The literary era since 1979

Chapter 239: Huang Feihong published

As the Mao Dun Literature Prize award ceremony came to an end, news about the award also appeared in major newspapers across the country.

The seven award-winning writers, including Fangyan, and their works once again spread across the country.

Related news was published in Wenhui Daily.

Gong Xing picked up the scissors, cut it carefully, and then pasted it into his own clipping collection, skillfully making a clipping.

Then, he simply packed up, put the collection of clippings in his bag, and carried it with him to work at the Shanghai Film Studio.

"Good morning, Sister Gong Xi."

"Morning, Xiaoyu."

After saying hello to Zhang Yu and the others, Gong Xing walked to a public phone seemingly casually and called Yenching Publishing House.

"Teacher Fang, your cousin is calling!"

At Uncle Qin's shout, Fangyan hurried downstairs.

"Hey, cousin."

"Hey, cousin."

When Gong Xing heard him calling "cousin", it meant that there were other people around, but there was nothing to hide.

I made this call purely to congratulate him on winning the award.

"That's good. Grandpa is going to the boiler room to get some water."

Fangyan looked around, but there was no one around.

"Iwako."

Gong Xian had just chatted with him for a few words when he frowned and asked, "Why does your voice sound so weak? Is the signal bad?"

“It’s not a signal problem.”

Fang Yan sighed faintly: "I might be sick."

"sick?!"

Gong Xing was startled and asked anxiously: "What's the disease? Is it serious? Have you been to the hospital to check it out..."

"It's nothing serious, I just have insomnia."

"Why do you suffer from insomnia?"

"Alas, two trees do not make a forest, but there is a heart under the field."

"Okay, you lied to me again!"

When Gong Xing heard the words "lovesickness", he felt ashamed and annoyed.

"How could I lie to you? Really, I was probably sick and couldn't sleep anyway. I sat up and unfolded the letter. I was so happy for no reason. Your name was written crookedly on every page."

Fang Yan said, trying hard to suppress his smile.

Gong Xing's cheeks flushed slightly at first. The more he thought about it, the more familiar he felt this sentence was. "Pfft, you are adding unnecessary details to Mr. Lu Xun's words by tampering with them casually!"

Fangyan smiled and said, "I am only changing Mr. Shuren's words. What does it have to do with Mr. Lu Xun?"

Gong Xing laughed and scolded: "You are so annoying!"

"Then I won't say that again."

"If you don't want to say it, then don't say it. No one can force you to say it."

"Okay, then I'll tell you Mr. Lu Xun's original words."

Fang Yan cleared his throat and said, "Maybe it's because I haven't seen you for a long time, so everyone I see looks like you, but they all look a little different."

There was no response from the other end of the phone for a long time.

It was so quiet that one could even hear Gong Xing's rapid breathing due to shyness. After a while, a voice came from the receiver:
"If you keep talking nonsense, I won't pay any attention to you~"

"Why are you talking nonsense?"

"Is this really what Mr. Lu Xun said?"

"Of course, that's what Mr. Lu Xun said."

"Mr. Lu Xun still said such things?"

"That's right! Mr. Lu Xun has said everything."

Hearing him suddenly laugh out loud, Gong Xing realized that he had been fooled again, but instead of getting angry, he enjoyed it.

Those two love words are pretty good...

The two talked about their daily work and life. Gong Xing finally couldn't help but asked, "When are you coming to Shanghai?"

"It will take some time."

Fangyan said that Li Cunbao's script has not been written yet.

At the end of the month, he would go to Prince Gong's Mansion to attend a symposium on the Redology Society hosted by CCTV with Wu Zuxiang, Wan Jiabao and others.

"Ok."

Gong Xing couldn't help feeling lost, when he suddenly heard him call "cousin" again. There was no doubt that Uncle Qin who came to fetch water had returned.

Reluctantly hanging up the phone, Fangyan smacked his lips.

"Teacher Fang, are you done?"

Uncle Qin made himself a cup of strong tea.

"It's over, sir."

Fang Yan saw him holding the sample copy of Huacheng Magazine that he had given him, so he asked casually, "What do you think of my manuscript?"

"Yes! Excellent!"

Uncle Qin said: "Many people have come to borrow it from me. They all want to read 'Huang Feihong' and they all hope that this issue of 'Hua Cheng' can be released soon."

Two days later, the latest issue of Huacheng was published. "Grandpa, it's time to eat."

Bai Ruoxue walked out of the kitchen and shouted towards the living room.

But Bai Yaoshan was motionless, holding a magazine in his hand, his face sometimes solemn, sometimes excited, and he kept muttering:
"Interesting, interesting."

"Grandpa, are you watching Once Upon a Time in China again?"

Bai Ruoxue came out holding a plate.

"I must read this wonderful book several times."

Bai Yaoshan stood up and walked to the restaurant.

"What do you think is so strange about that?"

When Bai Ruoxue saw the "Flower City" in his hand, she flipped through it twice since the day she brought it home. The rest of the time was "occupied" by Bai Yaoshan, and he only read "The Grandmaster Huang Feihong".

“This opening is so wonderful!”

Bai Yaoshan turned back to the first page.

