Chapter 262: The People's Choice (6000 Words)

Chapter 262: The People’s Choice (6000 Words)



After discussing the clan leader's matters, Deng Shirong and Deng Shian walked over to the wooden pavilion to join the villagers in watching TV. The best seats were already reserved, what one might call the prime C-spot in modern terms.

At eight o’clock, the first Spring Festival Gala officially began.

In his previous life, the entire Bangjie Brigade didn’t have a single TV, and Deng Shirong had never seen the first Spring Festival Gala. Although the inaugural gala was available online in the future, it had lost its appeal to him due to various reasons.

Thus, Deng Shirong had never watched the first Spring Festival Gala.

Now, with the chance to see it in this reborn life, he was quite interested.

The gala started with the host's opening remarks, followed by introductions of the guests. Next, the legendary crosstalk master Hou Baolin gave a speech, and finally, the host extended New Year greetings on behalf of their industry to the entire nation.

Only then did the program officially begin.

The first act was a New Year’s greetings song performed by Li Daolao, a renowned singer from the Central Orchestra.

This legendary performer set a record that would never be broken in the history of the Spring Festival Gala. She sang a total of nine songs during the inaugural gala, including the opening New Year’s greetings song, followed by an unprecedented eight consecutive songs. This was a feat that no one could ever match.

Among these, "Spring Song," "Greetings to the Motherland," "A Bamboo Pole," "Young Friends," "Soulmates," and "Longing for Home" were her solo performances. She then performed a duet of songs from "Liu Sanjie" and a Peking Opera duet from "Niu Gao’s Marriage," both of which she sang with other performers.

In the future, even the biggest stars on the Spring Festival Gala stage would never perform more than three consecutive songs, let alone sing the opening song and then follow up with eight more. This was a miracle that would never be repeated.

Besides singing, the first Spring Festival Gala was a mishmash of various elements, including riddles, crosstalk, skits, poetry recitations, mime, Peking Opera, dance, magic, acrobatics, and martial arts.

It even featured clips from the films "The Burning of the Summer Palace" and "Empress Dowager Cixi," as well as a segment from the yet-to-be-completed "The Legend of Wu Lin."

This Spring Festival Gala was a revelation for both Deng Shirong, who had experienced the future galas, and the villagers, who were experiencing it for the first time. They were thoroughly entertained and lost track of time until the New Year’s bell tolled on the TV, and the village erupted in the sound of firecrackers. It was only then that the villagers realized it was already midnight, and they needed to set off firecrackers at home.

The program continued, and although many villagers were reluctant to leave, it wouldn’t do to miss the midnight firecrackers at home. They hurriedly grabbed their stools and rushed back.

However, some young people didn’t mind, knowing their elders would take care of it. They stayed behind to continue watching the program.

Deng Shirong let his eldest son set off a string of firecrackers and then continued watching the show.

The gala went on until the end, and the remaining villagers, still enthralled, finally packed up their stools and headed home.

Although it was very late, staying up late on New Year’s Eve was a tradition across the country. Even if they didn’t stay up all night, it was normal to go to bed a bit later.

Thus, Deng Shirong and his family didn’t rush to sleep. Everyone was hungry, so they naturally had to have some late-night snacks. After eating, they continued to chat by the fire, enjoying each other’s company.

...

The second day of the New Year was the time to visit relatives, and the village’s wives would bring their husbands and children to their parents’ homes.

After breakfast, Deng Yuntao, Deng Changyuan, and Deng Changdong each rode their bicycles, carrying their wives and children, to Poxin Village.

Deng Changdong borrowed his bicycle from Deng Yuntao, but Deng Changyuan had bought his own last year. As a skilled potter at the pottery factory, he could easily earn over 200 yuan a month, so buying a bicycle was no big deal for him.

The gifts they brought were tied to the front triangle of their bicycles, with their wives sitting on the back and their children in baby carriers.

They chatted along the way and arrived at Poxin Village around eleven in the morning.

Upon reaching the village, they split up.

When Deng Yuntao, his wife, and child arrived at his father-in-law’s house, Zhang Shoushan, who was playing with a slingshot at the door, called out happily, "Dad, Mom, my sister and brother-in-law are here!"

Deng Yuntao had just parked his bicycle when he saw his father-in-law and mother-in-law come out of the house. He greeted them, "Dad, Mom, Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year!"

"Sis, brother-in-law, Happy New Year!"

After exchanging greetings, Zhang Xiuping untied the baby carrier and said, "Xiaodong, quickly greet your grandparents!"

Xiaodong, having been taught at home, called out in a childish voice, "Grandpa, Grandma!"

