Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

On the way back to Beijing from Wangjiazhuang in Changping, Wang Huanbo leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes to rest. Outside the window, the autumn fields rushed past, the harvested land exposed, with only a few scattered farmers or livestock working in the fields, their movements slow and laborious. His thoughts, however, remained on the entrance to Wangjiazhuang village, the fields, the ancestral hall, and the faces of the villagers, filled with gratitude yet unable to hide their weariness.

What impressed him most was an incident that village chief Wang Yuanshan casually mentioned: "...Our village relies on a tributary of the Wenyu River for irrigation. But in recent years, the population of the villages upstream has increased, and more land has been cultivated, leading to water shortages. During droughts, conflicts frequently arise among the villages over water for irrigation; fights and arguments are common. The commune has mediated, but the water supply is limited, and the land cannot be left unirrigated..." Wang Yuanshan sighed, "If only we could drill more deep wells. But the drilling equipment is expensive, and our village can't afford it. Hiring the township's well-drilling team would mean waiting until the year after next..."

When his uncle Wang Jinhe showed him his fields, he pointed to the thin, bony old ox and said, "We depend on it for everything. But it's old and can't do heavy work anymore. In spring planting and autumn harvest, people pull the plow and carry loads on their shoulders quite often. If only we had a tractor, even a small one, it would be incredibly useful!"

"Iron Ox," or tractor. In the vast rural areas of China at that time, it was a "treasure" even scarcer and more precious than automobiles. Although the First Five-Year Plan had begun, and the Soviet Union had assisted in building 156 projects including a tractor factory (Luoyang No. 1 Tractor Factory), the "Dongfanghong" tracked tractor wouldn't be put into production until 1959. Moreover, those large tracked tractors were mainly used for large-scale land reclamation and state-owned farms, and were not entirely suitable for the small plots of land and complex terrain common in North China. Their price was also far beyond the reach of ordinary production teams. In the vast rural areas, especially in ordinary villages like Wangjiazhuang, farming, transportation, and irrigation relied mainly on human and animal power and extremely rudimentary farm tools. Production efficiency was low, and the labor intensity for farmers was extremely high.

"Water shortages...plowing relies on oxen...transportation relies on carrying..." Wang Huanbo tapped his fingers lightly on his knees. These problems were not unique to Wangjiazhuang, but rather a common predicament faced by millions of rural areas in China at that time. Agriculture is the foundation of the national economy, and agricultural mechanization is key to improving productivity, liberating labor, and increasing grain production. However, there was a severe shortage of readily available agricultural machinery suitable for China's national conditions.

An idea became clearer and clearer in his mind: why not design and manufacture a small, multi-purpose, and relatively inexpensive tractor that is suitable for the actual conditions of most rural areas in China? It should be able to plow the land, transport goods, pump water, dig wells, and even drive threshers and rice mills... becoming an "all-purpose helper" for rural production and life.

Once the idea took hold, it spread like wildfire. Combining his knowledge from another time and space with his understanding of the current domestic industrial capabilities, the prototype of a "multi-functional small wheeled tractor" quickly took shape in his mind.

Back in his study in the west wing, Wang Huanbo didn't rest. He immediately spread out a large sheet of drawing paper and picked up his drawing tools. Instead of activating Pangu's design assistance function, he first used hand-drawing to initially solidify the ideas churning in his mind. This is an engineer's instinct, and also the first step in transforming sensory perception into rational design.

First, there's the positioning. He didn't design a "steel behemoth" for large farms, but rather a "multi-purpose machine for production and daily life" for production teams, mutual aid groups, and even individual farmers with better conditions. It had to be small and flexible enough to adapt to field ridges, slopes, and narrow village roads; it had to be robust and durable, with a simple structure, easy maintenance, and able to withstand harsh operating environments; it had to be multifunctional, achieving "one machine for multiple uses" by changing or adding different implements to maximize its utilization value; and finally, and most importantly, it had to be price-controllable, using mature technologies and domestically produced materials and components as much as possible to reduce manufacturing costs and the barrier to entry.

Based on these principles, he began to outline the core components—the chassis and powertrain.

For the chassis, he abandoned the complex tracked design and opted for a simpler, lighter, and faster wheeled system. It features front-wheel steering and rear-wheel drive. Considering its traversability in paddy fields and muddy terrain, the rear wheels use wide, low-pressure tires with large tread patterns to increase contact area and reduce sinking. The front wheels are slightly smaller for agile steering. The wheelbase and track width were carefully calculated to ensure good stability and turning radius on narrow field ridges.

For the power source, he chose a diesel engine without hesitation. Diesel engines have high torque, are robust and durable, and the fuel is more readily available than gasoline (at that time, a small amount of diesel was already being used in irrigation and drainage machinery in rural areas), and they are more economical. However, existing domestically produced small diesel engines generally suffer from problems such as low horsepower (20-30 horsepower), difficulty in starting (laborious hand-crank start), high vibration and noise, and high fuel consumption.

