Back in 1978, I was admitted to Northwestern Polytechnical University.

Chapter 490 A Real Man Emerges

Saleh is a veteran, too.

In 1962, the Free Officers Movement in North Yemen staged a coup that overthrew the rule of the Mutawakkia dynasty. Among those involved was Ali Abdul Saleh, a second lieutenant in the artillery who had just graduated from the Sana'a Military Academy.

This guy's rise to power is very similar to that of the colonel, but after the coup, he didn't ascend to the throne of power until 78, which is where he falls short of the colonel.

After all, their coup had caught the attention of Shah in the north, who supported royalist guerrillas led by Ibrahim al-Houthi. His two sons later wreaked havoc in Yemen.

Saleh, on the other hand, has now grown into a seasoned politician, adept at playing both sides.

The Soviets' demands this time exceeded his expectations, so as soon as they left, he immediately convened a meeting with his men.

“No, we absolutely cannot do that. Right now, the West is preparing to provide us with weapons and equipment. If the Soviets do this, it means we should break with the West. We absolutely cannot do what they say!” Tariq said.

Since seizing power, Saleh began to bring his family into the fold. Eventually, the entire Yemen became a one-man show for the Saleh family, who amassed a fortune from the country. Although the country remained poor, the family became incredibly wealthy.

Tariq is Saleh's nephew and currently serves in the military.

In recent years, although the Soviet Union has also begun to support North Yemen, there are many restrictions. The aircraft provided cannot be used on the battlefield in South Yemen, which is already frustrating enough for them. If they do this now, once the matter is exposed, they will completely antagonize the West.

This is a conspiracy!
"Yes, we can't do that! This must be a Soviet conspiracy!"

“But if we don’t do it, South Yemen will, and they’ll put the blame on us.”

This is what's most disgusting about the Soviets: they not only wanted to deal with North Yemen, but they also had South Yemen to play their cards with.

and so……

Seeing everyone discussing endlessly, Saleh also had a headache. He looked at the map hanging on the wall, and then... his gaze fell on a northern province.

In Saada province, there is a teacher who travels around giving lectures, and one of his core theories is to resist the United States.

In this case……

Saleh's eyes lit up.

"Gentlemen, I have an idea!"

When he presented his plan, everyone's eyes widened.

"Hussein's ambitions are considerable. Over the years, he has traveled to almost every corner of Saada province, and the entire province is practically his follower. If we give him weapons now, it could cause serious problems."

"What problems could there be? It's just a training course. Now, he'll do the work and take the blame. Isn't that a good thing?"

Soon, everyone split into two factions.

“We’ve been worried about the south all along. Having Hussein step forward and take the blame for us is definitely the best option, and I think it’s acceptable,” Tariq said.

As a senior military officer, his words carried considerable weight and served as a strong endorsement of Saleh's position.

At that moment, none of them knew that they had unleashed a terrible demon.

For them, it was a win-win situation: they had both agreed to the Russians' demands and completed the mission, without having to take any responsibility.

"Okay, that's it."

Yemen is mostly mountainous with rugged roads and a tough, rugged culture, much like Afghanistan.

Similarly, this place has a long history of rebellion; if they don't like someone, they'll grab a weapon and fight!

In a mountain village in Saada province.

Hussein-Housse sat cross-legged on a rock, chewing khat, listening to the people coming from the opposite direction.

"Our geographical location is also very important. To the west lies the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the terrain here is almost identical to that of Langtuo. What Langtuo can do, we can do too!" Tariq continued enthusiastically, "Anyway, we only deploy speedboats, appearing and disappearing without a trace, so no one will know..."

"Where is our port?" Hussein-Housse asked.

They're already asking about the base?
"As long as it's not one of our official ports, you can use it anytime, anywhere along the coast!"

As you can tell from Yemen's topography, the coast is surrounded by mountains, and the plateau here is two to three thousand meters above sea level. However, there are still beaches along the coast, thanks to the constant erosion by the sea.

Thus, Yemen actually has the potential to be pirates. They usually raid on the beach, but if a large force comes to surround and suppress them, they will hide in the mountains and valleys!
"Okay, what about our weapons and equipment?"

"I can give you a hundred AK47s and a hundred rocket launchers."

This is risky. After all, although Hussein-Housse has been a teacher in the mountains for many years, his followers at most have a scimitar. Now that weapons are being given to them, what they might do is beyond their control.

Hussein-Housse shook his head: "Not enough."

"Hey, being a pirate isn't enough?"

"Of course not. If we make a move, we will be besieged from all sides. We must have the ability to protect ourselves."

"Okay, then what else do you want?"

"Add another hundred anti-aircraft missiles and another hundred anti-tank missiles."

What a joke!
Taric's eyes widened: "You actually want missiles?"

You're going to be pirates, not regular soldiers!

"That's right. If nothing unexpected happens, as long as we make a move, we'll be attacked by the US military in less than a week. Without anti-aircraft missiles, how can we fight back? They might even send paratroopers down, or even tanks."

Hussein-Housse's stance was very firm: "If you want us to take action, then you have to provide the equipment we demand!"

