Sixteen, Worship
Everyone probably still remembers the "SARS" cloud that shrouded China when Minister of Health Zhang Wenkang made his emotional confession at a press conference. If not, vinegar and white radish, those legendary "miracle foods", wouldn't have reached prices of tens of yuan per kilogram. Everyone definitely remembers how this crisis of trust was resolved: just like the various dark-themed TV dramas that are popular today, when the situation seemed hopeless, high-level leaders stepped in to save the day. In China's bureaucratic system, where officials often follow the philosophy of "asking for instructions and reporting frequently", Minister Zhang, who had been hiding the epidemic, and Mayor Meng, suddenly fell from power. At the same time, a news spokesperson system was established...
Later, there were rumors that these two "high-ranking officials" were scapegoats who took the fall for others. But with a little analysis, it's clear that they weren't wronged at all. Think about it, such a big epidemic happened right under the emperor's feet in Beijing, and these two small "third-grade officials" could actually keep so many high-ranking officials in the dark - this is just too much! If we don't take care of them now, who knows what kind of treacherous thoughts they'll harbor against the Party and the people in the future. So, to say it, these two were wrong because they exposed their strength too early.
During the Han Wu Emperor's reign, a loyal and honest official named Xu Le made an incisive analysis of the differences between "Tu Bing" (collapse) and "Wa Jie" (dissolution), two types of political crises. To put it simply, just as people eating grains may get occasional headaches or fevers, which is normal; nowadays, even in rural areas, medical insurance systems are being gradually established, so when one gets sick, they can go see a doctor wearing a white coat and chat with them without spending much money. The principle of governing the country is the same: our great leader Chairman Mao worked hard for most of his life but only achieved "30% success and 70% failure". Having mistakes is normal; constantly talking about the "great situation" is somewhat self-deceptive. In fact, avoiding illness and hiding from doctors is a sign of lack of confidence, mostly because one fears they have contracted an incurable disease. Therefore, throughout history, those who dared to "criticize themselves" were all great rulers who didn't need to use "no forbidden zones in theoretical research, discipline in news propaganda" to boost their courage. On the other hand, if one only tries to maintain a good appearance while harming the substance, and "dissolution" develops into "collapse", it will be too late for regrets.
In fact, the grand and empty politics is often a concentrated manifestation of national character. For the Chinese people who have a good preference for "backroom deals", no matter what they do, they like to create a sneaky atmosphere. Therefore, the "Book of Rites" 2,000 years ago solemnly warned everyone: "When you are about to enter the hall, your voice must be loud." Of course, the ugly daughter-in-law still has to meet her parents-in-law. In a society like ours without a regular declassification system, the day when the truth is revealed often also heralds the arrival of "those who have passed away", such as that nursery rhyme from the Eastern Zhou dynasty which drifted towards the late Eastern Han dynasty like a ghost.
Several months ago, when Lu Yuanhang first shared his concerns with Xu Zhenliu, he repeatedly warned: "All these things, do not tell outsiders, if you violate this oath, heaven and earth will condemn you." From the day he solemnly raised his right hand under the party flag, Xu Zhenliu has always adhered to the original promise, even in the face of danger or temptation, without any deviation. Of course, he had also doubted this unspoken rule many times; after all, if one dares to challenge moral standards, why fear public opinion?
Sure, here is the translation:
As expected, before the change of allegiance, soon after the "Political Bureau Enlarged Meeting" held at "Bamboo Forest Tea House" ended, that already very fragile "Iron Curtain" slowly opened a gap. The first to catch a glimpse was Wu Yu, who had always been paying attention to the market trend.
"You seem to be supporting them quite a bit?" Under the dim bedside lamp, Xiao Wu's clear eyes sparkled with an unusual brightness. A week ago, when Wei Dan came bouncing in to pour out her heart about those girls' rumors that were half-speculation, she had belatedly realized that the already faintly visible rumors might not be unfounded. As a friend of many years, Wu Yu didn't choose to "mind her own business and stay aloof", but instead went straight to Wei Yicheng's face with a drum in one hand and a drumstick in the other. Unexpectedly, this language psychology expert, who usually had an air of mystery, didn't put up much resistance and spilled the whole story, which added a few points of mutual understanding between him and Xiao Wu. In fact, Wei Yicheng's unusual behavior was largely due to his misjudgment of the situation. Ever since he met Mo Lin by chance at "Bamboo Forest Teahouse", Wei Yicheng had assumed that Xiao Pangzi had already shared all his secrets with Wu Yu, so when the enemy was at the gate, there was no need to hide anymore. Time and again, when Chinese people face a "prisoner's dilemma", they often waste their slim chances of survival in groundless suspicion of each other.
