在1921年的秋季，西沙地区遭遇了一个巨大的水灾，这场自然灾害导致当地的农民们面临着断炊的危险，而那些富有的地主们却依旧坚持着按年收取租金。刘万芳，一个勇敢且有远见的女性，决定采取行动。她与袁守元、范崇英等人合作，组织了一次规模宏大的抗议活动，将数万名农民带到了县城。在那里，她们要求减少租金，并与县知事进行了直接的谈判。这次谈判中，刘万芳和她的代表团坚定地维护了农民的利益，最终迫使知事做出了让步。此外，她还领导了一群激愤的农民包围了严家仓，并痛打了那些逼迫农民缴纳高额租金的地主。
随后，在1922年的一次更大规模的抗争中，刘万芳又一次证明了她的领导能力和决心。她发动了一群数千名farmers to destroy the oppressive power of the Three Lights Town Hall, which was a stronghold of the landlords. This bold move not only struck fear into the hearts of those who had once been bullies but also earned her and her fellow farmers a major victory.
However, this success did not come without its costs. The powerful forces that had been opposed by Liu and her followers brought lawsuits against them, accusing them of being troublemakers. Liu and her team raised funds to defend themselves in court, and thousands of farmers marched on the city to support their cause. In the end, they emerged victorious once again.
In 1926, Liu Wanfang's life took another turn when two Party representatives, Lu Tieqiang and Yu Fucai, came to West Sand Island. They stayed with Liu at her home and introduced her to the principles of Marxism under whose banner she would soon fight for social justice. Under their guidance, Liu joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and became an active member in organizing farm movements in West Sand Island.
As a leader within the party organization set up by Lu Tieqiang & Yufucai ,Liu played a crucial role in leading protests against exploitative practices such as rent collection by local landowners during annual harvests period .She was elected as an Executive Committee Member at county level agricultural association where she held office alongside other prominent figures from rural communities across different villages within this area.
The following year saw further change when North China Expeditionary Force reached Chongming District in March 1937; it marked an important turning point for all residents including farming families living there after years spent fighting against poverty due to natural disasters like floods caused mainly because riverbanks were broken down due several consecutive rainy seasons before spring planting season arrived later than usual each year since then onwards till date now known as "the great flood" event history books record it happened around late September month while some locals still remember vividly how water rose so high over night time just before dawn hours on one particular day inside nearby village called New Village which got completely submerged underwater drowning many livestock animals leaving behind nothing but skeletal remains left lying everywhere throughout entire town until finally subsiding slowly back down below surface level after few days passing away quietly without any warning signs given beforehand or else people might have tried harder trying prevent worst outcome happening first place itself becoming worst case scenario never imagined ever occurring anywhere else outside world apart from right here our very own backyard exactly what happened that fateful day indeed most unfortunate series events unfolding simultaneously amongst us living here too!