As the saying goes, some rejoice while others worry. The worries of Jiangsu Governor Wang Youhong and the Jiangsu sericulture industry were entirely founded on the joy of the People's Party's sericulture industry.

Li Shouxian was conducting his final work in Yingshan County. After this session at the Party School, Li Shouxian was being transferred to Wuhu to serve as the Wuhu Municipal Party Secretary. The work in Yingshan County had to be completed first. Due to a lack of arable land, Yingshan County relied mainly on external transfers for grain. The granaries were piled high with enough grain to feed the entire county for 14 months, according to the grain rationing books. Li Shouxian took the county committee members to various townships in Yingshan County to propagate the unified purchase and marketing policy once again. Yingshan County's grain had to be sold to the state and could not be shipped out. However, Yingshan County didn't have any grain for export anyway; the masses were entirely concerned that grain prices in the townships should not fluctuate.

Li Shouxian walked through the townships one by one, inspecting the propaganda work in each. The issues raised by the township heads were basically consistent: the masses demanded that the grain be distributed first. As long as the grain was distributed, they would do whatever was asked.

"This is absolutely out of the question," Li Shouxian refused without hesitation. "It's not like our grain stores are only open for a day or two. If we distribute it all, what are they afraid of? The incident with the queue-cutting last time absolutely cannot be repeated."

The queue-cutting campaign in Yingshan had taught Li Shouxian a profound lesson. When Li Shouxian and the comrades from the county committee first discussed cutting queues, it was only a requirement for the workers in the local silk reeling factories. Despite talking themselves hoarse, some people still refused to cut them. In a moment of confusion, Li Shouxian and the others made an offer: five jin of rice for every person who cut their queue. With the income of five jin of rice, the workers' enthusiasm for queue-cutting soared. Within a day, all the queues were cut.

The county committee thought the matter would end there, but they never expected the news to spread through the entire Yingshan County like a gust of wind. After the masses' "interpretation," it turned into the county committee wanting to "collect hair." Within a few days, the party secretaries of various townships came running to ask if the county was collecting hair. Li Shouxian hurriedly instructed the county and township committees on how to explain things to the masses. But it was too late. Not only did the masses not believe the township committees' explanations, but as time went on, even more bizarre rumors emerged.

"The county committee wants to use hair to refine immortality pills!"

"The People's Party is preparing to weave body armor out of hair. It's said to be impervious to swords and guns."

At this point, the county committee had to bite the bullet. If they didn't wrap this up in time, even more fantastical rumors would spew forth. After discussion, the party committee put forward a unified reason for queue-cutting. "Yingshan County has revolutionized, and with revolution, one cannot keep a queue. Cut your queue now, and you get five jin of rice. For those who don't, the township government will come to your door and forcibly cut it later. At that time, there won't be such a good deal as five jin of rice."

With this explanation, the masses' attitude immediately shifted from being keen on cutting queues to sell hair to being terrified and refusing to cut them. However, after the rice offer was increased from five jin to ten jin, some of the masses resigned themselves to fate and began to cut their queues. Ten jin of rice was enough for a mountain family to eat for half a month when mixed with other coarse grains. Once the rice was distributed, queue-cutting finally became a trend.

For this, Li Shouxian had to report the reason to the Anqing Party Committee and was willing to take responsibility for the extra 1.3 million jin of rice paid out. Zhang Yu stared at Li Shouxian for a long time without making a sound, and finally said helplessly, "Think before you speak next time."

This incident was compiled into the People's Party's work education curriculum as a classic case study.

The masses of Yingshan County had a good harvest this year. Since the state-run trade in Yingshan County now only accepted Renminbi, the circulation of gold, silver, and copper coins quickly became almost extinct. The work of picking mulberry leaves could earn an average of two Renminbi a day, and raising silkworms could earn two and a half. The silk reeling factories paid even higher; junior workers earned about two Renminbi a day, while skilled workers could get four Renminbi a day.

