I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 167: Chapter 166: Zhao Wendong Settles the Score

In the crowd, Lin Zhiyin’s eyes curved into smiling crescents. Watching Zhao Wendong, the center of everyone’s attention, she realized that he had, without her noticing, become so dazzling.

The rest of the Zhao Family was just as happy and proud. Chen Yanmei wiped away happy tears. Zhao Wenwu shouted, ”Brother Dong is awesome!” Little Tuanzi jumped up and down, yelling ”Third Brother! Third Brother!” and waving nonstop at Zhao Wendong. Ye Qingmei and Zhao Chuanhe also watched Zhao Wendong, their faces filled with relief and pride.

Once the crowd quieted down, Zhao Wendong wasted no words and got straight to the point.

”The militia is Dragon King Pond’s own force. From protecting our home and ensuring peace to maintaining local order, guarding the village, and keeping everyone safe—none of this can be done without our militia. Therefore, based on everyone’s performance over the past two days, as well as their physical condition, I announce that the following individuals are hereby dismissed from the militia, effective immediately.”

”Zhao the Sixth, Zhao Sifa, Zhao the Fatty...”

Zhao Wendong reeled off more than a dozen names. These were all people who had hung back to watch the show instead of stepping up when Li Guangming arrived with his men today. Others who were too old, not physically fit, or had a bad attitude were also all removed. Zhao the Sixth and the others looked completely indifferent. ’So he’s just settling old scores? Who wants to be in this stupid militia anyway? We couldn’t wait to get out.’

”Of course, my dad, Zhao Dashan, is also out!”

”Hahaha!”

At his words, the villagers all burst out laughing. Zhao Wendong waited for the atmosphere to lighten up before calling out another group of names, including Zhao Ergou, all of whom were now selected for the militia. Anyone who wasn’t already in the militia but had followed him to help with the fight today was recruited.

Zhao Wendong was clearly building a militia that would follow his orders completely. Seeing this, Zhao Weiguo and the others just watched with smiles, having no objections whatsoever.

”Alright, that’s the provisional adjustment to the militia roster. Anyone who wants to join in the future can submit an application and will be admitted after passing the team committee’s assessment.”

Zhao Wendong didn’t plan on just leading the militia into fights—there weren’t that many fights to be had anyway. He intended to turn the militia into a frontline production force: capable and hardworking, but also one he could lead to reap benefits.

If the goal was for the first to get rich to help the others get rich, then after he himself became prosperous, his next step was to lead these militiamen to prosperity. If things went smoothly, he could foresee that the Dragon King Pond militia would become the most sought-after group in the entire village.

As for taking them into the mountains, Zhao Wendong wasn’t considering it for now. Although these men were loyal enough, there were rules about going into the mountains. For one, you don’t go hunting with anyone who isn’t blood kin. Besides, this was the age of firearms; unless they encountered a massive herd of beasts, more people would be useless and just lower efficiency.

”Alright. Next, I’ll have the Captain and Third Master tell everyone about the team’s arrangements for the rest of this winter.”

Third Master Zhao knocked his pipe bowl and said with a smile.

”Weiguo, why don’t you announce it all? Just the things we discussed earlier. I’m getting old, I don’t have the voice for shouting anymore.”

Zhao Weiguo nodded, stood up, and began to announce the specific details they had all discussed on the way back.

”First off, many of you probably know that our team offered grain as payment for people to repair the well platform. A lot of you have also come to me saying you want to work on the platform too, asking the team to arrange more jobs like that. On that note, I have an important announcement to make.”

”From now on, the production team will be arranging a series of labor tasks in preparation for next year’s spring plowing. Based on your completion of these tasks, you can earn corresponding work points. And these work points can be exchanged for grain from the team!”

BUZZ—!

The moment Zhao Weiguo’s voice fell, the place exploded. Many people jumped to their feet in excitement.

It wasn’t that people didn’t want to work; it was that work didn’t earn them enough to eat. That’s why they had to ”hole up for the winter,” working less or not at all to conserve what little food they had. If they could really earn grain through labor, who would want to endure hunger every day, sipping rice water and lying on the kang?

”Is it true, Brother Weiguo?”

”Captain, pick me! I can do anything!”

”My family’s about to run out of food! Let us go first.”

Zhao Weiguo waved his hand and shouted.

”Everyone, quiet down!”

”There’s enough for everyone, so what’s all the fuss about? Now keep listening to me!”

