Xuemei and Qingya came back from school and put the firewood they had collected in the woodshed. Xuemei then went to the kitchen. Father and mother Liu had been very busy these days, so Xuemei cooked dinner for the family.
It was dark when Liu's father and mother came back, their bodies covered with rice dust.
"Mom and Dad, go take a shower first. I've boiled a lot of water. Take a shower and then eat."
The last time Liu's father attended a meeting at the commune, he explained that grain taxes were due by the end of October. Taking advantage of the good, sunny weather, the villagers turned the rice over and dried it again, fanning it several times with a hand-cranked windmill so it would pass inspection at the commune's grain station.
Farmers in rural areas now pay grain to the state grain station three times a year: once in spring, summer, and autumn. In spring, wheat and rapeseed are paid; in summer, early rice is paid after the busy summer farming season. In autumn, late rice is paid after the busy mid-summer farming season. However, Liujia Village's location isn't ideal for growing wheat, so they only pay rapeseed in the spring. The wheat they grow is distributed among the villagers to make dumplings and buns during festivals.
Since the 1960s, China has mandated that 15% of grain produced in a normal year from fertile farmland be paid as public grain. The rice and wheat produced for the state's public grain harvest met high quality standards, and grain station staff conducted a rigorous inspection process. Generally, the grains must be plump, free of impurities, and contain no more than 16% moisture. Furthermore, time constraints compelled the public to collect the grain over a typical ten-day period.
Each household must ensure the quality management of public grain in advance, and generally hand over good quality rice, wheat, etc. to the state, because the public grain handed over will also be divided into different grades, and those with lower grades will need to pay more.
For example, in the south, after the rice is harvested in the rice fields, it is threshered with a rice thresher (for example, Liujia Village uses a "grain barrel", which is about 1.5 meters long and wide, and 70 to 80 centimeters high. People rely on people to slap the rice ears on the inside of the barrel to knock the rice into the barrel). Then the rice is dried on the rice bed (bamboo mat) at home many times until it is very dry and crisp. It is also fanned several times with a hand-cranked windmill to remove all the sand, shriveled rice, and shelled rice. The best rice with full grains and no impurities is put into sacks, which are sealed and sent to the grain station when it is time to deliver the grain.
Xuemei had just finished her remaining homework and walked out of her room to the main hall. Stretching, she looked out and saw the Queen Mother come in with rice and dishes. Xuemei asked, "Mom, why are you home so late today? My brother and sister and I ate first. I've been keeping your rice warm on the stove; it should still be hot."
"The rice's still hot. I'll take it out and wait for your father to come out after showering so we can eat together. I came back late today because the village leaders and your father discussed going to the public office to collect grain tomorrow. It's too late to hand it in, and there are too many people handing it in, and they're worried about any problems. We'll use the windmill to clean the rice today and bag it. Tomorrow at four in the morning, the village's strong laborers will leave to deliver the grain."
"Mom, we don't have school tomorrow, and I want to go pay my grain tax with Dad and the others tomorrow. I promise I can. Also, I heard there's a big market tomorrow, and I want to go too."
"I'm going to the commune tomorrow, too, but not with your father and the others; they're going earlier. I'm going to the market, which hasn't been open for a month. (During the natural disasters of the past two years, virtually every household had no surplus food, so the market couldn't be held. It wasn't until after the summer harvest this year that it resumed. However, the village teams were busy with the autumn harvest the previous month, so the market wasn't open for a month. The commune market is usually held every two weeks, and then once a week for a month before the Lunar New Year.) We're short of so many things at home, and I plan to go and exchange some. I still have two rolls of homespun cloth and four new baskets, and I plan to go to the vegetable garden tomorrow morning to pick some fresh vegetables to exchange. You have to help me carry the things and watch the stall tomorrow."
Mother Liu continued, "Your father and his men are out paying their taxes, and we don't know when they'll be done. If we're lucky, he'll have time to come to the market to pick us up. Why do you say only if we're lucky?"
When paying grain at the commune grain station, the first thing you need to do is go through a long line. If you arrive late, you'll already be waiting in line with people from other villages paying their grain. Paying grain requires three steps: wheat inspection, weighing, and storage. Each step must go smoothly for the grain to be delivered successfully. Typically, there are three staff members at a grain weighing station: one inspects the grain quality, one weighs the grain, and the other issues the invoice. The inspector holds an iron skewer (a hollow stick with a pointed end).
Every time grain was due, one had to observe the expressions of those in charge of the grain and those who collected it. Honestly, the grain station staff were incredibly aggressive. They'd proudly smoke Daqianmen cigarettes, fiddle with abacuses, and sit on wooden chairs next to the scales. Their air of arrogance and their air of authenticity were indescribable.
However, when we went to deliver grain, we usually had to be very polite to the staff. If they said your grain was good, it was good. If they said your grain was not good, they would ask you to return it, which would be troublesome. If the grain was not up to standard, no matter how far away you were from the grain station, you had to haul it back to be dried and turned to the windmill, and you might have to pay more next time.
"Okay, I'll go to the market with you tomorrow. After the market, we'll go and pay the grain tax when we have time."
"Mom, my brother and I are going to the market too." As soon as the words fell, Qingya, Ruirui and Feifei walked out of Xuemei's room.
"Qingya, you should stay at home with your younger brother and sister tomorrow and finish your homework. Your elder sister is going to help me, and there will be too many people tomorrow, so it will be difficult to take you with her." Mother Liu looked at the three little faces that were looking at her eagerly and said gently.
Qingya curled her lips, knowing that it was difficult to change Liu's mother's decision. Just then, she saw Liu's father walk in. She winked at her two younger brothers. Ruirui and Feifei immediately understood and each went to hug one of Liu's father's legs. Qingya also walked over and hugged one of Liu's father's arms, shaking Liu's arm in a coquettish manner and saying, "Dad, Mom is taking my eldest sister to the market tomorrow. My brothers and I want to go too. The three of us will be obedient. Ask Mom to take us too!"
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