Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 607 Chapter 606
Classmate Xiao Wang did not drink any alcohol. He ate some dishes and drank a bowl of dumpling soup and left early.

As soon as Xiao Wang left, the smokers in the room lit up their cigarettes like birds flying out of cages and fish leaping into the sea.

Ouch, Tang Zhitong was choked by all the smoke and suddenly didn’t want to smoke anymore.

"Old Tang, you really don't want to smoke one? Wenwen is gone, and she won't know unless we tell her." Cheng Shaojun finally seized the opportunity this time. He sat down next to Tang Zhitong, put his arm around his shoulders, and said with a sly smile.

"Forget it. It's not easy for me to quit smoking for so many days. Now all my efforts will be wasted if I smoke again." Tang Zhitong resisted the temptation, picked up the teacup and raised a glass of wine.

The drinking culture in Sijiucheng is not as strong as in Shandong, Henan, the three northeastern provinces and Inner Mongolia. We drink more casually and there is no rule on how much we must drink. But there is one rule: we must drink until we are happy.

They were all young men full of vigor and vitality, and after getting drunk, they were bound to act recklessly.

Tang Zhitong responded with a hum and a ha, not intending to get involved. It felt good to give advice, but his words were too insignificant to have much effect.

Seeing that Tang Zhitong didn't say anything, Cheng Shaojun brought up his father's affirmation, hoping to let Tang Zhitong express his opinion.

"I just said it casually. I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, uncle. Don't take it seriously." Tang Zhitong smiled and waved his hands, very modest.

"Just talk. We are all family today. You are not talking nonsense outside." Huo Xiaoping urged. His father worked at the grain port and had been worried about the supply problem recently. He had ulcers all over his mouth. Huo Xiaoping was anxious when he saw it, so he wanted to hear Tang Zhitong's opinion.

What we just talked about was the food issue. How can I explain this issue? It is too sensitive, but if we do nothing, it would be inconsistent with this era.

Tang Zhitong has always wanted to do something, and he has been practicing this way. The fundamental purpose of earning foreign exchange is to make the foreign exchange sufficient so that he can buy more food. As for how much can be used to buy food, he has no idea.

After learning that Huo Xiaoping's father held a high position in the grain department, Tang Zhitong began to feel a little shaken.

Of course, Tang Zhitong is of low position and his words are insignificant, so nothing he says can have much impact. But what if what he says can be recognized by Huo Xiaoping's father and he can try to get him involved?

Even if there is a slight change and a little more food left, it means that I have done my part and the trip was not in vain.

"Brother Xiaoping, this question really stumps me. After all, I can't conjure food out of thin air.

I think if we want food security, we can’t just look at the numbers on paper, we have to go out and see for ourselves.

The old man said that without investigation, he had no right to speak, and it would never be a bad thing to go and take a look.

People in the past always said that farmers depended on the weather for their livelihood. According to my understanding, this "depending on the weather for their livelihood" does not mean doing nothing. In fact, there are many excellent experiences among the people.

You have all heard of agricultural proverbs, right?
It rained in late October last year, which was the end of September in the lunar calendar.

There is a farmer's proverb: If thunder strikes at the beginning of September, there will be no wheat harvest next year. If thunder strikes at the end of September, there will be graves everywhere.

I don’t know if this year is really as serious as the proverb says.

But since this proverb has been passed down, it may have really happened.

As for when it will rain and when it will blow and what kind of weather will occur in the future, I believe there are proverbs in other places that predict the future weather.

Due to the current level of technology, we cannot predict the weather in spring and summer, but agricultural proverbs are the experience summarized over thousands of years. We can use them as a reference. All we need to do is send people to visit farmers in each place to see the actual situation in the fields and we will have a good idea.

I really hope that these agricultural proverbs that predict bad situations in the future will not come true. After all, our country has only been established for ten years.

But if it comes true, it will be a bit scary."

When Tang Zhitong said this, his expression became a little heavy. He knew the direction of the next few years. The weather was indeed abnormal and there was a large area of ​​drought.

But you cannot say that you knew a famine was about to happen, otherwise you would be accused of misleading the people.

In fact, there have been signs of this in some places since last autumn. Newspapers would occasionally report that a certain place was concentrating manpower and material resources to fight drought and irrigate so many acres of fertile land.

Tang Zhitong kept talking and said a lot, but the main point was just one: don't just work in isolation or dictate numbers based on your own judgment, go down and see what's in the farmers' bowls!

But this person doesn’t feel the pain unless the whip hits himself.

Tang Zhitong picked up the cup and took a sip. This was the fact. The more he talked, the more depressed he felt. He drank to relieve the pressure while thinking about what to say next.

"If we push back from now, the history of written language is about 3,000 years old, and all the serious historical books can fit on a bookshelf.

But just in this shelf of history books, there are more than 5,000 records of famines, an average of three times every two years.

