The literary era since 1979

Jiangsu and Zhejiang, sea salt.

In the office of the Cultural Center, Yu Hua read "Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty" over and over again, muttering:

"Damn, it's really worthy of being Teacher Fang, the writing is so awesome, holy shit!"

The sound was not loud, but not small either, and it immediately startled a colleague who was also watching "Mystery World" next to him.

"Yu Hua, I remember that before you came to the hospital, you were a doctor, right? Were you a forensic doctor?"

"I'm a dentist. I extract teeth. I'm not a forensic doctor."

Yu Hua was helpless. He couldn't remember how many times he had answered this question.

Ever since the TV series "Song Ci, Chief Inspector of the Song Dynasty" became a hit, colleagues from the cultural center would occasionally mistakenly believe that he used to be a forensic doctor.

I simply took the excuse of collecting folk songs and did not stay in the museum for long, but skipped work and went home early.

Surprisingly, Yu's father and mother, who usually did not eat at home at noon, were sitting in the living room for the first time.

The book in Yu's mother's hand was still "The World of Reasoning", but the book in Yu's father's hand was completely different.

"Mom, what is my dad watching? Why is he so engrossed in it?"

Yu Hua asked curiously, "Did you find another medical book from somewhere?"

"Your father is reading 'Xi Yuan Ji Lu'." Yu's mother said with a smile.

Yu Hua was shocked. "Is it the forensic medicine book written by the 'Song Ci' in 'Song Ci, the Chief Inspector of the Song Dynasty'?"

"Yes, this is the one!"

Yu's mother said, "After your father watched Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty, he immediately asked his old classmates to borrow it to read."

"Dad, do you also like watching "Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty" so much?" Yu Hua smiled.

Father Yu looked up and said, "As a doctor, how could I not like to read this novel?"

"Yes, as a former dentist, I really love watching Song Ci solve cases, it's so exciting!" Yu Hua agreed deeply.

Yu's mother added that although everyone has their own specialties, forensic scientists are also doctors, and they are in the same profession after all. Now almost every doctor in their hospital, from the dean to the interns, has a copy of "The World of Reasoning". Some interns have even thought about changing their careers to become forensic scientists.

"Has Teacher Fang been a doctor before?"

Yu's father asked suddenly.

"I've never heard of his medical experience."

Yu Hua was surprised and suspicious, "Dad, why are you asking this?"

"Teacher Fang is really amazing. A writer who is neither a doctor nor a forensic pathologist can write about the autopsy process and techniques so vividly and brilliantly." Father Yu couldn't help but sigh, "Rare! It's really too rare!"

"Yeah, I was wondering too. I didn't expect Teacher Fang knows more than a dentist like me!"

Yu Hua's face was full of admiration.

"You're still talking about others. How many years have you worked in the hospital?"

Yu's father rolled his eyes in annoyance, obviously still upset about his giving up medicine to pursue literature.

"If I had not been a dentist and had become a forensic doctor, I think you would definitely not have the same attitude now."

Yu Hua curled his lips and said, "I wish I could change my career quickly, otherwise, it would delay finding a daughter-in-law for you."

"OK OK."

Yu's mother tried to smooth things over and praised the book "Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty" for its immeasurable merits.

It is not only interesting and profound in solving cases, but the key is to give forensic scientists a good name and greatly promote the construction of the forensic team.

"That's true."

Yu's father said, "Old Zhou, who lent me this book, used to be a place that no one in the neighborhood liked to visit, except for us old classmates, because he was a forensic doctor. They kept their distance from him. But now it's different. People are not as shy about visiting him as before..."

The family had a lively conversation about forensic medicine and "Song Ci, the Chief Inspector of the Song Dynasty" and they were having a great time.

In the 80s, when the domestic forensic team was being built and revived, public security, procuratorial and judicial organs, as well as relevant colleges and universities, formed their own legal teams, and gradually a forensic medicine discipline specializing in liveness identification, clinical forensic medicine, emerged.

"The good thing about Mr. Fang's novel is that it can reduce the stereotypes about forensic scientists."

Yu's mother changed the subject and said, "The bad thing about it is that it's incomplete. Why does it have to be interrupted at the most exciting part?"

"Yeah, who would want to see this little bit?"

Father Yu agreed very much, "Didn't you tell me that Teacher Fang would come to Jiangsu and Zhejiang in a while?"

"Yes, but they will not pass by our Haiyan, but go directly to Hangzhou."

Yu Hua became excited when he thought that he was also on the invitation list.

"If you have a chance, please ask Teacher Fang for an autograph for me and your mother."

Father Yu handed over "The World of Mystery" and asked his son to urge Fangyan to serialize "Song Ci, the Chief Inspector of the Song Dynasty" as soon as possible!

There are many people who want to urge for more updates.

Any reader who has read "Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty" basically cannot sleep at night and can't wait to see the next story.

What about below?
Teacher Fang, where are you down there?
Is it broken? Why do you love to break the chapter so much? The same is true for "The Ring", every break is just right.

