The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 347 Qian Jin's Bountiful Harvest

By the end of September, autumn was in full swing.

The crops in the fields have turned golden.

The jeep drove along the bumpy country dirt road, and outside the window flashed scenes of hopeful autumn harvest.

The sky was a clear, deep blue, and the sun shone brightly but was not scorching.

The vast land has shed the thirst of summer and is now draped in the golden hues of autumn harvest.

Qian Jin was conscripted again...

He originally thought that after leaving the drought relief command, he would only need to be responsible for the work of the approval committee and the emergency response team.

As a result, the state issued an order requiring the top leaders of drought relief command centers in various cities to personally go to the countryside to understand the local autumn harvest situation and to submit a report that they would be personally responsible for.

Furthermore, to prevent them from falsifying information, the government arranged for a working group from the capital to be stationed there to accompany them on their rural visits.

On Tuesday, Han Zhaoxin called him and sent him to Anguo County.

In addition, Han Zhaoxin himself, along with Zhang Chengnan and other leaders at the top and deputy levels, also went to the countryside, each leading a small group to conduct on-site investigations.

Qian Jin thought about it for a moment. He had promised to visit Xiao Chenzhuang, so he decided to make Donghe Commune, where Xiao Chenzhuang was located, his first stop.

The two vehicles sped one after the other and drove into the location of Xiaochenzhuang Production Brigade.

The local area is currently undergoing autumn harvest, with cornfields being the dominant feature.

On corn stalks almost as tall as a person, huge ears of corn, topped with reddish-brown tassels, hung heavily, bending the stalks under their weight.

Sunlight filters through the layers of leaves, casting dappled shadows in the furrows.

The wind rustled through the corn leaves, making a rather pleasant sound.

When Qian Jin stopped the car and looked at the scene of the commune members sweating profusely as they broke corn, he was momentarily transported back to September 1977.

His life in the commando unit seemed to have started in that cornfield three years ago.

The autumn harvest was in full swing, but the jeep was making a lot of noise. Several commune members turned around to look, and when they saw Qian Jin, they shouted:

"Oh my! Commander Qian is back! Commander Qian is here again..."

Qian Jin was shocked and quickly explained to the work team he had brought, "Comrades, don't listen to their nonsense. The common people don't understand and are just calling me that!"

He used to tolerate being ordered around by money.

As a result, he's now being called Commander-in-Chief Qian!
He was truly speechless.

When Chen Xingwang, Chen Tiezhu, and the other young men who had just met on Saturday morning learned that Qian Jinzhen had arrived, they all dropped what they were doing and ran to greet him.

A group of young people surrounded him, looking at him with the same intense gaze one would give a leader, which made Qian Jin feel uneasy.

They shouted and hawked their wares, pulling the money into their own homes.

The working group members were surprised to see Qian Jin so popular with the local farmers. Did this young man have such high popularity and such good interpersonal relationships?

After Chen Yongkang, Chen Yongshui, and other brigade cadres arrived, they pushed the youths aside and finally rescued Qian Jin, who was nearly torn apart by five horses.
“Commander-in-Chief Qian, you really care about us peasants. You used to say you would come back to visit during the autumn harvest, but I thought you were just trying to fool us country bumpkins.”

"That's right, Commander Qian, we didn't expect you to actually come! What a distinguished guest! Come on, come on, let's go have some tea..."

Qian Jin tried to explain: "I am not the commander-in-chief. I used to be the deputy commander-in-chief. Now, uh, actually the command headquarters should be considered disbanded. This time I went to the countryside to bring comrades from the capital to do a field investigation."

"Oh, Commander-in-Chief Qian, did you go to the Central Committee for work?" Chen Yongshui asked.

Qian Jin sighed: "I... never mind, let's have some tea, and then we need to have a good talk about this year's autumn harvest."

Chen Yongkang clapped his hands excitedly and said, "Do we still need to talk? Commander Qian, take a look and see how my field is doing?"

"In a year with good weather, I wouldn't dare say anything, but in this year of disaster, our brigade can be considered to have had a bumper harvest, right?"

The crops in the field are growing very well.

