【The Village Official Chronicles】(01-04) 【Author: Sunny with Clouds】

Author: Sunny with Clouds
Word Count: 24250
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At
9:00 AM on September 8, 1952, the unveiling ceremony of the People's Government of Quanshui District, Xinhua County, Liaobei Province,
was held as scheduled. Leaders of the Xinhua County Party Committee, the County Government, the Preparatory Group of the County People's Congress, and relevant departments, along with some accompanying staff
, rode their respective means of transportation—muds and horses allocated by their superiors—from the county seat to Quanshui
District early in the morning. The mule and horse caravan, in maroon, black, yellow, and white colors, traveled non-stop, crossing mountains and rivers
at breakneck speed. They hurried along the mountain road for over ninety li, galloping straight to
the meeting venue located in the district government compound.
The meeting was presided over by Wen Wubin, Deputy Secretary of the Xinhua County Party Committee and County Head. After he announced the start of the unveiling ceremony,
firecrackers crackled, drums resounded, colorful flags fluttered, slogans chanted, and cheers filled the air, creating a lively and extraordinary scene. Then,
Qu Changping, Secretary of the County Party Committee and First Political Commissar of the County Military Control Commission, and Wu Xiangdong, head of the County People's Congress Preparatory Group, unveiled the
red cloth from the plaque. Following this, a member of the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee… Gao Youmin, Minister of the Organization Department, announced
the appointment documents for the members of the Quanshui District People's Government
on behalf of the County Party Committee; Xiao Wenli was appointed
as Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee and District Mayor; He Liren was appointed as a member of the District Party Committee and Deputy District
Mayor; Xiang Dongfang was appointed as Deputy District Mayor; Huang
Keqiu was appointed
as Secretary of the Government Office; Bai Songli as Assistant to the Civil Affairs Department;
Wen Baoxi as Assistant to the Finance and Grain Department;
and Zhuang Jiawang as Assistant to the Production Department.
The first Quanshui District People's Government was composed of the above seven people. It administers Yongfeng Township, Qingyu Township, Xinghua Township, and Qinghe
Town, collectively known as the "Three Townships and One Town." At the end of the meeting, Qu Changping, Secretary of the County Party Committee, extended congratulations on behalf of the three 　　major county-level bodies,
gave instructions for future work, and put forward requirements and hopes. Representatives from relevant departments then spoke in an orderly manner, and District Mayor Xiao Wenli, on behalf of all members of the Quanshui District Government, expressed his determination to the County Party Committee and the County Government. The meeting 　　ended with the music of "Dongfanghong. " 　　Xinhua County is located in the triangular area where Liaobei Province, Heilongjiang Province, and Jixi Province meet. According to historical records, 　　before liberation, this area was a "no-man's-land." Until August 15, 1945, after Japan's surrender, 　　a unit under Xiao Jingguang of the Northeast Democratic Allied Army annihilated the 621st Regiment of the Nationalist X207th Division stationed in the Kaiyuan area in northern Liaoning, 　　and in the spring of 1948, recovered the entire territory of Xinhua County. Subsequently, 　　military control was implemented over three townships and one town in the Quanshui area. 　　To adapt to the new situation and the needs of the struggle, the Xinhua County Committee of the Communist Party of China, based on instructions from higher authorities and in light of 　　local conditions, decided to establish the Quanshui District People's Government, a district-level government agency, 　　to exercise full jurisdiction over Yongfeng Township, Qingyu Township, Xinghua Township, and Qinghe Town. From then on, the Quanshui area finally had a true sense of ownership. 　　The Quanshui District Government was located in Quanshui Village. Quanshui Village, within a radius of about 100 li, was not considered a large village. However, it had historically 　　been a place for merchants to rest, for heroes to gather, and a strategically important location fought over by military strategists. The Qingshui River flows perpetually in front of the village, its 　　clear waters meandering around it. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the village is colloquially known as "three mountains, one river, and one field," 　　a long, narrow peninsula-like mountain village. 　　Although Quanshui Village is not large in area or population, it is historically significant. During the Japanese 　　occupation, it served as the location of the "puppet district office," the puppet "joint security" office, and the puppet "police station. 　　" The mountains to the north of the village are high and densely forested, possessing an imposing defensive position. The mountains 　　are rich in wildlife, minerals, and forestry resources. On the southern slope of the mountain, halfway up the slope, lies a spring. Its water is sweet, clear, and cool in summer and warm in winter, earning it 　　the local name "Sacred Spring." During festivals, people come to worship the "Sacred Spring," praying for their 　　families' safety, good weather, a peaceful and prosperous life, and protection from illness and disaster. The spring is 　　recognized by the surrounding villages and hamlets, hence its name. 　　Xiao Wenli's appointment as the head of the Quanshui District government was the result of careful consideration and deliberation by the county committee, selecting candidates from among the county's three... 　　He was rigorously selected from over 100 demobilized soldiers. This was also inseparable from the strong recommendation of County Magistrate Wen Wubin. In the army 　　, Xiao Wenli was an infantry company commander, Wen Wubin was his regimental political commissar, and Wu Xiangdong was his battalion commander. That year, 　　the Liaodong Military Region transferred a large number of cadres below the regimental level to strengthen local government and enrich the cadre force of the local government 　　. These three, along with a large number of cadres, were transferred to work in Xinhua County. Wen Wubin, considering the overall situation, 　　believed that Xiao Wenli was competent in all aspects for the position of district head. The only drawback was that, due to Xiao Wenli's poor family background, he could not afford to go to 　　school and only learned some simple characters in the army's cultural supplementary class, so his literacy level was exceptionally low 　　. What was commendable was his absolute reliability to the organization, his resolute attitude in completing various tasks, and his decisive action. He 　　was particularly hardworking and conscientious, and possessed certain organizational and command abilities. 　　Xiao Wenli joined the army at the age of 17 to participate in the revolution, and successively participated in the "Three Journeys to the South of the Yangtze River and Four Defenses of Linjiang." 　　He participated in over 30 battles, large and small, including the Siping Campaign, the Liaoshen Campaign, the Pingjin Campaign, and the Guangxi Bandit Suppression Campaign 　　. He bore more than ten scars and received over ten commendations and awards for his military exploits. At the age of 20, he was promoted to 　　platoon leader. In October 1950, he went to Korea to fight in the Korean War. When he returned to China with his unit in April 1952, he was already a company commander in the infantry. 　　After being demobilized and assigned to the Xinhua County government, he served as deputy section chief in the government office. It was only during the cadre reshuffling in the Quanshui District government that he 　　was entrusted with an important task. 　　Upon taking office, Xiao Wenli knew that the organization's greatest expectation of him was to manage the three townships and one town well. 　　He diligently completed all the tasks assigned by the county party committee and county government. Therefore, he paid close attention to 　　maintaining unity with Hao Yiqun, the district party secretary. He also knew that, as the saying goes, "Work is easy, but partners are difficult." He had often heard that the two top 　　officials of the district government often couldn't see eye to eye. However, he treated Secretary Hao like an older brother, after all, 　　he was young and lacked experience in local work. Secretary Hao, on the other hand, was a native of the area, 　　a veteran cadre from the land reform era, with rich work experience and a certain degree of popular support, and was also more than ten years older than him. From then on,

Xiao Wenli frequently visited Secretary Hao's office to report on his work and exchange ideas. Touched, Secretary Hao would call
him "Brother Xiao!" The two worked together seamlessly, and their tasks progressed smoothly,
earning them numerous commendations from the county committee and government. In
October 1952, Liaobei Province, following instructions from higher authorities, launched a province-wide "Three-Anti" (anti-
corruption, anti-waste, and anti-bureaucracy) campaign. Soon after, a "Five-Anti" campaign was launched (
anti-bribery, anti-tax evasion, anti-theft of state property, anti-shoddy workmanship, and anti-theft of state
economic intelligence in private industry and commerce). Officially, these two campaigns were simply referred to as the "Three-Anti and Five-Anti Campaigns."
The Xinhua County Committee then launched a large-scale "Three-Anti and Five-Anti Campaigns" in all townships and towns throughout the county. Based on this,
Quanshui District, following the county's requirements, piloted the first primary agricultural production cooperative in the district's three townships and one town
. District Party Secretary Hao Yiqun presided over the X Committee meeting, which analyzed and
discussed the situation in all 59 villages and hamlets of the district. It was concluded that the establishment of primary agricultural production cooperatives was of great significance, representing a major decision and strategic intention of higher-level leadership in rural work
. This involved transforming land distributed to individuals during the land reform—from individual free cultivation
to centralized management and planned planting—into a system that organized farmers into a unified and orderly
production and land use system, with all means of production belonging to the cooperative. Everyone would contribute labor equally, receive
remuneration based on their work, and have their earnings distributed after the harvest, thus achieving common prosperity.
In addition to Secretary Hao Yiqun, District Head Xiao Wenli, Deputy District Head Xiang Dongfang, Organization Committee
Member Niu Futao, Propaganda Committee Member Li Da'an, and five X Committee members, Deputy District Head Bai Hailin, Finance and Grain Assistant Zhuang Jiawang,
Agriculture Assistant Wen Baoxi, and District Government X Office Secretary Ma Kai attended the expanded meeting. The participants engaged in open and frank discussions
, and Secretary Hao finally clarified the division of responsibilities for the aforementioned work and put forward specific requirements.
District Party Secretary Hao Yiqun, along with Niu Futao and Li Da'an, were in charge of the district's "Three-Anti" and "Five-Anti" campaigns, as well as
the rural rectification campaign scheduled for December. District Head Xiao Wenli led a team of four, including assistants from the Civil Affairs, Finance and Grain, and Agriculture departments
, to Taipinghe Village in Qinghe Town to pilot the district's first primary agricultural cooperative. Simultaneously, they were tasked with
rectifying the ideological issues of the village's Party members.
