Chapter 2662
The Heavy Sword Has No Edge
Chapter 2662 The Heavy Sword Has No Edge
The meal didn't take too long to finish.
Perhaps it was a habit left over from the war years, but the elderly people ate quite quickly. Even if they occasionally chatted or talked about what happened back then, a meal would take less than half an hour.
Moreover, due to their age, the elderly people did not eat much, and many plates were left with half of their food.
Yang Xiaotao and Secretary Guo cleaned up the food together, then brewed a pot of tea, and everyone sat down to enjoy the tea and chat.
The uncle took the opportunity to chat with Yang Xiaotao about Little Fatty.
"Little Fatty has changed a lot lately!"
Hearing what his uncle said, President Liu, who was standing nearby, also turned his attention to the matter.
After all, the two families had a good relationship, and Little Fatty was a nickname he gave him.
As for Old Chen and the others, they all knew them.
“These past two days, he’s been getting up early to go to work. When we get home, we’re all lying down to rest, but he’s still studying and working in the house.”
"This change feels somewhat unfamiliar to me!"
Yang Xiaotao was also taken aback when he heard this.
He's been busy with the design work these days and hasn't known much about Xiao Pang's situation.
Hearing his uncle say this, he hurriedly explained, not wanting people to misunderstand that he was exploiting the workers.
"Uncle, maybe Little Fatty wants to improve himself!"
He then said to Old Chen, "Little Fatty is now working in satellite communications at the research institute."
"This job is a good match for his major, and the teacher leading the team is an experienced and highly knowledgeable person. Xiao Pang should be able to learn a lot, which will be very beneficial for his future development."
Hearing Yang Xiaotao say this, his uncle laughed and said, "I didn't mean to blame you when I said this."
"On the contrary, we are quite gratified that our little chubby has found something he likes to do. As his parents, we are very happy and supportive!"
Seeing his uncle say this, Yang Xiaotao breathed a sigh of relief and decided that he would definitely find out what was going on when he got back.
Workplace bullying must not be allowed to occur.
Just as Yang Xiaotao was thinking about going back to investigate, his uncle changed the subject, saying, "I also heard from Xiaopang that he really likes his current job."
"They said the colleagues at the research institute are all very motivated, and they all voluntarily work overtime without any complaints!"
"Over time, this has led to more people working overtime!"
At this point, the uncle nodded to Yang Xiaotao, "Your Ninth Department has done a very good job in promoting spiritual culture!"
Yang Xiaotao snapped out of his daze and immediately understood why he always saw the lights on in the research institute when he left work every night.
Moreover, the situation has been escalating in recent days.
Yang Xiaotao immediately understood what was going on, but he still had to be modest at this moment, saying, "It's all because the comrades are very proactive and thinking about how to build the revolution..."
As Yang Xiaotao spoke, Old Chen beside him nodded repeatedly.
However, after Yang Xiaotao finished speaking, Old Chen still reminded him, "Overtime work should emphasize voluntariness, and more importantly, it should be democratic and done in a proper manner."
"It is wrong to morally blackmail other workers and force them to work just because some workers are making progress and working overtime. As leaders, you must grasp this balance."
"We should appreciate this spirit of dedication, but we must not hurt the feelings of others because of public opinion."
Yang Xiaotao immediately nodded, "Don't worry, we have never asked workers to work overtime voluntarily, nor have we ever given them any rewards for working overtime."
"Even if overtime is required, the situation will be explained clearly, and it will be based on a voluntary principle..."
Yang Xiaotao certainly wouldn't make a mistake in this matter.
However, even without a substantial reward, leaving a good impression on the leader is the best reward, isn't it?
While Yang Xiaotao was talking to Old Chen, his uncle was chatting with General Manager Xu about the family situation.
After finishing his conversation, General Manager Xu asked Yang Xiaotao about satellite phones.
Although he had mentioned it briefly at the dinner table, Yang Xiaotao hadn't gone into details. Now that General Manager Xu had asked, Yang Xiaotao explained the situation in detail.