Besides the corn that Qian had seen when he brought in the money, the sorghum was also growing rapidly, with the earliest batch of sorghum already bearing bright red ears.

These sorghum plants are fast-maturing varieties; from sowing to harvest, it only takes seventy to eighty days.

The sorghum ears, not yet fully grown, are rather thin, but they point high towards the sky, making them even more imposing than corn.

They stand proudly in the fields like burning torches.

The area over the millet field was a soft, light gold, and the well-developed millet had already produced ears of grain.

Occasionally, one can see patches of late-maturing buckwheat fields, with tiny pink and white flowers still scattered among the green leaves, creating a striking contrast with the golden background.

The farmland now has a completely new look.

Some plots of land are currently being harvested for autumn, while others have not yet been harvested.

However, the air was filled with the rich, fresh scent of ripe crops.

As they walked, villagers working in the fields came out.

The men and women, their heads wrapped and faces covered in sweat, showed warm and honest smiles when they saw Qian Jin.

They walked through the farmland onto the road connecting to the brigade headquarters. A middle-aged man in a Lenin suit and a blue liberation cap walked solemnly towards them, extending his hand from a distance:
"Director Qian, a warm welcome! We, the people, have been eagerly awaiting your arrival!"

Qian Jin was stunned.

He shook hands with the middle-aged man and asked hesitantly, "And who is this? Uh, which leader?"

The other man had a slicked-back hairstyle and fair skin, unlike the other members of the commune. He wore a Lenin suit with patches, but it was clean and the creases were clearly visible. Even Qian Jin's clothes might not be as neat as his.

The other person was the only one in the entire brigade who didn't call him Commander-in-Chief Qian, but rather Director Qian.

This name is quite interesting.

Even some leading cadres in Anguo County are unaware that his actual current position is the director of the Approval Committee.

But Chen Yongkang raised his foot to kick the man, but presumably considering that the leaders were in front of him, he didn't dare to do it and withdrew his leg, saying sullenly:
"Ignore him. This guy... he's a bit mentally unstable. He's always fantasizing that he's the boss..."

But the other party was very enthusiastic, warmly welcoming him and shaking hands, their face beaming with undisguised joy: "Director Qian, and all the leaders, come and take a look at our crops!"

Qian Jin awkwardly withdrew his hand, saying, "I've already seen it, I've already seen it..."

The other party still wanted to have a long chat with him.

In the end, Chen Yongshui helped to pull the person away.

Chen Yongkang chuckled and said, "That's just how he is. He always thinks he's some kind of leading cadre or civilized person, but in reality, he's just a lazy bum."

"She keeps herself all clean and tidy all day, but she doesn't do any work, so it's all for nothing..."

He shook his head as he spoke.

In rural areas, laziness and not working are considered cardinal sins.

Qian Jin asked with interest, "What are his hobbies? Like calligraphy, reading, singing, dancing, or any special skills?"

This cadre uniform reminded him of some internet celebrities from his previous life. Although they were farmers, they had special skills, but they were not understood in the countryside.

Chen Yongkang shook his head: "No, he doesn't have any special skills whatsoever. I think his only special skill is taking a dump..."

The surrounding villagers, who were watching the spectacle, burst into laughter.

Chen Xingwang laughed and said, "No, that's not it. Zhaopan can also interpret policies. The leader was right when he asked. He likes to read books and newspapers. He reads our brigade's newspaper over and over again."

“Actually, Zhaopan is quite capable. Early on, he said that the national economic policy was going to change, and that we needed to deal with foreign countries and learn advanced technologies.”

Once the conversation started, others chimed in:
"Yes, Uncle Zhaopan said it's wrong for me to call you Commander-in-Chief, I should call you Director Qian. You are now the most powerful director in the entire Haibin City..."

"He doesn't know anything. He's just a lazy bum, trying to become a teacher because he knows a few words. He's always talking about reading books and newspapers, and about how the country is about to change and society is about to undergo transformation..."

"But he's right. Our brigade started the household responsibility system early on, and he was the one who said in advance that this path was viable. The country will definitely encourage farmers to implement the household responsibility system so that we can utilize their enthusiasm, right?"