Qinghe Town's streets weren't very large. A dozen or so shops and a hundred or so households tightly packed together along a
main street paved with gravel. The shops were so close together that if one family was cooking dog meat, the whole street would smell the aroma; if a
child broke a bowl while playing, everyone in the neighborhood knew; even the private conversations of unmarried girls and
the flirtatious banter of young couples were often overheard by neighbors, becoming the town's gossip and
source of amusement. Occasionally, a quarrel between brothers or a fight between husband and wife in one household would stir up the whole street. People would rush back and forth,
telling each other what was happening, like a flock of startled ducks on a river, and it would take a long time to calm down.
Those not going to the market, as well as residents on both sides of the street, would
hang their belongings—clothes, trousers, skirts, bedding, and so on—on poles in their courtyards facing the street to dry. A mountain breeze would blow, and the sky above the
street would be filled with a dazzling array of red, green, and other colorful items. Add to this the strings of red
peppers, bunches of golden corn seeds, and white-green gourds hanging from the eaves of each house, and two vibrant
ribbons of color would appear along the street. People would walk along the roadside, chickens and geese would cluck, and cats and dogs would dart about in the courtyards,
creating a unique and charming scene.
Although Qinghe Town was small and had few residents, on market days it transformed into a bustling marketplace teeming with people.
The main market area wasn't on the main street, but rather in a
small courtyard of about twenty or thirty acres on the north side of the street, near the river. This tradition of holding market days, inherited from the old society, continues to this day.
The market is held on the 3rd, 6th, and 9th of each month. Merchants from three provinces and eighteen counties, businesses of various ethnicities, hunters, pharmacists, blacksmiths, carpenters, livestock traders
, and others gather early to trade. Pigs and cattle are sold, along with vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, wood ear fungus, agricultural products
, seafood, mountain delicacies, daily necessities, and food stalls—the market and streets are teeming with people, a bustling, vibrant scene
. Looking down from the hillside behind the market, on a sunny day, it's a sea of headscarves, handkerchiefs, and straw hats; on a rainy day, it's a sea of straw
hats, raincoats, and paper umbrellas. People don't seem to be walking on the ground, but rather floating on a lake.
The Qinghe Town government is located on a high slope northeast of the main street. Two rows of blue-gray brick houses
stood one after the other on the north side of the courtyard. Each row of houses was about the size of a dozen or so ordinary houses. These old houses were
the public buildings of the district government, police station, and security team during the Japanese occupation. After being recovered by the Liaodong Military Region, the provisional revolutionary government
and peasant associations worked here, and things have changed beyond recognition. At 9:30 a.m.
, Yang Yiguang, secretary of the Qinghe Town Party Committee, Pan Yongnian, deputy secretary and mayor, Li Yufang, a retired female deputy mayor, and
Gao Xiaobo, secretary of the government office, greeted District Chief Xiao Wenli and his entourage of
four at the entrance of the government compound. Yesterday, Secretary Gao had received a phone call from the district government office informing her that District Chief Xiao and his entourage of four would
depart from the district at 8:00 a.m. the next day to walk to Qinghe Town to arrange and deploy key tasks. The town's main leaders needed to attend
a meeting and should not go out for the time being. The town leaders knew that District Chief Xiao's entourage consisted of four cadres, while the district government
only had seven cadres in total, which indicated an important task was being assigned. The journey from the district government to Qinghe Town was 48 li (approximately 24 kilometers)
, and District Chief Xiao and his party of four walked for three and a half hours. They crossed three high mountains and forded two
rivers, each carrying a satchel containing toiletries and a bottle of boiled water. It was the early days of liberation, and conditions were extremely difficult
. The county only had a dozen or so mules and horses for transportation; districts, townships, and towns didn't have this privilege and had
to rely on walking.
In the Qinghe Town meeting room, the enlarged meeting of the Party Committee was both serious and democratic. District Chief Xiao conveyed the superior's
document regarding the trial establishment of primary agricultural cooperatives and the specific arrangements for the next step in carrying out ideological work among Party members during the rural rectification campaign.
Everyone actively spoke on these two topics, proposing specific implementation plans and methods. Two working
groups were established: the rectification work was led by the town party secretary; the trial establishment of primary agricultural cooperatives was headed
by the town mayor, with Deputy Mayor Li Yufang in charge, and the district government working team providing specific guidance.
The working team, led by District Chief Xiao, stayed at the town government guesthouse. The next day, accompanied by Deputy Mayor Li,
Work has been carried out. Qinghe Town comprises twelve villages and nineteen natural hamlets, with a population of over 13,000 and an average of 0.4 mu (approximately 0.067
hectares) of farmland per person. Taipinghe Village, located about eight li (approximately 4 kilometers) from the town government, is situated on flat terrain, with a vast area and relatively
convenient transportation, and is located in a semi-mountainous region. It currently has a population of 1,036, with an average of 0.973 mu (approximately 0.097 hectares) of farmland per person,
with an equal distribution of paddy and dry land, and abundant water resources. The district committee and government selected this village as a pilot project because: firstly, the village has a strong and effective grassroots leadership team and high public prestige; secondly, it has favorable natural conditions, 　　ranking as above average
among the 59 villages and hamlets assessed in the district, which is quite convincing; and thirdly, it has a strong grassroots foundation, with thirteen members of the Communist Party of China and 　　twenty-eight members of the Communist Youth League. This village was once a revolutionary base area, serving as the location of an arsenal for Yang Jingyu's troops during the Anti-Japanese War. 　　During the Liberation War, it was recognized by the county as a model village for supporting the front lines, and during the Korean War, it was awarded 　　the title of "Advanced Village in Donating Grain and Funds." 　　Li Yufang, the deputy mayor, is the only woman in the town's leadership. At 21 years old, a former soldier, she 　　takes good care of herself and looks younger than her actual age. Her fair and clean face adds to her 　　refined appearance; she's the kind of woman whose beauty grows on you, becoming more and more captivating the longer you look at her. Her most striking feature is her clear, sweet voice, which 　　instantly invigorates anyone who hears it. Despite her young age, Li Yufang possesses exceptional work abilities. Therefore, the county's organization 　　department assigned her to Qinghe Town as deputy mayor. She maintains a low profile in the office, always treating everyone with courtesy. Women 　　are generally meticulous, and this trait is particularly evident in her. In early 1948, at the age of 17, Li 　　Yufang, responding to the school's call, joined the Northeast Democratic Allied Army along with many classmates. She was assigned to the 27th 　　Regiment of the 9th Division of the 3rd Column as a cultural officer. In June 1951, she went to Korea with her unit to fight, and soon after transferred to the Xinhua County government 　　, before being transferred to Qinghe Town as deputy mayor, a position she holds to this day. 　　Accompanied by Deputy Mayor Li, District Chief Xiao and his entourage of four arrived at Taipinghe Village. 　　Arranged by Village Secretary Yu Weiming and Village Chief Feng Yinglai, they stayed at the homes of two "die-hard poor farmers," Li Dashan and Wang Tianyi. No 　　work was scheduled for the day, mainly because District Chief Xiao and his group were tired from walking so much mountain road and needed rest. However, 　　District Chief Xiao took the opportunity to visit and investigate the living conditions of more than a dozen households. The result was 　　deeply disappointing. He visited both retired Party members and non-Party members; both wealthy and impoverished households. Their 　　heartfelt sentiment was that they did not agree to establish a primary agricultural cooperative. The reason was quite simple: "People are used to 　　the status quo. Those with ability eat their fill, while those who are lazy eat porridge. Anyway, the government won't let anyone starve. If everyone 　　works together, the wealthy feel they're being taken advantage of, and the lazy ones are afraid that being tied together to work will be too tiring and restrictive, and they'll feel 　　uncomfortable being managed." That evening, the village held an enlarged meeting of the Party branch. In addition to the three branch committee members, 　　three new veteran members were added, along with six respected elders and veteran cadres from the land reform period. 　　At the meeting, District Chief Xiao conveyed relevant documents from higher authorities regarding the trial establishment of primary agricultural cooperatives; Deputy Town Chief Li announced Qinghe 　　Town's plan, implementation methods, and requirements for earnestly implementing the provincial, municipal, county, and district plans for the trial establishment of agricultural production cooperatives 　　. Then, everyone expressed their opinions. The meeting immediately erupted into a heated debate. Those whose personal interests were involved 　　expressed their opinions freely, directly, frankly, and without concealment, vying to share their various thoughts. Three veteran 　　land reform cadres, led by 59-year-old Zhang Changgong, said, "Since it's an instruction from higher authorities, we'll resolutely follow it; there's definitely no mistake. With more people, the cooperative will be stronger; we support it." 　　Three cadres, 　　including village head Feng Yinglai , along with three other elders, objected. This village head, Feng, was a native of the area, and 　　his family was quite influential. He had seven brothers, three sisters, and two younger sisters, all of whom had settled down and lived separately in Taipinghe Village. These 　　were twelve households, all skilled at managing their households. For generations, the Feng family 　　had made a living by farming, living frugally and living a prosperous and comfortable life. They worried that joining the cooperative would mean losing 　　their comfortable life. 　　At this moment, even as the village head, he couldn't accept this change. They 　　had only enjoyed a few years of prosperity; why were they making such a fuss? He simply couldn't understand it. Village Party Secretary Yu Weiming couldn't understand it. 　　It had only been a few years since liberation; they were just beginning to eradicate poverty and were barely catching their breath. What was wrong with free farming and self-sufficiency 　　? Why force together people of varying wealth, diligence, and age to eat from the same pot and drift through life 　　? He vehemently disagreed. However, Yu Weiming was no ordinary man. His shrewdness over the years lay in his ability 　　to manipulate situations, letting village head Feng Ying handle the details, and then selectively stepping in to smooth things over at crucial moments. Today 　　, he was extremely cautious; he sensed the approaching threat. He had to consider his position, especially with 　　district and town leaders like District Chief Xiao and Deputy Town Chief Li present. He skillfully observed their expressions and demeanor, glancing around and reading 　　their expressions. He would never actively speak or express his opinion; instead, he was subtly eyeing the village head, Feng Yinglai. Meanwhile, Feng 　　Yinglai was anxiously watching his patron, the village party secretary Yu Weiming, for signals. Seeing the village secretary's 　　supportive gaze, he suddenly became bolder, like a man injected with adrenaline, and bluntly 　　stated: "I'm not very educated, and I don't know any grand principles. Since joining the Party in 1938, I've followed 　　the Party in the revolution, obeyed the leadership, and never made demands. I've learned many principles, but the one I remember most deeply 　　is that the Party led us to overthrow the landlords and distribute land and forests to us poor people. Wasn't that all to allow us to live a good 　　life? Now, we have land, and we can become wealthy through our own hard work..." "We've just 　　started to recover, and you're already causing trouble again! You insist on taking back the land we were given during the land reform and setting up these cooperatives. Isn't this just 　　going backwards? We've worked so hard for so many years, and with just a few words from you, we're going to be back to square one! I 　　absolutely refuse to join the cooperative. I'd rather you expel me from my village and remove me from my village chief position than join 　　that damned cooperative. This land is the lifeblood of us liberated peasants; we absolutely cannot allow anyone to seize it!" He 　　became more and more agitated as he spoke, until tears streamed down his face, but he still didn't forget to glance at the village secretary, Yu Weiming. "Yes!—Well 　　said!—We all refuse to join the cooperative. This land was given to us poor and lower-middle peasants by XXX; 　　you have no right to take it back!" For a moment, the meeting room was in chaos. Many people were talking at once, offering their opinions and 　　criticisms.

