Chapter 48: Meeting

The second day was Saturday.

On Saturday mornings, classes were held as usual, with Jiang Liyu attending her studies and Jiang Liyun and others continuing their market stall activities.

Despite the reduced price of white feathered chicken, the Jiang family’s life remained unaffected. In fact, with the lower cost of selling fried chicken, they even earned a bit more.

As the family arrived at the morning market, Jiang Liyun noticed many people selling white-feathered chicken stalls, most of them being nearby villagers.

Their businesses existed, but they weren’t thriving.

How many people lived in the town? These individuals couldn’t possibly eat chicken every day.

The chicken-selling farmers placed their chicken cages in front of them, anxiously watching the early-market customers. Acquaintances gathered to chat.

“They say raising chickens can make money, but I never expected…”

“I get angry just looking at these chickens now; they are only good for eating!”

“If these chickens don’t sell, we won’t have money for the New Year.”

“My brother just finished building his house; no money for chickens. He used to envy me; now it’s the other way around.”

…

Old Man Feng’s stall now had an additional chicken cage; he was now selling both vegetables and chickens.

Compared to others, he had experience in selling things. When people passed by, he would actively call out, “Come take a look, fresh vegetables, plump chickens!”

“Do you want to buy chickens? If you buy chickens, I’ll give you two bunches of spinach.”

“My chickens are cheaper than others!”

…

The market price of white feathered chicken continued to decline, mainly because some people, in order to sell their own chickens, offered customers a lower price than others.

Old Man Feng lowered the price again, and he even added free vegetables.

In his eyes, vegetables were grown in the field with minimal costs. Previously, he might have had to buy fertiliser, but since raising chickens, they provide fertiliser daily, eliminating the need to purchase it.

So, the vegetables were essentially free, and he didn’t mind giving them away.

However, even if Old Man Feng managed to sell his White Feathered Chickens, he was still losing money.

Feeling frustrated, he instinctively looked towards the nearby fried dumpling stall operated by Jiang Liyun.

Jiang Liyun’s fried dumpling business had stabilized. Nine Bend Town was a large town with several factories, and in recent years, some small businesses have emerged. There was still a group of people in the town with high incomes.

These people had money to spend on buying fried dumplings.

Occasionally, individuals with lower incomes or rural residents visiting the town would want to taste some fried dumplings.

She sold over sixteen hundred dumplings a day, effortlessly completing her sales.

Selling dumplings was a profitable venture, and Old Man Feng couldn’t help but envy Jiang Liyun every time he saw her.

The others selling chickens also envied them.

If only they knew how to make dumplings and fried chicken…

Oh, what to do with the chickens they raised?

In the township government, a few officials were also worried: “What to do with the chickens they raised?”

Initially, when some people in the commune became prosperous by raising chickens, they were delighted and even commended them, actively promoting the practice.

They wanted every household in their township to raise chickens and prosper together!

As families started making money, everyone was eager to learn. Even before they could put effort into promoting, more and more people in the commune began raising chickens.

Just when they were happy about it, the chickens couldn’t be sold!

They had tried to find solutions, reaching out to some people to help sell the chickens from the commune. However, starting this year, it wasn’t just their commune raising white feathered chickens!

Other communes, even neighbouring counties, had many people raising white-feathered chickens too!

Any potential markets they could contact were already taken.

“Let’s send someone to the provincial capital and see if we can find a market there.”

“I saw a report in the newspaper before. There was a place where people couldn’t sell a lot of oranges, so they turned them all into canned oranges and sold them. Should we consider processing these chickens?”

“How can we process these chickens? Ducks can be made into braised duck, but can these chickens be turned into braised chicken?”

…

The more these commune officials thought about it, the more worried they became.

Just then, someone entered from outside: “Secretary Lu, two people outside claim they can sell the chickens from our commune.”

Someone who could help them solve the problem? The officials were thrilled, and one of them said, “Quick, bring them in!”

The two individuals were soon invited in.

They were two young men. One looked quite handsome, dressed in somewhat old clothes but neatly washed. He exuded a scholarly air, giving the impression of an educated person.

