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

October 27, Beiping (Beijing).

Red flags fluttered in front of the Haili Auditorium.

The generals, dressed in brand-new uniforms, gathered in twos and threes, examining each other's epaulets and their faces filled with barely suppressed excitement.

Some people were talking in hushed tones, some were straightening their clothes, and some were staring at the national emblem on the lintel, motionless for a long time.

Zhao Ping'an stood on the periphery of the crowd, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, looking out of place among the generals and commanders around him.

People would recognize him from time to time and nod to Zhao Ping'an, who would smile and nod in response.

"Safety!"

A familiar voice came from behind. Zhao Ping'an turned around.

I saw my elder brother, Zhao Dongliang, striding over. He was also wearing a new military uniform, with a major general's epaulettes on his shoulder, a gold star shining brightly in the autumn sunlight.

"Big brother," Zhao Ping'an smiled, "you look really smart in that outfit, especially that star—I heard it's pure gold!"

"Slap!" Zhao Dongliang slapped Zhao Ping'an on the shoulder. "You always make fun of your older brother!"

As he spoke, Zhao Dongliang turned to look at his own epaulets, then at Zhao Ping'an, and grinned, "You're the only one wearing casual clothes, aren't you afraid of being laughed at?"

"What am I afraid of?" Zhao Ping'an spread his hands. "I'm not here to lead the charge."

Zhao Dongliang's smile faded, and he patted him on the shoulder: "You're the Minister of the General Armaments Department, far more important than me, a major general. How could you not?"

"Shh, big brother!" Zhao Ping'an lowered his voice, "Didn't you see the political commissar isn't here either? The leaders are taking care of me. If I took the rank, this position wouldn't be mine anymore."

"Yes, yes, it seems my brain is better suited for military training and warfare. I'll listen to you and talk less from now on." Zhao Dongliang slapped his forehead.

To be fair, Zhao Dongliang's position wasn't entirely due to Zhao Ping'an; at least after his defection...

Zhao Dongliang was truly skilled in commanding armored mechanized forces, especially on the northern battlefield, where he repeatedly led assault vanguard units and achieved numerous merits.

It has a bit of an Eastern Guderian feel to it. So, the leaders agreed to transfer Zhao Dongliang to Yunnan Province as an army commander after seeing his performance.

Especially the special forces unit that Zhao Dongliang trained using the training materials provided by Zhao Ping'an over the course of more than a year.

Furthermore, his special operations outline and mountain and jungle warfare training outline have received commendation from the Central Military Commission and have been promoted throughout the military.

At 10:00 AM sharp, the ceremony began.

The auditorium was brightly lit, and a group of leaders sat on the stage.

Below the stage, more than a thousand generals sat in neat rows, their uniforms gleaming and medals shining.

Zhao Ping'an sat in the back row, on the side. He had chosen it himself.

The list was read out one by one: Marshal, General, Lieutenant General, Major General. Each time a name was read, someone stood up and went up to the stage.

He took the order from the leader, saluted, turned around, and returned to his seat amidst applause.

Zhao Ping'an's gaze followed those figures.

They were all veterans who had fought for decades. From the mountains to An, from North China to the south of the Yangtze River.

Zhao Ping'an had seen some of them on the battlefield, and he had seen them bleeding, frowning, and gritting their teeth.

Now they are wearing formal attire, their epaulets adorned with sparkling stars.

Zhao Ping'an was very calm.

When the name "Zhao Dongliang" was read, he saw his elder brother stand up and stride onto the stage.

He stood ramrod straight and strode confidently. When he received the order, he first saluted, then turned to face the audience.

In that instant, his gaze met Zhao Ping'an's.

Zhao Ping'an smiled at him. Zhao Dongliang smiled back, then strode off the stage.

Applause erupted.

After the ceremony, the generals flocked to the courtyard to take photos, chat, and congratulate each other. The area in front of the auditorium was as lively as during the Chinese New Year.

Zhao Ping'an stood under a tree, watching those people from afar.

Navy Commander Xiao was talking to a few people when he turned his head and saw Zhao Ping'an. He immediately strode over.

Air Force Commander Liu also saw it and followed behind.

"Comrade Ping An!" Commander Xiao shouted from afar, his voice booming, "What are you doing hiding there? Come over here for a photo!"

Zhao Pingan waved his hand: "You guys take pictures, I'm in casual clothes, why should I join in the fun?"

Commander Liu had already walked up to him and grabbed his arm: "What do you mean by casual clothes? You're the Minister of the General Armaments Department, isn't it inappropriate for you not to come and take pictures?"

Commander Xiao came over and grabbed him with his other hand: "Come on, come on, we can't have this group photo missing anyone!"

Zhao Ping'an was being carried forward by two people, feeling both amused and exasperated.

Zhao Dongliang, standing in the crowd, couldn't help but laugh when he saw this scene.

Commander Xiao pushed Zhao Ping'an to the front row, standing to his left, while Commander Liu stood to his right. Zhao Dongliang also squeezed in, standing behind Zhao Ping'an.

As the shutter clicked, Zhao Ping'an smiled slightly.

After the group photo was taken, Zhao Ping'an was about to leave when Secretary Li, the leader's secretary, came over and whispered, "Minister Zhao, the leader requests that you stay for the evening. The leader and deputy leader want to see you."

