Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Marriage Report
"In Huaihua Village, a member can earn 60 cents a day on a full-time basis. This figure is not only among the highest in our commune, but also among the highest in the country. Why? It is because the cadres in our brigade have a high political consciousness. Liang Xin secretly raised six more chickens when the brigade has clearly stipulated that each household cannot raise more than five chickens. The capital tail is so thick, and it is because I, as a father, did not educate her well, and she has the tendency to restore capitalist thoughts. Today, I must..."
"dad!"
Two men and two women ran over from the east. They were the son and daughter-in-law who were sent away by Liang Tiezhu early in the morning with an excuse to go to the commune supply and marketing cooperative to inquire about the situation of the Huaihua Brigade sales point.
Liang Tiezhu's expression changed, "Why are you back again!"
"I've said it before. The second brother and I will split the family business with you. If we split the business equally, then Liangxin's six chickens won't be considered extra." The eldest brother of the Liang family picked up the chicken head on the ground and the body of the chicken that was curled up in the corner without moving. "Some members of the cooperative haven't eaten meat for more than half a year. There's not enough food at home, and you're still wasting the old hens."
"That's right." The second sister-in-law called the members, "Let's gather at the river today. The production team will provide meals. Goudan, go and bring the big iron pot. We haven't eaten chicken for half a year. We just killed a chicken and drained the blood. Then boil a pot of water and plucked the feathers. Go to our vegetable cellar and dig up some radishes. Then bring over two heads of winter cabbage. For lunch, we'll stew radish, cabbage, and chicken with vermicelli to reward everyone's stomach!"
"Nonsense!" Liang Tiezhu's authority was challenged and he became even angrier than before. "If you continue to make trouble, I will send Liang Xin to the Commune Revolutionary Committee!"
"Dad, my eldest brother just said that we are going to separate from you... Dad!"
Before the second sister-in-law finished speaking, Liang Tiezhu walked straight towards Liang Xin.
The eldest and second sons of the Liang family hurriedly stood in front of Liang Xin.
This made Liang Tiezhu, who was over 60 and no longer strong, so angry that his eyes were blazing with anger. "You bastards, you have grown up and become strong, right? Pull them away!"
The militia platoon walked over and tried to persuade them in a gentle manner, but finding that it was useless, they had to resort to force.
Just as the two sides were about to start fighting, a thin man from the west came running over, raised his hands and shouted, "The chicken was not raised by Liang Xin, but by me!"
The militiamen who were about to take action stopped.
Everyone present looked to the east.
Liang Xin couldn't sit on the recliner any longer. She stood up and pushed the people on both sides away. She looked at the person who was panting and said, "It's not her..."
"I raised him!"
The girl in a ragged patched blue jacket raised her chilblained hands high to the brigade cadres and said, "Liang Xin is the daughter of the brigade secretary. She has enough food and clothing. Why would she need to take the risk of raising more chickens? I raise them. I usually help the production team to dredge sand in the big river in the west. The chickens are raised in the reeds in the middle of the river. I dig earthworms and catch small fish every day and chop them up to feed the chickens. If you want to criticize or arrest me, come to me."
Liang Tiezhu and the other officials were stunned and said in unison: "Why are you here again?"
"Yes, it's me. This isn't the first time I've done this." The girl rubbed her nose, which was frozen by the cold wind. "Over the years, I've cut willow branches, caught fish and shrimp, and dealt with toilet sewage. I'm the only one who would try to steal public property every now and then."
The brigade cadres were all dumbfounded.
It was precisely because the Hui people had always used Lu Wei to get the job done in the past that the commune felt that they were just doing it half-heartedly. This time, when Liang Xin was caught feeding chickens, the branch secretary made up his mind to criticize Liang Xin for getting the job done.
Now it has been Lu Wei who has taken over. If Lu Wei is used again to deal with the problem, the commune will definitely remove him from the position of branch secretary and let someone else take over.
Liang Xin pulled Lu Wei behind her and said, "I raised him. Have you approved it? Should we go to the commune or the county next?"
"Look at the way you two are fighting over candy. You don't know what's wrong at all. Today I'm going to put a stop to your capitalist ideology!" Liang Tiezhu waved at the militia platoon, "Send them both to the Commune Revolutionary Committee!"
Speak of the devil and he will appear. The director of the commune revolutionary committee arrived when the militia started to take real action.
When the people arrived, Liang's brother and sister-in-law and the other members of the commune all changed their expressions, knowing that Liang Xin was in trouble this time.
