The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 328 Swift and Decisive Action, Filled with Killing Intent

Qian Jin grew impatient and reached out to the corner again: "Go stand there and wait for your Comrade Yu Longxing to deal with you."

Yu Longxing is the top official in Anguo County.

'Deal with you'...

These three words terrified Wang Erpangzi: "Yes, no, what do you mean? No, esteemed leaders, is there some misunderstanding?"

He held up the briefcase he had brought and tried to explain, "Dear leaders, I...I brought Lao Xue's roast chicken with me for lunch..."

Several cadres from Qian Jinchong Xiaobieshui Commune said, "Okay, you can go and eat roast chicken with him. He might even have brought some liquor. Eat and drink as you please."

He explained to those around him, "The last meal should indeed be more lavish. I really overlooked this. Luckily, our Section Chief Wang is very thoughtful."

This scared the commune cadres so much they wet themselves.

Section Chief Wang asked with a mournful face, "What happened? What happened?"

Qian Jin, growing impatient, pointed to the corner and shouted sternly, "We'll have to wait for Comrade Yu Longxing and me to carry you over there!"

The cadres, not daring to provoke him, ran over in a flash.

That's perfect, we don't need to eat this wild vegetable soup anymore.

This wild vegetable soup is indeed quite simmering.

Qian Jin roared, and the leaders and cadres of the command post obediently lined up.

He quickly distributed the bowls, giving one to everyone, from the main leaders Liu Changgui and Zhong Jianxin to the lower-level leaders.

"Wild vegetable and corn porridge, you've never had that before, have you?" Qian Jin greeted everyone warmly. "Today, I'm letting you all benefit from my meal."

"Come on, everyone, eat as much as you want! This is good stuff. It's good for calcium and vitamins, especially these vitamins which are essential nutrients for the human body."

Everyone looked at each other, their expectations completely gone, replaced by embarrassment and resistance.

Liu Changgui looked at the few stubborn, dark brown wild vegetable roots sticking out of the bowl, and his Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty.

Commander Qian was so thoughtful of him; he specially dug up a bowl of wild vegetables for him!

Qian Jin said, "Try it and see how it tastes."

"I don't know if the chefs did it according to my instructions. This is pure dried wild vegetable stewed with corn porridge. Just add a little bit of cornmeal, and don't add a drop of oil. As for salt, I guess they used a little bit."

"Come on, everyone, have some, have a bite. Why isn't anyone eating? Are you looking down on me, Qian Jin?"

As soon as those last words were spoken, everyone immediately buried their heads in their food and began to eat.

The sounds of air conditioning blowing incessantly filled the air, accompanied by constant slurping noises.

For a moment, only the sounds of bowls and chopsticks clattering and eating filled the command post.

Everyone struggled to eat.

Qian Jin picked up a piece of wild vegetable with his chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth.

It tastes really bad.

There were no seasonings or oil, only extreme blandness. Some of these dried wild vegetables were probably not stored properly and had even gone moldy.

As a result, the soup was filled with a strong bitterness and the musty smell of stale vegetable leaves, making it really hard to swallow.

Fortunately, it has some saltiness, so it still has some decent flavor.

However, wild vegetables have very coarse and tough fibers. After all, many of them are old wild vegetables that have been dried. Chewing them is like chewing a handful of dry grass, and they also have a gritty feel that is hard to remove.

Qian Jin said seriously, "Why is there still sand?"

"It must be the chef's fault for not washing it properly. I'm going to find them and hold them accountable!" Zhong Jianxin hurriedly put down the aluminum lunchbox and was about to leave.

Qian Jin stopped him: "It's right that they didn't wash them properly. People don't even have drinking water now. How can they wash wild vegetables properly before eating them? Do they even have the means to do so?"

"Keep eating, everyone!"

His voice became even harsher.

Where have the leaders ever suffered like this?

The corn pieces had no stickiness in my mouth, let alone any flavor.

They are completely separate from wild vegetables; chewing them causes gum pain from the friction, and swallowing them scrapes your throat uncomfortably.

Especially those really old wild vegetable stalks, so tough that you have to spit them out, so everyone's bowl ends up with a little bit of embarrassing dirt on the edge.

