Rebirth of Bayi Fishing and Hunting in the Northwest

Chapter 1095 Everyone has selfish desires; it's human nature.

To Li Long's surprise, Liu Shanmin did not come alone; he was accompanied by a man in his late twenties who looked somewhat like him.

The person who brought them here was a county official in charge of investment promotion. Li Long vaguely remembered that his surname was Xia, and he had met him before at a meeting in the county.

"Hello, Comrade Li Long. This Comrade Liu said he wanted to visit you and needed your help, so we brought him over. I don't need to mention Mr. Liu's identity, I'm not comfortable introducing him, but he's definitely one of our own."

After Officer Xia explained it that way, Li Long understood.

Liu Shanmin was afraid that people wouldn't believe his identity, so he specially asked an official to come and testify for him.

Li Long met them in the reception room. After the clerk Xia finished his introduction, Liu Shanmin gestured and left, saying that lunch had been prepared at the county guesthouse and that he would come to pick them up to eat together. The executive deputy county head would also be present.

After Officer Xia left, Sun Jiaqiang poured water for the group. Li Long told him to leave as well, then said:
"Old Liu, you've made quite a big fuss about this."

"There's no other way. When asking someone for a favor, I have to reveal my identity first to dispel your doubts so I can explain things properly," Liu Shanmin explained, then pointed to the person next to him and said:
"This is my nephew, Liu Gaolou..."

"Your family name... is really unique." Li Long wanted to laugh, but held it back.

"There's nothing we can do. The older generation wasn't very educated. They followed the Red Army, so when they came back, the generational names they left behind were rather arbitrary, and the names were just something they came up with on the spot." Liu Shanmin had probably explained this many times, so he didn't care.

"Comrade Li Long, there aren't many people I can trust, but you're one of them. Don't think I'm just saying nice things. If it weren't for you back in the mountains, I might not be alive today."

I've also inquired about you indirectly, and you seem like a good business partner. Doing business with you doesn't bother me about being cheated; your integrity is impeccable, just like my initial impression.

Li Long didn't say anything, but continued to listen to him talk. He thought to himself, "Anyway, I will definitely keep a close eye on things on my end. Say whatever you want."

However, it's still quite satisfying to hear others praise me; I feel a secret thrill.

"There are only the three of us now, and I'll be frank with you: what I'm actually doing is beneficial to the country. Our country's technological level is relatively low right now, and some of our heavy industry raw materials, parts, and even processes are far inferior to those of the Soviet Union."

What I did was use my old connections to bring these things in from there. There used to be restrictions on these things coming in, but things have gotten a bit chaotic there in the last two years, so these things have been able to get in by paying some money.

However, on the surface, I'm a businessman, somewhat like someone with official connections. I can't go into the specifics, but just know that what I do benefits the country.

Upon hearing this, Li Long felt a sense of respect. Things had indeed started to fall apart over there; otherwise, it wouldn't have collapsed in just two or three years.

However, doing this kind of thing at this time actually carries great risks, and may even bring criticism.

People who can do these things are truly extraordinary.

"Of course, don't overthink it. I'm not that pure of heart. I was wronged before I did this, so I have my own motives." Liu Shanmin picked up his enamel mug, took a couple of sips of tea, and said:
“The things I bought have an important purpose. I also have connections over there, so I can ship some other things over as well, like the licorice and astragalus you want, and I can even ship back the offal from cattle and sheep, and at very low prices…”

Li Long glanced at Liu Gaolou and understood what Liu Shanmin meant.

This can be considered another form of abusing power for personal gain.

But they're not the same. Liu Shanmin was doing those things in the neighboring country; to put it bluntly, he was risking his life.

So at this point, his consideration of some personal interests may be illegal, but it is reasonable.

He even used illegal means to do things that were beneficial to the country's scientific research or industrial development.

After all, such a large bear fell down, and there were more than just this one family swarming around to eat it.

Li Long himself didn't realize that his attitude towards Liu Shanmin had changed.