"It's not that I'm supporting you," Zhuo Liu was grateful for Wu Yu's tolerance, after all, the Wei family's little secret had always been a key focus of attention for this workaholic class teacher; but it was clear that his ability to keep secrets had already been sufficiently understood. In fact, loyalty is a virtue that can be applied universally, not just towards friends, but also towards enemies who cannot help but admire those who would "rather die than betray" and have a strong sense of integrity, whereas those who are weak-willed often end up with a bad fate: "It's better to destroy ten temples than to ruin one family relationship." The boy who had spoken out of turn quickly realized that this excuse sounded somewhat like he was taking the enemy's side; after all, Zhao Ruan was Wei Yicheng's original partner. "Is that so?" he hesitated.
"Even the kids are so big, what's the point of messing around?" Looking at Wu Yu's remarks throughout the night, this "insider" who is familiar with Wei Yicheng's past and present life seems to have not shown the expected verbal attacks, but instead, there is more sentimentality in his tone, although it can't be said that he understands, but it exceeds the usual sighs. Some ambiguous tendencies that deviate from mainstream ideology actually appear on this lady who has always been cautious: "This old Wei, still not satisfied with the chaos..." Teacher Wu put down the water cup she had been holding for a long time, hesitated, and then put it back on the bedside table. She never drinks cold tea.
"It was clear that he appeared much earlier than me, but it didn't matter how many years separated us..." This is the lyrics of a song sung by Wu Yu when she got married, which was organized by Xu Zhen and his classmates who were "heartbroken" in their youth. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates believed that when the four basic bodily fluids are out of balance, people with inverted behavior will show a humorous temperament. Of course, this naive and simple materialistic speculation has long been refuted by modern medicine; however, the method of using "humor" to ease awkward conversations has continued to be used until today. So it's said that "beauty" is often much longer-lasting than "truth"; life will always come to an end, but romance can be sublimated into eternity.
Indeed, Wu Yu, who had been looking troubled all along, suddenly smiled: "Do you still remember this?" In fact, this question should have been asked by Xu Zhenliu. To Xiao Wu, a teacher who spent the whole day with children, the post-80s generation didn't need to learn how to forget. Growing up at the turn of the century, they were used to throwing away all unpleasant things. The dictionary of the new humanity had never tasted the heavy flavor, no matter how heart-wrenching the past was, it couldn't stop the pace of "yearning for the future". In the cycle of betrayal and emptiness, they would never truly believe in anything. Of course, the mainstream is called the mainstream because of the existence of exceptions, such as Wu Yu, who often found familiar points from Xu Zhenliu, a classmate who had also experienced the millennium carnival fireworks, although she couldn't say what it was, or didn't want to, or even dare not to explore deeply.
Taking Lu Yuanhang's tangled and confusing situation as an example, for most young people nowadays (excluding those old-fashioned ones in graduate school), this kind of clichéd romantic affair has already become too familiar to them, who are used to seeing extramarital affairs and habitual abortions, so it can't provide any aesthetic stimulation. On the contrary, the person involved might be scolded as "lacking personality" or "outdated". However, Ci Feng, who has drunk foreign ink, doesn't think so. In his opinion, existence is reasonable, and any "past" deserves respect. The confusion of comparing mountains is even more unbearable than the consequences of a long and winding road.
As for this issue, Yuan Hang's attitude seems to be not much different from Xu Zhongliu's, at least on the surface; it's also no wonder, the first investment is often particularly precious, after all, the difference between having and not having is always much greater than the distance between more and less.
