In the first two months of the public canteen opened by the first team of the archway, three meals a day were dry and thin, and the belly was not quantitative, and each person consumed an average of two catties of finished grain every day. The grain hoards soon became shorter, and before the National Day, they ate up all the grain they planned to eat until the Spring Festival. Everyone knows in their hearts, and this way of eating can be eaten even if there is a mountain of grain. But if you don't eat the big pot of rice, you won't eat it for nothing, and you won't save others. Zhongnong Ji Yubao kept a heart, did not hold on when he was full, left a bowl of rice to hide at the bottom of the basket and take it home, and put it in a pot to dry over low heat, in case one day he stopped to satisfy his hunger.

The six pigs who joined the club as a price were killed and eaten in two months. The production team raises more than a dozen pigs in the pig farm, who is as careful as feeding their own pigs? The pigs are hungry and full, and the thorns are like a group of hedgehogs that do not grow fat, and it is difficult to complete the task of handing in the Spring Festival, let alone eating by themselves; Each family is not allowed to raise chickens, and a chicken plague public chicken farm is dead; The self-reserved land was canceled, and the ditch head was originally a treasure land for farmers to grow beans and vegetables, but now they would rather abandon the land than plant it; Set aside two acres of cooked fields for vegetable plots, how can the whole team have more than 200 mouths to eat? When there is a shortage of vegetables and vegetables, stir-fry pickles, and cook a pot of green onion and soy sauce soup for rice. Later, the pickles were gone, and the green onion soy sauce soup was drunk, so I could only drink salt and boiled water.

As soon as the National Day passed, Secretary Ma held a special meeting to rectify the collective canteen of the whole commune. He stressed that there was no breakthrough in the planned use of grain, warned that there was no way to replenish the overeaten grain, and urgently braked the wrong practice of letting go of the belly to eat. Now that the busy situation has passed, drink more porridge and substitute food and eat less dry rice. Allowing members to cook their own vegetables is better than drinking salt and boiled water.

At the meeting, a major decision was announced: to distribute sporadic vacant land to members to grow vegetables, and whoever planted it would benefit better than abandon it. Secretary Ma stressed that this move is not to restore the self-reserved land, but to take care of the cadres to keep quiet to the outside world and prevent people from making irresponsible remarks. Three months after letting go of his belly and eating like crazy, Ma Xiangrui rectified the collective canteen earlier, controlled excessive food consumption, and opened up channels for more than 20,000 people in the commune to survive the famine, which is of great courage and extraordinary significance.

In the spring of '59, the great famine began to spread. In the autumn of the first year, the deep ploughing was excessive, the raw and cold yellow clay turned over the surface, and the dense planting was over-planted, the wheat seedlings were as dense as cow's hair, and a wheat ear only bore three or four deflated grains, and the harvest was less than two percent of the perennial crop. All localities are still competing with each other to release "satellites" in reported output, and the task of handing over grain has increased instead of decreasing.

Because of the lack of food, the canteens in various places turned off the fire one after another, and only smoked when the chimneys were inspected by the superiors. When it came to Layue, Ma Xiangrui decisively ordered: the canteen of the whole commune should be closed, the bottom of the grain hoard should be cleaned, and not a single grain should be left for the members to go home for self-cooking. Under the leadership, the grass-roots level will be inspected by sections, and the cadres will be strictly prevented from taking up more points.

Due to the early action of Pailou Commune, the relief measures for famine relief were effective, although some people also suffered from edema, and the number of unnatural deaths in the county was the lowest.

After the Lushan meeting, a number of right-leaning opportunist elements were found in various localities. Ma Xiangrui was dismissed from his post as secretary of the commune and placed on probation in the party for two years, and his salary was reduced by two levels. Thanks to the care of Secretary Lu, the head of the organization department of the county party committee and his former partner, he was not "double-opened" and was sent to Binhai Commune as an agricultural technician.

Fortresses are easiest to breach from within. Ma Xiangrui's downfall caused a disaster in Xiao Wall -- On the table of the leaders of the county party committee, there was a report letter from Xu Qihu, secretary of the Fengpailou Brigade, listing Ma Xiangrui's 10 major crimes against the "three red flags": concealing production, restoring self-reserved land, cutting down public canteens, opposing the singing of revolutionary songs, class surrender, and wearing crotch pants for the four types of elements...... The discussion of the county party committee confirmed that he was a typical right-leaning opportunist.

