The feedback form I submitted to the company at the end of last year received no response whatsoever until I left this year. It’s a pity that even a single ordinary person like me can’t find any room under such a “broad sky”.

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Dear Minister Y, and the leaders of M Gasification Company, hello. I am an ordinary worker at M Gasification, WXW. Recently, through informal channels, I casually received a document issued specifically for me by the company. In just a few lines, I am portrayed as a vicious criminal tied to a pillar of discipline, with my doom imminent – it seems I have no way of escaping this fate this time. How much do I weigh? To go to such extreme lengths must surely mean having violated the heavenly laws and provoked everyone’s anger. If I truly am the robber as described by some people, then these punishments are nothing but shackles imposed too late, justice that comes too soon. Every country has its laws, and every family has its rules – how can such a thing happen? Please remove me from the list right away to set things straight. But if I were not like that, wouldn’t I be killing the innocent by mistake, or even executing those who are loyal and brave? Actually, I have been waiting for this official letter for four years; now, whether that judgment is correct or not, there is at last a clear statement on the matter, and the fact that no one has paid attention to it all along has finally come to light. A public trial is the opportunity to speak that I have long desired but never received; finally, I have the chance to investigate things openly and clear my name. What was the ending? It’s not that important. I used to watch Qiu Ju fight in court; now it’s my turn to seek justice for myself, and I can prove my case. Unfortunately, since I’m not a Party member, I have no opportunity to take an oath of faith. All I can do is remain faithful to my promises, uphold the basic principles of being a decent human being, defend my minimum dignity, and do whatever it takes. Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of meeting Minister Y. You are a young and capable gentleman of modest character; the fact that you are able to have a heart-to-heart conversation with me despite never having met before speaks to your sincerity. A few days ago, I finally got to vent my feelings before the organization. Naturally, I couldn’t help but feel sad; it has been over four years now, and seeing all my enthusiasm and efforts come to nothing, my words inevitably carried some barbs and implied meanings—directed at someone else, certainly not at His Excellency the Minister or the company. I fear that I may have said too much; thus, I offer my apologies here. Should there be any inappropriate remarks, please forgive me—I truly meant no harm. I am eager to explain the reasons and the truth, and to set the rumors straight. Am I really a ruthless, unreasonable bandit? Or is it a gentleman who is polite and eager to communicate but finds no way to do so? The general truth is as obvious as Sima Zhao’s intentions—known to everyone—yet no one pays it any attention. If, even after the organization intervenes, it still acts like a bunch of indifferent onlookers—remaining silent in the face of man-made disasters—yet imposes sanctions on me, how can I bear this? There are no pitfalls beneath my feet, yet the path ahead is filled with unexpected obstacles. My days are all the result of the deliberate plans of hypocrites who want to be in charge, and they are the consequence of an excessive emphasis on official status. I actually got into unexpected trouble because I performed my job too well. Back then, I chose to leave quietly because I couldn’t bear the insult. However, compromise did not yield satisfactory results; as soon as I arrived at Y Gasification, I was forced to return to my previous position through a reassignment order. It has been four years since I was laid off. Who says stepping back will open up a vast world? Clearly, it’s someone one can’t afford to provoke or avoid. Although L Tianhua is vast, where is there a place for me to stand? My evaluation was written in flamboyant and ornate language, yet it quietly turned my future into a desert. With honey on the lips but a sword in the heart – such a cunning plan is truly remarkable; it’s impossible for me not to survive. Because the line of shame is too short and the level of despicability too low; it took me four years to realize this. Such despicable scheming is despised by us, yet it is precisely the perfect covert weapon for wretched villains to defeat honest and upright gentlemen. There wasn’t even a fabricated charge; they simply used the pretext of \"forgetting\" to remove me from my position. At first, I tried to prove myself through my work, but I was targeted and suppressed, never given another chance. Faced with my persistent questions, the leader remained silent. I became a model who can be slandered