Chapter 953: The herdsmen in the mountains still have a lot of stock!

Coming out of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, Li Long not only carried the box of tea leaves given by Li Xiangqian but also held a bag of food given by Zhou Yuan. This mainly contained some fried foods like sanzi and hemp leaves, as well as braised meat and other foods.

"Your sister-in-law made a lot and said you didn't have time to come over during the New Year, so she asked me to bring you some. It's not as exquisite as the pastries you brought me, but it's homemade and tastes pretty good. By the way, are you free these two evenings? If you are, come over to the house for a drink?"

Li Long didn't refuse Zhou Yuan's invitation, and the two discussed and set it for tomorrow evening.

February 17th, the ninth day of the first lunar month, Maxian held a People's Congress meeting. Li Long attended this meeting as a representative.

Before the meeting started, he had been assigned to a group, and his proposal had also been handed in; as for whether it was useful, he didn't know.

Each representative attending the meeting was issued a bag, a notebook, and a pencil. The bag contained a stack of meeting materials. Printing technology at this time was still relatively average, but these materials were no longer mimeographed, which surprised Li Long a little.

During the meeting, listening to the report, Li Long also saw the county's work plan for this year, which included the content of developing program-controlled telephones that he had been thinking about.

Because it was the county's work report, it was only mentioned briefly. Li Long took the opportunity during the meeting to inquire with the representative from the communications field.

"The program-controlled equipment has already been purchased, and we are currently replacing the equipment and lines. Some units in the county have already started adjusting. After the public units in the county finish adjusting, we can issue a notice allowing private individuals to install telephones." As a fellow representative, and since this was something that could be checked, that representative didn't hide it, "It's just that the initial installation fee is relatively expensive, four thousand yuan per unit."

Li Long had known this long ago, so he wasn't too surprised.

Based on the average wages of people in Maxian at present, four thousand yuan was about the total wages for five years, almost enough to exchange for a tractor.

It wasn't cheap!

Ordinary families couldn't afford to install them at this time.

Li Long, however, didn't have difficulties in this regard; he just wanted to install the telephone as soon as possible so that he wouldn't have to run around for everything, and life would also move a step further toward modernization.

The agenda of the meeting was not much different from what Li Long had seen in the news last time. Studying the relevant documents of the Autonomous Region and the prefecture, studying the county's report, and then conducting group discussions to put forward opinions.

Although people at this time were also slightly formalistic and bureaucratic, there were still quite a few people who did practical work. In Li Long's group, people from the commercial system put forward their own opinions on some specific content of the current commodity economy.

He could hear that these people were down-to-earth and sincerely wanted to improve the current commercial environment in the county and promote industrial and commercial development.

At this time, not to mention Maxian, the entire Northern Xinjiang and even the entire Northwest were very backward in terms of investment attraction.

If one wanted to develop in industry and commerce, one basically had to rely on self-reliance and tap into one's own potential.

As someone who had been through it, Li Long naturally also put forward his own insights. For example, developing characteristic industries, giving preferential policies in terms of taxation, and optimizing the business environment.

Back room. By the 2020s, that kind of one-stop service model for industry and commerce that had already been implemented nationwide, although it certainly couldn't be done now, it was still possible to improve the initiative and enthusiasm of various public officials.

After all, at this time, serving the people was still something that was solid and convincing when said out loud.

Therefore, the various industrial and commercial representatives also had a deeper impression of this young man, Li Long.

Sure enough, as Li Long had thought, his proposal was not officially listed for study until the meeting ended.

Of course, what he didn't know was that this proposal had been specially picked out by the county and sent to the prefecture along with several other proposals for study.

After the meeting finally ended, the report was passed after being deliberated and revised by each group. Then it would be issued to various departments to guide their work for this year.

After the meeting ended, Li Long drove into the mountains.

He had originally told Li Xiangqian that he would go into the mountains two or three days after discussing it. But because the People's Congress was approaching, it was delayed.