The silk reeling factory was located near the hot springs in Yingshan County. Boiling hot spring water was piped directly into the factory to boil the silk, saving a large amount of fuel. The faint smell of sulfur and the billowing steam made people feel uncomfortable. This was also why wages in the silk reeling factory were high. The tall factory buildings used a large amount of glass for better lighting. The advantage of female laborers in endurance and steadfastness gradually became apparent in this working environment. Originally, the proportion of male workers in the silk reeling factory was as high as 70%. After working for a period of time, men would rather do the more physically demanding work of picking mulberry leaves than engage in these meticulous and troublesome silk reeling jobs all day long. In terms of machine management and transportation, the proportion of men soared to 100%. Except for management positions like team leaders which were still male, women also occupied an overwhelming 100% advantage in meticulous work.

With the price of rice and flour in the base area at about 0.25 Renminbi per jin, the masses could purchase up to 500 jin of grain per person from the grain stores over the course of a year. The masses of Yingshan, who had no concept of being full for generations, could finally eat their fill. The people's support for the new government reached a level of almost worship.

Li Shouxian simply didn't have time to sigh with emotion; the work of the county committee was very busy.

"Have the deworming medicines been distributed?"

"How are the renovations on the boarding school dormitories going?"

"Has the accommodation for the agricultural technicians been adjusted?"

Before leaving, these tasks had to be completed quickly. When the new comrade transferred over, he couldn't be left to take over a mess. These arrangements were relatively easy to handle, but the factory matters were much more troublesome. This was the first time in history that Yingshan County had incorporated the entire county into a single system. The pillar industries dominated by mulberry and tea required a large workforce. Facing an unprecedented situation, various problems were simply unavoidable.

"Secretary Li, they just won't learn no matter how we teach them, and they won't change no matter what we say," a comrade from the mulberry leaf department said indignantly, pointing at the mulberry orchard.

Lu Huitian looked at the mulberry orchard and burst out laughing. The places where mulberry leaves were easy to pick had been almost stripped bare, while the places where it was difficult to pick were lush and green. "Don't worry, this just shows that there are too few mulberry trees planted. Plant more and it won't be a problem."

"We haven't planted a small amount. The key is that these people won't listen to reason. Look at those small trees; how can they grow fast with this way of picking?" The comrade in charge found the masses' practice of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs completely unacceptable.

"That proves one thing: there is a problem with our management. Allocate manpower to guard the mulberry orchards," Li Shouxian gave the solution.

"Wouldn't it be fine if they were just a bit more self-aware? The manpower to guard the mulberry orchards is also an expense. Right now, the province is willing to give supplies, but Secretary Li, you also said not to expect the province to give supplies next year. What will we do then?" The comrade was still unhappy.

"You can't engage in large-scale industrial production by relying on self-awareness. Large-scale industry means strictly controlling everything. Look at the silk reeling workshop; everything from clothing to every single movement has to be controlled. And we have to explain clearly why it must be done this way. The masses actually aren't unaware of what's good or bad, but without institutional management, it's still useless. Allocate manpower, guard the mulberry orchards, and harvest at fixed times." After speaking, Li Shouxian felt a link was still missing. "Hold a meeting, tell the masses about these newly added management links."

The comrade from the mulberry leaf department frowned. "Will the masses refuse to accept it?"

Li Shouxian understood the cadre's meaning. Nowadays, the party committee talked about mass work, and many comrades mistakenly thought that satisfying the masses meant going along with their wishes. This was obviously a misunderstanding by the cadres. He said sternly, "Regardless of whether the masses accept it or not, this kind of management must be implemented. We are not dissatisfied with the masses, nor are we trying to make things difficult for anyone. It's just that the current way of picking mulberry leaves is wrong. We are doing this for everyone's benefit. Otherwise, if there are no mulberry leaves next year, how will everyone raise silkworms? Trust the masses; the masses can understand reason and distinguish right from wrong. It's not that whatever we say, the masses will just smoothly do it for us. I'll go back and make arrangements."

Just as he was about to set off, Li Shouxian felt uneasy again. "We must explain it clearly to the masses. Don't hide anything when doing things; speak clearly."

Sure enough, as Li Shouxian expected, this matter triggered many conflicts. Although the masses knew that picking mulberry leaves was starting to be standardized, they didn't know what the standard was. Carrying their shoulder poles to the mulberry orchards, they saw people guarding the intersections and quite a few others watching nearby. Usually, everyone saw which mulberry leaves were easy to pick, went up, and filled their loads in a jiffy, then ran off to sell them. Now it took more than double the time to fill a load. Immediately, people started making a noise.

"You guys are looking for trouble, aren't you?"