"He also said that the country should encourage ordinary people to start their own businesses. He said that the country has realized that the economy is the most important thing. Relying on state-owned enterprises and other institutions won't work. What did he say? He said that the economy can only be developed by ordinary people starting their own small businesses, right?"

Qian Jin gleaned the key point from the cacophony of voices.

This man, who looks like a government official, is actually quite capable.

The other party can read newspapers and can grasp the key points of the information, which means they can interpret policies!
With so many people around, Qian Jin didn't say much and followed the brigade cadres to the brigade headquarters.

Qian Jin explained the mission of this trip to the countryside and introduced the two members of the inspection team.

Hearing that they wanted to know the specifics of the autumn harvest, Chen Yongkang was at a loss: "Sir, the autumn harvest has only just begun, and it's far from over. I can give you a general overview, but if you want data, I can't compile it right now."

Qian Jin said, "Let's go to the fields and check the situation first, okay? So that the comrades from the capital will have a clear understanding."

"Alright then," Chen Yongkang said, offering them tea. "We'll go take a look later."

Qian Jin waved his hand: "Now that we have a clear goal, let's get straight to the point. We don't have that much time, because we only have two or three days to go to the countryside, but we have to visit at least ten communes, twenty brigades, and forty production teams!"

Time is of the essence, and the task is very important.

Therefore, Chen Yongkang had no choice but to prioritize the overall situation.

He led Qian Jin and the others directly to a cornfield that was growing exceptionally well, and said, "This land belongs to Xingwang's family. They'll probably be harvesting corn tomorrow. They're doing well this year; they should be able to harvest 700 jin of corn per mu."

As he spoke, he broke off a plump ear of corn, quickly peeled off several layers of green husk, revealing neatly arranged, plump kernels inside.

"Commander-in-Chief Qian, look at this, touch this!" Chen Xingwang's father, a middle-aged man with gray hair, saw the leaders arrive at his land. His voice trembled with excitement, and his eyes glistened with tears.

"These corn cobs are really firm! Thank goodness, the corn is really full of kernels..."

"God has opened his eyes? If God really opened his eyes, how could there be such a severe drought?" Chen Xingwang came out and shouted.

"If you ask me, I'd say it was Commander Qian who had the foresight to dig wells for our brigade right away. The corn is getting enough sap, all thanks to those wells we dug and the water we used for irrigation!"

"As it's sung in the Internationale, there are no gods or saviors..."

Qian Jin nodded: "Yes, haha, uh, no, I didn't mean it was all thanks to me—never mind, let's continue talking about the corn yield."

“Our brigade’s yield is fine, much better than expected. The best yields are 600-700 jin per mu, and the worst yields are 300-400 jin per mu. On average, I think it’s more than 500 jin per mu! We’ll get through this disaster year, no problem!” Chen Yongshui, who had just arrived, said.

The inspection team members took out their notebooks and began to write.

Chen Xingwang went into the field and picked out several ears of corn, throwing them out.

Qian Jin picked it up and tried it; it was heavy.

He peeled back the half-dried corn husks, revealing that the kernels inside were very firm.

Just as Chen Yongshui said, their brigade would have no problem surviving this disaster.

Qian Jin smiled sincerely and said, "Great, that's wonderful, Captain Chen, comrades. This year's harvest was hard-won. As long as we can get through this, we'll conserve our strength for next year."

"Yes, this year has been extremely difficult!" the cadres exclaimed with deep emotion.

"If it weren't for the command center organizing the drilling and water delivery, and if everyone hadn't worked day and night to protect and replant the seedlings, we wouldn't be in this situation today."

"That's right, Commander Qian, you have no idea how reassured the villagers feel looking at this field full of golden leaves..."

Qian Jin, hearing everyone calling him Commander-in-Chief, finally had no choice but to say, "Why do you all call me Commander-in-Chief? Actually, I'm a deputy commander. And that comrade Zhao Pan was right, I'm actually a director!"

Chen Yongshui blinked and said, "Xingwang and Tiezhu came back and said they ran into you in the city. You even treated them to breakfast and asked them to fight against the bad luck."

"Then they said, 'You have a high status in the city, everyone calls you Commander-in-Chief...'"