After the previous three trials, the relationship between Wei and Lu had quickly turned underground, of course, this was not a new topic for them. The Chinese people who were used to the ups and downs of life knew the tactics of guerrilla warfare, and were not afraid of any form of crackdown, whether it was the Three Alls Policy or imprisonment, they would all be useless against their unyielding spirit, after all, wild lilies also have a spring.
If analyzed from the perspective of physiognomy, Lu Yuanhang's full cheeks should have indicated a resolute character, although on the surface, this seems to be at odds with her nitpicking style towards Wei Yicheng. However, the subtlety of our ancestors' cultural heritage lies in this: only when a person is forced into a desperate situation and has to mobilize all their potential can the "destiny study" that sees through phenomena to the essence reveal its foresight. It's said that difficulties are like springs - you're weak and they're strong; human nature is the same: harsh environments can hone people into being resilient, while those who are "killed by comfort" often only know how to complain in a vicious cycle of dissatisfaction. Lu Yuanhang, who had previously been ready to go to war over Wei's delayed response, actually showed remarkable calmness and endurance when faced with adversity, a trait unique to women: she no longer demanded consolation or endless vows, like a stubborn pine tree on a cliff, seemingly able to contain the desperate yet courageous vitality of life in just a tiny bit of space.
But then again, any pointing of a deer as a horse can't be completely out of thin air. In this unprecedented predicament, the fact that Luoyan's career is still standing also cannot rule out the possibility of external support, such as the project recently handed over to her by Wei Yicheng, which has become a powerful lever that can move the earth at any time. In Luoyan's view, "Teacher Wei" still remembers that she is more important than anything else.
It's strange to say, but Wei Yicheng, who has always been dedicated to language acquisition research, somehow managed to come up with a topic related to Chinese loanwords and handed it over to Lu Yuanhang, who had no relevant knowledge or experience, without providing any guidance. To be realistic, this kind of "cut-and-paste" research doesn't require much insight, but such blatant plagiarism is not common, especially in today's society where high-degree holders are mass-produced. Of course, with the development of the socialist labor market system, it's no big deal to grab a few professionals and have them "subcontract" work to others; Professor Wei, who is familiar with this practice, specifically instructed Lu Yuanhang to find someone who is knowledgeable about modern Chinese vocabulary to collaborate with, and warned him not to let outsiders take advantage of this opportunity, hoping that the collaborator would be a "close friend" who could share the benefits. In the graduate school where people are busy with their own affairs, there are many idle and boring students waiting to be exploited, such as Cheng Yi, who is a good target.
In an increasingly crowded human society, it is inevitable that some low-probability events will occur, especially when the parties involved intend to do so. Wei Yicheng, who has a keen eye for opportunity, managed to find such an unlikely windfall, which wouldn't normally be newsworthy, but he somehow knew in advance that there would be a "perfect match" partner by his side on this trip, and attributing it to mere coincidence seems a bit far-fetched.
To be honest, Cheng Yi's good reputation in the research institute does not come from his academic achievements. In fact, it is difficult for outstanding talents to thrive in this environment where scholars are often at odds with each other, especially in a market economy that emphasizes competition and survival of the fittest. After all, in today's China, where people have been disillusioned by authoritarianism, no one wants to see another "leader" emerge to dominate everything. As a result, truly exceptional talents often become targets of criticism and are worn down by petty squabbles. In this environment that excels at cultivating mediocrity, Cheng Yi's three punches and two kicks are still somewhat effective, after all, the so-called research projects only require a diligent attitude and good interpersonal relationships. It seems that the "quality education" that has been touted for over a decade has yielded some stage-specific results: in today's academic institutions, emotional intelligence is more important than intellectual ability.
Of course, the smooth-talking Mr. Good doesn't have to be a sly old fox with a flattering face. Compared to those angry youths who only learn their lesson after getting hurt, Cheng Yi is absolutely a lucky one. Born into a wealthy family, he's more like a warm and refined jade, without any sharp edges from the start. That's because young masters don't need to fight for survival space in the midst of competition. The phrase "born with a silver spoon" only applies to those who have just emerged from their humble beginnings; truly wealthy people can easily buy themselves a good reputation without much effort. The economic base determines the superstructure, and Director Ma's vision is indeed far-sighted. In most cases, social hierarchy is more cunning than we imagine.
