Chapter 279: What! Even Taiwan Knows?

Zhou Hui returned to her room, opened the drawer, and found it filled with cassette tapes and letters—all evidence of her secret correspondence with Ah Ming.

But Ah Ming hadn't replied to his last letter, and his responses had grown increasingly perfunctory, as if he were in a rush.

Could he have a girlfriend now?

At his age, with his looks and achievements—and having had previous relationships—it would be perfectly normal for him to have one.

Little Amin hugged her long legs, feeling a little down.

At that moment, her mother called out from outside: "Oh no, I almost forgot—I collected a parcel from the mainland for Ghost Uncle, and haven't given it to him yet."

"Where is it? Let me see."

Zhou Hui went over and picked it up; though the address wasn't Peking University but somewhere in Magic City, the handwriting was unmistakably Ah Ming's.

Hmph, you write to him so often—I've seen it several times—but he's your real pen pal, isn't he?

Amin thought sourly; she'd long known Ghost Uncle could read—he'd lied to her back then—but she didn't know the exact nature of his relationship with Ah Ming, only assuming Ah Ming was a descendant of Ghost Uncle's relatives on the mainland.

"Mom, let me take it to Ghost Uncle."

"Oh, it's so late, it can wait till tomorrow."

"No problem—I'm not sleepy anyway!" With that, Amin dashed out, standing between two buildings, just as fireworks exploded around her, dazzling and beautiful like a girl in her adolescence.

Liu Bin didn't know what relationship Ghost Uncle had with Wei Ming; though he had a bold guess, it was too bold to voice, and he never asked—his code of the underworld was clear.

After handing the *New Paper* to Old Ghost, he changed clothes and prepared to go to McDonald's for his night shift.

McDonald's operated 24/7 year-round; Liu Bin worked this New Year's Eve shift, which had little to do but paid double—since he had nothing better to do anyway.

"Uncle Ghost, I'm off."

"Mm, work hard, aim to become manager soon."

As soon as he left, Ghost Uncle opened the article; just the title told him it was about Sun Zi's novel—he'd heard the name before in their correspondence.

As for the author Cai Shengsan, he was no ordinary man—he'd once been Chiang Ching-kuo's confidant and stayed behind to wage guerrilla warfare after the KMT's defeat.

Guerrilla warfare? You stood no chance against them!

Sure enough, he was soon captured and sent to Lüshun, where he became "classmates" with Puyi and others.

In 1975, he was among the last batch of special pardons and moved to Hong Kong, settling there; just recently, Shen Zui visited Hong Kong and had afternoon tea with him.

So he'd seen *The Righteous Path Is Vast Change* because of Shen Zui—the magazine *Harvest* had been sent to him by Shen Zui.

In their circle, Shen Zui had promoted this novel most vigorously, pestering every outstanding graduate of Gongdelin; if this novel could be published without being condemned, he too wanted to write something, earn some royalties—who doesn't dream of being a writer?

And he had too many stories inside him; even in Gongdelin he never sat idle, willing to work extra just to hear gossip, learning tales from fellow inmates during labor.

Once, he even dared to gossip behind Boss Dai's back about whether Hu Die had ever had an affair with General Zhang Xueliang; Hu Die turned right around and told Boss Dai, who scolded him soundly.

This gossip spirit was commendable, but as for writing skill, Cai Shengsan was no slouch either.

To support himself after settling in Hong Kong, Cai Shengsan began writing for multiple Hong Kong media outlets and launched a column in the neutral newspaper *The New Paper*, writing daily commentary on current affairs; his articles appeared simultaneously in Hong Kong, Taipei, San Francisco, Australia, and other regions, continuing for five years.

Having served the KMT and lived on the mainland, and upholding the motto "Not manipulated by anyone, only loyal to truth," and dedicating his life to the great cause of the Chinese nation and the reunification of the motherland, Cai Shengsan's writings carried great influence—often read by high-ranking officials on both sides.

After reading the incomplete novel in the magazine sent by Shen Zui, Cai Shengsan, unsure what to write for his next column, decided to share some reflections on this novel.