2.
Village Chief Feng's speech, like a stone thrown into still water, stirred up a thousand waves, undoubtedly acting as a fuse. Everyone held their own
opinions: some were hesitant, some were deeply worried, some sighed deeply, and some were even carried away with pride.
To control this sudden situation, District Chief Xiao stood up and slammed his right hand on the table three times, barely managing to
quiet the chaotic meeting room. However, some people were still whispering and talking amongst themselves. "Fellow villagers,
today's expanded village branch meeting was originally intended to convey the instructions from higher authorities and the decisions of the district committee and government, and then
hear everyone's opinions on the pilot program for primary agricultural production cooperatives. Just now, everyone raised different
views on this issue, which is good. The district and town governments will consider them collectively, and we allow for different opinions. However,
I must tell you all that this work is a major policy formulated by higher authorities, a basic line for rural areas, and it is neither
wrong nor can it be changed. We can only persevere and strive to carry out this work even better—" Before
District Chief Xiao could finish speaking, Village Chief Feng stood up listlessly, glaring angrily. He glanced at
District Chief Xiao, then turned and left. Seeing this, Village Party Secretary Yu Weiming hurriedly chased after him out of the meeting room. In a secluded courtyard, by the wall, he whispered
to Feng Yinglai, "I agree with you!" "Get the hell out of here!" Having heard the
cunning village party secretary's words, Feng Yinglai knew he was a two-faced villain, which only fueled his anger.
Seeing the chaotic state of the meeting room, District Chief Xiao knew the meeting couldn't continue. He
whispered a few words to Deputy Town Chief Li Yufang, then said to the village secretary, "If there's nothing else to discuss, I suggest the expanded village branch meeting
adjourned." "District Chief Xiao, what are your thoughts on today's meeting?" Deputy Town Chief Li
asked on the way back to the residents' home. "Ah—! That's perfectly normal! Think about it, before liberation, the vast majority of peasants suffered generations
of oppression from the three great mountains (imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucratic capitalism) and exploitation from landlords. They were terrified of poverty. It was XXX who led the people to overthrow the landlords and turn their lives around,
distributing mountains, forests, and land, realizing 'land to the tiller,' and basically solving the major problem of food and clothing.
They lived a happy life of 'two mu of land, an ox, a wife and children, and a warm bed.' In their eyes, it was like a life of paradise
. Therefore, they regarded the land as their lifeline, their only hope for survival.
The 'fruits of victory' they had just received were about to be collected; they simply couldn't understand it. Furthermore
, they worked from sunrise to sunset, working on sunny days and resting on rainy days. " He drank the wine down his throat. He
had long been accustomed to managing his family's production, daily life, and social interactions, living a carefree and
unrestrained life like a hermit. He worried that joining the cooperative would make him unable to bear the constraints of a collective organization. Even more worrying was
the unified management of land, livestock, and all means of production, all owned by the cooperative. The unified planting of crops, the unified allocation of farm
work, the unified distribution of grain, and the system of recording work and paying wages... He believed that there were still some poor households in the village, households lacking livestock and
means of production; and even more so, eight or nine "good-for-nothings," "loafers," and "lazybones" who had infiltrated to
take advantage. "That's the crux of the problem," he said. District Chief Xiao's words impressed Deputy Mayor Li immensely, making
her feel that it was worth more than ten years of study. From then on, she secretly began to have feelings for him. She had already
learned from Bai Songli, the civil affairs assistant of the district work team, that District Chief Xiao was only two years older than her and was also a former demobilized cadre.
After dinner, Xiao Wenli, Li Yufang, Zhuang Jiawang, Wen Baoxi, and Bai Songli held
a meeting in the east room of a resident's house. They analyzed the current antagonistic sentiments among the farmers, identified the root causes, and, considering the local conditions,
unanimously agreed to a two-step approach. First, they would organize farmers with oxen, horse-drawn carts, land, and means of production
into primary agricultural cooperatives. The remaining small number of impoverished and unproductive households would also be centrally managed, forming a separate
organization called a "mutual aid group." This way, two production management models would be piloted in the village: agricultural production
cooperatives and, according to local conditions, mutual aid groups for those with unsuitable conditions, allowing them to utilize their
individual strengths. After a year, these groups would be incorporated into the cooperative. This would allow them to experience the power of collective action
and see whether their small-scale efforts were more effective, letting them truly understand which method suited them best.
The following morning, the work team held a mass meeting. After Deputy Mayor Li announced the district and town's plan, he also announced
the list of farmers in each group. Then, each commune and group elected its own commune and group leaders. Just before the meeting adjourned, village head Feng Yinglai
once again launched an attack. He spouted a series of bizarre and absurd arguments, making veiled accusations and insults, rendering
the district and town-level work teams utterly worthless, and arrogantly walked away. Xiao Wenli glanced at Li Yufang
and said, "Ignore him, proceed according to our established policy." That afternoon,
two notices with red paper and black characters were posted on the wall of the village office. One was a list of farmers joining the commune; the other was a list of those joining the mutual aid groups. The notices
clearly stated that any objections could be raised with the work team within three days; otherwise, it would be considered as agreement, and
the commune and group regulations would be followed.
Xiao Wenli's landlord in the village was named Li Dashan. In his sixties, he was an active participant in the land reform and a staunch poor
peasant. His wife, Qin Qiuxia, fifty-eight years old, had fled famine from Ju County, Shandong, to Northeast China and married Li Dashan.
Their only son, Li Qing, was a military instructor at the Tangshan Artillery School and was married with children.
The three mud-brick houses allocated to the old landlord during the land reform were shared; the elderly couple lived in the east room, while the west room was vacated and given to four cadres from the district. Old
Mrs. Qin cooked, boiled water, and heated the kang (a traditional heated bed) for the work team three times a day. Each work team member contributed four liang (approximately 100 grams) of local grain
coupons and one jiao (approximately 10 cents) of RMB per meal; any shortfall was reported by the village. This was the regulation from higher authorities at the time. Li Yufang lived on
the north kang of poor peasant Wang Tianyi's house, sharing it with Wang Tianyi's second daughter, sixteen-year-old Wang Xiaoqiu. Wang Tianyi
was the militia captain during the land reform; at sixty-two, he was still robust and looked remarkably young. He, his wife, and their two daughters
lived a very comfortable life, with plenty of food and clothing, and no worries. His eldest son and daughter
had both married and lived in the village.
One morning, Xiao Wenli, who had just finished breakfast, was mysteriously summoned to the east room by Old Mrs. Qin. After closing the door tightly, she
whispered, "District Chief Xiao, I just heard some news, but I don't know if I should tell you." "—Auntie
, from now on just call me Xiao Xiao, don't keep calling me District Chief. I'm not even as old as your son!
Just tell me what's wrong." Since moving into Old Mrs. Qin's house, Xiao Wenli has gotten along exceptionally well with them.
He didn't want the form of address to hinder his emotional exchange with the two elderly people, so he said, "Well, I have to say this now—
I just heard people saying that Village Chief Feng's eldest brother, Feng Yingliang, second brother, Feng Yingmin, and brother-in-law, Liu Sihou, each
rode their horses to the Qinghe Town government early this morning to sue you. What should we do?" she said anxiously. "Is this
true? Who told you?" Xiao Wenli asked. "It should be true. Old Li's wife from the East Courtyard went to buy tofu early this morning and
met them at the village entrance. There was also a large crowd watching the commotion. The Feng family and their group were making a ruckus, saying they were going to sue you for
forcibly making them join the cooperative—." She finished telling him everything she had heard in one breath. Then, her hesitant manner
left District Chief Xiao puzzled. He patiently waited for her to speak, still puzzled. "—It's like this,
these past few days, I've been cooking for you and observing you closely. You young people are all very nice—" she
seemed unable to continue. "Aunt Qin, you're so anxious! Just tell us what's wrong, we're
just kids in front of you. What can't we say?" "Really? Okay then! I'll tell you.
-- It's just -- I think you and Deputy Mayor Li Yufang are a perfect match. My uncle also says you two are
a match made in heaven, a perfect couple. You're about the same age, and your height and weight are just right. You're both former soldiers, and now you're
both government employees, cadres. Besides, you're at the age where you should be getting married. I've
been thinking of finding an opportunity to play matchmaker for you two these past few days. If you get together, you can live twenty years longer! -- Haha!
What do you think of this?" she asked eagerly. "Thank you, Aunt Qin! My parents are also urging me to get married! I'm
so busy with work right now, I don't have time for that! Besides,
I don't even know what Deputy Mayor Li means or what she's thinking. Did she ask you to bring this up?" he said. "You don't need to worry about that. Just tell me if you
like her or not. I'll handle things on her end!" she pressed. This Aunt Qin seemed to be paid to be a matchmaker
, she was a bit impatient. Back then, when people were dating, the old matchmaker would run back and forth, saying some uncertain "
backstabs" to leave room for both sides and avoid embarrassment. "I have no objections, because she comes from a poor peasant family, served in the army and
fought in wars, received many years of education, has high class consciousness, is politically reliable and has a firm stance, and is progressive in thought—that's enough
!" District Chief Xiao said with satisfaction, stating the political vetting standards for marriage back then. "Okay, I'll reply to you this afternoon.