”First: weaving baskets, wicker containers, and dustpans. The production team will collect them all when they’re done. You’ll get work points per piece—the more you weave, the more you earn. You can exchange the work points for grain or money. As for the specific exchange rate, the team will work out the detailed rules later.”

These items were essential tools for production. Preparing them during the winter would save every household a lot of trouble come spring plowing.

”Second: twisting hemp ropes, making twine, and braiding shoelaces. As long as it’s rope, the team will take it!”

In the rural Northeast, hemp rope was a staple commodity. It was essential for pulling plows, bundling firewood, tying up grain sacks, securing carts, tying seedlings during spring planting, and baling hay.

”Third: weaving straw mats, straw curtains, sleeping mats, making Ula shoes, and so on.”

”Fourth: if you can’t do any of the above, you can also make brooms, seedling brushes, and pot brushes. The team will collect those too. Whether they’re for your own use or the team finds a way to trade them for food or money, we’ll figure it out.”

”Finally, there’s woodworking. Those in the team who know carpentry should prioritize this! For next year’s spring plowing, we need wooden shovel handles, pickaxe handles, hoe handles, plow parts, wooden rakes, seedling trays, seed funnels, and wooden plowshare casings—basically, we need everything. Oh, and for household use: small stools, kang tables, pot lids, dough boards, laundry sticks, pig troughs, chicken coop panels, and so on. We need those too.”

Many of these items were things Zhao Wendong wanted. In this era, many daily necessities couldn’t be bought and had to be made by hand. He was trying to get a house built, and he needed to accumulate these things just the same. Right now, he had a single goal: hunt more, go to the sea more, get more food, and then trade for a new house to improve their quality of life in every way, ensuring he and his family could live a little better.

Everyone in the canteen listened with rapt attention, their minds already calculating which jobs their families could do. ’We have to sign up at the team office early and grab the work,’ they thought. ’Otherwise, if there’s no work left by the time it’s our turn, we won’t get any work points. And no work points means no grain.’

”Lastly, besides the tasks I’ve listed, everyone should brainstorm. If you can think of any other work that can be done in winter, you can come find us anytime. As long as the team can use it or help out, we’ll award work points that you can exchange for grain and money.”

”Alright, that’s everything. Did you all get that?”

”We got it!”

”Can we start tomorrow?”

”My family will sign up for basket weaving.”

”My family will make rope.”

Many villagers were growing impatient. A lot of these tasks, like weaving baskets and making hemp rope, were things they already did regularly. They had the materials at home, as every household still had plenty of willow branches and reeds left over from the autumn harvest.

”Yep, you can start tomorrow. Now, stop all this chatter, go home, and get some sleep. Come to the team headquarters to sign up tomorrow. Come on, come on, let’s have our leaders say a few words to wrap things up.”

CLAP CLAP CLAP~

The villagers of Dragon King Pond were very obliging, erupting in enthusiastic applause. Having just heard the wonderful news that work could be exchanged for food, everyone was in high spirits and naturally didn’t mind giving a few hearty claps.

Yang Wenxue certainly couldn’t let Jiang Weimin speak first, so he stood up and straightened his clothes.

”Members of Dragon King Pond, hello everyone! I am Yang Wenxue, the secretary of our Commune. Coming here to Dragon King Pond today has truly been an eye-opener! I just want to say that your Dragon King Pond’s team committee has fighting spirit, and your people have fighting spirit! I believe that under the leadership of your committee, you will surely overcome the cold and hunger and victoriously welcome the arrival of next spring!”

”Hear, hear!”

”Well said!”

”Brother Dong is awesome!”

The last shout was especially loud. Hearing it, everyone burst into laughter. Zhao Wendong shot a helpless glare at a smug Zhao Wenwu. ’This stinky second brother of mine,’ he thought, ’is such a character. The bigger the crowd, the more excited he gets. Oh well, let him shout his nonsense. His happiness is what’s most important.’

Yang Wenxue also recognized that the one causing a ruckus was Zhao Wenwu. Knowing that Zhao Wendong’s second elder brother had damaged his brain from a fever in his childhood, he naturally wouldn’t hold it against him. He just shook his head with some amusement and sat down.

Jiang Weimin was the last to stand. Everyone knew he was the highest-ranking leader, and that the meeting would be over once he finished speaking. At once, the most enthusiastic applause they had ever heard erupted. Jiang Weimin was quite pleased to hear it. ’See? I’m still very popular with the common people.’