"Brother Wang Zhong! If we make such a fuss, nothing will happen, right?"
On the way back, two villagers who were slightly older and similar to Yang San asked anxiously.
Although they were older than Wang Zhong, they still called Wang Zhong brother out of respect for him.
"What can happen?" Before Wang Zhong could say anything, Yang Wu couldn't wait to answer: "We didn't do anything and we didn't make any trouble, so what could happen?"
Yang Wu also came to Diaozhuang from Yongquan Village. He was from the same clan as Yang San, but he was not a biological brother. He was only five years older than Wang Zhong.
"Who is the section chief who asked people to open the gate and release the water? What does it have to do with us!"
"Really?" The two villagers, who were a little nervous and not very confident, still couldn't believe it and turned to look at Wang Zhong.
Wang Zhong looked at Yang Wu with some surprise, "Brother Yang Wu, when did you become so transparent?"
"Hehehe!" Yang Wu rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly: "No, no."
Wang Zhong also smiled and said loudly to everyone: "Don't worry, everyone. What Yang Wu said makes sense. We didn't do anything. We just asked for an explanation from the people at the water station, releasing water and so on. Those decisions were made by them knowing that they had done something wrong and to make up for their mistakes, and we did not hold a knife to their necks to force them to let go."
"Besides, everyone has paid for it, and they promised to provide us with water from the beginning. At worst, when the spring irrigation is finished, everyone will have to chip in to top up the water payment."
"That's right! We paid the money and they agreed to release the water today!"
"Brother Wang Zhong is right!"
"Brother Wang Zhong, we all listen to you!"
"Okay, let's go back and water the ground quickly. The water will come soon."
······
"The water is released! The water is released!" Watching the staff at the water station open the gate to release the water, the slightly turbid Yellow River water surged away along the irrigation ditch.
Yang San led the two fellow villagers and ran happily towards the direction of their fields, shouting loudly as they ran, and soon they caught up with Wang Zhong and the others.
The villagers rushed to their own fields. Looking at the cheerful and cheering villagers, Wang Zhong, who was riding his bicycle, showed a smile on his face.
Seeing Wang Zhong, Yang San couldn't wait to catch up and asked while panting heavily: "Wang Zhong, what about Defu and Uncle Dayou? Do you want someone to inform them?"
"You really need to inform them. Third brother, Defu and Uncle Dayou have been gone for about ten minutes. So, you go to the fields first and water them, and I will ride over to find them."
"Okay, I will listen to you!" Yang San grinned, with a bright smile from the bottom of his heart.
Of course, Yang San would rather go to the fields, watch the water from the Yellow River pour into his own fields, and see his wheat drink the water from the Yellow River, so that he can rest assured.
The northwest has been a land of bitter cold since ancient times, and its climate is very different from the warm and rainy south and the fertile Central Plains.
When winter turns to spring, the rain is delayed, which is a spring drought. The wheat planted before winter last year needs a lot of water to grow, so people can only dig canals to divert water for irrigation.
Without this round of spring irrigation, the wheat seedlings in the fields that had survived the cold winter would surely have died.
Moreover, the adequacy of irrigation also has a great impact on wheat yield during summer harvest.
Wang Zhong smiled and said: "Third brother, go quickly. The sooner you get to the wheat in the field, the sooner you can water it."
Wang Zhong knew Yang San's eagerness. In the eyes of farmers, the wheat seedlings in the fields were just like their own dolls. They were the lifeblood of the family and were very valuable.
Professor Ling and the others are present at Wang Zhong's farm, so Wang Zhong doesn't need to be in such a hurry to go there.
"Then I'll leave first. You ride more slowly!" If it weren't for seeing Wang Zhong here, Yang San would have rushed back. At this moment, Yang San's mood was just like that of the people who were flowing along the irrigation canal to Jintan Village. The water in the Yellow River is so good that I wish I could fly to my fields right now.