"Ugh..." A slightly overweight middle-aged man couldn't stand it and started to gag.

Qian Jin looked over and saw that this was a deputy leader in the county's agricultural sector, wearing a gray cadre uniform with the collar buttons so tight they were choking him.

Qian Jin then went over and helped him unbutton his collar: "How can you eat with your neck slung like that? Come on, everyone, loosen your belts and eat as much as you want!"

No one understood what he was talking about.

Finally, Zhong Jianxin couldn't take it anymore. After eating a few bites of wild vegetables, he couldn't swallow them at all and had to rely on soup to get them down.

His stomach is reacting to this stuff!

So he steeled himself and stood up, asking, "Commander Qian, what exactly does this mean?"

Another young section chief at the traffic intersection used a spoon to scoop up a few floating vegetable leaves in his bowl, which were clearly blackened and moldy.

Taking advantage of someone else leading the way, he muttered a complaint: "This...this stuff is edible? Even livestock feed is better than this..."

The few cadres from Xiaobieshui Commune huddled in a corner.

Qian Jin nodded to them: "Comrades, some of you have asked questions. They're asking if this stuff is even fit for human consumption. They think livestock fodder is much better than this, right?"

The commune leader reluctantly stepped forward and said with a forced smile, "No, this is what the people in the Xiamapo production brigade of our commune are eating now—no, it should be said that this is what the people in the various production teams of our commune are eating now."

"What about the livestock? What do the cattle and sheep eat?" Qian Jin continued, "Is their fodder better than this?"

The top leader sighed and said helplessly, "No, the cattle and sheep have run out of feed and can only eat the straw from last autumn's harvest."

"But that stuff has no nutritional value, so they get thinner and thinner the more they eat it. Also, our commune is short of water, and the straw and corn stalks have long been dried up. The livestock can't eat without water..."

Qian Jin chewed vigorously while keeping an eye on the cadres who were refusing to eat the wild vegetable soup.

This is something he finds even harder to eat.

He usually lives a more carefree life than these leading cadres.

So now he has to grit his teeth and strain hard to chew the hay, which makes his expression particularly ferocious.

The leaders dared not object, so they could only indulge in eating and drinking to their hearts' content.

One of the tall, thin leaders was wearing a blue cadre uniform with four pockets. He secretly wiped his hand on the pocket.

It's bulging inside.

His wife prepared some braised tofu for him in the morning, thinking he would eat a couple of pieces to tide him over when he was hungry.

But he doesn't like dried tofu, so he hasn't eaten it.

Looking at the wild vegetable porridge in my hand now, and then thinking about the dried tofu in my pocket—that's not just dried tofu, it's practically dried meat!

The thought of meat made his throat churn again, and his stomach churned with acid.

The atmosphere in the entire command post canteen area became very strange.

The sounds of chewing and swallowing were interspersed with forced, uncomfortable gasps, and occasionally, sighs from those who simply couldn't eat anymore. These sounds created an atmosphere of unspeakable embarrassment and awkwardness.

Qian Jin's gaze swept over the faces, some contorted and others barely concealing their pain, and a smile appeared on his face.

Because he was in so much pain, his smile was quite ferocious.

Just as everyone was struggling to eat and feeling like every second was an eternity, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside.

The people who finished eating have returned.

Or rather, Ma Congli has returned.

Regardless of whether they are leaders or cadres, county government employees who eat in the canteen will not immediately return to their offices after their meals. Instead, they will go for a stroll in the shade of trees to digest their food and chat.

After wolfing down his food, Ma Congli hurried back to the command post. He smacked his lips, savoring the delicious meal, and deliberately waved to Qian Jin:

"Commander Qian, the food in the canteen is really good! Scrambled eggs with scallions, stir-fried river shrimp with chives, stewed chicken bones, and the staple food is either rice or fried dough. It smells so good!"

"The other person also gave me an egg pancake, which I didn't eat, so I brought it over for you to tide you over."

It was hot, and eating was even hotter. He wolfed down his food, sweating profusely. He left his work shirt completely open, revealing his strong chest and his bulging belly.

