through magazines as soon as he entered. He loved reading novels the most.

Flipping through a copy of "PLA Literature and Art," Lei Yuansheng exclaimed in surprise, "This novel was published by you again, Xiao Zhou?"

Zhou Xu nodded: "Yes, this is what I sent to the magazine last time."

A group of people looked at Zhou Xu, and the political commissar said, "Give me a novel, okay?"

Of course, Lei Yuansheng handed a novel to the political commissar, and Gao Ruxing asked, "Anything else? Can I have one?"

Lei Yuansheng glanced at it: "Our studio only subscribes to ten books a month, right? The others must have been borrowed."

Zhou Xu took the book out of his hand and handed it to Gao Ruxing: "Alright, Lao Gao, I have another one here!"

Gao Ruxing happily took the novel.

The three of them buried themselves in the story of the novel.

-

Company Commander Liang Sanxi of the Ninth Company is a typical "hard-working ox" soldier. Born in the Yimeng Mountains, he carries the honesty and resilience of a Shandong native. His wife, Han Yuxiu, was pregnant, but she always understood and supported her husband's mission. Even though the family was struggling financially, she silently shouldered the burden of life.

In stark contrast to Liang Sanxi was recruit Zhao Mengsheng, the son of the deputy commander of the military region. He had grown up in a privileged environment and, disliking the hardships of military life, was determined to transfer back to the city through his mother's connections. He was perfunctory in his combat training and even secretly asked someone to handle his transfer procedures when his company was about to be deployed to the front lines. This "spoiled soldier" attitude drew criticism from his comrades.

As the war horn sounded, the Ninth Company was ordered to rush to the front line to undertake the arduous task of infiltration operations.

During a fierce battle, he witnessed his comrades sacrifice themselves to cover the main force. His former pampered nature was completely shattered by the test of life and death, and he began to take the initiative to carry weapons and charge ahead.

Deputy Company Commander Jin Kailai is straightforward and loves to speak the truth. Although he is often misunderstood because of his sharp tongue, he has a burning patriotic heart.

During their infiltration, the company ran out of water and food. The soldiers were parched and exhausted. In order to find water for his comrades, Jin Kailai disregarded the danger and led a few people to cut sugarcane in a nearby sugarcane field. Unfortunately, he was killed by a landmine.

Tragically, due to the rule against "unauthorized action," he was not awarded a commendation after his sacrifice, a regret that remains an indelible pain in the hearts of his comrades.

As the battle drew to a close, Liang Sanxi was shot and killed while covering the company's retreat.

While sorting through his belongings, his comrades found no valuables in his satchel, only a crumpled IOU for 620 yuan – a debt he had borrowed to pay for his seriously ill father's medical treatment and to bury his fallen comrade.

After the war, Zhao Mengsheng's mother came to pay her respects with supplies, hoping to compensate the troops in a special way, but Han Yuxiu politely declined. This simple rural woman sold her dowry to pay off debts, and raised her unborn child alone, steadfastly upholding the dignity of the martyrs and the family traditions.

In the end, Zhao Mengsheng gave up the opportunity to return to the city and chose to stay in the army, inheriting the spirit of his comrades Liang Sanxi, Jin Kailai and others, and continuing to protect the country they defended with their lives.

Jin Kailai was ineligible for merit recognition due to his sacrifice, so Zhao Mengsheng and the old leader appealed to higher authorities...

-

After finishing the novel, Gao Ruxing felt his eyes welling up with tears. He said slowly, "Comrade Zhou Xu, your novel is truly well written."

Lei Yuansheng added, "I also think it's very engaging to write!"

A moment later, Bai Hua entered the room, her face contorted with anger: "Lei Yuansheng!!!"

"..." This shout startled Lei Yuansheng. He looked up and pitifully asked Bai Hua, "What is it?"

"The dance troupe is waiting for you to conduct and train them! What are you doing still sitting in the office?"

Lei Yuansheng put down the magazine in his hand and immediately ran towards the door: "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten about this."

Lei Yuansheng was quite engrossed in watching "Garland at the Foot of the Mountain" and watched for three or four hours, which is why he was more than an hour late.

