Chapter 436 - 0346: Equivalent Exchange 4_1
The able-bodied men who knew about the hidden cellar were carefully chosen by Wang Zhengguo and Father Lu after covert discussions - they were influential figures within their clans, as well as brothers, nephews and sons of Wang Zhengguo who kept their mouths shut and knew how to be grateful.
Every year, Wang Zhengguo would arrange for them to store the remaining grain as reserves in the cellar after distribution.
The state had regulations, which Wang Zhengguo ostensibly followed, but he contravened them in secret.
With so many mouths to feed, who would help them in times of natural or man-made disasters if they didn’t make extra preparations? What could their tiny reserve supply accomplish? Only one percent, a reserve of ten thousand catties could be set aside for every million catties of grain harvested.
It is better to rely on oneself than to rely on the heavens or the earth, leaving a way out has no downside.
There was a severe shortage of grain throughout the country. Who could guarantee that every year would bring bumper crops? Hadn’t the harvest decreased a couple of years ago? If one disaster followed another, there wouldn’t be a famine for three years.
As soon as they had finished cleaning out the granaries, four production teams came to borrow grain.
None of them were from the Dawn Commune.
There were only four production teams under the Dawn Commune: Wanglou Brigade, Caohu Brigade, Huoguang Production Team, and Red Star Brigade. Red Star Brigade was the team that Liu Jinhua from Liu Family Village belonged to.
Moreover, these four production teams belonged to three different communes.
Facing their demands, Wang Zhengguo didn’t hesitate and took them directly into the granaries to have a look at each one.