Writer 1978: I Need to Give the Literary World a Lesson

Chapter 372 Fengzeyuan Lifetime Free VIP
Articles representing the old Beijing era tend to have a larger market and generate more discussion in Yenching than elsewhere. Yenching in the 1980s had a large population of people who had lived through the old Beijing era.

I picked up the magazine and looked at it. Oh my, what a coincidence! I used to eat at Fengzeyuan and saw that "Little Luanzi" there!

While reading the article, they chatted with others about the past of Beiping. The story of the old owner of Fengzeyuan Restaurant, who rose from beggar to become a household name, was once again brought up by these old diners.

The century-long history of old Beijing is brought to the reader's attention through the growth of a little beggar. A large table is set up to entertain guests from all walks of life, and all sorts of characters take the stage in the restaurant.

The restaurant, nestled in the storm, constantly observed every person in its corner, watching them rise to prominence, entertain guests, and ultimately, see their building crumble.

Different readers will have different feelings about this novel. Middle-aged and elderly readers see their own past and their own life reflected in the novel.

Young readers, however, sensed the taste of success in this story and viewed "The Legendary Shopkeeper" as an inspirational novel. They wanted to learn from Luan Xuetang's ability to navigate the business world, overcome crises one by one with his own skills, and ultimately achieve his dream of becoming rich.

China Youth Daily was the first to notice the different viewpoints of young people, and published a commentary entitled "To do business, learn from Luan Xuetang; do not learn from Qiu Chen."

The article calls on young people to learn from Luan Xuetang's business spirit in the tide of reform and opening up, to become good businessmen who keep national and moral principles in mind, and not to become unscrupulous and unethical merchants.

Some individual business owners, in particular, were inspired after reading it and would often mention Luan Xuetang when doing business, hoping to emulate him and become a great merchant.

Individual business owners are in a much better situation than before. The first batch of individual business owners who dared to try had a keen business sense, and most of them were unwilling to be small vendors forever. They were full of the "restless" gene in their blood.

Led by the China Youth Daily, many newspapers began to shift their commentary focus to business, encouraging unemployed or laid-off young people to break free from the shackles of their social status and step into the business world as trendsetters.

In 1983, there were approximately 5.9 million self-employed businesses, nearly double the number in 1982. However, the overall scale remained small, and self-employed businesses still faced the issue of their inglorious social status.

In August, the central government also wrote a special article to vindicate individual businesses and to dispel the notion that public ownership is glorious while individual businesses are shameful.

The entire country is also facing a question of direction, which is the subject of much debate.

The publication of "The Legendary Shopkeeper" boosted the confidence of some anxious self-employed individuals. Major newspapers used "The Legendary Shopkeeper" as a springboard to support the reforms.

Some even brought up Liu Yimin's earlier novel, "Buttons," and analyzed both novels—from "Buttons" to "The Legendary Shopkeeper," it's possible to become a "shopkeeper" by selling "buttons."

While "The Legendary Shopkeeper" didn't disrupt the literary scene as much as "The Birth of a Legend," it still has a large readership.

The Writers Association's "Literary Gazette" commented on "The Legendary Shopkeeper" from the perspective of old Beijing literature, believing that Liu Yimin's article was a continuation of the style of "Beijing in Flames of War" and the result of a profound insight into the characters and customs of old Beijing.

After the article was published, Liu Peiran of the August First Film Studio immediately got a copy of "People's Literature and Art" and read it. After reading it, he felt more confident.

"Yimin, how's the TV series script coming along?" Liu Peiran called Liu Yimin's home.

"Liu Chang, it's finished."

“I’ve read the whole thing, and I’m even more confident about the final product. The plot is tight and the story is compelling. It’s suspenseful at every turn, yet handled with ease. The cut of ‘The Acacia Tree in the Minefield’ just finished today, so come and take a look. After you’ve read it, we can discuss the script for the TV series,” Liu Peiran said happily.

Liu Yimin tidied up the script on the table: "Okay, wait for me, I'll be there in a bit."

Liu Yimin packed the manuscript into his bag, put on his thick windproof jacket, and rode towards the August First Film Studio.

The wind in Yanjing started earlier this year than in previous years. It usually starts blowing in mid-November, but this year it started in early November.

Upon arriving at the August First Film Studio, Liu Yimin first followed Li Jun into Liu Peiran's office. Liu Peiran was giving instructions to someone, and upon seeing Liu Yimin, she closed the folder and handed it to the other person.

