On the following morning, Zhu Pingan took more than ten county magistrates as well as Liu Mu and Liu Dazhou to the northern suburb of the flood shelter area.
After a kind of people and refugees in the northern suburb of the flood shelter had their morning meal, Zhu Pingan gathered everyone together and stood on a high place by himself, using a homemade loudspeaker megaphone to announce the policy of food-for-work to everyone.
“Folks, from today onwards, I, Jingnan, will begin to implement food-for-work. What is food for work is simply ……”
Zhu Pingan only said a beginning, underneath the flood avoidance area of a kind of people, refugees will urn sound explosion.
“What? I didn’t hear it wrong, right? From this day onwards, let us work, and no longer feed us?!”
“God, this is not giving us a chance to live.”
“The dog said, the county magistrate is not something, a few days ago to us to reduce the amount, and now simply do not even provide food, but also claimed to be our parents, I bah, he does not give us a way to live, to force us to the road to death, rather than starve to death, why not rob the mother. I don t believe it, we are so many people, they can stop …… them.”
For a while, the people and refugees underneath were furious, looking at the order of the situation is going out of control.
“Folks, everyone don’t get excited, and listen to me finish. I, Jingnan, will no longer give out congee for free, but I will pay for the work. As long as you participate in the construction organised by the county office, the county office will pay you daily wages, not less than 20 Wen per person per day. Each person will be paid no less than 20 Wen per day. The work will be done on the same day, and the payment will be settled on the same day, and you will never be owed a single cent! Later on, the official document of the work-for-food programme will be posted all over the city, and my promise is in black and white, with my official seal, no false words, just like when fighting the Japanese and defending the city! If there is any breach of the promise, all of you can uncover the official document and go to the Prefectural City to denounce me, Zhu Pingan, to the Prefectural Governor!”
Zhu Pingan stood on a high place, as if he was standing with a sea pin, and held up a megaphone and said loudly to the crowd.
“What? Not giving out congee, but paying labourers, and each person is still not less than 20 Wen per day? That’s 600 Wen a month! There’s still this good thing? I used to ask people for connections and managed to find a job as a cook at Master Liu’s house in town, and it only paid me 400 Wen a month.”
“Paying wages? Really? The Great Master of the Magistrate County is truly our parental official, we kowtow to the Great Master of the Magistrate County.”
“Why are you still making us work? What kind of work? Are you tired? ……How nice to give out congee like before.”
“I pooh, Liu old coward, you really a lazy, the world where there is free lunch ah, you still want to eat for free for life ah. Work to pay, this is a good thing ah, each person is not less than 20 Wen per day. If the family saves up for a few months, the money for building the house will be there, and if you do a good job, your wife’s capital will also be saved.”
After listening to Zhu Pingan’s words, the people and refugees underneath were all excited, not less than 20 wen per day, or the same day settlement, that is, some people want to make a fuss about cheating, but also by the people around a good education.
With the backing of the bounty paid for fighting the Japanese, the people had no doubt about Zhu Pingan’s promise.
Of course, there were also people who raised concerns.
“Governor, I have a handful of strength, so I’m able to work for food, but how can I get my mother-in-law and my son to do it? My son is only three years old, he doesn’t know how to eat, drink or play.”
“That’s right, Great Master Zhi Xian, my old man is seventy years old, how is he going to work?”
The concerns of the crowd were all in Zhu Pingan’s consideration, Zhu Pingan pacified the crowd and said, “Don’t worry, all these have been taken into consideration by this official, the old, weak, women and children can do the light and capable work such as cooking, washing, mending, collecting firewood and fetching water, etc., and will be paid the same wages. Of course children under the age of ten, sick people, and old people over the age of sixty and other exceptions, they even if they do not participate in the construction of the project, they can also be free meals.”
After hearing Zhu Pingan’s words, the old, young, women and children in the flood avoidance area were also relieved that the Great Master of the Magistrate County was thinking of them.
“Great Master Zhixian, my name is Tiger, I’m eight years old, but I have strength, I also want to work for wages.”
Near the front of a tiger-headed child right in front, not far from Zhu Pingan, boldly reached out and said.
“Brat, what are you talking about?”A woman saw her son boldly talking nonsense, terrified, lest he bumped into Zhu Pingan, hurriedly dragged him back, reprimanded him a pass, and then hurriedly kneeled down, kowtowed to Zhu Pingan, “know the county great master, my child does not know what to do …….”
“This big sister quickly please get up, your son is young, but courageous, this official praise is too late, how will blame him.”Zhu Pingan gave a false support, invited the woman to get up, and said in a warm voice of relief.
“Tiger right, you have this motivation, very good. You, and other children, want to participate in the food for work, all can, you can collect firewood, pick vegetables ……You can collect firewood, pick vegetables, do whatever you can, and if you work hard, you can get paid for it. On top of that, you can all have meals for free.”
Then, Zhu Pingan praised Tiger Zi a bit, making Tiger Zi very proud in front of a group of little friends.
Gathering firewood, picking vegetables, washing vegetables ……These small jobs couldn’t be easier for children in this era, they were all often instructed by their parents to do these jobs at home as well, not tiring, not heavy and not dangerous, not only free meals, but also paid for their work, families with children were all happy, this was an unexpected pleasure for them.
“Governor, what kind of work do you do for food for work? How long do we have to work?”
Someone asked with concern.
“The first category is public works that concern everyone’s public interests, such as building water conservancy facilities, repairing city walls, reclaiming wasteland, etc.; the second category is post-disaster reconstruction, which means rebuilding your folks’ homes, building houses, etc.; and the third category is anti-Japanese fortifications, such as sentry towers, forts, etc…….There are a lot of projects, there are fathers and mothers who have to work hard.”Zhu Pingan was on a high slope, using a loudspeaker to briefly explain to the crowd.
“What, build us a house and pay us for the work? The Great Prefectural Governor is truly our parents.”
“The county governor is truly our Great Lord of Heaven. These projects are all for the sake of our long-term stability in Jingnan.”
“We’re not afraid of hard work, but we’re afraid that there won’t be enough work for us to do. County Honour quickly give the order, we’ve wanted to move our muscles for a long time.”
The crowd under the stage was excited, each face was full of energy, and they couldn’t wait to roll up their sleeves and start work immediately.
The hearts of the people were available.
Zhu Pingan stood on the high slope, taking in the expressions of the crowd below, he could not help but nod in satisfaction.
“Of course, without rules, food for work is also true. The rules are very simple, first, obey the discipline, listen to the command; second, no cheating, once found cheating, depending on the situation, deduct the wages, if it is three times in a row, no matter who, no matter what kind of situation, all expelled, and then not allowed to use.”
In order to ensure that the food for work is carried out smoothly, Zhu Pingan announced the rules of food for work in public.
“Don’t worry, County Honour, we will definitely do a good job. If anyone dares to cheat, we won’t spare him.”
The crowd at the bottom took a stand.