"Ai, Xiaodong is such a good boy, come let Grandma hold you!"

"Xiaodong, I’m your little uncle. Do you remember me?"

"Uncle Xiao!"

"Good boy!"

"..."

A few minutes later.

Deng Yuntao sat by the fire, chatting with his father-in-law and two younger brothers-in-law. His mother-in-law was in the kitchen making tea and frying cakes, while Zhang Xiuping carried Little Dong inside to talk with her mother.

Deng Yuntao asked, "Dad, did Elder Brother and Second Brother both go with their wives to visit their families?"

Zhang Zhenfa nodded and said, "Yes, they’re accompanying their wives to visit their families. But they know you’re coming today, so they won’t stay overnight and should be back by the afternoon."

Deng Yuntao smiled, "No rush. We’re not leaving anytime soon. We’ll definitely stay for a couple of days."

Zhang Zhenfa replied, "They’re worried you might not have the time because of your business in the county. That’s why they’re planning to go and return on the same day."

Neither Zhang Zhenfa nor his wife had actually seen the restaurant their son-in-law ran. When Zhang’s mother accompanied her daughter to the county to give birth, the restaurant hadn’t even started construction. After that, she never returned to the county, so she never got to see it.

However, Ou Guohua’s mother was there when her daughter gave birth, and the restaurant was already under construction. She knew how big it was and told Zhang’s mother about it, so the Zhang family learned about it.

Knowing their son-in-law had opened such a large restaurant, the Zhang family was extremely curious. If they weren’t so busy with their own business, they would have gone to the county to see it.

Deng Yuntao said, "We have some time. The restaurant’s business won’t be great at the beginning of the year, so we decided to open after the Lantern Festival. This way, we can enjoy the New Year without rushing."

Zhang Shoujun, curious, asked, "Brother-in-law, I heard from Aunt Guohua’s mother that your restaurant is dozens of times larger than the state-owned restaurant in Longtan, and it’s even a three-story building. Is that true?"

Deng Yuntao smiled, "Our restaurant is indeed quite large, covering over a thousand square meters. It’s more than ten times bigger than the largest state-owned restaurant in the county. It does have three floors, but only the first floor is used for the restaurant. The second and third floors are still empty, and my father hasn’t decided what to do with them yet."

Even though they had heard about it before, the Zhang family was still taken aback when Deng Yuntao confirmed it.

Zhang Zhenfa couldn’t help but ask, "Yuntao, how much did your father invest in such a large restaurant?"

Deng Yuntao didn’t hide it and answered directly, "My father said he invested over 300,000 yuan."

"Whoa..."

The Zhang family drew in a sharp breath. This number was too shocking, even though the value of a ten-thousand-yuan household had decreased compared to a few years ago. Still, 300,000 yuan was a fortune beyond their imagination.

Investing so much money to open a restaurant was simply outrageous.

Just two years ago, they had hesitated for a long time over the few hundred yuan needed to start their small shop. It was only after their daughter’s persuasion that Zhang Zhenfa finally decided to take the risk.

Compared to his son-in-law, their resolve was on a completely different level.

"Yuntao, did your father take out a loan to open the restaurant?" Although it was a question, Zhang Zhenfa was already 100% sure he was right. His son-in-law’s father simply couldn’t have that much money to invest in a restaurant.

Influenced by his father, Deng Yuntao didn’t think taking a bank loan was shameful and nodded, "Yes, all the money came from a loan from the credit cooperative."

"Has the restaurant been open for a while? How’s the business?"

"It’s been open for seven months, and the business has been good."

The father-in-law and son-in-law continued their conversation, while the two younger brothers-in-law sat quietly, almost stunned by the information their brother-in-law was sharing. Their family had spent a few hundred yuan to open a small shop in Longtan Street, which was already considered successful in the village.

But compared to their brother-in-law’s family, it was nothing.

In the kitchen, the mother and daughter had a similar conversation. Zhang’s mother was so shocked that she almost forgot how to fry the cakes.

When she finally served the cakes, she couldn’t contain her curiosity and said, "Old man, why don’t we all go to the county after the Lantern Festival to see it?"

Knowing his daughter and son-in-law ran such a large restaurant, Zhang Zhenfa felt restless. Hearing his wife’s suggestion, he immediately agreed, "Sure, we’ll go to the county after the Lantern Festival."

Zhang Xiuping smiled, "Dad, Mom, let’s take Elder Brother, Elder Sister, Second Brother, Second Sister, Little Jun, Little Shan, and the kids. We can all go together!"

Deng Yuntao quickly responded, "I’ll arrange the accommodations."

