Era: I was a farmer at the foot of Yaoling Mountain

Fang Wei accompanied reporter Yang as they slowly ascended the mountain. Passing by a nursery area, Yang stopped to snap a few photos. Further up the mountain was a chestnut forest, most of which were mature trees, lush and leafy, stretching as far as the eye could see.

The woods seemed very quiet, perhaps because they had just picked chestnuts.

The chestnut trees are planted relatively sparsely, with a large number of other tree species in between. The herbs under the forest are neatly arranged and appear full of vitality.

"This area is mostly covered with chestnut trees, while over there, the main trees are tea trees. There are a lot of herbs planted under the trees. Look over there, there are chickens raised under the trees."

Fang Wei has guessed by now that this reporter Yang must have come for the team's forest.

So he took the initiative to introduce himself to the other party and answered questions raised from time to time.

The two of them walked and talked, and before they knew it, they had passed through the chestnut forest and reached a higher place.

Continuing to walk upwards from here, you will see precious tree species such as silver fir, yew, iron camphor tree, golden nanmu, etc. These trees have clear layers, and the height of some trees is even more than 30 meters.

"Captain Fang, I understand you're cultivating economic forests and developing forest-based economies, but why are you planting so many rare tree species? What benefits can this bring to the team?"

The two of them walked and stopped from time to time. Reporter Yang not only took a lot of photos, but also recorded a lot of things in a notebook.

Then she asked a crucial question.

"Not everything has to be profitable, or necessarily rewarded quickly. Some trees are nearly extinct deep in the mountains. If we don't take action, they might disappear in a few years."

As the saying goes, "live by the mountain, eat by the mountain; live by the water, eat by the water." As a production brigade at the foot of Dayao Mountain, our development is closely related to the quality of the mountain environment. We don't have too many ideas, we just do what we want to do.

Fang Wei organized his words, without deliberately exaggerating, and simply stated a fact in a very plain manner.

If we want to preserve the beautiful mountains and forests and change the environment of the mountain villages, afforestation is an effective method.

"Then how can we balance economic benefits with your pursuits?"

Reporter Yang didn't expect the other party to answer like this. He was silent for a moment and then continued to ask.

"There's no need to deliberately strike a balance. Apart from production tasks, there are no other requirements. Just keep doing it."

"If there are no set tasks, won't everyone lose motivation?"

"No, the members and educated youth do have this awareness. The key to this work is persistence. In addition to organizing collective labor during the slack season, the forestry team also has daily work arrangements, and the educated youth will also organize voluntary labor from time to time."

As expected of a reporter, he asked questions one after another.

Fang Wei answered all the questions according to her heart. Although some of the answers were not what the reporter wanted, these words put together still had a strong impact on her heart.

The team's tree planting was a completely voluntary act. There was no pressure from tasks and no motivation for interests. They just did it because they wanted to. It was really hard for her to understand.

Later, the two went to the oil tea forest again, and when they went down the mountain, they went to see the protective forest.

Fang Wei brought Reporter Yang directly to the cafeteria and sent someone to call Guo Yongqing over. The team had made arrangements yesterday and slaughtered 100 pigs early in the morning, leaving one specifically for the cafeteria.

[Produces piglets, points +28300]

Total points: 18016880.

There are 3150 pigs left on the farm.

The lunch was very rich, mainly meat dishes.

"Reporter Yang, the spotted pigs our team raises have delicious meat. You should eat more."

Before the meal started, Fang Wei specially introduced the spotted pigs raised by the team. Reporter Yang's curiosity was indeed aroused. After eating a few pieces of meat, he couldn't help but give a thumbs up.

This kind of pork is really delicious. She ate half a bowl of rice more than usual for this meal.

"Secretary Fang, I'd like to go a little further this afternoon and take a look in the mountains. Is that convenient?"

After eating and drinking, reporter Yang quickly got into work mode.

She suggested going to the mountains to have a look, which made Fang Wei feel a little embarrassed. Mainly because the mountains were dangerous, and if anything went wrong, he would have no way to explain himself.

"Can you not go?"