Seeing Yang San flying away, the smile on Wang Zhong's face gradually disappeared, feeling a little emotional.
Although these folks who came to Diaozhuang together from Yongquan Village have their own shortcomings and problems, they are not bad in nature, and the neighbors are not stingy in helping each other.
Although life is a bit tough, fortunately, there is still hope, enough food to eat, and money to send the children to school.
But this is not enough. It is better to teach people to fish than to teach them how to fish. Now the villagers just work with Wang Zhong in their spare time, either burning kilns or building houses. But if it is just like this, it will improve the quality of the villagers. It's just about the standard of living. Now the group of young people who went to Putian to work have begun to send money home one after another. The wages are higher than those working with Wang Zhong.
This is a difference in economic level between the two places, and it cannot be made up by Wang Zhong alone in just a few years.
What Wang Zhong really wants to do is not just to make the villagers make money.
But these are all things for later. The most important thing now is to get the farm up quickly. Although Professor Ling is best at cultivating Juncao, growing mushrooms with grass, this does not mean that Professor Ling is not good at planting. Cultivate something else.
Various shrubs and green plants on the Gobi Desert can be used as pasture, and crops such as wolfberry and grapes can also be planted. More importantly, the premise is to continuously restore the ecology.
For a high-tech talent with such strong professional abilities like Professor Ling, as in the original work, it would be overkill if he were to spend more time and effort on finding a market for Agaricus bisporus so that the villagers would not lose money. Give up the basics and pursue the last.
Wang Zhong now wants to take advantage of Professor Ling and his team to study as soon as possible what is most suitable for cultivation in this Gobi Desert and can make the villagers make money.
As for the sales and marketing of various farm products, this is not a problem at all for Wang Zhong, who has accumulated experience in two dungeons.
Wang Zhong rode for about ten minutes and saw that there were still a few miles to go before he arrived at the meeting place. From a distance, he saw a large group of people walking towards him on the dirt road.
This group of people was none other than Defu and Li Dayou who were going to the meeting to preach.
"Wang Zhong? Why are you here? Aren't you at the water station? Did something happen?" Ma Defu pushed the bicycle and looked at Wang Zhong with a puzzled look on his face. There was worry between his eyebrows and in his eyes.
"Don't worry, nothing happened!"
Wang Zhong didn't take any detours and went straight to the point: "When I came, the water station had already provided us with water!"
"Water supply?" Li Dayou was happy at first, but then he was confused: "Why so fast? Didn't we just come out of the scene?"
The villagers were extremely surprised, but most of them were happy.
Ma Defu is still awake. They have just come from the on-site meeting and have walked only a few miles. Even if Wang Zhong rides all the way here, it will still take a while. No matter how fast the mayor moves, he is not so fast!
And getting here from the water station, even by bicycle, would take longer than it would take them to come out.
"What's going on?" Ma Defu asked in confusion.
Wang Zhong smiled and explained to everyone: "There is a section chief named Lei at the water station. I can't bear to see that stupid station chief named Chen fooling us. He knows that the wheat in our fields is waiting for water to continue its life. You are the only one." Just after leaving for a short while, he asked people to provide water to us first. I came here specially to inform you, so go to your own land and take a look."
"Chief Lei?" Everyone looked at each other, wondering who Wang Zhong was talking about.
"When I came, the water supply had already been supplied. Our fellow villagers who stayed there rushed back first, Uncle Dayou and Uncle Wuquan! Why don't you hurry back to the fields and watch!"
"Chong Wazi, don't wait to fool your uncle!" Li Dayou said with some disbelief.
Wuguan also said with a look of disbelief: "How can those people at the Water Station be so kind?"
"For no reason, why did I lie to you? You will know if I let you off or not! You will know when you go back and see! Yang San ran back a long time ago. Of course, if you think I am fooling you, don't believe me. , then you can walk back slowly!"