Readers are connected with you in heart, so you play tricks on readers!

Especially in the public security, procuratorial, judicial and medical systems, there is huge resentment about the interruption of "Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty".

In the Public Security Bureau of Yanjing, everyone was talking and chattering.

"What did you just write on the paper? Was it a love letter?"

"Don't talk nonsense. What love letter? It's a letter urging the publisher to publish the second issue of "Mystery World" as soon as possible. Don't you want to know what is written in the back of "Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty"? "

"Of course I do! Just for this, I even went to the post office and ordered a six-month supply of "Mystery World"."

"Me too. This teacher Fang is so wicked. Why did he have to interrupt the show when it was so exciting?"

"That's right, Teacher Fang is really too much. How can you just write half of a book? If you don't continue the series, I will call the police!"

"Ahem, we are the police."

"Teacher Fang, please don't let me get you into trouble. Otherwise, I will lock him up in a detention center and force him to write novels for me every day."

"..."

While his colleagues were discussing the matter, Haiyan put down the book "Mystery World" in his hand and opened the drawer, inside which lay the manuscript of "Plainclothes Police".

A female police officer noticed him in a daze and asked, "Hai Yan, what are you thinking about?"

"He's probably still thinking about that police novel of his!"

Seeing his colleague answering for him, Haiyan smiled.

The policewoman was very interested: "I remember you have been writing this novel for more than half a year. How is it going? Have you finished it?"

Haiyan also said with reservation: "It's almost done. I plan to submit it to the publishing house after some revisions."

The policewoman asked, "Where should I submit it? People's Literature, Woodpecker, or the new Mystery World?"

"I haven't thought about it yet." Haiyan smiled shyly, "I'll tell you after I've made the changes."

The male colleague patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't rush to submit it. Once you have revised it, show it to us all first."

"Alright, alright, stop causing trouble for Haiyan."

The policewoman picked up the aluminum lunch box and said, "It's time for lunch. Let's go to the cafeteria and line up."

Haiyan waved his hand, said he would go home for lunch, packed up his things, and slowly returned to Dongsi Street.

Turning around, I saw that Renwen Publishing House was right across from my house. I had originally planned to submit "Plainclothes Policeman" to "People's Literature", but now that "Mystery World", a magazine specializing in publishing detective crime novels, has come out, I immediately became hesitant. Which one should I submit it to?
At the same time, the cafeteria of Renwenshe was packed with people, and every window was filled with people.

Not only the staff of People's Literature, but also the editors of magazines such as Contemporary and New Literature Materials are among them.

"Teacher Fang." "Editor-in-Chief Qin!"

Facing Qin Zhaoyang and Zhang Zhonge, Fangyan held the lunch box with a smile on his face.

"Your work 'Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty' is well written."

As Qin Zhaoyang walked, he praised this novel for integrating mystery themes into historical literature, saying that it not only opened up a new path for historical novel writing, but also greatly broadened the horizon of historical novel creation. Without a doubt, it was a pioneering historical mystery novel.

"You're too kind. I'm also standing on the shoulders of my predecessors."

What the dialect is talking about is the enduring ancient criminal case novels.

However, the progress of historical mystery novels lies in the ingenious combination of history, suspense, reasoning and character creation.

Just like "Detective Di Renjie" and "Strange Stories of the Tang Dynasty", "Song Ci, Chief Inspector of the Song Dynasty" is not only about solving cases, but also meticulously restores the social outlook, official ecology and judicial system of the Song Dynasty, allowing readers to experience the dark and corrupt atmosphere of the Southern Song Dynasty firsthand.

If some real historical events and characters are cleverly incorporated, it will have a sense of historical weight that exceeds that of ancient detective novels.

“I wonder when the rest of the novel will be published?”

Qin Zhaoyang asked with a kind look.

Fang Yan smiled and said, "It will be available next month. Mystery World is a monthly magazine. If nothing unexpected happens, it will serialize "Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty" every month until it is finished."

"Yanzi, tell me the truth." Zhang Zhonge asked softly, "Do you have any manuscripts saved?"

"Saved manuscripts? No."

Dialects pretend to be ignorant even though they know the truth.

"Yanzi, don't play dumb with me. Do you think I don't know?"

"what do you know?"

"You may be able to hide it from Teacher Qin, but you can't hide it from me. Don't I know you well enough?"

Zhang Zhonge found a table and sat down with them. "You are the kind of person who won't publish a novel until it is completely finished. You must have more than just manuscripts. Maybe you have already written the ending of "Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty"!"

"Okay, I admit it, but I don't have this manuscript now."

Fangyan shrugged helplessly.

"where?"

Zhang Zhonge felt itchy in his heart.

"With Mr. Wan and Editor-in-Chief Wang."

Fang Yan smiled. On the day when the casting results of "Dream of Red Mansions" were announced, Wan Jiabao, Qi Gong and others took away the manuscript of "Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty". Fortunately, he had foresight and asked the "Science Fiction World" Publishing House to print several extra copies of the complete version in advance.