When Li Long drove the jeep to Halimu's winter camp, Yushanjiang was also there.

Hearing the sound of the car, when the two came out of the winter camp, Li Long had already turned off the engine and got out of the car.

Seeing Yushanjiang here, he was a little surprised, but he was also quite happy, as he could just ask about repairing the road.

"A few days ago, we convened a tribal meeting and called all the elders—the heads of each family—together to discuss repairing the road. In general, everyone finally agreed." Yushanjiang briefly told Li Long about the situation.

"You don't even know, when the meeting first started and we said we wanted to repair the road, most of the elders didn't agree. They said repairing the road would destroy the tradition. Some even said it was your arrival that caused changes in our tribe's life." Halimu remembered what those elders said at the time and was still quite angry: "They were just talking nonsense!"

"At that time, Halimu scolded those people." Yushanjiang said with a smile, "I've known him for so many years, and it was the first time I saw him get angry at the elders."

Li Long was also a little surprised. The habit of respecting the old and loving the young among ethnic minorities in Northern Xinjiang had always been kept relatively well. Especially the respect for the elderly; when he went to some ethnic residential quarters in Wucheng later, he saw young people bowing and saluting when they met strange elders.

So he hadn't expected Halimu to get angry at the elders.

"We've known each other for five or six years, right? We are friends. You came into the mountains and gave us a lot of supplies, letting us understand the situation outside the mountains and making our lives better.

Some people's vision is just short-sighted, like a marmot, only seeing that little bit in front of them." Halimu said bitterly, "Their bodies have enjoyed the convenience you brought, but their mouths still say this change is bad. Such things are too shameful and must be stopped; otherwise, it will make our tribe become more and more backward."

"The young people's thinking is still quite good," Yushanjiang added, fearing that Li Long would have bad thoughts about the tribe, "They all support repairing the road. During the meeting, they were all talking about your good points. Finally, the meeting we held agreed to repair the road. Of course, this road is for us to repair, and we won't let you act alone.

I also told everyone, and everyone agreed—when repairing the road, each family must send people. Although we don't have much money, each family will have more or less some stock. These are all things obtained from the mountains; these things are handed over to you to exchange for money, and then buy supplies for repairing the road."

Yushanjiang said this here and signaled Halimu to open the door of his idle house.

The idle house was piled full of various things. Deer antlers placed casually like tree branches; a large pile of jade stones of various sizes like ordinary stones; a thick stack of skins—among these skins were snow leopards, bears, lynxes, and a pile of things that looked like scrap copper and iron, but Li Long, who had a purchasing station, saw at a glance that these were all antiques and should have been picked up from the mountains.

"Although everyone sends some things to you every year, each family still has some family foundation in their winter camp." Yushanjiang saw Li Long's surprised expression and said with a smile, "Some things won't be taken out until the critical moment, and now it can be considered the critical moment."

"There's more." Halimu pointed to the winter camp where they lived and said: "Let's go, let's go in and see."

From the perspective of Li Long, who had already been upgraded to a quasi-expert, the things in the idle house didn't need decades; just taking them out now to exchange for ten or twenty thousand yuan would be easy.

At least the labor costs and fuel costs were definitely covered.

Entering the winter camp, Halimu's wife Gulimire had already prepared the milk tea and invited Li Long to sit down and drink.

There were also several milk tea bowls on the kang table, and in the tray in the middle of the table were foods like naan, jam, dried fruits, and butter.

Nasen and Sasken were eating naan at the edge of the table. After seeing Li Long come in, they immediately climbed up and greeted him with a smile.

"The two children are not bad; they both know how to take the initiative to greet people." Yushanjiang said with a smile.

Li Long sat down and took a sip of milk tea. Over there, Halimu took out a cloth bag the size of a satchel from inside the wooden kang, and the mouth of the cloth bag was tied with a rope. He untied the rope, came to Li Long, moved the things in front of him away, and then poured the things in the cloth bag onto the table.

