Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

The warm autumn sun shone through sparse clouds, casting its light on a relatively secluded section of the western shore of Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace. Here, the water was calm, willows swayed gently, and the reflection of the Fragrant Buddha Pavilion rippled softly on the lake's surface—a perfect spot for fishing. However, today, this usually quiet stretch of lakeshore had a different atmosphere. Several wiry men in casual clothes were seemingly casually scattered among the reeds, under the willows, and beside the stone benches, some "leisurely" reading newspapers, others "focused" sketching, but their eyes constantly scanned their surroundings warily, paying particular attention to the path leading here. Further afield, similar "tourists" were "resting" at several intersections, subtly forming a loose yet tightly knit perimeter of vigilance.

On the lakeshore, two middle-aged men sat side by side on small stools, fishing rods in hand, chatting idly. The one on the left, tall and dark-skinned with a square face, thick eyebrows, and piercing eyes, stood ramrod straight even while seated, exuding the rugged, capable air characteristic of a soldier. However, a slight smirk played on his lips, revealing a hint of roguishness—this was Li Yunlong. The one on the right, slightly thinner with a refined face, wore black-rimmed glasses, and possessed a calm and scholarly demeanor—this was Zhao Gang. Both were dressed in civilian clothes, but the air of authority honed by their long service in the military was difficult to conceal.

"Old Zhao, did the sun rise in the west today? Clearing out the whole fishing area just to fish?" Li Yunlong clicked his tongue, looking at the crooked "bamboo" on the sketchboard of the man "sketching" not far away. He chuckled, "Look at that kid, what is that crap? It looks like it's been bombed. The security setup is decent, but his disguise and infiltration skills are nowhere near as good as the reconnaissance company I used to lead!"

Zhao Gang adjusted his glasses, glanced over there, and whispered, "Old Li, keep your voice down. Judging by this commotion, these aren't ordinary people. Didn't you hear what Xiao Chen (his bodyguard) said? They were 'politely' asked to rest over there as soon as they arrived, saying that this area is under temporary control. For someone to make our bodyguards step aside, they must be at least..." He held up two fingers and pointed upwards.

"Oh ho? Such a grand display?" Li Yunlong raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "I, Old Li, want to see which deity has descended to earth, making such a grand spectacle of fishing. It can't be..." Before he could finish, his ears twitched slightly, and he heard the deep, steady sound of a car engine coming from afar.

A short while later, a Hongqi Xingyao S600L Guard bulletproof sedan, with sleek lines, a dignified design, and a gleaming black body, slowly drove into the area and stopped in an open space about twenty meters away from where Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang were fishing. The car door opened, and a young man (driver Xiao Zhao) wearing an ordinary Zhongshan suit but with sharp eyes and efficient movements got out first. He quickly scanned the surrounding environment, nodded slightly to the several men in plainclothes, and then opened the rear door.

Then, a tall, well-built young man (Wang Huanbo) wearing a light gray jacket calmly got out of the car, followed by two equally capable companions (Xiao Li and Xiao Xiao). After getting out of the car, Wang Huanbo took a deep breath of the fresh lake air, stretched his limbs, and his gaze naturally fell on the shimmering lake surface. Soon, he also saw the two fishermen with unique demeanors not far away, who were sizing him up.

Just as Xiao Zhao was about to step forward and whisper that the surrounding area had been checked, his gaze inadvertently swept over Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang. He suddenly froze, looked at them carefully again, and an expression of unbelievable surprise appeared on his face. He quickly took a few steps, stood at attention in front of Zhao Gang, gave a perfect military salute, and his voice trembled slightly with excitement: "Second Uncle? Is it really you?!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gang looked closely at Xiao Zhao, and after a moment of recognition, a surprised and friendly smile appeared on his face: "Xiao Zhao? Zhao Jianguo? It's you, kid! What are you doing here?" He stood up and patted Xiao Zhao on the shoulder.

Li Yunlong also stood up curiously, looking at the young man who was saluting Old Zhao.

Xiao Zhao exclaimed excitedly, "Second Uncle? It's me! I'm currently at the Red Star United Industrial Corporation, driving for... driving for the leaders and doing security work." He glanced subconsciously in Wang Huanbo's direction, without specifying who he was driving for, but his actions said it all.

Zhao Gang followed his gaze to Wang Huanbo, a flicker of realization crossing his eyes, followed by even greater surprise. He lowered his voice and asked, "Who is that...?"

Xiao Zhao nodded, lowering his voice even further: "He's our company's chief engineer, Comrade Wang Huanbo. Engineer Wang is off today and wanted to relax by fishing."

"Wang Huanbo?" Li Yunlong's ears were sharp. Upon hearing this name, his eyes widened instantly, and he exclaimed, "The one who invented CNC machine tools, the 10,000-ton hydraulic press, and the Red Star automobile? The chief engineer of the Red Star Factory?"