Otherwise, there really wouldn’t be enough points.

"Is there really not a single copy left?"

There was a hint of regret in Zhang Zhonge's tone.

Fang Yan shook his head. "If there was any, it would have been taken away by other comrades in the editorial department long ago."

Qin Zhaoyang was obviously not interested in this. "I heard from Comrade Wang Meng that you have a root-seeking novel that is as good as "Song Ci, the Chief Justice of the Song Dynasty" and you are going to bring it to this national seminar, right?"

"You are really well-informed."

Fang Yan said that this first draft has been mailed to Hong Kong, and after being confirmed with Li Bihua, it will be circulated among the participants.

Qin Zhaoyang said sincerely: "If possible, I hope you can consider publishing it in our Contemporary Magazine..."

………………

It was a lunch break after lunch, but the editorial department of People's Literature was still in full swing.

"Teacher Fang, there's a letter from northern Shaanxi."

Seeing Fangyan, Zhu Wei hurriedly came forward.

"Don't be impatient, take your time. Is it possible that some people on the invitation list can't come?"

"You are absolutely right. Chen Zhongshi and Lu Yao are too busy with their creative work to spare the time."

"Their situations were well within my expectations. What about the others on the list?"

Fangyan disagreed. Lu Yao was confined to work on "Ordinary World", and Chen Zhongshi was also collecting information for "White Deer Plain".

Compared with the Roots-Seeking Literature Seminar, these two masterpieces of contemporary Chinese literature are obviously more important.

"all come!"

Zhu Wei then reported on the participants from Yanjing, "Including you, Zheng Wanlong, Shi Tiesheng, Wang Shuo, Zhong Acheng..."

Fangyan listened patiently. At this moment, Chen Xiaoman walked in with a thick envelope in her hand:

"Yanzi, the guard room just received a submission from an author, and he specifically asked to hand it over to you."

"Did you ask the author's name?"

"His name is Lu Haiyan. He claims to be a comrade from the Public Security Bureau. This novel is his first work."

"Hai Yan?!"

Fangyan's eyes lit up. This man was very famous in the film and television industry in the 21st century.

If Qiong Yao dramas can easily make female actors famous, then Hai Yan dramas are the real machines for making male actors famous.

Lu Yi, Yin Xiaotian, Tong Dawei, Zhou Yiwei, Liu Huohua...

All the male protagonists in Haiyan dramas are called "Yannanlang", just like the female actresses in Qiong Yao dramas are called "Qiong Yaonu".

Of course, because of Haiyan's sexual orientation, Yan Nanlang often gets involved in PY trading scandals, withered chrysanthemums and wounds all over the ground...

"He originally wanted to vote for Mystery World, but after much hesitation, he voted for us."

Chen Xiaoman said: "Let me see it."

Fangyan nodded and turned his attention to "Plainclothes Police".

The article is quite long, about 300,000 or 400,000 words, but with today's online reading efficiency, it can be finished in a few hours.

The story takes place in a fictional city, Nanzhou City, in 1976.

The protagonist is Zhou Zhiming, a plainclothes policeman from the Investigation Division of the Public Security Bureau. The Nanzhou Public Security Bureau arrested a Taiwan spy named Xu Bangcheng, who lied that he was going to meet a small team at the border. So the military representative, Deputy Director Gan, personally led the team to the border, but Xu Bangcheng took the opportunity to escape. Zhou Zhiming shot him dead during the chase, and the clues were cut off, and his true purpose was unknown.

During one shift, another plainclothes officer used a camera to take pictures of two people mailing flyers.

Zhou Zhiming discovered that one of them was Shi Jihong, the sister of his girlfriend Shi Xiaomeng, and the other was An Cheng, his childhood friend.

He deliberately exposed the film in order to protect the two people and also because he thought there was nothing wrong with the memorial service.

Afterwards, in order not to implicate that colleague, he took the initiative to admit his behavior to his leader.

After a series of events, he finally caught another spy lurking in Nanzhou City, and he and Shi Xiaomeng finally became a couple.

I read it from beginning to end and found that the whole novel bears the distinct mark of the times, and many of the plots are true events that happened in previous years.

For example, the Nanzhou City Public Security Bureau is obviously the Yanjing Public Security Bureau.

"How about it?"

Seeing his expression constantly changing, Chen Xiaoman was surprised.

"In terms of subject matter, Plainclothes Police is a realistic subject matter, and it is also a rare professional subject matter, telling the story of public security police officers."

Fang Yan said: "It's not a mystery crime novel. If I submit it to Mystery World, I'm afraid it may not be published."

"Do you think this is qualified enough to be published in People's Literature?" Chen Xiaoman asked.

“You can continue to follow up.”

Fangyan delegated this task to his sister-in-law, "It would be best to invite him to the editorial office for a chat before going to Hangzhou." (End of this chapter)