Tarik took a deep breath: "I can't make that decision; I have to go back and report."

"Okay, we look forward to your good news."

Hussein-Housse warmly saw Tariq off, and when he returned, his subordinate Hamid was beaming with excitement.

"Teacher, we're finally going to be armed!"

"That's for sure. We're not just asking the government forces for equipment, we're also asking Sha for equipment!"

Sha?
Hamid asked curiously, "Sha? Why would they give us equipment?"

"Because it's in their interest to do this."

What are the benefits?

“Come, look at the map,” Hussein-Housse said, pointing to the map as he explained.

"Currently, the Suez Canal is undergoing emergency repairs. Once it is repaired, it will be open to navigation again. Moreover, the Soviets can only do this once. If they do it a second time, it will easily provoke the anger of the whole world."

Hamid nodded: "That's right, so the Soviets cooperated with the ROK to support the ROK in blocking the Strait of Hormuz. However, the Gulf countries are looking for solutions. The oil pipeline built in Oman is designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz."

Hussein-Housse nodded: "That's right, you're right. Once the oil pipeline is completed, we won't need to cross that strait anymore. But we'll still have to go through the Red Sea and cross the Bab el-Mandeb Strait here. If we can't use that strait..."

Hamid's eyes widened: "The best option for the Gulf countries is still to use the East-West oil pipeline within Saudi Arabia's territory."

“That’s right. So, when we take action, the one who benefits is Sha. In this way, the oil production of the Gulf countries will be under their control, and OPEC will still be Sha’s one-man show. They value this very much.”

Hamid nodded: "That's right. Since it benefits Sha, then Sha has to give us benefits. What do we want from them?"

"We want everything, we need money, food, weapons and equipment..."

After waiting for so long, this great opportunity has finally arrived!

It was already late January, and Qin Liang, along with his father, wife, and uncle's family, returned to the capital, where they could then return to their home in Bashang.

Even if you can only return to your hometown once a year, you still have to come back.

Going home for the Chinese New Year is a deep-seated desire for countless people.

Beijing Capital International Airport.

"It's a pity that the Ming Dynasty won't be returning this year," Qin Baomin remarked with a sigh.

“Da Ming is working on an important project, so it’s normal that he’s not back,” Qin Baoguo said. “Although he’s busy, he’s happy. I’m glad to see him like this.” “It’s a pity… he hasn’t found a wife either.”

His wife from that island nation was gone forever, and Qin Ming seemed to have no intention of finding another woman; he devoted all his energy to his work.

At this point, everyone looked at... Yang Duo'er's stomach.

Yang Duo'er's face immediately changed: "Dad, Uncle, this has nothing to do with me. It's all Liangzi's fault. He said he hasn't had enough of life as a couple and doesn't want children. I..."

It's not that I don't want to have children and cause your Qin family line to end.

"Ahem." Qin Liang was a little embarrassed. He thought that it was not too late to have a child at thirty, but now... he really didn't have time to take care of a child.

Just then, a 212 sped by.

"Comrade Qin Liang, Elder Lin requests your presence."

In the past, Qin Liang was always reluctant to be approached by people from Princess Tomb, but here, he wanted to run away very quickly.

"Brother Liangzi, I'm going too. I'll go back and check on my mom first."

Yang Duo'er couldn't stay still either. After all, according to Eastern tradition, if a woman's belly doesn't swell up, it means she's not being vigorous.

Qin Liang also realized what was happening, turned around and grabbed Yang Duo'er's hand: "Come on, let's go together."

Watching the two leave, Qin Baoguo and Qin Baomin both couldn't help but sigh.

Princess Tomb.

"Liangzi, Sha has sent word."

Without wasting any words, Mr. Lin got straight to the point.

"Oh, so the Dongfeng-3 is assembled?" Qin Liang said calmly, "Once they start combat readiness duty over there, we can show it to the outside world at the appropriate time. This is a major national weapon. With it, we can ensure Sha's safety for a hundred years."

"No, not this."

"So the pipeline construction is progressing smoothly?"

"Not this either."

"What is that?" Qin Liang asked curiously. Was there something he couldn't guess?

“In the northern mountains of Yemen, there was a teacher named Hussein-Housse who went to Shah and asked him to provide equipment so they could become pirates.”

What?
Qin Liang's eyes widened.

This script... I didn't pick up the wrong one, did I?

Houthi, you are warriors on land, the last men in the Middle East to stand tall, you are not pirates!
Seeing Qin Liang's expression, Old Lin smiled and said, "It seems you really didn't expect this. What are your thoughts?"

What opinion can I possibly have!
Qin Liang shook his head: "We won't interfere. We won't do anything. We'll just watch them develop freely."

Old Lin nodded: "Indeed, it's not convenient for us to interfere in anything; staying out of it is the best course of action."

"Mr. Lin, is there anything else? If not..."

"Have."

Qin Liang wanted to go home. He realized he had made a mistake. He could either work hard with Yang Duo'er to have a baby for the Qin family, or work hard at school to find a wife for Da Ming. There were so many female classmates in the research team, Da Ming, why don't you go for it!