Whenever there is a famine, the history books will always record the words "a year of great famine". If the situation is a little more serious, there will also be the words "exchanging children for food".

These seven words fully describe the hardships faced by the people.

I really don’t want something like this to happen in our new China.

I also really think that it is right for us to implement the ticket system now, which can maintain fairness and justice as much as possible.

The reason for doing this is ultimately because there is not enough food.

If we want to have enough food, in addition to ensuring good output from good farmland, I think we also need to increase revenue and reduce expenditure.

I'm not afraid of you laughing at me, but last summer I went outside to pick locust flowers, elm seeds, and dig wild vegetables.

I have caught longhorn beetles when it rained, and touched cicada monkeys at night. Occasionally, I would go hunting, and if I was lucky, I could catch a turtledove, a rabbit, or something like that.

These are all edible.

I also have this yard where I will grow vegetables in the spring. Even our unit has opened up a piece of land, so we can add some to the income.

There is only so much that ordinary people can do. At the national level, I know very little, so I cannot make any big statements. But it is said that governing a big country is like cooking a small fish. I think we should increase revenue and reduce expenditure.”

The inscription on the manual and Aunt Li's praise gave Tang Zhitong confidence. If it were in the past, he would not have said it even if he had to suppress it.

In addition to reducing the urban population, the national level's measures to increase revenue and reduce expenditure are nothing more than stopping grain exports to earn foreign exchange and switching to grain imports.

Another one is the assistance to "brothers". Stopping food aid does not mean no aid, but replacing it with other non-food materials. If it is really impossible to replace it, the volume can be reduced.

Besides, people like Monkey and Asomething are not brothers at all, they are typical ungrateful wolves!
That cargo courier from A-something-something is like a psychopath with paranoia. He sprays at whoever he catches and uses the cement donated by China to build bunkers all over the ground!

It's such a small place, no one would want it even if it was given away for free, so he treats it as a treasure.

The biggest "help" to China may be the "Diamond Camel" cigarettes, which cost 1 cents a box.

This cigarette even smells like stinky feet. If it weren’t for being strong, cheap, and free, no one would be willing to smoke it.

As for the words like "there are no eternal friends or eternal enemies, only eternal interests" between brother countries, Tang Zhitong should not have said them. Firstly, they are not in line with the values ​​of this era. Secondly, as a person at the bottom of society, why would he say such shocking words?
After saying this, Tang Zhitong felt relieved.

The big stone pressing on your heart can now be passed on to others.

Tang Zhitong also figured it out. “The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility” is a bit far-fetched. It should be “The greater the ability, the greater the power, the greater the responsibility.”

If one has great abilities but does not have corresponding power, and is instead taught to take on greater responsibilities, then what is the difference between him and a temporary worker who takes the blame when something goes wrong?

Tang Zhitong felt that he had done his best and should hand over the responsibility to someone with greater power.

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

Tang Zhitong understood the idea, and the pressure came to Huo Xiaoping.

Huo Xiaoping smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying, "Increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, neither one is easy. In the past two years, our country has been promoting satellites, saying that grain production is high. Foreign countries say that we can't eat so much grain, and they clamor for us to increase exports. The contract has been signed, and if we don't sell, we will have to breach the contract, and the penalty for breach of contract is not a small amount. We also have aid to brother countries, which is also a necessary expenditure. If we don't give it to them, they are not helping us."

"It's not that we won't provide aid, but we will provide selective aid. We will pick and choose those materials that are not in short supply here. Let's talk about it. How can we be picky when it comes to aid? For example, I'm in trouble and find you, saying we are good brothers and you have to help me. You should give me all the meat, eggs and grain in your home, and I only want the fine grains of the season. Even if you have them at home, you can't agree to everything, right?" Tang Zhitong gave an example and didn't say any more. If he continued, it would be 404.

It is difficult, for sure, but someone has to step forward and do it.

This is indeed what is done in the normal process. What I want to do is to have someone come up with it and advance this process to ease the domestic pressure and let the people eat more and suffer less.

Seeing that there was no good solution, the four of them clinked their glasses and changed the topic.

Wu Aijun talked about some cases in his unit.

Due to the underdeveloped communications, it is difficult for ordinary people to access the specific details of some criminal cases, but these are some innate advantages for Wu Aijun.

"Are you in the criminal investigation department?" Tang Zhitong interrupted Wu Aijun after listening to the case he told.

Tang Zhitong heard from classmate Xiao Wang that Wu Aijun was originally from the military, but later his entire organization was transferred to the public security department.

In fact, this is not surprising at all. Since the peaceful liberation of the city of 59, the Public Security Bureau has been under military control until January 1, when it was temporarily separated from the military.

"I would like to go, but they don't want me. I'm in the traffic department, directing traffic on the streets and handling accidents. You can find me if there's an accident, but it's best not to find me. I hope everyone is safe and I don't want anyone to have an accident." Wu Aijun joked.