In comparison, Shi Lichang, the monitor of their class who had been a private school teacher for many years, didn't have time to bother with so many "new emperors' clothes". He came from a certain place in central Shanxi (the specific location has always been a mystery, and no one has ever seen any of Shi Lichang's identification documents), and from the day he arrived at the Language Institute, he was like a sponge that had been parched for a long time, greedily absorbing everything in sight. He didn't even mind titles like "Model Worker in Women's Work" or "Exemplary Planner of Family Planning", which everyone else avoided like the plague. In this small institute where the sky was dark and the earth was black, Shi Lichang always maintained a proud demeanor; it is said that he had been a Party member for six years since the beginning of the second semester and had been "demoted" to enter the school's Communist Youth League committee. According to legend, Ah Bian believed in physiognomy, and every time there was an important election, he would use a special oil made from some kind of material to anoint the foreheads of those in power; if this were true, then Shi Lichang, whose "official luck" had no artificial marks, would definitely become very rich and powerful in the future. Chi Liang had once pretended to casually inspect him and found that his "official luck" was absolutely natural, not artificially carved, and even healthier than oil-fried food.
Hard work pays off for those who are diligent, and the struggles of more than half a year are beginning to transform into tangible productivity. At least within the small circle of the 06-level master's class, the status of "Shi Ban Zu" has become increasingly solidified. Those trivial matters that were once used to test new officials have long since been handled without needing his personal intervention, such as the upcoming spring outing activity, which has been smoothly handed over to Chen Yi and others for full authority through "grassroots democracy".
Zhen Liufei never understood why the outing to Qingyun Temple, which was supposed to be a day trip, had to be arranged in a remote suburb 50 kilometers away. In fact, this decision came from high-level officials and was directly ordered by Shi Banlang. At the last gathering at the institute's cafeteria, Zhen Liufei and others had already experienced what it meant to have "official addiction". The deputy director, who was already extremely busy, personally took care of every detail, including ordering food, and the secretary, who was good at guessing the leader's thoughts, fueled the fire. As a result, Zhen Liufei, who hadn't eaten breakfast, had to swallow his saliva in the midst of the delicious food aroma before finally seeing the tardy director arrive.
Of course, Shi Li, who had just entered the industry, had not yet "evolved" to that extent. The reason he personally selected the spring tour destination this time was because there was another mystery behind it. This has to be traced back to when he devoted himself to the education business in Tushan Gouzi, a poor and remote mountain village where even birds wouldn't shit, but "the filling is not on the surface". It's said that since humans learned to use fire in the barbaric era, this place had been rich in raw coal, so rich that even shallow mineral veins could be dug up when drilling wells. As a result, under the protection of policy and the nourishment of reform spring breeze, one after another multimillionaires, tens of millions, and hundreds of millions of rich people emerged, and the small kilns all over the mountains were constantly transporting wealth to them that was second to none.
The malicious foreign media said that the thriving mining industry in our country is the most dangerous occupation in the world, which is a shameless slander against the socialist system. However, it is an indisputable fact that thousands of lives are lost every year in those dark tunnels, and half of them are in Shanxi Province. The national industrial leaders who have been protected by the "土皇帝" (local tyrants) do not want to invest too much in safety production facilities, after all, there are many officials waiting to be fed in various government departments, and the losses outside must be made up for inside. In order to implement the intensive development strategy, costs must be reduced. But what can be done about the uncooperative gas that doesn't listen to the red-headed documents? The national is global, the traditional is modern, and those who got rich first put their hopes in the gods and Buddhas. It is said that almost every "coal boss" requires miners to burn incense before going down the mine, and those who don't comply will be fined or ignored if something happens; of course, they themselves will strictly follow the "rules and regulations" and never dare to slack off. As primitive capital continues to circulate, small shrines gradually become large-scale new temples; for example, a certain people's congress representative in Shili's town invested in building a three-hall temple with thriving incense offerings after getting rich.