"No! This is my job, I hope you understand."

Fang Wei couldn't stop the other party, so he thought about it and decided to call Pan Lianhua to go with him when he entered the mountain. With the two of them there, there would be more than one person left unprotected.

So he said, "Okay, but it's not a good time to go up the mountain in the afternoon. Let's go early tomorrow morning."

Reporter Yang nodded and stopped arguing with the other party.

in the afternoon.

Reporter Yang went to the [pig farm], [composting yard], [sideline team], and [agricultural machinery team], and took a long tour of the team.

This interview is not easy to write. She needs to learn more about vegetarian dishes in order to complete the task assigned to her by her superiors.

The team distributed pork and everyone was smiling happily.

Reporter Yang sensed the good atmosphere in the team and said to Fang Wei, "Secretary Fang, could you arrange a meal at a member's home tonight? I'd like to chat with everyone."

"Okay, I'll talk to the captain."

When we returned to the brigade headquarters, Guo Yongqing had already left.

Reporter Yang refused to go to the county town at night and insisted on staying in Xiatang Brigade. There was no point in him continuing to wait.

Perhaps this was reporter Yang's usual working method, so she took the initiative to request to have dinner at a member's home. Fang Wei then asked Zheng Hu to take her to make arrangements and also take care of the accommodation.

When I got home, my sister had already prepared dinner.

"Third brother, what are the reporters doing today?"

While eating, Pan Lianhua asked curiously.

"We walked around the mountain and visited the chestnut forest, the tea tree forest, and the herbs planted by the team. We have to go further tomorrow. By the way, Lianhua, you and I should accompany her to the mountain tomorrow. We must not let anything happen to her."

Fang Wei had no idea what the other party wanted to interview, and he had already visited almost the entire team in just one day.

He couldn't control how the reporter wrote the article when she returned, but he had to ensure her safety here.

Therefore, he called Pan Lianhua to go to the mountains together tomorrow.

"Okay, I really want to go out for a walk."

Pan Lianhua is good at her job, but she is not interested in business management. She becomes excited when she hears about going out to play.

Fang Wei never said anything about her. Everyone has their own aspirations, and her life is actually pretty good now.

"Third brother, you should be more reserved when speaking to reporters. We don't know what they'll write in their articles. The more you say, the more mistakes you'll make. Don't be too honest."

Grandpa suddenly said that he often read newspapers and that some articles written by reporters were very exaggerated.

"I know."

Fang Wei responded with a smile. He was always very measured in his words and would not be led astray by others.

The next day.

Fang Wei and Pan Lianhua got up early in the morning, had breakfast, and came to the reception dormitory with guns on their backs.

At this time, reporter Yang was also ready, so the three of them walked together into the depths of the mountains.

Once they reached the mountain, Yang finally understood what Fang Wei meant by "danger." Less than two hours into the journey, they'd already encountered three venomous snakes.

On one occasion, if Fang Wei had not been quick-witted, reporter Yang would have been bitten by a snake.

Fortunately, they took the road that led into the mountains to pick fruits. This road was trampled back and forth by a large group of people, so there was basically no need to swing a hatchet to clear the way.

"Secretary Fang, why do I feel like the entire Dayao Mountain is a primeval forest? I've been to mountains elsewhere, and the forests there aren't as complex as the ones here."

Reporter Yang was still frightened, but he still insisted on walking to the wild chestnut forest.

Along the way, she could only describe it in one sentence: the local natural environment is really great.

The mountains are covered with lush vegetation, with birds singing and flowers blooming, and are extremely rich in various products.

The various trees, herbs, clusters of bamboo here and there, wild mushrooms hidden under the shade of the trees, various wild fruits, etc., made her dazzled.

So she asked the doubts in her heart.

"Reporter Yang, this isn't the first time you've asked this question. Let me tell you, although our area is remote, we have outstanding people and beautiful scenery. The soil and water are especially excellent. Crops, trees, and all kinds of plants simply grow better than in other places."

Pan Lianhua chuckled and took the initiative to answer the other party. Reporter Yang was helpless. This reason was not completely invalid, but she could not include this conclusion in the article.

