The Litchi Road: An Ancient Workplace Survival Guide

As a popular choice for screen adaptations, the novels of Ma Boyong always garner widespread attention when brought to the screen. The recently aired The Litchi Road is yet another work of Ma Boyong, following the success of The Longest Day in Chang'an, LUOYANG and Under the Microscope, that has been adapted into a TV series.

The Litchi Road is produced by China Central Television, China TV Drama Production Center, Penguin Pictures, and Liubai Film & Television. Directed by Cao Dun and Gao Xiang, with Ma Boyong as a story consultant, the series stars Lei Jiayin and Yue Yunpeng. It is a witty drama that blends ancient and modern sensibilities.

The story takes place during the Tang Dynasty and follows Li Shande, an inconspicuous low-ranking official in Chang'an, who is framed and reluctantly tasked with the nearly impossible job of transporting fresh lychees from Lingnan to Chang'an. With a tight deadline and limited resources, Li embarks on a journey that spans over a thousand miles to complete the mission.

Known for using high-density information to drive the narrative forward, Ma Boyong is also adept at focusing on the fates of small characters. The Litchi Road continues this tradition, earning it a spot in Ma Boyong's "Workplace Trilogy," alongside The Southbound Foodie (食南之徒) and The Slightly Annoyed Taibai (太白金星有点烦). From Lingnan to Chang'an, the series not only presents an extreme mission that spans a vast distance but also serves as a "workplace survival guide" for a minor official, highlighting the intelligence and resilience of everyday people.

Unity, Tension, Seriousness, and Vitality

From the viewers' perspective, Li Shande is an extremely relatable character.

In his personal life, although he is in his forties, he still struggles to make ends meet, even needing to borrow money from his estranged brother-in-law to redeem his family home. He's also a single father raising his child on his own. In the workplace, as an insignificant low-level official in the Shilin Bureau, he has no accomplishments or presence. He works tirelessly but remains unnoticed, so much so that even when he requests time off, his supervisor doesn't notice.

This humble, invisible character would be considered to be experiencing a mid-life crisis in modern terms. It is precisely this "insignificant" status that leads him to be chosen for the task of transporting lychees, embodying the saying, "Good fortune does not come in pairs, and misfortune never comes alone." In ancient times, when transportation was difficult, lychees were a rare delicacy that would spoil in just a few days. The journey from Lingnan to Chang'an would typically take more than ten days, but Li Shande must complete the task in just three days—making the difficulty of the task self-evident.

For those familiar with the original novel, Li Shande's plight will be nothing new. However, viewers of the TV series will notice that while the show retains the core storyline of transporting the lychees, an additional subplot involving light political maneuvering has been added. Li Shande's brother-in-law, Zheng Ping'an (played by Yue Yunpeng), is driven out of the family due to a series of events and ends up working as a drinking companion. Forced to survive, he secretly infiltrates Lingnan to find evidence that could bring down the Prime Minister Yang Guozhong.

In contrast to Li Shande's struggles with an impossible task, Zheng Ping'an's storyline is more like "walking on the edge of a knife," adding an element of tension and excitement to the narrative. The comedic talents of Lei Jiayin and Yue Yunpeng shine in their performances, creating a unique rhythm and spark between the two. For example, after Zheng Ping'an lies to Zhao Xinmin about Pan Bao's safety in Chang'an, Li Shande bluntly reveals Pan Bao's death. Another humorous exchange occurs when Li Shande and Zheng Ping'an meet at a restaurant: "'Zheng Ping'an!' 'Ping'an, Ping'an, that's how we greet people in Chang'an.'"

Lei Jiayin perfectly portrays Li Shande's honest, hard-working persona, while Yue Yunpeng skillfully captures Zheng Ping'an's character—a smooth talker with hidden depths. The comedic conflict between the two, enhanced by their roles as "brother-in-law and brother-in-law," adds another layer of humor. Unlike the more serious narrative in The Longest Day in Chang'an, if you had to sum up the style of The Litchi Road in one phrase, it would be "Unity, Tension, Seriousness, and Vitality." Amidst the life-and-death mission, clever moments of comedy are woven into the story, striking a balance between tension and humor. Interestingly, this comedic tone also extends to the antagonist characters.

Although He Youguang and Zhao Xinmin were not given much focus in the original novel, their performances by actors Feng Jiayi and Gong Lei reveal their cunning and scheming personalities, while their unique acting styles add a comedic flair. After all, a villain who chews on bamboo and Zhao Xinmin, who changes his expression as quickly as flipping a book, are rare even among antagonists.

Of course, there are other original characters in the series that, like Zheng Ping'an, surprise and delight the audience. As Ma Boyong explains, "The novel itself is only 70,000 words, and adapting it into a TV series requires a lot of original content. The novel focuses entirely on Li Shande's perspective, but the series presents a world where Tang Dynasty Lingnan, which was not shown in the novel, becomes a rich setting. This world has many characters, each with their own backgrounds, values, and aspirations. Developing these characters in the series fills in the gaps left by the original novel."

Li Shande's Workplace Survival Guide

Many viewers, after watching the first few episodes, can't help but comment, "The office vibes are so strong."

This connects directly to the origin of The Litchi Road . Ma Boyong was inspired by a historical account he read about the Ming Dynasty. When Emperor Zhu Di decided to move the capital to Beijing, a low-level official named Zhou De Wen was responsible for the logistics. Due to the overwhelming workload, he eventually died of exhaustion. Viewing historical events through the perspective of such minor officials, you realize that an imperial decree could cause endless work for those at the bottom, with clerks dealing with a multitude of trivial tasks.