The milk tea bowl Li Long was holding almost fell.

Seven or eight gold nuggets as big as eggs and as small as thumbs, and a dozen or so raw gemstones of various colors were poured out of the cloth bag, spreading all over the table.

So many things really gave Li Long a fright!

Immediately, he also sighed that the people in the mountains really had some family foundation.

Thinking about it, it was normal. After all, these herdsmen's ancestors had lived in the mountains, and after so many years of continuation, they should have had some family foundation. "We required each family to take out things of similar value. It's not that the further away, the more things they have to take out." Yushanjiang explained, "It's about the value of fifty sheep."

Fifty sheep were about one thousand yuan, but according to Li Long's estimation, the value of the things in this bag, plus the things in the idle house, far exceeded this number.

Obviously, everyone's valuation of these things was very low.

Before Li Long could speak, Yushanjiang said:

"Li Long, you accept these things. We don't know if these things are enough to repair the road from the winter camp to the outside, but these are the things.

We know that when we move from the winter camp to the summer pasture, you will also repair the road to that side. If there is more, then spend it on that; if there is less, then when our people come down, we will make up for it with labor.

This matter is a great thing for our tribe, so we can't let you spend money and effort alone. You can rest assured and take the things. You decide the specific time for repairing the road, and we will gather people to join."

Li Long originally wanted to refuse the things, but now he couldn't say those words.

Li Xiangqian had previously told Li Long that he couldn't let the people in the tribe have the idea that Li Long should do things for them.

At the moment, Yushanjiang and the others' behavior truly reflected the excellent qualities of this ethnic group; they wouldn't accept others' benefits for nothing, and they would do their best to do what they should do.

Actually, in Li Long's view, if these things were really cashed out, the money brought in could hire machinery and manpower, and the road from the winter camp to the outside could be repaired.

Of course, the road to the summer pasture would be impossible—that would be many times more difficult.

"Alright, then I won't be polite. I'll accept these things." Li Long nodded readily, "As for repairing the road, I came here today to see the situation of the road leading to all the winter camps, to draw a sketch, and calculate the amount of work.

Then, when spring comes, our Supply and Marketing Cooperative will also come over to work together. They will work for a short time, but they will also bring some supplies, so the money and supplies should be enough; the main thing is manpower.

When the time comes, we'll see the situation. You follow your plan—shearing sheep, washing sheep, and transferring pastures. I can find people to work here."

"Mm, then it's up to you to arrange." Yushanjiang nodded. Since Li Long had a plan, then listen to Li Long. Over the years, Li Long and their friendship and cooperation had happened more than once, and every time Li Long handled things properly, they had become accustomed to trusting the things Li Long did.

It was still early. After drinking milk tea, eating a few mouthfuls of naan, and accepting the things, Li Long went into the mountains with Halimu and Yushanjiang, walking all the way up along the road to the winter camp.

When rebuilding the winter camps for the herdsmen, Li Long had walked these roads, but at that time the main work was for Meng Hai and the others, and he didn't have a deep impression after walking them; at that time, he was mainly thinking about hunting and such.

Now after walking it again, he had a new understanding of repairing the road.

The road to the winter camp was generally much better than the road to the summer pasture. This side was actually many branch gullies on a main gully, and the winter camps were scattered on these branch gullies, with a certain connection between them.

To repair a road that could pass tractors, most of the road passed through the gully, and only when reaching the head of the gully would the uphill be more difficult; here, a bulldozer was needed to push out a gap and a gentle slope.

And the rest of the things were to cut down the shrubs and some solitary trees growing in the gully. There were basically no large forests on these roads, so even if manual labor was needed, the project was not large.

Li Long planned that manual labor might be needed to pick up some stones, and use stones to pave a gentle water-crossing road surface in places with water in the gully. When the time came, even if there was water, the water-crossing road surface could make the water surface shallower, and the tractor could also drive over.