At the beginning, when Shi Laoshi decided to take the postgraduate entrance examination, he had made a big vow there. If he passed the exam, he would be grateful and repay his kindness. As for what happened later, it's not necessary to say much, others were lucky and successful, bringing glory to their ancestors. However, troubles also followed one after another. Due to being too busy with "official business", even during the Spring Festival when he should have returned home in glory, he was asked to go to the county to share his experience everywhere, and didn't even have time to go to the temple to thank the gods in person. As time passed, it became a heart disease.
No coincidence, no book. The other day when surfing the internet to understand national affairs, Shi Li accidentally discovered that there is also a same-named and same-surnamed "Qingyun" temple in the suburbs of Beijing. Heaven's will cannot be violated! He hurriedly found Cheng Yi, deciding to overthrow the previous conclusion that one thing is better than nothing, and took the whole family on a slightly late spring outing to fulfill their vows.
Among young people who don't need to introduce themselves, the spring outing that should be a good opportunity to make new friends and not forget old ones has become a special form of solo activity for these small intellectuals who are used to being wrapped in their own cocoons.
Of course, any rule from the day it is formulated provides a huge potential benefit for those who violate it, and even more so for unwritten conventions. Usually, we call this kind of innovation "personality". Ai Mei, who has been enjoying the benefits of minority policies since childhood, has the most experience with this. From the day she joined this big family, she has tried her best to make everything about herself different from others, and this time is no exception. Miss Ai originally planned to take this opportunity to show off her boyfriend, Wang Peng, who had just been promoted to a white-collar job in a foreign company. After all, for many bookworms who are oblivious to the outside world, the title of " comprador bourgeoisie" still has some mysterious color.
It was planned but couldn't keep up with the changes, and Ai Mei didn't expect that Li Bin, the diamond king who was introduced by her to Yunwen, would voluntarily propose to participate in this grand event. In comparison, if Du Xiaozhong were to be brought along, not only would he be a green leaf, but also the carefully planned struggle history of revolutionary families would likely be exposed on the spot. Therefore, between two evils, Ai Mei had no choice but to let her boyfriend stay behind. However, what made Ai Mei even angrier was that Li Bin's visit this time was unknown to her until the night before, when she received an unintentional "tip" from Yuanhang and was caught off guard. To make matters worse, when informing Du Xiaozhong not to come the next day, Ai Mei poured out all her grievances onto her boyfriend, who had already been numb to her complaints; it wasn't until later that he found out that Xiaozhong had not only given up a promotional event at the company that could have earned him some extra money but also sacrificed one of his precious days off.
"Hey," seeing Li Bin in a Jack&Jones casual outfit, Xu Zhenliu also felt a bit surprised. In fact, he was the only "guest star" today: "You're so handsome every day, aren't you tired?" For this person who is hard to find many flaws, Xu Zhenliu only had that sharp tongue left to be confident: "How about I'm handsome for a day on your behalf?"
Although in China's cultural context where it is relatively rare to speak bluntly, Li Bin has long been accustomed to various forms of ridicule and satire. On the other hand, for these "real men who dare to protect their skin", isn't the purpose of being all-around and clever just to attract everyone's attention? Whether this feedback comes from positive or negative comments, it's better than being ignored and having no one ask about you, especially in an era where click-through rates represent everything. In fact, Li didn't need to worry about the correct public opinion direction at all. From the moment he got on the "tourist special line" with few people asking about him, Ai Mei had been introducing his glorious history to every classmate, from his time at Stanford University to his current position as a pillar of a multinational corporation. The story was full of twists and turns, and the narrative was vivid. Obviously, Ai Mei, who had just finished inquiring about Li Bin's family's three generations in her bed last night, had completely changed her stance. Her experience growing up in a remote mountainous area where "the sky is not clear for three days" had taught her how to adapt to changing circumstances and navigate through treacherous waters. Therefore, in the market economy where strength determines everything, not everyone has the right to show their personality. To generalize, children of wealthy and powerful families can be good at strategizing and governing, but they cannot become true diplomats; just like back then, when the high-ranking officials of the Communist Party had not forgotten their deep-seated hatred for this imperialist representative, but when Nixon extended an olive branch across the ocean, we still gritted our teeth and accepted it. As for the "Shen Chong incident", that famous lady who had already become a Buddhist nun could only continue to prioritize the overall situation.
