Chapter 268: Poverty Eradication for the Entire Clan, and the Passenger Transport Company

Chapter 268: Poverty Eradication for the Entire Clan, and the Passenger Transport Company

With all the watermelons from Longjing Village sold, every member of the Nayei Deng clan, except for Deng Shirong who kept a hundred melons for himself, had sold their entire harvest.

The profits were substantial.

The Nayei Deng clan consisted of around 650 households, and they collectively sold over 11,500 tons of watermelons. With the acquisition price at 8 cents per pound, the total income was nearly 1.9 million yuan, averaging about 2,800 yuan per household.

The net profit was around 2,500 yuan per household.

This single harvest was enough to lift the entire Nayei Deng clan out of poverty.

Even the most struggling families, with such a significant income, found their financial hardships greatly alleviated.

It seemed that eradicating poverty wasn't that difficult; just growing watermelons would do the trick.

Indeed, in the early 1980s, anyone who dared to try, whether it was growing fruits or raising livestock, could quickly escape poverty if everything went smoothly. So why were most people still poor, with only a small number managing to achieve prosperity?

The reason was simple: not everyone in the countryside had the courage to take on such ventures.

Take the Nayei Deng clan as an example. If it weren't for Deng Shirong's high prestige and the trust of the entire clan, the normal course of events would have been for him to start growing watermelons first. After a successful harvest, a few bold villagers would follow in the second year. Once these followers also made money, more people would join in the third year. This cycle would continue, and it would take at least five to six years of smooth development before the majority of the clan's households would follow suit. By then, the golden period for making money would have passed, and the risks of large-scale planting would have increased, potentially leading to unsold watermelons.

Thus, the Nayei Deng clan's current success was largely due to Deng Shirong's leadership.

Without his strong push, even if the news of his success from last year's watermelon harvest had spread, few households would have followed suit. This was evident from the lack of follow-up from other clans.

This was understandable. While watermelon farming seemed simple, it required significant investment in labor and resources.

First, turning a hill into a watermelon field required a family to work diligently for several months. After the field was ready, purchasing watermelon seeds was a considerable expense. For many families, the cost of seeds alone could drain their entire savings, and some even had to borrow money to buy seeds.

These two hurdles alone deterred many potential followers.

The Nayei Deng clan's successful poverty eradication effort created a huge buzz throughout the Bangjie Brigade and neighboring areas. Those who had been on the fence could no longer hold back and started clearing their land for watermelon fields.

The most significant change brought by the clan's collective poverty eradication was that the young men and women of the Nayei Deng clan suddenly became highly sought after.

...

After all the watermelons were sold, Deng Shirong convened a clan meeting at the entrance of the Nayei Deng ancestral hall.

Since he had given advance notice, this meeting was crucial, and every household was required to send a representative. As a result, by the designated time, every household had sent a representative to the meeting.

With everyone present, Deng Shirong took the stage.

"Brothers and nephews, today's clan meeting will discuss two main issues."

Without beating around the bush, Deng Shirong got straight to the point, raising one finger. "The first issue is about scholarships and academic awards. The semester exam results are out, and those whose children meet the award criteria should bring the signed report cards to Teacher Changhua for registration. Once the college entrance exam results are in, we will hold a unified ceremony for the scholarships and awards."

Despite the substantial income from selling watermelons, which had lifted every household out of poverty, the clan's scholarships and awards were still highly valued. These awards represented honor, and only the clan's most outstanding children received them.

Who wouldn't want to stand out in front of their fellow clan members?

Therefore, those whose children met the award criteria couldn't help but cheer loudly.

After addressing the scholarships and awards, Deng Shirong raised his second finger. "The second issue is that I plan to lead the establishment of a passenger transport company to further enrich our clan."

His words sent a shock through the gathered clan members.

Deng Changbao, the wealthiest man in Jimaoling, asked, "Clan head, are you planning to run a bus service?"

Deng Shirong nodded. "Yes, that's the plan."

With Deng Shirong's confirmation, the room erupted in excitement.

"Will this bus service be profitable?"

"Of course, the Shabu bus passes through our village every day, and I've seen it packed with passengers many times. Running it every day like that must be very profitable."

”

  “Not necessarily. I’ve heard that there are a lot of thugs around these days. They never pay for their rides. If you run into them often, it’s hard to say whether you can make any money.”

