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

September 25, Beijing.

The "Corn Emperor" has been visiting for ten days. With five days left until the National Day celebrations, most of the visits have concluded, everything that needed to be seen has been seen, and the discussions have begun to enter a substantive phase.

That morning, the Minister of Agriculture came again. This time he wasn't alone; he was followed by three people—the familiar Minister of Industry, the Minister of Commerce, and a man in a railway uniform.

"Minister Zhao, Comrade Corn Emperor has instructed us to get the specifics down." The Minister of Agriculture sat down and got straight to the point, "There's a lot to discuss today, it might take some time."

Zhao Ping'an nodded and asked his secretary to pour a few more cups of tea.

The Minister of Agriculture took a document out of his briefcase and pushed it in front of Zhao Ping'an.

"This is the framework we have initially considered. Comrade Corn Emperor has agreed in principle."

Zhao Pingan took it and opened it.

The first page is about agricultural cooperation. Seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and drip irrigation systems were things the Red Empire hoped to import on a large scale.

In terms of quantity, five million mu of corn will be planted in Central Asia alone next year, and supporting materials need to be in place in advance.

The second page is about trade in light industrial goods. The list is long, ranging from canned goods and fresh vegetables to radios and thermos flasks, from cotton fabrics and clothing to enamelware and plastic basins, covering three large pages. The total amount is initially estimated to be over 200 million rubles annually.

The third page is about the exchange of skilled workers. The Red Empire agreed to send experienced workers and technicians to China to help train Chinese skilled workers.

The first batch of plans to dispatch 48,000 people, covering dozens of trades such as lathe operators, fitters, welders, electricians, precision instrument technicians, machine tool repairmen, and mold makers.

Zhao Ping'an looked up after reading it.

"Forty-eight thousand people, we welcome them." This is six thousand more than I estimated, clearly indicating that their domestic population is "wealthy" than I imagined.

The Minister of Agriculture nodded.

"Comrade Corn Emperor said this is just the first batch. If it works well, it can be expanded further."

The Minister of Agriculture turned to page four.

"The next issue is transportation."

He glanced at the man in the railway uniform next to him. The man cleared his throat and spoke.

"Minister Zhao, we've done some research, and the biggest bottleneck in transporting these supplies to Moscow via the Far East and Central Asia is the railway."

Zhao Ping'an nodded, waiting for him to continue.

The man took out a map and spread it out on the table.

"Currently, railway transport between China and the Soviet Union mainly follows two lines." He pointed to the map with his finger. "One line exits China at Manzhouli, via the Trans-Siberian Railway to the European part of the Soviet Union. The other line exits China at Suifenhe, also connecting to the Trans-Siberian Railway."

He paused.

"These two routes are already under severe strain on transport capacity. If we add supplies from Central Asia as well, it's simply impossible to get through."

Zhao Ping'an looked at the map without saying a word.

The man continued, "Moreover, both routes are detours. From Beiping to Almaty, it's more than 6,000 kilometers via Manzhouli. It's both time-consuming and costly."

He looked up at Zhao Ping'an.

"Therefore, we need a new line."

Zhao Ping'an understood.

"You mean, build a railway?"

The man nodded.

"Yes. Comrade Emperor Corn has already discussed this matter with your country's leaders."

He pointed towards Xinjiang on the map.

"The railway that runs from Lanzhou to Urumqi is the one you, Minister Zhao, are currently building."

The railway from Moscow to Almaty is one we have already completed. Now, the railway from Urumqi to Almaty is a new railway that we are going to build together.

"Once this line is completed, supplies from Central Asia can go directly there, which is nearly 3,000 kilometers shorter than going around Manzhouli."

He then pointed in the direction of Mongolia.

"There's also this line—from Jining to Ulaanbaatar, connecting to the railway of the Red Empire. This way, supplies going to the European part of the Red Empire can also go through here, which is more than 700 kilometers closer than going through Manzhouli."

Zhao Pingan stared at the two red lines on the map and remained silent for a while.