As for the bulldozer's work, at first Li Long thought about bringing the Dongfanghong 70 tractor driven by his elder brother. Now with the supplies collected by Yushanjiang and the others, Li Long had a bold idea: just buy another Dongfanghong 70 tractor, just with a bulldozer blade and a plow.

Other road repairs were not needed; just buy more diesel and put it here for backup.

Then hire a tractor driver to drive it later.

These formed a preliminary plan in Li Long's mind, and the rest was specific implementation.

Riding a horse to walk through the mountains, the snow was still very thick at this time; it was just that the meeting was held two days ago, and when the herdsmen came over for the meeting, they had already trodden out the road, so it was easy to go back and forth.

Even so, when he came back riding a horse, nearly five hours had passed. Yushanjiang simply didn't go to Halimu's house; when passing his own winter camp on the way back, he called Li Long and the others in to drink milk tea, and then they rested.

He was also exhausted from running back and forth these days. When Li Long left, Yushanjiang also said that there were still a few households that hadn't brought their things over, so when Li Long was free, come over again and take the rest away.

Li Long was a little numb, so he agreed.

Returning to Halimu's house, Gulimire had already made pilaf, and the family had already eaten, leaving some in the pot for Halimu and the others. When Gulimire served rice for the two of them, she was still asking about Yushanjiang, and Halimu said he had gone home.

After eating the hot pilaf, Li Long drank a bowl of strong tea to scrape away the oil and relieve the greasiness, and then drove the jeep back fully loaded.

The purchasing station hadn't opened yet at this time, and the notice at the door said it wouldn't open until the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, so Li Long pulled the things back to the big courtyard.

By the time all these things were put away, it was already dark.

When moving and putting things away, Li Long calculated the approximate price of these things. Those gold nuggets and raw gemstones, calculated at the current gold price, were worth nearly thirty thousand yuan.

Adding a little more himself, buying a tractor was no problem.

Then buy it.

Of course, he didn't intend to sell the gold nuggets and raw gemstones; even for the snow leopard skins and lynx skins, he was thinking about whether to save them for a while.

After all, for these things, when the wildlife protection law comes down in two days, you won't be able to hunt them, and the price of the things will rise in the short term. Then by the end of the century, when buying and selling is basically not allowed, it will be priceless and unmarketable.

Since he wasn't short of money now, he would just put them aside for now.

Including the raw jade stones, many of which were of very good quality, Li Long habitually saved them. Deer antlers could be sold; when red deer could be farmed on a large scale, the price would fall instead.

In another two or three years, the price of deer antlers would rise to a very high position, and then slowly fall.

After resting for two days, when the purchasing station opened, Li Long started running to the Post and Telecommunications Bureau.

The news that individuals could have telephones had slowly spread, but the Post and Telecommunications Bureau hadn't issued an official notice at this time. Li Long went over just to occupy a number.

Because he was a People's Congress representative and went to grind every day, the staff there became familiar with him. One day when he went over, they asked him to fill out a form; this was preparing to pull telephone lines.

"What? You're installing three telephones?" Hearing Li Long's request, the staff was also startled, "Where are they all?"

"One at my house, one at the purchasing station I run, and one in the village where my elder brother lives in the countryside." Li Long said.

"Which township and which village? Telephones in the countryside will be slower, but they will definitely be pulled this year. After all, program-controlled machine extensions can be installed in the township, and to connect telephones to the village, the main thing is to pull the lines over." The staff explained.

"Anyway, they have to be pulled, register them together. When do I pay?"

Li Long was thinking about occupying a position quickly. Besides some public units and important leaders, the rest would definitely be pulled for whoever queued first.

"Then you register first, write the address clearly, and you can pay today—if you pay, then we'll pull the lines for you first." The staff had only heard complaints about the high price these days, and it was the first time they had seen someone actively wanting to pay.

It could be considered alternative. (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 954 =====