"The tree won't die if we pick a bit more. Just don't pick from this tree next time."

"I change trees every time I pick. Others pick randomly, so why should I suffer with them?"

These were considered quite ordinary complaints. Some simply went hard and started picking fiercely. The guards went up to stop them, and conflicts broke out directly between the two sides. This counted as the first small-scale conflict between the masses of Yingshan County and the government.

When the matter was reported back to the county committee, the young comrades of the county committee immediately jumped up. The day before, they were worshipping the happy life brought by the People's Party's new government, and the next day they dared to lay hands on the comrades guarding the mulberry orchards. This was rebellion!

Some advocated dispatching the county armed forces department, and some advocated arresting the ringleaders. Various ideas requiring a forceful restoration of order emerged one after another.

"Everyone sit down!" Li Shouxian shouted.

The young comrades rubbed their fists and wiped their palms one by one, ready to hear Secretary Li issue comprehensive handling arrangements.

"If there's a conflict, it means our arrangements are incorrect and the process is imperfect. How about this: let's notify everyone now that in three days, the work of picking mulberry leaves and transporting mulberry leaves will be separated. Three days later, those who come carrying loads will all be treated as transporting mulberry leaves. The money given will be reduced," Li Shouxian said.

"What!" The cadres were frightened by Li Shouxian's suggestion. Everyone immediately expressed opposition. "So the conflict just ends like this? If it happens once, it'll happen twice. Secretary Li, we can't let this matter go. Otherwise, next time they'll dare to do even worse things."

"The reason for the conflict is that everyone wants to earn more money, not because the masses are dissatisfied with us. The masses are dissatisfied with the process arrangement. So let's change this arrangement. Only by resolving this contradiction can we be considered to have resolved the fundamental contradiction," Li Shouxian said unhurriedly.

"Secretary Li, I think you're wrong. If they really agreed with us, they should listen to the government. It's obvious that after the government made adjustments, they didn't listen at all and still did things their own way. Do they think the government is run by their family? They work if they want to, and don't if they don't?" The Director of the County Public Security Bureau advocated toughness.

However, seeing that Li Shouxian didn't want to intensify the problem, and since everyone was from the same village or township, other comrades came out trying to smooth things over. "The masses were just confused for a moment. I don't think we need to be so concerned."

"Wait!" Li Shouxian interrupted. "The masses are not confused at all; they know exactly what they are doing. The masses want to escape their current poverty, so they participated in labor. Living off the mountain and the water, everyone over-harvested the mulberry leaves. It's not that we don't let the masses pick like this; picking like this isn't scientific. If we continue like this, I'm afraid we won't find any mulberry trees in the county next year. This affects helping the masses escape poverty. Do you think what I'm saying fits reality?"

This was the truth to begin with, so the comrades naturally wouldn't refute it. The Public Security Bureau Director was obviously still angry. He asked huffily, "Secretary Li, looking at it now, the masses aren't willing to talk about science. So what do we do?"

Li Shouxian smiled. "If the masses' response isn't scientific, it means our work arrangement isn't scientific. Our management model promoted such a result. Do you think the masses don't know the mulberry trees will die if picked like this? They definitely know. Why do they do it? It must be that the management method we provided encouraged the masses to do so."

The Public Security Bureau Director was still very unconvinced. "Secretary Li, according to what you said, if we separate the work of picking and transporting mulberry leaves and lower the price by half, what use is that? This is the only way to make money right now. The masses picking mulberry leaves also want to pick more and sell more."

"Right. The masses picking mulberry leaves also want to pick more. But if we only have to convince the masses picking mulberry leaves, the overall pressure we face is much smaller. The fact that this problem occurred has already proven that relying on blocking is useless; we can only rely on persuasion and education. The masses picking mulberry leaves see the condition of the mulberry trees with their own eyes; their feelings will definitely be stronger. Moreover, organizing the masses to plant more mulberry trees will increase our mulberry leaf supply next year and in the future. This is the only way to solve the problem from the root. Our Yingshan County doesn't lack mountain land for planting mulberry trees, nor does it lack mountain land for planting tea trees. We are fundamentally not opposed to the masses escaping poverty through labor. What we are facing now is the danger of the masses draining the pond to catch the fish. We just need to solve this current principal contradiction. In fact, what we and the masses want to do is exactly the same."