The other, in terms of temperament, was completely different. Wearing a floral shirt, bell bottoms, and black leather shoes, he looked very trendy, but his face was marred by pimples, making him appear a bit unattractive.

Were these two here to buy chickens? One official was about to pour tea for them, but the other official spoke first: “Ermao, why is it you?”

Sun Jinshan: “…”

He had entered with the perfect demeanour, wanting people to see him as a capable big boss. Yet, with just an “Ermao” (second hair), all his grandeur vanished.

Whatever it is, let it go. Sun Jinshan smiled and approached. “Uncle, it’s me! I’ve found a market for the chickens from our commune!”

Jiang Lihai now took out a notebook and a pen. He had previously travelled throughout the commune collecting data, using the same notebook and pen. “About a month ago, we noticed that there were quite a few people in the commune raising chickens. Worried about an oversupply of White Feathered Chickens in the market, leading to a drop in chicken prices or even difficulty selling them, I specifically conducted a survey on the number of chickens in the commune. During a business trip to Shanghai, I also inquired about places that buy White Feathered Chickens.”

Jiang Lihai’s explanation mirrored what Jiang Liyun had taught him while kneading dough yesterday.

He enjoyed reading books and even writing poetry, coupled with his naturally good looks, giving off the impression of being well-educated.

Now, with a book and pen in hand, this impression has become even stronger.

“We are currently in the transitional phase from a planned economy to a market economy. In a market economy, the supply and demand relationship determines the price and quantity of goods. Currently, White Feathered Chickens are in a state of oversupply, causing chicken prices to drop and the trading volume to decrease. We noticed this early on and sought external markets to prevent losses for the people,” Jiang Lihai said, pointing to the data he had previously recorded about the approximate number of chickens in the commune, when these chickens were likely to be ready for sale, and the demand for chickens in their town and county.

The commune officials listened attentively; even Sun Jinshan felt that Jiang Lihai seemed quite cultured.

Yes, somewhat like Jiang Liyun.

After sharing a lot of information, Jiang Lihai concluded, “I think we can have the commune take the lead, collectively purchase white feathered chickens, and sell them to Shanghai.”

“Yes!” Several commune officials strongly agreed.

As Jiang Lihai spoke, they leant over to look at his notebook.

On it were records of Jiang Lihai’s two surveys on the number of white-feathered chickens in the commune, and from last night’s conversation with Jiang Liyun, some of the things she had said were also noted down in the book.

Jiang Lihai cared a lot about his image and always wanted to do his best; even his handwriting had been specifically practiced. He didn’t have calligraphy practice sheets; he copied prints from books, making his handwriting look especially neat. At a glance, one would think he wasn’t an ordinary person.

A commune official asked, “Young man, which unit are you from?”

Sun Jinshan finally found an opportunity to speak: “This is Jiang Lihai; just like me, he’s from the Brick and Tile Factory’s transportation team.”

Commune official: “A cultured person like him works in the Brick and Tile Factory’s transportation team? Isn’t that somewhat undervaluing his talents?”

Furthermore, Sun Ermao’s appearance didn’t seem at all like that of an employee from a brick and tile factory. He looked more like a second-rate rich kid who spent his days wandering around town.

Jiang Lihai explained, “Yes, we are from the Brick and Tile Factory’s transportation team. This time, we will also borrow the factory’s boat to transport the White Feathered Chickens to Shanghai. This is the purchasing method my sister wrote. We can follow the instructions on it to purchase the White Feathered Chickens.”

Saying that, Jiang Lihai and Sun Jinshan took out the paper Jiang Liyun had written on yesterday.

Jiang Liyun’s handwriting was similar to Jiang Lihai’s, not exceptional but very neat.

The commune officials weren’t calligraphers, so they didn’t have much knowledge about handwriting, but they felt that Jiang Lihai’s sister should also be a cultured person.

However, how come they had never heard about these two siblings before?

Regardless, this purchasing method was well-written and saved them a lot of trouble.

The purchasing price provided by Jiang Lihai and Sun Jinshan was slightly higher than the current market price for individual sales in the town, making it quite reasonable.

