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

The matter in Warsaw was handled very quickly.

Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria—they negotiated with each country one by one, replicating the Moscow model—exchanging grain, canned goods, textiles, and daily necessities for their coal, oil, timber, and bauxite.

The representatives from all countries were satisfied. They all had smiles on their faces as they signed.

Orders for toilet paper were particularly plentiful. The Polish representative said, "Give us as much as you can," the Hungarian representative said, "500 tons isn't enough for one season," and the Romanian representative was even more direct—"We'll take as much as you have."

Zhao Ping'an had a good idea of ​​what was going on, but he never expected that toilet paper would become the best-selling product before he set off.

Before leaving, Zhao Ping'an asked Xu Zhongyi to stay behind.

"Keep an eye on things here, and we'll work out the details later. Get to know more high-ranking people, network more, and understand their habits. This might come in handy in the Far East and Central Asia in the future. Don't worry about the costs. You can use a portion of the foreign currency from the transactions first, and then write a report explaining the purpose. I'll approve it."

Xu Zhongyi grinned: "Don't worry, sir. I'm an expert when it comes to business."

At the end of May, Zhao Ping'an and his entourage boarded a plane to Paris.

Over the past two weeks, there has been an increase in news about the republic on Eastern European radio.

Polish radio: "A trade agreement has been reached with the Republic, and the first batch of grain is about to arrive, which will alleviate our country's supply shortage."

Hungarian radio: "The Republic's textiles are of high quality and at attractive prices, and will soon be available for sale."

Romanian radio: "The Republic has an ample supply of daily necessities; thermos flasks, enamelware... residents will be able to buy them soon."

These signals can be received throughout Europe, including France.

Anne Le Maire, a 22-year-old journalist for the French newspaper Le Monde.

Her father was a director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Thanks to this connection, she got a job at Le Monde right after graduating from university. Her colleagues called her "Miss" behind her back, but she didn't care—she had her own ideas.

In 1950s Europe, left-wing thought was widespread. Before Comrade Khru's secret report was released, many people sympathized with, and even yearned for, communism.

Anna was not a communist, but she would listen to Eastern European radio broadcasts and was curious about what was happening there.

She noticed the reports while listening to the radio in her office.

The word "republic" appears repeatedly. The quantities of food, textiles, and daily necessities are astonishing.

She did some research—the French people's impression of the republic was still stuck decades in the past: poverty, backwardness, long braids, and rickshaws.

But what was said on the radio didn't match those impressions.

That evening, Anna rarely saw her father eating at home.

"Dad, I haven't seen you around much lately?" she asked casually.

My father said, "I've been busy hosting guests from the Republic lately."

Anna, recalling the news broadcast, asked, "Is it the representative they mentioned on the Eastern European radio?"

The father neither confirmed nor denied it, only saying, "Don't ask around."

Anna understood.

She asked in a deliberately innocent tone, "What's that person like? Can they braid their hair? Are they short?"

Her father was amused.

"No, no, no," he said, "he was a very handsome gentleman, even quite charming. He had extensive professional knowledge, and the products he brought were excellent. Completely different from what we usually imagine..."

Anna became even more curious.

The next day, Anna went to her favorite restaurant as usual.

She comes every week. The head chef is from the Republic, not very tall, and his French isn't very fluent, but his cooking is exceptional. Anna has compared it to many large restaurants in Paris, and in Anna's mind, this chef has even surpassed the restaurant's founder's culinary skills.

There weren't many people. After Anna ordered, she asked the chef to come over and chat for a bit.

"What is your country like?" she asked.

The chef said, "It's beautiful. The people are very hardworking."

How did you come to France?

"The country sent me here to learn cooking."

"Are you going back after you finish learning?"

"Of course I'll go back."

Why?

The head chef answered naturally, "The country needs it."

Anna was taken aback. The words were spoken so naturally, as if it were a matter of course. In France, she had never seen anyone use the phrase "national needs" so readily.

Anna pressed for more information.

The chef told her that he came to France to learn about the French people's eating habits.

"Some of the truffles you eat are imported from us. They're grown in Yunnan."

"And ham, we have Jinhua ham, which tastes very similar to Spanish Iberian ham, and even has some advantages."

"I will give suggestions to the factory to produce products that better suit the French taste."

Anna listened and then asked, "You're so successful, why don't you stay in France and open a restaurant? You could easily become the head chef yourself."

The chef shook his head.

"First, my family is there. Second, I was sent here on a government scholarship. Once I've completed my studies, of course I'll go back."

Anna fell silent.

