I am not Ximen Qing.

Northeast China became the most developed and wealthiest region in China. The Yalu River has always been a sensitive area, and Japan's ambitions towards mainland China have never ceased. Crossing the Tsushima Strait and occupying the Korean Peninsula culminated in the full-scale invasion of China on September 18th. The Soviet Red Army ended the ambitions of the Kwantung Army; history always sweeps everything away, coming and going in a hurry. The imprint of the Japanese presence in Northeast China is evident in railways, factories, Japanese-style buildings, and cities. Even in the deep mountains and forests, one can see the watchtowers, bunkers, and various fortifications built by the Kwantung Army. The Japanese never considered the liberation of the three northeastern provinces, nor did they consider the possibility of defeat in the war. They even fantasized about negotiating with the Soviet Union and continuing their battle with the United States in the Pacific. The entire Japanese archipelago was mobilized for war, and the spirit of Kamikaze and Bushido defended the last vestiges of the Yamato people's spirit.

Faced with the Soviet Union's steel torrent liberating Europe and the Red Army's destruction of Berlin, the Japanese ambitions shattered, from the bone to the flesh, reaching their very soul. History bears a resemblance to the complete annihilation of Bushido. The spirit and Bushido of the Kwantung Army, before the Soviet Katyusha T-34s, submachine guns, armored caravans, and the nuclear annihilation predicted by Einstein, represented the failure of another form of Japanese self-deception, akin to the Boxer Rebellion's spirit of self-deception. Across the Yalu River, the Koreans stood taller than ever before. The Soviet Red Army liberated Korea, and the Soviet Union brought not only socialism but also the Industrial Revolution. Stalin's Five-Year Plans followed.

History once swirls in the three northeastern provinces. This land produced some opportunists, the most successful of whom were the descendants of Nurhaci, who stormed the Forbidden City and became masters of the Ming Empire. The Japanese also wanted to emulate Nurhaci, but times had changed. Zhang Zuolin's opportunistic strategy of playing both sides was destined to fail, making the bombing of Huanggutun an inevitable outcome of chance. He could curry favor with Yuan Shikai and the Empress Dowager Cixi. But the Japanese were fanatical Nazi opportunists. History had been so turbulent, the last emperor and the imprint of the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo were too profound. In their final moments, the Kwantung Army and Puyi even considered establishing a new capital for Manchukuo in Tonghua. The Yalu River has witnessed countless historical events, including the armies of the Tang Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, the Eight Banners army of Huang Taiji and Dorgon, and the Japanese army. It also witnessed Japan's colonization of the Korean Peninsula for over 100 years. If one only sees the Yalu River flowing swiftly, its clear waters sparkling, it's not enough to simply appreciate its beauty. Where there are mountains and water, there is bound to be beauty. And wherever there is a river, especially on the Yalu River near Mount Paektu, the Yalu River possesses a special spirit. It is the Yalu River that brings vitality and happiness to the people on both sides of the border between China and North Korea. From ancient times to the present, human civilization has thrived near major rivers, because life exists only where there is water, and without water, there is no life.

The Japanese never imagined they would suffer such a complete defeat; a thousand years of struggle vanished in almost a single day. The Americans were now the masters of Japan—a karmic cycle. The once mighty Japanese Empire had become an American colony. The military factories, railways, textile mills, banks, schools, power plants, hydroelectric power stations, dams, and reservoirs built by the Japanese held a place in the hearts of the Japanese in Northeast China equivalent to the Japanese archipelago. The Japanese even abandoned the Japanese archipelago to fight the Americans in the three northeastern provinces.

Historical presence is minimal, and memory is fleeting. The locomotive continues its mission on the narrow gauge tracks, the green carriages still running, everything as usual. Who are the Japanese? Did the Japanese ever live here? What are the Japanese like? Nobody knows. Where are the Japanese? The Japanese, the Wokou (倭寇), a name bestowed by the Empress, their common people only want a happy life, land to cultivate, clothes to wear, money to spend, children to attend school, to pass on their lineage, to ensure their family's bloodline doesn't die out. To be honest, Japan is like a leech, a gadfly, a mosquito, the most cunning of all countries. These little devils, wielding their swords and bayonets, kill with the ferocity of Nazism, their blood flowing like rivers. The Yalu River once flowed with the blood of the slaughtered, staining the mountains and rivers with blood.

Everything is like the quietly flowing Yalu River; from now on, we will build our homes and live along its banks. Perhaps even Thoreau's Walden cannot compare to the beauty of the mountains and rivers along the Yalu River, the natural wonder of the world.

The iconic little locomotive, its roaring whistle echoing along both banks of the Yalu River. This era's Watt's little locomotive actually traversed the villages in every corner of the Changbai Mountains and forests. The old emperor called it the Iron Monster Civilization Knight, or the Black Iron Steam Knight of the Forest.

