The statistics of the first issuance and withdrawal of work-point coupons were quickly calculated. A total of 815.3 cents were issued and 334 cents were withdrawn. The withdrawal rate on the day was 40% - a person who got this for the first time.
It is understandable to be eager to redeem it into physical objects. In the next few days, the remaining tokens began to be withdrawn one after another, but the speed was much lower than originally expected. This made Wu Nanhai breath a sigh of relief. On the day of the launch, he
I consumed almost 60 kilograms more rice and grains than usual.
However, the credit of the work-point coupons was basically established. Although some people were still doubtful, this piece of paper could indeed buy extra food from the food truck every day. Then Wu Nanhai began to sell real estate rice wine to them -
Each bottle costs 5 cents, and each bottle is 250 grams. In order to prevent someone from drinking and causing trouble, it is supplied once a week, and each person is limited to purchasing one bottle at a time. However, the sales situation is not ideal, which makes Wu Nanhai very puzzled: This batch of rice wine belongs to Zhang
Youfu gave it to the prisoners when handling matters. He even asked the prisoners specifically, and they all said it was the best rice wine in the county.
Since he is top-notch, why is his sales volume so small? After so many days of dealing with the production team, he has been able to roughly communicate with these local laborers in a language that is a mixture of Lingao dialect and Mandarin. As a result, most people
The answer was: "It's too expensive, I can't afford it."
After hearing his reaction, Wu De smiled happily: "Good thing."
"What's the good thing?" Wu Nanhai originally expected to use rice wine to get some work-point coupons back, thus reducing food consumption.
"It shows that they recognize the value of work-point coupons!" Wu De said, "They think it is money, that's why they have such an idea. If these were gold yuan coupons in 1949, would everyone still care about the price? Can they buy them?
It’ll be good if you get something.”
Wu Nanhai suddenly realized this and couldn't help laughing. He had never thought about this at all.
"You haven't put yourself in someone else's shoes, and neither have many people here. You think these people should naturally believe in the value of work-point coupons." A wry smile appeared on Wu De's lips, "It's all about what you think they should be like, and what I think they should be like.
That's right, right? Everyone has forgotten that these people are also living people, and everyone has their own calculations. Why should I believe you so easily?"
"A bit indeed."
"So, we have to be careful." Wu De said, "Credit, credibility, cannot be established in a day or two." As he was talking, Lin Xing's report suddenly came from outside.
"come in."
The newly appointed production captain was wearing brand-new homespun clothes. The style was imitated from the training uniforms worn by people across the country. Although the workmanship was a bit poor, it still seemed to fit well.
"What's up?"
"Little, little -" Lin Xing already spoke Mandarin very well, with just a hint of Xiong Buyou's special Guangxi accent, "I have something to ask the master."
"Say it."
Lin Xing knelt down and kowtowed, and then said that many people in the production team were tenant farmers and had been away from home for a month. Now the autumn harvest was coming, and many people were worried that if they did not go back to collect grain, their families would be short of labor and would not be able to harvest grain.
If you can't pay the rent, your whole family will starve to death if your employer seizes the tenant.
"Everyone recommends me to ask for mercy from the master, so that everyone can go back and have a look, and then come back after completing the farm work for this season." Lin Xing said and kowtowed again.
Want to go home? This is not surprising to Wu De. After all, single people are in the minority. Most people in the production team do not have land, but they have families. This cannot be given up no matter what. They have this idea, so
It makes sense both emotionally and rationally.
However, once you are let go, can you come back? Wu De is not completely sure. Judging from the ideological trends of the workers, most people feel that being a laborer here is similar to working for the landlord. After the implementation of the work-share coupon system,
, the enthusiasm for work has also increased a lot. But how many people are willing to work for them permanently and permanently?
He hesitated for a while and asked Lin Xing to retreat first.
"I'm afraid this matter won't be easy." Wu Nanhai also found it difficult to handle, "Can I ask the executive committee for instructions?"
That night, the Executive Committee held an enlarged meeting specifically for this matter to discuss the issue of whether to let the workers go home to work on the farm. Many professional groups were opposed, especially the various groups under the Industrial Committee that are currently entering the climax of infrastructure installation-
―Once these labor forces are lost, the progress will be greatly slowed down. There is also a new cement shaft kiln project in the brick kiln. There is a shortage of labor force. Now that a hundred or so strong and mature laborers are being let go at one go, it will be difficult to fill the gap.
Fill.
Wu De was also very hesitant about this issue: Letting people go would obviously be detrimental to the current production and construction. Lin Xing came to him specifically to beg him, which showed that there was already a strong trend of thought in the production team. Not letting people go would be a problem.
A serious loss of the hearts and minds that were hard won.
He really couldn't make a choice, so he recounted all his thoughts and worries. In the end, he said that it was best to let them go back once. Even if they would lose many people, their benevolence and trustworthiness would be recognized by the locals.
.