Then you two can chat some more." "She has the personality of the eunuchs who are more anxious than the emperor. In this village, every
spring, they are the first to plant; in autumn, they are the first to harvest;
they are the first to deliver grain to the government; even on New Year's Eve, before the New Year's Eve dinner, they are the first to light the firecrackers,
making it the first bang in the whole village! All year round, every morning their chimney is the first to smoke for breakfast; if
the chimney doesn't smoke one day, the villagers will say that the old couple has probably gone to their son's house in Tangshan to see their grandson!
The eldest son of the Feng family, along with his second brother and brother-in-law, rode at full speed, crossing mountains and rivers, and finally
arrived at the compound before the town government officials went to work, and successfully met with Yang Yiguang, the town party secretary. Feng Yingliang took
out the letter of complaint, which his younger brother, the village head Feng, had written, listing eight 'crimes,' from his pocket and handed it to Secretary Yang." Yang Yiguang, furious after reading it
, said, "Are you kidding me or courting death? Xiao Wenli is the head of a district, and I'm his subordinate. You want
me to deal with him? Damn it, you've come to the wrong place. He's a higher-ranking official than me; I can't control him. Understand? A bunch of idiots
, get out of here! Get far away!" "Don't curse! Where can we complain then?" the three asked unwillingly.
"You're so uncultured! You can go to the district, the county, the city—everyone can control him, except me. Get out of here!"
Yang Yiguang smugly dismissed the three.
Yang Yiguang was a veteran township secretary. He originally thought that with the establishment of the district government, the position of district head was a
sure thing for him. But to his utter surprise, the county committee sent Xiao Wenli. Therefore, he never thought much of this baby-faced district
head. From this trial of the primary agricultural cooperative, he could see that Xiao Wenli had a resistant attitude and was intentionally trying to
embarrass him. Therefore, he did not support this work, nor did he remove the relevant town officials to cooperate, only
sending Deputy Mayor Li, who was in charge of agriculture, to handle the task. He hoped that the district work team would cause some major trouble and embarrassment to relieve his
jealousy and hatred.
That afternoon, Xiao Wenli and Li Yufang were called to the east room by Old Mrs. Qin. Before, Old Mrs. Qin
had talked to them separately about dating, but now that it was really going to be serious, they were both very awkward. "--You
two both told me that the other has no objections, so you two talk, I'll go boil some water for you!" The old lady
deliberately slipped away. "--I think we're quite suitable to be together. The higher-ups stipulate that men
can get married at twenty and women at eighteen. We're both over the age now, and if we don't get married soon, we'll be too old!" Xiao Wenli felt that he was not
educated enough to say too much. Because he already knew that Li Yufang had been a cultural instructor in the army,
he held back some of his words. "--Well, we need to submit a report to the higher-ups for approval. It won't
do without the organization's approval. Should you write the report, or should I?" she asked shyly. "Are you kidding me?
You know my abilities, you're making things difficult for me! I beg you, you write it! Don't you
know I'm a rough man?" he said, feeling ashamed.
District Party Secretary Hao Yiqun received three petitioners from the Feng family in his office. After reading their petition
, he said nothing, telling them to leave the letter and go back to their village to hear their message. After the three left, he asked Secretary Huang to call
the Qinghe Town government and notify District Chief Xiao and his party to return to the district government immediately. In those early years, conditions were limited, and
transportation below the county level was extremely backward. Counties only had a dozen or so mules and horses, while districts and townships relied entirely on
foot. Even postmen carried large mailbags over mountains and valleys to deliver mail; bicycles only gradually became available in the early 1960s
.
The expected thing finally happened. In the office of District Party Secretary Hao Yiqun,
after listening to the work report from Xiao Wenli and two others, Hao Yiqun very seriously slammed the petition letter in front of Xiao Wenli. "
Comrade Xiao Wenli, take a good look. This is your work achievement after half a month in Taipinghe Village!" Xiao Wenli
glanced at it, only getting a general idea due to his limited literacy. He then turned and handed the letter to the finance assistant, Wen Baoxi,
saying, "Read it to everyone. It saves everyone the trouble of reading it yourself. Once you've read it, everyone will be saved trouble!"
The gist of the report is that District Chief Xiao and his work team, disregarding the lives of the people, forcibly forced farmers to join the cooperatives and threatened them.
They divided the people into two groups: wealthy families in one group and poor families in another
. The wealthy families joined the cooperatives, and the poor families joined the groups. They gave them three days to submit their opinions, otherwise they would have to follow their orders. We represent all the villagers to demand
an explanation. We will continue to cultivate our own land and ask the work team to withdraw from the village as soon as possible. Comrade Xiao Wenli
, you have arbitrarily altered the district committee's resolution and acted unilaterally, deviating from the county committee's guidelines, lines, and policies. Can you bear
the responsibility? Why didn't you consult or report beforehand before this major change? Where is your organizational discipline
and sense of righteousness? Now, the people are questioning your work. Your mistakes are serious.
You are indifferent to the class feelings and class stance of the poor and lower-middle peasants. This work is related to the county committee's overall
plan and the implementation of the strategic policy of righteousness in rural work. Do you understand?
Chairman XXX pointed out: "The masses are the true heroes, while we ourselves are often naive and ridiculous—
'again' saying that only the people are the driving force in creating world history—'and is this how you treat the
masses?'" Hao Yiqun began to escalate the issue, doing everything he could to accuse Xiao Wenli of serious wrongdoing
.
Xiao Wenli calmly replied: "Secretary Hao, your criticism is correct. However, I want to tell you that the problem is not as
serious as the letter suggests, nor as serious as you imagine. Those who came to complain are only from the Feng family faction, and do not represent
the entire village. In the trial of the primary agricultural production cooperative in this village, there are two major contradictions. Wealthy households
do not allow poor households to join the cooperative, fearing that they will take advantage of them, and they are also annoyed by the village's idlers, freeloaders, and lazybones who
come to loaf around. On the other hand, people who are used to a lazy, undisciplined, and impoverished life, and who are used to freedom, are unwilling to join the collective production
labor model. They do not want to be constrained or managed, so they do not want to put in the effort." They wanted to gain some benefits from the "big commotion
." These are the two contradictions that arose. To alleviate this contradiction, our district and town work
teams held a meeting and unanimously agreed to a two-step approach: some would join the cooperative, and some would join the group. This would allow them to fully
utilize their abilities, making the best use of the land and people's talents. After a year of trial implementation and comparison, they would naturally
return to the cooperative. Hao Yiqun, already arrogant and self-righteous, considered himself the top leader, the supreme ruler of Quanshui District, whose word was law 　　. He never expected that Xiao Wenli would dare challenge his authority and disrespect him
in front of his three assistants . He felt that Xiao Wenli, a rough-around-the-edges military man 　　, was so disrespectful. He felt that his power, prestige, and reputation did not allow him to remain 　　indifferent. Hao Yiqun turned around, raised the teacup on the table high, and smashed it violently to the ground, shattering the porcelain 　　shards everywhere. "Xiao Wenli, I hereby announce in the name of the District Committee that you are suspended from your duties. How you will be dealt with 　　will be determined by the County Committee within three days. All of you, get out!" Hao Yiqun, enraged, gestured wildly and 　　drove Xiao Wenli and the others out of the secretary's office. From then on, the District Party Secretary and the District Head completely fell out. Two tigers cannot share one mountain, but 　　Assistant Liu said that this tiger only had a male and lacked a female. 　　Sure enough, on the morning of the third day, Han Ming, the head of the Cadre Section of the County Party Committee's Organization Department, and Wang Wenhua, a 　　staff member, along with Deputy Minister Hu and Assistant Liu from the County Party Committee's Rural Work Department, came to Quanshui District to investigate the conflict between Xiao Wenli and Hao Yiqun, as well as 　　the trial implementation of rural primary cooperatives and mutual aid groups in Taipinghe Village. The Organization Department personnel 　　spoke separately with Hao Yiqun and Xiao Wenli, and also spoke privately with three district government assistants who were present at the time: Zhuang Jiawang, Wen Baoxi, and Bai Songli 　　. After compiling all the interview transcripts, they rode back to the county seat. 　　Vice Minister Hu of the Rural Work Department and his entourage, carrying bags and riding horses, went to Taipinghe Village to conduct investigations and 　　interviews. They requested that cadres at the district, town, and village levels recuse themselves so they could meet with the villagers alone to understand the entire process. 　　This was to obtain firsthand, authentic information, a arrangement personally made by County Head Wen Wubin before their arrival. Vice Minister Hu directly met with 　　three petitioners, including Feng Yingliang, and also interviewed retired cadres, some impoverished households, unemployed individuals, 　　and vagrants. Finally, they convened a village meeting of over 80% of the villagers to listen to their opinions and 　　held a public vote on the two production methods: cooperatives and mutual aid groups. The result was that 73.9% of the votes were in favor of 　　joining either the cooperative or the mutual aid group. 　　The two investigation teams returned to the county and reported their work to the county party committee and county government respectively. Before leaving 　　Taipinghe Village, Vice Minister Hu spoke with Xiao Wenli, praising Xiao's pilot project in Taipinghe Village 　　and requesting him to write a work report for the county party committee office. He repeatedly emphasized that this was an instruction from County Magistrate Wen Wubin 　　. This stumped Xiao Wenli, because he was "barely literate," and his hands, which had been wielding a gun, couldn't hold a 　　pen. Helpless, he handed the task over to Zhuang Jiawang to write. The method was for Zhuang to narrate, for Zhuang 　　to listen and take notes, and then for Zhuang to organize the information. 　　Xiao Wenli, the district head who had been suspended from his post by the district party secretary, neither appealed nor petitioned. He took this opportunity 　　to rest for a few days, and with nothing to do, he wandered the streets alone. One day, he received a call from Li Yufang from Qinghe Town 　　, saying that the Organization Department had approved their marriage application. Overjoyed, he aimlessly walked 　　west along the main street. "District Head Xiao, are you busy?" said a man in his thirties. District 　　Head Xiao turned to the man, looking at his face, trying to remember if he recognized him. Suddenly, he remembered 　　: this man was Huang Yeqiu, the town's famous "sports enthusiast." This man was about thirty-two or thirty-three years old, with a 　　round head and large ears. Normally, he was like a smiling Buddha, always beaming and obsequious, 　　a complete lackey. But the moment someone from above came to assign some central task, or some kind of "movement" started, 　　he would transform into a completely different person, bustling about like a man possessed. In such situations, he would 　　become famous for a while. He would instinctively blow whistles, bang gongs, and announce meetings. At the meetings, he would lead the chanting of 　　fashionable revolutionary slogans to create a lively atmosphere. In addition, he would do unpaid night shifts, guard against bad guys 　　, and boil water for visiting officials, proving himself very capable. Once the central task was completed and the movement ended, 　　he would deflate like a punctured balloon. He was also a lazy, gluttonous, and meat-loving vagrant.