Chen Laopeng and others had long understood this matter. Although they were ostensibly using the pretext of lunar exploration and even touting cooperation with the Alliance to develop some kind of space-based weapon, their actual development goal was a communications satellite.
Mr. Xu had also heard about this matter, but now that Yang Xiaotao was talking about communication satellites, he suddenly had an idea.
Mr. Xu stretched his body in his seat, crossed his arms, and unconsciously tapped his arm with his right hand.
Seeing Xu's demeanor, General Manager Liu and his uncle exchanged a glance, immediately stopped talking, and their gazes became calm.
Yang Xiaotao, who was speaking, suddenly felt that the room was a little quiet. Why was only his voice heard?
I glanced at Old Chen beside me and saw him sitting there motionless.
Then, Mr. Peng looked at Mr. Xu beside him.
Yang Xiaotao looked over and saw President Xu with his head down, deep in thought. He immediately realized that something was wrong!
Without saying anything more, I sat down and waited.
Just after Yang Xiaotao stopped speaking, General Manager Xu suddenly raised his head, his slender eyelids twitched slightly before returning to normal.
"Xiao Yang, quite a few people know about space-based weapons, right?"
Yang Xiaotao didn't understand what General Manager Xu meant, but he still answered seriously, "It should be quite a lot!"
"Both the Alliance and the United States know this."
Mr. Xu nodded. "So, is your investment large?"
“It’s huge, really huge.”
Yang Xiaotao then began to complain, "People outside think that our Ninth Division has made a lot of money."
"But which of our research projects isn't a money pit!"
"You don't know, now that we don't have research satellites, the materials we need to consume every day are in the tens of thousands."
"This doesn't even include the cost of the rocket launch..."
Yang Xiaotao counted on his fingers, calculating the expenses, while Old Chen nodded to the others from time to time, clearly aware of the costs involved.
This was the first time that President Peng and President Liu had ever heard of such a money-burning scheme. They had assumed that since the Ninth Division was selling medicine and airplanes, they must have accumulated a considerable amount of money.
But now it seems that the Ninth Division can not only make money, but also spend it!
However, looking at what the Nine Departments are researching now, although it costs money, once it's completed, it will definitely be more profitable.
It's like a cycle.
However, this cycle is somewhat fragile. Firstly, it cannot withstand fluctuations in funding, and secondly, if the research fails, it will truly be a complete waste.
This is why Chen Lao, Yang Xiaotao, and others felt heartbroken after the Second Ministry of Machine Building's nuclear power plant project failed.
Because of this, the cycle was broken.
As Yang Xiaotao explained the actual situation, General Manager Xu nodded repeatedly.
After Yang Xiaotao finished speaking, General Manager Xu asked again, "How much more difficult do you think the communications satellite program is compared to the lunar landing program?"
"How big is the difference?"
Yang Xiaotao was a little puzzled, but quickly replied, "It's hard to say!"
"Let's talk about consumption!"
After Mr. Xu reminded him, Yang Xiaotao made a rough estimate in his mind before speaking, "For satellite communication, a single satellite would cost at least four or five hundred million, and possibly several billion."
"This is assuming the initial infrastructure is completed, and we are only looking at the consumption of a single satellite."
"But a moon landing would require much more. I estimate that starting from scratch, it would cost at least tens of billions, and possibly more!"
"Ten times the difference?"
When Mr. Xu spoke up, Yang Xiaotao shook his head, "It's hard to say, but it will definitely cost a lot of money."
Seeing this, Mr. Xu did not continue to ask questions, but smiled at Old Chen and said, "Old Chen, there is an opportunity now, would you like to give it a try?"
Mr. Xu didn't say what he was going to do, but Mr. Chen immediately understood what he meant.
Moreover, the person in front of me always plans carefully before acting.
He said it was an opportunity, so there's a high chance it will work out.
"want!"
Old Chen immediately agreed, then asked, "Old Xu, hurry up and tell me!"
Mr. Xu smiled and placed his hands on his thighs. "What Xiao Yang mentioned earlier about satellite communications, lunar landings, and space-based weapons reminded me of something."