The head chef suddenly remembered something and said to Anna:

"Miss Anna, I might not be able to come next week. I apologize for that."

"What's wrong? Are you going to resign?" Anna asked.

"No, no," the head chef quickly explained, "Our boss is here to hold a product research meeting. A few of us chefs in France are going to cook local French dishes for him to try. He'll also bring some ingredients so we can showcase our skills. We'll all see which products best suit French tastes."

Anna's heart skipped a beat. The leader—that must be the person her father had received.

After returning home that day, Anna went straight to her father.

"Dad, I'd like to interview that representative of the Republic."

Her father glanced at her, his eyes filled with doting affection.

"I know you, Anna. You've always been like this, never giving up until you get what you want," he said. "I can ask around for you, but I can't guarantee success."

The news quickly reached Zhao Ping'an.

After a moment's thought, Zhao Ping'an agreed to the gentleman's suggestion.

There are three reasons:

First, this gentleman has a certain influence on foreign trade and is pro-Republic. Giving him face will benefit future cooperation.

Secondly, accepting an interview with a French journalist, if answered appropriately, can be a form of publicity for the Republic. If the Republic wants to establish diplomatic relations with France, it cannot rely solely on economic efforts; it must also exert its influence through public relations. When the public has a favorable impression of the Republic, it will be easier for the higher levels of government to make decisions.

Third, he had another idea in mind—this young French journalist might be a window into the world.

Two days later, her father told Anna, "They've agreed. The day after tomorrow afternoon, for one hour."

The interview was arranged at the hotel where Zhao Ping'an was staying.

Anna arrived on time. The room was small and simply furnished, with tea and snacks on the table. Zhao Ping'an stood up to greet her and gestured for her to sit down.

Anna sat down, opened her notebook, and looked up.

"Mr. Zhao, Eastern European radio stations have recently been frequently reporting that your country has signed trade agreements with Poland, Hungary, and other countries. Are these reports accurate? Could you please disclose the approximate scale of these agreements?"

Zhao Ping'an nodded.

"That's true. We have signed letters of intent with Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria."

As for the scale... it involves grains, canned goods, textiles, and daily necessities, which can alleviate some of their supply shortages.

Anna jotted down a few notes in her notebook, then asked:

"As far as I know, your country uses a barter trade model with these countries. Why did you choose this method? Is it due to foreign exchange issues, or are there other considerations?"

Zhao Pingan smiled.

"Miss Anna is very astute. Barter trade is convenient for both of us—they have the resources we need, and we have what they need. We each get what we need, without the hassle of foreign exchange, and of course, we will also receive a portion of their foreign exchange."

Anna nodded and continued to ask:

"I saw some canned goods and daily necessities from your country in a shop in Paris, and the quality was indeed very good."

Mr. Zhao, could you please tell me what kind of factory these products were manufactured in? As far as I know, your country's industrial base… in our impression, is rather weak.

Her words were tactful, but the meaning was clear—in the general impression of France, the Republic was still that poor and backward place.

Zhao Ping'an didn't answer directly, but just smiled.

"Miss Anna, sometimes there's a big difference between impressions and reality."

Just as Anna was about to ask more questions, there was a gentle knock on the door.

The secretary entered and reported in a low voice, "Minister, the ingredients are ready. When would you like to start the tasting event?"

Zhao Ping'an nodded, indicating that he understood. The secretary withdrew.

He looked at Anna, his tone casual.

"Miss Anna, I see you still have more questions. Perfect timing! We have a product tasting event, the one I mentioned to you before—a few chefs from France will use the ingredients we brought to prepare some French dishes, which we ourselves can also try."

He paused.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to invite you to join us. We can eat and chat at the same time, which will give us more time, and you can continue asking your questions."

"Of course, this isn't a formal interview, it's just a dinner. But if you feel it's appropriate, I'd be happy to oblige."

Anna thought for a moment, then closed the notebook.

"Mr. Zhao, then I shall respectfully accept your offer."

The tasting event was held in a small banquet hall at the hotel.

The long table was laden with freshly cooked dishes. Several people in white chef's uniforms were busy plating the food. Anna immediately recognized the head chef—he was adjusting the plating of a dish when he looked up, saw Anna, smiled, and nodded.

Anna walked over and glanced at the dishes on the table.

Mushrooms, truffles, ham, and a few other dishes I couldn't name.

She picked up a slice of ham and put it in her mouth. It tasted really good, even better than what she had eaten in restaurants.

The head chef whispered to himself, "This batch of ham just arrived; it's specifically for this tasting event."