As he approached, Ma Congli immediately noticed that each of the leaders had a bowl of wild vegetable porridge in their hand.

He paused for a moment, then asked somewhat awkwardly, "Commander Qian, you and the leaders... are you eating this? How... how can you eat this?"

Qian Jin waved his hand without speaking, and asked him in return, "Captain Ma, tell me the truth, was the food in the canteen good at noon today?"

"It's so delicious, that's definitely the truth," Ma Congli said.

Qian Jin asked, "Did you eat a lot? Are you full?"

Ma Congli readily agreed, "Yes!"

Then, he hesitated for a moment and touched his stomach: "Uh, actually I'm not very full, I'd say I ate about 80%, but I've already eaten a lot. I noticed people were staring at me, so I..."

Qian Jin handed him a porcelain mug filled with dried wild vegetable soup: "Can you still eat this?"

Ma Congli laughed and said, "How can I not eat this? It's perfect for rinsing my mouth."

He picked up the enamel mug and used his chopsticks to scoop the contents into his mouth.

His cheeks were bulging, and his teeth were working hard to chew.

We ate a whole vat of wild vegetables, which were sweet and delicious!
If anyone still didn't understand Qian Jin's meaning at this point, then they would be fools.

Zhong Jianxin looked up at the sky and sighed, "Alas, is this what farmers eat now?"

"We can't even eat our fill of this!" Qian Jin slammed his fist on the table in indignation, then asked Ma Congli, "Isn't that right?"

Ma Congli nodded: "Yes, our brigade doesn't have the means to boil food in this salt water. We just stuff it in our mouths and chew it slowly when we're hungry or craving something."

But he optimistically added, "Don't feel bad about the money, you're just a farmer, you're born to be poor and talkative."

"The government issued an early warning this year, so our commune members were able to prepare some wild vegetables in advance and dry them. Eating these is good; they fill our stomachs and prevent constipation."

"I went through three really tough years when I was a kid. There was nothing to eat, and we were so hungry that we ate dirt. But we couldn't poop after eating it, and we got constipated. It could kill you!"

None of the leading cadres in the command post were under thirty years old; they had all experienced the three or four years of transition in the 1950s and 60s.

Ma Congli's words reminded them of the days dominated by drought, and fear appeared on their faces.

Qian Jin slammed his hand on the table and said:

"Comrades, you've only had one meal—no, you haven't even had one meal yet, you can't take it anymore after just a few bites, right?"

"But let me tell you, this is what the commune members of Xiamapo, and what many more men, women, and children in brigades and production teams who have no water or food are swallowing and eating!"

"Even if a child cries until their throat is hoarse, they still have to swallow it down, just so there's something in their stomach to keep them full! And that's after all the hard work and effort they put in to save it!"

His gaze swept over the crowd again, and he said, "You're all probably cursing me in your hearts."

“These days, we leaders haven’t been drinking and feasting. It’s all too common for farmers to go hungry in disaster years. Aren’t we leaders busy trying to help them get through this disaster year? Isn’t that right?”

No one dares to say that.

Liu Changgui, as the director of the drought relief office, replied, "Everyone understands Commander Qian's good intentions, and we can't possibly scold you. It's just that sometimes we really have no choice..."

"Is there no way to get the water to the production teams that really need it?" Qian Jin asked him.

"Is it impossible to not eat scrambled eggs?"

"Is there no way to avoid drinking tea?"

Qian Jin pointed towards the canteen and said to the pale-faced leaders, "Gentlemen, the food here is much better than at the command post! The conditions in your canteen are much better than those in the municipal government and even our supply and marketing cooperative!"

He patted the telephone next to him again: "I have reported this matter truthfully to the city."

"No wonder your Anguo County suffered the most severe disaster," he said with a disdainful glance at the leaders. "With officials like you, it would be unbelievable if farmers' children could live a good life!"

No one dared to refute it.

The cadres of Xiaobieshui Commune dared not even breathe loudly.

But the conversation still turned to them.

Qian Jin stopped the car at Xiamapo Production Brigade and told them the news he had obtained in Wangjiagou.

