The conspiracy of the courtyard

Chapter 186 Violent Solution

After sorting out the information, Lu Zixuan discovered that the village had been providing food to the outside world, but the organization was quite strict. If it were not for the purchase records, it would have been impossible to discover it. It was just that the supply was cut off for no reason later.

Perhaps the commune heard some rumors and sent people to search the village many times, but found nothing. Lu Zixuan asked Zhu Feng to go there specifically once, and they tried all possible methods, but still couldn't find the place where the grain was hidden.

The original plan was to collect grain again to lure them into the trap and then slowly take action, but it was a waste of energy and money and was not implemented.

But Lu Zixuan was very curious about the way the village stored grain, so he followed Zhu Feng on the trip.

After arriving at the village, I did find some unusual things. If I hadn't lived in the countryside for a long time, I would never have noticed these abnormalities.

First, the villagers were not on guard against strangers, and did not gather around or discuss them, as if they were already used to it.

Second, every household had a dung pile at the door. This was normal, but the timing was wrong. During the collective economy period, these fertilizers were considered supplies in rural areas, and everyone would clean them up and hand them in in exchange for work points.

Third, the villagers’ mental state is not right. Their physical weakness and dragging steps are all fake. When they are hungry, they will just lie down at home and will not go out for a walk.

Even when going out to look for food, they would walk with a cane and would never walk with bent legs, because it takes effort to walk with bent legs and they are afraid of falling, while people here walk with bent backs and bent knees;

Fourth, there is a shrubbery at the end of the village, all tightly tied up with straw ropes. The diameter of the trees is estimated to be more than 60 centimeters, but the trunks are only 4 to 5 meters long, which is puzzling.

Fifth, according to the proud introduction of local people, before liberation, this area was once the birthplace of the famous tunnel warfare, well-known throughout the country;

Sixth, the villagers’ mud houses have been renovated as a whole, and no one would renovate their houses during a famine.

With this information, Lu Zixuan immediately found Lao Chen to discuss countermeasures.

After reading the information and doubts provided by Lu Zixuan, Lao Chen reminded:

"You have never lived in the countryside. These phenomena are very common. You can't do anything stupid just to avenge that kid.

The superiors know that there is some grain stored in the countryside, but they cannot make it public. Once someone brings it up, it will cause a big disturbance.

If you want revenge, I can find a way for you. It's easy to deal with just a few villagers."

Lu Zixuan said unconvinced:

“I have never lived in the countryside, but my mother has experienced famine and told me how the soldiers used to search for food. Do you think the people in the commune can compare with them?

You haven't studied the data carefully. One of the people who sells grain at a high price in the county is from their village. This person's ancestors were not merchants, high-ranking officials, or landlords. Four generations ago, they were all ordinary tenant farmers. How could he have grain to sell?"

Then Lu Zixuan took the information with data and counted them out to Lao Chen.

Looking at the reports of public grain submitted by the village in recent years, in 57, each acre of land submitted 370 kilograms, in 58 it was 290 kilograms, in 59 it was 80 kilograms, and in 60 nothing was submitted. The village had a total of 890 acres of fertile land and 650 people, of which 598 were actually working.

After deducting the losses caused by all factors and deducting the villagers' food rations to 62 according to the urban standard, the village had at least 30 tons of surplus. What if the food rations for 61 and 62 were not distributed to the villagers? Where is this food?

A village is like this, a commune has 10 to 15 villages, and a county has 15 to 20 communes...

More importantly, there are 5 to 10 companies in each county that sell grain at high prices. Where do they get their grain from? The government? The capitalists?

According to the capitalists that Lu Zixuan was able to investigate, the highest grain reserves currently were around 600 tons, and they were cooperating with the government. The source of the high-priced grain in these people's hands was self-evident.

"Of course I didn't ask you to catch them all at once. That would mean less food on the market. I just asked you to inform the county. I can help them find food reserves in addition to the villagers' food rations. The condition is that these people will be executed on the spot."

Old Chen thought for a while and agreed to Lu Zixuan's conditions, but asked to go to the scene with him. No matter how Lu Zixuan tried to dissuade him, he couldn't stop him. Old Chen followed to protect Lu Zixuan and to check it out for himself.

Several people found the person in charge of the county in the name of an investigation team, went directly to the village, and asked the county cadres to notify that the investigation team would hold an on-site meeting and required all members to be present according to the roster.

After all the villagers gathered, Lu Zixuan followed Lao Chen and the few people he brought into the woods at the end of the village. He found that there were still three people guarding there. Lu Zixuan became more certain of his guess.

Lao Chen pretended to be a high-level official inspecting and questioned the three people about the disaster. The three people were just ordinary people and did not suspect anything at all.

Lu Zixuan led his men to sneak in from the other side, took out a short dagger, and inserted it along the gap of the hemp rope. He tried two tree trunks but failed. The third time, he easily inserted the dagger into the tree trunk. After checking carefully and confirming that it was food, he quietly led his men away.

After the reunion, Lao Chen was furious and insisted on bringing those people to justice. Lu Zixuan advised him to be patient and took a few people to the nearest house.

Lu Zixuan walked to the middle of the yard and motioned Lao Chen and others to check.

"Look at their walls and houses. What are the differences?"

Old Chen just took a look and burst out laughing.

"The courtyard wall is a newly added double layer, with a gap in the middle separated by wooden boards. The door frame is removed to form the grain outlet, and the top of the courtyard wall is covered with wooden boards to form the grain entrance.

This is an old trick. This method was used when the Japanese invaded the village in the past. This was treating the cadres as if they were Japanese invaders.

The house is a single-layer wall covered with mud. You can tell at a glance that all the houses in our hometown are of this type. "

Lu Zixuan walked towards the barn in the yard and said:

"My mother once said that in the past, when there were wars, families with food would dig cellars under the stove, under the dung pile, and under the livestock pen to prevent war and store food. This is the origin of digging tunnels, which is evident.

Look, there is an entrance under the woodpile, do you want to see it?"

Old Chen walked towards the door, waved his hand for Lu Zixuan to follow, and said somewhat dejectedly:

"No need to watch it. The people's food is for sustenance. There is no need to tell the county. Let's go back and let the people in the county handle the follow-up."

Lu Zixuan and Lao Chen received a reply on the third day after they returned, and all the people on the list had been executed.

The villagers knew about the grain sale, but they didn't know the exact amount. They took the ten yuan allocated to each household and helped the village cadres keep it secret. They also felt sympathy for their plight, but were more sorry for the grain that was taken away.

The county did not inform the villagers of what had happened, for fear of causing even greater disaster.

This is the masses, whose interests are being exploited without them realizing it, and who are being deceived by illusions without them noticing.

As for the two people who abused Song Xiangzhe's sister, after investigating their background, Lu Zixuan was unwilling to waste energy on such people, so he directly ordered Zhu Feng to make a move and have them hanged at home.