The Chinese always believe that no matter it is windy, rainy or clear, they must store some food at home. Few nations in the world have such a strong obsession with food reserves as the Chinese.
Perhaps the biggest reason is that China has maintained a small-scale peasant economy for three thousand years. Although the country has a large number of granaries, each farmer also has a private granary. Family granaries make people more capable of fighting famines than other ethnic groups.
This was not the case in the Soviet Union. Serfdom was outlawed, and the Tsar placed his hope on the newly born rich peasants among the peasants to become supporters of the imperial power. However, the reforms turned into a new round of feasts for plundering the people's wealth. When Lenin returned to Tsarist Russia, soon everything
Everything has changed.
There were no owner-peasants in the Soviet Union, and the people's warehouses of collective farms were responsible for storing food for all farm members. As for urban residents, they were all proletarians and could only buy commercial food with rubles.
The war broke out, and nine out of ten grains stored in farm warehouses were requisitioned by the army. The average daily ration for farmers was less than 500 grams of potatoes. City residents were better off, and the best daily food ration was only 700 grams of black bread.
.
If you ask where the Soviet Union has the most food, it is the food warehouses. Who are the main consumers of food? They are the frontline soldiers.
The six million mouths in the trenches on the Eastern Front were hungry for food. They needed four thousand calories a day to cope with the war. Unfortunately, at the last moment before a large amount of canned spam arrived from the United States, everyone had to gnaw potatoes honestly.
Yang Mingzhi was once worried that there would be nothing reliable in the big market, but today he saw that the situation was not too bad.
As the gunshots were declared "a misunderstanding by soldiers," various state-owned stores in the market reopened, and business activities seemed undisturbed.
Yang Mingzhi wore a Shuba coat and a forward hat on her head. Yang Tao also dressed up and even put on a headscarf. She covered her head a little tightly. At first glance, she looked like a young girl.
Among the four, only Lieutenant Grishenko was still wearing the uniform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. When the car stopped at the target store, he stayed by the car and waited quietly, smoking a cigarette, to avoid further misunderstandings.
At the big market, Yang Mingzhi simply bought 20 kilograms of potatoes and paid 600 rubles. They were packed in a hemp rope net bag, and the store staff happily carried them out of the door. When he saw the second lieutenant's blue hat
hat, and his face instantly became serious.
Yes, Yang Ming aims to keep a low profile. With a car in hand, no amount of cover-up is meaningless.
Twenty kilograms of potatoes, three kilograms of oats, and only one kilogram of rye were purchased. These three items alone cost one thousand rubles.
It's not enough to have staple food without vegetables. Standing on the empty shelves in the store, Yang Mingzhi felt a sense of familiarity and strangeness. The store was not without any green onions, but there were a few tomatoes that looked terrible. They were all
It was a little shriveled, and it was obvious that no one had cared about it for a long time. It stands to reason that the worst vegetables may cost less than ten kopecks, but the staff said sternly that no matter what the quality is, it is still twenty rubles per kilogram.
No matter what era, fresh vegetables in Russia are expensive. What can be done? This place is too cold, and greenhouse cultivation technology has not yet been developed. They can only hope that Russia’s winter generals will be gentler to shorten the freezing period.
Some.
This is true for fresh vegetables, but it's another for pickled pickles. Let's look at the pickles in the glass bottle. One bottle is marked with a weight of one liter, which is more than half of the actual price, and the price is only ten rubles.
The cheapest thing is still milk. According to the clerk, the fresh milk in a one-liter glass bottle is just milked by the dairy farm in the early morning and costs only two rubles a bottle.
Since milk is so cheap, buy more.
The clerk gave a new explanation: "The superiors have stipulated that each person can only buy once a day, and sales are limited."
Food sustains life, and there is no way to spend a lot of money to buy food in difficult times. In addition, the issue of clothing is sometimes another focus.
Yang Mingzhi estimates that clothes will be more expensive. Now that he has a huge "special allowance", can a mink velvet coat cost as much as 10,000 rubles?
Finally, in a state-owned clothing store, he bought a mink velvet coat for a huge sum of twelve hundred rubles as a gift to comfort his wife.
According to the store clerk, cheap clothes are often bought by people queuing up as soon as they are put on the shelves. As the war continues, the price of clothes rises overall, but even so, medium-priced clothes are also bought.
"Up to now, there are only some expensive clothes left that cannot be sold. Since you want to buy them for your wife, I suggest you buy it. It seems that your face is from southern Russia? I'm sorry, it's winter in Moscow.
It’s really cold. It’s not very expensive for you to buy now. But in winter, you won’t even be able to buy it for 3,000 rubles. Besides, our clothes are all produced by the Second Red October Clothing Factory, so the quality is guaranteed.”