Do we expect girls to take the initiative?
Once we get back, we'll see if there are any fans of Brother Ming, and we'll create opportunities for them...

"Liangzi, Liangzi, are you listening to me?"

Hearing Old Master Lin's displeased voice, Qin Liang reacted: "I'm listening, I'm listening, Old Master Lin, what did you just say?"

"I just said that your Northwestern Polytechnical University has pretty good mobile communication technology."

"Yes, that's for sure." Qin Liang nodded.

This news had already spread, after all, Europe and the United States had come to import the technology.

"Such advanced technology, yet you're the first to roll it out overseas. Shouldn't our country develop it at the same time? Are we going to lag behind other countries?"

"Mr. Lin, our country doesn't even have widespread landline telephones, let alone mobile phones. If we were to sell them, the price would definitely be the same as abroad. How many people could afford that?"

Whether it's Loongson chips, BeiDou navigation, or current mobile phones, they all have a globally unified price.

If domestic products are cheaper, countless resellers will emerge, reselling domestic products internationally.

A mobile phone costing $1,000 isn't considered expensive abroad, but in China...

In 1984, the exchange rate was constantly adjusted, and it could be roughly calculated at 2.8. However, the black market exchange rate could double, reaching more than 5, meaning a mobile phone cost over 5,000!

Of course, compared to the big-name mobile phones of the same era that cost tens of thousands of yuan, this was still considered cheap, but... Qin Liang didn't want mobile phones to become the exclusive domain of a few people, but rather a communication tool used by the general public.

Therefore, we have to wait, as it's not realistic to do it now.

Moreover, the later the technology is developed, the more advanced it will be. Wouldn't it be better to let the West experiment first, and then build the network ourselves after the experiments are successful?

"This thing is quite suitable for our military," said Old Lin. "That's why our military is very interested. I wonder if your Northwestern Polytechnical University..."

military!

Qin Liang then realized what was happening.

It is now 85, and among the many major events that happened that year, one was very important: the military was allowed to engage in business!

The military needs to consider what kind of business it can engage in that will not compete with local businesses, can make up for the military's shortcomings, and ideally, it should be a completely new project.

This mobile phone from Northwestern Polytechnical University is absolutely the most suitable!

The military has radio stations, but the communication range is limited. They have satellite communication, but there aren't enough terminals, making it inconvenient to use.

If you have a mobile phone...

It can not only solve the military's communication needs, but also be promoted to the market. Those who become wealthy first all have the need to make calls at any time.

In later years, in 1995, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and the General Staff jointly established an 800 MHz CDMA cellular mobile communication network. In 96, four cities began trials. In addition to the three major cities, namely the capital, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, there was also Chang'an!
The number 133 is a number that evokes memories for many people.

In just a few years, CDMA has expanded to major cities across the country. Compared with China Mobile and China Unicom, its biggest advantage is its strong anti-interference capability. During the CET-4 and CET-6 exams in universities, mobile signal jammers were installed in the exam rooms. China Mobile and China Unicom had no signal, but only CDMA phones still had full signal.

Unfortunately, just four years later, the military was no longer allowed to engage in business, so the CDMA network had to be handed over to local authorities.

Telecom wanted it, but the higher-ups wouldn't allow it, otherwise Telecom would become a behemoth. So, the weakest of the three, Unicom, got the technology and grew rapidly.

At the time, China Unicom positioned CDMA as a high-end network!
Now, if the military wants to do this, they can make money for more than ten years. Moreover, this doesn't count as competing with local governments for profits, since local governments don't have mobile phone networks and nobody cares about this network. The people in the post and telecommunications departments have never paid any attention to it.

“Okay.” Qin Liang nodded. “If the military wants to do it, we will fully support them. Don’t worry, the base stations we provide to the military are all at the lowest price. However, the mobile phones will be priced according to the market price.”

Base stations are a one-time investment, but mobile phones are a hen that lays eggs, so the price of mobile phones must be in accordance with international standards.

Who knows if the military might betray them, taking goods from them at low prices and then reselling them abroad?

"Then how will we make money?" Old Lin was taken aback.

"Service fee, huh?" Qin Liang rolled his eyes at Old Lin. "The customer pays us for the phone, but if they want internet access, they first have to pay a network access fee. Anyway, people who buy this phone aren't short of money, so we charge them 2,000 yuan for the network access fee. Then there's the monthly call fee, which is divided into two parts."

Qin Liang's eloquent introduction astonished Old Lin and the others.

"First is the monthly fee, which is 200 yuan per month. Then comes the call fee. Our mobile phones are charged in both directions, at 1 yuan per minute. So, if a customer makes 100 minutes a month, that's 300 yuan per month, 3600 yuan a year. Add that to the network activation fee, and we'll have them pay 5600 yuan when they activate the number. Oh, and we'll use a prepaid system..."

The big guy's eyes were wide open.

You're really ruthless, kid!

“Okay, we’ll do it your way.” Old Lin nodded. “Our military plan is to first lay out the network in four cities: the capital, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chang’an… We’ll give the post and telecommunications bureaus a heads-up.”

(End of this chapter)