"Here we go!" The people sitting under the eaves let out a low cry.

Everyone looked out, and Zhu Mingyuan and Song Jiliu walked into the courtyard with Xiong Laoqi, Zhang Xiaoer and Xiong Laowu.

Xiong Laoqi was wearing a wool silk trouser gown, holding a spotted bamboo folding fan in his hand, walking in front of him in a square step, Zhang Xiaoer and Xiong Laowu's bodyguards followed behind, still showing the usual style of a dog and a person.

Xiong Laoqi walked to the door of the hall with square steps and deliberately stopped. Seeing that, he waited for the people to make way for him, and even stood up and respectfully called "Seventh Master" as in the past, much to his surprise, and the people were silent and did not move. Xiong Fangjian's mother just moved her body habitually, but she was immediately held down by Aunt Xiong. made Xiong Laoqi's face flushed, coughed in disguise, and raised his feet to squeeze in.

The people in the room sat still. Luo Ronghuan raised his body, saw that everyone was sitting still, smiled and sat down again. Xiong Laoqi was stunned, standing there not knowing what to do.

Hu Fu bowed slightly, pointed to the empty chair and said, "Please take a seat, Mr. Xiong Laoqi." ”

"Thank you." Xiong Laoqi nodded reluctantly and sat down in his chair. Zhang Xiaoer and Xiong Lao Wuyi stood behind them.

"Sit down." Hu Fu pointed to the bench.

"Thank you, thank you." Zhang Xiaoerji pecked rice and nodded in response, but did not sit down.

"Since Political Commissar Hu gave him to sit, you can sit down." Xiong Laoqi said, like a master's tone to a slave.

"Thank you, thank you." Zhang Xiaoer and Xiong Lao Wu responded continuously, and then sat down.

"Smoking." Hu Fu pushed a pack of cigarettes on the table towards Xiong Laoqi.

"Thank you. I'm not used to this. Xiong Laoqi said, took the hookah, and snorted and inhaled.

There was a brief silence. Through the puffs of smoke, people noticed that Hu Fu and Luo Ronghuan met Xiong Laoqi's gaze, and a serious debate battle was about to begin.

"Mr. Xiong," Hu Fu spoke first. He looked at Xiong Laoqi's hostile eyes, and said bluntly, "The meaning of our invitation to you today, I think you have already understood yourself." ”

"I didn't understand it at first. Come here-" Xiong Laoqi shook his head first, paused slightly, and then replied bluntly, "Seeing that you are all waiting for the battle, I understand that this is like a Hongmen banquet. ”

"This is not a Hongmen feast, but a heart-to-heart meeting. We can get straight to the point and talk without any opening words. ”

"Political Commissar Hu, there is a saying in northern Jiangsu, don't say dark words to the Ming people, please give me advice."

The feeling of disgust hit Hu Fu's heart, and he immediately judged: "This arrogant big landlord speculated that his conspiracy had been exposed, so he wanted to get rid of his passivity and take the initiative to turn to the offensive. During the 10 years of the agrarian revolution, I have seen many landlords of this type who have stubborn stance, rigid minds, sharp thinking, slick tactics, insidious methods, and a bold offensive spirit, and have always adhered to the position of being enemies of the people. ”

Zhu Rui also said in his heart; "Looks like this guy isn't a good thing! The facts of the past and present prove that there can be no illusions about such people. ”

Everyone didn't expect that this debate battle would start in the form of hand-to-hand combat as soon as it came up, and their spirits were extremely concentrated, and dozens of eyes were focused on Hu Fu and Xiong Laoqi.

Hu Fu said solemnly: "The wheat harvest has ended, the rent and interest reduction is about to begin, the county government has issued an order early, and the district mayor has talked to you several times, but you have not clearly expressed your attitude." Entrusted by the Ganyu Democratic County Government, and at the request of the villagers, our garrison working group wants you to clearly talk about your views today. ”

"Since Political Commissar Hu asked, we can openly express it. To put it bluntly-" Xiong Laoqi shook his stubborn chin a few times, and replied in an unabashedly challenging tone, "I don't approve of this rent and interest reduction that violates the ancestral rules!" ”

Xiong Laoqi did not agree with rent and interest reduction, which was expected. However, in the face of such a stubborn and resolute expression made by the crowd without concealment, people could not help but feel a little surprised, and it also aroused even greater indignation.

