Chapter 54: Mid-Autumn Festival’s Poetry Meet!
Chapter 54: Mid-Autumn Festival’s Poetry Meet!
Afternoon.
The weather wasn’t too good. It was a bit misty.
Zhang Ye came to the unit and before he entered, his phone rang. It was his mother.
“Son.”
“Oh, mom.”
“Are you coming home for Mid-Autumn’s Day?”
“I can’t go back; I have to work overtime.”
“Overtime on a holiday? You should be free at night then?”
“I should be free tonight. I will go back once I have knocked off.”
“Don’t come back to Cai Shi Kou; go directly to your grandmother’s place. The relatives will all be there. They have heard that you have gained fame; your younger sisters (cousins) are all nagging to see you.”
“Okay. Then, I will try to go early.”
“Don’t forget; my face will depend on you tonight!”
“What face? They are all relatives. Are you bragging about me again?”
“Anyhow, just buy more things and bring them over. Don’t be too thrifty; buy the expensive ones. You are now a public figure; don’t go throwing my face. Okay, I’m hanging up.”
Du Du Du; the line was disengaged.
Zhang Ye smiled bitterly. His mom didn’t have any other bad points. The only big feature was that she liked to brag. Yes, Zhang Ye admitted that he had inherited this from his mother. But he had never felt this was a bad point! Many examples in his world would validate this.
Is bragging wrong? No!
Do you know how Bill Gates became the richest person in the world?
Do you know how Li Na became the tennis world champion?
Do you know how Liu Xiang broke the world record in the hurdles event?
Not many people should know about this! What is the reason? Haha, the reason is they…… Alright, all of these events have nothing to do with each other. Let’s change the topic!
Not many people had arrived at the office.
Zhang Ye didn’t look around as he walked in. Suddenly, a voice appeared from behind.
It was Big Sis Zhou. She smiled. “Greet me, or not. There will I stay, no sorrow, nor joy.”
Zhang Ye quickly smiled and turn back to look at her, “Big Sister Zhou, good morning. I’m sorry. The flowers on your desk were blocking you; I did not notice you were here.”
Big Sis Zhou said proudly, “How was it, Little Zhang? I used your poem correctly?”
Zhang Ye embarrassedly said, “You saw Weibo last night?”
“Of course, I saw it. I followed your Weibo last night. I did not expect that after I followed it, the party had also started. It caused me to fall asleep after 12 last night. You didn’t follow me, right? I even forwarded your new poem.” As she spoke, she felt some injustice for him, “Ignore those people from the Writers’ Association. If you don’t know what art is and can’t write poems, then no one in the world can write poems. Big Sis supports you. Don’t take it to heart.”
Zhang Ye smiled. “Thank you, Big Sis Zhou.”
Outside, people began streaming in for their overtime.
“Eh, Teacher Little Zhang, you’ve come? Why did you get into a pinch with people yesterday?”
“Vice President Meng is the Leader of the Beijing Writers’ Association. How did you offend him?”
“That’s right. I saw it yesterday, too. Teacher Little Zhang, if I had any say, you shouldn’t have posted your last poem. Those are the Writers’ Association’s Leaders and seniors. If you really offend them, how are you to enter the Writers’ Association in the future? I think that it is best to leave some leeway. Hai, but those people are also too much. Why did they reprimand you for no reason? Even if your poems aren’t comparable to them as seniors, how old are you? You are still young. They also can’t say that your poems have no literary value. That’s too damaging. I think your poem is still acceptable and isn’t as bad as they say.”
“Sis Liu, what did you say? You say Teacher Little Zhang’s poem is acceptable? I think you have been misled by that group of people; Teacher Little Zhang has so much talent!”
Several sisters and aunties began an exchange of difference in opinions.
Until work starts at 9 A.M., the topic was hotly discussed amongst everyone.
Tian Bin also had an interest in the battle on Weibo last night. He interrupted to ask, “Sis Zhou, what sort of person is Vice-President Meng like? Those old timers are very experienced. Big Thunder and a few other poets, all of them are professionals. If they said so, then it must mean they criticized it according to their literary learnings. How can we judge, since we are not as knowledgeable as them? It’s not that I am stepping on Teacher Zhang Ye. But like the old comrades of the Writers’ Association said, there are many issues. After reading it, I also feel some doubts.”
Big Sister Zhou looked at Tian Bin, “Then why don’t you create a poem for me to listen to?”
Tian Bin replied, “I don’t have such capabilities, but I still have some basic judgment skills.” He turned around towards Jia Yan, “Teacher Little Jia, what do you think?”
Jia Yan gave some thought and said, “Teacher Zhang’s poems definitely cannot compare with those seniors. As for whether it has any literary value, it’s not my place to make an evaluation.”
What they said was also heard by Zhang Ye.
When Zhang Ye used two poems to save a life on Wang Xiaomei’s live broadcast, the office and even everyone in the Beijing Radio Station had completely acknowledged his talent and poem. They had all said that it was good, with no one denying it. But now, the Writers’ Association with Meng Dongguo as the head had openly questioned and denied Zhang Ye’s poems publicly. As such, his colleagues were now not unified in their beliefs. Some said they were good, while others said they were bad. Even more were uncertain and confused. Sometimes, the authoritative opinions of experts were very damaging and also affected many.
How was one to change the situation?
How was one to eliminate the public’s doubts?
There was no other way. As long as Zhang Ye’s qualifications were weaker than Meng Dongguo and company’s, then he was not able to turn the tide. He would only be repressed by their words. Unless… Unless Zhang Ye used his absolute talent and strength to trample on Meng Dongguo and company at a specific place and time. Otherwise, the doubts by people would forever linger on. So what if he responded yesterday? So what if the poem was well-written yesterday? The Writers’ Association said that it wasn’t good! They said that he did not know art! They said that he did not know literature! Just them moving their lips was enough to make you be helpless! This was the deceptive power of authority and prerogative. Many commoners did not understand this, so they only believed what the experts said!