Liu Changgui understood now.

He slammed the aluminum lunchbox in his hand at the cadres in the corner: "You bunch of bastards! At a time like this, you still dare to pull strings and cause trouble!"

The officials, unable to express their grievances, said one after another, "Wangjiagou really does need water..."

“We didn’t say we wouldn’t deliver water to Xiamapo. It’s just that the hand tractor at Xiamapo broke down and was being repaired at the agricultural machinery station. They didn’t have any vehicles to fetch water, so they didn’t set up a distribution center…”

"The conditions at Shangmapo are similar to those at Xiamapo. We've even set up a water distribution point at Shangmapo..."

Qian Jin asked, "First, the disaster report should specifically name the brigades in each commune that are most short of water. Each commune has three slots, and your brigade reported Wangjiagou and Lijiawa."

“I haven’t been to Lijiawa yet, but I’ve been to Wangjiagou. Is it the most water-scarce brigade in the whole commune?”

The officials evaded the question by talking about other things.

Qian Jin continued, "Secondly, was there any deliberate obstruction of water supply for the Xiamapo production brigade?"

"Wangjiagou made the list, is it related to Section Chief Wang next to you?"

Wang Erpangzi hurriedly said, "It definitely has nothing to do with me, boss, you can't wrong me like this..."

"Get out of here, you've been dismissed," Qian Jin said bluntly. "You can wait for Comrade Yu Longxing to issue the detailed dismissal report."

Wang Erpangzi trembled with fear: "No, why should I...?"

Qian Jin ignored them and turned to the leaders of the command post, saying:
"I declare now!"

"As long as the drought relief work is not completely over, all of us leaders and cadres in charge of disaster relief work at the command post and on the front line will eat lunch here. The standard is the same as today, just this kind of porridge with no oil or salt, wild vegetables and some grains!" "I'll say it again, don't worry about not having the energy to do the drought relief work. You can eat as much as you want, you won't go hungry!"

Many leaders looked at him in surprise.

That's incredibly aggressive.

He was dismissed from his post and forced to eat substandard lunches.

Aren't you afraid your subordinates will rebel?

Even if they don't rebel, they can still make excuses and delay work progress, right?

When the command investigates and punishes someone, won't they first deal with you, the deputy commander and special envoy?

But what surprised them even more was...

Liu Changgui, the director of the drought relief office, was completely overwhelmed by this young man who had been parachuted in. He immediately said, "On behalf of the drought relief office and the command post, I warmly respond to Comrade Qian Jin's call!"

Then he turned to the leaders and cadres present and said, “Comrades, starting today, as long as the drought continues, I will not leave this command post to go out for lunch!”

"I want to share the joys and sorrows with the people in the disaster-stricken areas!"

"What about you?!"

Before he finished speaking, several cadres turned ashen-faced.

They could have guessed it with their butts.

I'll continue having this dried wild vegetable porridge for lunch from now on...

But Liu Changgui responded enthusiastically to Qian Jin's call: "Commander Qian is right, he spoke to my heart. I will stay at the command post with him for meals from now on."

"I, Old Liu, will not leave until the drought is over!"

What else can anyone say?
They are now in a state of confusion and can only follow along by chanting slogans.

Qian Jin nodded in satisfaction after listening, then pointed to all the core members of the command headquarters, including Liu Changgui and Zhong Jianxin, and the heads of various departments:

"Alright, since everyone has this idea, let's get started."

"Starting today, all the monthly rations of grain coupons for cadres will be handed over to the logistics department for unified registration and record-keeping. And then what? We'll use these grain coupons to exchange for the dried wild vegetables that the farmers in the countryside have!"

Several people immediately sighed in despair.

Ruined!
Qian Jin said firmly:

"Don't worry, everyone. Drought relief work requires us to have physical strength and energy, so I won't let you go hungry."

The leaders all had the same thought in mind.

Let us go hungry!

Eating this dried wild vegetable is torture for them; they feel it's worse than starving.

However, they were living too comfortably and had never truly gone hungry. They would realize when they were truly starving that having dried wild vegetables to eat was not bad at all.

Qian Jin's arrangement was like a heavy hammer blow, striking everyone's hearts.

