Chapter 1353
Madeleine, a staggering $3, and the dejected Little Mei's family.
The next day, Li Aiguo got up very early.
Today is the day the French delegation arrives at the Qianmen Locomotive Depot. As the negotiator, he should be making preparations.
Chen Xueru prepared clean clothes for him early in the morning. This was Li Aiguo's first time meeting with foreign representatives on a formal occasion.
Chen Xueru had planned to sew a suit for him to wear, but Li Aiguo smiled and waved his hand in refusal.
"Why wear a suit? I think a Zhongshan suit looks great."
Chen Xueru then snapped out of her daze and handed over a dark gray Zhongshan suit.
Wearing a Zhongshan suit and leather shoes, Li Aiguo looked in the mirror and saw that he was still the same handsome young man.
After finishing breakfast and, as usual, sending the children to school, Li Aiguo then arrived at the Qianmen Locomotive Depot.
The Qianmen Locomotive Depot was bustling with activity at this time.
Huang Shuxian and the publicity officers are putting up banners.
"We warmly welcome foreign friends to come and discuss cooperation!"
"Work hard and make great strides to build our great motherland!"
In an open space not far away.
Train drivers and staff were also temporarily mobilized, and they were carrying out a thorough cleaning of the locomotive depot with brooms and rags.
Even the grease in every corner was cleaned up thoroughly.
Now that France and we have officially established diplomatic relations, their delegation is naturally not going to resort to any secret visits to cover up their visit.
When it's time to be high-profile, you have to be high-profile!
Li Aiguo arrived at Section Chief Xing's office, where Section Chief Xing had changed into a brand new set of clothes.
"Patriotism is here. I just received a call from the foreign affairs department. The French delegation's motorcade has already departed. But I heard... they've brought a photographer with them."
Before Section Chief Xing could finish speaking, Li Aiguo understood: he was worried that the confidential equipment in the workshop would be photographed.
"Section Chief, don't worry. I discussed today's visit itinerary with the foreign affairs department yesterday, and we avoided several key workshops."
For a visit of this caliber, the route, the content of the visit, and even the people you talk to are all arranged in advance.
However, to prevent the French delegation from causing any trouble, Section Chief Xing still had Zhou Ke and several comrades from the railway police station stand by.
If anyone is found to have deviated from the designated route, they must be stopped. The approach should be neither arrogant nor humble, but polite and respectful.
Zhou Ke, who had received training at the weather station, immediately rubbed his hands together, eager to get started: "Don't worry, Section Chief."
At 8:30, a convoy led by police motorcycles arrived at the Qianmen Locomotive Depot workshop.
The car door opened, and a tall, blonde, blue-eyed French woman in her thirties stepped out of a large SUV.
"Ms. Madeline, this is Comrade Li Aiguo, the chief designer of the transport aircraft."
"Comrade Patriot, this is Ms. Madeleine, the head of the French delegation."
The accompanying foreign affairs officials immediately stepped forward to introduce the two sides.
Li Aiguo smiled and shook hands with Madeline, greeting her in fluent French: "Welcome, Ms. Madeline. Welcome to the Qianmen Locomotive Depot workshop."
"Oh my God! Mr. Li, you speak such fluent French?"
Madeline had been smiling as usual, but upon hearing the fluent French, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.
Upon seeing this, the translator from the foreign affairs department standing to the side immediately explained in French: "Comrade Li Aiguo recently attended an important international conference in your country, and his language skills are outstanding."
“An international conference…” Madeline frowned slightly and pondered for a moment, then suddenly seemed to remember something incredible.
"Oh my god! It's that medical conference! I remember now, you...you're the Asian who developed ibuprofen and cephalosporins!"
You're that amazing young man from the East who caused a sensation in the medical world!
Madeline's gaze toward Li Aiguo instantly warmed.
She suddenly reached out and tightly grasped Li Aiguo's hands.
This enthusiastic gesture clearly goes beyond the normal diplomatic handshake etiquette.
