Chapter 30 Yearning
The next night, Fu Nuo continued to host a banquet in the cave for the working group. Today, in addition to the residents of Fushan Cave, there are also cave owners or elders who came from several other nearby caves after receiving the news. Although Ning Qi is a teacher by profession, he still understands a certain set of things in society, so these latecomers received various small gifts more or less, and they quickly became closer. Hearing that these overseas Han people could provide a large amount of salt and ironware, several people immediately patted their chests and promised to arrange for supplies to be sent to the lower reaches of the river for trading later.
Early on the third day, the task force finally packed up and headed back to camp. However, the team was much larger on the way back than when they came. More than 20 Li men, carrying their backpacks on their backs, took the initiative to contract all the materials traded to the people. They would follow the instructions of the cave owner Fu Nuo to transfer the materials and personnel. They all arrived safely at their destination, and then went to see if the schools, construction sites, and farms mentioned by the Han people were true.
Ning Qi held a cane cut from a tree branch in his hand, shaking his head as he walked and humming the Li folk song he just learned last night. The experience of these two days was unimaginable for him in his previous dreams. They said he was a useless scholar, but this time he negotiated a cooperation with Li people who did not understand the language. It seemed that he was good at business negotiations. The potential is not small. Should you consider switching to a diplomatic career in the future?
Many Li children followed this team for several miles, and they gradually dispersed until everyone received the candies distributed by the travelers. Although there are a lot of wild sugar cane in the settlements of the Li people, the sad thing is that their ancestors have almost never tasted the white sugar made from sugar cane, let alone the fruit candy brought by the descendants through time. For these Li children, this sweet food is simply a delicacy that only gods can eat. At this time, Ning Qi's "savior" remarks had begun to spread in Lidong, and the thoughts of many young people who later took the initiative to serve under the Yuan Zong were gradually affected from this time. They may not believe that these Han people are really "saviors", but it is obvious that these people have the ability to change the fate of the Li people.
After a half-day trek on the mountain road, the special working group finally returned to the temporary camp at Base 2 safely. It has to be said that the Li people's transportation team solved the big trouble of the people traveling through the mountains during these two trips. These Li people, who seem to be thin, are actually extremely good at traveling in the mountains, carrying things on their backs. The walking speed is even faster than that of the traveling warriors who travel lightly. People from the Military and Police Department had already made suggestions to Ning Qi on the way, whether they should consider absorbing some good talents from the Li people to form a mountain combat force under the command of Chuanzhong.
Ning Qi rejected this militaristic suggestion without hesitation. This is not because he does not know the role of mountain troops, but because the current labor shortage situation does not allow the Military and Police Department to continue to expand the ranks of professional soldiers in a short period of time. According to the opinions of the majority of the members of the Executive Committee, except for the patrol officers at sea and the guards in the labor camps, all other people in the Military and Police Department should put down their guns and go to the construction site to move bricks. Ning Qi believes that even if a mountain company, mountain camp, mountain division or something is to be formed, it must be recruited after the Tiandu Iron Mine and supporting iron-making equipment are put into operation, and the crossing group can start using local resources to produce some primary weapons. Otherwise, should we use the existing iron farm tools to arm the conscripted Li soldiers?
But Ning Qi's idea is only one-sided. With modern thinking, he probably cannot understand the Li people's yearning for a higher level of civilization. This is not only a matter of food and clothing, but also the innate curiosity of human beings. Heart. Even Li people who have lived in the mountains and forests all year round and have limited knowledge have always had the dream of going out of the mountains and seeing the outside world. Li people like Fu Nuo who are so old that they are just waiting to die still hope that their descendants will have a chance to succeed, and there are not a few young Li people who have this idea. For example, Fu Nuo's grandson Fuli is one of them.
Fu Li is fifteen years old this year and will have to serve in the government's military service starting next year. For large villages like Fushandong, the military service set by the Yacheng government is quite heavy. Every year, three hundred young and strong laborers must bring their own luggage and working tools to Yacheng to serve for three months. In the event of war, labor service was transferred to military service. If you go to the battlefield during military service, you can still get some compensation. Otherwise, everything you do during the entire service period is compulsory labor.
Fu Li was not particularly disgusted with such harsh conditions, because his grandfather had described the scene of Mingren City when he was very young, and he had always wanted to go to Yacheng to see the tall walls and bustling streets there. , sturdy houses, and even soldiers holding bright swords. But because he was too young, he never got permission, which made him often wish he could grow up overnight and then go to Yacheng in a grand manner with his elder uncles in the village.