There was a mixed crowd in the teahouse, some drinking tea, some listening to opera, some walking their birds. It was just like a replica of a "teahouse".

Just at this moment, a group of Western missionaries paraded past on the street, singing "Hallelujah" loudly, attracting everyone's attention.

The Chinese opera troupe in the teahouse peeked in and immediately asked their companions to play the erhu vigorously in an effort to drown out the foreigners' singing.

This was the common people's way of expressing their dissatisfaction and indignation against the foreign invasion. Just as Chinese folk music was overshadowing "Hallelujah", a loud whistle suddenly sounded.

Suddenly, the teahouse became quiet.

The musicians in the troupe hung their heads in dejection, put away their harps, and surrendered to the unstoppable sound of the warships' whistles.

"Ruoxue, do you think this is well written?"

Bai Yaoshan sighed repeatedly.

Bai Ruoxue nodded and said, "Teacher Fang used this whistle to point out an unavoidable and grim reality in the late Qing Dynasty: Western industrial civilization came to the land of agricultural civilization in the East."

"Yes."

Bai Yaoshan sighed: "Facing powerful ships and cannons, even if Huang Feihong's martial arts skills are high, it will be useless."

Bai Ruoxue said, "Grandpa, Teacher Fang told me that he designed Huang Feihong to be a bystander, witnessing the turbulent times of internal and external troubles, but not knowing where to go. Just like our generation of young people, sometimes we are confused and can't tell the direction."

"I'm afraid it's more than that."

Bai Yaoshan said that the group portrait here is very interesting.

"Grandpa, let's eat and talk at the same time."

Bai Ruoxue ran into the kitchen and quickly brought out two bowls of rice.

The grandfather and grandson ate and discussed at the same time.

Just like in Journey to the West, Sun Wukong corresponds to "Golden Father" and Zhu Bajie corresponds to "Wooden Mother", Huang Feihong, Thirteenth Aunt, Lam Sai Wing, Ya Ca Su and others all have meaningful references.

For example, Wong Fei-hung's disciples, Lam Sai-wing and Leung Kuan, were upright and courageous, but limited by their narrow vision. They represented the conservatives who completely rejected foreign cultures in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China.

In contrast, Yacasu returned from studying abroad but went too far, representing the rootless drifters who completely accepted Western culture but lost their national heritage in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China.

The only one who is able to master both Chinese and Western culture is Aunt Thirteen.

He was open-minded and able to integrate the two cultures well, becoming the enlightener of Huang Feihong's ideological awakening.

"Plus this chivalrous and righteous Huang Feihong."

Bai Ruoxue's eyes lit up, "Teacher Fang hopes that young people can be like Thirteenth Aunt and Huang Feihong, both civil and martial, with lofty ambitions, and the greatest heroes serve the country and the people."

“Maybe this is the deep meaning of his design.”

Bai Yaoshan was full of praise.

"Aunt Thirteen..."

As Bai Ruoxue was muttering to herself, she couldn't help but think of the scene where Thirteenth Aunt taught Huang Feihong "Ai Lao Hu You", and also of the scene where she taught Teacher Fang foreign languages. For a moment, she felt strange and surprised.

Just as he was daydreaming, Bai Yaoshan shook his head and laughed: "But it's a pity that this novel doesn't look like it's finished."

"Grandpa, can you see this?"

"It's so obvious, how could I not see it?"

Bai Yaoshan smiled.

From the Shahe Gang that sells "pig flowers" and "piglets" to the White Lotus Sect that swindles and pretends to be gods, the theme of this part is "awakening", that is, the awakening of people's wisdom.

We must open our eyes to the world, and also look at the world squarely.

From Nalan Yuanshu to Mr. Sun and Lu Haodong, the theme of this part is "revolution", that is, ideological awakening. No matter whether you study medicine or martial arts, it cannot save the Chinese people.

There is only a way out if we overthrow the Qing Dynasty!

"No wonder Mr. Fang used Mr. Sun's words at the end, 'May the morning sun always shine on our land, and never forget the blood of the martyrs that covered the ground.'"

Bai Ruoxue suddenly understood.

"That's what it means. For the sake of sacrifice, one has great ambitions and dares to change the sun and the moon into a new sky." Bai Yaoshan said regretfully, "It's a pity that I can't see the next part right away. I really want to see what he will write next?"

Bai Ruoxue said that she was translating "Saving Private Ryan" into Fangyan, and she could find a chance to ask for her grandfather.

"Forget it, I'll bother Yanzi again later."

"Why, Grandpa?"

"Although this novel combines historical backgrounds such as the bloody history of Nanyang, and incorporates the themes of the times such as patriotism and resistance to foreign powers, and also includes love, martial arts, and entertainment, even if it is serious literature in popular literature, it is still popular literature."

Bai Yaoshan said: "In the literary world, not everyone can accept popular literature, even if the author writes in dialect."

Bai Ruoxue suddenly realized something, took the magazine with a heavy heart, and flipped through it until she reached the last page.

It is a reader feedback survey questionnaire for "The Grandmaster Huang Feihong" and there are also small prizes.

(End of this chapter)