Reborn in 1977

Chapter 652 Luwan Factory

There are two folk methods for making lotus root powder.

The first method is similar to industrial powder production, both involving adding water to crush the lotus root, then vigorously squeezing it to extract the lotus root slurry.

After that, the lotus root slurry is repeatedly rinsed for a day or two to remove fine particles, lotus root residue, and inconspicuous silt. The rinsed lotus root slurry is then drained to obtain lotus root powder.

At this point, the lotus root powder is a solidified mass. If you want to get lotus root powder, you need to continue baking or drying it to completely evaporate the moisture, and the powder will naturally disperse.

Alternatively, it can be cut into small pieces of lotus root powder with a knife, which can also be brewed.

(Ancient method of lotus root powder slices)

However, this method is time-consuming and laborious, so Chen Fan used the second method.

That is to directly wash the fresh lotus root, peel off the skin, add water and stir it into lotus root paste, then put the lotus root paste on the stove and heat it slowly over a low fire, while stirring constantly. When the lotus root slurry is cooked to a translucent color, add osmanthus, honey, or sugar to taste, and it can be eaten directly.

Using this method, Chen Fan made a little improvement.

Although there is a mixer from the machinery factory at home, he finds it troublesome. He washes and peels several sections of dark-colored old lotus root, holds one section in one hand, and with a burst of internal energy, the hard fresh lotus root turns into a pool of mud and falls into a small earthenware pot filled with water.

Try not to use an iron pot when cooking lotus root, as it easily turns black.

An earthenware pot is best, with low heat, and the cooked lotus root powder is crystal clear, even better looking than lotus root powder that has been brewed.

The lotus root paste is slowly stirred with water, and soon it becomes the shape of lotus root powder, emitting a rich lotus root fragrance.

Seeing that it was almost ready, Chen Fan picked up the sugar jar, scooped a few spoonfuls of sugar and sprinkled it in, and then sprinkled a little osmanthus powder.

The osmanthus is picked from the osmanthus tree in the village and is generally used for brewing osmanthus wine. Now it is just right to add some fragrance to the lotus root powder.

After adding the seasonings, stir with a large spoon.

After a while, Chen Fan sniffed and glanced outside.

A few seconds later, several people walked up the long slope and appeared in front of him.

The people who came were none other than several leaders of the brigade, except for Secretary Yang.

Chen Fan sat at the kitchen door, stirring non-stop, and said with a smile, "Didn't you say that people would come to visit and learn today? Aren't you accompanying them?"

Zhang Wenliang walked quickly at the front, shaking his head with a bitter face, "It hasn't been a few days since the autumn harvest, and someone has run over again, and they are still from out of town. I can't stand it, I really can't stand it. My father-in-law can't escape his duties, so we ran to your place to hide and relax."

Chen Fan chuckled and said, "Don't they pay for meals?"

When he came back in the summer, he suggested that the commune arrange accommodation and the team arrange meals, and charge accordingly. The oriole's canteen and the bayberry's winery were mainly prepared for these people. Later, it became convenient for the brigade to often close the door and eat and drink inside...despise.

Hearing his words, Zhang Wenliang's face instantly lit up with a smile, "The money is still paid, the rules cannot be broken, otherwise, how can we afford to entertain them every day."

He said, squatting next to the stove, staring at the earthenware pot, "It's all in the newspapers, you have to pay a ticket to visit Huaxi Village. We open the door to welcome guests and only charge a little for food. Isn't that thick enough? And the most important thing is, if we don't charge money, won't more people come?"

Chen Fan hummed and suddenly reacted, "You just said, the people who came today are from out of town?"

There are two meanings to the saying "out of town", one is outside Nanhua Commune, and the other is outside the Yunhu area.

Zhang Wenliang previously said "other communes" and "other counties", so this "out of town" mostly refers to places outside Yunhu.

Has the reputation of Lujiawan spread so far?

At this time, Captain Zhang and the other three also approached here, and without needing anyone to greet them, they sat directly on the benches in the veranda without even moving a chair.

Xiao Lie Wen took out his dry tobacco and lit it, just in time to hear Chen Fan's question, and said directly, "People from other places have been coming since October. Some of them heard about it from foreign county communes that have come to us here.

Some people often take a boat to the prefectural committee and heard others chatting, only to know that there is a place called Lujiawan, and out of curiosity, they came to take a look."

Chen Fan raised his eyebrows slightly, "It's a good thing that Lujiawan is famous."

He forgot that since ancient times, the pier has always been the place where news spreads the fastest, until land transportation gradually replaced water transportation and gradually disappeared.

The Yunhu area is one of the two major central cities in Jiangnan Province, and the other is naturally the provincial capital.

