I am not Ximen Qing.

The journey, or rather, the ride in a green train pulled by a locomotive, was nothing to Guo Baoshan, a seasoned traveler with extensive experience. This distance was a mere trifle compared to his journey from Shanxi to Manchuria during his exile. It was far more comfortable, a true homecoming. Even Emperor Kangxi only made five trips to the south of the Yangtze River in his lifetime, limiting his national tours. Even Emperor Qianlong only made six trips, visiting Mount Wutai five times, and even then, he only took Empress Dowager Chongqing with him under the guise of filial piety. Past emperors' travels were always incredibly expensive. Qin Shi Huang, upon reaching Qinhuangdao, never wanted to leave, demonstrating the emperors' fear and aversion to Liaodong. Consider the fall of the Song Dynasty to the Jin Dynasty; the captured Song imperial family and nobles, including Emperor Huizong and Emperor Qinzong, ultimately ended up in Wuguo City. Even the emperor of the Jin dynasty disdained his homeland, the so-called bitter and cold land. The descendants of Wanyan Aguda believed that the artist of Kaifeng, the capital, and the great emperor Zhao Ji, should experience the karmic retribution of the Iron Mountain Hell described in the Ksitigarbha Sutra through the "Red Dream Pavilion" of the Qingming Scroll. Guo Baoshan, however, didn't find Liaodong bitter and cold at all. It was much easier to get enough to eat than Shanxi, where the glory of the Tang dynasty had been almost entirely consumed by poverty. Guo Baoshan didn't understand things like dragon energy or dragon veins, but he did know a little. The Qilian Mountains of China could be considered the ancestral dragon of the Chinese nation; even the imperial aura had to follow the cyclical flow of feng shui, didn't it? The so-called Stone City of Nanjing was also a result of the great Nanjing's inability to maintain its rule. The Nanjing Massacre saw those short-statured Japanese invaders, along with their collaborators, brutally rape and slaughter 300,000 of China's finest descendants. This was all a consequence of the Kuomintang and Chiang Kai-shek's passive resistance and lack of resistance. The victims of war were always ordinary people. The wealthy and powerful officials fled early, by plane, ship, and car, some even going directly to Hong Kong, Macau, and the United States. The Japanese dared not offend the British, and the Americans dared not offend the Portuguese, because many Japanese immigrants lived in Portuguese-speaking Brazil. Guo Baoshan probably couldn't have imagined this; information was scarce, otherwise the common people would have been easier to enslave and intimidate. Of course, ordinary people could endure humiliation as long as they had enough to eat and survive. Prajnaparamita, everyone is an ascetic, a sufferer of hardship, witnessing tremendous changes. Guo Baoshan no longer harbored illusions. Following the route map of the pearl, he would first go to Tonghua to see if there were any opportunities. For the first time, he felt at ease taking the pearl with him, and also holding the hot-tempered Guo Jinyu in his arms. "This child has such a temper, is she frightened?"

"And they couldn't find a sorceress to receive his spirit."

"Go to Jade Emperor Mountain and ask the Jade Emperor to stop. It's more effective than a sorceress. Even sorceresses have to worship the Jade Emperor."

From Jade Emperor Mountain, one can overlook almost the entire mountain city, especially the great river below. The surrendered soldiers of the Kwantung Army launched their so-called holy war, the Greater East Asia Holy War rebellion, also known as the uprising, which was suppressed. Ice caves were filled with Japanese soldiers. They had enslaved Northeast China for far too long. Everywhere in the Northeast with mines, there are mass graves. Just imagine the extent to which Japanese militarism exploited the Chinese people! Even oxen and horses were given fodder and bean cakes for extra nutrition when plowing the fields! Under the occupation of Japanese imperialism, the lives of Chinese people were cheaper and worthless than those of cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep!

To be honest, Tonghua was a chaotic mess, filled with the sounds of locomotives and blast furnaces—even more noisy and restless than any other city they passed through. But Tonghua was a mountain city; they had to keep going deeper into the mountains! However, to comfort the disappointed Guo Baoshan, Pearl had to describe how the Jade Emperor of Qingshan Mountain in Tonghua had truly appeared, and Guo Jinyu had stopped crying and making a fuss. Pearl and Guo Baoshan, with the child, stayed overnight at a hotel. Tonghua was too industrialized; according to Pearl's description, besides the acrid smell of coal smoke, it was utterly chaotic. The only sounds were the locomotives and blast furnaces—even more noisy and restless than any other city they passed through. Tonghua was a mountain city; they had to keep going deeper into the mountains. However, to comfort the disappointed Guo Baoshan, the pearl still had to describe his former paradise, the spring scenery of Wuling, the azaleas on the cliffs, and the dandelions, daylilies, taro, wild vegetables, shepherd's purse, and wild mushrooms growing everywhere in the mountains—all delicacies for the Japanese settlers. In Northeast China, these wild vegetables were made into canned goods, and premium white rice was made with cold water; only high-ranking officials and nobles of the Kwantung Army were entitled to eat it. Why were the mountain products of Northeast China so abundant? Because ordinary Chinese people were not allowed to go into the mountains to pick various mountain products and furs; these were the Kwantung Army's war reserve resources. Ordinary people were not allowed to eat soybeans, rice, or wheat flour; of course, they could eat corn and sorghum. Nutritious foods were only for the Japanese.