Zhao Ping'an paused for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

Evening, in a conference room.

The lights were on inside, and the leader and 501 were already there. Several documents were on the table, and teacups were steaming.

Zhao Ping'an entered and saluted: "Boss, 501."

The leader beckoned: "Comrade Ping An, please sit down."

Zhao Pingan sat down in the chair.

501 got straight to the point: "Comrade Ping An, I'm here today to discuss something with you."

Zhao Ping'an looked at him.

"The Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is short of a deputy director-general," 501 said. "I've discussed it with the leadership, and we'd like you to take on this role as well."

Zhao Ping'an was surprised: "Ya Si?"

The leader continued, "The Asia Division oversees a large area around us—North Cleveland, South Cleveland, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries. Your experience over the years—traveling to Southeast Asia, handling foreign aid, negotiating with France, doing business with Eastern Europe, and negotiating labor services with North Cleveland—is all invaluable."

501 Supplement: "Comrade Chen of Asia Division—Chen**, is a capable person."

You two are a good team; he'll handle the day-to-day operations, and you'll handle the major decisions. In crucial moments, you'll be needed to step in and negotiate.

Zhao Ping'an was silent for a moment before declining, "Sir, 501, I already have enough to do at the General Armaments Department. There's also the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, a whole host of other things..."

It wasn't that Zhao Ping'an didn't want to get involved, but rather that he wanted to avoid suspicion.

Zhao Ping'an decided to change the subject: "Sir, let me give you an advance notice. This year, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps has 15 million mu of cotton being harvested, and it's expected to be completed next month, with a preliminary estimate of over 2 million tons. That should basically meet the clothing needs of the entire nation. Next year, we plan to expand that to 25 million mu, reaching 3.6 million tons, which will also meet the demand for cotton for industrial use. And the comrades at the Ministry of Agriculture are busy with the autumn harvest..."

The leader waved his hand, smiling as he interrupted him: "Comrade Ping An, I know you're very busy and your work is excellent. But—"

He gestured to 501.

501 chimed in, his tone casual yet meaningful: "Comrade Ping An, look at all your old subordinates out there. Zhao Baoguo, Liu Dazhu, and that Wang Yaowu—don't you need to appease them? And you were the one who received people from North Crea, especially recently, haven't many of the leaders sent by the Republic sent their children to the new province to learn management and construction from the agricultural reclamation corps?"

Zhao Pingan was stunned for a moment.

501 continued, "Giving you this position is also to facilitate your communication with them. So, you're going to ignore North Creaea's affairs? You're going to ignore the Far East's affairs too?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ping'an knew he couldn't refuse, so he quickly said, "Sir, I'm not very familiar with external affairs..."

501 laughed and said, "It's okay if we're not familiar with each other yet, we'll get to know each other slowly."

Besides, whether you're in equipment manufacturing, industry, or agriculture, don't assume you were born with those skills; everyone starts from scratch and learns them.

The leader smiled and said, "Comrade Ping An, 501 is right. You can take on this deputy director position."

You don't need to be in the office every day; you only need to participate in important matters. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will communicate with you in advance if there are any issues.

Zhao Ping'an thought for a moment and finally nodded: "Yes, I will obey the organization's arrangements."

The leader added, "This appointment will not be announced publicly. It will only be known internally. When you go out on business in the future, you can add the title 'Deputy Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs' to your business card, and others will know your status."

Zhao Ping'an nodded, understanding in his heart—this was to give him a formal diplomatic status, making it easier for him to deal with neighboring countries in the future.

501 stood up and patted him on the shoulder: "Alright, don't overthink it. We'll have Comrade Chen coordinate with you later. You two work well together."

When I came out of the meeting room, it was already completely dark.

Zhao Ping'an stood in the courtyard and looked up at the night sky. There were many stars, twinkling in the sky.

There were footsteps behind him. Zhao Dongliang appeared out of nowhere and stood beside him.

"Have I given you more responsibilities again?" Zhao Dongliang asked.

Zhao Ping'an smiled and said, "Deputy Director of the Asia Division."

Zhao Dongliang was stunned: "You? In diplomacy?"

Zhao Pingan chuckled and joked, "What, can't I do diplomacy?"

Zhao Dongliang thought for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "That's true. You can even handle the French, so why would you be afraid of handling those little devils around here?"

The two exchanged a glance.

Zhao Ping'an suddenly spoke up, "Brother, how's your wife? Is my nephew pregnant yet?"

"Uh..." Zhao Dongliang blushed slightly. "It'll be soon, only a few months. I estimate it'll be around the Lunar New Year next year. So remember to come to Yunnan Province for the New Year, so our family can celebrate together. You might even get to see your nephew for the first time!"

"Hey, big brother, you're something else! If you put it that way, I'll actually make some arrangements. If nothing major happens this year, I really will go to Yunnan Province for the New Year." Zhao Ping'an readily agreed.

"By the way, Ping An, how are you? You're already 25, almost 26, why haven't you made a move yet?" Zhao Dongliang changed the subject.

"Big brother, you'll see it during the New Year..." Zhao Ping'an replied with a smile.