The conspiracy of the courtyard

Chapter 162: Food Famine Intensifies

The next evening, Lu Zixuan took Lao Xiao's letter and went straight to the slum where Zhu Feng was temporarily staying.

After confirming Zhu Feng's identity, Lu Zixuan took out the letter and asked him to read it first.

After Zhu Feng put away the envelope, Lu Zixuan took out the plan of buying and selling grain again, handed it to Zhu Feng, and asked for his opinion.

“I don’t quite understand your intention, why do you only sell coarse grains?

Others are already selling their whole grains at 1 cents, why are you still selling them at 3 cents? Aren't you going to lose money?

Or maybe you earn too little. If you don't sell grain to make money, then what's the point?

I think you should raise the price, otherwise those local tyrants won't let you go.

If you want to learn Fan Zhongyan's method to suppress food prices, then you are doing it the wrong way.

They first raised the price and then lowered it. They concentrated the grain from all over the place and then lowered the price.

Besides, he is an official and has the right to do so, but what gives you the right to do so?

By doing this, you will offend everyone from officials to thugs, and the cost will outweigh the gain.

And what about those grains? They are obviously fine, so why do they have to be mixed with moldy grains before being sold?

You're even cheating the people who buy the food. Aren't you afraid that they'll cause trouble for you?"

Zhu Feng read the plan and thought for a while before asking.

Lu Zixuan smiled and replied:

“My prices are low because I sell moldy grain, and moldy grain is sold to people who are starving to death.

High-priced grain is normal grain and is for normal people to eat.

The two types of food are targeted at different groups of people and there will be no conflict.

The method you mentioned of first raising prices and then lowering prices is only suitable for situations where there is food shortage in a small area but there is food available in other areas.

But the current situation is that there is no adjustable food, and I am only concerned about those who cannot afford food.

I will not donate to anyone for free, as it can easily make people lazy and inertial.

If you can't even afford low-priced food, you are either too lazy or too stupid.

These two types of people will be eliminated by society sooner or later. Even if the price drops to 1 cent per 10 kilograms, they can't afford it. Do you understand?"

Zhu Feng's expression suddenly became solemn. He stared at Lu Zixuan for a long time, and finally relaxed his frown and said:

"Uncle Xiao said in the letter that you have been instructed by a master and are not an ordinary boy. It seems to be true. I can only do what does not violate my conscience."

Lu Zixuan shook his head to emphasize that the two of them were just partners and there were no orders or instructions.

After the two of them discussed the treatment, Lu Zixuan did not ask Zhu Feng to do anything.

He just took him to the steel rolling mill to find Liu Lan. After they introduced each other, Lu Zixuan noticed that Liu Lan had black eyes and asked why.

Liu Lan replied with a carefree smile:

"What else can I do? My bastard saw that I had made some money recently and asked me for money, so he started to attack me."

Lu Zixuan originally wanted the two to exchange information and observe Zhu Feng's reliability, but he changed his mind when the words came to his lips.

"Uncle Feng, from today on, you are Aunt Lan's cousin. Choose the place and the people, and do whatever you want as long as no one dies.

Since he wants to live off his wife, he must have a good body.

Don't worry, Auntie Lan has wanted to teach him a lesson for a long time, but she just didn't have the chance. Now that the opportunity is at your doorstep, don't waste it."

After Liu Lan and Zhu Feng agreed on the time and place, Lu Zixuan said goodbye and let them discuss countermeasures on their own.

As soon as Lu Zixuan walked out of the back door of the steel mill cafeteria, He Yuzhu, who had just returned from outside, stopped him and asked in a low voice:

"Xuanxuan, I was just looking for you. I have something to ask you. Just now, the canteen director brought two people and insisted that I accept them as his disciples. How can I refuse?"

From He Yuzhu's detailed narration, Lu Zixuan learned that the two people who wanted to become his apprentices were He Yuzhu's disciples in the original plot, Ma Hua and Fatty.

"Why refuse? Wouldn't it be better to have someone to help you run errands?