Seeing his cunning expression, Xiao Wenli said, "Where have you been these past few days? Are you short of money for food and drinks again
?" "No, no, why would I complain! I already received the ten yuan relief fund you approved last time, District Chief Xiao
, and I haven't spent it yet! I heard from someone that you're getting married, and I wanted to help you with the arrangements. Giving a little help
shouldn't be a problem!" "If that's not true, where did you hear it from?" Xiao Wenli asked in surprise.
"Oh my! How can you keep such a big deal as your marriage a secret, District Chief Xiao? A few days ago, I visited my second aunt in Qinghe Town, and
that's when I heard it. Everyone knows that the town mayor surnamed Li married her superior, District Chief Xiao of the district government. They even
said it was your landlady, Li Dashan's wife, who introduced them, and everyone's waiting to drink your wedding wine." This guy,
all smiles and trying to be clever, rattled off a whole bunch of stories, constantly trying to appear as if he were a well-informed person.
"Ah! Marriage is inevitable, but not anytime soon. Just wait patiently for the wedding!" Xiao Wenli
replied indifferently, then continued walking westward. He had no intention of paying him any attention, nor did he want to hurt the pride of such a person; it
was best not to provoke him.
In those days, marriage between men and women was not bound by law. Marriages among ordinary people were
handled according to customs passed down from their ancestors. Local custom generally dictated that when a boy was seventeen or a girl was sixteen or older, one family's
head would send a matchmaker to propose marriage. Shortly after the proposal was accepted, the man's family would find a fortune teller to calculate an auspicious date and
hold a grand banquet to entertain neighbors and relatives. As long as the villagers recognized them, they were legally married. In the event of a divorce, all that was needed was
a "letter of divorce" from the man. When the two parties remarried, they could do so with just this letter. Otherwise, they would
be considered "adultery" or "broken shoes" by the neighbors.
For people of status or officials, the prerequisites for marriage were extremely strict. Both the man and woman had to
submit a report to the personnel department of their respective work units or government agencies.
Only after review and approval, and with an official document as proof, could their marriage be considered "legal." There was no need for extravagant celebrations. Those who could afford it would take a photo together at a photography studio, and then invite a few close
colleagues, friends, and relatives from both sides to the new house to drink tea, eat melon seeds,
smoke cigarettes, eat wedding candy, and offer congratulations, wishing them a happy marriage, a blissful life, and many children.
It wasn't until the spring of 1953 that the central government promulgated its first "Marriage Law."
One morning two weeks later, Xiao Wenli and Li Yufang had their wedding photos taken at the Xinmin Photo Studio in the county town and
returned to Quanshui District. As soon as they entered the secretary's office, Secretary Huang pushed them out and led them to the general meeting
room of the government agency. All the district government officials who had been waiting there shouted congratulatory slogans, and their applause was deafening.
Secretary Huang laid out the cigarettes, melon seeds, wedding candies, and fruit he had prepared beforehand on the long table, and also
brought out the brewed tea. Because Secretary Hao of the District Committee was attending a meeting in the county, the wedding was officiated by Deputy District Head He Liyin.
This action by the district officials completely bewildered Xiao Wenli and Li Yufang. They hadn't originally intended to hold their wedding soon,
much less at a government office. They planned to use the May Day holiday, taking a few days off to return to
Li Yufang's rural hometown and hold a wedding according to local customs. Now, faced with this
"surprise" planned by well-meaning people, they could only accept it.
The next morning, after getting up from their makeshift "bridal chamber" at the town guesthouse, Xiao Wenli and Li
Yufang quickly washed up and ate breakfast. Xiao Wenli then went to his office. Li Yufang followed him to his office dormitory, where
they collected a large pile of his accumulated dirty clothes, socks, sheets, etc., and took them to the guesthouse to be washed. Secretary Huang,
unaware that Xiao Wenli was in the agricultural office gathering information, ran to the guesthouse to call District Chief Xiao to answer
a call from the county. Li Yufang, hearing it was a call from the county, knew something was amiss and returned with Secretary Huang to the government
office to find Xiao Wenli. After answering the phone, Xiao Wenli told Li Yufang that Director Li of the County Party Committee Office had informed him that
County Party Secretary Wen Wubin would speak with him in his office at 9:00 AM the following morning.
In Secretary Wen's office, Jiang Weitao, a member of the Standing Committee of the County Party Committee and Minister of Organization, accompanied him. Secretary Wen Wubin was Xiao
Wenli's former regimental political commissar in the army; their long-standing superior-subordinate relationship made Xiao Wenli much more relaxed,
and he spoke frankly. Secretary Wen Wubin went straight to the point, announcing on the spot: Hao Yiqun was transferred to the County Archives
Bureau as director; Xiao Wenli was appointed Secretary of the Quanshui District Party Committee and concurrently District Chief; Deputy District Chief Xiang Dongfang was appointed Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee; and Zhuang
Jiawang was appointed Deputy District Chief. Secondly, the county committee believes that Taipinghe Village's "two-pronged" approach—experimenting with primary agricultural production cooperatives
and mutual aid groups—is correct and in line with the current rural realities of our county. Therefore, the county committee
is satisfied with your work and affirms your methods and approach. Recently, the county will send a strong
joint working group composed of relevant departments to Taipinghe Village to summarize the experience and hold an on-site meeting to promote it throughout the county.
Your district should fully cooperate with the working group in all aspects, arranging accommodation and providing as much convenience as possible. Thirdly
, considering the many inconveniences your married life with Li Yufang will bring, it has been decided to transfer Li Yufang to the position of deputy director of the county women's federation.
Xiao Wenli, who has little education, was extremely excited after hearing Secretary Wen's announcement and speech. He was filled with
gratitude but didn't know where to begin, his mind overflowing with thoughts he couldn't express. He immediately stood up, legs straight
, right hand with fingers together above his head, and gave a crisp military salute. Then he shouted, "I guarantee to complete
the mission!" Minister Jiang burst into laughter upon seeing this. Secretary Wen, a former soldier, naturally understood
the true meaning behind Xiao Wenli's actions, while Minister Jiang found Xiao Wenli somewhat eccentric.
Spring arrives late in the mountains. In southern Liaoning and other parts of the Guanzhong Plain, it's already
early summer with the fragrance of locust blossoms and cicadas chirping on branches. But in these mountains, the peach blossoms, pear blossoms, apricot blossoms, and azaleas are just like shy maidens,
their red lips and pink cheeks blooming, welcoming bees and butterflies. Truly, "In the human world, April's flowers have all faded, but in the mountain temple, the peach blossoms are just beginning to bloom!" Despite
this, spring still arrived. Finally, it slowly made its way to this seemingly forgotten land of northern Liaoning, to
the spring-fed region at the foot of the Daqingdingzi Mountains.
Overnight, without anyone noticing, peach blossoms reddened the southern mountains and northern valleys, and pear blossoms whitened half the hillsides. Tree after tree,
patch after patch, seen from afar, in the bright sunshine and thin mist, red like the evening glow, white like floating clouds, extremely beautiful and captivating.
In the northern mountains, wild boars roam and tigers and leopards lurk; the narrow, pine-covered slopes are always gloomy, like a fierce...
The menacing face that once made people hesitate to approach seemed to suddenly transform into a lush, vibrant green,
full of life. A year passes in the blink of an eye, and Xiao Wenli has been serving as the district party secretary for
three full years. In these three years, he has led the cadres and masses of the three townships and one town in the district, working diligently and practically
, rapidly transforming the agricultural production structure from the mutual aid groups and primary cooperatives of the past to the advanced
agricultural cooperatives of the county. Xiao Wenli has also transformed from a tough, former soldier into a
young leader with experience in grassroots rural work.
In these three years, Xiao Wenli's family has grown with two more children: a three-year-old son, Xiao Wu, and a
two-year-old daughter, Xiao Wen. Both children are cared for by their maternal grandmother, Li Yufang, who is now seven months pregnant with her third child,
yet still insists on going to work at the county women's federation every day. In these three years, the county, district, and townships have all undergone significant
changes. First, the county acquired automobiles and established a vehicle fleet. Six Soviet-made GAZ-52 jeeps were neatly
arranged in the courtyard, creating an impressive sight. The horses of yesteryear were nowhere to be seen, and the economic situation had greatly improved. The Quanshui
District government also received a Czech 205 seven-seater jeep from the county,
a vehicle with front and rear auxiliary power, making it very convenient for use on mountain roads. Significant changes also occurred in the three townships and one town. Each township was equipped with
a 20-line telephone exchange, and every village had telephone access. Townships established broadcasting stations, health clinics,
livestock stations, middle schools, and central primary schools. Township government officials were also equipped with a "Forever" brand
bicycle for convenient use when going to the countryside. These improvements greatly enhanced the enthusiasm and work
efficiency of government officials.
