Love in the Courtyard: Starting with Engineers

Three days after the British delegation left Longxing Factory, an urgent document from the Ministry of Industry was delivered to the factory's office area.

Factory director Li Huaide, clutching the documents, strode into the R&D center.

"Chief Engineer Li, we've received new instructions from above. Take a look."

The division of labor in the document remains as clear as it is almost harsh: the Ministry of Industry takes the lead in compiling the technological achievements of Longxing Factory in special steel, light weapons alloy processes, etc., and forms the "White Paper on Supporting Materials Technology for Chinese Military Industry" as technical support for subsequent diplomatic negotiations.

Longxing Plant needs to complete the optimization of special steel mass production process within one month to ensure that the technological achievements can be quickly transformed into actual production capacity.

After scanning the documents, Li Yu immediately got up and called Zhou Qiming and Lao Wang over, pointing to the items in the mass production targets.

"See? The Ministry of Industry wants real production capacity, not laboratory samples. Two more furnaces for smelting special steel for aircraft carriers need to be modified."

"Zhou Qiming, you need to hurry up and get the alloy stock of the Type 95 rifle into mass production. Stop wasting time on manual grinding. Lao Wang, you need to expand your welding workshop and train a group of apprentices who can do vacuum welding. Once production capacity increases, you definitely won't have enough manpower."

Zhou Qiming scratched his head, looking troubled: "I already have the blueprints for modular production, but we lack a precision milling machine. The old machines in the factory aren't precise enough."

"I'll take care of this."

Li Huaide chimed in, taking out his notebook and making a note.

"I will immediately submit a report to the Ministry of Industry and request the allocation of a precision milling machine, with funds earmarked for this purpose, prioritizing the needs of your light weapons workshop."

Old Wang slapped his thigh: "I've got plenty of apprentices! These past few days, the young guys in the workshop have been watching me weld steel plates intently, their eyes glued to me! I guarantee that within a month, I'll train at least ten skilled operators who can independently operate vacuum welding equipment!"

"OK."

Li Huaide closed the notebook and added another sentence.

"I've already had the warehouse take inventory of the protective equipment in the welding workshop. If it's not enough, I'll report it for purchase immediately. You can just focus on training your people."

After the meeting, Longxing Factory started working non-stop, like a clockwork mechanism that had been wound up tightly.

The furnaces in the smelting workshop burn day and night, and the red-hot molten steel reflects the sweat-drenched faces of the workers. Li Huaide comes to check on the raw material supply and equipment maintenance twice a day.

They were terrified that something might go wrong.

In the R&D center, Zhou Qiming and two technicians were hunched over blueprints, drawing until late at night. On the day the application for the transfer of the precision milling machine was approved, he almost jumped up and down with Li Huaide in his arms.

Sparks flew in and out of the welding workshop. Old Wang's eldest apprentice, Zhao Gang, was already able to independently weld qualified steel plate welds for armored vehicles, which made Old Wang praise him to everyone he met.

Li Huaide simply posted a commendation board in the workshop, putting Zhao Gang's name at the very top.

Meanwhile, far away at 10 Downing Street in London, a heated cabinet meeting was raging.

The Minister of the Navy slammed the "White Paper on Supporting Materials Technology for Chinese Military Industry" on the table, his face turning ashen.

"Look, everyone! The special steel from Longxing Shipyard has five years better corrosion resistance than our ship steel, and its compressive strength is a whole generation ahead! Without such materials, our fleet would be nothing more than a bunch of targets even if it sailed to the Far East!"

The Chancellor of the Exchequer scoffed and presented a trade report.

"Last year, Hong Kong accounted for 60% of the Commonwealth's trade with China! If negotiations break down and China cuts off our material supplies, don't forget that our light weapons manufacturers are still waiting for the alloy billets from the Longxing Factory to save them! At that point, not only will our Far East strongholds be lost, but domestic arms dealers will also be in an uproar!"

The Foreign Minister rubbed his throbbing temples and said in a deep voice:

"If the Navy can't hold out, and the Ministry of Finance can't afford to lose, then there's only one way: sit down and talk. But on the issue of sovereignty, China will never back down. All we can fight for are economic benefits during the transition period."

The prime minister closed his eyes, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, before opening them after a long while.

"Notify the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to draft a negotiation plan. The core principles are: to recognize China's sovereignty over the relevant regions in the Far East, to strive for a five-year transition period, and to preserve Britain's legitimate trade rights during the transition period."

When the news reached Beijing, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was leading the organization of a preparatory group for negotiations.

Minister Liu Jie of the Ministry of Industry attended the preparatory group meeting as a technical advisor. He held the mass production report of Longxing Factory and spoke with certainty.

"The special steel mass production process at Longxing Factory has been optimized, and the alloy stock for the Type 95 rifle has also been produced using molds. Technically, we no longer have any shortcomings. Our confidence at the negotiating table lies in these solid production capacities."

The head of the preparatory group nodded: "We will not budge an inch on the issue of sovereignty. We can discuss the transition period and negotiate trade rights. But there is one condition: during the transition period, China's military materials shall not be supplied to the British troops stationed in the Far East."

Everyone in the conference room laughed when he said that.

This is both a drastic measure and a warning shot.

Inside the smelting workshop of Longxing Factory, Li Yu was unaware of the specific details of the negotiation preparation team.

He only received a notice from the Ministry of Industry forwarded by Li Huaide: to fully guarantee the mass production of special steel and alloy parts for light weapons, and to adjust the production plan according to the progress of negotiations.

He stood beside the smelting furnace, watching the red-hot molten steel pour into the mold, while Li Huaide handed him a pair of heat-resistant gloves.

"The accuracy of the proportions in this batch of molten steel is 0.2 percentage points higher than the previous batch, thanks to the parameters you adjusted."

Li Yu took the gloves: "It's thanks to your effective coordination that the raw materials and equipment didn't fail you."

The two men exchanged a smile, both knowing in their eyes that the molten steel would be their strongest bargaining chip at the negotiating table.

In the evening, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of the family compound.

Bai Ling's father came again, this time bringing a bottle of fine wine and a bag of pastries.

Li Yu poured him a glass of wine, and the two clinked glasses.

"London has softened its stance."

"Recognize sovereignty, but require a transition period. The higher-ups mean that a transition period can be granted, but the right to station troops must remain in our hands."

Li Yu nodded without saying anything.

The materials used for the garrison's equipment were manufactured by Longxing Factory. That's enough.

"Where's Nannan?" Bai Ling's father looked around.

"I'm at Aunt Wang's house next door, watching her son do crafts," Bai Ling said with a smile as she walked over carrying a plate of fried peanuts.

Just then, Nannan ran in, holding a crooked paper warship in her hand, with a sticker of steel plates pasted on the hull.

"Dad! Look! This is the warship I made, using your steel plates!"

Li Yu took the paper warship and patted his daughter's head.