Today, there was no announcement of the listenership ratings, as there were a lot of things happening in the station.
Zhang Ye did not care what everyone said. He got up to get his recording done, “Xiaofang, help me reserve a recording studio. Quickly, or it will be too late.”
“Alright.” Assistant Xiaofang answered and immediately went to arrange it. However, she returned a few minutes later, “Teacher Zhang, the station has informed me that our Literature Channel’s programs from noon to 2 P.M. have all been canceled. There’s no need to record. Apparently, the News and Music Channels will also be broadcasting the Mid-Autumn Poetry Meet!”
“Ah?”
“It’s been cancelled?”
“Mid-Autumn Poetry Meet? This is the thing that the Leader has been busy with over the past few days?”
A few moments later, Zhao Guozhou entered, “Everyone, quiet down. Today’s broadcast has some last-minute changes. Listen for a while. From 12 noon, the seventh Mid-Autumn Poetry Meet that was held in conjunction with the Beijing Writers’ Association and our radio station will begin. Our Literature Channel will also join in for the live broadcast. This Poetry Meet will be different from the last one done by the Jinshi Radio Station. There will be a composing and voting segment. We have invited the Education Ministry’s Leader and the Vice President of the Beijing Writers’ Association and about a dozen of its members. The exact name list has not been confirmed, but there will definitely be quite a few people. As the association’s Teachers’ creations will be poems related to the Mid-Autumn Festival, the listeners behind the radio can also compose and post them on our website’s comment section. Later on, the listeners’ votes will decide on the top three. So we have added some competitive elements to make the program more interesting.”
Compose poetry?
Then Meng Dongguo and those people from the Writers’ Association would also come?
Zhang Ye chuckled upon hearing this. “He who has one enemy will meet him everywhere.” Yesterday, he had just been scolded by him on the internet. And today they would be meeting?
Would Big Thunder come?
Would Little Red Mushroom come?
In fact, Zhang Ye actually looked forward to seeing them in the station!
Zhao Guozhou exhorted, “So put down everything in your hands. Today, everything will have the Mid-Autumn Poetry Meet as its focus. Everyone, go help out. The live broadcast venue will be in the auditorium. This is the first time that we are using such a large live broadcast venue. The equipment has not been fully tuned, so those I call out will follow me later and help out. Right. As it was not easy inviting a large audience, everyone should take an early lunch later. The cafeteria will hand out lunch early at 10.30 A.M. At noon, everyone will take their seats in the auditorium.
After calling out some names, Zhao Guozhou brought four young lads with him to the auditorium.
Big Sis Zhou suddenly said, “Teacher Little Zhang, will you be participating in the Mid-Autumn Poetry Meet? Writing poetry is one of your strengths. They said that you don’t understand literature? Then show it to them!”
Another Big Sis said, “Come on. Little Zhang did not make any early preparations and just got notified. Those Teachers must have been informed a long time ago. They would have foolproof preparations. How can Little Zhang compete with them? It’s better that he not embarrass himself.”
An auntie in charge of copyright said, “Little Zhou, don’t let them give you bad ideas. Little Zhang’s poems are good, but that’s only to us. Those people from the Writers’ Association are professionals. Some of them are poets and famous artists; how is he to compete with them?” In a layperson’s heart, the work is not actually important. Reputation and prestige is what they first look at. Zhang Ye is just a newcomer and has never entered the Writers’ Association, so people will subconsciously identify Zhang Ye’s works as inferior.
There were all sorts of differing opinions.
Later, as there wasn’t much time left, everyone went to the cafeteria for an early meal.
Zhang Ye was actually in a dilemma. For the Mid-Autumn Poetry Meet, Meng Dongguo, Big Thunder and company would most likely be participating. Wasn’t this the best time to turn the tide for himself? Wasn’t this the best moment to prove himself? But how was he to participate in it? It could be seen from the format of the poetry contest. Although the listeners could participate by publishing their creations, that was just in text form. But the people from the Writers’ Association would be reciting their works live. Hence, the top three had already been decided by the station to be one of those from the Writers’ Association. They had already given them a huge advantage!
Go mess things up?
Stab them in their backs?
Hence, even if Zhang Ye wanted to go on, he did not know if the radio station’s management and the people from the Beijing Writers’ Association would let him go on the show.
Forget it. We’ll see how it goes. As for the poem regarding the Mid-Autumn Festival? Zhang Ye had not thought of it yet. It was not that his brain was void of works, but it was.. filled with too many!
He wasn’t prepared?
Did he even need to prepare?
Mid-Autumn Festival poems? Not to brag, but Zhang Ye would probably not be able to finish reciting them, even if given a day and a night!
The Mid-Autumn Festival was not a modern day festival. It had a long history that dated back to ancient times, so there was a countless number of poems relating to the Mid-Autumn Festival. In this world, history did not have many changes. There were the same old dynasties and emperors, just like in Zhang Ye’s memories. As such, history would not cause too many changes. The game ring probably could not change the historical background, or else society might no longer have such a social structure. It would affect everything.
However, many famous cultural works and famous historical figures did not exist!
Li Bai?
Du Fu?
Wang Wei?
None of them existed!
They were all replaced by others!
This world’s ancient master poets were people Zhang Ye had never ever heard of. For example, there was Haoran, or Chen Yiqian, or Meng Fan. Zhang Ye had also never heard of any of the poetry of this world. Similarly, he was sure that they had never heard of the classic poems from his world!