With such an important regional position, many areas around Yunhu have always been dominated by Yunhu. People like to go to Yunhu for medical treatment and shopping. Even many production team members come out to make a living and gather in Yunhu.

It just so happened that, with the efforts of the sales team led by Zhang Wenliang, almost all passenger terminals in Yunhu have Luwan Delicatessen stores.

In this way, it is normal for those passing passengers to take the news of Lujiawan back with them.

Zhang Wenliang stared at the increasingly fragrant lotus root powder, sniffed, and said casually, "What's the good thing about being famous? More people will come to visit later, which is a waste of effort."

Chen Fan crossed his legs and shook them, and said with a smile, "Why isn't being famous a good thing? Why do you only choose Phoenix and Forever when you buy a bicycle? Why do you only want Shanghai brand when you buy a watch? Isn't it because they are famous?

It would be best if Luwan could be famous all over the country, and everyone should know that the Luwan brand belongs to our Lujiawan, that's what's good."

The "famous brand" that is common in later generations will not appear until 1984. People now know the brand, but to talk about famous brands, they still have to explain it to them.

Knowing the situation, Chen Fan tries not to cause trouble for himself...except when it comes out smoothly.

Zhang Wenliang raised his head in astonishment, staring blankly at him, "Are you saying that 'Luwan' can also become a brand?"

Red Flag cars, Shanghai watches, Phoenix bicycles, Warrior shoes, Flying Man sewing machines, BJ brand TVs, Seagull cameras, Hero brand pens... These are all well-known brands in the 1970s.

Even soap has Lighthouse and Wharf, flashlights have Tiger brand, and batteries have Double Deer.

Who doesn't know what the brand represents?

It means that the most people know it, it means that the same things sell better than others.

Don't look at the Luwan Delicatessen stores opening everywhere in the Yunhu area, and the sales are booming, but from Secretary Yang to the members, no one has ever thought that one day the word "Luwan" could be compared with those big brands.

"That's impossible!"

Zhang Wenliang shook his head, his face full of suspicion, "I know that we are going to set up food factories and clothing factories to sell Lujiawan's chickens, ducks and geese to other places, and also to sell down jackets, but you want to say that Luwan can be made into a brand? I don't believe it!"

Chen Fan looked at him with a smile, "Even a piece of soap can be made into a brand-name product, why can't Lujiawan do it?"

Zhang Wenliang opened his mouth and turned to look at the three people next to him.

Zhang Changjiang frowned, seemingly thinking about how to make Luwan a brand.

Ye Shubao smoked a cigarette, with a rather complicated expression on his face, with both longing and hesitation.

However, Xiao Lie Wen pondered for a moment, then clapped his hands and said, "We all have one head on our shoulders. Back in the day, our team could fight 17 nations' armies (including the Italian observers). Can't we create a brand?"

Zhang Wenliang was a little confused. What did these two things have to do with each other?

Chen Fan smiled and said, "We might as well set our sights a little higher. Then, we'll take it one step at a time, insist on controlling the quality well, and build a good reputation. Sooner or later, the name 'Luwan' will be known throughout the country, and it's not impossible for it to become world-famous."

Anyway, it was just a casual chat. It doesn't cost anything to boast, and it's good to inject some enthusiasm from time to time.

He used to say the same thing to Director Yang of the machinery factory.

The motivational effect was obviously good. Zhang Changjiang and the other two nodded in unison, as if they could see that day coming.

The next second, Zhang Changjiang chuckled and said, "It's enough to be known throughout the country. World-renowned is a bit far off, and we'd have to export. Exporting requires going through import and export companies and participating in the Canton Fair…"

Before he could finish, Zhang Wenliang said, "Uncle, you forgot that Huang Ying from Team 6 is at the Foreign Trade Institute. When she graduates, won't she have to go to the Ministry of Foreign Trade?"

In this era, those responsible for foreign trade include the "Ministry of Foreign Trade" and the "Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade."

However, the Ministry of Economic Relations and Trade is not responsible for specific import and export work, but mainly "supports" Asia, Africa, and Latin America and arranges assistance programs.

It's good enough that Zhang Wenliang knows there is a Ministry of Foreign Trade.

In addition, next year, in July 1979, two more departments will be added, namely the "Foreign Investment Management Commission" and the "Import and Export Management Commission," except that these two departments are "one institution with two names."

By 1982, these four departments will all be integrated into one, establishing the "Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade," which was one of the most important departments in the 1980s, abbreviated as "MOFERT," and appeared in the news almost every day until it was abolished in 1993.

As one of the first college students after the resumption of the college entrance examination, it is entirely predictable that Huang Ying will go to either the Ministry of Foreign Trade or the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade.

However, the former is obviously more important and is the unit she is most likely to go to after graduation.

