In 1959, what's wrong with me pedaling a tricycle?

Wang Xingguo hurriedly said, "Uncle Niu, send someone to take me there. I'll deliver the pigs tomorrow night. Just don't leave anyone there to guard them. My people don't want to see you again."

Niu Ye nodded and said, "I understand the rules. I'll have Shi Tou show you the way. I'll remove the people tomorrow night. You can bring the pigs into the yard without worry and take the grain away."

Now that the matter was settled, Uncle Niu went to wake up Shi Tou, and Wang Xingguo still had to take him to Chaoyang East Bridge in a tricycle.

The yard was in a rather remote location, and there were four or five people guarding the grain. Shi Tou relayed what Niu Ye had said, instructing them to evacuate the next night and return in the morning to confirm whether the pigs had been brought over.

Wang Xingguo said there were fifteen pigs weighing over 150 jin each, so Niuye prepared 16,000 jin of cornmeal there.

Wang Xingguo was also quite surprised. He hadn't expected that Niu Ye had such powerful connections that he was able to get so much grain.

However, although 16,000 jin is a large number, a bag of cornmeal is actually 180 jin, which is only 89 bags.

Having identified the location, Wang Xinguo set off for Gaobeidian.

When they were almost at their destination, Wang Xinguo put the wine and brown sugar into the box under the seat of his tricycle. Don't underestimate this big box; it can hold quite a lot.

As soon as he arrived at the production brigade, he didn't need to find anyone himself; he went straight to Wang Changshun's house in the village, and a clansman would help him notify them.

So as soon as Wang Xinguo arrived at the location, Wang Changshun rushed over with eight people.

However, the person who came was not a member of the Wang family, but a production team leader from another family!

Wang Xingguo frowned and gave Wang Changshun a look. Wang Changshun understood and said to Wang Xingguo, "Xingguo, we've discussed that matter. We can't abandon them. Everyone here is begging for food on this land. We've all worked together all these years. Our Wang family can't abandon them and go it alone."

Wang Xingguo understood. All that talk was just the last sentence: the Wang family couldn't go it alone; they couldn't separate themselves from them.

It doesn't matter, since we take a cut of the grain ourselves. If the tribesmen don't have enough to eat, we'll just give them more grain.

Of the eight production teams, two were from the Wang family, who were present when the discussion took place last time; the other six were from other families.

The group entered Wang Changshun's house. Wang Xingguo offered cigarettes to everyone and then said to Wang Changshun, "Twenty-first Master, I've already made a deal with someone. One jin of live pig can be exchanged for five and a half jin of cornmeal, or five jin of barley plus one jin of cornmeal. However, this batch of pigs is in exchange for cornmeal, so the next batch can be exchanged for barley."

Wang Changshun nodded, then said to everyone, "You've all heard it. My descendant, Wang Xingguo, has arranged this way for us in the city to exchange pigs for grain. I've already told you, these fifteen pigs weigh a total of 2,310 jin, and can only be sold for 1,617 yuan. That's equivalent to a little over 10 cents a jin of cornmeal. Don't talk about how you can sell pork for a high price like you did at yesterday's meeting. If you're so capable, go ahead and buy the pigs that aren't part of the brigade's quota. We, the Wang family, will never be envious of how much you earn. Just don't come to us to borrow grain if you don't have enough to eat."

Captain He quickly said, "Our He family and the Wang family have been intermarried for generations, and our blood ties are unbreakable. Therefore, our He family has no objection and firmly supports the Wang family's practice of exchanging pigs for grain."

Wang Changshun smiled and nodded at Captain He. His daughter-in-law was Captain He's daughter. In fact, after so many years of intermarriage between several surnames, they were truly connected by blood, with each family having blood from other families in their veins.

After doing the math, Captain Liu said seriously, "I have no objections, but how do we settle this batch of pigs? We took money from your Wang family, so who's responsible for the grain we get in exchange for these pigs?"

Wang Changshun glared and said, "What? We paid money, and you want a share of the grain we got in return? I'm telling you this because we're all struggling, and I'm giving you a chance to get pigs to exchange for grain. I don't need to say more, everyone knows that although our canteen hasn't wasted any grain, the reduction in grain production is an undeniable fact. After paying the public grain tax, there's simply not enough left to eat."

Captain He said to Wang Xingguo, "Xingguo, according to seniority, you should call me Grandpa He. Our He family all support your plan to exchange pigs for grain. It's just that our He family isn't as wealthy as your Wang family. Do you think it's possible to exchange one jin of live pig for seven jin of barley?"

Wang Xingguo quickly explained, "Grandpa He, this ratio wasn't set by me, it was set by the person who wanted the pigs. I can't change the ratio."

Wang Changshun chimed in, "Old He, do you really think this is like buying vegetables at a market? We from Xingguo went to negotiate this matter at great risk; how can we just change the proportions so easily?"

Captain He nodded and sighed, "Alright, I was overthinking it. By the end of this month, we can take three of our He family's pigs to Xingguo to help exchange for grain. I won't let Xingguo help for nothing; I'll give them a chicken or a duck for each pig as payment. What do you think of that?"

Wang Xingguo's eyes lit up upon hearing this. He hadn't expected there to be extra compensation. He looked at Wang Changshun, who nodded and said, "Xingguo, I think this is feasible. Although a chicken or duck isn't worth much, your Grandpa He didn't make you work for nothing, did he?"

Wang Xingguo nodded and said, "Alright, since Master Twenty-One has spoken, I certainly can't refuse. I'll take on the task of exchanging three pigs for grain at the end of the month, Grandpa He."

The others spoke up, saying they needed to discuss it with the people inside and would give a reply later, then hurriedly left Wang Changshun's house.

At this time, only Wang Changshun, Wang Yongfu, Wang Changxi and Wang Xingguo remained in the room.

Aunt Twenty-One and her aunt, as well as Wang Changshun's three sons, were either working or going to school. Even Wang Changshun's grandson was left in the care of the village's elderly.

Wang Xingguo called to the others, and they carried the contents of the tricycle's cargo box from the vehicle into the house.

Wang Xingguo said to the three men, "Uncle Twenty-One, Uncle Twenty-Seven, Uncle Yongfu, here are forty catties of brown sugar. Each of you three uncles can distribute ten catties, and the remaining ten catties are for you, Uncle Twenty-One, to distribute. As for the other twenty bottles of Erguotou, give two bottles each to the eight grandfathers and uncles in charge, and the remaining four bottles are for me, Uncle Twenty-One."

At this moment, Wang Changshun spoke up: "Xingguo, you must have spent a lot of money on all this, right?"

Wang Xingguo said with a smile, "It's nothing, it's just my way of showing my respect to you all, especially my three uncles. They're getting old, and this brown sugar is good for their health, so I'm leaving some for them to nourish themselves."

Smiles appeared on everyone's faces. It was through unity that the Wang family had been able to continue their lineage for so many years.

Therefore, they were very satisfied with Wang Xingguo's performance, as it was how a member of the Wang family should behave.