"Mr. Xiong Laoqi, we had expectations for you. It seems that this is just a good wish. "In the face of Xiong Laoqi's challenge, Hu Fu remained silent, just smiled faintly, and his smile was permeated with contempt." Let's talk about it, and we don't want you to be enlightened. However, we also want to know why you are not in favor of rent and interest reductions. ”

Xiong Laoqi replied calmly: "It is common sense for Xiong Laoqi to rent land to pay grain, to repay debts and interest, one to rely on industry, the other to rely on labor, and the two are willing, and each is not strong, which is a general common sense." Tenants share the rent in half, seven cents of silver and three cents of profit, which is also the old rule of the ancestors. The vicissitudes of the sea, the change of dynasty, these conventions have remained unchanged, the tenants in the east have nothing to do with each other, and the creditors and debtors continue to deal with each other. Now that your party and army want to change it for no reason, this is a bit contrary to common sense and impersonal, right? ”

Hu Fu sneered, forced Xiong Laoqi with a sharp gaze and said: "Each class has its own rules and moral standards, and these are all weapons to safeguard the interests of its own class. The tenant tenant divides the rent in half, and the seven cents of silver and three cents of interest, which of course seems to you to be a matter of course, because it is in your interest. ”

Chen Shiyu continued: "Anyone who asks for these rules to be changed is in your eyes a violation of ancestral rules and impersonal. We believe that there can only be one criterion for the reasonableness or irrationality of any rule, that is, to see that it conforms to the wishes and interests of the majority of the people. Today, there are people on both sides of the landlord and tenant, so you might as well listen to everyone's opinions. ”

"Whoever says that half of the sublease is reasonable, that's talking nonsense with wide eyes." Xiong Fangwen was the first to grab it and said, he faced Xiong Laoqi and raised his hand to count, "Seeds, fertilizers, livestock, plows and farm tools, and labor, are all from tenant households, and you tenants are relying on a few pieces of land." ”

Fang Jian said: "The harvest year, big scales, large buckets, five buckets are not worth your three buckets." In the years of poor harvest, you have to pay the ground grain. The tenant family also had to pay donations to the government and the army, and went on business trips. Everyone tossed for a year, and the food they shared couldn't even fill their stomachs. If you say in good conscience, is this reasonable? ”

"I'll add a few words!" Zhu Mingyuan chimed in and said, "According to the laws of the Kuomintang government, all kinds of taxes are apportioned according to the number of land possessions. However, it is unreasonable for the landlords and the bureaucratic government to collude and cheat and pass on a large part of the taxes to the working people! ”

Political Commissar Hu said: "During the busy farming season, tenants have to hire people to help with the farm work, and the wages are naturally borne by the tenants themselves, and the tenants collect the rent according to the tenants. The working people are not yet the owners of the land, but they have to sweat and shed blood for the land. And the real occupier of the land can be opportunistic, cheating, stretching out his hand for clothes, and opening his mouth for food. May I ask Mr. Xiong Laoqi, is this reasonable? ”

"Let me say a few words, too." Aunt Xiong moved the bench forward, leaned over and questioned Xiong Laoqi, "You keep saying that this rule is not set by you landlords and old fortunes yourself!" You don't approve of this, you don't approve of that, you didn't ask everyone if they approve of your set? In previous years, every holiday, you would give gifts to your family, and if you were not satisfied, you would scare everyone with the surrender of the leased land. ”

An aunt continued: "I have to go to your house to work during the New Year, and the work is piled up, so I can't wait until I finish it, and I can't wait for everyone to take out the urine in the old sow's intestines for you to wash and dry." I've been here in Dashu Village for 30 years, do you calculate how much unjust work I have done to your family? Not to mention that you haven't received a penalty, you haven't even touched your family's leftovers. What kind of rule do you think this is? It's the one—" The aunt paused, thinking about a newfound word.

"Exploitation!" Xiong Fangjian reminded this aunt.

"Yes. Wordy. Aunt Xiong pointed at Xiong Laoqi angrily, "You guy who peels everyone's skin and peels everyone's flesh, what are you still 'verbose'?!" ”

"Don't talk about skinning and fleshing, even the bones have to be squeezed out of oil." An old tenant farmer answered indignantly, turned his face to Xiong Laoqi and said, "You said that seven cents of silver and three cents of profit is the old rule of the ancestors, but you didn't follow this rule." You set a rule to lend you seventy yuan, and the annual interest is thirty yuan, which is reasonable to count as seven cents of silver and three cents of interest. If you can't repay the debt when it expires, you will force everyone to add more with interest. ”

"Not bad! In two years, the capital of 70 yuan will have to be handed over to you more than 110 yuan. Tell everyone, what is this a fraction of silver and a fraction of profit? A middle-aged woman said.

"It's not seven cents of silver and three points of interest, it's three points of silver and seven points of interest!" Several young men shouted in unison.