The furthest place Fu Li has ever been is the mouth of Tiandu River, but it is very desolate. Except for a few Han fishermen and the pirates from the South China Sea who come every year, no one will settle there. But these Han merchants who came to the cave as guests in the past two days are said to have already settled downstream of the river. In addition to dressing differently from the traders who came to Litong to do business in the past, the products they provided were obviously much better than before - the previous salt sellers had never sold such fine white salt, and the iron Farm tools have always been contraband, and Li people had to pay a lot of money to get a few hoes or sickles.
Fu Li couldn't understand the language of these Han people, but he could feel the kindness in their eyes. After Grandpa went to bed last night, Fu Li secretly took out the two short knives given to Grandpa by the Han people and played with them. The shining blade is really sharp, and it can cut branches as thick as a finger with just a swipe of it, which is much more powerful than the hook knife I usually use. Grandpa said that these Han people could give such good weapons as gifts to the Li people, which shows that they really have no evil intentions towards the Li people.
Knowing that the Han caravan was about to leave, Fu Li couldn't help but sneak into the escorting team. He is the grandson of the owner of the cave, so naturally no one will raise any objections to this. Fu Li really wanted to go to the Han people's place to see with his own eyes how they made so many good things. I heard that these short-haired Han people would also allow the children of the Li people to go to their place to study and become literate, and this was one of the things Fu Li longed for the most. Aren't the knowledge that the Han people have mastered and the things that the Li people want to know written in Chinese characters on books? Fu Li felt that as long as he could read Chinese characters, he would naturally learn these skills and then bring them back to Lidong to benefit the villagers.
Fu Li was indeed a lucky man. He was noticed by the travelers less than five minutes after arriving at the temporary camp. At that time, he was carrying a bundle of cowhide and planned to sneak in directly from the gate.
Most of the materials for the construction of the hydropower station have been delivered to the temporary camp. In view of the important materials such as hydraulic turbines, generators, complete sets of power distribution equipment, etc., the special working group specifically set up the delivery point for the Li goods outside the camp, so they tried to enter. The talisman power of the camp became very conspicuous. Fortunately, Ning Qi recognized this young man as a member of Futong Master's family and quickly asked the sentry who caught him to let go. Fu Li had never learned Mandarin, and only Zhou Hengxing could understand what he said. Ning Qi found Zhou Hengxing, and it took him five minutes to figure out Fu Li's intention. After hearing this, he said to Zhou Hengxing in shock: "You said this kid wants to stay with us to learn something? He is very enlightened! This is his plan. Take the initiative to join the revolution!”
Zhou Hengxing smiled and said: "I think this is a good thing. Isn't he the grandson of Lord Futong? We can use this to set an example. The third generation of rich people smashed the feudal imprisonment and fled to the light. What a good subject!"
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"Come on, these Li people are so poor. Those who have an iron pot at home are considered to be living a good life. How can the rich third generation come from this?" Ning Qi also laughed hoarsely.
Zhou Hengxing stopped smiling: "To be honest, even if he is not the descendant of a rich man, his status is not low. You have to know that these Lidongdong masters are hereditary, and the government will issue them special bronze medals." The certificate serves as a status symbol. In a few decades at most, this guy will be a local emperor.”
"You mean, if we have the consciousness to start cultivating a Li leader who is close to us from now on..." Ning Qi said thoughtfully.
"We must have seen this kind of thing a lot, right? In later generations, China, the United States, and the Soviet Union have all done it, and the effect is quite obvious. I don't believe that you executive committee veterans haven't thought of this plan." Zhou Hengxing continued to use facts. Come to persuade Ning Qi.
Zhou Hengxing's view is indeed correct. In the future, which powerful country will not support a few younger brothers around it? Although it is still too early for the Chuanchuan people to establish political power, if they can really support a Li leader with "attitude", it will play a great role in stabilizing ethnic relations in the entire Hainan Island in the future. And indeed, as he said, the Executive Committee did mention various puppet support models during the development route discussion, but he did not expect that there would be an opportunity to implement this plan so soon.
Ning Qi thought for a while and said to Zhou Hengxing: "Ask him carefully about who else is in his family, how many uncles and elders he has, how many brothers and sisters... In short, it is just to trick him and see if he can succeed as the master of the cave. How big is sex.”
Zhou Hengxing said sternly: "If we really choose him, even if the blood on his body is not Li blood, we must help him to the throne!"
"I know this truth, but if you can reduce trouble, try to do it as little as possible!" Ning Qi sighed and said: "We have to guard against the Ming army and pirates now, but we don't have the extra energy to guard against the Li people behind us. ”
After saying that, Ning Qi looked sideways at Fu Li, who looked confused, and patted him hard on the shoulder. Regardless of whether he understood or not, he said with emotion: "Boy, you will be prosperous in the future!"< br>
(End of chapter)