  “True, the number of thugs has been increasing over the past two years. I heard there was even a robbery at the Tanlian intersection not long ago.”

  “Indeed. I don’t know what’s been happening these past two years, but things seem to be getting more chaotic.”

  “...”

  After listening to the clan members discuss for a while, Deng Shirong finally spoke up. “With the development of society, more and more people will be traveling long distances in the future. The bus business will definitely become more profitable. I can say this with certainty. However, the competition in this industry is fierce. Not just anyone can make money from it.

  “Take the Shabu bus, for example. If someone else also starts a bus service on the same route, it will create competition. To attract more passengers, conflicts will be inevitable. Some might even try to drive the competition away to monopolize the route.

  “So, if an individual wants to run a bus service, they would need a powerful backing to survive in such a competitive environment. Otherwise, it will be very difficult.

  “But if the Deng clan were to run the bus service, we wouldn’t have to worry about these issues. No matter how powerful an individual might be, they can’t match our 3,000 clan members. If they dare to provoke us, we can overwhelm them with sheer numbers.

  “Without having to worry about sabotage, making money will be much easier.

  “Moreover, if the clan establishes a passenger transport company, we’ll start with at least ten buses and continue to expand.

  “If everything goes well, we could end up with over a hundred buses in the future. Just the drivers and ticket collectors alone would require hundreds of people. These jobs can be filled by clan members. Even if the bus service isn’t profitable, creating so many job opportunities for the clan would be worth it.

  “And besides, how could a passenger transport company not make money?”

  Deng Shirong’s words left the old clan leader, Deng Shian, so excited that he started slapping his thighs. “Old Nine, hearing you say this, we must definitely start this passenger transport company. If it develops well, it will be far more profitable than growing watermelons.”

  The richest man in Bangba, Deng Changxiong, chimed in, “Clan head, how do you want to proceed? We’ll follow your lead.”

  Deng Yunqiang also quickly voiced his support. “Right, Uncle Nine, come up with a plan, and we’ll follow you.”

  The other clan members also expressed their support. Since Deng Shirong became the clan head, his reputation among the clan members had reached its peak. With this year’s successful watermelon harvest, his reputation had grown even further, surpassing even the old clan leader, Deng Shian.

  Seeing that most of the clan members supported his idea, Deng Shirong outlined his plan. “I propose that the clan’s passenger transport company be set up as a joint-stock company. Each share will be 1,000 yuan, and everyone can decide how many shares they want to buy. When the company makes a profit, the dividends will be distributed according to the investment ratio.

  “You don’t have to decide right away. Go home and discuss it with your families. I suggest that every household at least buy one share. This way, when the company makes money, everyone will benefit, and it will foster unity within the clan.

  “For those who want to buy more shares, I advise you to do so based on your financial abilities.

  “Also, please contact the clan members who work outside and inform them about this opportunity. We’re all descendants of the same ancestors, so we shouldn’t leave anyone out. Let them decide whether they want to invest.

  “Discuss this among yourselves and finalize your decisions. We’ll formalize everything during the clan’s scholarship and award ceremony.”

  “Understood, Clan Head.”

  “Got it, Uncle Nine.”

  “I’ll inform Uncle Man’s family.”

  “...”

  Although many clan members were eager to invest immediately, the clan head had decided to wait until the scholarship and award ceremony to finalize everything. So, they had to be patient and wait for that day to come.

  With the main matter settled, the clan meeting came to an end. The clan members from different villages began to head home, discussing the matter along the way. Each share at 1,000 yuan was no small amount. If it weren’t for the successful watermelon harvest this year, most of the clan members wouldn’t have been able to come up with the money to invest.

  Given the significant investment required, most clan members were quite conflicted. They weren’t sure whether to invest just one share or put everything they had into it.

  ...

  In Naye Village.

  As soon as Deng Yunqiang returned home, he gathered his family to discuss the clan’s plan to establish the passenger transport company.

  After recounting what Uncle Nine had said, Deng Yunqiang picked up the pipe beside him and said, “That’s the situation. Everyone, let’s think about how many shares our family should buy.”

  Deng Changfu immediately responded, “Dad, since Uncle Nine is leading this project, it’s bound to be a profitable venture. We can’t miss this opportunity. We should invest everything we can.”

