29: Chapter 29 Gathering Ideas to Overcome Difficulties

Zheng Shijun whispered, "They are villagers from Shitougou, here to ask for the grain purchase subsidy."

Li Dakang nodded.

Credibility—this was a more thorny issue than funding.

The mess left behind by previous administrations had long caused the common people to lose faith in the promises of the Township Government.

He recalled the suspicious looks from the villagers when he held a symposium at Daliushu Village last week.

"Another young cadre here to pad his resume."

"It sounds nice, but in the end, it'll all come to nothing."

...

The old-fashioned telephone on the desk suddenly rang, its piercing sound interrupting his thoughts.

"Hello, brother."

On the other end of the line, Secretary Sun Wei's voice came through with static: "The county just finished a meeting, and County Magistrate Zeng has singled us out for criticism again!"

Li Dakang gripped the receiver tightly: "What for?"

"Our economic indicators for last month are at the bottom again!"

Secretary Sun Wei sighed: "Brother, we need to produce some results as soon as possible..."

After hanging up, Li Dakang's gaze fell back to the "Estimated Annual Output Value" column on the tofu inspection report. If calculated based on a minimum daily output of two thousand jin, the annual net profit could reach over one hundred and fifty thousand yuan.

In a poverty-stricken township in the nineties, this was already an astonishing figure.

...

In the office of the Secretary of the Township Party Committee, the ceiling fan creaked as it spun, yet it could not disperse the smell of smoke filling the room.

Secretary Sun Wei, wearing glasses, flipped through Li Dakang's proposal page by page, his eyes brightening more and more behind the lenses.

"Good! This project is a great choice!"

Secretary Sun Wei slapped the table and stood up, splashing water from his teacup onto the cover of the "Zhengjiacun Bean Products Factory Preparation Plan."

"It's quick to show results, requires low investment, and can stimulate employment!"

Li Dakang breathed a sigh of relief: "Secretary, I suggest we convene a meeting of the Township Party Committee to discuss it immediately."

Half an hour later, the nine members of the Township Party Committee gathered in the conference room.

Li Dakang used chalk to draw a simple flowchart on the blackboard: "...The supply of beans will be purchased from Zhengjia Village and the surrounding areas, which will both solve the sales channels and increase the farmers' income..."

The Executive Vice Township Head in charge of finance calculated: "Equipment procurement will cost at least fifty thousand, and the factory renovation..."

"For the site, we can first use the village collective's old warehouse." Li Dakang was well-prepared.

"I will have people transport the equipment from the provincial capital. We can pay later, once the Bean Products Factory is profitable."

The Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission suddenly asked: "How will we solve the sales issue? We can't have township cadres carrying poles to sell them, can we?"

A few chuckles echoed in the conference room.

Li Dakang said calmly: "I will resolve the sales issue. In the next few days, I will take time to go to the city and talk to the heads of several large state-owned enterprises. If any of you have connections, you can introduce them to help share the burden."

Secretary Sun Wei looked around at everyone: "I think it's feasible. Let's put it to a vote."

Nine hands of various sizes were raised one after another, casting shadows of varying depths under the sunlight.

...

The old-fashioned grandfather clock in the office struck four, and the sunlight outside the window had already slanted to the west.

Li Dakang summoned the several Vice Township Heads to his office. Once the wooden door was closed, the atmosphere in the room immediately became solemn.

The three Vice Township Heads sat on the faded cloth sofa and straightened their backs in unison.

The position of another Vice Township Head had been vacant for over half a year, and the county had yet to fill it.

"Comrades."

Li Dakang's fingers tapped lightly on the map on the desk: "The Zhengjiacun Bean Products Factory project has been approved by the Township Party Committee, but we are now facing a thorny problem."

His fingertips traced across the map, drawing a dotted line from Zhengjia Village to the Township Government seat: "This ten-kilometer mountain road is manageable."

His finger continued to move, stopping at the road section from the township to the county seat: "But this twenty-some-kilometer road is full of potholes; I'm afraid the tofu will be crushed by the time it reaches the county seat."

The office was so quiet that one could hear the ticking of the wall clock.

The Executive Vice Township Head suddenly brightened: "Township Head, I have an idea—take the waterway!"

"Waterway?" Li Dakang raised an eyebrow.

"That's right."

The Executive Vice Township Head stood up excitedly, pointing at the river faintly visible outside the window: "If we go downstream from the wharf on the east side of the township, we can reach the city in an hour. Plus, it's currently the flood season, and the water level is high."

"Is it feasible?" Li Dakang's eyes lit up, and he asked further.

"No problem! There are a few fishermen at the wharf on the east side of the township who sometimes fish all the way to the edge of the city downstream. As long as we hire a few boats, we can temporarily solve the transportation problem from the township to the city." The Executive Vice Township Head said confidently.

Li Dakang clapped his hands together and said happily: "This is a great idea! That way, the only thing left to solve is the road from Zhengjia Village to the township."

Vice Township Head Huang also perked up: "We can start construction from both ends on that section of the road to Zhengjia Village, mobilize the villagers to contribute labor, and strive to get it open in half a month!"

"Good idea!"

Li Dakang slammed the table, and the water in the teacup splashed out.

Outside the window, on the paulownia tree, a few sparrows were startled by the sudden noise and took flight with a flutter.

Li Dakang watched their figures flying into the distance, a determined light shining in his eyes: "They say three cobblers are equal to one Zhuge Liang; I think every one of you is a Zhuge Liang."

Having solved the long-standing transportation problem, his mood lightened considerably.