at will; they can say I’m not good enough, and that’s it – even if I am good enough, it can still be made to seem like I’m not. Thanks to the ingenious arrangements of some people operating under the guise of an “organization,” I became the symbolic “unstable factor” of “craziness.” I was “made” into a ferocious bandit, a despicable scoundrel. The real culprit is walking around in the office, full of pride, while here everything is in chaos, yet he remains completely calm. How is this possible? If it weren’t for me stepping forward and appearing in the headline today, I would never have had a chance to speak in court. My previous company highly recognized me. My past minor achievements at work were obtained thanks to the careful guidance of my successive supervisors. Without the tireless guidance of so many leaders who came before me, I would know nothing. They are my teachers; I will never forget their encouragement and motivation, as well as their criticism and recognition. Everything is firmly etched in my memory. So today, I see that I must treat my former teachers with utmost respect and not dare to be reckless. My professionalism stems from these reputable institutions; I am a qualified worker who has undergone rigorous training under strict disciplinary standards, and I am fully aware of the great responsibility resting on my shoulders. I had no idea what would happen later on. I am a worker with a bit of a sense of ownership, but I’ve encountered servants who really want to be the masters. I am just an idealist obsessed with technology, a pioneer in dealing with machines at work. As a leader, one is already beyond the level of a craftsman like me and has reached the status of a manager, responsible for overseeing people with various skills – I am just one of them. (Sorry for boasting a bit here.) The goal of management is to ensure that “everyone can utilize their talents to the fullest”; my goal is to ensure that “everything is put to good use”. This is similar to the relationship between the brain and the limbs: one is for command, and the other is for execution. I never expected Liu Bei to dislike Guan Yu for being better at wielding a great sword than himself Hate that Zhuge Liang’s strategies are more clever than one’s own? How dare Zhao Zilong save A Dou, whom he had abandoned? *Do you have to be a battle hero? It is said that the crane stands out among the chickens; the crane does not disdain the chickens for being short, but the chickens accuse the crane of being too tall – it is the chickens’ mindset that is flawed. I never sought to outshine anyone; I simply performed my duties diligently, working proactively without any need for encouragement, and even regarded learning technical skills as part of my hobby. Which company or leader would not welcome a fool like me who works voluntarily without expecting any payment? The person who targeted me caused me to lose the platform on which I could work effectively, and it also forced M to lose a dedicated worker, in order to satisfy the fleeting sense of satisfaction that arises from an inflated ego driven by a bureaucratic mindset. Harming others does no good to oneself – this is what ‘Bai Kaixin’, one of the ten evil men in the Evil Men’s Valley in Gu Long’s novel The Peerless Twins, believed. How can such a lowly scoundrel become someone important? Alas, my fate has been so unfortunate; it has almost completely ruined my prospects. What crime have I committed? What crime deserves such a fate? Heaven above, the cycle of nature persists, and universal principles remain. I think as long as I persevere, there will naturally come a day when the clouds clear. I am like such a seed: as long as there is soil, a bit of sunlight, and some rain, I can take root and flourish anywhere. If I weren’t an employee of the company, who would dare to lead me like this? I also: With the spirit of a scholar, I wield my pen with vigor; I comment on matters of state and compose passionate writings. Back then, I regarded even the mightiest lords as worthless. Do you remember racing against the current, with waves holding back the speeding boat? I will also give orders in a haughty manner, leaving those dog-like lackeys worried. My rebound might not have been strong enough; I didn’t even get any clarification in return. I was suddenly confronted with a road robbery and failed to escape; I had no experience to draw on, so any reaction I had to make was purely random. Should one resist in anger or submit and plead for mercy? I have no way to comply, no place to escape, and no means of retaliating. The so-called principle of avoiding offense to those in authority means that, in order not to harm the reputation of the group, I did not reveal everything; instead, I tried to express my anger and protest as calmly as possible. I don’t have much money, so I cherish honor even more. I love home, even though I don’t have one; that’s why I cherish my team even more. Although I have