I am not Ximen Qing.

Legends don't always match reality. Everyone has their own image of Jean Valjean, and of course, their own Javert. Director Jiang joined the Red Army without formal education, but he received cultural training at the Workers', Peasants', and Soldiers' University. The Party's cultivation and education of him were comprehensive. Upon arriving at the Forestry Bureau, he didn't want to be pretentious or boastful. He came to the Forestry Bureau to build socialism and achieve the Four Modernizations. He disapproved of Fan Jin's (a character from a popular TV series) style of cadre selection; all cadres had to go to the grassroots level for practical experience, not just sit in the office and talk theory. In reality, this seemingly uneducated director was well-versed in Mao Zedong's Selected Works, *Water Margin*, *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, *Journey to the West*, *Dream of the Red Chamber*, and *Das Kapital*. Although he hadn't studied abroad, he had rich experience in revolutionary struggle. The director was good at discovering talent. As he gradually understood the Forestry Bureau, he became increasingly energetic. He almost succumbed to arrogance and complacency. Humility leads to progress, while arrogance leads to decline. To avoid falling behind, one must persist in learning and reading every day, learning in work, and learning through practice. He had a clear understanding of the problems within the bureau, from top to bottom. The bureau's leadership team continuously recruited talent, striving to promote young and outstanding cadres to work at the grassroots level. The bureau chief's work style was characterized by hard work and frugality, resulting in many role models emerging nationwide. Director Jiang was quite satisfied with the work of Deputy Director Han, who was in charge of logistics, as Han frequently offered insightful suggestions that greatly benefited the bureau's overall work.

Director Han is a cadre who loves culture. He quite likes several works by Shanghai painters. Working in propaganda within the trade union is relatively frugal; if all painters only become famous after their death like Van Gogh, it would be a tragedy for artists. Of course, the painter, being from the South, is quite resourceful. He painted a few Monet-style oil paintings for Director Han's home, adding a touch of elegance. After framing them, it was considered a donation. Naturally, it became easier to buy and reimburse various painting supplies later. This was absolutely not corruption; it was simply a few moments of artistic resonance, a contribution. The director's wife is also a young and beautiful woman with an artistic soul. She has been observing Director Jiang's interests, but Director Jiang is almost perfect. The director values ​​her husband highly; he is a key figure in the bureau's development program. If the director retires, her husband, Old Han, will have a chance to become the director, replacing the deputy director in charge of logistics. Since a Shanghai painter can create such an excellent work, it's inappropriate for Director Jiang's office to be so shabby. This is disproportionate to his position as the Director of the Linhai Forestry Bureau. This is unacceptable; it reflects poorly on logistical support. Why not add some elegance and culture to the otherwise shabby environment of the Director's office? The Director cares most about the education and culture within the bureau. Have a Shanghai painter create a painting of "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains"—it's impressive—and hang it behind the Director's chair. With "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains" right behind Director Jiang, the office will suddenly radiate cultural brilliance and vibrancy. The Director opposes waste, right? This is culture, isn't it? Hang several paintings with artistic conception in all the departments and offices within the bureau.

Our Forestry Bureau leadership team is all cultured and artistic. I don't know if this counts as flattery, but it can certainly be called culture and art. This has brought out the value of the Shanghai painter, who directly reported to Director Han, setting aside the trivial and miscellaneous work for now. "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" sparked Director Jiang's reflections. His initial low-key approach upon arriving at the Forestry Bureau proved 100% correct; this bureau is full of hidden talents, all sorts of extraordinary individuals. He's someone who can't tolerate even the slightest imperfection. What is the art of working with artists in the bureau? For example, the actual facilitator of this "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" painting was Emperor Huizong of Song, who wasn't skilled at governing the country. This is the point the director wanted to make: artists often detach themselves from reality and everyday life. The director and deputy director discussed various aspects of the work many times. Of course, the bureau needs talents like the Shanghai painter, providing him with more creative space and resources. The director's intuition was very accurate; he knew that the Shanghai painter was a pure artist and creator, and that the painter was also a talent the bureau needed.

