Chapter 9: The New Look of Qinghe Village

  May 28, 1914

  Chen Shao stood on the high platform in the middle of Qinghe Village, this high platform was prepared for him today, yesterday the joint defense team was notified to inform all factory employees and village representatives from various villages that he had something to announce today.

  Looking at the rows of neat factory buildings in the distance, several livestock breeding bases around Qinghe Village, Chen Shao's heart was filled with pride and ambition, because these were all his own capital and foundation.

  Here is the translation:

  In the distance, people from various villages slowly gathered around the high platform. Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, Chen Shao cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone: "Now I'd like to announce the following plans: First, we will expand Qinghe Primary School, hire more teachers, and immediately start building Qinghe Middle School and Qinghe Technical College. Second, we will build more factories and open up more mines, providing jobs for more people. Third, our security team will begin recruiting 700 new members after today's event, and a reserve team will be established with half the benefits of regular members. We welcome young men to sign up! Fourth, starting today, we will establish the Qinghe Village Road Maintenance Team, whose first task is to repair roads. From now on, all roads in Qinghe Village will be paved with cement. Members who join the road maintenance team will receive 3 yuan per month. Fifth, we will establish the Qinghe Village Construction Team, whose first task is to build a large residential area for employees on the basis of Qinghe Village. All workers at Chen Shao's factory can get a free house, which will also make it more convenient for everyone to commute to work. The salary for the construction team will be the same as that of the road maintenance team. Sixth, our livestock breeding base is now capable of producing various meat products. All employees who show their work certificates can buy meat at half price. Seventh, we are now recruiting people with aquatic skills and will provide unified training to prepare for the establishment of a shipping fleet in the future. The salary will be 4 yuan per month. Eighth, as a token of gratitude to all employees for their support and help to Longteng Group, I announce that all employees can receive a bonus of 1 yuan with their work certificate, which will not affect their regular salary. Ninth, all elderly people in the surrounding villages of Qinghe Village can get one free cotton-padded jacket and one free cotton quilt from our clothing factory."

  As soon as Chen Shao finished speaking, two security team members carried out a basket of foreign currency, and several village heads brought over a few tables and chairs, sitting there preparing to distribute the foreign currency.

  The crowd saw this and suddenly burst into an uproar.

  "Mr. Chen is truly a kind-hearted person, may Bodhisattva bless Mr. Chen with longevity and good fortune." Upon hearing Chen Shao's words, a middle-aged woman clasped her hands together in prayer.

  "Not only can I make money, but also have a new house to live in, and now there's a bonus to receive, and at the end of the month, there's still salary to be paid, did I hear that wrong?" The person said, patting the person next to him, wanting to confirm if he had heard it incorrectly.

  "You didn't mishear, I heard it too." The person next to him replied with a affirmative expression.

  "Brother, did you hear that the security team is recruiting again? Let's hurry up and sign up, or else we'll miss our chance." A young man said to another young man beside him, while his brother didn't say a word and directly pulled his younger brother to run to the registration place, where a long queue had already formed.

  Chen Shao stood on the stage, looking at the lively crowd, turned around and asked San Jian who was standing beside him: "San Jian, how's the task I entrusted to you going?"

  "Report to the superior officer, personnel have been dispersed and I estimate it will take effect soon."

  It turned out that Chen Shaoshen felt that he himself was not suffering enough under his hands, although there were two technical workers teaching technology, but it was still far from enough, so he simply called San to let people recruit workers in various big cities, as long as they had skills, they didn't mind giving them a salary, especially foreign skilled workers. And James in the United States was also actively recruiting workers, and it's estimated that within half a month, the first batch of skilled workers would arrive at Qinghe Village. Moreover, when the technical college opened, even if only two technical workers came to teach, it would still be far from enough. However, now is the time, things will slowly come to a resolution.

  The crowd slowly dispersed, with those who needed to go to work going to work and those who needed to farm returning home to farm. By the time the crowd had completely disappeared, it was almost noon. Shi Yi led 400 new security team members to the military camp. Kong Wenhong took the people who signed up for the construction team and road repair team to his own home, where he registered new employees and issued work permits.

  Far away, Kong Hong walked out of the village with a joyful face, Chen Shao knew that things must have been done.

  When the security team was first established, there were fewer personnel and no need to report to the county. Now that the security team has expanded in scale, it cannot continue as before without a proper name, so early this morning, Chen Shao took out 100,000 yuan and asked Kong Hong to jointly petition with several surrounding villages to apply to the county for the establishment of a security brigade.

  Suddenly, news of bandits firing guns at midnight spread in Qinghe Village. The village heads of Qinghe Village jointly reported to the town head of Huashi Town and the surrounding village heads, and applied to the county magistrate to formally establish the Qinghe Village Security Team.