"Yimin, come on, let's go to the screening room and take a look!" Liu Peiran enthusiastically pulled Liu Yimin toward the screening room, and naturally took Liu Yimin's script into her own hands along the way.

Li Jun waved to the projectionist behind him and said to Liu Yimin, "Yimin, once you hand the script over to the August First Film Studio, you can rest assured that we will do our best to make it a success."

Wei Lian brought in a plate of fruit from outside, inviting everyone to eat while watching.

The game begins with intense music, and several young men on the battlefield, like Zhao Zilong, charge and fight relentlessly, ultimately achieving victory.

The next second the scene switched to a train, revealing it to be the fantasy of several young college student soldiers.

Liu Yimin thought the scene was well-shot, showing the idealized fantasy of young college students about the battlefield and their dream of becoming heroes.

While everyone was discussing the battlefield, Liu Guozheng, a college student soldier who wanted to be a "peace soldier," stood out from the crowd.

Wei Lian looked at Liu Yimin, who gave him a thumbs-up in praise. Wei Lian's tense expression relaxed considerably, and he began to focus on watching the movie.

The film is 120 minutes long, exactly two hours. In the film, Liu Yimin saw several familiar soldiers, still as young and brave as when he filmed "Triumph at Midnight".

"Was it directed by Wei?" Liu Yimin asked with a smile after the movie ended.

Li Jun said, "Yes, Wei Lian is the master."

"Director Li gave me a lot of guidance, and I couldn't have completed several key shots on my own," Wei Lian said modestly.

Li Jun was pleased with Wei Lian's attitude. Liu Yimin said to Liu Peiran, "Director Liu, congratulations! Our August First Film Studio has produced another director who can carry the weight of the project!"

Liu Peiran stood up happily: "Let's go, let's talk about 'The Legendary Shopkeeper'."

Upon entering the conference room, Liu Peiran focused intently on the script. He had already read more than half of it in the screening room earlier, using the light that hadn't been turned off.

After reading the script, Liu Peiran handed it to Li Jun.

"It's a standard twelve-episode script, with a key plot point in each episode and plenty of suspense for the next. After watching the previous episode, I'd be itching to watch the next one," Liu Peiran commented.

Liu Peiran felt that this was quite different from many TV dramas nowadays, but she couldn't figure out why. She attributed this feeling to Liu Yimin's storytelling ability, which made the story engaging.

Li Jun, who was reading the script next to him, said without looking up, "We hope that Luan Xuetang will solve the next problem and prevent Li Qiuchen's evil plan from succeeding, so of course we want to keep watching."

“Constantly solving problems is just like the story of ‘Journey to the West.’ There are eighty-one tribulations. After we finish one tribulation, we want to see the next one! Speaking of ‘Journey to the West,’ I wonder how CCTV’s version of ‘Journey to the West’ is going?” Wei Lian chimed in from the side.

The two people pointed out the core of "The Legendary Shopkeeper": the core concept of a fast-paced, action-packed novel where you level up and fight monsters.

After reading the script, none of the three people offered any suggestions for revision. In the end, the August First Film Studio bought the script for 5,000 yuan, which was 2,000 yuan more than the original script fee for the TV series "Wolf Smoke in Beiping".

"It's a pleasure to cooperate with you!" Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Liu Peiran gripped Liu Yimin's hand tightly and laughed heartily, "It's a pleasure to cooperate with you!"

After seeing "The Legendary Shopkeeper," Wang Yang of Beijing Film Studio discussed it with the directors in the studio and sent Wang Yan to inquire about Liu Yimin's script.

"Director Wang, we're late. This script was given to the August First Film Studio a month ago," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Wang Yan thought Liu Yimin was lying to him, and subconsciously asked, "A month ago? The novel hadn't been published yet, had it?"

"Yes, they thought the book was good after reading it, so they pre-ordered it," Liu Yimin explained.

After confirming that it was indeed true, Wang Yan left dejectedly.

"Director Wang, we can't let this happen again, where we steal a script and film it twice. The relationship between the two film studios has finally improved," Wang Yan said cautiously.

Wang Yang waved his hand weakly: "Of course I know. Go through the recent novels and scripts again and see if there's anything usable!"

"Good!" Wang Yan breathed a sigh of relief, genuinely worried that Wang Yang might act irrationally and cause another "bid-and-respond" incident. As sales of *People's Literature and Art* continued to rise, discussions about *The Legendary Shopkeeper* also grew increasingly heated.

