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

Zhao Ping'an then used "channels" to transport another batch of supplies to Jilin.

In addition to more "nine-year compulsory education textbooks" and the Xinhua Dictionary, this shipment also includes a batch of high-precision military maps covering the main strategic areas of Northeast China, a considerable number of individual/vehicle-mounted shortwave radios, supporting portable repeater radios, and small coal-fired generators to provide stable power to these communication nodes.

Although it was inferior to a diesel generator in various aspects, the problem was that our army currently relied entirely on captured diesel fuel, a scarce military resource, while coal was an abundant resource that was being vigorously mined in various regions. After careful consideration, Zhao Ping'an chose a coal-fired thermal generator.

The accuracy of the maps and the sophistication of the radios, in particular, once again drew the attention of the Northeast Field Army Headquarters.

These are not just pieces of equipment; they represent a potential leap forward in command efficiency, battlefield coordination, and intelligence transmission capabilities.

One afternoon, Zhao Ping'an, who was assisting with the inventory in the temporary warehouse, was stopped by Lao Xu who rushed over:

"Ping An, hurry, get ready, Chief 102 wants to see you!"

Zhao Ping'an's heart skipped a beat. Commander 102! He immediately straightened his plain military uniform, took a deep breath, and followed Lao Xu to a simple but heavily guarded office in the headquarters.

In his office, the leader was deep in thought in front of a map.

Upon seeing Zhao Ping'an enter, he turned around, a gentle and wise smile on his face, and extended his hand:

"Comrade Zhao Ping'an, thank you for your hard work. This is 102. The 'eyes' and 'ears' you brought, as well as these maps, have been a great help to us."

Zhao Ping'an immediately stood at attention and saluted: "Greetings, Commander! This is all I should do, and it's also the result of the hard work of the comrades behind the scenes in the 'channel'."

Chief 102 gestured for Zhao Pingan to sit down, and the conversation went straight to the point, with detailed inquiries about the radio network's networking logic, communication distance, anti-interference capabilities, and key points for relay station setup.

Based on the system manual and basic concepts of modern communications, Zhao Ping'an explained it as clearly and concisely as possible, emphasizing its value for decentralized command, rapid coordination, and real-time intelligence sharing.

The 102nd Chief listened attentively, nodding from time to time, and asking follow-up questions about details at crucial points.

Finally, he remarked, "Only with smooth information flow can commanders be sharp-eyed and alert, and only then can the troops unite as one."

What you've provided may seem like equipment, but it's actually laying a crucial foundation for our ongoing exploration of large-scale, multi-service coordinated operations.

The conversation was pleasant and pragmatic.

Feeling the leader's trust and support, Zhao Ping'an thought the time was right and revealed his long-considered plan for "rear industrial development".

He started by talking about the resource advantages of Northeast China, such as coal, iron, and the gold mines that were about to be acquired. He then discussed the importance of stabilizing the rear for long-term support of the front lines. He then subtly suggested that, in addition to munitions and medicines, it might be possible to try to import some "small, critical, and easily concealed" industrial equipment through "channels," such as small generator sets, basic metalworking machine tools, or even a small-scale steelmaking and rolling mill.

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The goal is not to immediately establish a massive industrial system, but to build several "seed" factories in an absolutely secure rear area that can produce urgently needed spare parts, repair tools, and even simple weapons, and gradually accumulate technology and talent.

"My ideas may be naive," Zhao Ping'an said sincerely at the end.

"But I think we can't rely solely on captures and purchases. Having our own 'small stove,' even if we can only hammer nails and repair gun barrels at first, is a start. When conditions improve in the future, these 'seeds' will sprout."

Chief 102 did not immediately express his opinion, but pondered for a moment, tapping his fingers lightly on the table.

The office fell silent. Old Xu looked nervously at the leader, then at Zhao Ping'an.

After a long silence, the 102nd Chief raised his head, his gaze filled with approval and a deeper, more profound consideration:

"Comrade Ping An, your idea is not naive, but very farsighted. War is about steel, logistics, and endurance. While we seize power on the front lines, we must also gradually strengthen our foundation in the rear. The 'seed' factory you mentioned is a very good idea."

I support the following principles: First, absolute safety and concealment must be ensured, and we must never become a target of the enemy.

Second, proceed from small to large, from easy to difficult, and emphasize practical results;

Third, we must closely align with the current needs of the war effort and prioritize addressing the most pressing bottlenecks.

He paused, then looked at Lao Xu: "Comrade Xu Yuanshan, you and Comrade Zhao Ping'an should take the lead in setting up a group to be specifically responsible for planning this matter."

The headquarters will provide necessary support in site selection, security, and personnel deployment. Remember, proceed cautiously and steadily; better to be slow than chaotic.

"Yes! We guarantee to complete the mission!" Old Xu and Zhao Ping'an stood up at the same time and replied excitedly.

With the explicit support of the 102nd Commander, Zhao Ping'an felt much more at ease. After exchanging the supplies, he did not rush to leave Jilin.

Using a batch of key equipment and raw materials "provided" again through "channels," he assisted Lao Xu and local technicians in quickly establishing a slightly larger but more standardized penicillin production workshop in Jilin. This workshop will serve as a model and training base, laying the foundation for possible replication in other safe areas in the future.

Regarding the expenses, Zhao Ping'an proactively approached Lao Xu: "Lao Xu, for the workshop in Jilin, and the series of 'small factories' that we're going to set up in Harbin later, please note down the equipment costs. After three months, once these sites are all initially operational, we'll assess the output and profitability, and then settle the accounts together."

There are many areas where money is needed at the front lines right now, so funds should be prioritized there first.

Old Xu understood that this was Zhao Ping'an's consideration and support, and nodded emphatically, keeping this kindness in his heart.

A month later, in the southern suburbs of Harbin, there was an abandoned industrial area left behind by the Japanese army and the surrounding open space.

Zhao Ping'an, along with an advance team and several key members of the Sixth Brigade, had been secretly surveying and planning here for nearly a week.

Using his "environmental reconnaissance" skills to assess the surrounding security situation, he eventually narrowed down a large area.

In the dead of night, under the absolute cover of darkness and with no one witnessing, Zhao Ping'an "teleported" the devices he had redeemed from his system space to different pre-planned locations in batches:

The core equipment of a small coal-fired power generating unit appeared in the reserved power plant area;

A set of key components for a small electric arc furnace steelmaking equipment with an annual output of 50,000 tons of crude steel, along with the supporting continuous casting and rolling mill, were installed on the designated steel plant foundation.

Seamless steel pipe rolling mills, medium-sized lathes, milling machines, drilling machines, and other machining equipment will appear in the future machining workshops;

Corresponding auxiliary facilities such as transformers, transmission lines, simple cranes, and maintenance tools have also been quietly put in place.

All the equipment had been properly weathered and partially concealed, making it look more like "supplies that had been secretly transported and carefully hidden here long ago".

A few days later, the main force of the 6th Independent Brigade, which had been secretly mobilized, arrived in Harbin under the leadership of Deputy Brigade Commanders Zhou Liang and Zhao Dongliang.

Their mission then changed: they were no longer purely field troops, but were tasked with guarding, protecting, and supporting the construction of this newly established rear Songjiang Special Industrial Zone.

The unit designation was subsequently changed to "Northeast Military Region Songjiang Industrial Zone Guard Brigade".