In comparison, Su Yunwen on the other hand looked more subdued and refined, her gradually growing hair neatly hanging down in front of her proud chest. Although she didn't have the financial means to buy more new clothes, her clean and tidy attire from head to toe still managed to showcase her master's careful intentions.
According to a source, since the last dinner party ended in an unpleasant manner, Li Bin has repeatedly invited Su Yunwen to discuss life and ideals under various pretexts. To be frank, Yunwen, this Hubei girl, is not the kind of person who pretends to be reserved or hypocritical, making people feel like they are basking in warm sunshine while maintaining a humble yet dignified distance that prevents her from appearing cheap. Faced with Li Bin, the renowned golden son-in-law, she naturally enjoys interacting with him to gain a deeper understanding and "reserve changes", which is why she was chosen by Ai Mei as the pioneer. However, strangely, Su Yunwen seems to have intentionally lowered the temperature of their interactions recently, and it doesn't seem like a typical delaying tactic, leaving observers somewhat perplexed.
"Why isn't there a monk in this temple?" Cheng Yi, holding a telephoto lens, was capturing usable backgrounds everywhere, but never leaving Yuanhang's side.
"Probably went to some hole-in-the-wall place," Lu Yuanhang, who had a background in TV work, seemed particularly fond of insider topics. She wasn't afraid of the camera's pursuit, but instead posed with ease and poise; the gentle breeze blew against the girl's newly changed long skirt, looking quite spirited.
Even from a wide-angle lens, the "Qingyun" ancient temple that everyone rushed to was just a small temple with two courtyards. It is located on a gentle slope in the mountains, and judging from the faded red walls, it has been around for some years. The temple is small but has a big reputation, and although its scale is limited, "Qingyun Temple" was included in the local tourism development plan several years ago. The golden signboard at the temple gate with the name of "Certain Management Office" shines brightly in the sunlight. Since it has been taken over by the authorities, the monks who have been practicing here for generations can only be relocated to other places, which is also to better protect our ancestors' cultural heritage. I believe that the Amitabha Buddhas, who are responsible for saving all living beings, will understand.
Xu Zhenliu was once invited to attend the 200th anniversary celebration of a certain unknown academic institution on this mysterious continent, which was "polluted" by colonialists in 1770, while studying in Australia. During that time, an old Russian who was very hospitable but not learned asked a visiting professor from Tsinghua University to introduce the long history of Chinese academia. Apparently, in the eyes of the activity organizers, this self-proclaimed civilized country with a history of 5,000 years must have had a continuous and impressive tradition that would make the participants gasp in amazement. Xu Zhenliu probably never forgot the scene at that time, where the professor standing on the podium, facing the audience's expectations, kept wiping his already shiny forehead, even forgetting whether he should put on some ceremonial smile...
"Alright, alright, classmates be quiet," said Shi Li, the class monitor, who was leading the way with his prominent belly. "We're about to enter the temple, a sacred and serene place, so please don't make any noise." Judging from his lips, which were trembling slightly, it seemed that this newly appointed secretary had originally intended to deliver a speech along the lines of "As communists, we are atheists, but we do this out of respect for believers and to form a broader united front." However, Shi Li hadn't forgotten why he was here in the first place, and more importantly, the compassionate yet solemn gaze from within the temple made him feel a chill run down his spine.
Concentrating and observing carefully, I suddenly realized that this small "Qingyun Temple" indeed has some of the flavor of "a mountain is not high, but with a fairy it's famous". The main shrine enshrines a Maitreya Buddha image that hasn't been occupied by monks in cloth bags, with curtains hanging behind, although somewhat dusty, yet still radiating an eternal and unreplaceable grandeur and vicissitudes. Walking from the bright spring day outside into the dark and lofty ancient temple, a wave of musty wooden scent hits your face, making one involuntarily solemn.
At this moment, Shi Li was so excited that he could hardly hold himself together. Before coming here, perhaps even the head of the class himself had not expected that being in such a situation would be so thrilling. If there were enough cushions, he really wanted to lead all the students, young and old, to bow down together like the ancestors worshiping at the ancestral temple, letting their ancestors see the living victory fruit. Looking at Shi Shuji closing his eyes with devotion, Zhuo Liu suddenly felt a strange sense of shyness, he really couldn't bear to think that the head of the class was begging for something again.