The store clerks are a bit arrogant. No matter what they recommend, you still have to buy what you should buy.
When it came to buying clothes, Yang Mingzhi was really bleeding. When he directed the clerk to carry more than ten pieces of clothes out the door, the 10,000 rubles allowance in his pocket had been reduced to nine hundred-yuan bills, and some low-priced bills.
Face value coins.
He looked a little embarrassed, but when he saw his lovely wife dressed in a minky dress, he felt relieved.
Yang Mingzhi is not just buying clothes for himself and his wife. It is very important to cultivate a group of loyal subordinates and provide constant financial support.
He understood a truth: giving favors is like lending money.
You have to repay money you owe, and you have to repay favors when you have received favors from others. Yang Mingzhi believes that his subordinates are kind and simple people, and if they operate well, they will become his fans.
He believed that his decision was very correct, which can be seen from the expression on Second Lieutenant Grishenko's face now.
Why? The second lieutenant and the other nine guards each received a sweater worth three hundred rubles.
Nowadays, the prices of scarce goods have skyrocketed, and a woolen sweater of three hundred rubles is no longer expensive. The gifts at this moment cannot be measured in money, and the emotional comfort they received is priceless.
Sitting in the car, the second lieutenant almost burst into tears with gratitude. He did not cry, but said meaningfully: "Dear general, I have lived for more than 20 years, and apart from the organization, you are the only person who has given me a great gift."
"Haha, right? That's really my honor."
"Yes! I believe that you are a general who loves his soldiers as much as his son. I...I will protect the safety of you and your wife with my life."
"Okay, I am a person who values results very much. Next, let's go home and unload the goods."
The car rushed back all the way. The second lieutenant who got out of the car in a hurry immediately called all the people and quickly moved the heavy pile of goods in the trunk into the independent kitchen.
As for the clothes, Yang Mingzhi moved what he needed to the second floor. After he went downstairs, he saw that the ten guards under his command had all put on new sweaters. Looking carefully, one by two, everyone's eyes were filled with confusion.
With tears?
"Oh, don't cry. They are just some gifts from me. My favors are not over yet! Comrades, I tell you, I will cook in person in the evening and I will treat you to a banquet."
"What?" The second lieutenant was shocked, while the maid Anne was only shocked.
Yang Mingzhi continued to put his hands behind his back with a friendly expression. This expression really attracted people to get close to him.
"I went to the big market and learned some real facts about the daily life of the people in Moscow. Comrades, you are also living a hard life! Looking at me, why can I eat a lot of beef a day? Just because of me
Are you a general? Now, we have to establish a new rule. From now on, if I eat meat, you will also eat meat. The only difference is that I eat more and you eat less."
The guards listened very clearly. Wearing the warm sweaters bought by the general, they already have hope for life. Will life be better in the future, and can they still eat meat? It is really wonderful.
Alas, they would never have imagined that their general was truly a strange person in the army.
Among the current Soviet group army commanders, who is the most obsessed with logistics issues is none other than Yang Mingzhi. The so-called spiritual inspiration has a limited effect. Bread and meat are the source of strength for soldiers. Only with enough food and grass can the army have combat effectiveness.
. Even if the army is reduced to only ten people, we must pay more attention to the issue of food.
Finally, Yang Mingzhi expressed his great hopes for the ten of them.
"The ten of you will increase your diet, and you must strengthen your physical training in your free time. I need a capable guard force, and you must develop a body of muscles, preferably with the ability to kill a cow with one punch. Only in this way can I
Completely assured of your own safety!”
…
The car left the house again, and the second lieutenant, who was still in the passenger seat, had his own understanding of the general's words.
"General, do you want us to train our martial arts fists to the best of our ability?"
"Of course. You will have to learn a lot of things in the future. I think I will teach you how to command and fight. There are many, many more. In a sense, I will be your teacher."
"Thank you so much."
Yang Mingzhi smiled and said, "Young man, I told you. Work hard and do your job well, and you will get incredible rewards."
At 11 o'clock in the morning, the car stopped at the entrance of the hospital. It stood so abruptly that the citizens coming in and out could not help but look at it sideways and quickly avoid it.
"Comrade Second Lieutenant, please wait here. We will go upstairs to get some glasses and come down soon."
"Is this okay? I am your guard and I should accompany you at all times."
"Forget it." Yang Mingzhi shook his head, "You just look at the car here, I'll come as soon as I can."
Yang Mingzhi still likes to move without followers, so-called freedom. It is really uncomfortable to be stared at by a guard's eyes all the time.
Wearing too expensive clothes is an opportunity for spies to take advantage of. Yang Mingzhi and Yang Tao changed into simple clothes and went straight to Antonov's clinic.