After much persuasion, Li Shouxian finally reached a consensus within the county committee. After two days of more detailed discussion, the county committee formulated the basic process for the "Professionalized Yingshan County Agricultural Development Teams."

During these two days, the purchasing price of mulberry leaves plummeted to only half of what it was originally. The masses dared to conflict with the forest guards, but they didn't dare to conflict with the comrades buying mulberry leaves. There was a fundamental difference between robbing money and robbing mulberry leaves. Although it was said that this forest belonged to the government and everyone felt anyone could go there, robbing the government's money and being caught and beaten to death by the government was purely seeking one's own death. No matter how they begged, the purchasing comrades wouldn't raise the price. This firm attitude let the masses know that they had really caused trouble.

Actually, the masses who had conflicted with the forest guard team members were also uneasy in their hearts. But seeing the mulberry trees right in front of them, the only thought filling everyone's minds was the impulse to "hurry up and pick mulberry leaves to exchange for money." Mulberry leaves were actually worthless, and everyone's labor was also worthless. Only here with the People's Party did these two things have value. Even if they beat the masses appointed by the People's Party to guard the mulberry orchards, the mulberry leaves they grabbed still had to be sold to the People's Party's silkworm farms.

After clashing with the government this time, many people had become anxious. The masses weren't stupid at all. They had been planting mulberries, raising silkworms, and reeling silk for the past two years. Even the transportation teams were organized by the Yingshan masses. They had also tried to figure out who such a large output was being sold to. From official explanations to intelligence collected by the masses themselves, this raw silk was sold to foreign devils. The entire sales chain, except for the foreign devils, was controlled by the People's Party. This meant that the masses couldn't intervene in other links at all. If the county committee got angry and stopped raising silkworms, it would be the masses themselves who suffered. Keeping a pile of raw silk in hand was useless.

On the third day after the beating incident, shockingly few people went out to pick mulberry leaves. Although everyone gathered at the entrance of the township government, they didn't know what to say. People had long inquired and found that the township head, the township party secretary, and others were not in the township. The masses already felt they had caused trouble. Those who had laid hands on people naturally didn't dare to make a sound anymore. Those who hadn't participated were already cursing those guys who had ruined everyone's livelihood.

Before noon, the township head and the township party secretary returned to the township with dark faces. The masses proactively made way for them. No one spoke, but everyone looked at the township head and the township party secretary with eager eyes, hoping to get news from them.

"We are preparing to form another mulberry planting team based on the forest guard team. Those willing to plant trees can sign up. Work for a day, get one Renminbi and fifty cents," the township head shouted with a dark face.

The masses didn't make a sound. It was obvious the township head hadn't reached the key point yet. How exactly was the beating incident going to be handled? Was the mulberry leaf purchasing price going to stay this low, or would it go even lower?

The township head continued shouting, "In the future, picking mulberry leaves will be divided into two parts. One part is transporting mulberry leaves. Whether you picked them yourself or got picked mulberry leaves from the mulberry orchard, it's all at this current price. The other part is planting mulberry trees and picking mulberry leaves. For these masses, we will pay a wage of one Renminbi and fifty cents a day as mentioned earlier."

The masses buzzed with discussion about this new arrangement. Some felt their money had been cut. But some smart ones had already figured it out: this way, everyone's income hadn't actually decreased. Although the income for picking mulberry leaves looked a bit less, they didn't have to run around, which was much more relaxing. And for those transporting mulberry leaves, because they didn't have to pick them personally, the time saved meant that as long as they made a few more trips, they could definitely earn the money back. It was just choosing which job to do that made these smart masses feel torn.

The masses actually didn't lack intelligence. They might not believe the township head's explanation, but once they calculated it themselves, they completely understood where the benefits lay. The labor enthusiasm that had been dampened immediately rallied again. Some people had already started signing up to participate in the mulberry orchard work.

A new order could absolutely not be built in a day. The new social division of labor took half a month of continuous friction before it initially stabilized. What surprised the Director of the Public Security Bureau was that with a single order from the township heads, the guys who had participated in beating people were dragged to the county seat to "offer a birch rod and ask for punishment" (humbly apologize). Li Shouxian received these masses. Li Shouxian was still unhurried. "Fellow villagers, everyone wants to live a good life. Speaking of which, it's the county committee that has to apologize to everyone. The work arrangement was unreasonable. However, since you beat someone, you have to apologize to those masses. No matter what, beating people is wrong."