Looking at the bowl of wild vegetable porridge in his hand, which seemed like poison, and then at Qian Jin's face, which left no room for negotiation, Zhong Jianxin finally understood the true meaning of this "lunch".

Thus, he felt the bitterness of the wild vegetables lingering in his mouth, which seemed to be spreading along his throat all the way to his chest, making him feel very uncomfortable.

After understanding Qian Jin's meaning, Ma Congli subconsciously pursed his lips tightly.

This man, who had suffered greatly from lack of water and food, stood firmly by Qian Jin's side.

Intermittently, commune cadres began to arrive at the command post.

Qian Jin left.

Immediately, a leader from the command post approached Liu Changgui and whispered, "Director Liu, what's wrong with you? Although Qian Jin is said to be a deputy commander and special envoy, he is still just a person."

"We'll all listen to him. He's the deputy commander and special envoy. If we all turn against him, what's he anyway?"

Another person chimed in, "That's right, Qian Jin doesn't treat us like human beings at all, let alone like cadres."

"If you ask me, let's call the command center and collectively complain about Qian Jin's one-man rule and patriarchal attitude..."

"Get lost!" Liu Changgui said impatiently. "How can you say he doesn't treat you like human beings? Just because he made you eat dried wild vegetables, you think he doesn't treat you like human beings?"

"Are the farmers in the disaster-stricken areas even human? Huh? They're relying on these dried wild vegetables to survive right now. If they can eat them, why can't we?"

The young leader at the traffic control office retorted, "Director Liu, you are the backbone of our drought relief office, not Qian Jin..."

"Qian Jin is the real backbone." Liu Changgui said modestly.

Seeing that his subordinates were still indignant, he revealed the information he had gathered: "Do you guys think that Qian Jin, a minor director in the supply and marketing cooperative, is not worth taking seriously?"

Some people nodded subconsciously.

This is indeed their true thought.

Liu Changgui sighed and said, "He's about to change jobs. I can't go into too much detail, but once the drought relief work is over, he should be promoted a lot."

These words left the group speechless.

"That can't be, right?"

"That's right, Director Liu, are you out of your mind? That's absolutely impossible!"

Liu Changgui grew even more impatient and said, "Believe it or not, the higher-ups have already given their orders. This is what will happen as soon as the drought relief work is over."

As he spoke, he gave a thumbs up:

"Believe it or not, it's up to you. Just wait and see!"

Everyone was both surprised and incredulous.

But they knew that Liu Changgui, as a member of the county standing committee, had connections in the province and was very well-informed.

Since Liu Changgui said so, it's most likely true...

The command post leaders, who had originally intended to teach Qian Jin a lesson, became obedient and had no further objections to Qian Jin's leadership position, patiently waiting for the meeting to begin.

At one o'clock, Yu Longxing, the top official of Anguo County, and Lu Zhenli, the second-in-command, arrived.

A meeting is about to start.

There weren't enough seats at the conference table, so some commune cadres put their notebooks on their laps to prepare for the meeting.

Ma Congli and several cadres from Xiaobieshui Commune were made to stand aside like prisoners awaiting trial.

Although the other command post staff in the warehouse dared not approach, they all held their breath and listened intently to the commotion.

They knew something big was about to happen.

Without wasting any words, Qian Jin directly recounted what he had seen and heard in Wangjiagou and the shocking tragedy at Xiamapo in the most concise and direct language.

He specifically pointed out the "Section Chief Wang of the Grain Station" mentioned by the Wangjiagou commune members, as well as the conversation between the commune cadres in the jeep, especially the sentence, "At first, we thought the county only had a few water trucks, which could only guarantee water supply to a few communes and brigades, so we named Wangjiagou."

These words were secretly relayed to him by the driver, Xiao Sun.

Xiao Sun has a keen eye and a desire to improve, but he knows that he needs a platform to make progress.

He believed that Qianjin was the platform, so he voluntarily became Qianjin's eyes and ears.

After explaining the situation, he pointed at the few Xiaobieshui Commune cadres who were trembling like leaves: "Do any of you have anything to add? Speak now! Speak quickly!"

