Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 346 Sending Food
If you say you're collecting materials, then collect materials.

Chen Fan spent the entire day talking with the two veteran masters, and heard many interesting stories from them.

Build reservoirs, dams, roads, and the Gufeng County Hydropower Station...

Master Qiu and Master Ma, one on each side, pulled Chen Fan aside and talked incessantly.

"Back when we were building the Gufeng County Auditorium, it coincided with National Day. In order to make this project a gift to the nation, we took the advanced colleagues who 'built the auditorium in 10 months' as our role models and worked day and night..."

"And then there was the hydroelectric power station. That was the first hydroelectric power station in our Gufeng County. Do you know how Gufeng County got its name? Within a radius of 500 li, there was only one solitary peak, referring to Gufeng Mountain. There was a large natural reservoir on the top of Gufeng Mountain, and we used that reservoir to build the hydroelectric power station. But there were no roads on the mountain. The first thing to do when building a hydroelectric power station is to open up roads..."

Chen Fan now possesses an exceptional memory; he can remember what they say even just by listening, let alone use it as reference material. However, to show his respect for them, he still carries a notebook and meticulously records all the advanced deeds they recount.

During the construction of the hydroelectric power station, the steel bar reinforcing workers carried steel bars up the mountain every day, their shoulders and backs chafed raw. Many of the female workers also did the heavy physical labor, performing just as well as the male workers…

When the bridge was being built, many workers were submerged in water, their skin turning white from being soaked...

Besides work-related matters, there are also many issues related to unity.

Once, during the construction of a water conservancy project, a worker was injured and suffered severe bleeding, urgently needing a blood transfusion. Everyone rushed to donate blood, and the required amount was quickly collected.

Chen Fan recorded each and every incident in his notebook.

He couldn't help but sigh. Just a few days ago, he was thinking that the double harvest season was probably the most tiring job in the world. But after listening to the two experienced workers talk about it, he realized that there are not many easy jobs these days.

Ultimately, it was because the technology and equipment of that era were relatively backward. Most of the time, we could only rely on manpower to build things up. Under such circumstances, all the work that was later undertaken by engineering equipment fell on the shoulders of people.

How can workers not suffer and be exhausted in such a situation?!
Of course, he didn't forget another major reason for keeping the two masters.

After talking for a while, he would ask the two craftsmen to check on the construction progress of the small water tower, and he would also follow them around asking all sorts of questions.

If it were anyone else asking, whether it was Master Qiu or Master Ma, they would have slapped them across the face long ago.

These are all unique secrets, skills that even apprentices wouldn't easily pass on. How could they be casually shared?
But Chen Fan... well, Professor Chen is asking such detailed questions, it must be for the sake of writing his novel. If he's not careful, wouldn't the whole country be laughing at the Gufeng County Construction Company once the novel is published?!
So the two masters not only explained things thoroughly, but also drew inferences from one instance to another, explaining to Chen Fan these technical points, which engineering projects these points could be applied to, how to construct such projects, and what details to keep in mind...

At the same time, he comforted himself, thinking that although he designed the small water tower, he didn't know anything about construction, so it wouldn't hurt to explain it to him.

As a result, Chen Fan's construction skill experience points soared, and he was about to surpass Master Wang and become the number one construction expert in Nanhu Commune!

However, at this time, he had to temporarily put aside the tasks of gathering materials and grinding experience points.

Because another mission has come!
……

Monday, April 8th.

Jiang Lili's prediction yesterday was correct. This morning, Team 6 of Lujiawan will be mobilized to deliver public grain and purchase grain.

As dawn broke, Chen Fan yawned as he emerged from his room. Looking at the four girls who were already fully prepared, he couldn't help but smile wryly. "It's just paying taxes, does it really require the whole group to come?"

Yang Ju darted into his room and then ran out again to fetch him water to wash his face.

Liu Dan then went to get him a toothbrush and a mug.

Huang Ying was a step behind and stood still, saying confidently, "Of course we have to mobilize everyone. 60,000 to 70,000 catties of grain will require many carts. A flatbed cart can only carry 10 bags, and a wheelbarrow can only carry 6 bags. Each bag weighs 200 catties, so 68,000 catties will require dozens of carts. If there aren't enough carts, we'll have to use carrying poles to carry it."

