Rebirth of Bayi Fishing and Hunting in the Northwest

Chapter 1104 suddenly increased the county's car ownership.
After finishing his business, Liu Gaolou drank half a cup of tea. After refilling it, he complained about the bitterness:

"Let me tell you, Mr. Li, my uncle really tested me. He drove the car over, backed up the sugar and drove off, then didn't care about anything else. I went to great lengths to find enough drivers to operate seven cars!"
Do you know how much this driver costs?

"How much? Fifty?"

It wouldn't actually cost much to drive here. After all, even if Guozigou is in terrible condition, it only takes two or three days to drive here.

"One hundred!" Liu Gaolou said, holding up one finger. "There aren't many people who can drive in the entire Khorgos area! I had to go all the way to Yining to find someone; they simply wouldn't do it if I didn't find someone better!"

One hundred! That's more than a month's salary for an average worker!

These people actually dare to ask for it!

"Did the car break down on the way?" Li Long asked.

"Hehe, yes, there were some issues. One leaked oil, and another had insufficient power." Liu Gaolou didn't hide anything. Since these cars were being sold as a package, even he, in his ignorance, knew that Li Long would definitely make a profit at this price, and the cars would definitely sell. So he told the truth:
"But they're all minor issues, they can be fixed with a little work, maybe just some small parts will need to be replaced."

Repairing cars at this point is a technical job. One reason for this technicality is that even if parts need to be replaced, and some parts are not perfectly compatible, the mechanic can find a way to make them compatible.

When repairing cars without using computer diagnostics, the parts aren't really that specialized.

Li Long couldn't say whether Liu Gaolou's behavior was honest or reckless.

However, he's definitely going to take the car, since all the paperwork is in order and it's so cheap.

The car cost 21,000 yuan, which Li Long paid on the spot. Next was the cost of three truckloads of supplies.

The cost of licorice and astragalus together is six thousand yuan, which is roughly the same price and neither party has any objections.

Li Long and Liu Gaolou counted the half-cartload of hides together. Of the more than three hundred hides, most were sheepskin and antelope hides, and there were dozens of deer hides. To Li Long's surprise, there were also more than twenty deer penises in the cart.

Most of these hides were still damaged pieces, and with the addition of deer penis, Li Long estimated their value at 20,000 yuan.

There are 1,000 pairs of antelope horns, and the price remains the same at 30,000 yuan.

That adds up to 77,000 yuan.

After Li Long paid, Liu Gaolou took the money and then took out six thousand US dollars from his black bag and handed it to Li Long. This was the money for buying white sugar.

After Li Long accepted the US dollars, he asked Liu Gaolou:

When are we going to fill the candy container?

"Tomorrow, I'll take the people to the enforcement office today to get some rest. To be honest, we've been traveling and eating these past few days, it's really been tough."

Li Long guessed that not only was the journey arduous, but these vehicles probably also had many problems.

After Liu Gaolou and his men left, Li Long first hauled the antelope horns into the yard, and then called the transportation company to ask someone to come and repair the vehicle.

The news that Li Long had brought back several Soviet cars spread in small circles throughout the county.

At that time, very few people in the county owned private cars, so Li Long's acquisition of several cars at once caused quite a stir.

Li Long didn't care about anything else. After the transportation company people came over, he introduced each of the seven vehicles and then let them repair them there.

Three experienced mechanics came from the transportation company. The company and Li Long had been working together for quite some time, and Li Long made it clear this time that maintenance on a vehicle would cost fifty yuan, and any problems would be repaired, with parts purchased from the transportation company.

Seven trucks for 350 yuan—for the transportation company, that's like finding a needle in a haystack.

So the experienced craftsmen who came over were very accommodating.

We cooperated with the Soviet Union for a considerable period of time, so we used their cars and tractors. Moreover, the principles of automobiles were universal at that time, and some experts could even build a rudimentary car by simply taking an engine and putting it together.

Therefore, repairing cars is really very simple for people who have been driving for decades.

"Comrade Li Long, these vehicles are getting old. If you need them serviced, it would be best to take them to our fleet. The equipment there is more convenient," the mechanic said to Li Long after inspecting the vehicles one by one. "Some parts are not available in our fleet and may need to be modified."

