34: Chapter 34 Raising Funds to Establish a Factory

They say important things should be shouted three times; Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian broadcasted it three times before stopping.

The villagers who heard the broadcast began to discuss it: "What's going on? Why the rush?"

"Could it be that we have to pay public grain again?"

"Doesn't seem like it. Judging by Party Branch Secretary Zheng's tone, it sounds like good news..."

By evening, the afterglow of the setting sun spilled over the threshing ground, bathing the wide area in a golden light.

This place used to be where they dried grain during the production team era and could accommodate over a thousand people.

Villagers gathered in twos and threes.

Some carried rice bowls, others held their children;

The men squatted on the ground smoking, while the women huddled together, whispering;

Children chased and played among the crowd, their laughter rising and falling.

As the sky grew darker, more people gathered at the threshing ground, and some impatient villagers began to get restless: "Why hasn't Party Branch Secretary Zheng arrived yet? What is this all about?"

Just then, Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian pushed through the crowd with a few village cadres and climbed onto the high platform in the center of the threshing ground.

Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian stood on the high platform of the threshing ground, clutching a tin megaphone in his hand, his gaze sweeping over the dense crowd below.

The villagers gathered in twos and threes; some squatted on the ground smoking, while others held their children and chatted in low voices. A few half-grown boys darted in and out of the crowd, their giggles rising and falling.

"Everyone, quiet down! Quiet down!"

Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice sounding somewhat harsh after being amplified by the tin megaphone.

The crowd gradually quieted down, and pairs of eyes looked toward the high platform in unison.

"I've gathered everyone here today because there is a great piece of news concerning the whole village to announce!"

There was undisguised excitement in Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian's voice.

"Party Branch Secretary Zheng, what great news is it?" someone asked impatiently.

"Could it be that you're going to issue us wives? Hahaha!"

Erlengzi, the village bachelor, shouted at the top of his lungs with a drunken smile on his face.

"Erlengzi, how much have you had to drink? Dreaming before it's even dark out?"

"Exactly! Er Leng, next time don't just drink, eat some food! I still have some fried peanuts at home, I'll bring you some later!"

The villagers roared with laughter, teasing him all at once.

Erlengzi scratched his head and chuckled.

"Stop messing around!"

Militia company commander Zheng Dahe scolded with a straight face: "Erlengzi, what kind of sweet dream are you having? I haven't even gotten a wife yet, how could it be your turn?"

These words drew another round of laughter.

Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian shook his head helplessly and raised the megaphone: "Alright, stop arguing, listen to me, let's get down to business!"

"You all might not know, but there is a new Township Head Li in the township, young and promising..."

"Party Branch Secretary Zheng, is that the young man you led around the village last time? He was really handsome!" a woman chimed in.

Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian glared at her and continued: "Don't let Township Head Li's youth fool you; he is a good leader who genuinely wants to do things for us common folk! He knows that our Zhengjia Village's tofu tastes better than anywhere else, so he plans to open a Bean Products Factory in our village, specifically to make and sell tofu!"

As soon as these words were out, the crowd below immediately erupted into an uproar.

"What? Open a factory? How much would that cost?"

"Exactly! Even if the factory is built, can the tofu be sold? Selling a few hundred jin a day, wouldn't even cover the costs, right?"

The one saying this was Zheng Dajun, one of the few in the village who had worked in the city and had more experience than the average villager.

"Dajun makes sense! Party Branch Secretary Zheng, this matter needs careful consideration; our village can't afford to mess this up!" several villagers agreed.

Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian waved his hand: "Don't worry, everyone! Township Head Li has already found a sales channel for us; he has negotiated with several large factories in the city, and they have ordered ten thousand jin of tofu every day!"

"What! Ten thousand jin?!"

"Good heavens! Even if I were worked to death, I couldn't make that much!"

"Exactly! If you added everyone in our village together, we couldn't make that much tofu in a day, could we?"

The villagers looked at each other, both excited and worried.

"That's why we have to open a factory and use machines to grind the beans!" Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian explained.

"Township Head Li said he will arrange for people to go to the provincial capital for training, and he guarantees that everyone will be taught!"

He paused, then raised his voice: "I called everyone here today to discuss raising capital and buying shares! Once the factory makes money, we will distribute dividends at the end of the year according to the investment ratio! Of course, it is completely voluntary; we will never force anyone!"

"Party Branch Secretary Zheng, how do we buy these shares?" someone asked.

"Starting from ten yuan, with no upper limit! As long as you are from Zhengjia Village, you can invest! Everyone go home and discuss it carefully; we will gather here again the day after tomorrow morning, and those who want to invest should bring their money!"

...

In the blink of an eye, Monday arrived.

Just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Li Dakang arrived at Zhengjia Village with a group from the Township Government.

From a distance, he saw Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian looking out at the entrance of the village.

"Party Branch Secretary Zheng, how is the promotion for the share investment going?" Li Dakang asked as soon as he got out of the car.

Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian rubbed his hands: "Township Head, I notified everyone as soon as you left that day, but quite a few people are still nervous, afraid that their money will go down the drain... You need to talk to everyone yourself!"

Li Dakang nodded: "It's normal to have concerns. Have all the people arrived?"

"They are all waiting at the threshing ground!"

"Then let's go over; don't let the fellow villagers wait too long."

By this time, the threshing ground was even livelier than a market day.

For the past two days, every household in Zhengjia Village had been discussing the matter of opening the factory.