It has to be transported all at once for it to be weighed and stored; the grain depot won't make two trips for you. We need to rotate manpower along the way, and once we arrive, we have to secure our positions so other production teams can't take them. We can't afford to have too few people.

Without further ado, Chen Fan took the toothbrush and cup from Liu Dan and went to the courtyard wall to brush his teeth and rinse his mouth. Then he washed his face with a towel, took the rice bowl from Jiang Lili, and finished the bowl of rice in just a few bites.

The girls quickly packed their things and waited for him to leave.

At this moment, Captain Yang draped his coat over his shoulders, wearing only a vest, and swaggered in.

Upon seeing Chen Fan, he shouted, "Are you ready? If you are, let's go!"

Chen Fan was taken aback. "You came here specifically to see me?"

Captain Yang chuckled, "Who else would I turn to if not you?"

He walked over to Chen Fan and said, "Whether the grain delivery goes smoothly today depends on you!"

Chen Fan's eyes widened. "What does this have to do with me?"

He paused for a moment, then quickly added, "I can help deliver it, and I can even bring out the little mares to help pull the cart, but as for whether the grain delivery will go smoothly, I can't handle that. I don't know anyone at the grain depot."

As he spoke, his eyes suddenly lit up, "Hey, right, where's Brother An? He definitely knows people at the grain depot. If we ask him to go over there, it'll be no problem!"

Captain Yang's smile remained unchanged. "He will definitely go with us for safety. That's what he came down here to do. When he gets to the grain depot, he will definitely go and find someone."

He was talking normally, but then he suddenly lowered his voice and said in a mysterious tone, "But you know, each production team has cadres stationed there. You're looking for someone, and they're looking for someone too. In the end, it's still a matter of first come, first served."

"And the quality is entirely in the hands of the inspectors. They won't give face to those officials stationed there. If they poke a few extra holes in the grain bags, we'll lose several kilograms of grain. Those people are ruthless! And if they say the grain is substandard, we have to bring it all back, wasting a whole day's work."

Chen Fan looked puzzled. "But I don't know any inspectors. What can I do?"

Although he knew he had some reputation in Nanhu Commune, he wasn't universally loved. Some people didn't like reading and even looked down on those who used pens, thinking they weren't truly working, because they considered themselves workers.

It's just that there are some lingering thoughts from a few years ago.

What if the inspector is also this kind of person? Wouldn't it backfire?!

Unless, of course, the inspector is also one of his readers or even a fan?
Just as Chen Fan was indulging in his daydreams, Captain Yang said with a smile, "Have you forgotten about the two experienced construction workers?"

At first, Chen Fan was a little confused, but when he saw Captain Yang's eyes, he suddenly realized what was going on and was speechless. "You don't want me to write another novel for the people at the grain depot, do you?"

Captain Yang chuckled and said, "Well, that would be best if it were possible."

Seeing Chen Fan's dark face, he quickly added, "If you're too busy to write, just keep putting it off. You can just write a random article to get by when it's time to hand over the grain after the autumn harvest."

Chen Fan let out a long sigh and walked out with a groan, "Writing requires genuine feelings; how can you fool people? This is not a good thing!"

Captain Yang stood beside him and said, "What's so difficult about this? Just write it down from the heart."

Chen Fan was still grumbling, "But we can't do it this way. If we go first, it's unfair to the other production teams. We're taking their place, aren't we?"

"No robbing, no robbing, absolutely no robbing."

Captain Yang continued rambling, "We won't cut in line. It's just about building a relationship with the inspector so the inspection can be completed quickly and they won't make things difficult for us. Then we can take it in for weighing and storage. It's that simple."

Chen Fan: "Is it really that simple?"

Captain Yang, "It's really that simple!"

Chen Fan: "What if the inspector is stubborn and doesn't like someone like me who's good with words?"

Captain Yang said, "Then let Anquan go find the director of the grain depot. There's always someone who can deal with him. That director will definitely be happy for you to write articles for them; it'll be much more effective than Anquan speaking!"

Chen Fan, "What if the director also..."

Before he could finish speaking, Captain Yang lost his patience and said directly, "The new rice will be distributed tomorrow, and you'll be the first one. If you get things done today, I'll give you an extra bag of corn as a reward."

Chen Fan was immediately amused upon hearing this, "I get a share of the grain distribution too?"

Captain Yang chuckled, "How novel! Aren't you one of our Team 6? Otherwise, would you have been shortchanged when it came to rations?"

