1905: Beer Hall Speaker

Page 88

"Huh? They're all Confucius?!"

"Old Zhang, are you kidding me?!"

Inside the seemingly thick envelope were new banknotes, all bearing the image of Confucius and with a face value of only one yuan. Lin Jishun didn't need to count them; just by looking at the unopened bank bundle, he knew it contained one hundred yuan.

Section Chief Zhang said without changing his expression, "Feel it again, there are two more inside."

Lin Jishun turned the envelope upside down and slapped it, and two more ten-yuan bills fell out. But Lin Jishun was still not giving up. He even squeezed the envelope with his palm and finally opened it. He found that the allocation from above was indeed only one hundred and twenty yuan.

Lin Jishun's face turned completely dark: "One hundred and twenty? What can that do? There are four schools in Meihua Town with more than four thousand school-age children. Assuming a 40% enrollment rate, that's one thousand six hundred people."

"We needed to build four schools and enroll 1,600 students, but all we got from above was 120 yuan?"

"With so little money, how can you expect me to do anything for your county government?"

Section Chief Zhang helplessly patted his pocket, took out an object tightly wrapped in a handkerchief, and after unwrapping it layer by layer, revealed a handful of small bills inside. He kept two cents for travel expenses and gave the rest to Lin Jishun: "I guess I'm just unlucky. This is a personal donation. I'm also from this county, so consider it a contribution to the local area!"

Lin Jishun took the handful of small bills and counted them. He found that it was only four yuan and twenty-seven cents. But no matter how dissatisfied he was, Lin Jishun couldn't possibly take away the two cents left by the other party for travel expenses. He could only grit his teeth and accept it.

Taking the pen and paper, Lin Jishun wrote out a receipt, specifying the date, location, and person in charge, filled in the amount of 124.27 yuan, signed his name, stamped the town government seal, and handed it to Section Chief Zhang.

Lin Jishun pressed on, "Section Chief Zhang, it's all for official business. I'm a bit short-tempered, please forgive me!"

Section Chief Zhang waved his hand generously: "It's alright, I'm used to walking through these towns."

After Lin Jishun softened his stance, he immediately began to press his advantage: "That's all for this month. You'll have to add a little more next month, otherwise I really won't be able to get things done."

Next time you come, I'll cook you a stir-fried river fish, paired with a big rooster, and plenty of alcohol. Please take good care of me, Section Chief Zhang!

Section Chief Zhang shook his head: "Who told you it was allocated monthly? This money is this year's education budget; the rest will come next year!"

"Huh?" All the staff in Meihua Town were taken aback. It was August, and they were supposed to make only this little money until the end of the year or even the beginning of next year? Wasn't that just pure nonsense?

Lin Jishun was dumbfounded. He knew the higher-ups were short of money, but he didn't know they were short to this extent.

Section Chief Zhang felt it was best not to linger, so he quickly got up to say goodbye: "It's getting late, I need to go to the dock to catch my ship back. You guys discuss what to do with the rest, I'll be going now!"

The deputy mayor was quick-witted. As soon as he saw Section Chief Zhang about to leave, he immediately remembered that the town government's salaries and office expenses for this month hadn't been received yet. He quickly asked, "Section Chief Zhang, let's put the education funding aside. What about the town government's salaries and office expenses for this month?"

"The higher-ups won't send another person to deliver it again, will they?"

Section Chief Zhang gestured towards the torn envelope on the ground and said, "I told you from the beginning, it's all here! That hundred yuan is the allocation for compulsory education funding, and the remaining twenty yuan is the monthly salary and office expenses for everyone in your town government!"

After finishing his sentence, Section Chief Zhang left without looking back, running all the way without giving the Meihua Town staff a chance to see him off. He dashed out of the Land God Temple and then sprinted towards the dock.

Lin Jishun was still doing calculations in his head. By the time he figured it out, Section Chief Zhang had already disappeared.

"Huh?" Lin Jishun belatedly realized what was happening, his eyes turned red, and he grabbed the policeman's Hanyang rifle and tried to rush out the door.

"Don't pull me! I'm going to take him to the bottom of the Zi River to feed the fish! How can you treat someone like this?"

"I quit! I'm going back to the army! I'm not going to be an officer anymore!"

The others scrambled to hug and pull, trying to persuade their own town mayor.

"Mayor, please don't do this!"

"Old Lin, calm down!"

The five newcomers were dumbfounded by what they saw and didn't dare to intervene. But after hearing what they heard, they felt like they had fallen into a trap.