Changfu’s mother chimed in, "This year, we made over six thousand yuan from selling lychees and watermelons. I originally planned to save this money to build a new house, but since Uncle Jiu is leading the effort to set up a passenger transport company, we can hold off on building the house for now. That way, we can invest six shares."

Deng Changjuan nodded, "Our house is a bit old, but it’s still livable for now. We don’t need to rush into building a new one. We should invest more money into this passenger transport company. With Uncle Jiu’s business acumen, this company is sure to be highly profitable. When it starts making money, we’ll earn a fortune just from the dividends."

Deng Changli also nodded in agreement, "Uncle Jiu is the most successful businessman in our clan. He’s run the brick factory, grown lychees and watermelons, and even opened a restaurant in the county town. No matter what he does, he always makes money. This passenger transport company, led by him, is sure to be a big earner. I think we should invest more money into it."

Deng Yunqiang, who was smoking, listened to his wife and children. Seeing that they all agreed to invest more, he wasn’t surprised. After all, their family’s prosperity was largely thanks to Uncle Jiu. Their confidence in him was unwavering.

Noticing that his daughter-in-law hadn’t spoken, Deng Yunqiang asked, "Aying, what do you think?"

Guanyong Ying pondered for a moment, "Father, I was thinking, should I go back to my parents and borrow some money to invest a few more shares?"

Deng Yunqiang was taken aback. They already had a lot of confidence in Uncle Jiu, but he didn’t expect his daughter-in-law to have even more. She was willing to borrow money from her parents to invest. He thought for a moment and said, "Aying, there’s no need to borrow money, but you can talk to your parents about this. If they’re interested, they can invest two or three shares under our family’s name. When the company starts making money, we can distribute the dividends to them according to their investment."

Changfu’s mother added, "That’s right, Aying. We can’t borrow the money, but if your parents are confident, they can invest and share in the profits."

Guanyong Ying smiled, "Thank you, Father and Mother. I’ll go back to my parents’ place tomorrow and discuss this with them."

Her parents were also doing well, as they were among the first to grow lychees with Uncle Jiu. Over two years, they made over two thousand yuan, and this year, they earned another three thousand from watermelons. It wouldn’t be difficult for them to come up with four thousand yuan in cash.

With the family deciding to invest six shares and her parents potentially adding four more, they would have a total of ten shares, placing them among the top investors in the clan.

...

Not far away, at Deng YunGui’s house.

After the clan meeting, Deng YunGui also discussed the matter with his family.

In Naye Village, it was clear that the wealthiest person was Deng Shirong, and Deng YunGui was the second richest, without any dispute.

Deng YunGui and Uncle Jiu had partnered to run the brick factory, which made a profit every month. This year, they also grew watermelons, which brought in a substantial income. After deducting the costs of building a new house and other expenses, he still had over eighteen thousand yuan in cash.

Deng YunGui had already made up his mind. After discussing it with his children, he decided to invest all the cash they had, totaling eighteen shares, as there were no major expenses for the family at the moment.

Moreover, the brick factory continued to bring in monthly profits, so keeping a few hundred yuan for daily expenses was more than enough.

...

At Jimaoling Village.

Deng Changbao, after returning home, also talked to his wife about the passenger transport company.

After recounting what Uncle Jiu had said, Deng Changbao asked, "Wife, how many shares do you think we should invest?"

Deng Changbao’s wife, surnamed Li, was known as Aili San because she was the third daughter in her family.

Aili San didn’t rush to answer. Instead, she asked, "Husband, do you think this passenger transport company will be profitable?"

"Every trade is different, and while I know how to make money from the brick factory, I’m not sure about running a bus service."

Deng Changbao shook his head, then paused and said, "However, this is a plan Uncle Jiu came up with after becoming the clan leader to lead everyone to prosperity. I believe that with Uncle Jiu’s intelligence, he wouldn’t propose this unless he was confident. After all, the investment for a transport company is high, and if it fails, it would damage his reputation in the clan. So, I’m about eighty percent sure that this company will be profitable."

His logical reasoning made his wife nod in agreement.

After he finished speaking, Aili San said, "You make a good point. If Uncle Jiu isn’t confident, he wouldn’t lead this effort. Since you think it will be profitable, let’s invest all our spare money."

Deng Changbao nodded, "Alright, let’s do it."

