bookrandom Chapter 173: Concerns about People's Livelihood
Chapter 173: Concerns about People's Livelihood
That morning, the warm and peaceful sunshine, as usual, gently streamed down upon the homes of ordinary people. However, the faces of those inside were filled with sorrow, their sorrow like a thick haze, blocking out the warmth of the sun.
In those remote, seemingly forgotten villages, livelihood issues weigh like a heavy mountain, bearing down on the people, leaving them breathless. The houses they inhabit are as dilapidated as those of an elderly man, trembling and ready to collapse at any moment. On rainy days, the houses become like a cascading waterfall, with water pouring freely through every crack, the dripping sound a despairing lament. "When will this end?" an old man sighed helplessly, looking up at the jarring hole in the roof. Every wrinkle on his weathered face bore the traces of life's hardships and vicissitudes, and his eyes betrayed endless despair and helplessness, as if he had been tortured by life and lost every last shred of hope.
The village roads are bumpy and uneven, their potholes ripping through them like ferocious mouths, ruthlessly devouring the people's hopes. Harvest season should be a time of joy, but the poor roads hinder the transport of agricultural products, forcing them to rot in the fields, transforming them into heartbreaking pools of decay. "We work from dawn to dusk all year long, hoping to sell our harvest for a good price and improve our lives. But this damn road..." A dark-skinned, hunched farmer squatted by the roadside, gazing at the carts full of grain that couldn't be transported. Tears welled in his cloudy eyes, but he stubbornly refused to let them fall. His clenched teeth and fists betrayed his inner resentment and anger.
The children's educational conditions are even more heartbreakingly poor. The village's so-called school is little more than a few dilapidated adobe buildings, crumbling in the wind and rain. The desks and chairs in the classroom are broken, the writing on the blackboard illegible. Teachers come and go, fleeting guests, unable to retain their hearts longing for better development. The children's eyes, thirsting for knowledge, gradually lose their brilliance in such a harsh environment, becoming dull and lifeless. "I want to study, I want to get out of these mountains and see the world, but..." A ragged child, clutching a torn textbook tightly, choked with sobs, his thin body shivering in the cold wind, like a seedling struggling in a storm.
What is most infuriating and heartbreaking is the corruption of local officials. Like ravenous wolves, they wantonly embezzle funds meant for improving people's livelihoods, squandering the people's hard-earned money. Consequently, livelihood projects have stalled, and the lives of ordinary people have fallen into deeper darkness. "These unscrupulous and corrupt officials are beyond the reach of justice!" The angry cries of the people echoed in the streets, their eyes filled with helplessness, resentment, and deep despair.
Concubine Su, hearing these heartbreaking reports from the palace, was filled with worry and anger. Her anger burned like a raging fire, while her worry weighed on her heart like a heavy lead weight. She decided to go on an incognito tour, to personally witness the real lives of the people and experience their pain and helplessness.
Concubine Su, meticulously disguised in the simplest possible attire, deftly blended into the crowd. She walked along a muddy, waterlogged path to the old man's home. Upon entering, the dilapidated scene pierced her heart. A flicker of suspicion crossed the old man's eyes at the stranger's arrival, but out of politeness, he reluctantly moved forward and invited her in.
"Old man, this house..." Concubine Su looked at the leaking roof and the damp and moldy walls, and couldn't help but ask, with an unconcealable tremor in her voice.
The old man shook his head helplessly, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen a little. "Girl, this house is decades old and we can't afford to repair it." The hoarse voice was full of helplessness and despair.
Concubine Su came to the fields again and saw the farmers looking at the carts full of agricultural products that could not be shipped. Their sad faces were like sharp knives, stabbing her heart.
"Brother, will this road always be like this?" Concubine Su looked at the bumpy road with a frown on her face.
The farmer sighed, and the sigh seemed to come from the depths of his soul, "Who cares about us? We can only accept our fate." The desperate look in his eyes made Concubine Su feel a heart-wrenching pain.
In the village school, which was so simple that it couldn't be more simple, Concubine Su saw the children using worn-out books in the dim classroom, and she couldn't help but burst into tears.
"Children, do you want a new school?" Concubine Su tried hard to hold back her tears, her voice choked with sobs.
The children answered in unison: "Yes!" Their voices were full of longing and expectation, which made Concubine Su's heart tremble.
Everything she saw and heard along the way deeply shocked Concubine Su. She secretly vowed, "I must stand up for the people!" Her determined eyes seemed to burn with an eternal flame.
Upon returning to the palace, Concubine Su immediately ordered a thorough investigation of corrupt officials. She personally oversaw the operation, leaving no trace. Under Concubine Su's resolute and swift actions, those corrupt officials, usually arrogant and domineering, were mercilessly singled out like stray dogs. They were brought to justice and received the harsh punishments they deserved, to the applause of the people, whose cheers were a hymn to justice.
At the same time, Concubine Su did not hesitate to increase her investment in people's livelihoods. She mobilized vast manpower, material resources, and financial resources, beginning with road construction. Countless workers toiled day and night, their sweat spilling over the land, transforming it into smooth, broad roads that snaked through the countryside. Agricultural products were now transported smoothly, the people's incomes gradually increased, and smiles began to fill the faces of those once troubled.
Then, Concubine Su ordered housing improvements. New houses sprang up across the village like mushrooms after a rain. Their sturdy walls and bright windows seemed like a ray of hope in the hearts of the people. The people finally had a warm haven, sheltered from the wind and rain, and their laughter echoed in the new houses.
Concubine Su spared no effort in education. Brand-new, imposing schools sprang up across the country, their bright and clean classrooms neatly arranged with desks and chairs and advanced teaching equipment. Excellent teachers were hired at high salaries, bringing knowledge and compassion to open doors to the future for the children. Children sat in bright classrooms, their faces beaming with joy, and the sound of their reading, like the most beautiful melody, drifted across this land of hope.
Thanks to the orderly implementation of this series of vigorous measures, people's lives have improved significantly. People who once had gloomy faces now have bright smiles that come from the heart.
"Thanks to Concubine Su, we now have hope for the future!" A commoner said with tears in his eyes and a trembling voice.
"Yes, Concubine Su is really our savior, sent by God to save us!" Another citizen clenched his fists tightly, with gratitude flashing in his eyes.
Hearing these praises, Concubine Su felt extremely gratified. However, she knew that there was still a long way to go to improve people's livelihoods, and she would continue to work hard to create a better and happier life for the people.
Finally, this once impoverished and backward place has been revitalized and filled with vigor and vitality. The people's sense of well-being has greatly improved, and they are filled with infinite hope and longing for the future.