"The horsepower needs to be increased to at least 40 horsepower," Wang Huanbo noted on the blueprints. This horsepower is sufficient for towing single-furrow plows, rotary tillers, trailers under two tons, and driving small water pumps or well drilling rigs. Moreover, domestic manufacturers could potentially produce a 40-horsepower diesel engine after overcoming technical challenges.

"The starting method must be improved." He recalled Wang Jinshui's flushed face and bulging veins as he cranked that old diesel water pump. Electric start! Electric start is a must! Although this was still rare on tractors at the time, especially small tractors, it was technically feasible! Using the 12-volt high-capacity batteries produced by the Hongxing Battery Factory (established thanks to the development of the automotive industry), a subsidiary of the Hongxing Factory, paired with a DC starter motor, they could easily start the engine with a simple turn of the key! This would greatly lower the operating threshold, especially for women or the elderly with weaker strength. He quickly drew a diagram showing the locations of the battery box and starter motor next to the engine.

"Combustion efficiency needs to be optimized, and fuel consumption needs to be reduced." Recalling the design concepts of some high-efficiency diesel engines in later generations, he marked on the drawings key technical points such as optimizing the combustion chamber shape, improving the fuel injection system (using more precise plunger pumps and fuel injectors), and enhancing intake efficiency (considering simple inertial supercharging or optimizing the intake manifold). The goal was to reduce the fuel consumption rate of this "hot hatch" by 15-20% compared to existing similar products, significantly improving its economic efficiency.

Next is the transmission and drive system. This is the key to achieving "multi-functionality" and "road transport". Traditional agricultural tractors have few gears and a narrow speed range, mainly used for low-speed field operations. What Wang Huanbo wants to design is a versatile tractor that can both "work slowly and meticulously" and "run fast and carry a lot".

He designed a manual transmission with multiple forward and reverse gears. It specifically divided the transmission into three speed ranges:

Ultra-low speed gear (creep gear): Used for the most delicate field operations, such as ridging, sowing, or towing heavy loads to get them out of trouble in extremely muddy conditions.

Low-speed operation gears (1-3): suitable for most conventional field operations such as tilling, harrowing, rotary tilling, and harvesting.

Road transport gears (4-6, with 6 being an overdrive): When the tractor is attached to a dedicated cargo trailer, it can switch to these gears to travel on dirt roads, better gravel roads, or even flat asphalt roads. He initially set the maximum speed to approximately 45 km/h on a flat, hard surface with a standard 1.5-ton trailer attached. This speed is sufficient for efficient short-distance transport between rural areas and between rural areas and county towns, making it a much-needed mobile transport option in rural areas.

To connect various agricultural implements and trailers, he designed a robust, standardized three-point suspension and power take-off (PTO) shaft at the rear of the tractor. The three-point suspension allows for quick attachment of conventional implements such as plows, harrows, and seeders. The PTO shaft outputs power to drive auxiliary implements that require power, such as rotary hoes, harvesters, water pumps, well drills, threshers, and generators. This is like equipping the tractor with a "universal interface," offering extremely high expandability.

He strived for simplicity and intuitiveness in the driving operation. The steering wheel (easier to use than levers), hand accelerator, foot clutch, foot brake (with brake lock), gear lever, and PTO control lever were all ergonomically designed. The instrument panel featured a speedometer, tachometer, water temperature gauge, fuel gauge, and battery indicator light, allowing the driver to monitor the machine's status at all times. The comfortable spring-loaded seat, a luxury on tractors at the time, greatly reduced fatigue during long drives.

Finally, there was the concept of dedicated supporting equipment and trailers. He sketched it out on another sheet of paper:

Heavy-duty single-furrow/double-furrow plows: for reclamation and deep plowing.

Rotary tillers: break up soil and level the land, completing both tilling and harrowing operations in one pass.

Integrated seeding and fertilizing machine: Improves seeding efficiency and precision.

Trailer: Available in 1-ton and 1.5-ton sizes, made of steel plate, with self-unloading function (manual or simple hydraulic), used for transporting grain, fertilizer, agricultural products, building materials, and even picking up and dropping off personnel when necessary.

Pump unit: Driven by PTO, it solves the problem of pumping water for irrigation.

Simple well drilling rig: Also PTO driven, it enables shallow well drilling and alleviates local water shortages.

Threshing machines and rice milling machines: primary processing of agricultural products.

All the supporting implements can be quickly connected to the tractor through standard interfaces, making replacement convenient and truly realizing "one machine with multiple functions".