“Gao Lou runs a small business at home, but it hasn’t grown big and he lacks experience. I brought him here so that he could wait at the border. I’ll send the goods over, and he can bring them here to hand them over. Then he can buy the goods I need and send them over.”

Liu Shanmin remarked with emotion, "In our country, especially in the northern Xinjiang region, transportation safety is generally guaranteed. Unlike other parts of the country, some places are plagued by highway robbers... sigh."

Li Long had heard of it but never seen it. He knew that transportation in the region was indeed quite chaotic at that time, especially automobiles. Of course, he had also heard that freight trains were being robbed, using the methods of the railway guerrillas—climbing onto trains.

The situation is better in northern Xinjiang. Firstly, there are fewer people, and secondly, resources are relatively abundant. If you work hard, you can eat and dress well. People also have respect for the law and are less likely to do anything shady.

Therefore, sometimes being closed off has its advantages.

Of course, there are criminals everywhere, but their numbers are relatively small.

Li Long understood what Liu Shanmin meant. When he transported those special items into the country, he also smuggled licorice, astragalus, and other things in with him. Of course, the procedures were legal, which was why he brought Xia, the cadre, along—it had official backing.

The herbs that were transported over were very cheap. Even if Liu Gaolou sold them at Li Long's purchase price, he would definitely make a lot of money.

Actually, it was very cheap when it was purchased from there; the expensive part was the customs duty.

As for the loss, it was probably made up for by the price difference of those special parts. That's why Liu Shanmin said he wasn't a pure person; a purely religious person wouldn't do such a thing.

“Someone like me might end up in jail any year and never get out. I’m fine, I’ve experienced all the ups and downs, and I’ve enjoyed everything I’m supposed to enjoy. But my family… suffered because of me a few years ago, so I have to make it up to them.”

"You're not married?" Li Long thought to himself, "This Liu Gaolou is your nephew, why don't you send your child?"

"It's settled, but not over here, it's over there." Liu Shanmin pointed to the west and smiled wryly. "Otherwise, why do you think they'd let me do these things?"

Okay, I got it.

The sacrifice was quite significant.

“I’ll accept the medicinal herbs when they’re delivered, but they need to have proper legal documentation,” Li Long said. “The price can’t be too high; I can’t accept that.”

“These are all fine, and my requirements aren’t high. I’ve come to understand that a person can’t be too capable or too rich. If you’re too capable or too rich without power or influence, you’ll attract unwanted attention.”

"You're a second-generation red, right? Do you think you're penniless and powerless?" Li Long didn't believe it.

"When the old man returned from the army, he went into hiding and changed his name. It wasn't until after liberation that his comrades came to find us... He didn't bring us much benefit at all."

Liu Shanmin's expression was indifferent when he said this, so he probably didn't care.

More and more people like this were discovered later. They genuinely felt that they were already incredibly lucky to be alive, so they simply didn't want any arrangements and went back to their hometowns to farm.

They fought the battles of three generations in one generation, without seeking fame or fortune; they are truly admirable people.

After explaining to Li Long, Liu Shanmin then said to Liu Gaolou:
"High-rise building, do you know why I brought you here but not Highland?"

"I don't know." Liu Gaolou shook his head, looking a bit simple-minded.

"Because Gao Di is too clever, and he likes to use his cunning," Liu Shanmin explained. "The path I've arranged for you doesn't require cleverness; you just need to do what I've told you to do diligently."

You can do these things, but Highland can't. Highland likes to overthink, and overthinking easily leads to trouble, so you can, but Highland can't.

Li Long thought to himself that Liu Shanmin was quite cautious. In this kind of thing, you really can't be too clever. It's okay to appear foolish but not clever.

"Besides, don't underestimate Comrade Li Long just because he's about your age. He hunts wolves and wild boars in the mountains and built such a large purchasing station from scratch in just a few years. He's incredibly capable. More importantly, he's trustworthy. You don't have to worry about being betrayed when doing business with someone like him, do you understand?"

"Understood," Liu Gaolou said.