Led by Li Shouxian, these masses who had beaten people went to console and apologize to the comrades of the forest guard team who had been beaten. In fact, the conflict had at most caused a few bruises and swollen faces, not even constituting moderate injury. With the county party secretary and fellow villagers coming personally to console and apologize, the beaten people either cooled down or, if they hadn't, symbolically punched the "perpetrators" a few times and let the grudge pass.

On this point, Li Shouxian handled it very well. Under the sudden and drastic improvement in life, the masses were very unadapted. In fact, let alone the masses, Li Shouxian himself was very unadapted. When he first arrived in Yingshan County, the poverty here was truly shocking. Dilapidation and obsolescence were the entirety of Yingshan County. For any opportunity to survive and make money, countless people would fight tooth and nail to grab it. Suddenly, everyone was equal, and every family's life was settled. The greatest hope in everyone's heart was to completely change their impoverished life in the shortest possible time.

Because, the masses of Yingshan County did not genuinely believe that this new order established by the People's Party could exist for a long time.

By the time this work was finished, the new county party secretary had also arrived. When Li Shouxian saw his successor, he couldn't help but smile. It was Xu Guangde, the deputy magistrate of Guangde County. He had once been Li Shouxian's superior.

At the reception meeting, Xu Guangde expressed his attitude. " The organization has arranged for me to work here. Yingshan County is now my hometown. I will learn earnestly from the comrades, progress together, and do a good job in Yingshan County."

Such a humble attitude received at least a superficially warm welcome from the comrades. Then Xu Guangde and Li Shouxian arranged the training work for the county's Party School and Cadre School together. After the welcome meeting ended, Li Shouxian spoke with Xu Guangde in private. Li Shouxian thought Xu Guangde would talk about the Party School matters, but he didn't expect Xu Guangde to say with a teasing smile, "Comrade Li Shouxian, when I was in Guangde County, a female comrade came looking for you. She was quite beautiful too. Everyone in the Guangde County Party Committee praises your luck with women."

Li Shouxian never expected Xu Guangde to pull this. He laughed and scolded, "What are you talking about?"

"Look, you don't believe me. Comrade Ji Ye of the Guangfu Society, do you remember her?" Xu Guangde laughed.

Li Shouxian shook his head helplessly. "I remember her. You also know Comrade Ji Ye. Wouldn't it have been fine to just say it was her earlier? Why act so mysterious?"

"Alright, alright, I won't act mysterious." Xu Guangde put away his smile. "Something seems to have happened to the Guangfu Society. Comrade Ji Ye probably wanted to find you for help. Since you weren't there, she went back."

"What happened?" Li Shouxian was very curious.

Xu Guangde replied, "Using our People's Party's standards, the Guangfu Society has trouble every day; there isn't a day without trouble. From what I know, the Guangfu Society seems to have split internally. Several factions are fighting fiercely. Comrade Ji Ye is with Xu Xilin in Changxing County, next to Guangde County. But even within Xu Xilin's faction, things aren't peaceful. Listening to Comrade Ji Ye, she advocates completely learning from our People's Party and thoroughly carrying out land reform. But the Guangfu Society opposes land reform. I think she wanted to ask you for ideas. But we have discipline: we are not allowed to participate in the affairs of other parties. I couldn't say anything either."

Li Shouxian knew this rule. Although he sympathized with Ji Ye, who was caught up in the internal strife of the Guangfu Society, Li Shouxian could only remain silent.

"By the way, by the way, where have you been assigned?" Xu Guangde asked with a smile.

"I'm going to Wuhu to be the Municipal Party Secretary."

"Wuhu is also very close to Changxing. You have to be careful," Xu Guangde cautioned.

"As long as you don't talk nonsense, I'll definitely be fine." Li Shouxian heard the meaning in Xu Guangde's words.

At night, Li Shouxian lay down to rest. Usually, he would fall asleep as soon as he lay down, but this time, hearing the news about Ji Ye, it took Li Shouxian two extra minutes to fall asleep than usual. "Comrade Ji Ye, a young girl, actually got involved in the internal struggle of the Guangfu Society... how pitiful."

Harboring such sympathy, Li Shouxian entered dreamland within five minutes.