The commune officials were pleased and immediately said, “Let’s have someone transcribe this purchasing method a few times and distribute it to each village. We’ll ask them to help with the purchase of white feathered chickens.”

Upon hearing this, Sun Jinshan immediately praised these leaders, saying they were excellent leaders who served the people.

The leaders, in turn, shook Jiang Lihai’s hand, expressing their gratitude. Sun Jinshan wondered why they didn’t thank him.

Jiang Liyun’s idea saved a lot of trouble for Sun Jinshan and Jiang Lihai, eliminating the need to spend money hiring people to purchase white feathered chickens.

This was a good thing for both Sun Jinshan and Jiang Lihai and the commune officials!

Although the people below would be busy for a few days, it was just a matter of weighing and recording the chickens. If the village was too busy, they could delegate the task to various squads, with the production team leaders responsible for the purchase.

The procurement of grains and such was originally organized by the production teams below, and everyone had experience!

From start to finish, the commune wouldn’t have to spend a penny—how great!

Moreover, with the commune involved, the people would remember the commune’s assistance. When reporting their work at the end of the year, they could even say that, with their help, the villagers in the township sold the White Feathered Chickens.

The gaze of the officials towards Jiang Lihai and Sun Jinshan was exceptionally warm.

When Sun Jinshan mentioned that the commune could arrange for people to go to Shanghai together, they readily agreed. They even decided to send not just one person but three from among them, considering it an inspection of the Shanghai market!

Sun Jinshan and Jiang Lihai: “…”

They thought the commune would send a “soldier” to accompany them and supervise them a bit. They didn’t expect the commune to plan to send three officials.

The conditions on their boat were not very pleasant!

When they usually go on business trips, it’s not for enjoyment but to endure hardships. Throughout the trip, they can’t even take a bath, and the sleeping space is particularly small, sometimes just sleeping on the floor.

Due to such conditions, those working in the Brick and Tile Factory’s transportation team are mostly young adults in their twenties and thirties.

The commune officials are not young; the youngest among them is in their forties. It remains to be seen if they can endure such conditions.

People are accustomed to calling it the “commune,” but in reality, several years ago, it was changed to a “township.”

At the moment, the township and the town are at the same administrative level, and the township government has quite a few officials.

The conversation with Jiang Lihai and Sun Jinshan involved the township secretary, the chairman of the People’s Congress, and two deputy township chiefs; the township head and deputy secretary were not present.

After the discussion, these individuals immediately called a few young people working in the township government, asking them to transcribe the purchasing method written by Jiang Liyun. They also instructed them to call each village, summoning the village heads, secretaries, and even production team leaders.

The township head, deputy secretary, and some other key township officials also informed their respective contacts.

Today is Saturday, and some people aren’t working, but since everyone lives nearby, with a quick invitation, they should be able to come to the township government for a meeting in the afternoon.

After the meeting, in the evening, the production team leaders will go door to door to implement the purchase of white feathered chickens. Although Jiang Lihai and Sun Jinshan don’t need to be involved in these tasks, they are still asked to stay at the township government by the secretary.

The township where Qiaotou Village is located is called Hongxing Township, and the township secretary is named Lu Weishan.

Secretary Lu is slightly chubby and of short stature. After assigning tasks to his subordinates, he began talking to Jiang Lihai and Sun Jinshan. “The common people are quite anxious right now. Knowing that someone is buying White Feathered Chickens will certainly excite them. There might be chaos and disputes. It’s best for the township to intervene, but in doing so, we definitely have to use the township’s name.”

Secretary Lu spoke a lot, but the general idea was that the township also wanted to benefit a bit from the purchase of white feathered chickens.

Jiang Lihai and Sun Jinshan naturally had no objections.

Secretary Lu became even more enthusiastic towards them, inviting them to have dinner in the township.

The township government had hired someone to cook, setting up several large round tables for everyone to eat together.

Jiang Lihai and Sun Jinshan sat at the same table with Secretary Lu and the others. They were a bit surprised and pleased, but also somewhat floating on air.