Qian Jin suddenly realized: "They've got it wrong. People call me Chief Qian, the former Chief, not Commander Qian!"

"We're all general managers anyway," Chen Yongkang and his group said nonchalantly, sticking to their own opinions.

Then he arranged for a large group to slaughter a pig to prepare a feast for them:
"Don't leave at noon today, let's have a good drink..."

Upon seeing this, Qian Jin immediately waved his hand and said, "Goodbye, comrades, we still need to look at two more brigades in your commune."

The commune members surrounded them, preventing them from leaving.

No matter how much Qian Jin pleaded, it was no use.

In fact, Chen Xingwang and these young people who had received favors from him in the city were all captured by him.

Fortunately, the commune cadres arrived after being notified by the brigade. Qian Jin asked them to stop the enthusiastic commune members, and they finally managed to escape.

The commune cadres followed and got into the off-road vehicle. Qian Jin asked to go and see the brigade in the commune that was most severely affected by the disaster.

The corn in this brigade was clearly not growing as well as in Xiaochenzhuang. They harvested their corn earlier, leaving only corn stalks waiting to be harvested; all the ears had been taken home. The brigade cadres reported that their corn growth this year was poor; the best yields were only 500 jin per mu, while the worst yields were a mere 100 jin per mu!
The cadres were quite worried: "Oh dear, this is not a good situation. With this amount of grain, we can't even solve the problem of feeding ourselves, let alone the problem of delivering grain to the state."

An inspector reassured them, saying, "Don't worry, this is a country with workers and peasants as the main body. The country won't force you to your death like it did in the old society."

"The reduction or exemption of agricultural taxes this year is imperative. Don't worry, there's a way out."

Qian Jin also comforted them: "The National Meteorological Administration said that next year will be a bumper year, with favorable weather conditions. Let's work hard next year and try to make up for what we missed this year!"

He also learned from the inspection team the purpose of the state sending them down to conduct research.

It's probably to seek data support for agricultural tax reductions.

Then you can no longer see the harvest area from there.

Go find the production team that was severely affected by the disaster!

He asked the brigade cadres to take him to the fields so that the inspection team could see the dire situation of the brigade's farmland.

As they were walking around in the field, they heard a commotion and laughter.

A group of teenagers and a few toddlers were running happily through the harvested cornfield, carrying homemade nets and jars.

They are catching grasshoppers.

Grasshoppers in late autumn are at their fattest and most delicious, and they are all carrying eggs.

Qian Jin saw them running barefoot in the field. Although the corn stalks had not yet been harvested and there were not many sharp crop stubbles in the field, it was still dangerous.

He felt sorry for the children, so he had them run to the edge of the field and gave each of them a few pieces of fruit candy:

"Don't walk around in the field, be careful not to prick your feet."

The children were overjoyed to receive the hard candy. They were quite particular and came up to Qian Jin to ask if he had ever eaten roasted grasshoppers.

Qian Jin shook his head.

I've never eaten this before.

The young boy who was leading the group patted his chest generously and said, "Boss, you treat my buddy to candy, and my buddy will treat you to roasted grasshoppers, they're so delicious."

He had someone gather a small pile of dry corn leaves and stalks at the edge of the field and light it with a match.

The flames leaped up, crackling and popping.

Qian Jin said, "That's quite dangerous. A gust of wind could blow it into the field and cause a fire."

"Where's the wind? It's all blocked by the cornfield." The boys didn't care at all.

Qian Jin smiled and said no more.

These days, children in the countryside grow up messing around in the fields.

Several quick-handed teenagers threw the plump grasshoppers strung together with grass stems directly into the fire.

Soon, a fragrant aroma, tinged with the scent of caramel, filled the air.

The emerald green grass stems were quickly charred, but the grasshoppers also cooked quickly, roasting until they were golden brown and crispy, their wings and legs curled up.

At this point, the kids used branches to beat out the fire, found the roasted grasshoppers inside, blew off the ash, and distributed them by the handful.

Qian Jin took a handful and ate one.

Grasshoppers are indeed delicious at this time of year; they have eggs inside and smell wonderful.