Although Li Long knew that Liu Shanmin was praising him and trying to elevate him so as to take care of his honest nephew, he still felt quite pleased.

Who doesn't appreciate genuine praise like this?

"Comrade Li Long, Gao Louren is a fairly honest man. From now on, he will represent me in this business with you. Don't worry, he won't pull any tricks. He'll just bring the goods over from there regularly, and you just need to pay the market price."

Li Long nodded and said, "As long as the goods are legitimate, I will definitely accept them. No problem at all."

"Alright, alright, thank you for your kindness. When I come back from there, I'll bring you some good stuff too. To be honest, there are quite a few good things there, and the Russian girls are pretty, but... hahahaha." Seeing that things were going smoothly, Liu Shanmin started joking.

Both sides chatted happily. Li Long asked more about the local specialties, and Liu Shanmin also asked Li Long about some light industrial products, saying that the area was particularly lacking in condiments like sugar.

In addition, there are many wildlife products there. Many people say that northern Xinjiang is vast and sparsely populated, but in fact, that area is truly vast and sparsely populated. Moreover, the grasslands there are vast, and wild animals live in large herds. While hunting is strictly controlled here, it continues as usual there.

“Licorice and astragalus grow in abundance on the grasslands there; they’re all wild, and you can sell them right after plowing them,” Liu Shanmin said. “There are also plenty of argali horns and sheepskin there. Actually, I could go further north, but we’re not used to the lifestyle there…”

“There’s a sugar factory right here. If it’s white sugar, it should be quite convenient to buy it here and transport it over there,” Li Long said. “Although the sugar here is made from beets, the products are pretty much the same.”

“There’s no way,” Liu Shanmin shook his head. “The sugar factories are all state-owned now, and production and sales are all designated by higher authorities. It’s not that easy to buy them. I don’t have any quotas or anything. I can only buy quotas from other people in the port area and then transport them over…”

Li Long wanted to say something, but he didn't.

He could ask Section Chief Hu, but since there was no guarantee, he didn't bring it up.

Liu Shanmin roughly knew what he was thinking, but didn't mention it directly.

Officer Xia came over around 1 p.m. to pick up a few people to have dinner at the county guesthouse, and invited Li Long to come along as well, saying that the executive deputy county head had specifically instructed him to do so.

Li Long didn't stand on ceremony and went along. He knew he was able to go because of Liu Shanmin, but he got along quite well with Liu Shanmin, and they might cooperate in the future, so he went to show his support.

The county attached great importance to Liu Shanmin and implied that they hoped he would come over often. However, Liu Shanmin was a shrewd old fox who talked a lot but never put his words into practice. So, several county leaders turned their attention to Liu Gaolou and Li Long.

Li Long wasn't afraid of drinking. He was a local, so no one would ask him for favors. Besides, these leaders were well-informed and knew that Li Long was repairing roads and planning to build bridges, so they all flattered him.

Li Long was well aware that although he had received the national award for outstanding contributions to ethnic unity and had connections with Li Xiangqian and Director Qian, he was still at a significant disadvantage compared to these people.

People who flatter me must have something in mind. Today it's all for Liu Shanmin. But I've only met Liu Shanmin three times. Although we talked about cooperation, he can't say anything else.

Fortunately, it was the first time, and the purpose was simply to get to know each other better, so it ended on a pleasant note.

Liu Shanmin and Liu Gaolou stayed at the county guesthouse, while Li Long went home by himself.

Liu Shanmin and his group left the next day. Before leaving, they came to Li Long to say goodbye. Liu Shanmin gave Li Long a medal, saying that he got it from an old soldier there. It was gold, but it was hard to say whether it was pure gold or gold-plated, but it wasn't very big.

Li Long gave each of them a small jade carving, the kind made by an apprentice. Liu Shanmin looked at the jade and said, "They produce these over there too, but the people there aren't interested in them; they just play with them as stones."

"If you can transport it over, the larger pieces should be worth some money." Li Long knew there were jade mines over there. Jade and jadeite have always been traded only in Greater China. Even if decades from now, some people call jadeite an international jewelry item, it's really just Chinese people who are into it.