"Anyway, if the wheat seedlings in the field are choked to death by then! They won't belong to me either!" Wang Zhong said with a joking smile.
Seeing the smile on Wang Zhong's face, Li Dayou and Wuquan looked at each other and said in unison.
"Yes, yes! You won't know until you look back."
"Let's go, let's go back, go back quickly!" Wuguan didn't have the energy to walk back slowly, he immediately opened his legs and ran away.
At this moment, the villagers could no longer hold anything else in their minds except the wheat in their own fields, and they all ran back after Wuquan.
"Chongwazi, Defu, let's go first!" Li Dayou didn't forget to say hello to the two of them before running away.
"Uncle Dayou, run slower and don't fall!" Wang Chong joked with Li Dayou with a smile.
Li Dayou paid no attention to Wang Zhong. He only had the wheat seedlings in his field in his mind, and his ears could not hear anything.
"What's going on? We just finished talking to the big leaders in the city. Why did Section Chief Lei suddenly appear at the water station and he is willing to provide water?" Seeing a dozen villagers running away, Fu asked Wang Zhong doubtfully.
Wang Zhongdao: "It doesn't matter. We talked to the people at the water station and told them that those who are carrying iron rice bowls, although we are immigrants from Diaozhuang, we will not let anyone flatten or roll dough. The clay figurine is still angry, not to mention our large group of rough guys."
Ma Defu's face didn't look very good, and he couldn't imagine it: "What did you tell others? What happened to Section Chief Lei?"
"I really didn't say anything, just some not-so-nice words!"
"As for this Chief Lei." Wang Zhong sneered and said: "This Chief Lei is a rare good official. I can't bear to see the webmaster surnamed Chen abusing his power, acting arrogant, manipulating our common people, and taking the initiative. Asking the staff at the water station to open the gates and supply water, I think what he means is that he seems to be planning to report the station manager named Chen to the superiors for not doing anything after receiving the money, for not keeping his promises, deceiving the people, and delaying spring irrigation."
Ma Defu didn't expect it. His eyes widened, his pupils shrank, and he looked at Wang Zhong in shock. His mind was still a little confused: "What do you mean by this?"
"Oh, that's right! I'll probably have to ask you, the acting village secretary, to help me then!" Wang Zhong suddenly remembered something and added.
"Help? What do you want from me?" Defu frowned, feeling something was wrong.
Wang Zhongdao: "Of course I am writing a real-name report letter. Chief Lei is willing to offend the station manager named Chen to help us provide water. Are we going to sit back and do nothing? Wait for that naughty station manager to go back and cause trouble for him?"
"Report letter?" Defu shook his head repeatedly: "No, no, he is the director of the water station. Do we have a report letter? What if we offend him and stop providing us with water in the future?"
"Don't provide us with water?" Wang Zhong said disdainfully: "How dare he!"
Then he said calmly: "When the spring irrigation is over, I will write a letter of report. All the folks in Jintan Village, who are over eighteen years old and who are at home, will sign it, stamp their fingerprints, and hand in the letter. I don’t believe that no one can cure that man named Chen.”
"Wang Zhong, don't be impulsive. Since the water station has already provided water, there is no need for us to make the matter bigger!" Ma Defu excitedly stepped forward and grabbed Wang Zhong's hand.
Wang Zhong didn't struggle and let him catch him: "This is not called making trouble, this is called exercising our own rights."
"I'm just asking you, how much effort and time you and Director Zhang put into mobilizing the villagers to come here to hang out. Throughout the year, I haven't seen you and Director Zhang take a few days off."
"It's okay now. The immigration project to Diaozhuang is still in progress, and something like this happened. Tell me, if this matter is not handled well, how will you mobilize the folks from Xihaigu to come here to Diaozhuang in the future? ?”
"Even when I water the fields, I have to make things difficult, and I have to go to the big leaders to help solve the problem. Those villagers who haven't come here yet, if they hear about this, they will Do you still dare to come to Diaozhuang? Will they still believe what you say to block Jiangnan’s future?"