His secretary, Wei Xiaobo, followed suit when he saw him eating, while the other leaders all wore smirks.

Qian Jin persuaded, "This is good stuff, high in protein. Let me tell you, it's very valuable abroad. You know, the United States has farms, right? Some farms specialize in raising grasshoppers!"

Wei Xiaobo also ate with relish: "It's a pity it's a little lacking in salt. If you sprinkled some more salt, I think it would taste even better."

He plucked off his head and tore off his wings, stuffed them into his mouth and chewed them with a crunching sound, looking quite pleased with himself: "Delicious, so delicious!"

The two inspectors hesitated as they looked at the charred, menacing insects in their hands.

The two men looked at each other, and then, seeing the simple and honest eyes of the villagers around them, and seeing how much Qian Jin and Wei Xiaobo were enjoying their food, they gritted their teeth, imitated Wei Xiaobo, processed the grasshoppers, and put them in their mouths to eat as well.

Qian Jinting asked in bewilderment, "Have you never caught grasshoppers before and roasted them to eat?"

One of the group members honestly said, "We've caught grasshoppers before, but we always made specimens. We've never roasted and eaten them—and let me tell you, they're actually quite delicious."

The roasted grasshoppers are crispy and have no other flavor; their main characteristic is their aroma, a pure and simple fragrance.

Seeing how much he enjoyed eating, the brigade cadres even took all the remaining grasshoppers from the children's hands:
"Bosses, you should deep-fry these when you get back; they're delicious too."

Qian Jin thought about it and didn't refuse.

He got into the jeep, took out the canned meat he had brought, and gave one to each of the children present:
"Uncle Leader isn't a corrupt official. He won't eat your grasshoppers for nothing. Here, each of you will have a can of luncheon meat. Take it home and show it to your parents; they'll definitely praise you for being capable!"

In rural areas nowadays, canned luncheon meat is a precious commodity.

The children were too afraid to reach out and ask for it!
Qian Jin handed the money to them and then consulted with the brigade cadres: "If there are many grasshoppers here, you can organize the commune members to catch grasshoppers—catch the edible ones, but not the poisonous ones."

“Every day I find people to drive to the countryside to collect grasshoppers. One pound of grasshoppers is equivalent to five pounds of coarse grains. This way, at least we can help you get through this year of disaster.”

The brigade cadres perked up upon hearing this: "Ah? We can trade grasshoppers for grain?"

"Is it like those old times, when they were eliminating the four pests, exchanging rat tails and sparrow wings for food?"

Qian Jin laughed and said, "It's different. This isn't a government action; it's more like a small group's trade of goods."

“Our neighborhood has a small restaurant. They fry grasshoppers in oil and sprinkle them with salt. Isn’t it tastier than peanuts? It’s a dish in the city.”

The brigade cadres readily agreed, all promising to immediately go back and arrange for the commune members to go into the fields to catch grasshoppers in exchange for grain.

I had a quick lunch.

In the afternoon, Qian Jin led the inspection team to Daliushu Commune.

Coincidentally, the corn harvest in the Daliushu Commune area had probably already been completed, and even the corn stalks had been bundled up and stacked in the threshing grounds of each production team.

The commune leader's surname was Liu, and his name was Liu Mantun. He was a capable middle-aged man.

He handed the preliminary statistics directly to Qian Jin, and then led Qian Jin and his group to a peanut field:

"There's nothing to see in the cornfield, and the sorghum and millet we replanted aren't ready for harvest yet. How about we look at the peanuts?"

They randomly selected a peanut field belonging to a production team. The peanut vines there were turning yellow, but were still lush.

Liu Mantun squatted down, grabbed a clump of peanut vines, and pulled hard.

As the soil was turned over, strings of peanuts covered in fresh mud were brought out.

These flowers are growing well, with many full heads.

After shaking off the soil, the patterns on the peanut shells are clearly visible. When you squeeze them, they are hard and firm, indicating that they are already filled with kernels.

"Leaders, look!" When Liu Mantun shook the soil, some peanuts fell off.

He picked up a peanut pod and squeezed it with his hand.

With a crisp "snap," the peanut shell cracked open, revealing two peanut kernels covered in pink skins.

