Famine is still spreading, the number of unnatural deaths is rising, and there is no sign of recovery.

Long Zhifei, secretary of the county party committee, was so anxious that he finally decided to put his life on the line and organize a trial of package production to households throughout the county. When presiding over the emergency meeting of the county party committee, Long Zhifei announced at the beginning: We will not publicize today's meeting, second, we will not record, and third, we will not report to the higher-ups. In a word, just do not say. What to do? Just do one thing: get the land down! Wrap it up before spring ploughing and spring sowing!

The cadres present at the meeting all widened their eyes and looked nervously at the young secretary of the county party committee.

Long Zhifei was very emotional at that time: "Comrades, this is life-saving work!" You may have heard that the principal leading comrades of our provincial party committee have tearfully pleaded guilty to the people of the whole province, so, comrades, should the leaders of our county here ask the people of the whole county for their guilt? Push everything to the top, and we won't blush? Didn't we let go of the big satellite with a yield of 200,000 catties per mu? As party members and cadres, have we sought truth from facts? Therefore, we must seek truth from facts, give our peasants a chance to recuperate, and stop being hot-headed. The nature of public ownership has not changed, and the land is still collective, public-owned, and the peasants' enthusiasm for production has been mobilized, which is very beneficial to having enough to eat and regain their vitality. ”

The old county magistrate hesitated and asked: "Secretary Long, do the provincial party committee and the central government have any documents on the delivery of goods to households?" ”

Long Zhifei waved his hand and said: "The central government does not have a document, but the leading comrades of the provincial party committee have this spirit. ”

The old county magistrate said: "Secretary Long, this is very dangerous, it is right-leaning opportunism!" ”

Long Zhifei glanced at the old county magistrate with displeasure: "If I say something that is not afraid of making mistakes, it doesn't matter what kind of doctrine it is, as long as it can give the peasants food and the economy can quickly recover, it is the best doctrine!" Comrades, in this situation where people are dying every day, can we talk less about doctrine and solve more problems?! Fearing this and that, closing one's eyes in the face of the people's suffering, is by no means the work style of a true communist! I hope that at today's meeting of the county party committee, an internal resolution will be made on the issue of providing production to households. ”

The internal resolution was formed under the strong initiative of Long Zhifei, and all the members of the Standing Committee of the county party committee, including the old county magistrate who was apprehensive, voted in favor. The grim reality has forced the courage of these grassroots communists. The experiment was quickly rolled out in a semi-secret and semi-public manner throughout the county.

At this moment, Sun Likun rushed from Beijing to the county to conduct investigation and research work in the name of a central investigator.

Long Zhifei didn't touch Sun Likun's bottom at that time, so he naturally didn't dare to mention the package in front of Sun Likun, so he just blindly sang a high-pitched voice: "...... It is a fact that the situation is difficult, but we have taken positive measures under the correct leadership of the provincial party committee. Our measures are to continue to hold high the three red flags of the general line, the people's commune, and the unwavering adherence to the collective economy, the unwavering adherence to the socialist direction, and the unwavering adherence to the ......"

Sun Likun was bored, and after listening to a few words in the report, he waved his hand again and again and said: "Hey, hey, I said Comrade Long Zhifei, don't talk about these big words, okay?" I've heard a lot of big clichés along the way! Comrade Long Zhifei, do you think this kind of big talk can solve the problem of peasants' food? Your county is the hardest-hit area! ”

Long Zhifei's heart couldn't help but feel hot, and he immediately stopped reporting and looked at Sun Likun tentatively.

Sun Likun said: "Back then, what did we communist people talk about when they rose up to make a revolution? It's about beating local tyrants and dividing the land, about overthrowing the big landlords, eating sweet potatoes every day, overthrowing the capitalists, and eating pumpkins every day. Now that the big landlords and capitalists have been overthrown, why can't our peasants even eat sweet potatoes and pumpkins? People are hungry, why should they make a revolution with you again? Yes? Comrade Zhifei, tell me about it! ”

Long Zhifei's eyes lit up: "Chief, what do you mean?" ”

At that time, the jeep they were riding in was heading to Hongxing Commune, Sun Likun looked at the barren fields on both sides of the road, and said to Long Zhifei in a serious voice: "What I mean is very clear, our leading party cadres at all levels must seek truth from facts, use their brains according to the actual situation in various places, and think of ways!" The responsible comrades of your provincial party committee have an idea to carry out a pilot project of package production to households, which I think is very good, and I am ready to report to the central authorities. The situation in your county is so difficult, why can't you give it a try first? ”

Long Zhifei was happy, and then reported to Sun Likun about the test of package production to households.

Sun Likun listened very carefully, and pointed out in particular that the experiment of guaranteeing production to households should not exclude the land-rich and anti-bad right, because the land-rich and anti-bad rightists are also human beings, and they also have to eat, and there is no class nature in the belly.

