1979: Literary Master, Starting from the Return of Educated Youth

Chapter 3 The Power of Touching People

After a warm and friendly greeting, Xu Yuexin and Wang Chaoyin walked into the office building and went to the editorial department to discuss the article "Wreaths under the Mountains".

In the editorial office, several young editors were surrounding Wang Chaoyin's seat, trying to figure out what kind of work could impress such a knowledgeable veteran like Wang Chaoyin.

"It's well written, praising the soldiers who fought bravely on the southern frontier. The article is full of vigor and vitality from beginning to end, and the thoughts are also very profound."

"The author's writing arrangement is very clever. Little BJ is the son of General Lei, which is crucial. It shows that General Lei is a person who leads by example. While asking other people's sons to go to the front line, he also sent his own son to the front line, and finally died heroically."

"The novel does not avoid fake, ugly phenomena such as finding connections. The main theme is to discover and express the glorious side of human nature in the face of national justice. The characters are more noble when contrasted with each other."

The editors whispered to each other and affirmed one after another until footsteps were heard outside the editorial office.

"Cough cough."

When Wang Chaoyin walked to the door of the editorial department, he deliberately made some noise. The young editors heard the noise and went back to work.

"Come, please sit down."

When he reached the seat, Wang Chaoyin politely poured a cup of tea for Xu Yuexin before sitting down.

"The novel has a good subject matter, profound ideas and outstanding quality. The plot twists are clever and well-laid out. Many key plots, such as Zhao Mengsheng's transformation, are both unexpected and reasonable."

"The characters are three-dimensional and full of life. For example, Liang Sanxi, a grassroots commander who comes from a rural background, is indeed prone to financial difficulties. Jin Kailai has outstanding abilities, but he is not promoted because of his personality. Such people are not uncommon in reality."

"The details are also very close to military reality. For example, when marching, people who don't know much about the military may think that the soldiers just walked from one end of the map to the other end as if it were flat ground. Only those who have truly experienced it know how many difficulties the troops will encounter when marching, especially when traveling long distances in tropical areas."

After sitting down, Wang Chaoyin pushed the manuscript in front of Xu Yuexin and asked excitedly, "Have you ever been a soldier?"

Xu Yuexin shook his head and made up an excuse: "No, that's not the case. I wrote it based on the description in a war movie."

In the past few years, there were not many movies that could be shown on the screen, and war films accounted for a high proportion. Moreover, the content was generally realistic, so it was no problem to use them as military teaching films.

Wang Chaoyin originally just asked casually, but after hearing Xu Yuexin's answer, he didn't think there was anything wrong with it and continued to discuss the novel with him.

"I see. It seems to me that the novel can be published without changing a word."

Wang Chaoyin tapped the table with his fingers and said with a smile, "It's rare to see such a vivid work..."

At this time, someone interrupted.

"I just heard people talking about the contents inside. It's obvious that there are serious problems and it's not suitable for publication."

"For example, there is a guy named Jin Kailai. I heard that he is full of complaints and likes to make fun of his superiors. How can such a person be used as a positive image?"

"And Zhao Mengsheng, who is given the most attention in the entire article, why not just make him look more impressive? Why write him as a dandy boy in the beginning?"

The nitpicker's voice is shrill and impatient, which makes people feel unpleasant.

The smell was a bit pungent. The domineering attitude and the irrelevant accusations reminded Xu Yuexin of some radical elements in previous years.

Xu Yuexin shook his head. Wang Chaoyin, who was sitting opposite him, also frowned, turned to the speaker and launched a merciless rebuttal.

"If you haven't read the novel, don't make any comments. Otherwise, it will be subjective and arbitrary."

"A great man once said that without investigation, one has no right to speak. If you really change it according to your ideas, it will only make the text rigid and lack twists and turns and interest."

"This isn't the first time you've acted like this. In my opinion, you're just an elementary school student in literature and you still have a long way to go."

