Chapter 41: Accused

**Because of the severe drought last year, many production brigades' large dining halls couldn't sustain their operations consistently. Some brigades didn't have enough food, and they even ate the remaining seed stocks.

The consequence was that, come spring, many production brigades didn't have any seeds left.

Just when everyone was facing difficulties, the commune delivered sweet potato seeds to all the brigades, truly a timely help. With no food to eat now, if they didn't plant, wouldn't they face even more severe food shortages this year?

Comrade Shen Faxiang, who was promoted to the commune's branch secretary from Longtou Brigade, wasn't like the other Shens. The 200,000 catties of sweet potatoes allocated from Longtou Brigade were not used for food relief. Instead, they were distributed to various brigades as sweet potato seeds for growing seedlings.

If he had distributed the sweet potato seeds earlier, they might have been consumed as well.

Hearing that their sweet potato seeds were being distributed to other brigades, Longjiuseng felt proud. But before he could show off his achievement, trouble came knocking at their door. He was accused of concealing the production output and secretly hoarding surplus grain!

Thinking about seedlings, Longjiuseng rushed to the large camphor tree where Tang Ailian often played and found her. "Ailian, have you seen your master recently?"

The sweet potato seedlings they planted last year had made Longjiuseng suspicious. After all, other brigades were also planting sweet potatoes, especially in the dry fields. However, due to the severe drought in the latter half of last year, the production output of sweet potatoes was significantly lower in those areas. While the others had an output of around five to six hundred catties per mu, Longtou Brigade achieved an astonishing 2,600 catties per mu!

So, he suspected that it was because Tang Ailian's master provided superior seedlings.

However, Tang Ailian was already aware that her master couldn't provide sweet potato vines for this year. Using the water well to stimulate sweet potato vines' growth had been a risky move last year, driven by desperation. She couldn't take such a risk again, especially considering the circumstances. This year, everyone was already prepared to plant sweet potatoes normally, and there was no need to use the precious spiritual water to stimulate vine growth.

"Uncle Captain, my master didn't give me any sweet potato vines," Tang Ailian replied.

Suddenly, Team Leader Shi Dong ran over, shouting, "Captain, it's not good! Someone reported us to the commune. They said we've concealed our grain production and secretly hoarded surplus grain. Comrade Zeng Shuji from the commune has already received the report and will come to inspect our village tomorrow."

Longjiuseng's heart raced. He knew that concealing grain production and hoarding surplus grain could lead to imprisonment. Although the members of Longtou Brigade had been strictly instructed not to disclose the specific distribution details of sweet potatoes, suspicions had arisen due to their unusual circumstances.

So, who reported Longtou Brigade?

It turned out that, despite having sweet potato seeds to plant, many brigades were still digging wild vegetables to survive. Tang Ailian remembered that, during this period in her past life, the people from Longtou Village were also out foraging for wild vegetables. They even made food using various things that were originally meant for pigs, like dried sweet potato vines, yam shoots, and rice bran.

However, this time, with the abundant sweet potatoes they had, people didn't need to forage for wild vegetables. But this made Longtou Brigade stand out.

"Why aren't people from Longtou Village foraging for wild vegetables like everyone else? Their homes must have grain. If we guess that, it will become clear that Longtou Brigade concealed their grain production and hoarded surplus grain," someone deduced.

As a result, the brigade from Jiangshang Village, which had conflicts with Longtou Village, reported Longjiuseng to the commune.

Longjiuseng felt anxious. If their sweet potatoes were discovered during the inspection, they might be confiscated. What's more, moving them would likely lead to exposure.

(End of this chapter)