"Benevolence and righteousness, credit?" Someone sneered, "What do we, a group of space-time invaders, still talk about?" This person is Comrade Xiao Bailang of the mechanical group. He has a fair and clean face, is very delicate, and has a bit of a hypocritical temperament.
At that time, his face was red and he spoke in a rush.
"That's true. Do we have to be despicable and shameless?"
"Excuse me," the other party immediately retorted, "What are we doing here? Don't say that you are all for the cause of communism or to bring democracy and freedom to the Chinese people. To put it bluntly, none of you are just seeking wealth and playing games.
Is Li Cai here?" He glanced at the attendees and said, "I'm tired of your inexplicable benevolence, justice, etiquette and wisdom. If Lingao is captured, all the people in the county will be captured to work. It's not enough to attack villages one by one.
, we will soon be able to produce gunpowder on a large scale, and to hide here and negotiate credit with a group of natives is so nonsense."
"You can't achieve anything by relying on slavery..."
"What's wrong with slavery? Didn't the Manchus rule China for three hundred years by cruelly enslaving the Han people? What the Tunguska savages covered in lard and pig skins can do, we modern people in the 21st century can't do?"
"I firmly oppose this!" Cheng Dong stood up and objected fiercely, "Although sometimes the ends justify the means, there should still be a minimum moral bottom line. Doing so will lose the support of the people!"
"People's hearts?" Xiao Bailang sneered, "Unfortunately, according to the law of historical development, people's hearts are not necessarily the opponent of force. If people's hearts have ever defeated force, it is because force is not enough! In ancient times, ordinary people could revolt. You see, there are people's uprisings in the modern world.
No? At best, it’s a group walk or a ‘group event’. Compared with the people of this time and space, our technological and industrial capabilities are the level of the Zentraedi Stars to the Earth - do the Zentraedi people want the hearts and minds of the people on the Earth?”
These highly inflammatory words resonated with many people. Seeing many people begin to whisper, Xiao Bailang became even more angry:
"I propose that instead of letting people go, we should start a 'hunting operation' immediately!" He waved his arms forcefully, "round up the labor force on a large scale and group them into forced labor. If they cannot complete the quota, they will not be given food.
Anyone who dares to resist will be beheaded..." His spittle flew everywhere, becoming more and more enthusiastic as he spoke.
"I object!" Wu De became more and more extreme as he listened to his words. He was afraid that if he continued to speak more, he would destroy the results of more than two months of hard work. "We need the loyalty of the local indigenous people. Without their support, how can we
Are you going to rule with the five hundred of us?"
"What are you afraid of?" Xiao Bailang disagreed. "There are as many traitors as you want. Green Camp, Peace Army, Imperial Alliance Army, you can recruit as many people as you want to help you fight in the war."
Cheng Dong, a pacifist, couldn't bear it: "So you want everyone to follow the moral standards of the Tunguska savages or the Japanese devils?"
"What do you think we are?" Xiao Bailang snorted, "What right do we have to come here? Why do we occupy land here? Is Lingao a land that has been 'indivisible since ancient times'? We are an invasion of time and space.
Hey, please don’t smear yourself with makeup!”
Seeing that the meeting was about to get out of control. So far, no one has publicly come out to support Xiao Bailang, but it is obvious that these words are extremely inflammatory. Wen Desi realized the danger. This naked disregard of general moral principles,
The expression of putting interests first has a strong inciting power on the public. From the bottom of his heart, he actually does not dislike Xiao Bailang's speech. In essence, what he said is right, but many things cannot be said so nakedly - this
very dangerous.
He was thinking about how to stop the situation from developing. Zhan Wuya stood up and said hello: "Xiao Xiao, stop talking! People still have to have some bottom line, and they can't just do whatever is beneficial."
"Bottom line? What are you all here for, poverty alleviation?..."
"You fart!" Zhan Wuya was furious, "If I hadn't rushed over to turn off the electricity two days ago, you would have only one hand left today! According to you, how many hands do you have to care about my shit?!
"
Xiao Bailang hesitated for a moment, and Wen Desi secretly called it a fluke. To be honest, if the debate continued like this today, it was hard to say what the consequences would be. Although he knew that Xiao Bailang's extreme proposal would not be passed, the debate left
The rift is difficult to mend. Fortunately, Zhan Wuya stepped forward - he had no idea about this minor accident - but he could no longer care about so much. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he quickly stood up:
"Let's stop arguing. Please focus on the topic and discuss it. How can we maximize our interests and ensure the long-term stability of our living environment?"
These words set the tone for the subsequent discussion, and then some people expressed their opinions, some agreed and some disagreed. Generally speaking, it seemed to be about half and half, and everyone gave their reasons from various aspects.
Finally, the executive committee decided to vote. The result of the vote was that those who supported the release had a slight upper hand.
When Wu De walked out of the conference room, he felt like he was breaking out in a cold sweat. He hoped to release the person, but he was not sure whether the consequences of releasing the person would be as he thought - after all, he had a 400-year relationship with these 17th-century aborigines.