Chen Fan immediately assured him, "Just watch and see how I handle the inspector!"

After saying that, he quickened his pace and rushed forward.

Jiang Lili and the other three followed behind, unable to help but grin from ear to ear as they listened.

Teacher Chen is Teacher Chen; he won't act until he sees the benefit!
A hawk circled overhead, chirping softly.

More than two hundred people had already gathered in front of the village. Today's grain delivery was supposed to be a full-scale operation, but almost all of those present were adults, and even those under the age of 16 were over; no children were accompanying them.

Bringing children along when paying grain taxes was something that happened after the implementation of the household contract responsibility system.

On the threshing floor, there were sacks of rice piled up like mountains. These sacks of rice were being loaded onto trucks.

The vehicles were flatbed carts and wheelbarrows. Only the first few flatbed carts were pulled by animals; the rest were all pulled by human labor. A wide cloth strap was hung on the shoulder, with one person pulling from the front and two people pushing from the back.

A flatbed cart can carry 10 to 12 bags, while a wheelbarrow can only carry 6 bags at a time. This requires more skill, as the cart will tip over if there are not enough bags. Therefore, it is operated by experienced people around 30 years old.

Even if all the vehicles were used, it still wouldn't be enough, so more than a hundred people carried baskets to carry the rice all the way.

Harvesting, threshing, drying, dusting, and screening—only the best, plump grains of rice are selected in the end.

With Captain Yang's order, the sound of whips cracking rose from the front, and Master Liu shouted from the front, "Time to hand over the grain tax..."

The aged voice carried far away, and the procession began to move slowly, growing longer and longer until it stretched into a long snake formation, heading towards the commune.

Chen Fan followed Captain Yang, looking around but couldn't find anyone to help.

Let them pull the cart; they already have a "driver."

They're pushing the cart well; they seem to be working together skillfully. But if he suddenly goes over and disrupts their balance, it would be bad.

He then casually chatted with the security guards and Captain Yang.

With his coat open, Anquan strode forward and said to Chen Fan, "Isn't this a spectacular sight today?"

Chen Fan immediately nodded, "Spectacular!"

It was indeed a spectacular sight, with hundreds of people pulling, pushing, and carrying loads of grain to deliver it to the higher authorities. After the commune was dissolved a few years later, it was almost impossible to see such a thing again.

Back then, even when it came to handing over grain to the state, each household was concerned with its own affairs, so it was not as spectacular as this kind of collective mobilization.

(The procession delivering grain to the state)
Anquan chuckled and said, "If you had brought your easel today, you could have drawn a 'grain delivery picture,' it would have looked really good."

Chen Fan immediately put his hands behind his back and said with an arrogant expression, "It's just a 'grain delivery map,' what's so difficult about that? I'll draw it for you when we get back."

Anquan grinned and said, "Oh, you've got that skill too?"

He then pointed at Captain Yang and said, "Why are you drawing this for me? If you're going to give it to anyone, give it to Captain Yang."

Captain Yang was already grinning from ear to ear. "Hey, let's get this straight first, drawing is fine, but you can't draw me anymore. Draw more of the people!"

Chen Fan's lips twitched slightly. "I didn't plan to draw you either."

The main force marched forward for more than half an hour before finally arriving at the commune's grain depot.

The grain depot was located north of Shizijie Street, and among the several production teams of Nanhu Commune, it was the closest to Lujiawan.

It looks ordinary on the surface, but it has a lot of secrets inside.

Chen Fan hadn't paid much attention before, but when he came today, he discovered that after entering through a small iron gate and passing through a passage between two bungalows, there was a concrete slab that was comparable to a football field.

Behind the concrete floor, there are several large cylindrical buildings.

No need to ask, that's definitely a grain depot!
Just as Chen Fan was in a daze, Captain Yang was standing at the entrance of the grain depot shouting, "Hurry up, hurry up! A grain delivery team is coming! We can't let them get ahead!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Master Liu, who was walking at the front, gave the packhorse a couple of sharp spurs. The packhorse neighed and ran vigorously inside.

The rest of the group quickly caught up.

As dawn broke, the grain delivery team of Team 6 from Lujiawan successfully entered the grain depot's yard and took the first place!
What? People from the grain depot?