...

As the clan members returned home to discuss how many shares to invest, Deng Shirong was also thinking about the appropriate number of shares for him to invest.

Others might not see the potential of this passenger transport company, but Deng Shirong, who had experienced the future, knew exactly what was to come.

In a few years, the wave of migrant workers heading to Guangdong would sweep through the entire Bobai County. The long-distance routes to Guangdong that his company planned to focus on would be a massive market. Even a small slice of that pie would bring in huge profits.

Therefore, the more money he invested at the company’s inception, the greater the returns would be in the future.

Deng Shirong had nearly 400,000 yuan in cash. Even after setting aside 30,000 to 40,000 yuan to settle the longan payment for Bai Ping Farm, he still had over 360,000 yuan available. He was considering whether to invest it all.

After less than three minutes of thought, Deng Shirong made his decision: he would invest it all.

Firstly, the potential profits from the passenger transport company were significant. The more he invested now, the more he would earn later.

Secondly, he wanted to set an example for his clan members, showing them how confident he was in the company’s future, thereby boosting their confidence.

With his mind made up, Deng Shirong no longer hesitated.

Calculating the dates, he realized his second son should be returning soon. His next task was to warmly welcome his son and his classmates, who were among the best students from Peking University. If they chose to enter politics, even following a standard career path, they would at least reach the level of department heads.

Most would likely reach the provincial level.

As for higher positions, that would depend on their fate.

Regardless, these people were the cream of the crop, and that was undeniable.

...

Nanning Railway Station.

Tang Mingjie followed the group out of the station. His current state could be described by a Chinese idiom: a frost-bitten eggplant—wilted!

Among the Peking University students present, most had experience riding trains. Although the journey was long for those from other provinces, they were used to it and could easily tolerate it.

Tang Mingjie, however, was riding a train for the first time and was immediately subjected to an intense journey. For someone who had never endured hardship, it was indeed challenging.

Seeing Tang Mingjie’s exhausted face, Deng Yunheng couldn’t help but ask, “Brother Jie, are you okay?”

Tang Mingjie waved his hand, “I’m fine, just not used to such a long train ride.” He couldn’t show weakness in front of his three female classmates, even if he was feeling terrible.

Deng Yunheng said, “It can’t be helped; Guangxi is so far from the capital, and the train is slow. Anyone would find it hard to endure a few days and nights on the train. Let’s find a place to eat first, and then we can go to the guesthouse for a good night’s rest. Once we’re rested, we’ll set out tomorrow.”

The other students had no objections. After such a long train ride, they needed to rest for the night before continuing their journey.

On the way to the restaurant, Liu Xiaoman looked around and said, “Nanning, the capital city, doesn’t seem much better than our Guilin!”

Deng Yunheng laughed, “That’s normal. Nanning has only been the capital of Guangxi for a few years, while Guilin has a 2200-year history. It was a key town connecting the South China Sea and Central China during the Qin Dynasty. From the Yuan Dynasty to the Republic of China, Guilin was the political and economic center of Guangxi for over 500 years. That kind of historical depth is something Nanning can’t match.”

Liu Xiaoman sighed, “It’s a pity that Guilin couldn’t maintain its status as the political and economic center.”

Deng Yunheng said, “It’s still pretty good. In Yulin, besides having a large population, we don’t have much else.”

Chu Zhenyu added, “My elders have been to Guilin and said the scenery is beautiful. When the train passed through Guilin, I got a glimpse of its beauty. Those small mountains are truly unique.”

Deng Yunheng nodded, “My father also told me that Guilin’s mountains and waters are unparalleled. When we have the chance, we should definitely visit Guilin and explore its beauty.”

Liu Xiaoman smiled, “President, if you’re not too bothered, you can come to Guilin to play after visiting your home. I’ll take care of your food and lodging.”

If they were just fellow Guangxi natives, Deng Yunheng might have accepted. After all, the train would pass through Guilin on their way back to school, and a detour wouldn’t waste too much time.

However, this time he had his five roommates with him. They had only just met on the train, and their relationship wasn’t that close. Moreover, they hadn’t informed Liu Xiaoman’s family in advance. Suddenly having so many classmates visit would be too impolite.

Therefore, Deng Yunheng shook his head and declined, “Not this time. Let’s make a plan for the next visit.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end