One of the middle-aged leaders, wearing a cadre uniform with four pockets, almost collapsed to his knees when Qian Jin pointed at him.

He said with a mournful face, "Commander Qian, leaders, we...we had no choice."

"Section Chief Wang... he spoke to us. Besides, we really didn't expect the water to be delivered so quickly and in such large quantities. We just wanted to give priority to Wangjiagou..."

When the time came, these grassroots cadres, who had never experienced a big scene, all panicked.

"Take care of people? Use disaster relief water to take care of people's feelings?!" Qian Jin slammed his hand on the table, making the teacup lids jump up.

The more he talked, the angrier he became.

He pointed to the drought distribution map on the wall, marked with red and black circles:

"Look! Look at these places! Let me tell you, every single spot here could be a slippery slope! Your actions are more hateful than this drought itself!"

He stopped looking at the pale-faced cadres and turned to Liu Changgui:

"Comrade Liu Changgui, you are the director of the drought relief office and the head of the command post! How much did you know about this situation beforehand? Did you even notice anything?!"

Liu Changgui stepped forward with a pained expression and said, "Commander Qian, I admit that I failed in my duty."

"All I knew was that the water delivery plan was arranged according to the urgency reported by each brigade. The reports from below indicated that the situation in Wangjiagou was particularly serious, and I believed them without conducting an on-site investigation."

"I made mistakes in my work and I am willing to accept the organization's punishment!"

His voice trembled, and his expression was heavy, while Qian Jin's stern expression softened somewhat.

"Didn't expect that? You think you can shirk responsibility with just 'didn't expect that'?" Yu Longxing interrupted him, his tone chilling.

"Comrade Liu Changgui, you bear an unshirkable leadership responsibility!"

Liu Changgui swayed, his expression growing even more grave.

Yu Longxing sighed and pointed at him with his finger:
"You, you! The county held a meeting and voted to appoint you as the leader of the command post because they considered your understanding of rural work and your impartial and incorruptible work style. But alas!"

He then looked at Qian Jin with a serious expression: "Commander Qian, this situation is extremely serious and has a very severe impact! I believe it is undermining the foundation of our drought relief work and damaging the prestige of the Party and the government among the masses!"

"Therefore, I suggest: First, the main cadres of Xiaobieshui Commune in Anguo County involved in this matter should be immediately suspended from their duties for investigation!"

"Secondly, the Anguo County Party Committee is instructed to isolate and investigate the section chief surnamed Wang at the county grain station to ascertain his role in this incident!"

"Third, on behalf of the county command, I immediately dispatched more water delivery vehicles to Xiamapo and all the neglected production brigades that are actually more severely affected by the drought, to ensure a minimum amount of water for survival!"

"Fourth, Comrade Liu Changgui, the person in charge of the command post, is severely criticized and ordered to conduct a thorough self-examination! This incident must be dealt with seriously to serve as a warning to others!"

Qian Jin had nothing to say.

This result was actually reached through their discussion.

Qian Jin just went out to talk to Yu Longxing and Lu Zhenli. He told them about the situation, and then they reached this conclusion.

At this point, the specific outcome was announced by Yu Longxing, the county magistrate, and Qian Jin readily agreed, saying, "I approve of this outcome."

Lu Zhenli said the same thing.

Qian Jin turned around and looked intently at Liu Changgui and the few Xiaobieshui Commune cadres who were already dizzy and disoriented:
"Did you all hear that? The command post has now decided—the five leading comrades of Xiaobieshui Commune are suspended from their duties pending investigation! This will be implemented immediately! Your positions and work will be taken over by the deputy leaders of your respective communes!"

He then looked at Liu Changgui: "Comrade Liu Changgui, you need to reflect deeply and write a self-criticism! Considering that this is an urgent period for drought relief work, we will not punish you further, but you must fully cooperate with the investigation and handling afterwards!"

"Yes!" Liu Changgui said solemnly.

Qian Jin then said to Wang Erpangzi, "Comrade, why don't you go back to your brigade and join your brigade's drought relief work?"

Wang Erpangzi collapsed to the ground on the spot.