The Gaz truck of the Binhai Supply and Marketing Cooperatives stopped at the gate of the commune and took the Ma Nong technician to his post along the way.

The news of Secretary Ma's dismissal spread far and wide. The common people were in groups of three or five, waiting outside the courtyard wall of the commune before dawn, wanting to see the secretary give him a ride at the end. The more people gathered, and when the door opened at dawn, the crowd poured in, crowding the courtyard to the ground. The hot breath from the old father condensed into frost on the stubble, the old woman trembled on crutches, and the young man covered his ears and stomped his feet to ward off the cold.

Good guy, Secretary Ma is really a good guy!

Why was Ma removed from his post as secretary?

Why? He doesn't brag! Other communes falsely reported their output, and Secretary Ma would rather eat criticism than fight for that upstream.

Other cadres forced members to hand over rations and get promoted, Secretary Ma ran a rehabilitation class for edema, how many people were saved!

My old man was so hungry that he couldn't keep his eyelids open, so he walked home by himself after ten days in the rehabilitation class, picking up his life in vain. The white-haired mother-in-law on crutches choked, blew her snot with water, lifted her apron and wiped her tears.

Infected by the old man's emotions, there was a sobbing sound in the yard, mixed with long sighs.

Holding a rehabilitation class for critically ill patients with edema is Ma Xiangrui's initiative.

Around the winter solstice, Secretary Ma came to the commune health center to inspect the work. More and more people reported by the dean that they were suffering from edema, and there were more than a dozen serious illnesses sent by the various brigades every day, and they had to be sent back if they could not live in the hospital, and four cases of edema died this month, and no less than 20 were in danger. "The situation is serious, Secretary Ma." The dean shook his head helplessly.

Ma Xiangrui was in a heavy mood and asked the dean what good way to do it? How to cure the undead? The dean said that the cause was malnutrition and excessive physical exertion, and there was no specific medicine. The general disease is fast and slow to cure, and the disease comes like a mountain and goes away, and the disease is like a thread; Edema disease has a slow onset, and it can be controlled in a few weeks as long as you eat enough and rest, unlike an acute disease that quickly kills people.

Ma Xiangrui convened a meeting of the leaders of the brigade overnight, deployed and suspended heavy physical work such as picking rivers and digging ditches, and set up first aid rehabilitation classes in the clinics of each brigade to concentrate on the rescue and treatment of critically ill and edema patients. Half a catty of grain per person per day, which was allocated in limited quantities from the commune's reserve grain, was mixed with more substitute food to ensure that the sick were fed. Comrades, human life is at stake! Those who die due to dereliction of duty must be held responsible! Secretary Ma said categorically.

The rehabilitation classes for critically ill and edema patients in various brigades were quickly established.

At noon that day, Secretary Ma came to the health room of the Pailou Brigade. Most of the sick people here are elderly, and the eldest Wang Youde, who is sixty-nine, has been injured when the army crosses the river as a captain. When these people came, their faces were sallow, their eyes were swollen and left with a slit, and they had no strength to stand, but they were carried or carried on their backs, and they had only eaten enough food for three days, and they were able to walk around and bask in the sun.

The pot is boiling, steaming hot, revealing the enticing aroma of grain. Secretary Ma unveiled it and saw that most of the pot of rice mixed with carrot was mixed with a little crushed bean paste.

It's time to eat. With tears flashing in his eyes, Wang Youde led the other seven people to stand in a row and sing, "Socialism is good--prepare-sing!" The eight recovered patients were in high spirits and sang the most popular song of the time:

Socialism is good, socialism is good, and the people of socialist countries have a high status.

Reactionaries, brought down......

Seeing that Secretary Ma was stunned, Xu Qihu, who accompanied the inspection, explained proudly: Politics must be prominent in any activity, and the same is true for running rehabilitation classes. That's why I stipulate that revolutionary songs should be sung before meals -- without socialism, who will ask if you die of illness and starvation?

He smiled flatteringly at Ma Xiangrui, expecting to be praised.