Zhang Shoujun and Zhang Shoushan’s eyes lit up, wishing they could agree immediately, but they couldn’t make the decision themselves, so they looked at their parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Zhang exchanged glances, both feeling a bit excited.

Mrs. Zhang, who had lived in the county town before, voiced her concern, "Yuntao, with so many of us going up, where will we all fit in that two-story house?"

Deng Yuntao chuckled, "Last year, my cousin bought a house in the county town. It’s been sitting empty, and he has three rooms and several old beds. We just need to buy a few mats and some bedding, and we can stay as long as we want."

Mrs. Zhang felt reassured and nodded, "Alright, we’ll discuss it. If it works out, we’ll pick a time to go up for a few days."

After talking about the restaurant, Mrs. Zhang then told her daughter and son-in-law about the plans to build a new house.

Zhang Xiuping, upon hearing this, naturally gave her full support. She didn’t mind the living conditions at her parents' home, as she had grown up there and was used to it. What she couldn’t stand was the issue with the toilet. After using a clean, odorless bathroom, no one would want to go back to a smelly, open-air latrine.

To avoid the smell, she always took her husband to the outdoor toilet whenever they visited her parents. While it was somewhat exciting, she definitely didn’t want that kind of excitement.

If her parents built a new house with a proper bathroom, they wouldn’t have to seek that kind of excitement anymore.

At noon, Mrs. Zhang prepared a feast with chicken and duck to treat her daughter and son-in-law.

In the afternoon, the eldest brother and his wife, as well as the second brother and his wife, all returned, making for a lively gathering.

...

While the villagers of Baise County were busy visiting relatives, the film "Shaolin Temple" made its debut, causing a sensation across the entire county. It was so popular that the streets were empty, and people were rushing to the county and commune cinemas.

The film had already been released the previous year and had caused a nationwide sensation. However, due to various reasons, Baise County only managed to get the film reels by the end of last year.

Only those who had lived through that era could truly understand the film’s impact.

It was said that before "Shaolin Temple" was released, the real Shaolin Temple was a desolate place. According to the crew's recollections, when they first arrived, the grass on the mountain was over a meter tall, and there were no paths.

The temple itself was home to only a few old monks, and the clay statues were half-collapsed.

After "Shaolin Temple" became a national sensation, this once-desolate, thousand-year-old temple became a sacred site in many people’s hearts. Countless children, like Baoqiang, either discussed with their parents or went secretly to Mount Song to learn Shaolin Kung Fu, aspiring to uphold justice and fight evil. Tourists flocked to Shaolin Temple, and even in the 1980s and 1990s, it received tens of thousands of visitors daily.

To manage the influx and promote development, the county of Dengfeng, where Shaolin Temple is located, was upgraded to a city. The tourism economy of the entire city ranked among the best in Henan Province, a testament to how a single film could transform a place.

The film also made the lead actor a household name across the country, laying the foundation for his title as the "Emperor of Kung Fu."

In short, the film set numerous records, and it’s unlikely any other film will have such a profound impact.

...

The Shuangwang Cinema was packed to the brim, unable to meet the public’s demand. In response, various film projection teams actively copied the reels and contacted different production teams. Whichever team was willing to pay would get the film shown in their area.

Under these circumstances, the Naye Production Team couldn’t afford to lag behind. On the sixth day of the first lunar month, they paid for the projection team to screen "Shaolin Temple."

The entire village, young and old, was thrilled.

By the tenth day of the first lunar month, all the production teams under the Bangjie Brigade had seen "Shaolin Temple," and the craze slowly subsided.

...

On the twelfth day of the first lunar month, in the afternoon.

The Deng clan of Naye held a clan meeting at the Bangjie Brigade.

This meeting had been announced a few days in advance. While not every household sent a representative, each village sent a large number of delegates.

The Bangjie Brigade was predominantly populated by the Deng clan, with many villages named after them, such as Guanchong, Meitian, Shejiao, Macun, Yutang, Jimao Ling, Dalin Jiao, Daozhang, Hebing Pai, Poting, Yangdi Po, Zhadu, Naye, Shanggaohang, Laowu, Xinwu, Shanying, Longjing, Tangtan, and Bangba.

These were all pure Deng clan villages, and with each village sending twenty to thirty representatives, there were about four to five hundred people in total.

Once everyone had gathered, the clan leader, Deng Shian, stepped up to speak, "Brothers and nephews of the clan, I have called this meeting today to discuss the succession of the clan leader."

As soon as he said this, the crowd erupted in discussion.