Fang Wei noticed the other party's mood change and added:
"I think it's well-protected. The brigade has a dedicated firewood-cutting area, and no one is allowed to cut down trees indiscriminately in the mountains. Apart from the annual harvest season, almost no one goes deep into the forest, so this area has basically maintained its original appearance."

Fang Wei's reason sounded much more pleasing to the ear, and reporter Yang quickly took out his notebook and wrote it down.

At noon.

The three of them walked into the wild chestnut forest.

This was mainly because reporter Yang was exhausted and had to stop and go frequently, which wasted a lot of time.

Here, reporter Yang took a lot of photos, and then everyone sat down to eat some dry food and drink some water.

The three of them rested for more than an hour, then went to take a look at the wild tea oil forest and wild loquat forest, and then everyone went home.

"Secretary Fang, I won't bother you tomorrow. I'm randomly interviewing some members and educated youth in the brigade. I'll be returning to the capital the day after tomorrow. Thank you for your cooperation and for taking up two days of your time."

Dinner was eaten at Fang Wei's house, and reporter Yang told him about the upcoming itinerary.

Fang Wei had a good impression of her, but he didn't know what kind of article she would write after the interview.

Two days later.

Guo Yongqing came to the team to pick up reporter Yang and sent her directly to Chenzhou.

Fang Wei thought that even if Yang's report were published in the newspaper, it would probably take some time. However, only a week later, a well-known domestic media outlet published Yang's signed article, which attracted a lot of attention.

The article begins with Fang Wei's appointment as captain of the second team, detailing the changes on and off the mountain. The most prominent mention is the Xiatang team's consistent, year-round tree planting efforts.

In Yang's writing, the villages at the foot of the mountain and the forests on the mountain are brimming with vitality. Here, the scenery is picturesque, people live and work in peace and contentment, and agricultural and sideline production are thriving. Isn't this the model we strive for?
The article is also accompanied by pictures, which makes it very convincing.

One stone caused a thousand ripples, and then many media outlets came to Xiatang Brigade, which made Fang Wei very annoyed.

The subsequent reception work was handed over to Zheng Hu, and Fang Wei took his family to the provincial capital.

It's still a bit hot this season, but it's still better than the dog days of summer. There are many fun places in the provincial capital, especially the delicious food. You can't eat all of it.

He came to the provincial capital mainly for work, and sightseeing was secondary.

"Lotus, take Grandpa, Sister, and the two little ones out for a walk tomorrow. You decide what to eat and buy. I have to go to the Construction Design Institute to do some work."

Fang Wei's "new home project" was handed over to the Provincial Construction Engineering Design Institute for design. They have completed the on-site investigation and are currently in the process of intensive progress.

He knew the chief engineer of the design institute. Both of them were national representatives, and the other party helped the team a lot on this matter.

This time when he came to the provincial capital, he specially brought some local specialties for the other party.

"Okay, go ahead and do your thing. I'll make all the arrangements. Don't worry."

This isn't the first time Pan Lianhua has traveled far away, so what could be wrong with just going shopping?

Fang Wei nodded. He was also very confident in his wife.

The next day.

The family had breakfast in the guesthouse cafeteria, and Fang Wei went to the design institute with his travel bag.

"Secretary Fang, you're a rare guest. Why didn't you call me before you came? I could pick you up at the station. Come on, sit down first. I'll make you some tea."

When I met Jiang Yichen, he was very enthusiastic.

Not only did he use his collection of fine tea to entertain the guests, but he also invited Fang Wei to dinner at noon.

"Chief Engineer Jiang, I came here in a hurry and didn't bring you anything. These are bacon, dried bamboo shoots, and dried mushrooms from our local Yao village. Take them back and let your family try them."

The two sat down and exchanged a few words, then Fang Wei opened his travel bag and gave the things he brought to Jiang Yichen.

Jiang Yichen was not polite either. This was a matter of personal relationship and there was no need to refuse.

"Thank you very much! Come on, I'll take you to see the design sketches first. You can have a good chat with them. If there's anything you're not satisfied with, just point it out and I'll ask them to make changes."