Li Long naturally had no objections and listened to the professionals.

The experienced driver borrowed Li Long's phone to make a call to the fleet, and then called several drivers, including apprentices, to drive seven vehicles over.

According to them, it would definitely be done within a week. If Li Long needed it urgently, they could work overtime and it would definitely be completed before October 3rd.

After the car drove away, the people who came to sell things were still discussing these items in the yard.

During dinner, Gu Boyuan said to Li Long:

"The licorice and astragalus have already filled two warehouses. Should we have Jia Tianlong come and collect the herbs?"

“I don’t think he’ll be available to come anytime soon,” Li Long shook his head. “His wife is about to give birth, so it will take him at least a month to get here.”

"It's just that it's the off-season recently, so we haven't been buying much. Otherwise, it would be really difficult to store them." Gu Boyuan then dropped the subject. "What are your plans for those cars?"

"Uncle Gu, do you want to open one? If you do, I'll get you one." Li Long said with a smile. "I plan to give one to Director Li, one to the supply and marketing cooperative, one to my elder brother, and one each to Dong Ge, Da Qiang, and Da Cheng in the team."

Jia Weidong refused, feeling he wasn't that flamboyant. He had originally planned to try and sell one to Wang Mingjun and Zhao Zongming, but it seemed that wasn't enough.

Then the remaining one can be given to Gu Boyuan.

"What about the paperwork? I don't have a license either." Gu Boyuan did want to drive, even though he spent most of his time at the recycling station, it didn't mean he didn't want to drive.

"Just learn how to get the license. As for the paperwork, I think Director Li can help with that. Although these cars were brought in as scrap, they're actually all in good condition."

At that time, as long as a car could be driven, there was no such thing as scrapping it. The domestic private automobile industry was just starting out, the number of privately owned cars was extremely small, and the procedures were easy to complete.

Gu Boyuan was naturally tempted.

"Which one did you like?" Li Long asked.

“Both the minivan and the military vehicle are good.” Gu Boyuan didn’t look at the sedan, but instead focused on practicality. “I’m thinking of getting one like this.”

Li Long thought this through: Volga would be given to Li Xiangqian, given his status. Lada would give one to Tao Daqiang and the other to the supply and marketing cooperative.

My older brother probably shares the same idea as my father-in-law: either military vehicles or minivans, prioritizing practicality.

"Which one did you give to your older brother?" Gu Boyuan asked again.

“I haven’t asked yet. I’ll call him later,” Li Long said.

"Mm." Gu Boyuan nodded.

Gu Xiaoxia waited until they finished speaking before asking about the matter.

Li Long then recounted the arrival of the vehicles today, saying that they had all been taken to the fleet for maintenance and repair.

Gu Xiaoxia had heard Li Long mention this before, so it wasn't so surprising that he brought it up again. Her main concern was whether the car was legally driven.

“What’s illegal about it? All the paperwork is in order. If it really doesn’t work, we can just get the paperwork renewed,” Gu Boyuan had been at the purchasing station for a long time and had learned to be flexible.

After dinner, Li Long called his older brother.

This matter had been mentioned to Li Jianguo before, but he hadn't paid much attention to it. Now that the car had been brought over, he was quite surprised.

"How much do you plan to sell each car for?" This was the first question Li Jianguo asked.

"These are for you. The three for Uncle Gu and the three for the supply and marketing cooperative are free. The remaining one is five thousand," Li Long said. "They're all family, so we don't make much money."

"How can I take your car for free?" Li Jianguo said, feeling embarrassed.

"Let's not talk about that. We only have these kinds of cars: a Lada sedan, a 69 eight-seater, and a minivan. Which one do you want? Should we take you to the county in a couple of days to take a look and then you can choose?"

"No need to pick, I want that 698-seater vehicle, the military vehicle, right?" Li Jianguo immediately selected his target.

“It’s a military vehicle, a patrol car from the border post over there that came down,” Li Long said.

"This is it." Li Jianguo said without the slightest hesitation. This vehicle could carry both people and cargo, and its military green color provided natural camouflage, so it was naturally the one for him.