His voice wasn't quiet, and Wang Huanbo, who was some distance away, naturally heard it too. Wang Huanbo's heart skipped a beat. Li Yunlong? Zhao Gang? He'd heard of these two men countless times. He hadn't expected to run into them here. He wore a perfectly measured expression of doubt and politeness as he walked over.

Xiao Zhao quickly introduced them: "Engineer Wang, these two are... Commander Li Yunlong and Political Commissar Zhao Gang." He deliberately used their old titles to appear more approachable.

Wang Huanbo immediately flashed a warm and respectful smile and extended his hand: "Commander Li, Political Commissar Zhao, I've long admired your names! I never expected to meet you two leaders here. I am Wang Huanbo, and I work at the Hongxing Factory." His attitude was neither humble nor arrogant, showing both respect for the achievements of his predecessors and the composure of a technical expert.

Li Yunlong gripped Wang Huanbo's hand tightly with both of his large hands, shook it vigorously, and laughed heartily, "Good lad! It's you! Indeed, heroes emerge from among the young! Those gadgets you've gotten have solved a huge problem for our troops! Especially that Red Star Warrior (the code name for a military off-road vehicle), it's sturdy, durable, and powerful, much better than the Russian GAZ! My... my lads love it!" He almost blurted out "my," but he swallowed it back, though his hearty and generous spirit was evident in his words.

Zhao Gang smiled and shook hands with Wang Huanbo, his attitude gentle: "Comrade Wang Huanbo, hello. I've heard so much about you, and seeing you today, I can see it's truly well-deserved. You are a hero of our country's industrial front." His words were much more refined, but the admiration in his eyes was just as genuine.

"You flatter me, sir. It's all part of my job, and I couldn't have done it without the support and feedback from my comrades in the unit," Wang Huanbo said modestly. He then gestured for Xiao Zhao to take out a spare small stool and fishing gear from the car. "I didn't expect to disturb your enjoyment. Why don't we join you? This lake is wide open; there should be plenty of fish."

"Haha, great! Let's go together! It's a good opportunity to learn from a great scientist like you!" Li Yunlong said without any hesitation, plopping down on his stool and shifting aside to make room for Wang Huanbo. Zhao Gang also sat down with a smile.

Seeing this, Xiao Zhao, Xiao Li, and Xiao Xiao tacitly stepped back a distance, maintaining vigilance without disturbing the leaders' conversation. The security personnel who had originally set up the perimeter relaxed slightly, seeing that the two sides knew each other and the atmosphere was harmonious, but still remained vigilant on the perimeter.

The three sat down side by side, baited their hooks, and cast their lines. The atmosphere quickly warmed up. Li Yunlong was a chatterbox, especially interested in weaponry and military industry. He kept asking Wang Huanbo questions, from the off-road capabilities of the Red Star Warrior to the caliber of cannon barrel blanks that a hydraulic press could forge. Wang Huanbo answered each question concisely and clearly, making Li Yunlong nod repeatedly. Zhao Gang also secretly admired the young man's solid foundation and clear thinking.

As they chatted, the topic somehow shifted to the recently concluded Korean War. Li Yunlong's smile faded, he sighed, picked up his canteen (which contained tea), took a sip, wiped his mouth, and said, "Engineer Wang, you're in industry, so you might not know much about the front lines. I'm not complaining, but our soldiers are like this!" He gave a thumbs-up, "Fearless, unafraid of hardship, tactically flexible, and with unwavering will! But sometimes… sigh, willpower alone isn't enough."

His gaze fell upon the lake, as if piercing through the water to see the icy, foreign battlefield: "The Americans, and those UN forces, with their planes, artillery, and tanks, had incredible firepower. And us? At first, many units were armed with a hodgepodge of equipment—Hanyang rifles, Type 24 rifles, Type 38 rifles…we had everything, and even the ammunition wasn't interchangeable. Later, we switched to Soviet equipment, Mosin-Nagant rifles, PPSh-41 assault rifles, and so on. Our firepower was stronger, but compared to the Americans' M1 Garand semi-automatic rifles, Browning automatic rifles (BAR), and their overwhelming machine guns and artillery, we were still at a disadvantage."

Zhao Gang added gravely, "Especially in skirmishes and defensive battles, an enemy squad or even a platoon could maintain sustained firepower with just one or two Browning Automatic Rifles (BAR) or M1918A2s. Our soldiers mainly relied on bolt-action rifles and a limited number of submachine guns and machine guns, and their rate of fire couldn't keep up. They often had to fight with their bare hands, getting close to fire grenades and engage in bayonet combat... The sacrifices were too great." He paused, his voice low, "Many good young men didn't make it back."