"In addition, the United States' successful moon landing some time ago has given the Union a real shock."
"However, the fact that both explosions occurred this time has cooled down the heat."
Mr. Xu said calmly, "These are all facts."
However, Mr. Xu immediately added, "My idea is to raise this level of interest."
"Put it up?"
Old Chen seemed to understand what General Manager Xu meant.
Even Yang Xiaotao vaguely understood President Xu's plan.
“Yes!” Mr. Xu picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip to moisten his throat, and then continued, “After the last explosion, neither side has released the investigation results or announced any new plans.”
"Moreover, judging from the reactions of both sides, the losses this time are quite significant."
"Maybe they're still hesitating about whether to continue."
At this point in Mr. Xu's sentence, Old Chen immediately understood what Mr. Xu meant, and then followed up with, "So, you want to provoke them?"
Mr. Xu nodded.
But Old Chen quickly shook his head and said, "It's impossible. The Alliance is still manageable, but the United States has already landed on the moon. We have no way to deal with them."
But Mr. Xu laughed and said, "We can't do anything about it, but the alliance can."
Mr. Chen didn't understand, but General Manager Liu beside him smiled.
Seeing that Premier Liu understood his intentions, President Xu explained it to everyone.
Yang Xiaotao listened attentively from the side, occasionally revealing a look of shock.
According to Mr. Xu's plan, the process will proceed in three steps.
The first step is to implement the plan.
The country announced its lunar landing plan in stages, while also making a high-profile announcement of joining the lunar landing effort.
Whether others believe it or not, we must make this announcement and tell the world that we are going to land on the moon.
The second step is to show off your muscles.
We should expedite satellite launch operations and increase our persuasiveness through continuous rocket research.
At the same time, this can also be used to improve communication satellite and space-based weapon programs.
Of course, this is a mix of truth and falsehood, making it hard to understand, yet it is something we cannot help but pay attention to.
The third step is to seek cooperation.
Since news broke that Japan had partnered with the United States to launch a satellite, many countries have been considering cooperating with the Alliance and the United States.
Of course, some people have also suggested cooperating with domestic partners.
However, due to various considerations, they have not yet agreed.
Today, agreeing to cooperate not only provides access to research funding but also allows research teams to develop their skills.
Most importantly, it shows people 'ambition'.
After listening to Mr. Xu's explanation, Yang Xiaotao couldn't help but admire the other party's vision.
Putting everything else aside, just the third step: once the door to cooperation is opened, no one else can say for sure, but our brother Desert Camel will definitely come knocking on our door.
Moreover, President Xu's arrangement was more purposeful than their previous "moon landing" plan.
We want to join this 'space war'.
I want to be a catfish, to stir up the waters.
Yang Xiaotao could already imagine that, stirred up by this catfish, the space war in this timeline would definitely be larger in scale than in another timeline, and the outcome would be even more brutal.
"I can see it."
Suddenly, Mr. Peng spoke up in agreement.
Old Chen, who was standing to the side, also came to his senses and looked at the people in the room. Seeing that everyone nodded, he then agreed, "Then let's give it a try."
With Mr. Chen's approval, the topic of conversation shifted again.
Yang Xiaotao brewed another pot of tea and then joined the discussion.
Mr. Xu only provided a general direction; how to implement it still requires further refinement of the plan.
"The plan should be made more thorough."
President Peng spoke again, then looked at Yang Xiaotao and said, "Although your moon landing plan has been established, the secrecy is still lacking, and there's no clear address, so how are people supposed to find it?"
"That's right, I'll have Lao Zeng send someone to protect the work group right away!"
Mr. Chen added from the side.
Yang Xiaotao scratched his head, "Sir, we've already protected this person, how do we attract their attention?"
But my uncle laughed and said, "Think about it, what's the value of a project that even its own people don't protect?"
“They won’t pay attention to research that isn’t valuable, and they won’t even believe it.”
"Only if we give it enough attention will they take it seriously."
Yang Xiaotao suddenly realized, and then nodded.