With five new employees joining Meihua Town, the staff now numbered twelve. The monthly salary alone would cost as much as forty-five yuan, but they only received one hundred and twenty-four yuan and twenty-seven cents. What could they possibly do with that little money? Lin Jishun didn't know, and he had no way of knowing.

"I'm doomed! From now on, the people of Meihua Town will call me Lin Da Niu Pi!" For the first time, Lin Jishun felt an unprecedented sense of confusion and helplessness regarding his official career.

He found the ways of officialdom too complex and thought he should go back to the army.

Chapter 153 Local Administration and Local Support

Local government affairs can be handled in different ways depending on whether there's plenty of money or little. But for a place like Meihua Town, which doesn't have much money, they have to find alternative ways to manage things.

The day after Section Chief Zhang left, Lin Jishun was running around the town making money. Meihua Town wasn't wealthy, but even a broken boat could have some nails. The local timber and tea trade was still quite good, especially the tea.

Lin Jishun first tried to solicit favors from several wealthy tea merchants, inviting them to drink tea at the busiest teahouse in town. It sounded awkward, but Lin Jishun didn't have the money to treat these sponsors to a meal.

He was there to make money, not to spend it, so he could only treat the sponsors to large bowls of tea that cost two cents a bowl, and at most, a plate of melon seeds.

Lin Jishun, a former soldier, didn't mince words; he got straight to the point as soon as he sat down at the table.

Although the tea merchants frowned, they still maintained the most basic respect for this official appointed by the higher authorities to govern Meihua Town.

"Mayor Lin, it's not that we're stingy and unwilling to spend money, but we're simply unable to do so."

“Yes, Mayor Lin, educating the local people is something we shouldn’t shirk. We are also from Meihua Town. But the government is now implementing compulsory education, which is no small matter.”

“Yes, if it’s just three or five poor students, it’s not a big deal for us to sponsor them. If it’s a dozen or so students, we can grit our teeth and afford it. But if it’s thousands of children in the whole town going to school, we can’t afford it even if we go bankrupt!”

"Mayor Lin, please spare us!"

Local landlords and gentry were not often portrayed as heartless and ruthless as depicted in movies; they were also part of the local community.

The wealthy and powerful class typically rises from commoners to local elites through generations of accumulation. In this process, connections, wisdom, ability, and luck are all indispensable.

Especially when it comes to connections, in a society like China, the ability to conduct oneself is always of paramount importance. If you lack ability, you can still make things work out, but if you can't conduct yourself well, you generally won't succeed.

It is undeniable that these wealthy gentry exploited the lower classes, but they also made contributions to the local area. For example, they were happy to spend money on things that could greatly enhance their reputation, such as building bridges and roads, encouraging education, and establishing temples.

Those who have reached this point are not fools. Their knowledge may be somewhat limited, but their vision is still quite good.

Their foundation in the local community is their influence, and only secondarily their financial resources.

Wealthy people don't refuse to support education, but supporting compulsory education is clearly a bottomless pit that can't be filled even if you go bankrupt, which is a bit unreasonable.

Lin Jishun understood this and explained, "You've misunderstood. I won't ask you to empty your pockets to support this. This is government policy, and the government bears the main responsibility."

But local governments also have to bear some secondary responsibilities. No one will force you to bankrupt your families to support national policies; at least I don't have that kind of courage.

"What I mean is, could you all take the lead and do something, even just a little bit?"

Tea merchant Mr. Xiao stroked his beard and pondered, "Mayor Lin, what exactly do you mean by 'meaning'? Could you explain it more clearly?"

"If it's two or three hundred yuan, I'll pay right now. But if it's two or three thousand yuan, I would appreciate it if Mayor Lin didn't ask, so as not to ruin the harmony."

Lin Jishun opened his mouth and said, "Five hundred yuan, not too much, not too little, but it has to be given every year."

“The bosses should take the lead in paying this money, and then those in the timber business, the local landlords, and other wealthy people should share some of it.”

"If this continues every year, I believe it won't put too much pressure on everyone!"

Mr. Xiao laughed: "Mayor Lin, five hundred a year? We can't guarantee that we can earn that much every year in business. If the tea can be sold, we can make a profit; if it can't be sold, we will lose money."

The government now collects a considerable amount of commercial taxes, plus fixed asset taxes, and all those taxes combined, while not as drastic as during the late Qing Dynasty, are still quite heavy.

"No one can withstand your annual tax-collecting practices. We urge Mayor Lin to be lenient!"