"Recently I read half a good book, *The Righteous Path Is Vast Change*—not because half is good and half bad, but because only half has been written; let's call it half a good book for now."

"The author, Wei Ming, has risen to prominence on the mainland in recent years—writing novels, screenplays, composing songs and music—hailed as a model for youth, repeatedly praised by official media; at barely twenty, his achievements are already remarkable."

"Even while stranded overseas, I've heard his name and seen his works more than once; the last time I heard his name was because of that song *The Same Song*—Hong Kong colleagues could learn from him."

"I must admit, he is a great creative talent; but with a billion people on the mainland, the emergence of one or two geniuses is no surprise—I've heard they even have people with psychic powers there."

"Since I haven't finished reading this novel, it's unfair to judge or summarize a novel based only on what's been seen so far; so today, I'll only say this: the fact that this novel has been permitted for publication and become a current sensation, without being persecuted for glorifying KMT soldiers, is truly precious."

"I have some friends on the island, but none of them have witnessed such an atmosphere; just recently, Wen Rui'an and Fang E of the Shenzhou Poetry Society were imprisoned merely for owning a few books in their home…"

Cai Shengsan had previously commented on this incident in his column; Wen Rui'an was the martial arts novelist who wrote *The Four Great Detectives*—not *The Four Fantastic Ones*.

His father had once served under Marshal Ye, later settling in Southeast Asia in Malaysia; Wen Rui'an read his father's martial arts collections from childhood and even learned basic martial arts, combining theory with practice.

Later, Wen Rui'an went to Taiwan for university and officially began writing martial arts novels; young as he was, he founded Shenzhou Publishing, then established the "Shenzhou Poetry Society" with the mission of "reviving Chinese culture and promoting national spirit."

Last year, after *Ming Bao Monthly*, Chairman Mao's poems, Ba Jin's and Cao Yu's works, and some Yunnan Baiyao were found in his poetry society, Wen Rui'an was imprisoned for months and then expelled from Taiwan.

Cai Shengsan used Wei Ming's new novel as a springboard to criticize Taiwan's increasingly harsh and insecure cultural policies.

This is the advantage of living in Hong Kong: years ago, when the mainland was like this, Cai Shengsan could openly condemn it; now that the mainland has surpassed Taiwan, he can criticize Taiwan without looking over his shoulder and affirm the mainland's progress.

At the end of the article, Cai Shengsan returned to Wei Ming himself: "Though I haven't finished *The Righteous Path Is Vast Change*, I once had the privilege of reading his collection of short stories, *Ferocious Animals*, which vividly portrayed oxen, horses, sheep, and donkeys—full of spirit, humor, ferocity, and tenderness. As the saying goes, when the youth are strong, the nation is strong; I hope the island can produce more such talented youths to jointly revive China."

He ended with a final note of moral value.

Old Ghost finished reading and nodded in satisfaction—no wonder he's my Wei Senhao's eldest grandson!

At the same time, he felt a restless itch—he wanted to read the novel too, now that Cai Shengsan had mentioned it; it was supposedly based on him and his elder brother, and he wondered how it had turned out.

Just as you're sleepy, someone brings you a pillow.

Knock knock knock~

"Ghost Uncle, are you asleep? There's a parcel for you—from the mainland."

Old Ghost immediately opened the door: "Amin, I'm not asleep, thank you."

He reached for the parcel, but Amin dodged: "Let me open it for you."

"I'll open it tomorrow, go back and sleep," Old Ghost grabbed it away. "Give it here."

Amin pouted: "Ghost Uncle, I can't sleep."

"Can't sleep? Read the newspaper," Old Ghost tossed her the *New Paper* he'd just finished, "Take it and read."

Amin was about to protest, but her eyes swept over the paper and caught the words "Wei Ming"—before she could look closer, the door shut.

"Hmph." Zhou Hui took the newspaper home, flipped through it for a long while, and finally found Cai Shengsan's article.