"Tana, why didn't you say so sooner? There's such a world!"

"Baoshan, aren't you going to say I was lying to you?"

Heading from Tonghua into the mountains, the small locomotive sped through the dense forest on the narrow steel rails laid by the Japanese, the wheels rumbling and the rails clashing with a passionate noise. This was a symphony of industrial steam civilization in the forest. Based on his years of experience and intuition, Guo Baoshan felt that at least in this forest, food and clothing were no longer a worry; people had lost all other thoughts, because artistic imagination was consumed by the unpredictable day and night of hunger.

"Tanaha, I love you to death, Pearl!"

The vastness and depth of this forest almost made Guo Baoshan weep from the depths of his soul. Unable to survive in Shanxi, he wandered and wandered, spending some time in Beiping (Beijing), and finally passing through Shenyang on his way to Dongfeng County. If it weren't for Pearl's care, Guo Baoshan would have lost his life. He secretly vowed to be devoted to this mother and daughter, to treat them well. He passed various rivers—Erdaohezi, Sandaohezi, Sidaohezi, Wudaohezi, Liudaohezi, and even the Hunjiang River. There were many rivers and streams here; a river could be called a stream, and a stream could be called a river—the rivers and streams seemed to be one. The Hunjiang River felt similar to Tonghua, with a strong smell of coal smoke and pungent coke.

Guo Baoshan, along with Pearl, Guo Jinyu, and the child in Tana's womb, didn't head straight for the Yalu River, but instead ventured into the endless depths of the forest. Upon arriving at the Forestry Bureau, their travel expenses were nearly exhausted. This didn't deter Guo Baoshan. Firstly, he was a businessman; Guo, the owner of a restaurant for over a decade, was most skilled at preparing the Empress Dowager's favorite Manchu-Han Imperial Feast. Although it was imperial cuisine, it was Guo Baoshan's hidden talent. According to the ancestral teachings, the most important ingredient in the Manchu-Han Imperial Feast was lard, and only the lard rendered from black pigs of Changbai Mountain, with its jade-like color and snow-white hue, could make it authentic. Without this type of lard, it wouldn't be a genuine Manchu-Han Imperial Feast. As soon as Guo Baoshan got off the train, he saw wild black pigs in a nearby pigsty.

"It must be wild boar seed. Look at this boar, eating chicken raw, Tana."

"Guo Baoshan, stop looking at the black pig, do we still have any money left?"

"Tana, don't worry."

"How can I not worry? Where will we stay in this cold? What will we eat?"

"Tana, eat monkey legs, cow hair, wild fruit, round dates, schisandra berries, ginseng, and deer antler."

"Baoshan, why don't you just go and eat the Bull Demon King's horns!"

"Alright, I'm lying down now, just teasing you and your daughter."

"Baoshan, you'd better stop playing around, or Jinyu will turn into a night-crying boy."

"Tana, let's find an inn."

Guo Baoshan and Zhenzhu were holding Guo Jinyu and were about to find an inn when the police stopped them. "Where are you from? Are you staying with relatives or looking for work?"

"I have no relatives or friends."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"Police officer, looking for a job?"

Do you have a letter of introduction?

"What introduction letter? They've all come, and they didn't ask for one when they got on the bus."

"We need a letter of introduction here. Come with us to the police station."

Pearl and Guo Baoshan exchanged glances. Pearl's belly and Guo Jinyu's cries served as a protective charm. Guo Baoshan, a worldly man, knew the police officers' mission was crucial; there were spies plotting assassination and sabotage. But Guo Baoshan was still clinging to the old world, accustomed to the ironclad system of government offices and ever-changing officials, generation after generation, dynasty after dynasty, fortunes shifting. He, Guo Baoshan, was merely a businessman who ran a restaurant; he knew nothing but the Manchu Han Imperial Feast—a talent forever hidden deep within him. Sauerkraut hotpot, sweet and sour pork, crispy pork belly, roast chicken, roast duck, and stewed goose were Guo Baoshan's specialties, skills he could showcase. The Manchu Han Imperial Feast was only for the Empress Dowager's occasions and grandeur. Such grandeur would be impossible to find again. He had only served his advisor once before; he couldn't enter the palace, but his master could. His master even said, "Young man, you're quite lucky, but don't go hiding in the mountains."