The story takes place in Fengzeyuan, which is bustling with activity as many people come to see the garden, which has weathered decades of storms.

Fengzeyuan's daily customer numbers are several times higher than last month, with braised sea cucumber with scallions being the most ordered dish.

For a time, Fengzeyuan became the number one restaurant in Yanjing, surpassing Lao Mo and Quanjude in fame.

When interviewed by reporters, the general manager of Fengzeyuan called out to Liu Yimin through the newspaper: "Comrade Liu Yimin will be a lifelong free diner at Fengzeyuan. No matter how many people are there or what they eat, as long as Comrade Liu Yimin is there, it will all be free."

The general manager also recounted how Liu Yimin stayed in the kitchen to gather inspiration for his novel, his back soaked with sweat.

To write a good book, he learned to cook two famous dishes: braised sea cucumber with scallions and cuttlefish roe soup. This became a popular topic of conversation in the streets and alleys.

Fengzeyuan not only said this, but also did it. The general manager took Wang Yijun to find Liu Yimin, thanked Liu Yimin for his contributions to Fengzeyuan, and hoped that Liu Yimin could come to Fengzeyuan for any future gatherings.

Liu Yimin smiled and cupped his hands in thanks for their kindness: "Now everyone knows that I can go to Fengzeyuan to eat for free!"

"You're not just eating for free. Our Fengzeyuan restaurant has a reputation in Beijing, but not many people outside of Beijing know about it. Now, the whole of China knows that there's a Fengzeyuan restaurant in Beijing that specializes in Shandong cuisine. Comrade Yimin, you're advertising for us, and it's free advertising! The advertising fee is all in the dishes!"

Since the reform and opening up, the concept of "advertising" has become increasingly important to business people.

As he spoke, the general manager took out a commemorative porcelain piece from Fengzeyuan from the box. The bottom of the bowl was inscribed with "Presented by Fengzeyuan".

Wang Yijun said, “This is a token of our appreciation from Fengzeyuan. Comrade Liu Yimin, you wrote so well. I was wondering how to write this story about cooking. I never expected that you would be such a great writer. With just a few strokes of your pen, you made me feel as if I had traveled back to decades ago.”

The rivalry between Xinfenglou and Fengzeyuan was a frequent topic of conversation among longtime diners. I heard they're planning to revive the "Xinfenglou" brand; I wonder how far these former rivals can go.

Decades later, the two families have long since forgotten their past grievances.

After seeing off the general manager and head chef of Fengzeyuan, Liu Yimin played with the bowl-shaped porcelain in his hand with great interest. Although it was exquisite, it could not compare to the Ru porcelain from his hometown.

In the evening, when I picked Zhu Lin up from get off work, she couldn't wait to tell me about the free meal at Fengzeyuan: "Teacher Liu, after reading the newspaper, Teacher Shanzun and Teacher Tianye were clamoring for you to treat them to a meal at Fengzeyuan. Now everyone knows that you're getting a free meal at Fengzeyuan."

"Haha, I'll make it for them too. Are you tired from work today?"

"It's not tiring. Four directors for one show, how tiring can it be? However, as rehearsals for 'The Legendary Shopkeeper' begin, the actors are getting busy. Some have to rehearse two shows, and there are still a few actors who can carry the show."

As the months progressed, Zhu Lin's belly began to swell slowly. Liu Yimin became extremely careful when riding his motorcycle.

"After you finish rehearsing 'The Birth of a Warrior,' why don't you just stay home and rest?" Liu Yimin asked Zhu Lin for his opinion.

Zhu Lin said coquettishly, "Teacher Liu, I like rehearsing plays. I'm pregnant for ten months, and there's still so much time left after rehearsing 'The Birth of a Warrior.' By the time I finish my postpartum confinement, my skills will have become rusty. Let's live in a courtyard house around December, so we can walk back when it snows."

Zhu Lin was worried that the roads would freeze when it was cold, and he might fall off his motorcycle.

"Okay, don't push yourself. You'll have plenty of time to work in the future," Liu Yimin advised.

"I understand, Teacher Liu." Zhu Lin said, then leaned her head against Liu Yimin's back.

In the Chinese Department of Yenching University, Liu Yimin walked into the office, and Zhu Guangqian teased him, "No wonder you smelled like braised sea cucumber with scallions when I saw you the other day. When are you coming to my house? Make me some braised sea cucumber with scallions."