Anna nodded and tasted another truffle. It was fragrant and melted in her mouth.

She asked the person next to her, "Are these truffles grown in Yunnan?"

The man nodded: "Yes. The truffle base in Yunnan produced tens of tons last year. The quality is no worse than that of France. I even think it's better."

Anna didn't ask any more questions. She continued walking forward, tasting each dish one by one.

At the very end, she saw a bowl of soup.

The soup was clear, as transparent as water, and at the bottom of the bowl was a blooming flower made of cabbage.

She asked the person next to her, "What is this?"

The man said, "Boiled cabbage in clear broth."

Anna was taken aback. What kind of taste could vegetables boiled in hot water possibly have?

She scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth.

Then he froze.

The soup was incredibly flavorful, so much so that she was speechless for a moment. The flavor wasn't intense; it was a slow, pervasive umami, as if many flavors had been simmered together and then thoroughly cleansed, leaving only pure, unadulterated umami.

After she finished that spoonful of soup, she scooped up another spoonful.

Someone nearby explained quietly:

"This dish looks simple, but it takes a lot of effort to make. It requires a variety of ingredients such as chicken, duck, pork ribs, ham, and dried scallops, and it needs to be simmered for three days, filtered repeatedly until the broth is as clear as water. The heart of the cabbage needs to be repeatedly poured over the broth to slowly infuse it with its umami flavor."

Anna remained silent for a long time after hearing this.

She remembered what the head chef had said—"The country needs it."

She remembered what her father had said—"Completely different from what I remembered."

Looking at the bowl of soup in front of her, she suddenly realized that she might really not understand this country.

Anna did not leave after the tasting event ended.

She found Zhao Ping'an, and the two sat down in a corner and drank a cup of tea.

"Minister Zhao," she began.

"I'm very curious about your country now. What kind of country could produce someone like you?"

And then there are the cooks—they are as devout as martyrs. All it takes is a phrase like "the country needs them," and they'll travel thousands of miles to come here, learn the trade, and then return without hesitation or regret.

She paused.

"I want to know more."

Zhao Pingan smiled.

"Miss Anna, in that case, I happen to have a suggestion. It meets both my needs and your curiosity. Would you like to hear it?"

Anna nodded: "I'm very interested now. Minister Zhao, please go ahead."

Zhao Pingan said:

"Miss Anna, although our two countries have not yet established diplomatic relations, we only have trade channels."

But I believe that the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries is not far off. For the benefit of both sides, I would like to invite you—to organize a team of journalists, bringing your photography, videography, and audio recording equipment—to come to my country and film a documentary.

"We are documenting the development of our country. Some parts of our country have now reached a level comparable to that of Paris, France; while other parts are still in dire straits, equivalent to their state fifty years ago. This is not because we do not value them, but because development is necessary—to develop some areas first, then others, and finally bring everyone to the same level."

"I hope you will come to the Republic once a year to document these changes."

Zhao Pingan paused for a moment.

"I even came up with a title for you—'Anna in China,' or 'Anna's Trip to China.' What do you think?"

Anna did not answer immediately after hearing this.

She countered with a question:

"Minister Zhao, this is helping your country with publicity. What's in it for me?"

Zhao Pingan smiled.

"Miss Anna, first of all, you are currently the only NATO journalist allowed to enter our country and to conduct filming and propaganda."

This information is unique to you. Unless your boss is completely stupid, he'll definitely get this report published.

He paused.

"One more thing—I heard your father works for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You must know that we previously established business relations with your country through unofficial channels, but now we've started discussing business through diplomatic channels. Perhaps in a while, we'll be able to formally establish diplomatic channels."

"For a business partner, an economic partner, or even a potential partner in other areas in the future, I believe this is something that some of your country's senior officials would like to see. It would also be beneficial for you and your father."

"Moreover, promoting our development, our diligence, our wisdom, and the speed of our development—this in itself may be something that your superiors would like to see."

Anna listened, remained silent for a few seconds, and then looked up.

"Mr. Zhao, your wisdom is truly remarkable. You have convinced me."

Zhao Ping'an laughed heartily.

"This is the wisdom of the Chinese people. We will do something that's a win-win situation—something that's good for both of us. So we'll definitely cooperate, won't we? You see, isn't that what we're doing now?"

Anna paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Minister Zhao, is this the wisdom of the Chinese people?"

Zhao Ping'an suppressed his smile, looked at her, and spoke in a calm but meaningful tone.

"We usually call this a 'open conspiracy'."