“Okay. After the car is serviced, I’ll see if I can get the paperwork done. It would be best if we had the paperwork. If we do, you can upgrade your tractor license so you can drive a car. That way, we’ll be completely legal. Otherwise, you can only drive in the countryside.” “Does that mean we have to repaint the car?” Li Jianguo knew a little about tractors.

Li Long overlooked this issue. He had no problem driving his military green 212, because that was the car's factory color.

Unlike other vehicles, private cars are not allowed to be military green unless they are affiliated with a certain unit.

"It should be," Li Long realized.

"Let them swipe it. We're just ordinary folks. We're lucky if we can even drive a car. Why think so much?"

Li Long thought he needed to remind Xie Yundong and the others about safety. After all, the car had left from his place, and if something went wrong, even if he wasn't responsible, he would still feel uneasy.

The next day, Li Long took Liu Gaolou to the sugar factory and they still hauled twelve tons of white sugar. When Liu Gaolou left, he told Li Long that white sugar was considered a hard currency there, but that other supplies might be needed in the future, and he hoped Li Long would make preparations as soon as possible.

Li Long asked what was needed, and Liu Gaolou meant it could be cement, or it could be warm clothing, etc.

There's nothing we can do; the neighboring superpower has a weak light industry overall. Winter is almost here, and there's a real shortage of warm clothing.

Li Long thought to himself, "What should I do with this thing?"
From an official perspective, there is indeed trade with that region. Wool textiles and leather clothing are exported there, and settlements are made in US dollars.

However, most of these items are shipped to other countries, and ordinary people who want to get them either have to queue up or pay high prices on the black market.

The same applies to cement.

It's a bit better in rural areas, but in cities where unemployment is high, this kind of thing is more common; otherwise, Liu Shanmin wouldn't have been able to get so much "scrap."

He managed to acquire seven vehicles on his first attempt, one of which was a "scrapped military vehicle." His progress was going more smoothly than expected, and he had already reached key positions.

Maybe after one or two more tries, I'll be able to get what I want.

After seeing Liu Gaolou off, Li Long paid Section Chief Hu three thousand US dollars, with the remainder settled in RMB.

Section Chief Hu was very pleased.

Hearing from Li Long that future transactions might not be as frequent as they are now, Section Chief Hu wasn't too disappointed. After all, this kind of thing definitely depends on the needs of both parties.

The sugar mill received nine thousand US dollars from these transactions, which isn't much, but it'll do the trick.

So he was quite satisfied.

The car needed some time to be serviced, and after finishing up at the sugar factory, Li Long drove to Qingshuihezi.

Some of the winter wheat over there has already been planted, while others are still waiting to be sown.

The autumn harvest is basically over; all that's left is the finishing touches: preparing coal and firewood for winter, cleaning the cellars, and so on.

Meng Hai was also waiting for Li Long, who came mainly to discuss the bridge and sluice gate repairs.

“I think we need professional guidance,” Meng Hai said. “Ideally, someone with a background in civil engineering. Otherwise, even with Yang’s blueprints, we might still mess it up if we just do it this way. After all, that bridge will be used by tractors.”

Li Long agreed, but he didn't know anyone in the civil engineering field.

Then he thought of his second brother.

The construction company should have professionals there, right?
“Then I’ll go over there and inquire this week,” Li Long said. “In that case, let’s repair the sluice gate first.”

Gate construction doesn't require that much technical expertise. Just lay a good foundation, pour a good concrete base, install the gate, and use good quality materials.

On the weekend of the 5th, Li Long planned to go to Kuitun on the 4th to ask his second brother for directions. If he could find the person, he would bring him directly into the mountains and guide Meng Hai and the others to repair the bridge on Sunday, at least explaining the key points clearly.

If you offer enough guidance fees, I think people will come.

They agreed with Meng Hai that they would drive their tractor to the county tomorrow, and Li Long would take them to the fourth team.

As for the materials to repair the sluice gate, the gate has already been welded, a large pile of sand and Gobi stones has been built, and the cement is placed in the yard. When needed, the truck can be driven directly there.

Li Long returned to the courtyard and, seeing that it was still early and not yet time to get off work, made a phone call to his second brother.

There was no phone in Li Anguo's yard, but Li Long was given the duty room's phone number, which the workers could use to answer the phone as long as there was nothing else to do.

