Courtyard House: I Rely on Time-Space Trade to Build a Nation

Mid-September, Qianmen Railway Station in Beiping.

Zhao Ping'an helped Mr. and Mrs. Qian onto the platform, supporting them on the gangway. After a twenty-day sea voyage, a seven-day transit in Hong Kong, and three days of arduous travel through the liberated areas of South China—they were finally standing on the soil of Beiping. Mr. Qian's eyes welled up with tears.

"Mr. Qian, welcome home." The person who came to greet him was the leader's secretary, with several plainclothes guards standing behind him. There were no flowers, no reporters, no welcoming party. This was at Mr. Qian's own request—the more low-key the better before his official public appearance.

As the car drove into the sea, it was already getting late. The leader was waiting in the courtyard. When he saw Mr. Qian get out of the car, he quickly went up to him and shook his hands with both of his.

"Comrade Xuesen, we've been waiting for you to come back."

Old Qian's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but first he bowed deeply.

The leader helped him up: "No need for formalities. Leader Li and several commanders already know you're back. Leader Li said, 'This is one of the best results we've achieved this year.'"

One of the best results. Zhao Ping'an stood behind, looked down and smiled.

Just then, the long-silent system interface lit up at the edge of the field of vision:

[Task 2: The Sky-Switching Incident Completed]

[System experience requirements met; upgrade to Lv.3]

[Unlock the technology ceiling: 2011 AD]

[Key blueprints available: Current exchange limit 10 tons]

2011 years.

Zhao Ping'an's eyelid twitched. The 20 aircraft, first flight in 2011.

In other words, if he takes out that set of things—

"Comrade Ping An?" The leader's voice pulled him back from his brief reverie.

"Ah, yes."

"What are you thinking about, so engrossed?" the leader said with a smile. "Mr. Qian is asking you a question."

Mr. Qian looked at him:

"Mr. Zhao, you must be tired from your journey. I'd like to know, what are the current research conditions like in China?"

Zhao Ping'an remained silent for two seconds before closing the system interface.

"The conditions are both very limited and quite advanced," he said truthfully. "But there are some things you'll definitely be interested in. I'll take you to see them tomorrow."

That evening, the leaders hosted a casual banquet to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Qian.

There were only a few people at the table: the leaders, Mr. and Mrs. Qian, Zhao Ping'an, and a middle-aged leader who came specially – Fu Shuai.

Fu Shuai, who was in charge of military industry during the Yan'an period, gripped Qian Lao's hand with extra force at this moment:

"Comrade Xuesen, we've been looking forward to your return for a long time. Back in Chongqing, the leaders mentioned you to me."

Back then, we didn't even have a proper arsenal; it was difficult to even make a hand grenade.

Conditions are much better now, but we're short-handed, especially leaders like you.

Professor Qian was somewhat moved: "I only did some theoretical work..."

"Theory is the most important," Fu Shuai said.

"Without theory, practice is just groping in the dark. Whatever you need, I'll give you. If you're short of people, I'll transfer them from the entire army."

"If you lack equipment, I'll find a way to buy it for you. If you lack funds, I can cut my own budget."

Zhao Ping'an listened without interrupting. He only spoke after Fu Shuai finished:

"Fu Shuai, I'll take care of the equipment."

Then, turning to Mr. Qian:

"Mr. Qian, please make a list. What instruments, what equipment, what models, what precision—the more detailed the better. As long as it exists in the world, I can find a way to get it."

Old Qian was stunned. This young man had said many things that shocked him, but this one still seemed unbelievable.

"You can get all of that?"

"Yes, all of them," Zhao Ping'an said calmly. "Including those embargoed against China by the United States and Europe, including the latest models that are only available in their military laboratories. It may take a little time, but no more than a month."

The leader glanced at Zhao Ping'an but didn't reply. Everyone knew Zhao Ping'an's impressive track record and achievements, and the things he presented that even the senior figures and the big shots didn't possess.

"Okay." Old Qian nodded, not asking for details. "Then I'll make a list."

Fu Shuai had other matters to attend to and left first. The Qian couple were taken to a guesthouse to rest.

The leader kept Zhao Ping'an behind alone.

"Comrade Ping An, we have good news for you! We have received two more of the gifts you prepared. One is your high-yield sweet potatoes with a yield of over 6000 jin per mu."

The first batch has already been harvested. Comrade Ping An, you have taken the lead for the country in ensuring food security.

Even when I heard Comrade Xu report that this wasn't all, Comrade Ping An, you did a great job!

After the potato and fighter jet incident, Lao Xu's reporting level was upgraded; it turned out that his report was relayed to his superiors.

However, Zhao Ping's achievements were so great that Lao Xu's report went directly to the Heavenly Court.

Therefore, during the two months Zhao Ping'an was abroad, the leaders were more aware than Zhao Ping'an of how important things the Northeast had accomplished!

"Yes, leader, it's all about contributing to the country, right? If they have this technology and seeds over there, we'll naturally take them and use them," Zhao Ping'an replied with a smile.

"By the way, the second thing is that your supersonic fighter jet also successfully completed its test flight at the end of August."

"Now that the meeting has decided to establish a flight school, Comrade Ping An, do you have any suggestions?" the leader continued.

"Um, sir, I can offer some advice on industry and aircraft manufacturing, but I'm not familiar with flight schools..."

This was indeed a blind spot in Zhao Ping'an's knowledge; for pilots,

Zhao Ping'an only knew that the letter on the eye chart during the flight selection was C, not E, and that was all he knew.

"Alright, Comrade Ping An, there's one more thing..."

That night, Zhao Ping'an talked with his superiors for two whole hours before leaving the sea.

The next morning, Zhao Ping'an took Mr. Qian onto a train heading north.

The destination wasn't Anshan Iron and Steel—Qian Lao would have plenty of opportunities to visit there later.

This time, Zhao Ping'an took him to Shenyang.

Shenyang No.1 Machine Tool Factory.

Just a few months ago, this factory could only produce ordinary belt-driven lathes, but now it has several temperature-controlled workshops that are not open to the public.

After passing through three lines of guards, Mr. Qian entered one of the rooms. Then he stopped.

A dozen or so pieces of equipment are neatly arranged in the workshop. They have streamlined casings, precision guide rails, and complex control panels.

There were no pulleys, no manual cranks; each one was a piece of equipment he had never seen before in the United States.

"This is a five-axis machining center." Zhao Ping'an walked to the nearest machine. "The spindle speed is 40,000 revolutions per minute, and the positioning accuracy is three micrometers."

He pointed to the next machine: "This is a high-precision coordinate boring machine, capable of machining hole spacing errors of two micrometers. This is a CNC universal grinding machine, this is an electrical discharge machining (EDM) machine, this is a coordinate measuring machine..."

Mr. Qian did not speak. He walked to the coordinate measuring machine and watched the probe move across the surface of the standard part, with numbers accurate to three decimal places flashing on the screen.

This device can measure the three-dimensional dimensions of any part down to a fraction of the thickness of a human hair.

"Where did these devices come from..." his voice trailed off. "They don't even exist in America, do they?"

Qian Xuesen turned around and looked at the rows of equipment.

"Even in the labs at Caltech," he said, "we don't have that kind of precision manufacturing capability."

He walked up to the five-axis machining center and reached out to touch the water droplets condensing on the coolant nozzle.

"Mr. Zhao, with this equipment, plus a group of excellent engineers and technicians, we can avoid taking at least ten years of detours in the field of missiles."