The group of performers in the cultural troupe were just like students; they wouldn't train unless the teacher came, and they would go off to play. It was Bai Hua who came to call them to work.

Bai Hua glanced at the desk, picked up a novel, and asked, "What are you so engrossed in reading?"

Upon seeing the title, I exclaimed in amazement: "Xiao Xu's work?! I read it last night, and it is indeed very well written."

"last night?"

“Yes, the magazine arrived tonight, you just forgot to read it,” Bai Hua said.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

Bai Hua laughed and said, "I thought you all knew!"

……

At this time, it was still in Ruian, Zhejiang.

The morning training had just ended, and Tao Huimin and a group of students walked out of the dance studio together.

"What were you looking at just now? The teacher almost saw you!" Tao Huimin asked the student next to her.

We just practiced the recitation techniques of Yue Opera, which is considered a relatively important lesson in 'recitation'.

Student Xiaofang peeked out a corner of the magazine with a mysterious smile: "This is a newly published novel, 'Wreath at the Foot of the Mountain'!"

"Garland at the Foot of the Mountain?" Tao Huimin read it aloud, then said, "I think I've read... Zhou Xu's work, haven't I?"

Xiao Fang immediately nodded: "It's Comrade Zhou Xu. I didn't expect that this comrade is not only a writer, but also a first-class combat hero who fought bloody battles on the front lines! Wow! He must be a tall, handsome, and gentle man! I bet that's the case! This Zhao Mengsheng must be the author's own prototype."

Tao Huimin shrugged, recalling the figure in the newspaper and Zhou Xu's very gentle letter.

He did seem to be a tall, handsome, and refined man, but she quickly shook her head: "I think you're just being infatuated again!"

"What a lovesick fool! I bet that's what I'm thinking!!"

"Alright, alright, I'm not going to argue with you anymore. If you think you're right, then that's how it is! But I think it's the way I think it is."

Tao Huimin, clutching a corner of the magazine, also grinned foolishly.

— The capital city at this time.

The capital city is definitely cooler in April and May than Wuhan, mostly around 15 degrees Celsius, so you can still wear long sleeves.

The busiest place in the capital was still the train station, where train after train of educated youth were brought back from the countryside. The number of people was increasing and the situation was becoming more and more complicated, resulting in hundreds of thousands of unemployed people.

Of course, the events of 83 are related to this period.

Passing by the train station and glancing at the crowds, Feng Mu remarked, "Wow, there are so many people!"

Feng Mu, setting aside factionalism, was one of the writers who published a significant amount of literary criticism on the topic of "scar literature" after 76, and he supported the ordinary.

After going to the bookstore and picking up a book, Feng Mu returned home.

My wife was still complaining: "Oh dear, prices have gone up again! Why are they still going up this year?! And our wages aren't going up either."

Starting in March 1979, the purchase prices of 18 kinds of agricultural products, including grain, were gradually increased.

In November, and even nationwide, the sales prices of eight major non-staple foods, including pork, beef, mutton, fresh eggs, poultry, aquatic products, milk, and vegetables, were increased.

Feng Mu said, "Alright, alright, adjusting the price is also for the benefit of the vast rural areas."

"..." His wife glanced at Feng Mu, who was lying on the recliner reading a novel, and asked, "What are we having for dinner?"

"Hmm... I want to eat braised beef."

"Beef prices have just gone up, I can't afford it!"

In this day and age, unless a writer is extremely prolific, most writers don't actually live a particularly wealthy life. Feng Mu's main salary still comes from his employer, the "Literary Gazette," which pays him about a hundred yuan a month.

"Then you make something simple, it's up to you."

After Feng Mu finished speaking, he buried his head in reading a novel. The first book he turned to was Zhou Xu's novel, "Wreath at the Foot of the Mountain"!
He continued to read.

I saw that passage: "There was this incredibly powerful noblewoman who managed to get a phone from a thousand miles away to my front-line command post. Damn it, she used connections to get to the battlefield where I was bleeding and sacrificing my life."