In the spring of 1955, Xiao Wenli led cadres at all levels throughout the district in responding to the county committee's call to actively study, implement, and
publicize XXX's report, "On the Issue of Rural Collectivization." This sparked a surge in efforts to further consolidate and expand advanced agricultural
cooperatives. With a clear and unified document in place, Xiao Wenli was full of energy and his confidence soared. He continuously studied
various aspects of knowledge to meet the needs of his practical work. That year, the "conscription system" was implemented nationwide.
The Quanshui District government promptly organized eligible young people to study this first military service law since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and also
held military-civilian exchange activities with nearby military units. By the end of the year, they had exceeded their conscription target, receiving
numerous praises from Secretary Wen of the County Party Committee on different occasions. On one occasion, at a meeting of county-level government officials, Secretary Wen specifically said:
"Xiao Wenli from Quanshui District, although uneducated and often called a 'roughneck,' I see he
handles several tasks very meticulously! He's very intelligent and has a clear work approach! He's among the top in the county! Who
says he's rough? There are quite a few 'meticulous cadres' here; reflect on your work!
Do you dare compare yourself to Xiao Wenli?" From then on, Xiao Wenli became famous and enjoyed immense prestige throughout the county.
In October of that year, Xiao Wenli's third child, his second son Xiao Zhang, was born
. His comrades joked with him, "You have a child every year, that's quite a prolific woman! Is your wife an iron woman or
a robot?" He laughed and replied, "—Didn't XXX say that Chinese women are a great human
resource, and we must tap into this resource. Let them contribute their labor and effort to our cause—making the best use of everyone's talents and the land—
!" He indicated he would have a fourth child.
From September 5th to 20th, 1958, under instructions from higher authorities, Xinhua County merged all 98
advanced agricultural production cooperatives into 9 people's communes. After the merger, a large number of district and township cadres were streamlined, and
all were incorporated into the people's communes. In recent years, cadres at all levels and the general public throughout the county have undergone education through various activities and movements, including
the "Marriage Law," the "Conscription System," the "Rectification Campaign," the "Anti-Rightist
Campaign," the "Three-Anti and Five-Anti Campaigns," and the "On the Issue of Collectivization." In particular, the campaigns to eliminate the "Four Pests" (flies, mosquitoes, rats, and sparrows
), the "Rectification Campaign," and the "Great Leap Forward" and "Anti-Rightist Campaign" not only
honed the leadership skills of cadres but also enhanced the patriotism and cohesion of the people. Therefore, the implementation of
the people's commune system proceeded smoothly. Adhering to
the principle of "selflessness and serving the public good," the Quanshui District was abolished. Immediately following, the nationwide Great Leap Forward in steel production and the "Autumn
Plowing" climax in Northeast China swept across the land, creating an unstoppable wave
of movement high tides throughout Liaobei Province.
The abolition of districts and the merger of communes occurred overnight. Xiao Wenli was transferred to
Nantun Town by a simple document from the county committee. Embodying the decisive and efficient style of his military days, he packed his old military blanket, satchel, and canteen,
rode his bicycle for over 90 li (approximately 45 kilometers) through the mountains, and arrived at Nantun Town, one of the nine townships, to serve as the town's Party Secretary
.
The current Nantun Town is a town government formed by the merger of four former townships and one town, directly under the county's jurisdiction.
Nantun Town is located in a hilly area, with a semi-mountainous terrain in the west. It borders the county seat, Xinhua Town, 42 kilometers to the north,
accessible only by a rural road. Nantun Town enjoys a pleasant climate with ample sunshine, balanced heat and frost-free period,
a distinct monsoon climate, cool winters and summers, and four distinct seasons. The town is surrounded by mountains, with rolling hills in the center.
The town has a mountainous area of 659 square kilometers, accounting for 92% of its total area. The terrain is high in the northeast, southwest, and central regions,
and lower in the northwest and southeast. The banks of the Mangniu River are open land. The town has a total cultivated land area of 105,949 mu and a forest area of
345,000 mu. It has 52 production brigades and 297 production teams, with a current population of 74,482
. The town government is located in Nantun Brigade, accessible by car to the county seat, making a daily round trip. The main
crops of the production teams are corn, sorghum, soybeans, and millet, with a small amount of rice. Town-run enterprises include a ginseng farm, a shiitake mushroom
garden, a black fungus base, and a pig farm.
After the people's commune system was implemented, the system was "three-level ownership (commune, production brigade, production team),
with the team as the basic unit." Labor was provided collectively, and work points were recorded. After the harvest, the points were calculated and distributed
to individuals in cash. The production system shifted from individual households and groups to a collective, planned economy characterized by unified allocation of
labor, planned crop planting, unified management of means of production, and unified distribution of profits
. This essentially ensured that everyone had food to eat and work to do, with little to worry about and the team leader having complete control.
The staffing of cadres became extremely unstable. Before the mergers, the number of "lower-ranking officials" in various districts and townships was nearly
saturated; during the mergers, significant reductions occurred, and after a period of operation, a severe shortage of personnel was discovered. With the continuous
development of the revolutionary situation, the number of commune committees, governments, and counterpart units to higher-level departments increased. Officially employed cadres
were severely overworked, greatly impacting all aspects of work. In response, local governments adopted the practice of recruiting
"part-time worker, part-time farmer" cadres, also known as "part-time worker, part-time farmer" personnel, to fill in for them. Specifically, this involved
selecting young, healthy, politically reliable, unmarried individuals
aged 18-30 with junior or senior high school education and certain special skills from each production brigade. These individuals were recommended by poor and lower-middle peasants, reviewed by the brigade's branch,
approved by the commune management committee, and finally appointed by the commune's committee before being allowed to work in the commune government. These people were managed as
cadres on a semi-full-time basis, meaning they worked in the commune government for six months, earning 25.80 yuan per month; then they returned
to their original production team in their registered residence area to participate in manual labor for six months, earning work
points and enjoying the same benefits as commune members. They were managed by the production team for six months. In some places, these cadres were called "part-time worker, part-time
farmer" cadres. Regardless, no one, no organization, gave any indication of when they would be officially promoted or whether they would
be given a formal position. Despite this, it remained an unattainable dream for most rural youths, a mere illusion, a yearning to escape
rural life and have a better future. They racked their brains, relied on relatives and friends, and dreamed of becoming "semi-full-time" cadres.
Xiao Wenli and Mayor Xiang Dongfang's biggest headache was that the original four townships had a total of 83 cadres on staff
. After the top two leaders were transferred out, there were still 4 deputy secretaries, 12 deputy township heads, 4 vice chairmen of the people's congress
, and 4 armed forces ministers remaining. These leaders at the deputy section chief level and above occupy the authorized positions, but the leadership staff is severely overstaffed. 　　The normal staffing
should have included two deputy secretaries, four deputy township heads, one deputy chairman of the People's Congress, and one armed forces minister, which would have been sufficient to carry out the work. Now, there are too many leaders, resulting in redundancy and inefficiency. The county government 　　has been slow to respond, and Xiao Wenli has repeatedly requested the Organization Department to make adjustments as soon as possible, but there has been no follow-up. After the implementation of the commune system, 　　several new counterpart township government agencies were established, covering various county departments such as: providing adult education to combat illiteracy 　　(with assistant teachers), conducting rural cultural activities (with cultural station directors), classifying government accounts 　　(with accountants), and maintaining public security (with special police commissioners). The Communist Youth League and the Women's Federation were also established, 　　requiring the appointment of a Youth League secretary and a Women's Federation director. These are just the internal departments of the government, and more are constantly being added. 　　In the town's directly affiliated government agencies, the number of expanded institutions and departments was even greater, such as: broadcasting station, agricultural station, seed 　　station, water conservancy station, animal husbandry station, agricultural machinery station, forestry station, grain and oil supply station, health center, and primary and secondary schools; 　　each department had anywhere from three to five people to more than ten to twenty. Most of these were substitute farmers, substitute 　　teachers, or privately-run teachers filling these positions. This brought considerable 　　workload and difficulty to the town's management of cadres. These people had diverse personalities, temperaments, and qualities. 　　Adding to their pressure and difficulty was the nationwide steelmaking campaign. This was a hard target, a 　　strategic and serious political task from higher authorities, and a central task for the entire town. The entire town mobilized teachers 　　, students, and staff of schools, the vast rural population, and cadres of town-level government agencies; all able-bodied men, women, and 　　children participated. Men with physical strength went to the mountains to find iron ore; women and children searched for scrap metal in the villages. 　　In various places, villages, hamlets, and work units primarily used makeshift methods to build iron-smelting furnaces, with smoke billowing everywhere as steel was being produced. This was the 　　"Three Red Banners" movement (the General Line, the Great Leap Forward, and the People's Communes), which was highly patriotic at the time. 　　Anyone who did not support, participate in, or respond to the movement was labeled a "rightist." They 　　were then subjected to organized criticism and public humiliation, paraded through the streets, designated as counter-revolutionaries, placed under control, and subjected to 　　the dictatorship of the proletariat. 　　The enthusiasm of the masses for labor and their patriotism reached unprecedented heights. 　　They fought passionately on the front lines of the Great Leap Forward in steel production. With revolutionary dauntless spirit, they battled against nature to achieve high yields, producing high-quality iron and steel, 　　working day and night. Encouraged by broadcasts, slogans, and banners, and propelled by the sea of red flags and the tide of songs, people consciously 　　transformed the various instructions from higher authorities into their own actions. People donated their ancestral scraps of copper and iron, old pots, 　　iron cart parts, shovels, picks, three-pronged hooks, two-pronged rakes, broken iron pipes, old water buckets—anything related to iron and steel— 　　without compensation. These were then used in various small blast furnaces for iron smelting. 　　Simultaneously, the autumn plowing campaign reached its peak. This was the pace and scale of the "Great Leap Forward 　　." The slogan at the time was: "Cross the Yellow River, cross the Yangtze River, catch up with America and surpass Britain!" The nationwide autumn plowing slogan 　　was: "Dig one shovelful of soil, one mu is equivalent to two mu!" In those days, the most fashionable things were shouting slogans, posting banners, and planting 　　red flags. Some intellectual, with a particularly sharp mind, could always 　　come up with numerous slogans and banners, regardless of the time or movement. These things made people feel like they were on a spiritual opium, 　　brimming with untapped energy and explosive power. Whatever the superiors said, the subordinates would 　　do, execute, and complete without hesitation. The reality truly reflected the boundless vitality and power of the people's commune 　　. During breaks from work, in the fields, and even on the way to and from work, young men and women would spontaneously 　　sing: "The commune is an evergreen vine, the members are the gourds on the vine, the gourds are connected to the vine, the vine holds the gourd 　　, the stronger the vine, the bigger the gourd, the fatter the vine, the sweeter the gourd—" 　　This fashionable song was easy for everyone to sing. At that time, people's only hope was collective prosperity, and they considered 　　the commune their home. In those fields after the autumn harvest, red flags fluttered like a sea, and songs rose like a tide. Various banners 　　stood in rows, colorful flags fluttered in the wind, and slogans in different accents from all over the country burst forth from the heart. The loudspeakers 　　continuously broadcasted articles of praise: Zhang Laosan had been digging continuously all morning without a break; Li Laosi had 　　sacrificed his family for the greater good, donating both of his shovels to the digging team; Wang Ermazi 　　had been so exhausted from digging that his pants fell down; and Gao Laowu, the squad leader, was so tired that he had blisters on his lips, trembling legs, dark urine, couldn't sleep, and 　　woke up screaming in the middle of the night. All these efforts were made to mobilize the masses, providing them with spiritual nourishment, encouragement, and motivation.