Li Aiguo was slightly bewildered by this sudden turn of events.
Should I pull my hand back, or just let her hold it?
The French interpreter, sensing that the leader had lost his composure, quickly explained, "Please don't misunderstand, everyone."
Ms. Madeline's daughter recently developed an extremely high fever, and her condition was critical.
Thanks to the use of ibuprofen and cephalosporin, these two miraculous medications, the child was out of danger and is now safe and sound.
"Yes! If it weren't for your medications, I probably would have had no choice but to give my little angel aspirin back then... which could have caused extremely serious side effects!"
Madeline realized her mistake and released Li Aiguo's hand.
"Li, as a mother, I want to express my sincerest gratitude to you. Thank you!"
"You're too kind. Treating the sick and saving lives is what we should do." Li Aiguo smiled modestly, and then naturally steered the conversation back on track.
"Ms. Madeline, time is of the essence. Please allow me to give you a detailed introduction to our Qianmen Locomotive Depot workshop and its various subordinate workshops. Please come this way."
Li Aiguo smiled and led Ms. Madeline inside.
Madeline's relationship with Li Aiguo quickly grew closer because of the medication.
During the visit, Madeleine even cracked a few jokes with Li Aiguo that only French people would understand, and Li Aiguo responded fluently in French, which made Madeleine laugh frequently.
Seeing this, several French photographers walking behind immediately captured the scene and frequently pressed their shutters.
Flashes of light filled the air, capturing the two smiling faces on film.
The foreign affairs officials who had been accompanying him finally breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this scene.
The photos from this visit will most likely make the front page of major newspapers in France.
Motorcycle workshop, train signal equipment workshop, electric blanket workshop, instant noodle workshop
As Ms. Madeline walked along, shaking hands and greeting the employees, she felt that her eyes couldn't take it all in.
In her memory, this place was particularly backward.
But now, what did she see with her own eyes?
There are dozens of workshops, each of which is particularly large in scale.
The equipment in the workshop is more advanced than some factories in France.
Faced with Madeline's undisguised amazement and doubt, Li Aiguo smiled and gave his explanation.
"There are probably two reasons. The first is that our workers are particularly diligent and hardworking, which has led to rapid development."
"As for the second reason, it is because some people's newspapers always like to look at us with prejudice and outdated views."
“Yes! Yes, yes, yes! That’s it!” Madeline nodded repeatedly in agreement.
"Just like in Xiaomei's family newspaper, you can hardly see any positive news about your area. They always like to exaggerate, or even fabricate facts!"
You see, because they were both somewhat dissatisfied with "Xiao Mei's" arrogant attitude, they inadvertently and quickly found a strong basis for cooperation and emotional resonance.
That's how cooperation works; you have to find a foundation for cooperation before you can continue.
The last stop on the tour was the hangar where transport planes are parked.
The aircraft manufacturing workshop is definitely a secret; there's no need to even think about it. Zhou Ke has been keeping a close eye on this place with his men.
However, Madeline was completely oblivious to whether she had missed any core areas.
From the moment the hangar doors opened, her eyes were fixed on that enormous machine.
It must be said that the "Vostok 1" transport aircraft is indeed visually striking.
The massive fuselage, wings, and landing gear sat quietly in the empty hangar, looking almost like a small steel building.
"Patriotic comrade. Please allow me to address you as comrade. My ancestors participated in the storming of the Bastille."
Although one is an activity of the bourgeoisie and the other is a cause of the proletariat.
However, it is undeniable that, at their respective historical stages, they all represented steps taken by human society toward progress.
At this moment, Madeleine's use of the word "comrade" can be considered to be sincere and heartfelt.
Li Aiguo smiled and nodded, gladly accepting the title.
Madeline turned her gaze back to the transport plane and said frankly, "To be honest, before coming to the capital, I was filled with worry."
I doubt whether the transport planes built in this distant Eastern country can truly meet the strategic needs of our Gauls.
But now, the moment I saw it, the answer to that question was self-evident.