stepped back, I still consider myself part of this group and see you all as my colleagues. I don’t want to tarnish the group I belong to; I have been waiting for the organization to get in touch. If anyone happens to pass by and hears me crying for help, please save me. They don’t necessarily have to catch the robber; at the very least, they mustn’t hold me responsible for “causing instability” during the struggle. How many precious things have been stolen from me? Am I supposed to be held responsible for others’ crimes against me? I am still paying the price for the harm that others have done to me. However, I am also part of an organization; I am a member of a great collective, and I belong to the Chinese working class. Our collective has a vanguard team, and the name of this vanguard team is “China *”. Now, if the facts investigated by the organization are indeed as described, it may not necessarily lead to my immediate exoneration; at the very least, it should put an end to this situation and restore to a worker the employment opportunity he deserved in accordance with organizational procedures. How dare some people so brazenly bind themselves to the organization’s banner, hide behind the company’s protective shield, and under the guise of *, undermine socialism? Only rights seem real; who knows how profound the doctrines are? These are the worm of corrosion that defames faith, the ant of floodwaters. Minister Y, please forgive me if I am wrong, but I hope the company can understand what I am facing Why have I become what I am today. I’m not an arrogant person who finds everything unsatisfying, nor do I want to operate outside the law and above the systems in place. I am an innocent person who has been exiled through hidden rules. I have been working for 26 years, having worked under many managers, and I have always been a model employee. I have never spoken back to my supervisors, and I’ve become increasingly proficient at my work, never slacking off. How could it be that, after hiding from the humiliation by going to M’s vaporization area, I was still ambushed? They sealed off my future in advance. When I was first charged with this crime, there wasn’t even a fabricated charge. In person, he would even go so far as to touch my shoulders and back, calling me “Xuewen”; his despicable skills have reached an extraordinary level, which is truly astonishing. In work, everyone has merits and demerits, and people have their own characteristics in life, but there should be only one set of principles and rules. If positions also change randomly, it makes no sense for rules to be created for my sake. Since I started working at M Gasification, I have been a victim of **rules that are explicitly stated, yet unenforced in practice** – to this day. The active wheel connected to the engine is not with me; I am just the passive wheel connected through a professional link. Form is stronger than people; it is the form that has pushed me to this point. It is not me who controls my fate. Returning the favor to someone in kind is not impossible. I don’t demand absoluteness, but it’s impossible to give up on relativity. What happened to me has long gone beyond the scope of work; my life has been shamefully and despicably altered. Driven by a desire to serve his country, he was wrongfully accused by powerful officials and had no choice but to retire to the mountains, waiting there for years. If it weren’t for the fall of the main culprit and the change in leadership today, who knows how long we would have had to wait. Now, things have changed; what was once there is no more. I have lost my long spear and my face has grown old; my ambition is gone, and I must still carry books and endure punishment before I can return to my homeland. I dare to ask the heavens: where lies justice? Thank you for your inquiry; I shall share my humble opinions. These words filled with pent-up anger and solemn sorrow are the sincere expressions from the depths of my heart, born from my boiling passion. The road is full of obstacles and the path ahead is long; some use deceitful tactics to prevent me from moving forward, but I will not retreat. I hope to persevere until the mist clears and the clouds part. Tomorrow, youth may no longer be here, and winter has arrived once again. I use the scriptures of the Lord* to bring an end to the turmoil I have described, as a tribute to the future we might share together. We respectfully request that His Excellency the Minister and the senior officials of M Gasification Company consider this matter with care. Song of the Plum Blossom: The wind and rain send spring away, while flying snow welcomes its arrival. Though the cliff is covered in ice a hundred feet thick, there are still delicate flower branches. It does not compete for spring’s beauty; it merely announces its arrival. When the mountains are in full bloom, she smiles among the flowers. Best regards, salutations to Xiang Ming’s rules! December 3, 2016