Returning to the 82 Mountain Village: An Encounter with the Journey to the West Film Crew at the Beg

On one side of the cliff, a small waterfall can be vaguely seen flowing into the deep pool below, the sound of the water adding to the tranquility and mystery.

This is a "fairyland" that Zhou Fangyuan had never seen in Journey to the West in his previous life.

"This is it! 'Entangling Cloud Cliff'!" a guide said proudly.

The experienced scouting master immediately picked up his paintbrush and observed the terrain and lighting from different angles.

Zhou Fangyuan was also stunned by the scene. The natural clouds, strange cliffs, deep pools, and ancient forests combined together were more ethereal and wild than any man-made scenery.

He helped record the location and terrain features.

"What a great place!" the master craftsman exclaimed excitedly after finishing his landscape sketch.

"Deep and secluded! Layered and layered! There's even water vapor and mist! It's a place that gods would naturally dwell in! It's just that finding the right camera location is a big undertaking, and transporting the equipment is a huge project."

With preliminary survey results and drawings in hand, the group rushed back to their base.

Almost simultaneously, another group of colleagues who were negotiating with the scenic area management committee also brought news:

It was originally planned that photography would be allowed in the Qingyin Pavilion area, but only during a very short window of opportunity before the scenic area opened in the early morning, and the number of people and equipment must be strictly controlled.

Director Yang looked at the sketch of "Entangling Cloud Cliff" and listened to the reports from both sides. After pondering for a long time, he finally made the decision: "Film the scene of Qingyin Pavilion according to the negotiated plan, and capture the morning light."

At "Entwined Cloud Cliff," we used it as a backup and supplementary filming location to shoot some establishing shots and artistic shots that didn't require a large number of actors.

We need both places, double insurance!

With a breakthrough solution to the problem, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and Zhou Fangyuan felt a sense of accomplishment from participating.

After a long day of travel, he returned to the guesthouse and was about to fetch water to wash his face when the receptionist called out to him:

"Comrade Zhou Fangyuan? There's a letter for you; it just arrived this afternoon."

A letter? Zhou Fangyuan's heart skipped a beat.

Upon taking the envelope, I saw that it contained the address of my hometown, Lengshuijiang, and the handwriting was that of the village party secretary, Zhao Bo.

He suppressed his excitement and quickly thanked the waiter.

I took the letter back to the somewhat noisy multi-person room, found a relatively quiet corner, took a deep breath, and then opened the letter.

The letter is short, but every word is crucial.

In his letter, the village party secretary said that his "suggestion" had been circulated among village cadres and several elderly people, and had aroused "quite a discussion".

Some say this is "nonsense, how can gold grow on barren mountains?", but there are also a few people who used to grow medicinal herbs, such as Aunt Liu, who said, "It might not be impossible, the shady side of that mountain has plenty of energy."

Most importantly, the village secretary revealed that Liu, the deputy director of the commune in charge of agriculture, overheard the suggestion and asked, "Which young man came up with this? He has some guts; he should get the village to sort things out first and come up with more detailed regulations."

At the end of the letter, the Party Secretary wrote: "...Fang Yazi, you've seen a lot of things outside. If you can temporarily leave the film crew, it would be best if you came back."

We need to talk to everyone face-to-face and put the regulations into practice. The sooner the better.

Zhou Fangyuan held the letter in his hand, his hand trembling slightly.

This wasn't a clear success, but it was a real breakthrough!

There are dissenting voices, but the budding support and the subtle attention from higher-level leaders are the most valuable.

He looked up at the silhouette of Mount Emei in the twilight outside the window. The crew had just found a breakthrough in their work and needed people right then.

Joy, pressure, and a sense of urgency to make a choice all surged into my heart at the same time.

He carefully folded the letter and put it into his inner pocket.

He knew that no matter what he had to face next, he had to go to Director Li first and explain everything honestly.

At this moment, the road beneath his feet seemed to have split into two clear yet carefully weighed branches, both waiting for him to take the next step.

Zhou Fangyuan did not go to find Director Li immediately. He returned to his room first and carefully copied the site survey record.

He also listed the location features and potential shooting suggestions of "Chanyun Cliff" on a separate piece of paper, with neat handwriting and clear organization.

After doing all this, he took a deep breath, picked up the letter, and walked towards Director Li's temporary office.

The door was ajar, and from inside came the hushed conversation between Director Li and the production team as they settled accounts. Zhou Fangyuan gently knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Zhou Fangyuan nervously pushed open the door and went in. Director Li was wearing reading glasses and looking at a stack of documents.

Seeing him enter, she raised her eyes and said, "Fang Yuan, you're back? Did you memorize all the details about 'Entangling Cloud Cliff'?"

"I've written it down. Here you go, Director Li." Zhou Fangyuan handed over the neatly prepared record sheet with both hands.

"This is a detailed description of the location, terrain features, and preliminary suggestions for shooting ideas."

The guide said the road was difficult to travel, so manpower for transporting equipment might need to be planned in advance.

Li Hongchang took it, glanced at it quickly, and nodded: "Good, well done. I'll keep this for now, and we'll meet with Director Yang and the other departments again tomorrow."

He took off his glasses and wiped them, about to continue reconciling the bills with the production team.

Seeing that Zhou Fangyuan was still standing there, he turned his head and asked softly, "Is there anything else?"

Zhou Fangyuan quickly took the letter from his inner pocket and handed it over, his voice steady but solemn:

"Director Li, I just received a letter from my hometown about the village's plan to try planting medicinal herbs on the barren hills, which I mentioned to you last time... There has been some progress."

Li Hongchang said "Oh?" somewhat surprised, took the letter, and read it under the light. Only the slight rustling of the paper could be heard in the room.

After reading it, he put the letter down, looked at Zhou Fangyuan with a scrutinizing gaze, and a hint of understanding.

"I understand what the letter meant by 'the sooner the better'."

Li Hongchang slowly began, "When dealing with matters at the grassroots level, timing is crucial. As soon as the higher-ups ask a question, the lower levels must immediately follow suit. If the timing is off, the matter is already half ruined."

Zhou Fangyuan's heart leaped into his throat, waiting for what would follow.

"Do you want to go back?" Director Li asked directly.

"Yes."

Zhou Fangyuan nodded without hesitation, but then looked embarrassed and said:

"But on the production team's side, the filming plans for 'Entangling Cloud Cliff' and Qingyin Pavilion have just been finalized, and it's time to implement and prepare for them."

"I have so much to do..."

He was referring to routine tasks such as coordination and liaison, and script assistance.

Li Hongchang understood, and he waved his hand to interrupt.

"There's always more to do. You've got a lot to deal with... Teacher Dai can take care of things for now, and I'll have Xiao Wang handle the coordination for the time being."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone serious: "The key question is, how long do you plan to stay once you get back? Do you have a clear idea of ​​that?"

Zhou Fangyuan had carefully planned the route before he arrived, and he truthfully told him, "Director Li, I have checked the route."

The fastest one-way trip from Mount Emei to Lengshuijiang takes three days, and if there are any delays along the way, it can take four days.

Going back to handle matters and communicate with the village and commune would take at least two or three days.

So, at least eight to ten days round trip...

"Ten days!?" Upon hearing this, one of the producers even exclaimed in surprise.