"How do you plan to divide the work?"

The man said, "In Xinjiang Province, your country has already extended the railway from Lanzhou to east of Yumen, about two hundred kilometers. The remaining section to the border is your responsibility."

On the Red Empire's side, we are responsible for the section from Almaty to the border.

In Mongolia, construction has already begun on the railway line running south from Ulaanbaatar. All you need to do is complete the railway within your borders.”

"If both sides cooperate well, the Xinjiang line can be opened within three or four years, and the Mongolia line can be opened by the end of next year."

After listening, Zhao Pingan pushed the map back.

"Will the transportation problem be solved once these two lines are open?"

The man shook his head.

"Most of it is solved. But there's still one small problem."

He looked at Zhao Ping'an.

"gauge."

Zhao Ping'an was stunned for a moment, then he understood.

The Red Empire's railways were broad gauge, while China's railways were standard gauge. The trains couldn't pass each other.

The man said, "Regarding the Mongolian line, we have decided to build the entire line as a broad gauge railway, from Ulaanbaatar all the way to the border."

"On your side, whether the section from Jining to the border uses standard gauge or broad gauge is a matter for you to decide."

Zhao Pingan thought for a moment.

"I need to go back and look into this."

The man nodded.

"No rush. The railway issue is something that needs to be discussed over a long period of time."

They talked for another two hours and finalized the preliminary arrangements for all the matters.

As he was leaving, the Minister of Agriculture suddenly asked a question.

"Minister Zhao, how do you plan to repair that railway line with Mongolia?"

Zhao Ping'an looked at him.

"Why do you ask that?"

The Minister of Agriculture said, "If the Mongolia line is completed, the journey from Beijing to Moscow could be two days faster than it is now. This would be a good thing for both sides."

He paused.

"Furthermore, construction is underway in Mongolia as well. They hope the railway will boost their economy. If your supplies can be shipped through Mongolia, it would also be beneficial for Mongolia."

Zhao Ping'an nodded.

"I will report this to my superiors."

The Minister of Agriculture stood up, preparing to take his leave.

He turned back as he reached the door.

"Minister Zhao, 48,000 people is a considerable number. Your side needs to prepare dormitories, canteens, and training venues in advance. When they arrive, they need to have a place to stay, work to do, and food to eat."

Zhao Ping'an replied with a smile, "We are already prepared. I believe everyone has visited the canteens in Northeast China, and I guarantee that the daily standards will not be lower than those!"

"That's wonderful," the Minister of Industry said with a smile. Of all the ministers, he loved food the most, and in just over ten days, he had gained a full five pounds.

He praised the Republic's diverse and delicious cuisine, which was excellent in color, aroma, taste, and presentation.

Therefore, Zhao Ping'an was naturally very satisfied when he mentioned the canteen in the factory in Northeast China.

Although the large-pot dishes in the cafeteria may not look or look very appealing, they are plentiful, flavorful, and delicious.

It also perfectly suited the tastes of the Minister of Industry, who rose through the ranks from a lowly worker.

"By the way, we have a new proposal that we hope you will consider the possibility of cooperation," Zhao Ping'an said with a smile, revealing a plan he had kept hidden for a long time.

"Our plan is to cultivate cotton and livestock on a large scale in the new province, and this process has already begun."

Today, we expect that the 500 million mu of newly cultivated cotton fields will be ready for harvest next month. We will establish a series of factories in the new province, including textile mills, wool mills, and garment factories. Once the railway is open, production can be directly transported to your country.

Of course, this plan may not be available for another three years.

Therefore, in my personal opinion, it's a bit of a waste to leave such a large area of ​​grassland in Mongolia undeveloped.

I wonder if your country has any opinion on sending some of our personnel to establish ranches, raise cattle and sheep, cultivate fields, plant cotton, and establish wool and textile factories.

Do you agree to this proposal? This way, we can meet some of the growing demand for light industrial products in your country a little earlier…”