Unexpectedly, as soon as the director of the commune arrived at the entrance of the brigade, he threw the bicycle that he had always cleaned to the ground beside him and ran towards Liang Xin with a look of ecstasy on his face:
"Liang Xin, the Political Department of the Jiangjing Military Region sent me a letter about your transfer. When did you find a marriage partner? Why didn't you tell me in advance?"
Everyone present was stunned.
The second sister-in-law's fear instantly turned into joy and surprise, "External investigation letter?!"
"The Political Department of the Military Region?" Liang Tiezhu stared at his second daughter-in-law in a daze, and a look of disbelief suddenly appeared on his face. "Is it Liang Xin's?"
"Yes!" The director of the commune could not hide his joy and said, "The Political Department of the Military Region, Liang Xin's marriage partner works in the Military Region Office? That means he must be a battalion-level staff officer at least! He is so young and can be transferred to the Military Region Office, and he is also a battalion-level cadre. He has a bright future!"
"Battalion-level cadre?" Liang Tiezhu was even more stunned. "You know all this?"
"I guessed it!" The commune director had a smile on his face. Just as he was about to talk to Liang Xin, he noticed that there was chicken blood all over the floor and walls: "Why is there chicken blood all over the floor? What are you doing?"
Liang Xin: "They are criticizing and fighting against me."
The brigade cadres who were grinning with joy: "............"
The commune director was stunned for a moment, then he pointed at Liang Tiezhu and cursed: "The Gang of Four has been crushed, why are you still holding a criticism and struggle meeting here! And you are criticizing Liang Xin, it's just nonsense!"
Liang Tiezhu: ".........No, isn't this the quota for criticism and denunciation that you have been assigned?"
"That was a long time ago. The slogans on the walls of the commune production team have long been replaced with enthusiastic celebrations of the smashing of the Gang of Four. The People's Daily and Red Flag magazine have published editorials for more than a month. Under the guidance of the Chairman's revolutionary line, our party has won, the proletariat has won, and the people have won! You are still holding a criticism and struggle meeting here. How did your political awareness become so backward!"
After severely criticizing Liang Tiezhu, the director of the commune still felt it was not enough and continued to scold him: "I think you are a power-obsessed person. Liang Xin is your daughter. She comes from a good family. Her ancestors for three generations have all worked hard to fight against the Japanese invaders and eliminate the devils. They are people's heroes and literary warriors. What right do you have to criticize her?"
Liang Xin's previous generation: Liang Tiezhu: ".......she raised six more chickens."
The director of the commune looked at the six hens lying on the ground, some dead and some alive, and glared at them: "Are you short of food or water? Why are you forcing your children to raise chickens secretly? Liang Tiezhu! You are a party member and cadre, you can't take the lead in favoring boys over girls!"
Liang Tiezhu: “.........”
The commune director was the most high-ranking official most members had ever seen. He was so angry that he scolded the brigade secretary so hard that he didn't even dare to raise his head. The other brigade cadres were so scared that they fell silent. The militia platoon had already wisely kept their distance from Liang Xin and didn't dare to move forward.
"Director, we don't have many Liangxins. We plan to separate from my father. After the separation, the population will be evenly distributed. There will be one extra one, which is just right for killing the production team to feed Dahe."
The second sister-in-law walked up quickly and said, "Oh, I didn't expect that I had just taken Liang Xin to a blind date two days ago, and she responded after only three days. Director, you don't know, we were scared that day. As soon as we entered the military compound, the guards took us to the family area. I thought that if I became a regimental cadre, our Liang Xin would enjoy endless benefits, but I didn't expect that I was taken to the innermost part..."
The brigade members and cadres pricked up their ears and listened with great interest, but they saw the second sister-in-law suddenly stop talking, move closer to the director, and mutter something.
The director's face suddenly changed, his hands trembled, "Just...just do as you say, that's it, Liang Xin, no, Liang Tiezhu!"
Liang Tiezhu, who was also listening attentively, was startled and looked at the commune director in panic.
The director of the commune said: "I haven't finished what I said just now. There is no quantitative standard for raising chickens. When you encounter members doing such things, as long as they don't go too far, you can do some ideological work and verbal education. You actually mobilized a large number of people for such a matter. This shows that your brigade party branch has not fully understood the spirit of learning from Dazhai, so it has been implemented like this! Starting tomorrow, all cadres of your brigade will go to the commune every morning to re-learn the specific experience of learning from Dazhai in agriculture and accept ideological re-education!"