They're already being very kind by opening the iron gate for you; do you really expect them to come and start work at 6 a.m.?
What a pipe dream!
After the sixth team lined up in front, the next grain delivery team slowly drove in.

A middle-aged man in his forties took off his straw hat and fanned himself as he walked directly toward Captain Yang. "Oh dear, we set off half an hour earlier than last year, but we were just a little short. You guys beat us to it. You bastard, aren't you going to sleep?"

I don't get angry even when I'm scolded.

Captain Yang put his hands on his hips, grinning from ear to ear, and laughed heartily, “Oh my, what a coincidence! We also got up half an hour earlier this year. It’s strange, really. This grain depot just happens to be built here. If it were built in the south, wouldn’t you have gotten there first?”

Chen Fan grinned, looking at Captain Yang's arrogant demeanor, and even he wanted to kick him.

At this moment, Anquan walked over, handed him a cigarette, lit it, took a puff, looked over there and said with a smile, "The five production brigades of Nanhu Commune have slightly staggered harvest times for each brigade. When it's time to deliver public grain, the grain depot will also notify each brigade of the delivery time based on their specific circumstances."

No matter how the schedule is arranged, Lujiawan Team 6 always ends up facing off against Bailanghu Team 6; they're practically old rivals.

Chen Fan took a drag of his cigarette to clear his head and asked curiously, "Is there a conflict?"

"That's not the case."

Anquan immediately shook his head and chuckled, "Old Yang's third sister is married in Bailang Lake. The captain of Team 6 in Bailang Lake is named Feng Yun..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Fan was immediately taken aback. Fengyun? Such an arrogant name?
Safety has already explained, "The 'feng' in 'harvest' and the 'yun' in 'clouds' actually mean favorable weather. His wife is from Lujiawan. The five production teams of Nanhu Commune have been intermarrying for two hundred years. Even the biggest conflicts are just family matters and can't be brought up at all."

Chen Fan watched as Captain Yang and Feng Yun threw off their clothes and started practicing wrestling, and couldn't help but have some doubts about safety.

They've already started fighting, and you still say it can't cause a scene?

Anquan, however, had the cigarette between his teeth and was clapping enthusiastically, shouting, "Go, Lao Yang! Go, Lao Yang!"

The members of Team 6 from Lujiawan also joined in, chanting, "Go, Captain!"

With such a lively scene here, the people from Bailang Lake were certainly not going to be outdone, and immediately began cheering on their captain.

However, Chen Fan could also see that the two of them were just joking around, giving each other a light tap or a kick, without actually putting any force into it.

And after bumping into each other, they immediately run away laughing and joking, as if they had won a great victory.

After a while of fighting, people from other production teams came to line up, and the two of them stopped fighting and walked towards Chen Fan with their arms around each other's shoulders.

Needless to say, Chen Fan became Captain Yang's tool for showing off again. He put his arm around Feng Yun's shoulder and walked up to Chen Fan, saying with great enthusiasm, "Teacher Chen, you know what? Judging from your expression, you've only heard of it but never seen it. Today, I'll show you what it's like..."

Chen Fan had never seen Captain Yang like this before; he was talking non-stop, and then his face darkened.

Captain Yang said, "When I picked him up from the river, I could tell he was no ordinary person."

Chen Fan wondered to himself, who had called Zhu Gong'an over there?
Captain Yang said, "I thought the young man was good, so I let him stay at the educated youth settlement and even gave him 30 jin of white rice."

Chen Fan: Wasn't it borrowed at the time?
Captain Yang said, "That day he caught a turtle and said it was edible, so I made him cook it on the spot."

Chen Fan: Didn't you say even pigs don't eat it?

Captain Yang, "Boo boo boo..."

Feng Yun held Chen Fan's hand tightly, "Ah, oh, uh, so that's how it is, amazing, I admire you..."

As the sun rose higher, a melodious voice came from some loudspeaker, and everyone quickly took their positions.

Those who were chatting stopped chatting, and those who were eating wiped their mouths and returned to their original positions.

There were clearly four or five hundred people at the scene, but all you could hear was the sound of livestock sneezing.

Chen Fan looked around, and after several more minutes, he saw a person who was about 1.6 meters tall, with fair skin and a plump build, walk out of a small house.

Anquan immediately said, "Coming."

He then took out a cigarette from his pocket and walked over quickly.

Chen Fan stood there, puzzled. Who was he? And why was he here?
(End of this chapter)