She'd never read political columns before, but this time she devoured it, reluctant to finish—because it mentioned her pen pal's name; apparently Hong Kong literati were paying attention to him, and his influence was greater than she'd imagined.

Pride and joy gave way to gloom: "He published a new novel and didn't even tell me—does he think I'm uneducated? Ugh, I really want to read it."

That was a bit dishonest; she still felt distant from those mainland stories, but she'd devoured the other mainland writer Wei Kuangren's *Ancient and Modern War: The Terracotta Lovers*.

On the other side, Old Ghost opened the parcel, first saw *Harvest*, flipped through the table of contents—sure enough, the novel was there—and then read the letter.

Wei Ming first mentioned the matter of Jueyuan No. 2.

Lao Fei had helped him run around the relevant departments; as he'd expected, merely having the land deed wasn't enough to get the house into his hands—he needed his aunt's handwritten authorization, and preferably proof of her identity from overseas Chinese organizations in the U. .

Of course, if she could return to the mainland herself, all these would be trivial matters.

But would she come back?

Old Ghost shook his head; he'd write her another letter about it.

Then Wei Ming explained about Shen Zui—his transition from war criminal to defected officer, and his visit to Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong visit didn't need Wei Ming's explanation; Old Ghost had seen the news reports and knew KMT agents had targeted Shen Zui—but Shen Zui had passed the test.

But Wei Ming's letter said Shen Zui now enjoyed vice-ministerial rank—that made Old Ghost feel uneasy.

Our Anping studies so hard, is so capable, and still struggles to reach vice-department level—how did he jump straight to vice-minister?!

Old Ghost couldn't help thinking of his elder brother Wei Muchun in Taiwan; if only he'd persuaded him to come over in 1949, he'd have started at least at ministerial level.

Of course, he might not have survived the 1960s; now he was in his seventies, rich, powerful, and idle in Taiwan—life couldn't be more comfortable.

Putting away Wei Ming's letter, Old Ghost began reading *The Righteous Path Is Vast Change*, accompanied by the distant sound of fireworks.

He'd thought reading would help him sleep, but instead he grew more alert—no wonder he's my grandson, he writes well, brilliantly!

Jiang Limin might carry echoes of many Republican-era figures, but the one he most resembled was clearly Wei Senhao.

And Jiang Lizhong in the book stirred Old Ghost's longing again for his brother, his rival and companion.

Unlike in the book, their father died early; Wei Muchun was over ten years older, and their sister was ten years older too—so the elder brother was like a father, the elder sister like a mother.

Cai Shengsan's article could be read in Taiwan and the U. . would his brother and sister see it? Would they feel curious about a novel that seemed to tell their own family's story?

Old Ghost had never told his brother about this talented grandson; he only knew Jiefang and Anping.

Taipei, Beitou Villa District.

Located in northern Taipei, this area boasts beautiful scenery and is a famous hot spring resort.

The great calligrapher Yu Youren lived here; Zhang Xueliang's house arrest was nearby; many literati who fled south chose to settle here, seeking solace in mountains and rivers.

After retirement, Wei Muchun chose to live here too, residing alone with three wives and several servants in a villa filled with birdsong and flowers, like a scenic spot.

The villa showed little festive atmosphere, slightly desolate—only the hot spring pool in the backyard remained warm.

Wei Muchun soaked in the hot spring, while his youngest wife, Lin Ni—though fifty years old—read him a novel.

In Lin Ni's hands was *Harvest*; she was reading *The Righteous Path Is Vast Change*, and had already reached the ending—clearly ahead of Old Ghost's copy.

"That's it?" Wei Muchun asked.

Lin Ni shook her head regretfully: "Next issue won't come for two months."

Wei Muchun felt a pang of loss; though he had personally lived through the history depicted in the novel—knew its course and outcome—he was still captivated by the characters and twists, as the magic of fiction lies precisely in that.

Especially since Jiang Lizhong, one of the male leads, was clearly modeled after him.

Afterward, Lin Ni helped Wei Muchun dry off and returned to the bedroom to rest.