The Forbidden City nearly wiped out the golden nanmu trees of the south—not exactly extinct, but the trees, which take thousands of years to mature, are almost certainly no longer viable. The Forbidden City also nearly depleted Fangshan's best stone resources. The Liao and Jin dynasties lamented the fate of Yelü Chucai and Wanyan Aguda, while Zhu Di, the Ming emperor, could be called a truly courageous and spirited emperor. The Japanese left Northeast China with endless regret. The true snow country is the magnificent Changbai Mountain, the magnificent Northeast China. A small train locomotive weaves through the dense forests of Changbai Mountain. The Siberian tigers, once a favorite hunting ground of Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong, have disappeared, but the deep forests of Northeast China remain a paradise for roe deer, wild boars, and black bears. I don't want to express anything specific, just that the resources of the Changbai Mountain forest are so abundant that the Japanese are unwilling to accept it. There are so many towering red pines, hundreds of years old and thousands of years old, overflowing with resin in the deep forests. A single red pine can yield several sacks of pine cones, once the finest tribute to the emperor. The Japanese are deeply resentful that Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo, and Nagoya didn't use rot-resistant red pine to build their traditional Japanese wooden houses. The little locomotives still burn the finest black coal, spewing forth plumes of steam, their chimneys billowing smoke that drifts deep into the primeval forest. The beauty of Changbai Mountain is understated and subtle; the Manchu Qing dynasty deliberately concealed it for centuries, making it truly the birthplace of the Qing dynasty. Now I understand the greatness of the Yalu River, which holds the soul of the Changbai Mountains and the Heilongjiang River.

Yu Huan had ridden in a small train; she had witnessed the fiery passion of those times. She felt the women of the Japanese settlers were always haughty and aloof. Yu Huan didn't want to recall the affectation and hypocrisy of Japanese women; they were simply better nutritious than Chinese women and wore makeup—women naturally became beautiful when they were well-nourished. The rugged spirit of the snowy Northeast naturally made the women somewhat unrestrained and loud-voiced, but who would have thought that the Manchu women of Changbai Mountain, after entering the Forbidden City, would become the beauties depicted in Emperor Yongzheng's Twelve Beauties? Even Zhu Zhanji's mother was chosen by Zhu Di from beauties presented as tribute from Korea. The Ming Dynasty had a tradition of selecting Korean beauties for the imperial harem. Now she felt at ease, looking at her sister Yu Pei's bound feet.

This wedding was quite a spectacle. All sorts of strange and unusual people made their appearances: opera singers, folk singers, Peking opera singers, and bangzi singers, their moods unpredictable, sometimes even shouting and cursing. Even shamans and sorcerers were invited to ward off evil spirits. Huang Yumin set up dozens of tables of food and drink in the county town, with all sorts of fruits, desserts, candies, wedding cigarettes, and wine—almost everything imaginable. There was no way around it; in those days, all sorts of gods and ghosts were as numerous as hairs on a cow. In this special era, two strange weddings were held. The sister was outside the city, and the brother was in the old house inside. A wedding inside and outside the city—this was against all etiquette. But Yuhuan didn't care anymore. Times changed so fast; once married, she wasn't afraid of anything changing.

Gui Lan was incredibly beautiful. Her beauty wasn't the seductive allure of the Zhao Feiyan sisters, the kind Emperor Cheng of Han was obsessed with. It was a hidden, understated, gentle beauty, a quiet, captivating charm. This world has always been like this. When Huang Yumin lifted Gui Lan's red veil, she was radiant under the wedding candles. At least for that moment, Huang Yumin felt it would be worth dying for. He was completely mesmerized by Gui Lan's body, as if she were made of gold and jewels, a precious treasure, afraid to miss any glimpse of her allure. He hadn't seen a woman in ages, and he feared Gui Lan would vanish from his sight. He knew this wasn't a dream; Gui Lan allowed him to be completely captivated. He felt as if he were smelling the fragrance of a flower, and he knew Gui Lan was blushing as if covered in rose petals. Huang Yumin couldn't experience the joy of passing the imperial examinations, but he could enjoy the company of his beautiful bride on their wedding night.

"What's wrong?" Gui Lan was startled by Huang Yumin's strange expression.

"Ah, so beautiful, you have the biggest and fullest breasts I've ever seen."

"what?"

"Honey, I've had too much to drink."

"My mother told me that you are a cultured person who has read many books."

"Honey, have you ever heard of the Xue Fan?"

I've never heard of it.

"Now I will recite a poem, and my daughter will be happy... happy."

"Don't lie to me, a daughter's joy is not poetry."

"With a beauty like you, why would I bother with any silly poems? Do you understand? I'll write poems for you every day from now on."

I want to hear your love poems now.

"Silly girl, poetry needs inspiration."

"Great, let's find some inspiration!"

"Looking for inspiration? Of course you have to look for inspiration. Your body is inspiration."

Huang Yumin's conclusion from Guilan's body was that youth is truly wonderful. Guilan's garden full of spring colors couldn't contain even a single apricot blossom peeking over the wall—youth is indeed wonderful. Huang Yumin had lived a wasted life, and now she understood that the beauty of women is endless, and the entire meaning of life lies in the romantic moments of the wedding night. Although Huang Yumin was considerably older than Guilan, she had to thank her sister Yuhuan for using their mother's gold bracelet to make a gold ring, which bought Guilan's youth and body.