  The county magistrate was initially reluctant to agree, but when he saw 10,000 taels of silver, the county government posted a notice within an hour.

  "There is a gang of bandits in Qinghe Village who are causing trouble to the neighboring villages. The national situation is critical and only when the villagers unite to defend and help each other can they maintain peace. After reporting to the Nanning Governor's Office, it has been approved that Chen Shao, a good merchant from Qinghe Village, will establish the Qinghe Village Security Team. Chen Shao has been appointed as the team leader and granted the rank of junior colonel! The military expenses are self-funded, with the hope of eliminating the bandits in Qinghe Village as soon as possible..."

  The so-called maker of the midnight gunshot was now in the military camp being disciplined along with 700 new recruits.

  A security team of 700 people has 20 light and heavy machine guns, everyone has a set of military uniforms, boots, and hats. Chen Shao, the head of this security team, also has the style of an army.

  After lunch in the barracks, Chen Shao ordered everyone to assemble on the drill ground.

  As the commander of this 700-man army, Chen Shao's mind was extremely clear. His speech on the playground was remembered by every member of the security team for a long time.

  "... Beside me is the 36 military rules, the first one being to obey orders. And standing next to these 36 military rules is me, your regimental commander. From today on, you must understand a principle: under my command, you must obey me and follow the military rules and regulations. If anyone violates any of them, they will be lightly punished according to military law, never allowed to enter any factory or mine under Chen Shao's control again, never receive any relief funds from Chen Shao, and never enjoy any benefits or privileges within Chen Shao's sphere of influence. And if it's severe, you'll be shot."

  From today onwards, I declare that the first monthly assessment will be conducted. Those who rank in the last 200 places will directly become reserve team members with a treatment of half of the security team's. From now on, every month, the last five people in the training assessment will also join the civilian reserve team. The top 5 performers in the reserve team can be converted to official security team members.

  From then on, the security team soldiers who were originally ordinary farmers trained desperately. The security team was temporarily organized into two battalions and six companies according to the Nationalist Guangxi system.

  Chen Shao's rules were indeed very strict, but the enforcement was surprisingly good, especially since everyone wholeheartedly supported him, and Qinghe Village almost became his personal domain.

  The original sheep intestine path was repaired by him into a road, and many sections were paved with cement roads. Every day, dozens of large horse-drawn carriages and cars travel back and forth between villages and county towns as means of transportation, which is Chen Shaoqi's Chen Transport Company.

  Originally poorly dressed villagers, each one has exchanged their labor for one or two pieces of clothing produced by Chen's garment factory, not to mention the free clothing received by the elderly, weak, sick and disabled.

  Originally, there was no school to attend, and the situation where children were a burden on their parents has now changed into several spacious and bright classrooms with nearly 400 students from Qinghe Village and surrounding villages within a radius of ten miles. From primary school to junior high school, to technical school, the education system is becoming more complete.

  Originally, peasants who had no food or money could easily earn 2 yuan per month by working in factories and mines. Moreover, with the production of fertilizers and better seeds, grain yields have reached an unbelievable level for villagers. Even if they need to be taught how to farm by agricultural technicians, the fact remains that they can eat their fill and occasionally enjoy rice, which was previously unimaginable.

  ……

  The big development in half a year has achieved very good results, not only Qinghe Village, but also several surrounding towns have gradually been affected by the radiation.

  Rumors began circulating in each village like this:

  Want to read books but no money? The school in Qinghe Village is free, you only need to participate in the learning organization's work-study program, and you can attend elementary school without spending a single penny.

  No money at home to open the pot? Let's go and take a look at Qinghe Village together. I heard that the steel mill and the newly built car factory there are recruiting a large number of people. Oh, it's that iron box that can run.

  How's your sister-in-law's needlework? Let's go to Qinghe Village garment factory and try our luck. The monthly salary of over 2 yuan is enough for you to raise several children well, and you can also buy eggs and pork at half price.

  You have great strength, but you can't do farm work? Let's go to Qinghe Village and take a look. Although the security team is fully recruited, it's also good to temporarily join the reserve team for training. As long as you are willing to work hard, your salary will be the same, and there is still a chance to join the security team.

  Blacksmith? Can you even make bird guns? Go, in Qinghe Village you can find a job that suits you, and there's also the opportunity to be allocated a new house.

  Barefoot doctor? I heard Qinghe Village is setting up a Qinghe Village Rural Clinic, go take a look and see if you can lend a hand.

  What? Students returning to Kunming? I heard Qinghe Village is recruiting teachers, you can try it out, the salary will be unimaginable.

  For a time, Qinghe Village was like a huge whirlpool, constantly attracting those who wanted to change their lives and live a better life.