The novel has portrayed the images of Liu Shengzhi, a grass-roots cadre of Chinese Communist Party with strong faith, and many other people via the fate of the Lius in Huanggang County of Hubei Province over the century since the Republican period. Through the description of these characters and the development of the plot, the novel has dug deep into the cultural customs and historical profundity of Huanggang County, and interpreted the patriotic and cultural reasons for Huanggang County being the hometown of many generals and top scorers of college entrance examination.
Liu Shengzhi, Brother Shi, is stubborn and unwavering. He has hardly contacted with Brother Shiyi, the best friend in his teenage days, just because he believes that Shiyi has betrayed him. He regularlyremits money to his wife who is retired and gets no more salaries, but tells nothing to her, so as to keep his faith. In face of the storm, he risks his life to dive into water and open the valve of the reservoir. He is also the first to move without any conditions to make room for the construction of Nanmen Bridge. Besides, the novel has also attentively described many other characters such as Uncle Wang Lang. As a brave soldier who had once carried the explosive package to blow up the city gate, Uncle Wang indignantly blocks the car of some greedy official at the street corner of the cross street during the Spring Festival. All these vividly-depicted characters have fully demonstrated the firm faith and integrity of the revolutionists of the older generation.