Until today, they were just ordinary farmers from Hongxing Township. Now, they were having dinner with township officials!

In the afternoon, a meeting was held in the township to discuss the purchase of white-feathered chickens. Jiang Lihai was born in 1962. People of their age group might not have had much education. Some might have attended school for a few years, recognised only a few characters, and could speak Mandarin. Their dialect was quite different from Mandarin, and their teachers used the local dialect to teach them.

People of Jiang Lihai’s age, who could speak Mandarin with a strong accent, were considered quite good. In the township, they were already considered young.

Most people of Jiang Lamei’s generation, born in the 1930s and 1940s, couldn’t read. The people attending the meeting today were mostly from Jiang Lamei’s generation.

The township government officials, including village chiefs, were generally well-educated, while some of the production team leaders had only attended literacy classes.

It was a chaotic scene, and some people were not satisfied with the purchasing method written by Jiang Liyun, thinking it was unnecessarily complicated.

“When acquiring, follow these guidelines exactly! Don’t make decisions on your own. These chickens will be sent to Shanghai. If their weight is insufficient, it’s a loss of face for our Red Star Village!” Secretary Lu shouted.

The village head and team leader are all locals with plenty of relatives, maybe even raising white-feathered chickens themselves.

Without regulations, who knows how they’ll handle the acquisition? Having multiple prices might complicate things. Following the rules is the safest.

After a day of turmoil, the matter was finally resolved. Jiang Lihai left the town hall, walking proudly home.

In the past, he cared about his appearance to avoid being looked down upon. Today is different; he unconsciously stands tall.

During dinner, Jiang Lihai told his sister, Jiang Liyun, about the day’s events. She thought it was great.

The upcoming tasks won’t require much effort from Jiang Lihai and Sun Jinshan. She just needs to wait to receive the money.

“Dad, Mum, I talked a lot with Secretary Lu today and even had lunch at the commune. The braised chicken we had for lunch was delicious,” Jiang Lihai shared with his parents.

Jiang’s parents, inexperienced and usually timid, listened attentively. They felt amazed that their nephew, Jiang Lihai, had eaten at the town hall!

Their second uncle had never even entered the town hall; it’s not a place anyone can casually go.

While they were having dinner, they heard the voice of their production team leader outside: “Jiang Lame, are you there?”

Before Jiang Lame could respond, Feng Yi opened the door. Their team leader, also surnamed Jiang, a bit younger than Jiang Lame, said, “Jiang Lame, you’re truly lucky! Both your son and daughter are successful! Today, I saw Lihai in the town and hesitated to acknowledge him!”

Jiang Lame grinned, revealing a few missing teeth.

Jiang’s second uncle, who had finished dinner and came to chat with Jiang’s parents as usual, learned about Jiang Lihai’s achievements upon arrival.

Jiang’s second uncle: “…”
He used to reprimand Jiang Lihai every time they met, but now that Jiang Lihai has succeeded, how can he scold him again?

His older brother may be inferior in many aspects, but his children are remarkable. Jiang’s second uncle felt a bit sour!

After a brief conversation, the team leader hastily left. He had to visit other households, especially those raising chickens.

The town offered a good price for everyone’s chickens, making everyone happy!

Even though the actual acquisition is in four days, it’s fine to keep the chickens at home for a few more days. When everyone left, Jiang Liyun looked at Jiang Lihai and said, “Brother, everyone is praising you!”

Jiang Lihai couldn’t help but smile.

Jiang Liyun continued, “Brother, although the wages in the brick and tile factory’s transportation team are high, it’s very strenuous. In the next few years, if you need money, you can try something else. It would be best to change your job eventually. If you have free time, you can study and prepare for a future job change.”

Jiang Lihai nodded repeatedly. “Yes, I want to learn.”

Today, after visiting the town hall, Jiang Lihai realised how good it is to work there!

Some people in the town hall may not have higher salaries than him, but they get weekends off, and meals in government are free.

The key is the respect they receive!

If he could work in the town hall, that would be great. He plans to enquire about it and see how he can get in.

Even if he can’t work in the town, working in the village is also an option!