Wang Chaoyin spoke in a loud voice and showed no mercy to those who found fault with him.

His criticism was obviously very intimidating, and the other party immediately fell silent.

Then, Wang Chaoyin turned around and said to Xu Yuexin in a friendly manner: "Don't pay attention to him. He was arranged to come in a few years ago because of his troublemaking."

"We are cleaning up these people. They won't be around for much longer."

"I believe that after we get rid of these people, our literary career will get better and better."

Sure enough, my guess was correct, Xu Yuexin thought, and nodded in agreement: "Not only in literature, but in all careers, there shouldn't be such people."

"The little BJ in the article was essentially killed by them."

"Yes, what a good soldier, and how heartbreaking his sacrifice is." Wang Chaoyin sympathized with him and said, "Wait a moment, I'll go find the editor-in-chief now. If he approves it, I'll pay you the manuscript fee."

"Thank you."

Xu Yuexin stood up and greeted him, then sat down after Wang Chaoyin hurriedly left with the manuscript.

Literary publishing has a three-review and three-proofreading system. If you are lucky, you can meet the editor-in-chief directly, complete the initial review and the re-review at the same time, and then hand it over directly to the editor-in-chief.

If you pass the editor-in-chief's review, you can wait to receive the manuscript fee.

A novel of 93,000 words can be paid 372 yuan based on the average rate of 4 yuan per thousand words, which is equivalent to an average person's salary for more than half a year.

There is a golden house in the book, and the ancients were not deceiving me.

Xu Yuexin thought happily.

At this time, in the office opposite the editorial department, Chief Editor Li Ji was looking down at the manuscript. At this time, there was a hurried knock on the door: "I have a manuscript for you to review."

"Please come in."

After getting permission from the editor-in-chief, the wooden door was quickly pushed open and Wang Chaoyin walked in hurriedly.

"This is a manuscript I received today. It's a military-themed story set against the backdrop of the self-defense war in southern Xinjiang. It's very well written."

"Now I'll give it to you for your opinion."

Wang Chaoyin placed the manuscript in front of Li Ji's desk and introduced it excitedly.

"Okay, I'll take a look."

Li Ji smiled slightly, took the manuscript and prepared to review it, but found that Wang Chaoyin was still sitting in front of him and did not leave.

"Why, are you squatting here as a door god for me?"

Li Ji joked.

"The content of the article is really excellent. I would like to wait for your comments and then go back to reply to the author directly."

Wang Chaoyin said very seriously.

"Comrades all say that you are a man of temperament, and it seems they are right."

Li Ji smiled, picked up the manuscript and read it carefully.

As the editor-in-chief, his habit is to give a general opinion after reading the manuscript, and then carefully consider it after two days, and repeatedly ponder it before coming to the final review result.

With Wang Chaoyin urging him today, Li Ji has to change his work habits.

While Wang Chaoyin was anticipating and waiting, Li Ji carefully read Xu Yuexin's work word by word.

The wreath under the mountain...

When he had read halfway through, Li Ji silently recited the name of the novel again, and his heart surged involuntarily.

As a poet who had fought in the Taihang Mountains and northern Shaanxi, he was deeply touched when he read such works with detailed descriptions that were close to the actual life in the troops.

Forty years ago, he was also an instructor, commanding the soldiers together with the company commander, fighting wits and courage with the Japanese invaders among the mountains and valleys.

Looking further down, Liang Sanxi, Jin Kailai and others sacrificed themselves, Little BJ left with hatred, and Zhao Mengsheng was completely aroused to sacrifice himself to blow up the bunker...

Even when Liang Sanxi's family came to the army, touching stories unfolded...

As a senior editor who has read more than 10,000 manuscripts, Li Ji felt his eyes moisten slightly when he saw this. He was completely moved and his thoughts drifted far away.

"Do you think this manuscript can be published?"

Wang Chaoyin asked in a low voice after Li Ji finished reading the last page and pondered for a long time.

(End of this chapter)