After finishing the sketch, Wang Huanbo put down his pen and let out a long sigh of relief. Outside the window, it was already dark, and the light in the study was on. He examined the small machine on the drawing—its lines were strong, its structure compact, and its functions clearly defined—and a sense of joy and anticipation, like that of a creator, welled up within him. This was not just a machine, but a "vehicle of hope" that could potentially change the face of countless rural areas, improve agricultural production efficiency, and reduce the labor intensity of farmers.

"Let's call you... Red Star Brand Multi-functional Small Wheeled Tractor," he murmured, but felt it wasn't catchy enough. Thinking of its 40-horsepower engine, sturdy chassis, and versatile uses, a more fitting and powerful name popped into his head—"Red Star Little Cannon!" Yes, a little cannon! It signifies that although small, it's powerful, efficient, and versatile—a "powerful weapon" in rural construction!

He carefully put the sketch away. This was just a preliminary idea; to turn it into reality, it would require a lot of calculations, detailed design, material selection, process improvement, prototype manufacturing, and testing. But this first step had already been taken solidly.

"Pangu, scan the hand-drawn sketches and create a 3D digital model. Based on existing domestic material performance and processing capability databases, conduct preliminary feasibility analysis and optimization of the design. Focus on evaluating: chassis structural strength, transmission system load, engine performance matching, tire selection, and overall center of gravity and stability. Generate a preliminary bill of materials and key process requirements."

"Command confirmed. Scanning... 3D modeling in progress... Analysis program initiated."

As Pangu began operating, Wang Huanbo's thoughts drifted in another direction—to the improved automatic rifle design commissioned by General Li Yunlong. Tractors could increase productivity, while good guns could protect the fruits of productivity and safeguard the environment for peaceful construction. Both were of paramount importance.

He walked to another drawing board and pulled out a new sheet of drawing paper. The improvement plan for the Type 81 automatic rifle should also be put on the agenda. However, before that, he needed to give the "Red Star Little Cannon" a more formal "birth certificate." He needed to write a detailed project proposal and technical feasibility report to gain the support of the factory and superiors, so that this beneficial idea could take root as soon as possible.

While Wang Huanbo was engrossed in his vision of futuristic machinery, another calculation about "opportunity" was unfolding in Yan Bugui's front yard. Yan Bugui had heard about Wang Huanbo's triumphant return from the third auntie (the third auntie had heard this secondhand from other onlookers, but it was already quite shocking), especially the truckload of "gifts," which made Yan Bugui's heart itch with anticipation, his small eyes darting around.

"See that? Engineer Wang is incredibly generous to his hometown folks! Flour, rice, oil, salt, ham, bicycles, sewing machines… I heard he even saved a thousand yuan to repair the school!" Yan Bugui said to Yan Jiecheng, who was preparing his lesson. "Jiecheng, you have to learn from Engineer Wang! Why is he so capable? First, he's very skilled; second, he knows how to treat people; and third, he doesn't forget his roots! In the future, when you're at the factory, you have to pay extra attention to what Engineer Wang asks of you! Treat Engineer Wang with the same respect you would show your uncle! Who knows, one day, if Engineer Wang is in a good mood, he might slip you a little something extra, and that'll be enough to benefit you for a lifetime! Look at Jia Dongxu, he just got a word from Engineer Wang, and now he's going to vocational school? He'll be a cadre when he graduates!"

Yan Jiecheng hummed in agreement, but inwardly he was somewhat unconvinced, feeling that his father was too materialistic. However, he dared not argue, but secretly resolved to delve deeper into his technical skills and earn a living through genuine talent.

The atmosphere at Liu Haizhong's home in the Zhongyuan Courtyard remained somber. Listening to his second aunt's exaggerated descriptions of Wang Gong's motorcade and the gifts, Liu Haizhong felt a surge of jealousy, a bitter taste in his mouth. He paced back and forth in the room, muttering, "Hmph, what's so great about him! He just has a rich overseas father. If I had those resources…" He trailed off, realizing his own lack of confidence. He even felt powerless to discipline his son now. The radiance of the west wing was too dazzling, making him, the "second uncle," appear even more insignificant.

In the backyard, a rare moment of warmth filled the Jia family home. Jia Dongxu was about to leave home to register for vocational school, and Qin Huairu gently gave him instructions while packing his simple belongings. Jia Dongxu, meanwhile, held the fountain pen and several textbooks that Wang Huanbo had given him, stroking them with care. He knew that this opportunity to change his destiny was hard-won and he had to seize it firmly. On the windowsill, the two large fish that Wang Huanbo had caught had already been pickled by Qin Huairu, who planned to take some with her husband. This family was quietly changing because of one person's kind intervention.

As night deepens, the courtyard returns to tranquility. But the light in the study of the west wing, and the designs and concepts about to break ground, foreshadow an even greater upheaval that will soon unfold in this era.