"We need to achieve something to convince them."
"If you encounter any difficulties in your research," said President Liu, then looked at Yang Xiaotao, "you can also request 'assistance' from the alliance. It would be best if the problems were somewhat in-depth, problems that would touch a nerve with them."
Yang Xiaotao kept this in mind, "Yes, there is. The computer control language we are working on now is a difficult problem."
"I'll organize it later and have a good talk with them then."
Seeing that Yang Xiaotao understood his meaning, President Liu smiled with satisfaction.
The uncle also offered advice, saying, "We also need to ensure that the infrastructure is in place."
Yang Xiaotao nodded immediately, "That's a good idea. We're preparing for a new satellite launch base, and we can make a difference then."
Upon hearing Yang Xiaotao's words, Old Chen immediately understood what he was planning.
However, this also had multiple benefits, so there was no objection.
Seeing that Old Chen did not object, Yang Xiaotao was secretly pleased. Now that there was funding from above, they could contribute less.
Mr. Xu concluded by saying, "It would be best if the people knew about this."
"Only by making moon landings a common occurrence can we truly excite the world."
At this point, General Manager Xu pointed to the east, "I remember that after we successfully launched Dongfanghong-1 last time, the people there were jumping up and down in a panic."
"Now that we've announced our development plan, what will they think?"
Yang Xiaotao immediately replied, "They must be jumping up and down in a panic."
“I guess if we launch another satellite, they’ll have to stay home, afraid that the ‘tungsten rod’ on the satellite will fall off.”
At this point, Yang Xiaotao seemed to remember something and said with ill intent, "Speaking of which, our country has a lot of tungsten mines, so we can start making these tungsten rods in advance."
When Mr. Xu saw that Yang Xiaotao had actually started to fill in the gaps in the plan on his own, he couldn't help but look at his uncle standing to the side.
Upon seeing this, the uncle shrugged, indicating that it had nothing to do with him and that he hadn't taught it.
Subsequently, General Manager Xu, General Manager Liu, and General Manager Peng offered suggestions, which were then supplemented by Yang Xiaotao, who came up with practical and feasible solutions, gradually refining the plan.
Secretary Guo, who was in charge of taking notes, kept writing with paper and pen in hand. Sometimes he had to listen carefully and understand before he dared to write it down, and sometimes he had to cross out what he had written.
However, in the process, Secretary Guo constantly refreshed his understanding.
He never imagined that such an important matter would be decided in such an environment, at a tea party with just a few people.
If someone had told him before that such a big matter would be handled so hastily, he certainly wouldn't have believed it and would have brought up the old methods used in the conference discussions to give him a good critique.
But now.
The facts are before our eyes.
The saying "Great music is silent, and a heavy sword has no edge" perfectly describes the scene before us.
Six people, each with a sentence and a suggestion, decided on an important strategy.
I've really learned something new.
Finally, the meeting concluded successfully with Yang Xiaotao's confirmation and reiteration.
At this moment, Secretary Guo stood at the door, his hands tightly gripping the notebook, watching the kind old people leave one by one, his heart once again filled with shock.
"Commander, I'm leaving now."
Only after the last person left did Yang Xiaotao say goodbye to Old Chen.
Old Chen glanced at Yang Xiaotao's hesitant expression and understood Yang Xiaotao's plan.
So he said, "Don't worry, we'll go all the way with this act."
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiaotao immediately nodded happily, "That's great! With your support, we're even more motivated."
"They must be richer now."
Old Chen joked, and Yang Xiaotao chuckled.
However, he quickly put away his smile and said, "We will need your cooperation next, so please don't tell anyone about this matter for now."
Yang Xiaotao nodded, "Understood, I won't tell anyone when I get back."
Old Chen nodded in satisfaction, and then saw Yang Xiaotao off.
After Yang Xiaotao drove away, Old Chen said to Secretary Guo, who was standing beside him, "Have Xiao Chen prepare the car!"
Secretary Guo realized what was happening and immediately went out to arrange a car.
Old Chen stood at the door with a faint smile on his face.