Ruined!
"Economic Commission, Transportation Bureau, Public Security Bureau!" Qian Jin's voice turned swift and decisive. "You need to act immediately!"

"First, immediately allocate vehicles to prioritize the drinking water supply for the Xiamapo production team. Two truckloads of water must be delivered before sunset today. Subsequent supply plans will be adjusted accordingly!"

"Second, thoroughly verify all areas covered by the 'water delivery routes,' especially remote, impoverished brigades without 'connections,' to check for any instances of missed, insufficient, or non-delivery! If any problems are found, correct them immediately!"

"Third, security forces will strengthen patrols to prevent further group incidents caused by disputes over water! Anyone who dares to reach out again or engage in any underhanded tactics will be severely punished!"

"Yes!" The person in charge whose name was called perked up and immediately responded loudly.

Qian Jin continued:
"Comrades, the lessons learned from Wangjiagou and Xiamapo tell us that relying solely on the command center to coordinate water supply and drought relief efforts in the city is far from sufficient! The drought situation is constantly changing, and the circumstances of each production team vary greatly!"

"I propose that we immediately formulate a 'Water Delivery Schedule.' Organized by commune, we should precisely schedule the date, time, and approximate volume of water delivery to each village based on the severity of water shortages, population size, and water storage capacity!"

"The timetable needs to be broken down to the hour and distributed to every production team so that the people know when the water will arrive, thus avoiding further disputes and road blockages!"

He then proposed a more crucial second step: "At the same time, we cannot place all our hopes on car wheels!"

"There is a problem of the 'last mile' or even the 'last few hundred meters' in the water delivery route. How can we solve the problem that cars cannot enter the village or reach the households? My suggestion is to rely on people, on the shoulders and hands of the villagers themselves!"

He pointed to the several donkey carts and handcarts parked in the yard and said:
“Mobilize the masses and don’t stick to the so-called truck water delivery. Each production brigade can organize its own transport team and use donkey carts, handcarts, wheelbarrows, or even carry water on their shoulders to fetch water.”

"In other words, after the water trucks arrive at the distribution point, each production brigade will be responsible for delivering the water to the water tanks of each household through its own transportation capacity."

"I've thought about it. We can come up with a slogan for this: 'The last mile, do it yourself!' This will not only greatly reduce the pressure on truck transportation and improve water delivery efficiency, but also ensure that the limited water reaches the people who need it most as quickly as possible!"

This proposal immediately received a warm response from grassroots cadres.

The message spread even further, with people immediately stating, "Commander Qian's method is excellent; drought relief work should maximize the power of the people."

Ma Congli couldn't help but say, "Our brigade has plenty of strong laborers, so carrying water is no problem. Using a hand tractor would consume diesel fuel, so wouldn't it be better to save that diesel for the trucks?"

Both proposals were passed.

But Qian Jin has an even more important proposal, which is not limited to implementation in Anguo County.

He returned to the city command center the next day and reported the cause and effect of the matter and the solution to Zheng Guodong and Han Zhaoxin.

In years of severe drought, water resources are the lifeline for survival and hope.

The conflicts arising from its distribution, under extreme pressure, are like a dry pile of firewood, where a single spark could ignite a prairie fire.

The "water delivery by roadside with a timetable" and "doing the last mile yourself" mechanisms received unanimous praise from the two leaders, and these two plans were widely used and implemented at the grassroots level throughout the city.

But there are still problems.

Qian Jin attaches great importance to the arrangement of prioritizing water supply in Wangjiagou.

It exposed a core problem: in extraordinary times of extreme resource scarcity and immense survival pressure, the traditional, loose model of coordinating resource allocation based on the self-awareness of grassroots cadres and local customs and ethics has proven inadequate and even extremely fragile.

How can the will and resources of the command center be delivered more directly and effectively to every production team facing a life-or-death test?

How can we establish a more rigid mechanism that can effectively constrain grassroots behavior and ensure the overall stability of drought relief efforts?
Qian Jin also offered his thoughts.

Or rather, the government provided a solution in the 21st century.

Now, all he needs to do is follow the rules and regulations!
(End of this chapter)