Taiwan still had concubinage at the time—it wouldn't be abolished until 1985; Lin Ni was essentially a concubine, but Wei Muchun and his two wives treated her well, elevating her entire family along with her.

The only regret was that she had no child.

Beside the bed stood a small bookshelf; Lin Ni returned *Harvest* to its place, where she could also see *Huacheng*, which had published *Mother, Please Love Me Again*, and Wei Ming's collection *Ferocious Animals*.

Though it was New Year's Eve, with no children at home and the Wei family refusing visitors, the villa was very quiet, and Wei Muchun went to bed early.

But Lin Ni believed things would be very different tomorrow when Lingling arrived.

Wei Muchun fell asleep early, hoping to dream of Gouzitun—to see the river where his father once took him fishing as a child, the plum-tree stakes where he trained his martial arts, and the Medicine King Temple where he learned herbal medicine from his grandfather.

Meanwhile, in the real Gouzitun, the Wei family was bustling with activity.

As soon as Wei Ming and Wei Hong returned home, Old Wei set off firecrackers.

Then they began the New Year's Eve dinner; Wei Ming heard from Qi Delong that his mother was still preparing the meal, so he invited his parents and Qi Dongqiang over.

He was incredibly curious—Qi Dongqiang's life had been saved by the flap of his butterfly wings; in his past life, there had been no such thing, no child like this.

Everyone spent New Year's Eve listening to the radio; the nation's situation on the broadcast grew steadily better, and the Wei family's life had improved year by year.

Old Wei was practically a native of the capital now—his friends and associates were all distinguished people. He didn't realize the value of the things he traded, but Wei Ming knew: at their peak, they were worth at least a hundred million without a doubt.

And Uncle Anping became the supreme elder of the newly founded Fangzheng Company, and his career swiftly took off.

Xiao Hong not only scored high enough to enter Peking University's Mathematics Department but also became president of the Rubik's Cube Club—her first official position, and everyone respectfully called her "Sister Hong."

Even Xi Zi and Le Le had produced their own signature works over the past year, firmly establishing themselves in performance and music.

Wei Ming, of course, needed no further mention—his year-long novel swept through the domestic literary scene like a storm, injecting it with fresh air.

Both critics and readers sparked intense debate; if the next two volumes didn't disappoint, it was clearly a heavyweight work worthy of being written into literary history.

His romantic life was equally vibrant—he had confirmed relationships with both Gong Rui in the south and Zhu Lin in the north. He was delighted to have won the affection of two beautiful older sisters, and if he could just maintain this status quo, it would be even better.

To celebrate this bountiful 1980, Old Wei took out the Maotai that Wei Ming had once given him and drank freely.

"Ke Xiu, you just had surgery—don't drink, eat more vegetables," Old Wei said.

Qi Ke Xiu's empty wine glass suddenly filled with tears—this life was just too hard!

Just as he was about to cry, Old Wei picked up another bottle of Maotai and placed it beside Fan Chunhua: "Take this home. Drink it slowly once Ke Xiu recovers."

Qi Ke Xiu's tears vanished instantly: "Big Brother, I toast you with tea—may you achieve great things in Yanjing."

Old Wei laughed heartily, throwing his head back: "Of course I'll achieve great things! Your aunt and I plan to expand our business—when we need more hands, Chunhua, you come help us. And Xiao Long, study hard—someday go to Yanjing for college. If you don't get in, come work for your uncle delivering meals."

Qi Ke Xiu stared hopefully: "What about me? What about me?"

Old Wei thought for a moment: "How about I give you the honorary title of principal at the village school?"

Qi Ke Xiu: "..."

After eating and drinking their fill, no one wanted to leave. Qi Delong took Xi Zi and lit another string of firecrackers.

Too bad there was no electricity or TV. Wei Ming couldn't help but think of Zhu Lin in Yanjing and Gong Rui in Shanghai, both spending the New Year with their families—both had TVs. What were they doing right now?

