Siheyuan: Sizhu starts blindly and takes a new path

Chapter 232 Li Huaide Takes Over the Steel Mill

In the early autumn of 1966, the steel mill was covered with big-character posters, and red pieces of paper covered every wall in the factory. Li Huaide stood in front of the window of the office building, looking at the heated criticism scene below, with a sneer on his face. He blew away the foam in the teacup and took a sip of it comfortably.

"Director Li," the secretary knocked on the door carefully, "this is the document that just arrived. Secretary Yang... Yang Zhiguo has been officially dismissed."

Li Huaide said "hmm" without even turning his head, and took the document and flipped through it. This document meant that, through the connections of his father-in-law in the Revolutionary Committee, he had finally overthrown Secretary Yang and became the director of the Revolutionary Committee of the steel mill, the real top leader.

"Notify them," he turned and sat back in the leather chair, "Hold a factory-wide meeting at 3 pm to convey the latest instructions."

The secretary was about to leave when he heard Li Huaide add, "By the way, call Jin Dachui over."

After a while, Jin Dachui came in, bowing and nodding, with a flattering smile on his face: "Director Li, you are looking for me?"

Li Huaide drank his tea slowly and said, "Dachui, you need to pay more attention to the work of the Propaganda Department. This is an extraordinary period, and public opinion guidance is very important."

Jin Dachui bent even lower: "Don't worry! I promise to make sure everyone in the factory follows your steps!"

As he was talking, there was a commotion outside. Li Huaide frowned and looked towards the door, only to see the second uncle Liu Haizhong arguing with the guard.

"Let me in! I have something important to report to Director Li!" Liu Haizhong spoke in a loud voice. The badge of a seventh-level worker was pinned on his washed-out work clothes, shining in the sun.

Li Huaide narrowed his eyes and winked at Jin Dachui. Jin Dachui understood and went out to bring Liu Haizhong in.

"Director Li!" Liu Haizhong straightened his back as soon as he entered the room and spoke in a loud voice, "I am Liu Haizhong from the forging workshop, a seventh-level worker, with 33 years of work experience!"

Li Huaide looked at him with interest: "Master Liu, what's the matter?"

Liu Haizhong took out a stack of crumpled papers from his bosom: "This is the expose I wrote! During Yang Zhiguo's tenure, he promoted material incentives and undermined the revolution and production! As an old worker, I really can't stand it!"

Li Huaide took the materials and flipped through them. He found that most of them were trivial matters, but the handwriting was neat, and it was obvious that a lot of effort had been put into it. He looked up at the excited red face in Liu Haizhong and suddenly smiled: "Master Liu is very conscious."

When Liu Haizhong heard this, he straightened his back even more: "Director Li, although I am an ordinary worker, I am sincere to the revolutionary cause! I am willing to take the lead in exposing and criticizing and contribute to the revolutionary movement of the steel mill!"

Li Huaide smiled secretly. He had just come to power and needed this kind of old worker who was eager to show off. So he stood up and patted Liu Haizhong's shoulder affectionately: "Old comrades like Master Liu are exactly the talents our revolution needs!"

Liu Haizhong's hands were shaking with excitement: "Director Li, you...you mean..."

"How about this," Li Huaide sat back in his chair and crossed his fingers on the table, "You will first serve as the leader of the revolutionary leadership group of the forging workshop, responsible for organizing study and criticism. If you perform well..." He paused meaningfully, "The factory revolutionary committee is still short of a deputy director."

Liu Haizhong felt a surge of blood rushing to his head, and he almost lost his balance. He stood at attention, his voice changing tone: "I promise to complete the task! I will never let Director Li down!"

Jin Dachui was stunned watching from the side, cursing in his heart that this old man was really good at scheming.

At the factory-wide meeting that afternoon, Li Huaide sat in the center of the rostrum with a bright red flag behind him. When he announced the appointment of Liu Haizhong as the leader of the revolutionary leadership group of the forging workshop, there was sparse applause from the audience.

Sha Zhu was standing in the cafeteria, looking at Liu Haizhong, who was so arrogant on the stage, with a frown on his face. Ma Hua, who was standing next to him, whispered, "Master, what's going on with Liu Haizhong..."

"Shut up." Sha Zhu yelled in a low voice, "Listen carefully for a while."

After the meeting, Liu Haizhong walked around to the cafeteria, put his hands behind his back, and said to Sha Zhu in a pretentious tone: "Xiao He, you have to pay attention to political studies in the cafeteria in the future. You can't just focus on cooking and forget about class struggle!"

Sha Zhu looked at Ma Hua kneading the dough and responded without raising his head: "Got it, Second Uncle." He then said to Ma Hua: "Use some force, remember that the dough is kneaded by your wife. If you don't use your force in the right place, it will be useless in the end."

Liu Haizhong was annoyed and left with a snort. Ma Hua came over and said, "Master, he..."

"Go to work." Sha Zhu patted Ma Hua, "If it rains, it will rain. If my mother wants to get married, let her do it."

At this time, Li Huaide was listening to Xu Damao's report in the office.

Just now, Xu Damao sneaked into Li Huaide's office with a bulging cloth bag. His father Xu Fugui had been talking to him for half the night, planning to ask him to take out the gold bars that he had secretly hidden from Lou Xiaoe and "invest" them.

"Director Li, are you busy?" Xu Damao nodded and bowed, closing the door, his eyes rolling around.

Li Huaide was reviewing documents and said without even looking up: "If you have something to say, just say it."

Xu Damao licked his lips and carefully placed the cloth bag on the desk. A corner of the cloth bag opened, revealing the golden bars inside. "Just a little gift... to honor you..."

Li Huaide then raised his head, his eyes slightly narrowed. He reached out and used a pen to open the cloth bag, and two small yellow croakers sparkled in the sun.

"Hey, Damao," Li Huaide suddenly said in a friendly tone, "What are you doing? You are so polite."

Xu Damao rubbed his hands and smiled so hard that his teeth were exposed: "It's what I should do... Director Li has worked hard for the revolution, and we, his subordinates..."

Li Huaide slowly put the gold bars into the drawer, and suddenly changed the subject: "I heard that you were the son-in-law of the Lou family... Is this something from the Lou family?"

Xu Damao felt a chill on his back and quickly explained: "How could that be possible! This is what my father saved when he was a servant in the Lou family..."

Li Huaide looked at him with a half-smile, and continued until Xu Damao's forehead was sweating. Then he said slowly: "Damo, it seems that you and your family are very familiar with the Lou family?"

Xu Damao's eyes lit up and he took a few steps closer: "So familiar! That old man Lou Bancheng, on the surface he is a patriotic capitalist, but I don't know how much gold and silver he has hidden behind the scenes! His daughter Lou Xiao'e is my ex-wife..."

"Oh?" Li Huaide became interested and tapped the table with his fingers. "Go on."

Xu Damao swallowed his saliva and lowered his voice: "Director Li, aren't we going to dig deep to find the hidden class enemies now? Old capitalists like Lou Bancheng are easy to find!" He made a gesture of arresting people, "As long as we send these two old guys to the police station, his family will definitely come to you with a lot of gold bars and beg you to show mercy..."

Li Huaide stared at Xu Damao for a long while, and suddenly laughed: "Good! Good! Damao, you have a lot of ideas!" He stood up and patted Xu Damao on the shoulder, "Well, go collect the materials of the Lou family first, and make sure they are solid. This matter... is left to you."

Xu Damao was so excited that he was shaking, and he almost knelt down to Li Huaide: "Don't worry, Director Li! I promise to do it beautifully!"