Ma Defu said anxiously: "This is just an example. I will report it to the district chief and others when I get back. I promise that something like this will never happen again."
Wang Zhong looked at Ma Defu, sighed, and shook his head: "Defu, you are a staff member of the development zone office. You can talk to the leaders, but what about us ordinary people?"
"I know that you and Director Zhang, the leaders of the county, the staff of the development zone office, Director Wu of the Fujian Provincial Poverty Alleviation Group, and County Magistrate Chen Jinshan, all of you are dedicated to the common people. We do things all because we want the villagers to live a good life as soon as possible."
"But do you dare to say that this is the only person like this stupid webmaster named Chen?"
Facing Wang Zhong's question, Ma Defu really didn't know how to refute.
He wanted to argue, but reality deprived him of the confidence to argue.
Ma Defu was even defeated by Wang Zhong's upright eyes. He lowered his head and missed Wang Zhong's gaze.
"I just want to tell those people who like to be short-tongued, abuse their power, and let their personal preferences run wild. Although we are just the most ordinary people, we are not dough to be kneaded by others. I also believe that people like these He is a scumbag, just a few black sheep, and I believe even more that the country will deal with it impartially, give us justice, and give us an answer."
Ma Defu remained silent for a long time after listening to Wang Zhong's inspiring words.
Wang Zhong suddenly raised his hand and patted Ma Defu on the shoulder, saying with emotion: "But Defu, we can't let one or two rat droppings spoil the good porridge of Diaozhuang Immigrants!"
After hearing this, Ma Defu suddenly raised his eyes and looked at Wang Zhong, his mouth opened, but he didn't spit out a word.
Seeing this, Wang Zhong continued: "We not only have to consider the interests and harms, but also weigh the importance."
"There is an old saying that goes: The lesser of two evils is better. Compared with the major event of emigrating to Diaozhuang, which is related to the future of thousands of poor families living in the mountains and valleys, one or two like this Are black sheep really that important?”
"Tell me, if there hadn't been this on-site meeting this time, the big leaders wouldn't have been there, and if there hadn't been Section Chief Lei who stepped forward, do you think you could have persuaded that stupid webmaster named Chen?"
"The wheat seedlings in the folks' fields are almost drying up. Let alone one day's delay, if you delay one more hour or one minute, you don't know how many wheat seedlings will never be saved.
If the spring irrigation is late this time, who will suffer the loss to the folks? Counting the water station? Is it the webmaster named Chen? Or is it national? "
"Okay, okay, stop talking!" Ma Defu finally couldn't remain silent any longer, "I promise you that's all!"
Wang Zhong grinned and said: "How about you write this report letter and truthfully write the whole story of this incident in the letter. I'm afraid that if I write it, I will bring some subjective wishes into it."
"As for the folks, if everyone knew that the person who reported the report was the webmaster named Chen, I believe everyone would be happy to sign and fingerprint it."
Ma Defu: "·······"
Although it sounds a bit unpleasant, Ma Defu also knows in his heart that what Wang Zhong said is the truth.
On the other side, the mayor of Qingtongxia City, who was very fond of Ma Defu, immediately asked the water conservancy director to solve the matter, and he must water the people's fields as soon as possible.
The water conservancy director grabbed Station Manager Chen and scolded him, and then called the water station in front of the mayor.
After a few words, the water conservancy director immediately changed his expression, deliberately raised his voice into the microphone, and said loudly: "Okay! You have done a good job and can make prompt decisions. That is a good job. Why should I punish you before I can praise you?"
"What's wrong?" The mayor frowned and looked at the director of water conservancy who looked happy.
A smile appeared on the face of the water conservancy director: "Mayor, half an hour ago, Chief Lei Henglei of the Chengguan Water Yangtze Station learned that the land in Jintan Village had not been watered today, so he immediately arranged manpower to provide water to Jintan Village. Tan Village has opened the floodgates and released water! The fields in Jintan Village should have been watered by now."