Lin Jishun ignored the tea merchants' complaints and instead found a breakthrough: "You all mean that if you can make a profit, you can donate money, right?"

Mr. Xiao laughed and said, "In business, who can guarantee a sure profit without any losses?"

"Last year, the grasslands were ravaged by bloodshed, and the trade route for tea to the north was cut off. Business was tough, and there wasn't much profit to be made!"

Lin Jishun continued, "Do your brick teas, sirs, sell to the grasslands beyond the Great Wall? You mean the herders buy the most, right?"

Brick tea produced in Hunan is usually transported north along the Ancient Tea Horse Road to markets outside the Great Wall. Nomadic peoples on the grasslands outside the Great Wall love this kind of compressed brick tea because it is affordable, available in large quantities, and unlike other green teas, it is not difficult to preserve.

Lin Jishun happened to have connections outside the Great Wall. He was a retired officer from the Eighth Division and was stationed in the northern desert region. His former superior from the Eighth Division even had connections with the Russians further north.

Lin Jishun said confidently, "I still have some connections in the military. My old unit used to fight on the grasslands. I killed your tea-selling customers."

"But please rest assured, I will take care of both killing and burying. In the grasslands beyond the Great Wall, not only the Mongols, but even the Russians have to give my Eighth Division face. How much tea do you have? I'll help you smooth things over and guarantee you'll be able to sell it!"

Boss Xiao was surprised: "Is this true? Mayor Lin has such ability? This is no small matter. There are almost a thousand bushels of tea piled up in the warehouse. If we can sell them, we can guarantee future sales."

Let alone a mere five hundred yuan, even if it were five...

Lin Jishun's eyes lit up: "Hmm?"

Boss Xiao swallowed the word "thousand" back: "Even if it's five hundred taels of silver, we can afford it! No need to look for anyone else, we tea merchants will pay for it!"

Five hundred taels of silver, which is roughly seven hundred yuan at the current exchange rate, was not enough for Lin Jishun: "Boss Xiao, add a little more! It's not easy for anyone."

Boss Xiao gritted his teeth: "If Mayor Lin can help us open up the road, we'll give you 700 yuan a year if the brick tea from Meihua Town can reach the grasslands directly. If we can also sell it to the Russians, we'll give you 1,000 yuan a year. And if we can send it to other places, we'll keep adding to that!"

Lin Jishun slammed his fist on the table and said, "Good! That's a good decision! I'll write back to my old unit right away, and this matter is settled!"

"But you have to give me the money first. Give me five hundred to tide me over; I'm really starving!"

Boss Xiao didn't hesitate: "Okay, I'll immediately have someone deliver the money to the town government."

After the matter was settled, Lin Jishun, beaming with joy, got up and left without even settling the bill, leaving the tea merchants speechless.

After securing deals with the most influential tea merchants in the area, Lin Jishun immediately went on to visit local dock and shipping bosses, timber merchants, and landlords.

Seeing that the major tea merchants had contributed money, the others also made their own contributions, and the parties jointly agreed to sponsor 150 yuan of education funds every year.

In addition to cash, the landlords promised to sponsor one ton of grain every year, and this year's would arrive soon. However, what they gave was last year's grain, and one-third of it consisted of coarse grains such as sweet potatoes and potatoes.

The dock agreed that all school children could ride the boat for free, but only on the day school was on or after the holiday. The government would have to notify them in advance, and it could not be more than five times a month.

The timber merchant agreed to donate some timber to help build the school, but not much, and the government would have to pay for the labor to move it.

Lin Jishun used all sorts of creative ways to solicit sponsorships, wanting both money and goods; as long as it was useful, he would gladly accept it.

Finally, Lin Jishun went to the municipal government and begged for another 500 yuan in funding. As for the county, Lin Jishun had long given up hope. He figured the county was so poor it was practically urinating blood, and he wouldn't even be able to get a meal there.

After returning to Meihua Town, Lin Jishun made one last move with the town government's assets, selling 15 mu of the 100 mu of public land that originally belonged to the town government, and also selling the only second-hand Hanyang rifle that the policeman owned.

Finally, after scraping together 1,500 yuan in start-up capital, we began the construction of the education system in Meihua Town.

Once the school construction project was completed, the more than 20,000 residents of Meihua Town realized that the new mayor was not just going through the motions, but was a capable and pragmatic official.

On September 21, Lin Jishun announced the convening of the Meihua Town Compulsory Education Popularization Conference, which was attended by 9 subordinate village chiefs and many respected elders from the town.