Even though there was no official Spring Festival Gala yet, some celebratory programs were broadcast on TV—far better than listening to the radio.

Later, Wei Ming had an idea: since there was no Gala, let's make our own performances to entertain ourselves.

At first everyone was shy, so Wei Ming asked Le Le to start—she sang "Only Mother Is Good."

Lu Xiaoyan burst into tears again, thinking of that script, then joined in with "Little Grass."

Wei Ming wasn't good at singing, but he sang "Manifesto of a Man"—too bad he didn't have his Takashi Satō guitar.

One after another, each sang a song; Xiao Hong performed a ten-second Rubik's Cube restoration. Time easily passed midnight, and it was the first day of the lunar new year—only then did everyone return home, waiting for dawn.

On the first day of the new year, Wei Lingling and her mother Lin Xi visited the Wei Mansion to pay New Year's greetings. This villa was luxurious and enormous—not only because Wei Muchun had once held high official rank, but also because he later turned to business, achieving remarkable success in plastics and aluminum, with enterprises spread across Southeast Asia.

Wei Muchun was not only Wei Lingling's uncle but also her uncle-in-law—Lin Ni was her aunt.

Since Wei Muchun's two sons had died in battle and he himself had been injured, rendering him unable to have more children, Wei Lingling had essentially been raised as his only daughter.

When Wei Lingling and her mother arrived, a middle-aged man with glasses had just left—he was the island's senior intelligence officer and also Wei Muchun's student, having come early to pay New Year's respects. Their relationship was both teacher-student and father-son; he was Wei Muchun's de facto representative in official circles.

Wei Muchun understood Wei Ming's work and felt grateful for it.

Knowing Wei Muchun missed his homeland and cared deeply about cross-strait affairs, this student often brought him confiscated or actively collected illegal publications from the other side.

Such as the People's Daily or People's Literature.

Since last year, a young author named Wei Ming had caught Wei Muchun's attention.

Because in his essays he described his hometown as a northern Chinese village called "Gouzitun," and his surname was Wei!

It was an essay about his father and mother. Though the father's name wasn't given, his birth year was mentioned—1942—and it matched!

Wei Muchun was certain: in 1942, there was only one Wei child born in Gouzitun, because he, like the principal, kept a diary—he had confirmed his eldest nephew was born in 1942, and at that time his younger brother was in Shanghai, maneuvering against the Japanese and the Military Intelligence Bureau.

Since then, Wei Muchun had kept watch over this writer; more and more of his writings confirmed he was the descendant of his younger brother.

Not long ago, Wei Muchun's student seized several copies of Harvest from a group of young tourists returning from Hong Kong—it was how Wei Muchun first encountered "The Right Path of Humanity Is the Vast River."

"Uncle."

"Brother-in-law."

"Happy New Year!"

Then they paid New Year's greetings to the First and Second Madams, both over seventy.

Wei Muchun was delighted to see Lingling and immediately pulled out a set of keys.

"Lingling, you're graduating this year. This is your gift."

Wei Lingling: "What is this?"

Her aunt Lin Ni said directly: "It's an apartment in Yipin Building—your uncle's gift to you."

Yipin Building was a luxury residence in Taipei—movie star Xu Feng and her husband lived there after marriage, and later they developed a residential complex in Shanghai called "Tangchen Yipin"—no one knew if the name originated here, but many high-ranking officials and elites also lived there.

Before Wei Lingling could thank him, Wei Muchun added: "I heard you've changed your nationality to American."

At this, Wei Lingling's mother Lin Xi was stunned, staring at her daughter in shock.

Wei Lingling was about to explain, but Wei Muchun cut her off—without anger: "Good. Taiwanese citizens have little standing in the world. An American passport is useful anytime—say, when traveling to the mainland."

"Why would I go there?" Wei Lingling pouted, thinking of her stubborn father, who longed to return.

Wei Muchun said seriously: "You must go. That's our root. I can't return myself—I'd fly back in a heartbeat if I could. Lingling, if you ever get the chance, go for me."

(End of Chapter)