"Section chief? Lei Heng?" The mayor's frown gradually relaxed, and he looked at the water conservancy director with some surprise and said: "It seems that there are still sensible people in the Chengguan water pumping station."
"Humph!" He groaned and glanced at the ugly-faced Station Commander Chen next to him, his eyes slightly cold.
"Unlike some comrades, they forget their roots when they have some power!" The mayor was born in the hard times and has served in many places in Ningxia. He naturally understands that for the common people, spring irrigation means nothing more than the crops in the fields. In terms of how important it is.
Especially now that we are in the spring drought season, the crops in the fields are waiting for water to continue their life.
Upon seeing this, the Director of Water Resources immediately said: "Although Jintan Village has been demarcated from our Qingtong Gorge, the third-level water pumping station at Yuquanying has not been repaired. Our water station has the responsibility and obligation to help Jintan Village. The folks finished the irrigation.”
"This matter is my negligence, I will review it!" The water conservancy director's attitude was extremely upright.
"Director, Mayor, I..." Stationmaster Chen just wanted to defend himself, but the words were already on his lips, but he didn't know how to explain.
Say you didn't mean it? Or maybe I was just angry for a moment and wanted to show those tough guys how powerful they were?
No matter how you explain it, you can't hide the fact that he took away the water for irrigation last winter and promised to provide water to Jintan Village, but in fact the water he released was not even enough to cover the insteps.
"Okay! You don't need to explain, the facts are in front of you, I can see it, the mayor and the leaders and comrades present can see it!" the water conservancy director yelled angrily.
"Director, I..."
"What are you doing?" the water conservancy director said angrily: "The country gave you the management of the water pumping station, and this is how you manage it? Although Jintan Village is separated from our Qingtongxia, our Qingtongxia is also its natal home. , have you ever seen any family who, after marrying off their daughter, never takes care of her again?"
"How come Chief Lei knows how important spring irrigation is and how he knows how to ask people to open the gate and release water first to solve the urgent need of Jintan Village!"
"······"
All the people attending the on-site meeting subconsciously distanced themselves from the water station manager.
Before he knew it, he had become a loner.
In the evening, Ma Defu drafted a report letter all night, firstly for the smooth progress of the Diaozhuang immigration project, secondly to appease the villagers of Jintan Village, and thirdly to support what Wang Zhong and the villagers said about Chief Lei who ordered the opening of the gate and the release of water. .
Although Defu guessed that Chief Lei was not who Wang Zhong said, it was because he couldn't stand what Station Master Chen did and chose to let his subordinates open the floodgates. Otherwise, why would Chief Lei Instead of asking people to open the floodgates and release water immediately after Station Master Chen attended the on-site meeting, he did so after he took the villagers to the water station to ask for an explanation.
After the spring irrigation, the whole village meeting was held again. There were more than 80 households and more than 400 people. Although there were a few hesitants, seeing that everyone chose to sign, they didn't say anything. Anyone over the age of 18 , all signed the paper and pressed their fingerprints.
At the meeting, under Wang Zhong's suggestion, the whole village collected another 28,000 yuan, plus Wang Zhong's 60,000 yuan, and Ma Defu took it and went to the water station to pay.
As for the report letter, Ma Defu did not take it to Qingtongxia City. Instead, he went straight to the development zone office and handed the letter to District Chief Wang of the development zone, his immediate boss.
One day two months later, Wang Zhong received a call from the water station. Lei Heng's voice came from the phone.
"Stationmaster Chen has been transferred and demoted. Thanks to Comrade Wang, I am now the acting stationmaster of the water station."
"Then we should call Stationmaster Lei now, congratulations," Wang Zhong and Lei Heng said politely.
"It's an agent, it's just an agent!" Although he said it modestly, what came over the phone was Lei Heng's hearty and somewhat proud laughter.
