The fair trade between Wang Zhenguo and Shao Jiandang instantly gave the commune cadre a sense of direction.
Huoguang Production Team had wasteland, Wanglou Brigade had grain seeds and labor force. Once a trade is set, the state obtains public grain, Huoguang Production Team receives seed grain for future sowing, and Wanglou Brigade harvests more grain – this deal is a win-win-win situation!
Of course, the most crucial thing is that Wanglou Brigade’s grain reserves can save the lives of the people in the Huoguang Production Team.
If more people continue to die, then he would no longer want to be a cadre.
Therefore, several commune cadres gladly agreed to the transaction between the two teams, acting as witnesses to make the transaction legitimate, so that it could not be attacked by others in the future.
Huoguang Production Team ceded two thousand acres of land bordering Wanglou brigade, and Wang Zhenguo took away the reserve grain.
Wang Zhenguo did not lend them all the reserve grain. After a moment of estimation, he loaned them ten thousand jin of dried sweet potatoes. Their carts were not enough to transport it all, so Wang Zhenguo arranged for the robust laborers of the brigade to help, using the mules and ox carts of the brigade.
To start, only members of the grain reserve were allowed to enter, not allowing anyone from the Huoguang Production Team inside.
Later, Wang Zhenguo invited Shao Jiandang to help direct the work inside the granary. Watching as the dried sweet potatoes were taken out by the basketful until the granary was empty, leaving only a pile of dried sweet potatoes, at most a few thousand jin.
"Brother Jiandang, I’ve helped you tremendously, and you must remember my good deeds. We must agree that all the reserve grain has been borrowed by you, and that the Wanglou Brigade has no reserve grain left. I must keep some food in case of emergency - who can guarantee that there will be no need for food for life-saving purposes in their own brigade? As you know, they are waiting for you to be the first to borrow, and I understand they are eager to do so. If I lend it to you, they will feel justified in wanting to borrow. My decision to lend to you is because you and I are like-minded, have a harmony of temperament, and belong to the same commune. I also know that you are dedicated to the welfare of your fellow villagers - others would not be given this consideration so readily."
Shao Jiandang agreed wholeheartedly, "Rest assured, brother, I am not a person who forgets favors! But what if they don’t believe us and try to check your grain reserves?" A couple of thousand jin of dried sweet potatoes are enough to make one envious.
The most important point is, Wanglou Brigade has more than one grain reserve, right?
Wang Zhenguo cast a glance at him, "Brother, don’t think I don’t see what you’re thinking! As for whether or not we have other granaries, can’t you see for yourself? Those granaries are used during the busy farming season and are distributed to the villagers after the harvest. They are empty inside. There is a limit to the reserve grain I can hold. There are so many mouths to feed here! Didn’t you see that some of the reserve grain is old grain? It’s mixed from last year and this year. Otherwise, where would I get ten thousand jin of dried sweet potatoes to give you?"
Shao Jiandang had achieved his purpose, and he didn’t care if others could borrow grain. He was planning on long-term cooperation with Wanglou Brigade anyway! He had no choice, as he admired Wanglou Brigade’s spirit and positive energy.
When Wang Zhenguo sent away the members of the Huoguang Production Team, he quickly instructed some sturdy laborers to move the remaining dried sweet potatoes to the cellar.
This cellar was the Lu family’s cellar, and the granary belonged to the Lu family as well.
There was a cellar underneath each of the granaries, not the type of cellar dug out to store potato and sweet potato seeds, but a sturdy stone structure coated with glutinous rice juice that kept it dry and moisture-free. This cellar was used specifically for storing dried grains that hadn’t been handed over to the state, helping the Wanglou Brigade survive through numerous periods of food shortage.