The brigade cadres were once again collectively dumbfounded.
"I will warn you one last time. Liang Xin has a good family background and has no political or historical problems or their handling. She has no economic problems or other illegal or disciplinary behavior or their handling. Liang Xin's political thoughts, work, and life are all good."
The commune director's expression became very serious: "Before she gets married, if anything happens again because of your team cadres' own reasons, the commune party organization will consider removing the entire leadership team of your Huaihua team!"
Liang Tiezhu felt a shudder run down his spine. At his age, what he feared most was being dismissed.
But when he thought about his daughter's marriage and looked at the attitude of the commune director, his shock faded away and surprise gradually rose from the bottom of his heart.
Liang Xin is his daughter!
"Don't worry, Director. Such incidents will never happen again in our brigade!"
The mass meeting was disbanded and the production team participated in the collective task of digging the river.
Goudan brought a large iron pot and set it up, then happily added firewood to boil water and pluck chicken feathers.
Liang Xin and Lu Wei were just fighting over the chickens they raised.
After the crisis was resolved, they started fighting over the animals that were not theirs.
In the end, Lu Wei took away five chickens, ignored the repeated suggestive looks from her family, and ran to the purchasing station of the commune supply and marketing cooperative.
"I told you that you had a chance. The chief's family has taken a fancy to you!"
The second sister-in-law took Liang Xin's arm and walked into the house, her emotions even more excited, "General's Building, Military District Chief, our Liang Xin has really turned bad luck into good luck, and will enjoy a happy life in this life!"
Liang Tiezhu, wearing a dark grey civilian uniform that had been washed to greyish white, followed behind him and said, "Xiaoyan, tell me more about the situation over there."
Liang Xin walked to the well platform carrying a white enamel basin. The well water was warm in early winter. She moved a four-legged low stool and sat down. She took off her shoes and socks and put her feet directly into the basin.
The family members gathered together and talked with their faces beaming, forgetting everything else.
The eldest sister-in-law silently took out a bamboo kettle from the pot room, walked to the well platform, removed the cork, and added hot water to the foot basin.
When Liang Xin had said enough, she squatted down again, reached into the basin, and held the white and delicate feet.
"I can do it myself."
"I have been washing your feet since you were three years old. I will only wash them if you are going to become the daughter-in-law of the military commander."
Liang Xin watched her sister-in-law's thumb fall precisely on the spot where the chicken blood splashed. "I've been eating too much meat recently, and my feet have become fat. No wonder you all want to marry me off."
The eldest sister-in-law turned her head and looked at Liang Xin from bottom to top, "Liang Xin has no conscience."
Liang Xin was amused, "Sister-in-law, do you know what a military district chief is?"
"A senior cadre." The eldest sister-in-law is illiterate. Except for the begging she did when she fled, she has not left the commune for more than 20 years since she came to Linhuai from her hometown. "After Xiaoyan came back a few days ago, she was happy at one moment and sighed at another. She couldn't calm down and had a bad temper. She would take off her shoes and beat the tiger at any time. She has seen the world. To make her like this, he must be a very powerful cadre, at least much more powerful than our father."
"Liang Xin, come here quickly, why are you washing your feet at this time?"
Liang Xin glanced at her smug father and said, "Chicken blood splashed on my shoes."
"......I'll give you some money later, and you can go to the commune supply and marketing cooperative to buy a new pair of shoes!"
Liang Tiezhu picked up the pipe from the windowsill, stuffed some tobacco into the pipe, lit it, and smoked it with a "puff puff" sound, which was so beautiful:
"I never thought that I could become a relative of the military commander. Liang Xin, you bring honor to me more than your third brother!"
"I won't marry."
“Cough cough cough cough…”
Liang Tiezhu had just taken a few puffs of his cigarette when Liang Xin's words almost choked him to the point of exploding.
The brother and sister-in-law were also shocked by Liang Xin's words.
The joy in the Liang family's courtyard suddenly disappeared.
Only the violent coughing sound was left.
"Nonsense!" Liang Tiezhu stood up after recovering from his shock. "The Military Region Political Department has sent a letter of external investigation to the commune. Do you know what this means? You don't understand. Let me tell you. The letter of external investigation is a political review of your file. This means that the other party has already reported their marriage to the military leaders. You can't fool around!"
"Don't mess around." Liang Xin took the footcloth that her sister-in-law took down from the drying line and wiped her feet slowly, saying, "Then tell me about the other person's age, appearance, height, personality, family background, salary, job title, food ration, and health condition?"
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