It played a significant role.
In the pre-mechanized era, people used the most primitive tools—shovels and picks—
standing one meter apart in long, single-file lines, like a human wall, shoveling down the topsoil and turning up the subsoil. Officially,
this was called "soil replacement." The benefits were twofold: first, autumn plowing could kill pests and diseases by freezing them; second, loosening the soil could increase grain yield
. At the time, an old farmer said that with this kind of plowing, the subsoil would be turned up, making the land cold and definitely
reducing crop yield. As a result, he was labeled a counter-revolutionary and, during a public denunciation, in a fit of rage, someone
broke three of his ribs. Years later, scientific analysis and practice proved the old farmer right. However,
it was impossible to exonerate him. Why? You understand. Such incidents were commonplace. The most frequently shouted
slogan was, "The bolder the people, the greater the harvest."
This autumn plowing campaign was unprecedented in the county's history in its scale and momentum. All county-level government departments
, communes, towns, production brigades, and production teams, as well as all departments directly under the commune, suspended production, work, and classes.
Regardless of age or gender, from the elderly to the young, those who could participate went to the front lines, and those who couldn't were involved in propaganda
. Everyone contributed and everyone received education. Every conversation revolved around "autumn plowing," and thoughts
of "autumn plowing" permeated everything, from eating to sleeping. This campaign lasted for fifteen days before finally ceasing. During the movement,
various mass organizations, to demonstrate their presence and role, formed various groups. The Women's Federation
established the "Women's Half the Sky Combat Team" to support the central work of [unclear - possibly a specific organization or initiative]. The town's Youth League Committee established the "Youth Assault Team." The Armed Forces Department organized
militia members into a "Daredevil Team." The town's Education Committee organized primary and secondary school arts leaders into a performance troupe
to conduct battlefield performances for the "One Refinement, One Digging" movement. Medical personnel from the health center organized a "Battlefield Medical Team" to serve on the front
lines. The people's thoughts and actions were unprecedentedly unified.
Secretary Xiao's local activities, with their military flavor, were highly
praised and promoted by County Party Secretary Wen, who was also a former soldier. A county-wide on-site meeting was solemnly held here. Secretary Xiao said, "
The higher authorities clearly required that the two campaigns of 'Great Leap Forward' and 'Great Autumn Plowing' must be carried out with the active participation of the broad masses of people.
Their subjective initiative, their enormous energy and potential, and the whole nation working together to be pioneers
have made a great contribution and achieved considerable success in winning the final victory of these two campaigns.
Comrade Xiao Wenli's organizational, leadership, and coordination abilities are undeniable. He is conscientious and responsible in his work,
dares to innovate, and implements the county party committee's resolutions and calls with a resolute attitude, decisive action, and brilliant results! He is worthy of
serious study by cadres at all levels throughout the county. "
Immediately afterwards, the higher authorities issued new instructions to launch a major re-education campaign on the "fish and water relationship" between cadres and the masses . Cadres at all levels of government were to go deep into the countryside and implement the " 　　three-together" activities of "eating, living, and working together"
with the vast number of poor and lower-middle peasants .
Responding to the call of the great leader XXX: "The people are the true heroes
, while we ourselves are often naive and laughable; the people, and only the people, are
the driving force in the creation of world history." After some deliberation, Secretary Xiao and Mayor Xiang divided the town into four major areas (based on geographical
location), with general cadres assigned to production teams, deputy leaders to production brigades, and deputy leaders of the X committee assigned to specific areas.
It was stipulated that each cadre must spend at least twenty days per month in the villages, except for special business or meetings. Cadres going to the countryside were required
to bring their own bedding, toiletries, simple changes of clothes, and medicine. Meals were provided, with each person paying four
ounces of grain coupons and one jiao (0.1 yuan) per meal.
Formal state cadres received "imperial rations" and could obtain grain coupons from grain stores using their grain supply books.
However, those cadres who were "part-time workers and farmers" faced far more trouble. To obtain grain coupons, one had to first
transport the raw grain from home to a grain depot more than ten miles away for weighing, grading, moisture analysis, and receipt issuance
. The raw grain was then converted into refined grain before finally receiving local grain coupons. One also had to obtain an advance on their monthly salary from the town's finance department and
exchange it for smaller change at the supply and marketing cooperative.
The
town government and its directly affiliated agencies had a total of 129 cadres, 95 of whom were officially employed, and
34 were acting as substitute cadres. Driven by the earlier "spiritual nourishment," Secretary Xiao deployed 80% of the cadres to the front-line production
brigades and teams for "three-way interaction" (working together with the people, living together, and working together). This meant that almost every team in the town had a town cadre
engaged in "three-way interaction" with the masses. Only the secretary and accountant remained in the town government to manage operations, answer phones, and handle business. Only one person remained in the town's directly affiliated
agencies to handle business. This approach both increased their workload and improved their work efficiency
, while also developing their work abilities. This further highlighted the implementation of the higher-level
general policy of "more, faster, better, and more economical" in building socialism.
After more than half a month of practical work and discussions with the production team members, Secretary Xiao received unanimous praise
and strong feedback. This further boosted his confidence; he deeply felt that his initial choice was correct, timely,
and absolutely necessary. He decided to summarize this period of work, write a report, and submit it to the county committee. However, due
to his limited education, he could only seek help from the village cadre and women's director, Jiang Xiaolan. But
upon hearing this, Jiang Xiaolan said, "Secretary Xiao, although I'm a vocational school graduate, I studied medical nursing; how could I
write any reports? How about this, contact the middle school and borrow a language arts teacher to write it? That would solve everything
!" She looked at Secretary Xiao with great enthusiasm. "Haha—my brain is really bad! How come I
didn't think of this!" Xiao Wenli said.
Twenty-two-year-old Jiang Xiaolan had been working in the town government for a year after being assigned from the county personnel bureau. She was a vocational school
graduate, unmarried, and of average appearance; her parents were farmers in the countryside. This time, she was assigned to oversee a production team
in Longtan Brigade, a task assigned by Mayor Xiang, along with Secretary Xiao. Because Secretary Xiao frequently traveled to the county or returned to the town for meetings,
Jiang Xiaolan was usually the one covering the entire team. She was young, outgoing, energetic, and easygoing, and the local
poor and lower-middle peasants all liked her.
The town middle school had three Chinese language teachers: graduates of Northeast Normal University and Siping Teachers College, all experienced
teachers with over five years of experience. Upon receiving the call, the principal dared not neglect them, considering it an official appointment from the town party secretary
and a matter of great importance to the school. He then assigned Li Wenyu, the most outstanding of the three—a graduate of Northeast Normal University and the head of the Chinese language team.
He was assigned to Longtan Brigade, the village under Secretary Xiao's jurisdiction. After a brief self-introduction, Secretary Xiao made several requests
, demanding that the materials be completed within two days and submitted to the county committee in one go. He also instructed the brigade secretary
to arrange the best accommodations and meals for Teacher Li, to hold various types of meetings, discussions, and visits for different social strata,
and to provide comprehensive services for whatever Teacher Li needed.
Speaking of this brigade secretary, Wu Anyang, he was indeed a figure in Nantun Town. In terms of family background and personal
status, he was even worse off than the poor and lower-middle peasants—he came from a hired laborer background. The poor and lower-middle peasants were only considered semi-proletarians
; gold was genuine, but Wu Anyang was a full-fledged proletarian. In every political movement, no matter how much the "five degrees of kinship
and three generations" were investigated, he didn't even have the origins of his parents. He didn't know when, where, or who had brought him to
Nantun Town. There was no need to investigate his grandfather or his grandfather's father. Naturally, there were no uncles, aunts, or
other relatives. His political history was clean, and his social connections were simple—truly "simple and
honest." In those days, he was the most desirable catch, someone reliable enough to fly and travel abroad. Unfortunately,
he lacked the education to fly airplanes, and he couldn't read or understand foreign languages, even speaking Mandarin haltingly.
He often regretted his bad luck, being born in the old society and growing up in dilapidated temples and ancestral halls.
During the land reform, he was only in his early twenties, and had been working as a gong player in a temple in Beishan, Nantun Town for nearly five years. He did odd jobs
, ran errands, taught, brewed tea, swept the courtyard, gathered firewood, and guarded the temple. He had to carefully observe the elders'
expressions every day, putting in considerable effort. Of course, he also suffered unexpected slaps
and physical abuse. At a rally where liberated peasants shared their grievances, he tearfully recounted:
"We ate rice soaked in tears, drank soup made of bitter gall, had our heads beaten like wooden fish, and had our necks used as benches.