In the past, if Lin Jishun wanted to hold such a meeting, few people would come. He was a town mayor who occupied a dilapidated earth temple and only had five or six heads under him. Moreover, he was a newcomer, so no one took him seriously.

But recently, Mayor Lin has made quite a few big moves. First, he helped local tea merchants open up sales channels, then he helped landlords divide their property to avoid taxes, and then he helped the dock and boat guilds secure a direct route to the city.

A series of actions convinced everyone to willingly part with their money, and after raising the funds, the town mayor didn't abscond; instead, he genuinely planned to use the money for local education.

Having accomplished this, the Meihua Town government has established its authority and image. The more than 20,000 residents are not blind; they all approve of the new town mayor.

This time, when he called a meeting, everyone showed up in a flash. No one dared to be absent. After all, it concerned education for a century. If you dared not come to such a meeting, the children in the village would have no school to attend and would all be blind. You, the village chief, would also be disgraced.

If there were no compulsory education, everyone would be blind and illiterate, and that wouldn't be a big deal; no one could laugh at anyone else.

But when the compulsory education that was originally thought to be just talk actually has a chance to be implemented, everyone becomes restless.

The opportunity to read and learn to read is something that thousands of years of Chinese history have proven. Reading may not guarantee success, but it is essential to achieve success.

The small local temple suddenly had so many people attending a meeting that there wasn't even a meeting room big enough for everyone.

Lin Jishun simply moved the meeting to the outdoor courtyard, where everyone could sit on the ground and listen to Lin Jishun speak.

Following the usual practice of the Republican government's civil service system, Lin Jishun got straight to the point in meetings, without engaging in pedantry or infighting, and directly explained the town government's education plan in plain language.

Three villages out of the town's twenty-eight villages were selected as the locations of the village primary schools, situated in the center and at a suitable distance from the other villages, so that children from other villages could attend school nearby.

A central school will be established in Meihua Town to serve as the core area for education in the town.

The central school in the town is located on public land owned by the town government, so there is no need to purchase private land. Of course, the town government also doesn't have the extra money to buy land.

Several respected old men from the town immediately announced that since the government had offered the land, they, as elderly people, could not remain silent. They immediately announced that they would donate their thousand-year-old houses (coffins) and dismantle the coffin boards to use as blackboards!

These old men were all from prominent families in the town, and they were the most senior and respected. Since they had all donated their coffins, the other younger generations could not stand idly by. Immediately, the people who had gathered around the meeting also contributed money and effort.

For the construction of the central school, the town government only needed to provide a plot of land; the rest—timber and labor—was provided by the townspeople.

Then came the construction of three village primary schools. The locations were fine, and the villagers were all cooperating. However, the other villages that were not selected had strong opinions and demanded that the villages where the schools were built reduce their enrollment quotas and compensate the other villages.

However, all three villages that were to establish the school were very firm. They absolutely refused to give out any quotas, but they were willing to provide some compensation in other aspects. The villages that were to establish the school were willing to cover all the meals for the school's teachers. They couldn't guarantee that every meal would be lavish with fish and meat, but they could absolutely guarantee that it would be the best food in the village.

Finally, it was Lin Jishun's turn to act as guarantor on behalf of the government. Lin Jishun did not follow the compulsory education guidelines issued by the central government, but made a promise based on the actual capabilities of Meihua Town.

First and foremost, all schools should not charge tuition fees. This is the most basic point. If tuition fees were charged, no one could afford to attend school, as the rural economy cannot currently bear such expenses.

The government covers the school's operations and teachers' salaries. Lin Jishun promised to provide a certain amount of free learning supplies and textbooks, the amount of which would depend on the government's allocation.

In theory, the central government requires schools and the government to cover student meals, but Lin Jishun only agreed to cover one free lunch for students this year, and the rest will have to wait until next year.

We only have so much money, and we can't possibly spend it all in a year. Then next year the school will go bankrupt and students will be on holiday. We must leave some reserves so that we can make do in critical moments.

Moreover, the town government also needs expenses to maintain its offices and other grassroots official duties. It's impossible to go all in just to run education and abandon the town government altogether. That would be putting the cart before the horse, and the higher-ups would definitely hold people accountable!

Chapter 154 Students and Teachers

The school site selection and construction matters were all discussed at the meeting. The last thing to be discussed in the final segment was the most crucial issue: the number of students to be enrolled.

In theory, the central government requires universal access, meaning that all school-age children and minors should attend school.