Now, recalling my master's instructions and seeing the police officers again, I don't know why I started to regret it. My previous idea that black pigs could be used to extract lard for making Manchu Han Imperial Feast has vanished.

Think about it, the Great Qing Gate, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City—isn't this just some desolate, godforsaken wilderness? All those fantasies vanished in an instant, replaced by reality. "Don't be afraid, we're forestry bureau police. Don't worry, don't fret. The People's Police only arrest spies, reactionaries, and capitalist roaders who sabotage socialist construction. You must register, but don't worry, you can register even without a letter of introduction. The factory here is hiring workers; do you want to be a worker?"

"Yes, I really want to, Tana. We can be workers too."

"Tana?"

It's a pearl.

His name is Pearl.

"Police officer"

"what?"

"I only know how to make sweet and sour pork."

"A chef?"

"It used to be a restaurant."

"Comrade, the factory canteen is short of a manager."

"The director... we met him on the way."

"Guo Baoshan, what brings you here? Did you come to see me?"

"Oh, didn't you join the Eighth Route Army?"

Meeting an old friend in a foreign land was something no one expected. This police chief turned out to be Guo Baoshan's uncle's nephew. The police chief was older than Guo Baoshan, but a generation younger in terms of seniority. According to custom, he should call him uncle. However, Guo Baoshan and Yinshan grew up together and went their separate ways.

"A mountain of silver!"

"It's our director, Guo Jiefang."

"Isn't it Guo Yinshan?"

“Calling yourself Yinshan in the army is too vulgar. Change your name to Guo Jiefang.”

"Jiefang, please don't call me uncle, I'm younger than you."

"Alright, Baoshan, let's not stand on ceremony."

After settling Pearl and Guo Jinyu into their lodgings, the enthusiastic Jiefang took Guo Baoshan on a tour of the Linhai Forestry Bureau. Jiefang, recently discharged from the army, had been assigned by the organization to be a director at the Forestry Bureau, to gain experience at the grassroots level. After all, there was a significant difference between the local and military environments; the military's temperament required more flexibility in the civilian world. The leadership appreciated Guo Jiefang's talent, starting him as a director and gradually working his way up to bureau chief and then police chief. The situation was still tense; American imperialism, led by Pak Cho-gun, was invading Korea. Syngman Rhee had deployed American troops and Pak Cho-gun to the Korean Peninsula. China was now separated from the country by the Yalu River and no longer harbored any illusions about imperialism—this was simply the current international situation. Guo Baoshan paid no attention to any of this, and Guo Jiefang didn't discuss it with him. Indeed, the Forestry Bureau lacked a talented canteen manager; several hundred people in the bureau relied on the canteen for their meals. The work pressure was quite high, but the deputy director in charge of logistics still insisted on finding a suitable canteen manager for the workers. The interview for the manager was simple: someone who could cook delicious meals in large pots and dishes, and could cook a few signature dishes. The main purpose was to provide special meals for comrades visiting the Forestry Bureau. This wasn't special treatment; it was about understanding the principle that food is essential for survival, and being realistic. "Building socialism, unity is strength, unite all forces that can be united, down with imperialism!" Large slogans were painted all over the Forestry Bureau's factory walls, quite eye-catching. Then, Guo Baoshan was taken to the reservoir on the platform. The reservoir was home to many silver carp, crucian carp, and common carp, and many freshwater mussels, but these didn't have the pearls found in the Yalu River. Guo Jiefang gave Guo Baoshan many suggestions: if he wanted to develop a long-term career in the bureau, he could build a house now, and the bureau could approve the land for it. Guo Jiefang knew many bricklayers who knew how to build houses, and the houses could be completed in less than a month, so that they could spend the winter in houses that burned firewood.

The Linhai Forestry Bureau now has many timber processing plants, lumber mills, and timber storage yards. They are preparing to produce plywood, planning to import equipment from the Soviet Union – a modern forestry bureau indeed. Locally, there are textile mills, match factories, and some coal and iron mines. The workers are highly motivated and have all found jobs. Many farmers have suddenly become part of the working class. The forestry bureau has built a hospital, a school, and a nursery, with primary, middle, and high schools. Intellectuals from big cities have flocked to all parts of the country, many being graduates of prestigious universities. For example, Linhai High School has graduates from Fudan and Tongji Universities in Shanghai, speaking fluent Shanghainese – Shanghai is one of China's most famous cities. Every year, the forestry bureau imports scarce daily necessities from Shanghai as welfare for the workers, making life much better than before. During the Spring Festival, the bureau distributes frozen pork and various kinds of ribbonfish, and apples are also distributed by the basketful, according to quotas. Therefore, both men and women work hard, striving to become model workers and advanced individuals. The working class has a very high level of consciousness. When Guo Baoshan heard that the children could go to school for free in the future, the tension in his heart immediately eased. It seemed that Pearl's choice was right. Not only would she have a job, but the children could also go to school, and all of it would be free.