You don't have to worry about them betraying their master. I will teach you a way."

He Yuzhu learned Sichuan cuisine from his master and Shandong cuisine from his family. He also learned Cantonese cuisine and Huaiyang cuisine from other chefs and has also dabbled in Northeastern-style dishes.

The idea proposed by Lu Zixuan was just a simple differentiated teaching.

There are not many particularities and no technical requirements for making big pot dishes. It is a must-learn dish for both of them.

Ma Hua is down-to-earth and hard-working, and he is honest and will basically not betray, making him a suitable accomplice to He Yuzhu.

You can teach him to cook Huaiyang cuisine, which is a relatively moderate dish that caters to both northern and southern tastes.

If you want to reach He Yuzhu's current level, it will take at least seven or eight years of hard work.

The fat guy is quite flexible, but he is cunning. Even if you teach him Cantonese cuisine and he has the chance to become a master, if he wants to go solo, he has to wait until the reform and opening up and the increase in exchanges between the north and the south.

The only cuisines that people in this city love are Shandong cuisine and Sichuan cuisine. It is almost impossible to develop a local cuisine.

Since he is good at flattering and scheming, he won't have much time to study the dishes. It would be a blessing if he could achieve some success in ten years.

If you give him some temporary tasks to gather information and give him some opportunities to lick the boss's boots, he will accomplish nothing.

Just tell them that they are learning different cuisines, with different seasonings, heat, taste, and appearance, so there is no need to exchange cooking skills.

Even if the two of them were to be clever and exchange cooking tips with each other, unless they were gifted as chefs like He Yuzhu, they would only end up making things worse.

Because the seasonings of the two cuisines have similar tastes and are easy to confuse, the final dish will be a hodgepodge.

If both of them are honest, it will not be too late to teach other cuisines later. Ten years is enough to test a person's character.

If the two can pass the test, they will be good helpers in the future. Ma Hua is suitable for being a chef in the kitchen, and Fatty is suitable for front-office public relations.

After listening to Lu Zixuan's suggestion, He Yuzhu strongly agreed and quickly arranged for him to become his apprentice.

There was no ceremony prepared. In the canteen kitchen, the disciples simply served tea and bowed to each other, with other chefs as witnesses.

Lu Zixuan returned home, lay on the bed, and thought about the core members of the makeshift team.

Dajing and Xiaojing are responsible for intelligence gathering and are the main force of the business.

Zhu Feng is the current output of military force, Song Xiangzhe will work towards talent training, and Chen Qi can be in charge of finance.

The next step is to develop business, expand the team and establish information channels.

As for funding, that is an easy matter. Just provide a second-rate capitalist with a piece of reliable government information and you can get a handsome reward.

Without trivial matters to disturb us, time passed very quickly. In the blink of an eye, a year had passed. The famine worsened again and beggars could be seen everywhere on the streets.

Guo Tiejun also organized the first full-institute meeting since taking over on this summer afternoon.

“The main purpose of holding this meeting today is to see what ideas everyone has and to fill our stomachs.

There are no high-priced fine grains on the market now, the quotas at grain stations have been reduced again and again, and the impurities in coarse grains are increasing.

I went to the street office to find Director Liu, and he just told us to find a solution ourselves.

Half of the families in our yard are already out of food. If we don’t solve the problem, people will starve to death. Let’s all share our opinions.”

After Guo Tiejun finished speaking, he sat down. Everyone started talking.

"Why don't we do the same as other courtyards and gather all the food together and eat from a big pot?"

"I think it's okay. My family is completely out of food anyway."

"I don't agree. It was you who didn't want to spend money to buy food last year."...

Everyone expressed their own opinions, but most people agreed with the suggestion of eating from the same pot.

Guo Tiejun coughed a few times, signaling everyone to be quiet, and then spoke:

"Chen Ping, I have a suggestion, do you think it will work?

After all, you are the deputy webmaster. Can you please raise your hand and give us a chance to live?

Let everyone buy food according to the previous rations? You don't want to see anyone starving to death in our yard, do you?"