I don't care if she's the wife of God the Heavenly Emperor or the wife of God the Earthly Emperor; anyone who dares to use their connections on the battlefield will have their son the first to carry the explosives and blow up the bunker! Blow up the bunker!

Upon reading this passage, Feng Mu's eyes welled up with tears, and he suddenly sighed, "It's so well written!!"

So it took him another two or three hours to finish reading the novel.

He stood up and walked outside.

The old woman inside looked surprised and quickly asked, "What are you doing?"

Feng Mu said, "I'm going out for a bit, to my workplace!"

"It's so late, why are you still going to work?" the old woman complained.

"I'm at work."

Wearing a felt hat, he went directly to the editorial department of the "Literary Gazette," where Feng Mu was now the editor-in-chief.

When I arrived at the office, the staff of their "Literature and Art Department" hadn't all left yet. At that time, the literary scene was booming; editors wanted to be famous, and authors wanted to be famous too. So sometimes it was so busy that some editors would work through the night in the editorial office.

Upon entering the editorial department, Feng Mu looked around.

I saw Yan Gang.

He immediately waved and greeted him, "Old Yan!"

The current deputy editor-in-chief of the "Literary Gazette" is Yan Gang, who is also a well-known figure in the literary criticism field and has participated in the judging committees of many major literary awards.

"It's you. I thought it was someone else calling me. Didn't you go home to warm your wife's bed?" Yan Gang joked.

Feng Mu held a pen in one hand and the novel in the other: "This novel has been published for two or three weeks, and I only just saw it. It's really well-written! Have you read it yet?!"

Yan Gang glanced down at the magazine and immediately nodded: "Wreath at the Foot of the Mountain? I've finished reading it, it's really a very good work! You're only just reading it?"

"I've been too busy to read these past few days. I came across this while browsing magazines recently. I think the author's name is Zhou Xu? Has he written any previous works?"

Yan Gang thought for a moment: "After I found out he was popular, I looked up some information about him. He had some works! There was one called 'Changjin Lake' published in 'PLA Literature and Art' in January. He wasn't very well-known back then!"

Of course, he was somewhat famous at that time, but among readers, the literary and artistic circles have never been particularly interested in works with military themes.

"Oh! This must be a new writer with great potential. This work is well-written; I'm going to write a review..."

"...Give it to me before tomorrow? We'll start finalizing and printing tomorrow," Yan Gang said.

"I'll finish writing now and take it over!"

These veterans like Feng Mu are all very efficient and decisive, always saying what they mean and doing what they say, so he has already buried himself in writing.

Yan Gang watched from the side, and with a few quick swipes, several large characters appeared on the paper.

By the time Feng Mu finished writing this literary review of over three thousand words, it was already midnight. He then took it to the editorial office and gave the instructions:
"Tomorrow, remember to include the editor-in-chief's piece in the next issue of the magazine."

After finishing all that, he started yawning.

……

The Beijing Military Region at this time.

A man in his early twenties, with a still somewhat youthful face, wearing a military uniform, appeared on the parade ground. He had a large, distinctive mouth and crooked, rotten teeth.

When he smiles, he shows off his big teeth.

Feng Xiaogang walked into the dance hall of the cultural troupe. This old guy officially joined the army in 78 and served as a stage designer in the Beijing Military Region Cultural Troupe.

He took a copy of "PLA Literature and Art" from the bookshelf, scrutinizing the newly published novel with a slightly critical eye.

"Wreath at the Foot of the Mountain, that's quite a boast."

After saying that, Feng Xiaogang took the novel and went into the house, reading as he went!

"I must say... it's actually quite well written."

"PLA Literature and Art" was one of the few forms of entertainment available during his military service. After reading the novel once, Feng Xiaogang was still somewhat unsatisfied. He frowned and continued to ponder the story.

The more I think about it, the more I realize how compelling this novel is.

The squad leader over there saw Feng Xiaogang standing there in a daze and shouted, "What are you still standing there for! Go look at the stage!"

Feng Xiaogang was taken aback, put down the magazine in his hand, and left.

After finishing his work, Feng Xiaogang picked up the novel again and read it. The more he read, the better he liked it, so he sent a letter to "PLA Literature and Art".

(End of this chapter)