Chapter 130: Against the Current

As Yang Qing gave his thorough explanation, everyone's doubts and suspicions disappeared.

Moreover, it also strengthened everyone's trust in the Jiedao.

The reasoning is simple: they contributed manpower, effort, and money—just for your few vegetables?

It's indeed laughable.

Seeing the problem resolved, Chen Hong seized the opportunity to start the planting allocation work.

Everything follows the proximity principle—if the front door area isn't enough, the remainder is allocated to the backyard.

"The allocation just now was merely the Jiedao's allocation plan."

"After the allocation is finished, the Jiedao does not stop anyone; reasonable self-replacement is allowed."

"But any problems arising from the replacement should be resolved by the courtyard itself; the Jiedao will not intervene."

"No problem, right?"

"No problem, this is more humane."

Actually, after the allocation was finished, hardly anyone exchanged.

The toilets are in the backyard; they frequently go there, so it doesn't delay their supervision.

Moreover, the backyard is now everyone's main gathering place, which can also prevent petty theft.

In the following days, the Siheyuan began a large-scale planting undertaking.

Various broken jars and pots were thrown out of the courtyard.

However, Professor Chen kept some, using them to plant flowers and grasses to improve the courtyard environment.

In Beifang, planting mint, lavender, mugwort, seven-leaf fragrance, jasmine, marigold, etc., is an important means of mosquito control.

The affair of Courtyard No. 95 quickly drew the attention of other courtyards; seeing how lively theirs was, others' minds became active, and they continually went to the Jiedao office to seek support.

Director Wang brushed it off, citing limited funds and unknown effects.

After the people in the Siheyuan learned of it, their sense of pride surged.

They became even more respectful toward Chen Hong and Professor Chen.

At this time, Yi Zhonghai also returned to the Siheyuan.

Yi Da Ma's investigation into the rumors also ended.

Seeing the greatly changed Siheyuan, Yi Zhonghai also felt a bit dazed.

Some fast-sprouting vegetables and herbs have already sprouted, tender and green, indescribably lovable.

The people in the courtyard, with their joyful atmosphere, also made him feel a bit ill at ease.

This group of women, no longer gossiping, each surrounded their own racks, walking back and forth to look.

It seemed they could never get enough of looking.

Upon arriving at the courtyard, Yi Da Ma took a few steps to her own rack, seeing her vegetables also sprouting, she was overjoyed.

Planting is very easy to get addicted to, especially for Chinese people.

The addiction rate is especially high.

Qin Huairu, holding her belly, even smiled foolishly at her own rack.

She came from the countryside, very skilled at planting; having her own plot of land, her mood improved greatly.

Yi Zhonghai watched all this and sighed.

He understood that, for now, his era was truly over.

At least for now, it is over.

By the time of harvest, Chen Hong's prestige will be even greater.

He recalled the investigation results of his late spouse.

Yi Zhonghai became confused again.

"Not Yang Qing, then who could it be?"

Xu Damao? But that doesn't seem right; if it were Xu Damao, he wouldn't need that long, and his ability to spread rumors is still strong—he knows that.

At that time, Yang Qing had been arrested, so Xu Damao couldn't be the only one left.

Could it be Er Da Ye?

It's actually possible; this guy knows quite a bit.

Then he shook his head again: this guy doesn't have that kind of brain.

Could it be Liang Jin Bao?

If it were Liang Jin Bao, there would certainly be an insider traitor.

He thought it over, but had no clue.

He finally gave up, thinking it pointless, and since the rumors were fading, he didn't want to stir up trouble and revive the rumor's heat.

He never would have guessed, even if beaten to death, that it was Sha Zhu behind it.

After all, they were as close as father and son—how could it come to this?

Time ticked by, and the date arrived at June 17.

Jingcheng welcomed the Dragon Boat Festival.

The weather was already hot.

The wheat also began to mature.

The courtyard's vegetables also welcomed the first wave of harvest.

In this season of abundance, Courtyard No. 95's Siheyuan achieved vegetable self-sufficiency.

Some people's homes were filled with happy smiles.

But some people couldn't feel happy at all, because the news of workforce reductions had spread everywhere; even the steel mill was filled with anxiety, everyone fearing they'd become the target of cuts.

Yang Qing and Chen Hong, however, had no such concerns, because he had no job, and Chen Hong was a cadre, not a worker.

Chen Hong ate the scallion pancake in her hand, fragrant and delicious, looking at the vegetables in the garden, a sense of satisfaction welled up.

"Yang Qing, you say, can I now submit the data for this project of the family farm?"

"According to my analysis, the family farm can basically meet fifty percent of an ordinary family's vegetable demand."

"Moreover, things like scallions, garlic, chives, cilantro, water spinach, and crown daisy can even have surplus for export."

"This is a great help for the current state of the country."

"If vegetable demand in the city decreases, farmers can grow more grain; with more grain, many lives can be saved."

"I feel that our goal has basically been achieved; we should quickly launch the promotion."

Yang Qing ate the scallion pancake, sighing at the sweetness of the original scallion; this flavor is absolutely not something that future fast-consumption scallions could have.

He rolled up another scallion, ate it, and it was fragrant in his mouth.

It was delicious beyond words.

It smelled good in his mouth, but Yang Qing's heart felt bitter, because he knew how difficult it would be to achieve this goal.

"Wife, to promote this, we still need to solve a problem."

Chen Hong looked toward Yang Qing.

"What problem?"

Yang Qing pointed directly to the core of the problem.

"Money!"

"Our courtyard is experimental in nature, so the street can still bear it."

"But if we promote it, think about how many courtyards our street has and how many people."

"This money—does the street have it?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Hong also realized the seriousness of the problem.

The street has no money.

Moreover, the repayment speed of this family farm project is too slow, too slow; even if the street had money, it could not withstand it.

She looked toward Yang Qing, asking hopefully.

"You say how this problem can be solved—you must have a way, right?"

There is too much suffering in this world, and she now has a method to change it—could she just watch idly?

Yang Qing spoke out the words he had long prepared.

"Actually, nobody is really short of money."

"What is lacking is a legitimate way to spend money."

"In this regard, the street can take responsibility."

Chen Hong looked at Yang Qing doubtfully.

Yang Qing said seriously.

"Loans (that is, fundraising, but the target is the government.), the street borrows money from the people below."

"Then use the borrowed money to advance the project."

"Once the scale expands, the street will harvest large quantities of vegetables and fruits; these things, whether used for sale, exchange for other items, or made into canned goods, can yield some profit."

Chen Hong asked doubtfully.

"Then why not let them do it themselves, set up the frames themselves, and do the planting themselves?"

Yang Qing looked at her.

"Allow it? The government apparently does not allow individuals to engage in such activity; this would undermine the government's established policies."

Looking ahead to 1966, the whole country is about to fully transition to public ownership; everywhere are collective organizations, individuals doing anything are doing it furtively—who would dare to go against the current?

"One or two people doing this is fine, but you doing it on a large scale—isn't that opposing the government?"

Chen Hong also realized the crux of the problem.

"This matter needs to be discussed with Director Wang."

"This involves too much responsibility; it requires taking responsibility."

"In official circles, the rule is: the more you do, the more mistakes; the less you do, the fewer mistakes; if you do nothing, you make no mistakes."

"Acting independently often leads to bad outcomes."

"Such an undertaking requires people with great courage, great will, selflessness, and fearlessness."