The patients held the enamel rice bowl, and after singing one paragraph, they had to sing the second paragraph. Although the singing was hoarse and uneven, everyone was singing with their hearts, and their eyes were shining with gratitude.

Ma Xiangrui's nose was sour, and he wanted to cry. He stopped Wang Youde and said: The old man should stop singing, let's eat quickly. Save energy to nourish your body.

When he returned to the team headquarters to support others, he beat Xu Qihu severely. Call him a bastard, ridiculous, discredit socialism! Secretary Ma burst into tears and said: Our work is done like this, so that the people can starve, get sick, and die, are we worthy of them? It's a last resort to do this class, saving a life is a life, it really can't save a life, the old folks are dying and have a full meal to close their eyes, but you stipulate that they sing before eating! What highlights politics? To put it bluntly, isn't it to make you grateful? Sing you a hymn? Grateful to you? You, you are not only ignorant, you are simply shameless! I came to work in the archway for three years, and I didn't see him make such a big fire.

Ma Xiangrui brushed his sleeves and left. Xu Qihu's teeth were gritted loudly, the scar on his jaw bone was red from anger, and his eyes flashed with a fierce light like an awl. This top boss was like a grinding disc pressing on his head, pressing him so that he couldn't straighten up and couldn't breathe. Damn, the amount is small, non-gentleman, non-toxic, not husband!

Not long after, Xu Qihu's chance for revenge came! He decided to take advantage of the anti-rightist trend to take a risk and remove the grinding plate on his head. Overnight, he wrote a named report letter to the county party committee, listing Ma Xiangrui's ten major crimes against the three red flags.

The anti-rightist trend is in full swing. There is nowhere to find the iron shoes, and the typical one is sent to the door, and Ma Xiangrui is hit by an arrow and falls off the horse.

The courtyard of the commune was full of people.

Secretary Ma disbanded the harmful canteen and convicted him!

Secretary Ma distributed scattered seeds to the members, and said that he would dismantle the people's commune and restore capitalism.

Walk! Ask the county! Why should he be dismissed from his post as secretary?

The cadres are good and the people know best. Secretary Ma, such a secretary, we stay!

Right! In the county, Secretary Ma must be left behind!

The more people discussed, the more angry they became, and several middle-aged men took the lead and rushed towards the outside of the gate.

Folks, folks! Please stay and listen to what I have to say. Ma Xiangrui wore a thin Chinese-style padded jacket, a white-washed blue twill tunic, a yellow schoolbag on his shoulder, an old canvas box in his left hand, and a square-shaped luggage bundled in his right hand. The hair had just been cut, and the angular square face was cleanly shaved, but the eyes were bloodshot, revealing a tired and sleepy look.

Ma Xiangrui put down his luggage and bowed deeply to the men, women and children in the courtyard: Fathers and fellow villagers, thank you for coming to see me off. I have done some things that I should do in Pailou Township for three years, and some of them have not been able to do well. As for work, I unconditionally obey the organization. I have received everyone's wishes, let's go home and rest in the cold, don't mess around, cause trouble and add to my guilt!

His words convinced everyone, and the anger of the crowd gradually subsided. The white-haired mother-in-law on crutches squeezed in front of him and knelt down, took out four hard-boiled eggs from her arms and cried: Benefactor, I live to be more than seventy years old, and I have never seen a good official like you! The eggs were given by his nephew for the New Year, and he was hungry on the way to the benefactor.

As soon as the white-haired mother-in-law took the lead, seven or eight gray-haired old men also knelt down. Pray in unison: Secretary Ma, we are reluctant to let you go! You are a good person, Guanyin Bodhisattva bless you, and you will be safe for a lifetime!

Ma Xiangrui hurriedly picked up the old woman with both hands. His eyes were swollen and his nose was sour, and spicy tears came out of his eyes. He stuffed the egg into the old woman's apron and tied a knot, choked up and said: Grandma, I have received your old man's heart, please go back, folks, please go back!

People automatically get out of the way. Two middle-aged men walked in front with their luggage, and Secretary Ma sometimes hugged his fists, and sometimes raised his arms to greet everyone. The discharge door went straight to the gas car and never looked back. The truck honked its horn and bumped onto the road leading to the sea, leaving behind a puff of smoke and dust like a yellow dragon, and the commune compound was full of cries inside and out.