Chapter 43: Far from being righteous and flawless!

A full day passed. Wang Hai finished reading the novel, smoked pack after pack of cigarettes, and wiped away a tear.

He paced back and forth inside his office. There was nothing wrong with this novel, and publishing it should theoretically be fine!

The catch was that current depictions of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression were invariably grand, glorious, and correct.

Li Yousi had mentioned this issue beforehand, but Wang Hai never expected that Li Yousi wouldn't write a completely upright character at all.

Flawless heroes, both resourceful and fearless of sacrifice, were standard tropes in War of Resistance fiction, such as *Railway Guerrillas* and *Tracks in the Snowy Forest*. The portrayal of anti-Japanese soldiers heavily emphasized the spirit of collectivism and revolutionary ideals.

In contrast, *My Commander, My Regiment*, even though it depicted Nationalist soldiers, featured a band of defeated stragglers who were far from perfect. Fanle started out world-weary and terrified of death, the commander was frantic and used any means necessary... Not a single person among the lot fit the mainstream mold of "grand, glorious, and correct" heroes.

Yet the thematic depth of the ending was more than sufficient: they defended South Heavenly Gate to the death.

"Let the Regiment Commander handle it! My rank isn't high enough!" With that thought, Wang Hai felt a sense of release.

He picked up the manuscript and left.

~

In the regiment commander's office, Regiment Commander Li opened the door for Wang Hai and glanced at the calendar in disbelief. "It's only the third day of the lunar new year, what brings you here?"

"There's a manuscript I can't quite make up my mind about, so I wanted to ask for your thoughts!" Wang Hai said with a smile.

Regiment Commander Li handed him a cigarette. "You have a novel you can't decide on? Tell me first, who wrote it?"

"Li Yousi, the author whose books are still flying off the shelves!"

"Oh!" Regiment Commander Li's impression of him suddenly deepened significantly. Li Yousi's *Falling Leaves Return to Roots* was not only an exceptional piece of fiction, but literary critics had also defined it as a new subgenre of novel—in short, it stood a very high chance of making it into future textbooks.

"I remember him. Is this a military novel he wrote this time?"

"Yes, the reference materials on the Sichuan army that we pulled last time were given to him. However, this novel has certain flaws." Wang Hai spoke frankly:

"The thematic scope of this novel is vast. Not only is it a primary-theme work about resisting Japan, but it's also a masterpiece criticizing the internal corruption of the Kuomintang! It's rich in philosophical insights and reflections on culture... However..."

Wang Hai heaped praises upon it. Regiment Commander Li knew the problem lay precisely with that "however."

"However, what?"

Wang Hai cleared his throat, lowering his voice by a notch:

"However, the imagery in the novel subverts traditional impressions. Past soldiers were always noble and selfless! This novel is absurdly realistic, exposing the selfishness of every single ordinary person!"

Regiment Commander Li snatched the manuscript away, looking perplexed. "Doesn't *Garlands at the Foot of the Mountain* have a similar case? The protagonist isn't a saint either!"

Wang Hai replied, "That's not what I mean. What Li Yousi wrote is even more extreme than *Garlands at the Foot of the Mountain*. There isn't a single standard, orthodox character in this entire novel..."

This remark left Regiment Commander Li silent for a moment. "What about the ending? Is there any character transformation?"

"The ending brings change! And the war is considered a victory... They genuinely held the position!"

"Very well, leave the manuscript. I'll take a look." Regiment Commander Li found Wang Hai's attitude rather inscrutable.

Listening to him, it sounded as though the novel had virtually no redeeming qualities, yet Wang Hai was stubbornly determined to protect it at all costs!

——

Having handed over the manuscript, Wang Hai returned to the literary creation room and recounted the matter to Li Yousi. To put it simply: "I couldn't make a call, so I let Regiment Commander Li look at it. We'll see what he decides. Your novel is far too troublesome."

"Understood, Director."

The 1980s and the twenty-first century were two vastly different eras!

While the boundaries of this era were broad, even a simple kiss on the lips was enough to make major news (as seen in *The Vow*), whereas in the future, kissing, bare legs, and exposed cleavage would become commonplace. Therefore, a novel that could pass censorship in the future might encounter serious problems in this era.

"Is your novel not quite up to par?" He Dehua returned after three days of resting at home and looked somewhat puzzled as he listened to the two of them.

Li Yousi replied, "The Director said it has to be sent up for higher-level review. I don't know the specifics either; perhaps my writing isn't quite politically correct."

He Dehua consoled him, "Though this is the first time our regiment has encountered a novel that couldn't be resolved locally. Still, I can tell you're not that kind of person. It'll be fine!"

"Comrade He, that doesn't much sound like comfort!"

Li Yousi felt that to prove he wasn't biased in the future, his next novel would have to be a primary-theme piece, as orthodox as orthodox could possibly be!!

——

A day later, Regiment Commander Li finished reading the novel, and his thoughts were entirely identical.

Apart from volunteering to re-enlist, the cannon-fodder regiment in the early stages possessed virtually no redeeming qualities. To secure a single meal, they resorted to every conceivable trick, and the principal protagonist, Fanle, even went so far as to rob a prostitute, completely disregarding the Eight Rules of Discipline.

Of course, this was a Nationalist army, which was entirely distinct from the Communist military of that era.

Yet upon reaching the climax, this band of flawed cannon fodder managed to hold South Heavenly Gate for over a month, filling Regiment Commander Li with profound respect!

In literature, there is a technique known as "subduing before exalting"; the oppressive emotions built up in the front half exist solely for the explosion at this very moment.

Yet it was undeniable that every single character in the novel possessed a complete narrative arc, moving beyond one-dimensional, savior-like caricatures.

Precisely because the novel exposed Kuomintang corruption on such a large scale, it also made readers understand why the Kuomintang ultimately lost to the Communist Party during the decisive battles.

The next morning, Wang Hai came to Regiment Commander Li again to inquire about the novel's progress. "Can it be published?"

Regiment Commander Li sighed. "It is indeed exceptionally well-written, but we need to consider things carefully."

Back then, *Garlands at the Foot of the Mountain* almost failed to be screened because of a single shot—specifically the part where Liang Sanxi owed money and failed to repay it! When a certain leader saw that plot point, he adamantly demanded its deletion, fearing the film would damage the military's image.

Wang Hai sighed. "What should we do then? There's no way this novel can't be published just like that, right? What a terrible pity."

Regiment Commander Li pondered for a moment and immediately declared:

"I cannot make this decision alone; we must see what the superiors say. I'll do my best to write a good recommendation for Li Yousi!"

With that, he sat down and began drafting a letter—a letter of recommendation—which he tucked inside the manuscript, preparing to take it directly to the military district's political department.

Regiment Commander Li muttered under his breath, "This kid really knows how to give me trouble! He spent a lot of breath applying for the Western Yunnan reference materials last time, and now he writes something this troublesome!"

"Haha, Old Li, your bark is worse than your bite. Isn't this novel good enough? True commemoration isn't about portraying exclusively pristine images, but rather such realistic fiction. What a pity there are too few novels like this; this is the correct way to honor the combat spirit of our soldiers."