Zhang Sirui has finally surfaced. This union chairman understands the actual situation within the bureau, and his reports have been very well written several times.

Lu Shitou was a favorite of the bureau chief, tasked with providing cultural training to all the bureau's cadres, including exams. The bureau chief wanted to cure his own lack of education—a psychological burden he had overcome during the revolutionary era. Being uneducated wasn't terrible; if you don't know something, learn it! Bureau Chief Jiang's illiteracy was merely a way for him to preserve his strength. Not only could he write and read, but he was also a skilled calligrapher. He demonstrated his calligraphy skills on the spot, instantly impressing those who had secretly called him a boorish, uncultured old Red Army soldier. With the spirit of the Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains, the bureau chief devoted himself to learning and reading outside of work, much to the frustration of Bureau Chief Han.

Because Zhang Sirui was reciting the *Doctrine of the Mean*, *The Great Learning*, and *The Analects* flawlessly. "What does this show? It shows a mental illness! Your mind is exceptionally sharp, how can you not write? It's all an excuse, a mental illness. I'll make the Javert in your heart commit suicide; I've made the same mistake you have. Now start working hard to learn to write. Learn to write well within a month, don't make excuses, learn calligraphy well within a year. Let Teacher Lu slowly train you first. This is a problem that arose at work. Why hide it? Face it. Is writing as difficult as the Foolish Old Man Moving Mountains?" The director used the story of Jean Valjean to encourage everyone to learn and progress by facing difficulties in their growth. The veteran Red Army soldier had a way to cure Zhang Sirui's mental illness; a surge of righteous energy dispelled the evil spirit weighing on Zhang Sirui's heart—a mental illness that had plagued his work for years. Unexpectedly, the director's words were a fatal blow: problems must be faced bravely.

The bureau chief criticized Lu Shitou for only being good at theoretical discussions and wanted him to work in the bureau. However, Lu Shitou was most afraid of dealing with interpersonal relationships. Helpless, after the bureau's cadre cultural training ended, Lu Shitou obediently went to teach Chinese at Linhai High School.

The happiest person was Huang Yupei; she seemed to see a glimmer of hope. Zhang Sirui could now report directly to the bureau chief. Although she wasn't entirely sure what more important job her future husband would hold than the union chairman, her sister Yuhuan's attitude towards her was much better than before, and she could also get feedback from the conversations of her neighbors. Ultimately, however, interpersonal relationships are still determined by mutual interests.

Zhang Sirui's work became busier than before. Director Jiang's work style wasn't aloof; it was dedicated. If Zhang Sirui hadn't met Director Jiang, he would never have believed he could write, let alone write well, especially since the director encouraged him to practice diligently until he could write in the Lanting style. This was because Director Jiang had encountered similar problems on his own path of self-improvement. The director told Zhang Sirui he must study philosophy, because philosophy is the compass of life. Read more philosophy books, avoid logical errors, act logically, and think logically—understand? Not everyone is qualified to become a figure like the Sixth Patriarch, but China only produced one *Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch*. Lack of formal education doesn't mean you can't learn it!

For many years, ever since Zhang Sirui became the union chairman, he had lived in the shadows. He loved the job, but the bureau chief criticized him, saying that Zhang Sirui was playing the role of an underground party member within the forestry bureau. The bureau chief comforted him, saying that he hadn't committed any fundamental errors and had done a good job as union chairman. The bureau chief suggested that he gain more experience, visit more forest farms under the various forestry bureaus, and learn more about the actual situation of frontline work in the forest farms. He also suggested that the union chairmanship be more suitable for a painter from Shanghai, and that their jobs be switched, allowing Zhang Sirui to familiarize himself with the bureau's office. The bureau chief also arranged for Lu Shitou to come to the bureau to further improve Sirui's cultural literacy.

"It's too difficult, too difficult, Brother Sirui."

"What's wrong, Stone?"

"How have you managed to get by all these years?"

"Talent integration, I suppose."

"Oh, I understand, I understand."

"Stone, why is this so difficult?"

"I thought..."

"Stop keeping me in suspense, Stone."

"I'm done talking about it. I'm a staunch believer in Marxism now."