"One more thing. Comrade Wang's issue with the high water supply costs for last year's winter irrigation and this year's spring irrigation has been reported to the above, and I have also discussed it with the leaders of your Yuquan camp. The meaning above is very clear. In your Yuquan camp, Before the third-level water pumping station was built, all the irrigation water in Jintan Village came from our Chengguan water pumping station. However, the water prices were set too high in the first two times. From now on, all irrigation water on your farm will be charged the same as You are the same as other villagers in Jintan Village."
"That's a good feeling! Then I'm here to thank Station Master Lei!" Wang Zhong also said with a smile.
"Serving the people is our duty!" Lei Heng's happiness can be heard just from his tone.
Then Lei Heng's voice on the phone changed: "This matter is quite a big deal. According to our director, even a director of your Fujian Provincial Poverty Alleviation Group named Wu has asked about it, but the overcharged funds are now gone." It can't be taken back.
On our side, after several meetings and repeated discussions, the bureau finally decided to provide Comrade Wang’s farm with free water for winter irrigation this year and spring irrigation next year. Even if it is compensation for the two previous high charges, I don’t know what Comrade Wang thinks of this solution. How about the plan? "
"I obey the organization's arrangements!" Wang Zhong said without hesitation.
"Then it's settled. If Comrade Wang is free one day, come to our water station and we'll sign a contract in black and white. Comrade Wang can rest assured!"
Yo ho! This old boy is pretty good!
Wang Zhong's eyes lit up, and the smile on his face became even bigger: "Okay, okay, I'll do it at any time, depending on when Stationmaster Lei is free."
"In that case, let's do it tomorrow afternoon! It can be done at three or four in the afternoon!"
"Okay! Then three o'clock in the afternoon."
······
Wang Zhong put down his cell phone, the smile on his face gradually faded, he walked back to Ling Yinong and asked, "Professor, how are you?"
It was already early summer. Professor Ling was wearing single clothes and a straw hat on his head. He was standing in a sparse seedling field, carefully observing each plant.
"It's growing well. If we continue at this rate, we won't need frequent pruning in another two years."
What is growing in the ground is none other than wolfberry. The seedlings planted last year are already growing very gratifying this year. Professor Ling, an expert, and his professional team are also helping to take care of and guide the planting of wolfberry trees. The condition is very good.
During the first three or four years of planting wolfberry, you need to prune it several times to make it grow into a perfect tree shape.
In the year when the wolfberry is planted, all branches should be short-cut, leaving 4-5 well-developed buds on each branch. In the 2-3 years, the side branches and extension branches should be thinned and short-cut to make the branches strong, dense and even, ventilated and light-transmitting. good.
This is a slow and meticulous process that requires careful care.
The wolfberry trees in the farm are mainly distributed in the west of the farm near the Populus euphratica forest that provides windbreak and sand fixation. They have been planted in a total of twenty acres. It took Wang Zhong a lot of effort just to get these seedlings.
"Professor, you said that if we plant Juncao in the Gobi Desert outside, and then mix it with other grass seeds and shrubs after harvesting to form a large grassland, then there will be room for beach cultivation. Sheep?"
"The cost is too high!" Professor Ling shook his head and said, "You can't make a man fat in one go. You have to do it step by step. Let's finish your farm first!"
Wang Zhong smiled and said: "That's right!"
"By the way, the scale of your sheep pen can be expanded!" Since the first year after Professor Ling came here, Wang Zhong has raised dozens of ewes in the sheep pen, and the ewes give birth to lambs. There are now more than two hundred sheep.
They are all authentic beach sheep that grew up in the Gobi Desert.
"How large do you think it should be?" Wang Zhong asked humbly.
"Don't make too many at once, let's increase it to a thousand first!" Professor Ling thought for a while and said.
Wang Zhong's face showed joy and he said happily: "Okay! I'll do it right away!"