The two chatted in the office for a while, and then Jiang Yicheng took Fang Wei to Design Studio 1.

Fang Wei had sufficient communication with the designers and made some adjustments to some details, but overall he was still very satisfied.

Before I knew it, it was noon.

Jiang Yichen came over and called him to eat, and only then did he realize that he was starving.

After coming outside, Jiang Yichen found a state-owned restaurant and treated Fang Wei to a meal of authentic local dishes.

"Secretary Fang, you can discuss this with the actual personnel this afternoon, and then the design plan can be finalized. It can be handed over in half a month at the latest."

After dinner, the two returned to the design institute together.

Fang Wei stayed in the design studio for another afternoon and did not return to the guesthouse until it was time to get off work in the evening.

He and his family then spent another week in the provincial capital before returning home.

At this time, the media's attention had died down and the brigade had returned to its former tranquility.

After all, it is not yet time to advocate environmental protection. Reporter Yang’s previous articles were more about praising the spirit of “Yugong moving mountains” and the character of willingness to make sacrifices.

After the noise, those who still pay attention to this land are some people in the industry.

Then there was a wave of enthusiasm for visiting Dayao Mountain in the industry, and the reception dormitory of Xiatang Brigade was never idle and was always full.

"Third brother, they've come to me again wanting to hire a guide, but the problem is, who would dare to go into the mountains with just one or two people? We can't ask you to be their guide, can we?"

In the afternoon, Zheng Hu walked into Fang Wei's office and started complaining before he even sat down.

He did not dislike these investigation teams or investigation groups, but mainly because no one was willing to take the risk of going into the mountains.

"Go find your second brother and ask him to send militia to protect these experts and scholars as they go into the mountains for investigation. They will pay for the necessary expenses, and the team will provide subsidies to the militia who go into the mountains."

Fang Wei felt that he still needed to support scientific investigation work, so he decided to let the militia serve as guides for these people.

However, he also had a requirement that each team must be equipped with two militiamen, otherwise it would be difficult to ensure the safety of the personnel.

"That's an idea. The problem is that they need to carry weapons when entering the mountains. Should we report to the commune?"

"No, just assign tasks under the name of patrol."

Zheng Hu was still worried, but after realizing that Fang Weiyi had made the final decision, he asked him to hurry up and make arrangements.

The militia company is more familiar with the situation in the mountains than the members of the commune, and they have several safe routes in mind. As long as they don't wander around, their safety is generally guaranteed.

Fang Wei also does not reject this kind of scientific investigation activity, but he is skeptical about whether they can achieve significant results.

Well, it still depends on what the purpose of each investigation team (group) is.

If you want to find some rare plants, as long as their growth habits are suitable, you are likely to succeed.

If you try to find the root causes of changes in the forest environment, you are doomed to fail.

The team had a lot of people coming and going, and they had inadvertently made a small profit. After all, food and accommodation had to be paid for, so it was definitely not possible to eat and live for free.

"Secretary Fang, it's really lively here."

That morning, Section Chief Jia from Chenzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital brought his men to the Xiatang Brigade.

He came to purchase the medicinal herbs grown by the team. This time the purchase quantity was relatively large, so three people from the purchasing department came at once.

"They're all here to investigate. Maybe they think our place is a good place for feng shui. Don't worry about them. The team's woodland is not open to the public, so it won't affect the herb picking."

Fang Wei and Section Chief Jia are old acquaintances, so there is nothing to hide.

He then asked Accountant Liu to go to the cafeteria to arrange meals, and to go to the sideline team to find Fang Yunying if anything was needed, and to make sure to entertain Chief Jia and the others.

"This is the shopping list for this time. How about we go to the mountain to check it?"

Chief Jia and others sat in the conference room for a while and drank a few cups of tea.

He then took out his shopping list and planned to go to the mountain to take a look. If the amount of herbs was insufficient, he would revise the list or look for alternative herbs.

Fang Wei agreed, so he accompanied the other three to the chestnut forest on the mountain. (End of this chapter)