During this period, Si Rui, as instructed by the director, went to various forest farms to understand the situation. The forest farms were always bustling with activity, mainly because the workers frequently held basketball games in the farm's courtyard. Under the call for nationwide sports activities, the workers' only hobby after get off work, after a good meal, was playing basketball. They organized lively games, with family members and children acting as cheerleaders, shouting encouragement to the athletes. The workers' energy seemed inexhaustible! After a day's work in the mountains, they could still run all over the court, pulling up for a jump shot and swishing it right through the rim. This was a sporting tradition throughout the entire forestry bureau.

His son was truly his hope. Honglin was lucky; he could study painting with a great painter from Shanghai. Sirui's dream was for a golden phoenix to one day fly out of this remote mountain village. Would Zhang Honglin truly become a golden phoenix, or a soaring roc? Honglin's homeroom teacher, Li Yuqing, and her husband, Li Liwen, one a math teacher and the other a Chinese teacher, were likely from a remote mountainous area, perhaps due to various reasons. Originally, Li Liwen wanted to write a story about Fayuan Temple, traveling from Shanghai to Beijing to find material. Who knew that Fayuan Temple would have so many connections to the history of the Tang Dynasty, intertwined with the lives of An Lushan, Shi Siming, Li Shimin, Li Zhi, Yongzheng, Guangxu, and Cixi? In these different historical periods, Li Liwen and Li Yuqing both had a dream—a dream of love. A dream of the passionate patriotism of educated youth. This land needs young men and women to dedicate their youth and passion for rebirth. Li Liwen grew increasingly excited and moved, feeling a call and guidance from the distant mountains—a destiny ordained by fate. Like Lu Shitou, who came here as a high school Chinese teacher, Li Yuqing and her husband Li Liwen's journey was one of heartfelt longing. Li Yuqing recalled being captivated by the spring scenery upon arrival: "I can never recapture the feeling of my first spring here. It was breathtaking, like a disappearing horizon, a metaphor for the original Shangri-La..." This was Li Yuqing's heartfelt reflection on beauty. "Thank goodness there are no golden nanmu trees here, otherwise I wouldn't have had the chance to see my first spring."

Although Honglin had drawn many sketches for Teacher Li Yuqing in the past, he finally understood that art needs cultural education and is nurtured by the environment. Painters, math teachers, and literature instructors from Shanghai were all teachers to the children in these mountains. This was his good fortune, and also an inevitability of the times.

"Teacher Li, beauty will never disappear."

Where to look?

"Go to the mountains beyond the mountains, there must be something even more beautiful there."

At some point, Honglin began to think about the Yalu River, about everything from his childhood in the Jiangnan region. Like ducks sensing the warmth of spring water, the Yalu River held all the wonderful memories of Honglin's childhood. Swimming in the river, sometimes accidentally reaching the other side, never worrying about hunger—there were sweet potatoes and the most delicious pollack. Huang Yupei often dried nets full of pollack into dried fish, an unforgettable taste, along with cantaloupe, plums, and sugar-heart apples. Honglin used to complain to his father, Zhang Sirui, but his father would patiently explain that there was development here, and that hardship now would bring happiness later. Where did the problem lie? It was all the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union! During the three years of natural disasters, China borrowed money from the Soviet Union to fight in the Korean War. The Soviet Union had become as arrogant as the Americans; it was no longer the Soviet Union of Lenin and Stalin, but a revisionist Soviet Union. Even under the circumstances of the three years of natural disasters, China still repaid the Soviet loan.

People living in the mountains are fortunate because the land there is fertile and has a variety of wild vegetables. After the forests are cleared, the first year they can harvest the most delicious green radishes, the plumpest cabbages, and the largest potatoes. The forests are unaffected by disasters.

A strange phenomenon occurred: suddenly, there were many more painters in the forestry bureau. These painters all had families to support, and art couldn't put food on the table. Amidst the children's cries and the wives' sarcastic remarks, art felt ashamed. Art couldn't feed them, and now it certainly couldn't be used for money. Hunger robbed them of all sense of beauty, including love and affection.