"The kernels are big and plump. Although it was dry this year, the rain came later, and our sandy soil retains moisture well, so the peanuts are actually growing quite well. The yield is expected to be over 200 jin per mu. We'll sell them collectively in the city to make money, and we can use the money to buy coarse grains to get by..."

The inspection team members nodded repeatedly and began to take notes again.

Qian Jin sighed beside him, "Alas, farmers have it tough. They grow peanuts but can't bear to eat them themselves. What do you call that?"

"Pitiful is the thinness of his clothes, yet he yearns for the cold of the heavens."

"Those clad in silk robes are not the silkworm raisers..."

The two of them laughed helplessly after hearing this.

They understood that Qian Jinzhi was shrewd and already knew the purpose of their investigation.

Overall, although the severe drought this year has led to a significant reduction in rural production, there has been no horrific crisis affecting the survival of farmers.

Random checks will continue to be conducted along the route.

Judging from the harvest already completed, the agricultural harvest in Anguo County this year has been quite good.

Qian Jin inspected the area like a celebrity on tour. No matter which production team he visited, as soon as people heard that he was Special Commissioner Qian, who was in charge of drought relief work in Anguo County, they immediately surrounded him and applauded to welcome him.

It is often said that farmers are ignorant, and indeed, due to their limited knowledge and perspective, they are unable to recognize some scams.

But that's a societal problem, not a problem for farmers.

Farmers are actually very shrewd; they know perfectly well who treats them well and who takes care of them.

Qian Jin spent just over two months in Anguo County, a short time, but what he did and what results he achieved were already widely known among the farmers through word of mouth.

In their eyes, Qian Jin's past actions were more important than those of the county's leading cadres.

When he passed through a place called Nansheng Commune, a brigade cadre took him to see the local deep well.

There's a monument in front with the words 'Qianjinjing' (Forward Well) written on it...

Qian Jin knew perfectly well what the homonym of the name meant.

He couldn't accept this outcome.

This is where the monument is erected.

Unfortunately, they didn't do it for him to see, otherwise he wouldn't have just found out about it.

So at this moment, he wanted to refuse but couldn't.

After all, it's a wellhead for advancing funds, not a wellhead for collecting money...

After a day of investigation, the two members of the inspection team changed their attitude towards Qian Jin drastically and became extremely polite to him.

As they left Nansheng Commune, one of them whispered, "Director Qian, you're definitely on this year's list of national model workers. Let us know when you get to the capital, and we'll definitely treat you to some Peking duck."

After making a few modest remarks, Qian Jin could only say, "I will definitely go."

Their day's inspection was over once they reached this point, and they had to settle down nearby.

They stayed at the simple guesthouse in Nansheng Commune.

The guesthouse is located next to a field and is a converted courtyard with eight rooms.

After washing his face, Qian Jin went out for a stroll.

As the sun set, he stood on the edge of the field, gazing at the fields before him, which were dyed golden and red by the evening glow.

A calm state of mind.

The farmers are still busy harvesting; people are working everywhere in the fields.

Ox-carts and donkey carts creaked and groaned as they passed by on the road, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.

Qian Jin observed the expressions on the farmers' faces.

Most of them had smiles on their faces and spoke in a relaxed tone when chatting.

This filled him with indescribable joy.

When they returned, the members of the inspection team were not there; their notebooks were open on the dining table.

Qian Jin glanced at it; it was a briefing on the autumn harvest inspection in Anguo County.

This page says:
"The drought's impact lingers, but replanting and seedling protection have yielded significant results. Harvests of staple crops like corn and peanuts, as well as cash crops, are expected to be good, far exceeding forecasts for disaster years. Farmers are in stable spirits and full of energy. While a bumper harvest is unlikely, their livelihoods are secured..."

1980.9.30 "

Qian Jin smiled after reading it.

The farmers' hope for a bumper harvest was long ago predicted. In fact, in the past, the rural areas of the coastal region did not only have no hope for a bumper harvest, but also suffered large-scale crop failures, leaving the farmers in despair!
Therefore, this result made him feel that everything was worthwhile.

The farmers did not have a good harvest.

He had a good harvest.

(End of this chapter)