When I was seventeen or eighteen, my tattered pants still showed half of my buttocks. I couldn't even find a rope to hang myself."
Back then, Wu Anyang was designated as an "active participant in land reform" by the work team. Originally, given his qualifications, he
could have easily become a successful "comrade" in uniform, a gold pen in his pocket. However,
Wu Anyang, who had just risen from the lowest rung of society to the highest, failed the test, stumbling on the gleaming, reflective
marble surface of class consciousness. The land reform work team sent him to guard the belongings of a fleeing landlord in the town,
but he slipped and fell into the ivory bed, where he found himself intimately involved with the landlord's abandoned concubine.
It seemed he was finally tasting the flavor of "turning the tables." Previously, he had never dared to even glance at such a lowly woman
, but now he possessed her, enjoyed her company, and reveled in her beauty. This kind of "turning the tables"... Of course, such behavior was not
permitted by the policies of the People's Government, and was strictly prohibited by the work team's discipline; it was absolutely intolerable. That concubine
, for using her "honey trap" on the "land reform activist," received her due punishment. Wu Anyang, the "land reform
activist," also lost his promising future of being promoted to "comrade." Otherwise, Wu Anyang wouldn't be the brigade
secretary today; he would at least be a county-level official driving a jeep and managing hundreds of thousands of people.
Wu Anyang wept bitterly in front of the work team, slapping himself until blood flowed from both corners of his mouth.
The work team, considering his deep-seated resentment and earnest repentance, preserved his
status as a hired laborer and "land reform activist." He still received the same share of the "fruits of victory." He received clothes for all four seasons, a complete set
of bedding, two mu of dry land, one mu of paddy field, and two red-brick houses in the main town. He
forgot, however, that he should also be given some farm tools and oxen. At that time, he was ecstatic, his brain had been kicked by a donkey!
Having received these spoils of victory, Wu Anyang was so happy he couldn't close his mouth or sleep for days and nights. He thought he
was dreaming, dreaming of boundless wealth. Then, his vision blurred and he became dizzy, even having the
most pessimistic and hopeless thought: Now that he, surnamed Wu, had these windfalls, he could sleep soundly, eat whatever he wanted,
have meat at every meal, drink a couple of ounces of wine with every meal, and even if he sold the house, he could live for another ten or eight years. Now, with XXX
's effective leadership and the People's Government's great power, the new society has a bright future.
Judging from the documents and materials vigorously promoted by the work team comrades, in ten or eight years, socialism will be built and communism will be established
! At that time, why not eat public food, wear public clothes, live in public housing, and take public things? Even his own
lean, hundred-pound body might belong to the public. Whenever he thought about how
wonderful the new society was, he would dance with joy, overjoyed.
As the saying goes, "Saving money is like gold picking up dirt, spending money is like sand being washed away by waves." "Sitting idle will deplete your savings."
After several years of struggling, Wu Anshan hadn't married a woman, and he had sold off almost all of his share of the harvest. He was back to his
impoverished state before the land reform, looking down on others who, like him, had been "active participants in the land reform,"
had prospered greatly in just a few years. They had bought oxen, property, built new houses, married, and had children. Their families
were dressed smartly and lived prosperous lives, which made him extremely envious. He longed for the day when
another land reform would come, so he could once again receive a share of the spoils of victory. "Damn it, if I ever
get power and become a government official, I'll be classifying people by class every year; carrying out land reform every year; and
distributing floating assets every year. First of all, I'll have to bring Li Xianwang's second daughter home to sleep with, making it a fait accompli—"
Lying on his tattered mat, he propped his head up with his hands, smugly thinking about who should be classified as landlords, who should be classified as rich peasants,
and who should be classified as poor and lower-middle peasants. And himself? Of course, he'd be the "Chairman of the Farmers' Association"! Besides me, who
else is qualified for that position? Of course, he knew he was just having fun, just joking around!
Back when mutual aid groups and cooperatives were established, everyone knew Wu Anyang was lazy and couldn't do farm work,
so no one wanted to take him in. It wasn't until the advanced cooperative was established that he became a member. The agricultural cooperative had
a director, deputy director, committee members, etc., and many production teams under it. Meetings were held at any time, and someone always had
to run errands and give orders. This necessitated finding someone with a good background, political reliability, and quick wit and agility to fill the position.
Wu Anyang thus found himself in the right place at the right time, with an opportunity to utilize his talents. From then on, he was like a blade of grass in the temple,
swaying in the wind.
Wu Anyang had another side to his character: he was always willing to help out his neighbors. In town,
aside from the "five categories of people" (referring to certain social classes or groups),
he would always show up uninvited for any celebration, whether it was a baby's full-month celebration, an elder's birthday, a wedding, or a funeral. He would assist the host with whatever he could, without asking for anything in return. He
would bustle about, borrowing things, moving tables and chairs, working tirelessly, even forgetting to eat or sleep, all for the sake of creating a lively atmosphere
and getting some food and drink. Even on ordinary days, he was always willing to help out when someone was slaughtering a pig or sheep;
mixing mud to build a stove, setting up a pot to boil water, scraping the hair and cleaning the intestines, running errands to buy wine, cigarettes, soy sauce, and so on. Therefore,
he unwittingly earned a special title in the village: "the 'public servant' of Nantun Town."
Besides being well-liked in town, he was also quite favored by the leaders. He, a bachelor, lived in two
brick-and-tile houses allocated to him. The landlord's room was spacious, with two beds facing each other on a heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove). Therefore,
comrades from the county and district who came down for "assigned meals" generally preferred to rest in his room. In this way, Wu Anyang got to know
some cadres at various levels from the county and district. These cadres, when they came to the countryside, were very particular about proletarian sentiment. They
saw that even after the land reform and liberation, six or seven years later, Wu Anyang still couldn't afford to get married. He still had
a broken stove and a tattered mat on the kang, and the worn-out cotton quilt emitted a foul smell. He had returned to
the state of a poor peasant, which made the cadres feel very sorry for him and very distressed. Therefore, every winter, when relief funds were allocated, and every
spring and summer, during the lean season, Wu Anyang was often the first recipient of relief in the entire Nantun town. Moreover,
every now and then he would receive relief cotton clothes and quilts! It seemed that the revolution and struggle were all
for people like Wu Anyang. Wu Anyang's good fortune had arrived; things really do change. At the end of the year, he was inexplicably
selected by the work team to participate in the county's "Remembering the Bitter Past and Appreciating the Sweet Present" lecture tour.
After three months of touring various townships throughout the county, Wu Anyang returned a completely different person, a sight to behold. He was like a changed man;
his hair was neatly combed, his face wasn't as dark as before, and he seemed to have gained weight. He wore a brand-
new black Zhongshan suit, looking quite imposing, and a pair of yellow cloth-uppered rubber shoes fit him perfectly
. Even his speech was much smoother than before. However, his "character" remained unchanged—his pretentious
and slippery "character."
Wu Anyang arrogantly slammed his letter of introduction onto the town mayor's desk, much to the mayor's surprise.
He thought to himself, "This kid's really hit the jackpot." "You've really changed a lot in just a few days," the mayor said, "Wow,
Wu Anyang, you've brought great honor to our Nantun Town! You've only been away for three months and you've already joined X! That's truly remarkable!"
"Thank you for the praise, Mayor. It's all thanks to the organization's excellent training and education. I'm really nothing special." This
young man had spent three months traveling and giving lectures, undergoing training and practical exercises, honing his skills. Later, Wu Anyang
participated in various movements and gradually matured. Two years ago, to strengthen the leadership of the Longtan Brigade, the town committee
persuaded the old secretary to retire and specially appointed Wu Anyang as the X branch secretary of the Longtan Brigade. From then on, he had incredibly good luck!
No wonder he's a top student from Northeast Normal University. Teacher Li finished writing the materials in a little over two days, neatly
copied a copy, and handed it to Secretary Xiao. He also asked Secretary Xiao for suggestions for revision. Secretary Xiao, knowing his own limited abilities,
read through the entire 50-plus pages of material as if going into battle. But out of politeness, she said, "Thank you, Teacher Li,
you've worked hard! I need to review this material tonight; I'm busy with work during the day. You should go back to school first! Wait for my call
." Teacher Li breathed a sigh of relief, got on his slightly worn bicycle, and went back to school to hand in his work.
The shrewd Jiang Xiaolan knew that Secretary Xiao wasn't very literate, and reviewing this material would be a burden on him. Wanting
to speak but afraid of misunderstanding, she cleverly said, "Secretary Xiao, you've been working hard all day. How about I read
the material aloud? Listen, if there are any parts that need revision, just tell me, and I'll write them down accurately and then have
Teacher Li revise them. Is that alright?" She timidly glanced at Secretary Xiao's face, afraid he might suddenly get angry or
something unexpected might happen. Because these few words might seem disrespectful to the town party secretary, and could potentially lead to punishment.
"Haha! Comrade Xiao Jiang, you're so clever! You know my level, I've never been to school!
I'm not afraid to talk, but if you ask me to write, hey—! It's heavier than holding a gun!
I accept my fate, I'm just a roughneck! Dealing with pen and paper makes me uncomfortable, gives me a headache, and
even makes my wounds infected." "It's not that serious. You all spent your best years on the battlefield. You missed
the opportunity to study and learn to read, don't be too pessimistic. As long as you can get the job done, that's enough! Who cares about being rough or rough?"
Jiang Xiaolan comforted Secretary Xiao, seeing that he hadn't gotten angry and must have his reasons.
Jiang Xiaolan then finished reading the material in about an hour. Secretary Xiao exclaimed excitedly, "Excellent,
excellent, excellent! Not a single word needs to be changed, it's written so well. It's just like the tone of Secretary Wen's speech at the County Party Committee,
it sounds really impressive!" Jiang Xiaolan also felt that it read smoothly, the word choice was appropriate, and the sentences were friendly.
The examples she gave were all things that had happened in Longtan Brigade, and it didn't go off-topic. Secretary Xiao asked Xiaolan to copy it over and keep a copy for herself that night,
and mail another copy to the County Party Committee.

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