From this "corporate slave" perspective, Ma Boyong humorously reconsidered the famous line, "A single rider dusts the red ground as the concubine laughs." As he put it: "How does the phrase 'A single rider dusts the red ground' unfold? What's the budget for it? How many departments need to be coordinated? Transporting lychees? What kind of feasibility report needs to be written? Which technical departments do we need to work with to ensure the lychees stay fresh? The Litchi Road is essentially a work log."

So from Li Shande's perspective, his mission to transport the lychees is less of a traditional task and more of a workplace KPI pressure. The challenges he faces along the way are more akin to a workplace adventure or the bitter experience of being taken advantage of. He is schemed against by his superiors and colleagues, and faces challenges from all departments. Fortunately, Li Shande is "naive" and "stubborn," and it is this stubbornness that gives him the opportunity to break the deadlock.

Despite taking place in ancient times, Li Shande's workplace career has clear relevance for modern-day workers.

For instance, after Li Shande requests a leave of absence, his boss and colleagues eagerly pass the hot potato onto him. After finally redeeming his family property, he's in high spirits—until his boss persuades him over lunch, and he ends up drunkenly signing a decree without realizing it, which wasn't even stamped or sealed.

His story reminds us: workplace survival tips include: 1) Never leave the meeting room to use the restroom, lest the unwanted tasks fall into your lap; 2) Always read documents thoroughly before signing them to avoid taking on unwanted tasks, like Li Shande; 3) Always leave a paper trail at work. As one netizen summarized: "When colleagues are nice to you, the boss is smiling at you, and you're asked to sign something, these are all common signs that you're about to step into a pit."

Of course, these are just the tip of the iceberg in The Litchi Road . Li Shande's research on how to transfer the lychees and his efforts to officially transport them to Chang'an contain many more workplace obstacles that modern-day workers can relate to. In stark contrast to the honest Li Shande is the more experienced and calculating Zheng Ping'an and Zhao Xinmin. If Li Shande is the embodiment of bluntness, unable to adapt and speaking directly, struggling in the calculating world of politics—an embodiment of the practical worker's frustration—then Zheng Ping'an and Zhao Xinmin represent a more sophisticated group of people in the workplace. They are meticulous, skilled at navigating social situations, and every word they speak carries hidden meaning.

This contrast is inherently fascinating, but what makes it even more engaging is the dialogue and suspense between them. Zheng Ping'an and Zhao Xinmin speak in circles, constantly testing each other, with every line making viewers want to carefully analyze what's really being said. How will the clever Zheng Ping'an find the evidence to expose the collusion between He Youguang and the Prime Minister? And how will the straightforward Li Shande manage to complete the impossible task of transporting lychees? The clash between straightforwardness and cunning is one of the great pleasures that The Litchi Road brings to the screen.

The Struggles of the Lowly Worker Fighting

At first glance, The Litchi Road might seem like a lighthearted, feel-good drama. However, a closer look reveals it's much more than that; it offers a genuine sense of connection between ancient and modern times. This authenticity doesn't just come through in its depiction of ancient workplace dynamics but also in its sharp insight into human nature. Li Shande, though seemingly weak and timid on the surface, is, in reality, one of the most stubborn people imaginable. His stubbornness and resilience are first demonstrated in his relentless research into how to preserve and transport the lychees. Even when everyone around him tells him it's impossible, he tirelessly asks the orchard for traditional preservation methods. Even though the journey from Lingnan to Chang'an is fraught with long, treacherous mountains and roads, he will go to great lengths to find the quickest route. His obsession with meeting his KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is almost pathological, and it's this very obsession that turns him into a "madman" who wins the support of others like Su Liang and A Tong, who help him accomplish the impossible.

Li Shande's "stubbornness," when placed in any complex workplace, might be seen as a lack of flexibility or a rigid mindset. However, it is precisely this refusal to give up until his goal is achieved that becomes the key to his success in overcoming numerous obstacles.

As Ma Boyong put it: "Li Shande is someone who hides a needle in cotton—timid and naive, unaware of the ways of the world, yet it is only he who can push forward the fresh transportation of the lychees. His persistence, determination, and inner strength cannot be matched by anyone else." On the surface, Li Shande is simply working toward an impersonal KPI, but if we look deeper, he is protecting the "goodness" within him. He believes in and clings to simple values, such as responsibility to his work and loyalty to his friends. This "silly" kindness and persistence, which may seem naive to others, may eventually become another form of survival wisdom for Li Shande. His "obsession" easily brings to mind the character Shuai Jiemo from Under the Microscope. Both characters are astute and justice-driven, but their battles are not with specific villains; they are up against the vast, rigid systems that often overlook or even sacrifice ordinary individuals. The story of lowly characters fighting with all their might for justice and their beliefs will always resonate.

It's also worth noting that The Litchi Road is produced by Liubai Film and Television, the same company behind The Longest Day in Chang'an and The Case of the Silk Tapestry Under the Microscope. Judging by the early episodes of The Litchi Road , it's clear that Liubai Film and Television has become increasingly skilled at their craft. Not only have they stayed true to the essence of the original novel while adapting it for the screen, balancing the pacing and adding complexity to the characters' growth, but they've also managed to create a vivid portrayal of Tang Dynasty history and culture. From the majestic scenes of Chang'an to the local customs of Lingnan, from the meticulously crafted costumes and hair accessories to the objects used by the characters, everything is closely tied to historical accuracy. The effort to bring to life the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty is clear, and the attention to detail in both the visual presentation and storytelling quality deserves recognition. How Li Shande's mission to transport the fresh lychees ultimately unfolds remains to be seen in the rest of the series.