Wang Huanbo listened silently, sensing the deep sorrow and resentment in the words of the two veterans. Although he had not personally experienced the battlefield, he had some understanding of the cruelty of that period of history through later materials and films. The volunteer soldiers, with their superhuman will and flexible tactics, defeated an enemy with overwhelming equipment superiority, but the price they paid was indeed heavy.

Li Yunlong turned to look at Wang Huanbo, his eyes burning with the straightforwardness characteristic of a soldier: "Engineer Wang, I know you work with machine tools and automobiles, not guns and cannons. But I, Old Li, am a rough man, and I stick to my principles! Our soldiers can't always be fighting with weapons that are inferior to others! The Mosin-Nagant rifle is good, very accurate, but it's bolt-action, and its sustained firepower isn't as good as their fully automatic rifles! Is it possible for us... to develop our own fully automatic rifle that's both effective and powerful? Like the Russian AK-47, but better! More accurate! And more suited to our soldiers' usage habits!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, gesturing wildly: "Just imagine, if every one of our soldiers had a reliable, powerful, high-firing, and accurate rifle, what a sight that would be! In close combat and skirmishes, we wouldn't be inferior in firepower! How many fewer good comrades could be sacrificed!"

Zhao Gang gently tugged at Li Yunlong's sleeve, signaling him not to get too excited, and said gently to Wang Huanbo, "Comrade Huanbo, that's just Li's temperament; he says whatever comes to mind. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Military industry is another field, highly specialized, and involves a wide range of issues. We're just saying that; you're a top expert, you have your own main profession."

Wang Huanbo fell into deep thought. Li Yunlong's words were like a pebble thrown into the calm lake of his heart. The design concept, structural features, advantages and disadvantages of the Type 81 automatic rifle (commonly known as the Type 81 rifle) flashed through his mind. This rifle was an interim product independently developed based on the problems exposed in the use of the Type 56 assault rifle (a copy of the AK-47) and the Type 56 semi-automatic rifle (a copy of the SKS), combined with the actual needs of our army. It retained the reliability of the AK series, improved accuracy and recoil, and added functions such as bolt hold-open device. Although it was slightly heavier, its overall performance was excellent, and it was very popular with the troops. Even after its replacement, the Type 95, was issued, it continued to serve in many units, especially in plateau and border defense units, for a long time, and was highly regarded.

The current timeframe is the mid-1950s. Kalashnikov, the designer of the AK-47, completed its design in 1947, and the Soviet Union officially equipped its forces with the AK-47 in 1949. China introduced the production technology for the AK-47 and SKS in 1956, producing the Type 56 assault rifle and Type 56 semi-automatic rifle. If… if we could have done it earlier, based on our profound understanding of the Type 81 rifle (thanks to a systematic database and a forward-thinking perspective), combined with the existing domestic industrial base (through improvements at units like the Hongxing Factory, some precision machining capabilities have been initially acquired), and conducted forward-looking research and breakthroughs in key technologies… perhaps we could have forged a different path, allowing our soldiers to use more suitable automatic rifles much earlier?

Once this idea takes hold, it's hard to suppress. It's not just about helping Li Yunlong; it's about potentially changing history, potentially giving countless of our most beloved people a greater chance of survival and a better chance of victory in future wars to defend our homeland. Technology is crucial for national salvation, and the military industry is of paramount importance.

He raised his head, meeting Li Yunlong's expectant yet somewhat embarrassed (feeling he might be asking too much) gaze, and Zhao Gang's gentle yet understanding eyes. He spoke slowly, his tone earnest and firm:

"Commander Li, Political Commissar Zhao, I understand what you're saying. The blood of our soldiers cannot be shed in vain. The gap in equipment must be bridged with our wisdom and sweat. Although I am not a professional firearms designer, the principles of mechanics are universal, and the fundamentals of materials, processing, and mechanics are common."

He paused for a moment, organizing his thoughts: "You just mentioned the AK-47, which is a groundbreaking and excellent weapon with a simple structure and extremely high reliability. But we must also recognize that there is room for improvement in its accuracy, especially in continuous fire, as well as in its ergonomics. Our soldiers' physique, usage habits, and tactical needs are also different from those of the Soviet Army."

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang's eyes lit up, and they leaned forward slightly.

Wang Huanbo continued, "If we can absorb its advantages while making targeted improvements—for example, optimizing the gas system to reduce recoil and muzzle rise during burst fire and improve burst accuracy; for example, improving the aiming baseline to make it more ergonomic and easier to aim quickly; for example, considering adding a bolt hold-open function to remind the shooter to reload and improve combat effectiveness; and for example, optimizing materials and manufacturing processes while ensuring reliability to increase lifespan and reduce costs..."

As he spoke, he picked up a dry twig and drew a simple diagram on the soft mud by the lake, explaining the improvement ideas for the gas tube, bolt, and recoil spring, as well as how to balance rate of fire, accuracy, and reliability.