"You want to find a technician who knows how to repair bridges? Okay, I'll ask around for you right now."

"Second brother, after you find out the details, make it clear to them that I will definitely offer a higher guidance fee, but you have to find someone who really understands the technology."

Li Anguo happened to be there, and he was very enthusiastic. Mainly because his younger brother, Li Long, had always helped him with various things, and as the second brother, he rarely had a chance to help his younger brother, so he had to put his heart into it.

As the team leader, Li Anguo still had some influence, and he quickly found out about a new technician who had recently joined the company.

He really did know the basics of bridge construction. After asking him a few questions, Li Anguo confirmed that it was him.

The main reason was that this technician was reliable and responsible for safety. Li Anguo knew that the bridge Li Long was repairing was important, and nothing could go wrong.

The technician's surname is Zhao, and his given name is Zhao Chengfeng. He is under thirty years old and was transferred from another company. He is very hardworking, technically proficient, and knowledgeable.

Li Anguo took him to call Li Long back. This technician Zhao didn't mention the guidance fee, but first asked Li Long about the relevant situation of the bridge construction.

After Li Long explained the location of the bridge, the blueprints, and the types of transportation that would be used, the technician Zhao said he could guide the bridge construction.

However, building this bridge definitely can't be done in a day or two. He also has other things to do, so it's hard to balance things.

Li Long explained that he would pick him up this weekend, then go up the mountain to guide the work, and send him back in the afternoon, focusing on guiding him on the aspects that need attention during bridge construction.

Zhao Chengfeng thought about it and agreed.

Next was the guidance fee. Li Long asked if fifty was okay, and Zhao Chengfeng said yes, but he wouldn't be able to go for another week. If there were enough manpower and materials, the bridge could be built in a week. Since he only went for two days, Li Long might lose money.

Li Long thought for a moment before he understood. He meant fifty a day, but Zhao Chengfeng interpreted it as fifty in total.

It seems my concept of money is a bit outdated.

Come to think of it, Zhao Chengfeng is definitely happy to earn extra money by working for two days and earning half a month's salary.

That was how it was settled.

Li Long casually mentioned the sluice gate, and to his surprise, Zhao Chengfeng knew about it too. Perhaps he also thought the money was easy to earn, so he asked about the sluice gate. After Li Long explained, Zhao Chengfeng offered a few suggestions, making Li Long feel that hiring this guy was truly worthwhile!
Tomorrow, Li Long plans to play the role of a professional and give Meng Hai some guidance while he works, so that the sluice gate can be repaired more securely.

The next day, when Li Long took Meng Hai and the others to the fourth team, they stopped in the village and picked up Jiang Zhiyu. Jiang Zhiyu had agreed with Li Long that he would take her along when the sluice gate and bridge were being repaired, as she wanted to follow up and conduct interviews.

When they arrived at Xiaohaizi in the fourth team, Li Long relayed Zhao Chengfeng's words to Meng Hai in advance. Meng Hai listened and nodded repeatedly, admiring Li Long even more.

"Comrade Li Long, you actually know about these things?" Jiang Zhiyu, being quite clever, asked.

"Haha, I consulted an expert yesterday, and they gave me this advice." Li Long revealed the truth, and Meng Hai laughed as well.

However, this did not diminish his opinion of Li Long. The man dared to admit it and did not insist that he had developed it himself; he was open and aboveboard.

The gate was built quite quickly. First, the site for building the gate had to be dug up, which was done in a morning. Next, the concrete "external equipment" for the gate was built, which is the frame for installing the gate.

Generally, a guide channel is needed behind the sluice gate because there is a reed ditch below. This channel does not need to be too long, two or three meters is enough.

But a lot of earth needs to be excavated.

Li Long drove a tractor with two men to bring over the welded sluice gate, which was no smaller than the original sluice gate on the northeast side of the reservoir.

Once this area is built, if a flood comes, the sluice gates can be raised to let the floodwaters flow freely, posing no threat to the dam.

On the second day, the sluice gate was repaired, and Jiang Zhiyu submitted an article to the Beiting Daily.

On the 3rd, the car was serviced and the transportation company provided excellent service, driving the car to the yard of the recycling station.

It's time to split up the cars!

(End of this chapter)