"Secretary, what do you mean? You’re not going to be our clan leader anymore?"

"Secretary, you’ve been doing a great job as our clan leader. Why do you suddenly want to hold a clan meeting to discuss a successor?"

"Secretary, has something happened?"

"Secretary..."

Deng Shian raised his hand to calm everyone down. Once the crowd quieted, he smiled and said, "Everyone, please calm down. Nothing is wrong. I’m just getting older, and my health isn’t what it used to be. While I still have the energy, I want to select a new leader for the Yedeng Clan. That way, even if I’m no longer around, I can face our ancestors with no regrets."

With those words, the clan members had nothing more to say. After all, in this era, not many people in the village lived past sixty, and the clan leader was already in his sixties. It was perfectly normal for him to step down and pass the leadership to a worthy successor.

"Our clan’s founder, Deng Man, also known as De Yang, was originally from Nanyang, Henan."

At such an important moment of leadership transition, Deng Shian naturally had to briefly recount the history of the Yedeng Clan: "Deng Man originally surnamed Man, and during the Shang Dynasty, he was granted the title of Duke of Deng for his contributions to assisting his nephew, King Wu Ding, in governing the country. This title, known as the State of Deng in Chinese history, has a history of over three thousand three hundred years."

As the clan leader, Deng Shian had devoted considerable effort to studying the clan’s history. He spoke fluently about it: "During the Jin Dynasty, due to wars or official relocations, our 57th generation ancestor, You, also known as Bo Dao, moved to Ninghua County, Fujian Province, and settled in the Guitengao area. Our 91st generation ancestor, Yu, became a scholar and official, and later moved to Fuzhou, settling in Zhujijie, Putian County.

"In the third year of the Yuan You era (1088 AD), our 93rd generation ancestor, Tiao, moved from Fujian to Shangjing in Lianjiang, Guangdong, and started a new life there.

"Our 94th generation ancestor, Kang Huo, found the land in Youfang to be picturesque and well-balanced in the five elements, so he moved from Shangjing to Youfang.

"Our 96th generation ancestor, Zhiyuan, also known as Faxian, and his wife, Lady Lan, had four sons. He is the founding ancestor of the Yedeng Clan. During the mid-Ming Dynasty (around 1500 AD), he moved with his family from Youfang to Nabolibi, and later, due to the limited space, relocated to Yedeng to settle down.

"Our 97th generation ancestor, Wenming, is the first great ancestor of the Yedeng Clan. I won’t go into more detail, as most of you are already familiar with the rest."

Only a few clan members were aware of the clan’s history, while the majority only knew that the Yedeng Clan had moved from Shangjing and Youfang. Now, hearing the clan leader’s detailed account, they were surprised to learn that the clan’s origins traced back to Henan.

Deng Shian briefly recounted the history of the Yedeng Clan and then mentioned the clan’s development in the Bangjie Brigade. He then invited Deng Shirong to the stage and said, "Now, I recommend my ninth brother, Deng Shirong, to be the new clan leader of the Yedeng Clan. I believe that under his leadership, the Yedeng Clan will flourish. What do you all think?"

If he were recommending someone else, Deng Shian would have used a more subtle approach, as a lack of support or open opposition could damage his reputation. The best strategy was to gain the support of the majority of the clan members in private before making the recommendation.

However, since Deng Shian was recommending his ninth brother, Deng Shirong, there was no need for such precautions. With his high reputation in the clan, Deng Shirong was the obvious choice, and no one would object.

And as it turned out, Deng Shian’s confidence was well-placed.

"It’s Uncle Nine who will be the new clan leader. I agree with that."

"Uncle Nine is the best choice. I’m completely on board."

"Indeed, there’s no one more suitable to lead the Yedeng Clan than Uncle Nine."

"..."

The hundreds of clan members present, upon learning that Deng Shirong would be the new leader, unanimously expressed their approval.

Deng Shian had anticipated that the transition would go smoothly, but seeing the clan members’ enthusiastic response, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe. The respect and admiration for his ninth brother were truly unmatched. Even with his position as the secretary of the brigade, he doubted his own influence in the clan could surpass Deng Shirong’s.

"Alright, since everyone agrees, I hereby announce that from this moment on, the new clan leader of the Yedeng Clan is Uncle Nine. Please welcome our new clan leader to speak."

At this, the crowd erupted into applause and cheers.

Deng Shirong raised his hand to quiet the crowd and then said, "Thank you, Old Clan Leader, for your recommendation, and thank you, everyone, for your trust. Since you’re willing to have me lead the clan, I will do my best to help everyone achieve prosperity and lift us out of poverty."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end