Li Yunlong's eyes lit up as he listened. Although he didn't understand the profound engineering principles, he understood Wang Huanbo's points about "more accurate shooting," "less recoil," and "faster reloading" perfectly! These were all key to survival and killing the enemy on the battlefield! Zhao Gang also nodded frequently. He could tell from Wang Huanbo's clear and highly targeted explanation that this was not just empty talk, but rather based on in-depth thinking and technical expertise.

"Engineer Wang! You've hit the nail on the head... I've got it all figured out!" Li Yunlong slapped his thigh excitedly. "That's exactly what I want! Precise, ruthless, and reliable! Could you... take some time to think about it? Draw a diagram, come up with a plan or something? What kind of support do you need? Just let me know! Although I, Old Li, don't have any connections in the military industry, I can still put in the effort to find someone to put in a good word for you!"

Wang Huanbo smiled slightly and put down the dry branch: "Commander Li, you flatter me. This is just a preliminary idea. To turn it into a reality, it will require a lot of calculations, experiments, and modifications, involving a series of issues such as materials, processing, and ammunition matching. It cannot be accomplished overnight. Moreover, it requires formal project approval and support from higher authorities."

"Don't worry about that!" Li Yunlong waved his hand. "As long as you're willing to take the lead and come up with a decent plan, I'll personally talk to the old commander! Our troops desperately need good guns! Old Zhao, don't you think so?"

Zhao Gang nodded steadily: "Comrade Huanbo, if it is technically feasible and necessary, this is indeed a great thing that benefits the country and the military. Lao Li and I can jointly submit this suggestion to the relevant departments. Of course, everything should be based on your time and energy, and should not affect your regular work." He had considered things more thoroughly.

"Thank you for your trust, both leaders," Wang Huanbo said solemnly. "I will give it serious consideration and conduct some preliminary research and analysis. If I have any initial ideas, I will report back to you both."

"Great! That's wonderful! Just hearing that is enough!" Li Yunlong was overjoyed, finding Wang Huanbo even more pleasing to the eye. He felt that this young man was not only capable but also responsible, just the way he liked him! He put his arm around Wang Huanbo's shoulder (the movement was natural, and Wang Huanbo didn't flinch), "Come on, let's not talk about this anymore, let's go fishing! Meeting you, Xiao Wang, today is more exciting than catching a dragon king! You're not allowed to leave tonight, it's my treat, let's have a good drink together, the three of us!" He automatically changed his address from "Engineer Wang" to the more intimate "Xiao Wang".

Zhao Gang shook his head and smiled helplessly, offering no objection. Wang Huanbo, unable to refuse such earnestness, had no choice but to agree.

The subsequent fishing trip became purely recreational and a technical exchange. Wang Huanbo's fishing skills amazed Li Yunlong; with each cast, large fish were hooked in no time, all weighing two or three pounds or more, including large carp and grass carp. Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang's catches were much less impressive. Wang Huanbo laughed, "It's probably a problem with the bait and the choice of fishing spot. If Commander Li likes it, I'll have the factory lab prepare some special fish food and send it over to you later."

"That's great! Haha!" Li Yunlong said without any politeness.

As the sun set, the lake was bathed in golden light. Wang Huanbo's fish basket was overflowing with five or six large fish, the largest of which, a grass carp, weighed at least thirty pounds. Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang also had their own catches, though not as plentiful as Wang Huanbo's, they were still quite satisfied. The three chatted amiably and agreed to stay in touch.

Before parting, Li Yunlong held Wang Huanbo's hand tightly and whispered, "Xiao Wang, keep the gun matter in mind! If you need anything, just let me know!" Zhao Gang also smiled and handed over a note with his contact information.

Wang Huanbo nodded, watching the two veterans get into the car and leave. He looked at his full fish basket, then glanced in the direction of the west courtyard, a smile playing on his lips. Today's fishing was worthwhile. Not only had he relaxed, but he had also met two interesting people and taken on a meaningful "informal commission."

"Xiao Zhao, go back to the factory. Leave two big fish for Sha Zhu in the canteen, it'll be an extra dish tonight. The rest..." He thought for a moment, "...take them back to the yard."

The Hongqi limousine drove away from Kunming Lake. Wang Huanbo leaned back in the comfortable seat, closing his eyes to rest. In his mind, the structural diagrams, parameters, and key improvement points of the Type 81 automatic rifle were unfolding like a clear blueprint. Perhaps it was time to add a solid brick to the nation's Great Wall of Steel, beyond "civilian" technology. Of course, all of this had to be done cautiously and meticulously, within the bounds of regulations.

Meanwhile, in courtyard number 95, the "giant" that the chief engineer had fished back was about to cause another small ripple. Yan Bugui's calculations were probably about to start making a lot of noise again.