Unlike the famous and prosperous temples, the humble "Qingyun Temple" chose to place the "demonstration-style" donation boxes directly in front of the Buddha statues, which were already covered in dust. Xu Zhongliu felt a strong sense of disgust towards this kind of extortion, so he didn't disturb the monks' dreams about money. However, Shi Li, who was deeply influenced by the commercial atmosphere of the three Jin regions, didn't mind this "one hand gives money, one hand gives goods" approach and exchanged all the small change in his pocket for redemption coupons. Of course, while doing so, he habitually looked around to avoid being caught off guard by Cheng Yi's quick shutter, but fortunately, the other monks had already retreated outside. Shi looked at the "No photography allowed inside the temple, violators will be fined 200 yuan" sign and smiled contentedly at the extra stroke added to the character for "two", clearly pleased that there were some benefits to being managed by the government.
In today's China, although government regulation has long since changed its face to become "macro-control", the lingering influence of its traditional dominance in economic operations cannot be underestimated; therefore, keeping highly consistent with red-headed documents has become the only way to get rich. In this regard, the new national bourgeoisie who have been tempered for many years still have a keen sense of smell. After learning that the local tourism authorities finally decided to take drastic measures against "Qingyun Temple", a real estate tycoon in a certain place did not miss the opportunity to encircle the small mountain behind the temple through public relations, preparing to develop it into a new villa area for both monks and secular people to enjoy.
Actually, since this pure land of Buddhism has already become a circus for tourists to visit, it doesn't matter if another troupe comes to perform; but the problem is that after the people's commune went bankrupt, this small hill was contracted by local villagers, and the large tracts of orchards and peach blossoms are proof. A girl was promised to two families, both of whom have contracts, which has led to a fatal outcome. The local government officials have a solution, deciding to follow market rules and let real estate developers and villagers resolve it themselves, with the government "not intervening".
Then, the war of words escalated into a full-blown armed conflict. The capitalists mobilized the underworld, while the peasant brothers took up their big knives and long spears. Each side was determined to gain the upper hand, and it was a lively scene for a time. A local guide told the research team that behind the "Qingyun Temple", there was originally a small path that led directly up to the "Kugai" on the middle of the mountain, which had always been a secluded retreat for high-ranking monks, and was well worth visiting. However, this place has now become the temporary government site of the "Red Regime". The stone steps leading up have also been guarded day and night by the children's corps, so it's best for outsiders not to go there. It is said that a "counter-infiltration" exercise is being held recently, and the workers' and peasants' armed forces have just been equipped with shotguns, and morale is high.
They walked out of the mountain gate with a sullen expression, and outside the courtyard was a stone-paved empty field that had been used for gatherings from all over the countryside for many years. Since "Qingyun Temple" became a scenic spot, the big and small markets on the first and fifteenth days of each month gradually evolved into full-day broadcasts, and even during the "war" period, it was no exception. Unlike those vendors in the free market who were frantically shouting and selling, the simple mountain people seemed to be indifferent to the year-on-year growth of sales volume. The aunties chatted about family affairs in groups of three or five, while the country girls occasionally stole glances at the beautiful young women from the city, thinking about how their own clothes and hairstyles were different from others.
"Come on, come on," Ai Miao helped Li Bin carry a box of takeout: "The handsome boss is treating us!" Her delicate throat emitted a captivating call.
"Hey, we're really showing off our literary skills," said Lu Yuanhang, who had brought enough food for herself, just like her classmates. But when she saw Ai Mei distributing the spoils with a proud expression, she quickly ran up and took a share, then turned around and handed a box to Cheng Yi: "We're just taking advantage of their generosity." In fact, Lu Yuanhang, who came from an intellectual family and was elegant in her demeanor, had a strong sense of justice. On the long bus ride here, despite the bumpy road, she repeatedly explained to her classmates that Li Shuo's willingness to go deep into the grassroots and ask questions was because he was chasing after the magnetic field of literature.
"I've said it before, I - don't - want!" Suddenly, a thin male voice burst out, as expected, it was Feng Ye opposite him.