“If you want to eat, I’ll take you to Fengzeyuan,” Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Zhu Guangqian said, "I've lived in the North for so many years, but I still prefer the vegetable cakes and fenggao from my hometown, Tongcheng, Anhui Province. I can't get used to most of the Northern cuisine. In the North, Shandong cuisine is the most famous, while Shanxi cuisine is considered low-class and not presentable. Henan cuisine is mediocre, neither good nor bad, and lacks distinctive features."

"Professor Zhu, who says Shanxi cuisine isn't presentable? The comrades from Shanxi can serve everyone a table full of fine dishes," Liu Yimin joked.

"Haha, Shanxi Province has a lot of noodles."

"Our Henan and Shanxi provinces are quite similar in terms of noodle consumption, and we also have to include Shaanxi province. The culinary history of these three provinces is practically the history of noodles. Of course, the Central Plains region connects the north and south, so the flavors are quite mixed. The food culture of a place is closely related to the local produce and the level of wealth."

Zhu Guangqian became interested and introduced Huaiyang cuisine and Cantonese cuisine to Liu Yimin.

The graduate students next to him were drooling as they listened. Despite Zhu Guangqian’s excellent explanation of Cantonese cuisine, he may not have actually eaten much of it.

When he was studying in Hong Kong, he didn't have much money. The "government funding" for studying abroad was already meager, so there was hardly any money left for food. Later, when he went to Europe, the government funding was not only reduced but also delayed, so he could only survive by writing articles.

The two men were talking when someone knocked on the office door. The man who entered was dressed in a suit and tie, with his hair neatly combed, looking like a businessman.

"Hello, is Comrade Liu Yimin here?"

Zhu Guangqian glanced at Liu Yimin, who shook his head to indicate that he did not know him.

Following Zhu Guangqian's gaze, the other person saw Liu Yimin and exclaimed with excitement, "Professor Liu, Professor Liu, you have worked hard to cultivate the future of our country."

"Comrade, who are you?"

"I forgot to introduce myself. I am Jiang Junxian, the deputy general manager of the city's catering company. I am also in charge of Quanjude's work. I've brought you some Quanjude roast duck to try."

After Jiang Junxian finished speaking, he placed the roast duck he was carrying on the table. Zhu Guangqian smelled the aroma and said with a smile, "This must be fresh out of the oven!"

“This is Professor Zhu Guangqian,” Liu Yimin said with a smile.

"Professor Zhu, you have a good sense of smell. This is a freshly roasted duck. Please have a taste."

Jiang Junxian took out the duck, flatbread, and sauces, and invited the people in the office to eat.

Liu Yimin glanced at Jiang Junxian and said, "Manager Jiang, let's find somewhere to talk. Professor Zhu, may I borrow your office?"

"Okay." Zhu Guang handed the key hanging from his waist to Liu Yimin, telling him to go by himself.

Upon arriving at Zhu Guangqian's office, Liu Yimin asked with a smile, "Manager Jiang, what brings you here?"

"It's nothing much, Comrade Liu Yimin, I just wanted you to have a taste," Jiang Junxian said, rubbing his hands together.

"Manager Jiang, please speak." Liu Yimin had already guessed Jiang Junxian's purpose.

"Comrade Liu Yimin, recently, thanks to your article, Fengzeyuan has become famous throughout the country. To be honest, Quanjude's history and status in Beijing are unparalleled. It has weathered many storms and survived far more than Fengzeyuan has."

When Yang Quanren founded Quanjude, he invited a master chef from the imperial court to create a unique hanging-oven method, which further enhanced the reputation of Yanjing roast duck. Later, the second generation of the Yang family, lacking business acumen, hired Li Ziming as manager, who once again brought Quanjude to prominence.

Jiang Junxian quickly recounted Quanjude's rise to prominence to Liu Yimin, conveying the same message: "We also want to make a name for ourselves in front of the people of the whole country."

"Have some tea, have some tea," Liu Yimin said with a smile.

Yan Jiayan walked in carrying a piece of roast duck and asked, "Yimin, what's going on?"

Jiang Junxian took the teacup and held it in his hands, saying, "Professor Liu, I just came to visit you. I know that writing isn't like roast duck, which can be roasted anytime. I know you're busy. Here are some materials I've compiled for you to take a look at. I'll be going now so as not to disturb your work."

After taking a sip of tea, Jiang Junxian immediately stood up and greeted Yan Jiayan.

(End of this chapter)