"Come on, you jinx, who would say that on New Year's Day? You must be fined one glass of wine." Cheng Shaojun said in a teasing tone.

With their interruption, the depressing atmosphere disappeared.

Wu Aijun couldn't persuade Cheng Shaojun, so he picked up the wine glass and took a sip.

"Do you really want to go to the criminal investigation department?" Tang Zhitong asked after Wu Aijun put down his wine glass.

Lu Lan helped Ye Zhijuan to quickly complete the household registration issue for Zhang Ye. Then they made a request that "young people should interact more". This request was not high, and Tang Zhitong could naturally help Wu Aijun get along with him, but things couldn't just be done in this way.

"Do you have a solution?" Wu Aijun became excited when he heard this.

"Aunt Lu, do you agree? The danger of the criminal investigation department is much higher than that of the traffic department." Tang Zhitong did not answer Wu Aijun's question directly, but was concerned about Lu Lan's attitude. If good intentions lead to bad results, the good thing will become a bad thing.

"My mother agreed, but she just wouldn't ask for someone to transfer me. She said I could go there on my own ability. She said that a good blacksmith must be strong himself, so she didn't want her to transfer me there and then embarrass her if I didn't do a good job." Wu Aijun looked distressed. His family supported him, but it was only limited support. They were unwilling to give him a back door.

"Oh." When Wu Aijun spoke, Tang Zhitong looked at him seriously, and from his expression, he didn't seem to be lying.

"No, you haven't told me yet. Do you have any connections? Don't keep me hanging! I'm going crazy wanting to go into criminal investigation!" Wu Aijun asked anxiously.

"I do have a friend in the Criminal Investigation Department. I'll ask him later. Don't hold out your hopes yet. The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment." Tang Zhitong was talking about Zhang Xinping, who was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Municipal Bureau because of his merits. He was a powerful section-level official. Cheng Hai said that Zhang Xinping was highly regarded.

The public security department is one level lower than the postal department. Its level has not been raised yet, but a section-level official can be in charge of a department.

But this matter has not yet been decided, so Tang Zhitong is not sure about it. This is the difference in personality. If it were the serious Mr. Jing, he would definitely take on the responsibility verbally in order to save face in front of his friends, and then discuss whether it will be successful afterwards. Anyway, he would have face at that time.

"Oh! You are really my benefactor! I must deepen it!" Wu Aijun was overjoyed and raised his wine glass to clink it with Tang Zhitong.

At this point, Tang Zhitong really saw that Wu Aijun liked criminal investigation, but he still confirmed with him: "Why do you have to go into criminal investigation? It's not easy to work there, it's bloody, and if you're unlucky you might come across a highly decomposed corpse, the smell of which can make people vomit their overnight meals. Can you stand it?"

"I can bear it! We must have something to pursue in life, right? Criminal investigation is indeed tiring and dangerous, but a ray of justice can bring justice to the victims and uphold social integrity!" Wu Aijun said seriously.

"You are this!" Tang Zhitong gave Wu Aijun a thumbs up, finally confirming that Wu Aijun really wanted to transfer to the criminal investigation department to realize his life ambitions.

As for whether to help Wu Aijun, even if we don't ask Lu Lan, we have to ask Ye Zhijuan's opinion first to see whether Ye Zhijuan agrees with Wu Aijun going to a more dangerous department based on her understanding of Lu Lan.

"If any relatives in your family want to join the army in the future, as long as they have a clean background, come to me and I will help them!" They were all young men in their twenties and were particularly concerned about their reputation. With the example of Wu Aijun saying that he would come to him if he had any problems and Tang Zhitong asking for Wu Aijun's transfer, Cheng Shaojun also spoke up and took the responsibility.

"Okay! Since you said that, I will definitely come to you first if there is any problem." Although Tang Zhitong currently has no relatives or friends who need to join the army, Cheng Shaojun has expressed his opinion, and Tang Zhitong cooperated and picked up the wine glass and left.

All three of them said what they could do for their friends, leaving Huo Xiaoping the only one who hadn't expressed his opinion.

Huo Xiaoping held up his wine glass and said with a wry smile: "Although my father is in the grain department, I really can't do the rationing. The old man is very principled. I can take pictures and use a camera, etc."

As soon as Huo Xiaoping opened his mouth, Cheng Shaojun's face turned a little red. He promised to help everyone present enlist in the army, but he couldn't do it and he would definitely have to use his father's connections. Huo Xiaoping said that his father was principled, so doesn't this imply that his father was unprincipled?

Tang Zhitong also saw it and stepped out to smooth things over: "That's not bad. A camera costs hundreds of dollars, more expensive than a bicycle. I will definitely ask you to borrow one next time! You all grew up naked, so you know each other well. I came later, so I will have to trouble you all in the future. Let me offer you a glass here as a thank you in advance!"

(End of this chapter)