Hearing Zhang Wenliang say this, Zhang Changjiang and the others also reacted, their eyes flashing with brilliance, "So, is it really possible to become world-famous?"

Chen Fan chuckled dryly. Even if Huang Ying enters the ministry, relying on her to make the Luwan brand world-famous is not as good as cooperating with Zhou Yali's company.

However, this is the general thinking of this era. Getting into college means you are a proud son of heaven, and entering a Xiyuan unit is like ascending to heaven in one step.

Since they have ascended to heaven, of course, one person's success leads to the prosperity of his family and friends.

Many people's thinking is so simple.

It's just a pity that too few people follow the "enlightened" ones. It's not that those proud sons of heaven who have ascended to heaven don't value relationships, but what can these newly graduated small fries do in the top-level units where many veterans gather?

Later, a frenzy of going abroad swept through, and then entering the 1990s, going north to do smuggling, going south to Guangdong and Hainan, was the "shortcut" to success. Even many "department directors" could not resist the temptation to go into business.

After all, only a very few people can bring prosperity to their families and friends.

However, Chen Fan naturally wouldn't pour cold water on them when he saw how happy they were.

Another thing is, whether Huang Ying is useful depends on how she is used.

Anyway, with Chen Fan coordinating, everyone can "make the most of their talents" and there will be no waste.

After chatting for a while, the lotus root starch paste was ready.

Chen Fan took a few pottery bowls and divided a pot, just enough for 5 bowls.

Everyone took a bowl and drank the lotus root starch paste with a slurping sound. Xiao Lie Wen didn't forget to say, "Hmm, this lotus root starch is fragrant, but after eating this bowl, make less for lunch later, don't waste it."

The corners of Chen Fan's mouth twitched slightly, "Oh."

His enlightenment teacher had spoken, what could he do?

He could only obey.

After finishing the lotus root starch paste, Zhang Changjiang smacked his lips, raised his hand to wipe his mouth, took out his dry tobacco pipe and lit it, looked at Chen Fan and said, "You said you want to make Luwan a brand. Just yesterday, the commune called us all to a meeting, saying that the commune would provide the land and let us move all the sideline companies to the town, on the east side near the pier. Oh, it's where the garment factory is."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Shubao continued, "At the beginning, we thought the commune was going to be like the previous construction team, wanting to pick the fruits after seeing the production team's sideline business doing well."

Speaking of this, he suddenly smiled awkwardly and said embarrassedly, "We certainly wouldn't want that. At the time, I was planning to mention your name. If it weren't for your connections, the Luwan's sideline business would definitely not be so smooth.

If the commune wants us to hand over the sideline companies, then the previous relationship may not be usable. That would be crossing the river and demolishing the bridge, rendering our Luwan's efforts useless."

Chen Fan raised his eyebrows slightly, "Oh, Uncle Ye, you can use idioms now."

Ye Shubao was stunned for a moment, then rolled his eyes, "Go, go, go, even making fun of me."

As soon as he finished speaking, he was stunned for a moment, looking at Chen Fan and laughing.

Looking at Chen Fan's appearance, he knew that he was not angry.

And Chen Fan didn't care that they were using his name as a front.

It was not easy to turn over, and in the blink of an eye, it was to be taken away by a word from the superiors. Anyone would go crazy, and anyone could use his name as a front. Moreover, Luwan's sideline business has indeed achieved its current success under his planning and personal execution. Whether Ye Shubao said it or not, the commune knows this.

Chen Fan took out a cigarette and distributed it around, looked at them, and smiled, "Looking at you now, the commune shouldn't be wanting to pick the fruits, right?"

"Of course not."

Xiao Lie Wen took the cigarette, lit it, and said with a smile, "After Lao Ye said that, Secretary Qian, Director Jiang, and Deputy Secretary He all stated together that they would definitely not pick the fruits.

They just want Luwan to move all the sideline companies to the commune. The commune will allocate a piece of land in the town to Luwan. By then, this part of the achievement can also be counted as the commune's.

In return, the commune will try its best to mobilize resources to support Luwan's development."

Finally, Zhang Wenliang summarized, "The commune just wants achievements, and we get practical benefits, that's the situation."

Zhang Changjiang continued his words, "Originally, we were going to call you over to discuss, but today someone is coming to visit, so we came to you together to discuss this matter."

Ye Shubao, "Whether to move or not, you have the right to speak, even the right to decide!"

Xiao Lie Wen nodded, "What's more, you just said that you want to make 'Luwan' a brand, so you have to decide even more."

Chen Fan pondered for two seconds and smiled, "If they only want achievements and give us resource support, it's not impossible."

After a pause, he said again, "But there is a condition."

Xiao Lie Wen and the other four asked in unison, "What condition?"

Chen Fan held up one finger, "The factory area of this sideline company must be named 'Luwan'."