"Let's talk about it later," Liu Shanmin shook his head. "This is Gao Lou's first time doing this, so we can't be too careless. We'd better be on the safe side."

Li Long agreed with him. Aiming too high now was definitely not the way to go; it was better to focus on making the first bit of money.

After Liu Shanmin and Liu Gaolou left, Li Long continued his lazy life, but not long after, he was greeted by Halimu and Yushanjiang.

The herders from the mountains have come down to cut grass.

Their tractor was parked with Li Long. The two of them rode over to drive the tractor while simultaneously pulling the horse back.

Li Long was very happy to see Harim and his group, as were Harim and his group.

"I never imagined you'd built the road all the way to the river; it's almost halfway done," Yushanjiang exclaimed. "You know what? We rode our horses here, and when we finally saw the road at the river, we were so happy!"

"At this rate of road construction, we'll be able to drive tractors to the summer pastures in two years! That's fantastic!" Halim exclaimed excitedly. "Then we won't have to travel so slowly... With wider roads, the cattle and sheep can move faster!"

Wider roads not only mean faster travel, but also allow for quicker transport of supplies, especially in summer pastures where people can be quickly sent back if they fall ill, unlike before when they could only take medicine and tough it out.

That's why Halim and Yushanjiang were so excited. On the contrary, the young Talihar wasn't so excited; he hadn't experienced that feeling of despair yet.

“When you go into the mountains tomorrow, drive the tractor. We brought back quite a lot of stuff this time,” Halim said with a smile. “We can’t repair the road, but we’ve brought some things out of the mountains for you to sell and get money for repairs. It’s good that way. Those things are easy to find in the mountains. We can find another batch when we come back from the winter migration.”

It's impossible for it to be easy. The mountains are so vast; resources can't be everywhere, they're just slightly more abundant than in other places. It's likely that Halim and his group have been constantly searching for resources that can be exchanged for money while they're in the mountains.

Li Long and the workers worked very hard, and the people in the mountains also worked very hard.

Li Long treated them to a meal at a state-run restaurant, and then watched them drive their tractor back home. They couldn't stay in the county for too long; they still needed to tidy up their winter quarters when they got back.

Although two people rode one horse to the event, and there were four people in total, they still brought gifts for Li Long on horseback.

Two bear gallbladders.

Li Long remembered telling Halim and the others that bear skins could be sold for money, and so could bear gallbladders. He had also explained to Halim and the others how to obtain bear gallbladders, so this time, they brought back two bear gallbladders.

As for the bear skin, it's too big and difficult to carry. Li Long can go and get it back tomorrow.

I imagine Jia Tianlong would be very happy to see this bear bile.

After all, high-grade Chinese medicinal herbs are to him what high-grade furs are to Zhao Hui—they are easy to earn more money from.

Of course, if a trade route can be established from Kazakhstan to here, more good products might come over, since these things are cheaper there.

Tariffs were high, but Liu Shanmin's existence perfectly solved this problem.

Things were definitely not as simple as he made them out to be, but Li Long didn't understand customs clearance and hadn't thought about finding out—Ma County didn't have a customs office, and there was no way to find out even if he wanted to.

Besides, he's a local resident. As long as the goods he sells are legal, why wouldn't he make money if he can?

Li Long needs to prepare some things to take with him as they head into the mountains tomorrow. After all, Halimu and the others rushed back to pack up their winter camps with their tractor and probably didn't stop in the county.

Li Long is still the one who needs to handle supplies and resupply.

Thinking about the dried meat that Sister Yang makes, Li Long thought he could bring some with him. Of course, he could also bring some of the meat that Keyum would deliver tomorrow morning. Although there are harvesters now, cutting hay and bundling it is still hard work, so they need to eat meat!

That afternoon, Li Long drove his jeep around the county, buying a lot of things from the department store, food company, and hardware store, planning to take them over the next day.

(End of this chapter)