When he arrived at the Hongxing Commune, when he addressed a group of rural cadres such as Zhao Sibao, the secretary of the commune, Sun Likun said again: "Comrades, we must seek truth from facts. Seeking truth from facts is the fine tradition of our Chinese communists, and once we break away from this fine tradition, we will make mistakes and take detours. In the history of our party, there have been many such lessons. After the Great Revolution, it was clear that there was a white terror and the revolution had entered a low ebb, but some people could not see this clearly, and they went around announcing that the revolutionary upsurge had come, and as a result, the party forces in the white areas were completely crushed, and the Red Army was forced to carry out the Long March. Now it's a long march, but at that time it was a retreat. What about today? Is it a high tide or a low tide? A low tide, of course. Industries must be rectified and readjusted, the basic front must be comprehensively contracted, and some state workers must be delegated to leave their posts. What about agriculture? The central leaders are thinking, and the following are also thinking. One big and two males are definitely not good, and it is definitely not good to let go of their belly to eat. Is it okay to package production to households? I don't know. I also came to Anhui to hear that many places in Anhui are going to carry out pilot projects of package production to households, and everyone is very enthusiastic. This is very good, everyone is motivated, so we might as well give it a try, comrades peasants are welcome, why can't we be bold enough to try it? ”

Zhao Sibao and the village cadres were very excited, and many of them were holding their notebooks and recording.

Sun Likun also said: "Of course, seeking truth from facts and boldly trying does not mean that we should not have the three red flags of the general line, the people's commune, and the principles and direction of socialism. During my research, I heard some peasants say that the party had returned the land to the peasants. Comrades, this is not true. We will definitely take the socialist road, and the land can no longer be returned to the peasants for private and small production, which is clearly stated in the constitution of our republic. The current package production to household pilot can only be understood as a transitional method during the transition period. ”

Long Zhifei, Zhao Sibao and the village cadres all said that they would implement Sun Likun's instructions well.

Sun Likun said solemnly: "Hey, comrades, don't interpret my words as instructions, I have no right to issue any instructions here. The central leading comrades have made it very clear that the central leading comrades have made it very clear that they should listen, watch, and think more and provide reference opinions for the central leadership's policy decisions. ”

Long Zhifei said sincerely: "Chief, you have spoken very well, not only about the necessity of guaranteeing production to households, but also about the general principle and direction of adhering to the socialist road, and we are really very inspired. ”

Zhao Sibao also said: "Yes, chief, we haven't heard such a speech for many years. ”

Sun Likun was thoughtful, and waved his hand: "Okay, okay, let's say so much!" I can emphasize again that what I am saying today is only my personal opinion, and does not represent the ...... of any organization" Suddenly raised his head and asked, "Oh, by the way, Comrade Zhifei, do you have a rightist playwright here who supervises labor?" ”

Long Zhifei was stunned: "Zhou Xiuyu? Chief, do you also like the plays she writes? ”

Sun Likun shook his head, but nodded again: "If it's convenient, I want to see her." ”

Long Zhifei hurriedly asked Zhao Sibao to call Zhou Xiuyu.

On this day, because Sun Likun, the chief, was coming, the commune took measures as usual, and concentrated Zhou Xiuyu and the commune's rich and anti-bad right in the commune's backyard to study the "Surrender Urging Du Yuming." Hearing Zhao Sibao's greeting, Zhou Xiuyu had already stood up from the low wooden bench she was sitting on, but when she learned that the leader she wanted to see was Sun Likun, she sat down again.

Zhao Sibao was furious: "Zhou Xiuyu, you dare to fight against the central government!" ”

Zhou Xiuyu said flatly: "Secretary Zhao, let me tell you: Sun Likun can't represent the Central Committee. ”

Zhao Sibao had no choice but to report to Sun Likun with a smile on his face and ask Sun Likun what to do.

Sun Likun let out a long sigh and handed the two hundred yuan to Zhao Sibao: "Comrade Zhao, please do one thing, buy these two hundred yuan into food and transfer it to Zhou Xiuyu in your name." ”

Zhao Sibao looked at Sun Likun, then at Long Zhifei, and took the money blankly.

Long Zhifei said: "Chief, I also like to watch Zhou Xiuyu's plays, "3442 Heights" is the best written. ”

Sun Likun's voice choked: "Comrade Zhifei, don't talk to me about her play, don't talk about ......" Finally, he finally mustered up the courage to tell the truth, "You don't know, Zhou Xiuyu is my ex-wife!" ”

Long Zhifei and Zhao Sibao were stunned, and they really didn't know what to say to Sun Likun for a while.

It was Sun Likun who broke the short-term embarrassment and forced a happy face: "Okay, Comrade Zhifei, oh, and you, Secretary Zhao, you can send us directly to Jian'an Coal Mine, I still have to see the situation there, the leaders of their Mining Bureau are still waiting for me!" I wish you a successful pilot project of package production to households! ”

Long Zhifei held Sun Likun's hand tightly: "Chief, we must strive for success!" ”

Sun Likun, his secretary and entourage got in the car and left, but when they left, Sun Likun didn't expect that he and Long Zhifei were first acquaintances this time, and they were also forever. Long Zhifei was tortured to death in 1967 because of his active promotion of guaranteed production to households. However, Zhao Sibao, secretary of the Party Committee of the Red Star Commune, was injured and disabled because he harbored the big rightist Zhou Xiuyu.