The Ophthalmology Department of the Second People's Hospital of Moscow has very few people visiting it on weekdays. The reason is that in this time and space, more people are born with farsightedness than myopia.
The doctor and his entourage went to work on time at eight o'clock as always. They had nothing to do and had their own business - drinking black tea, reading today's "Pravda", and then talking about the newspaper's optimistic outlook on the war situation.
.
When he saw his patient arriving, he immediately stood up and said, "Oh, you are Comrade General Berekov. You are here to get your glasses."
"Yes. You seem to be very relaxed."
"There are no patients, so I can only read the newspaper. Semyon, go and get your glasses."
Taking advantage of this moment, the doctor who wanted to chat with others about the current situation started chatting.
The topic is nothing more than the fierce fighting in the Stalingrad city, and now is the most critical moment of the war. Everyone believes that the Soviet army will win. Only the article in "Pravda" and the editor's pen make it seem that the battle will be rapid.
If you win, it seems that the newspapers will exaggerate a strong optimism.
Finally, the glasses and wooden box were delivered, and the conversation stopped abruptly.
"Take a look, you will definitely be satisfied with the lenses made with the latest technology of the great Soviet Union."
"Thank you." Yang Mingzhi slowly opened his wooden box, and sure enough, wrapped in soft silk, was a pair of small glasses with a strong retro style. To him, they were retro, but to others, they were small and
Round lenses and slim stainless steel brackets are the most popular styles.
He put on his glasses and faced Star Tao: "Dear, what do you think of me? Am I handsome?"
"It's so beautiful." The girl's face was as happy as a peach. She also hurriedly opened her wooden box and put on her glasses: "I... am I an intellectual now?"
"Yes! She is an intellectual and a literary girl! In short, she is really a gentle and good girl."
"Well, I'd better find a mirror and look at it myself."
Facing the floor-length mirror in the department, Yang Tao saw everything about herself clearly, including the freckles on her face. She always felt that her eyes were small, and she never thought that everything would change after wearing glasses.
"Haha! Brother, my eyes look bigger. They are really beautiful."
"Yes! Lovely girl."
The short stay in the hospital was pleasant. The doctor was in a hurry to have lunch, and Yang Mingzhi also wanted to go back early to see what the maid Annie had made for lunch again.
The couple hurried back, wearing glasses to show off their appearance, their image has completely changed.
The general who used to have a capable look on his face has become more elegant. The general's wife, if you don't pay attention to her bulging belly, looks like a diligent student in the tenth grade.
…
Everything calmed down. Captain Larin sent some gifts in the morning, but he didn't come back in the afternoon, not even a phone call.
There is a hand-cranked telephone at home, and there is a piece of paper underneath it, which contains a set of instructions for using it and what numbers to report to the operator when calling Lubyanka.
Ten guards were still standing guard in turns, and those who had no time took the opportunity to pick up brooms to clean the courtyard, or use linen to clean cars.
After Yang Mingzhi put his wife down for a nap, he went down to the first floor and went straight to the kitchen on the east side of the courtyard. His sudden visit really frightened the maid Annie who was busy chopping firewood.
"Ah! General."
"You don't have to stand up, you can continue working." After that, Yang Mingzhi took another look at the somewhat crude kitchen, "Oh, it would be great to have some ceramic tiles. The villa is very beautiful, and the kitchen still has an earthen stove and an earthen oven.
"
"General, are you complaining? This is what it looked like when I took over."
"It's just a complaint. It's so backward. After we win the war, the country should pay attention to the improvement of people's lives. Especially the issue of food. It is not only to satisfy every citizen with enough bread and meat every day, but also to create some clean and hygienic facilities.
An efficient cooking tool.”
"I hope so, I don't expect much."
Yang Mingzhi pulled a bench and sat down. He was informal and sat in front of the maid Annie.
"Oh, General, you..."
Let's talk about Anne, what she is experiencing now makes her think more. Her husband died in the war, she finally got out, and now she has a special relationship with a general who is a subordinate. He is so kind to others, especially to his subordinates.
Women, he is really a role model for men, completely different from Russian men who are rude and love to drink.
"It's nothing. I'm just watching you chop wood. Are you preparing fuel for the night? They all look like pine wood, which is pretty good." As he said that, Yang Mingzhi picked up a piece of chopped wood and put it on his
He gestured on his forearm: "This length is fine."
"General..."
"Oh, I'm just making Chinese-style tableware. I can make it myself. After you finish chopping the firewood, go wash twenty potatoes. I tell you, I said in the morning that I would personally cook a banquet for all of you. I said
Do it. As for you, the kitchen is your battlefield, and this time, we are comrades who will fight."
Anne was amused by the big words, and underneath her head tilted and giggling, a few tears fell on the pine wood being chopped... (To be continued)