"I'm afraid of having children."

"I'm not afraid."

How wicked!

"Women don't love men who aren't a little bad!"

"Have you seen enough?"

"I can never get enough of it."

"I'm shy, can you put out the candle?"

"That's bad luck. I'm your man, I'm here to check on you. Don't be afraid."

Zhang Zechen was undoubtedly the happiest elder in both marriages. His niece-in-law, Huang Yupei, treated him with utmost respect, while Si Rui devoted himself entirely to farming and orchard development, working long hours from dawn till dusk. Having a wife brought even greater responsibility, and Huang Yupei's dowry helped the uncle and nephew through their financial crisis to some extent. The second uncle, a hardworking and honest man who didn't know how to enjoy life, felt uneasy seeing his niece-in-law getting up early every day to prepare meals for her and Si Rui. He knew the young lady hadn't married into their humble home to suffer, and the thought of ruining Yupei's health was a huge problem. The second uncle instructed his nephew Si Rui, "Si Rui, look at Yupei's health; don't let her get too tired. Do you understand what I mean? I don't know what to say. Your wife is working too hard; I can't bear it. I, as your uncle, can't be a burden to you. I think..."

"Uncle, please don't overthink it. Yu Pei is a kind and good woman. If you were to run away from home, I wouldn't be the first to object."

"What are you saying!"

"Uncle, you know that Yupei is filial."

"Sirui, ah"

"What's wrong, Uncle?"

"Jade Pendant, are you pregnant?"

"uncle!"

"Ah! The jade pendant, you heard everything?"

"Uncle, I didn't hear anything."

"Okay, it's best if you didn't hear it, it's best if you didn't hear it."

These days were the happiest time of Zhang Zechen's life. He was overjoyed watching the young couple. Yu Pei was clean and knew how to tailor, so she made him a jacket with fine fabric. If it weren't for his nephew's wife's marriage, he would never have been able to wear such nice clothes in his life. Now things were much more comfortable. He wanted to do farm work with Si Rui, helping his nephew tend the fruit trees in the orchard. For some reason, his nephew's personality had changed drastically since he got married; he absolutely refused to let his uncle do the heavy physical labor he used to do. His uncle's body had been worn out by his past hard work; he had worked harder than an ox in the fields. So, Yu Pei and Zhang Si Rui decided to get their uncle a large reclining chair, so he could brew tea and then quietly relax and sleep in it. They also bought new cabinets and bedding for his room. Because of Zhang Si Rui's orchard, Grandma Wang was very interested; now they wouldn't have to buy fruit anymore. Gui Lan's mother would frequently visit the fields and Zhang Sirui's orchard. Her brother-in-law, Huang Yumin, was even more unceremonious. Since he and Gui Lan had gotten married, they disliked cooking—it was too much work—so their elder sister and brother-in-law's family, along with the mother-in-law, provided free meals. Huang Yumin was still the same as before; chicken, duck, and fish were indispensable. Luckily, Zhang Sirui was naturally good at farming and had raised some chickens in the orchard. The hens ate more grasshoppers and insects, which helped them lay more eggs, while the roosters were kept like dogs. The roosters were quite fierce, chasing strangers everywhere. Ah! The wild roosters guarded the hens. But in Huang Yumin's eyes, both roosters and hens were simply food for his stomach, something to accompany his drinks. Huang Yuping's family home was his and Guilan's canteen and restaurant. Huang Yumin never reasoned with his brother-in-law. Huang Yumin's motto was that he was not one to freeload. His sister had brought the Huang family's wealth with her when she married. Finally, one day, his second uncle said, "Your sister is pregnant."

"What does it matter if my sister is pregnant, Uncle?"

You're going to be an uncle.

"Oh, I'm going to be an uncle! Second Uncle, you're going to be a grandfather! Let's celebrate!"

"For your second uncle's sake, please spare your sister, okay?"

"Second Uncle, she's my sister! How could I harm my sister?"

"He's too tired. Let him take his own life. Look at that belly, your nephew is about to be born."

"Second Uncle, it could be my niece!"

"Yes, I'm getting senile."

Second Uncle, I have a question for you.

"What's the problem? Tell me, child."

"Second Uncle, why isn't my sister's belly very big?"

"this?……"

Second Sister Yu Huan's belly was growing, and so was Eldest Sister's belly, but Gui Lan's belly was still flat. This worried the two sisters, as well as Gui Lan's mother, and Huang Yumin was even more anxious. Gui Lan was his beautiful Lan, and if her belly didn't cooperate, it would be a big problem. If a hen doesn't lay eggs, is it still a hen? If a woman doesn't give birth, is she still a woman? Huang Yumin and Gui Lan simply went to pray to Yuanjun, the Goddess of Mercy who grants children.