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the French delegation members following Madeline changed slightly.
It's worth noting that before they flew to China, they held several closed-door meetings and agreed on only one negotiation strategy.
That is, no matter what the other party's plane is like, you have to find fault with it to lower the price at the negotiating table.
The result was good.
Before they even reached the negotiating table, after just one tour, their delegation leader was completely captivated by this giant aircraft, abandoning all the previously agreed-upon price-cutting strategies.
However, the members of these delegations exchanged glances, and upon closer reflection, could only manage a helpless, bitter smile in their hearts.
Can we blame the guild leader for this?
Let's take a look at what kind of transport aircraft are currently the mainstay of the French military.
The Noratras transport aircraft, with its outdated twin-engine piston design, has a maximum payload of only 8 tons and can only carry 60 soldiers or some light equipment at a time.
Compared to Vostok 1, it's like a toy.
Of course, there was another point they discussed that they absolutely couldn't reveal: the French were about to launch an operation in North Africa and urgently needed large transport planes.
As a time traveler, how could Li Aiguo not know about the French family's petty affairs in North Africa?
With such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, how could we let go of this chance to fleece the big spenders?
During the afternoon negotiations, Li Aiguo said with a smile: "Ms. Madeleine, our Vostok 1 transport aircraft is equipped with the world's most advanced high-thrust turbojet engine."
The entire fuselage is made of our proprietary, state-of-the-art high-strength aerospace aluminum alloy.
Its landing gear also uses a special high-strength alloy, allowing it to take off and land on unpaved runways!
"As for the aircraft's internal avionics system, it is even more advanced."
We have a fully automated radar altimeter; the system will immediately issue an alarm if the flight altitude exceeds the warning line or falls below it…”
Li Aiguo, who had experienced the evolution of various marketing techniques in later generations, truly understood how to sell a product at an unbelievably high price.
Madeline and the other French representatives were stunned.
The engine is the most advanced, the fuselage materials are the most advanced, the avionics system is also the most advanced... Wow, it's full of the best stuff from head to toe!
But how come this flight helmet is now considered state-of-the-art?
"Comrade Patriot, let's talk about airplanes. As for flight helmets... I think that with the industrial strength of our Gallic country, we are fully capable of producing them ourselves."
Madeline's meaning was quite clear.
That's enough, there's a limit to bragging. You're calling a broken helmet the most advanced in the world, you're just trying to fool us.
Li Aiguo did not refute Madeline, but instead asked Zong Xianfeng to bring over the flight helmet.
The current flight helmet has been upgraded. The main body of the helmet is white, while the front visor is dark-colored to block out the light. The black and white contrast is striking, and it is also known as the panda helmet.
"The shell of this 'Panda Helmet' is made of our latest composite high-strength material."
While maintaining adequate protection, it weighs only half as much as internationally standard flight helmets!
"It can perfectly withstand the powerful airflow impact generated during a 100km/h ejection parachute jump! Its impact resistance reaches 73.5J, and its penetration resistance reaches 23.5J!"
"It integrates an advanced micro oxygen supply system, which can stably ensure the pilot's normal breathing and blood pressure even under an overload of up to 9G!"
"Most importantly, do you see this reserved tactical interface on the side? In the future, it can be directly equipped with low-light night vision devices, allowing pilots to see targets as clearly as in daylight even in the dark!"
That's right, Li Aiguo brought out the panda helmet from later generations.
Although limited by the current level of the electronics industry, functions such as optical aiming protection and multi-source information fusion have been removed.
But even if it's just an outer shell and a basic system, in this era, it's absolutely enough to dominate the world and become the most advanced technology without a doubt!
Madeline stared at the helmet in silence for a moment before speaking, "Comrade Patriot, I think... we can talk about the price now."
"Thirty million US dollars! One aircraft!"
"This is impossible! It's twice as expensive as Xiaomei's C-141?!"
Before Madeline could even speak, the French representatives behind her stood up from their chairs in shock.
It's worth noting that the C-141 transport aircraft, which is currently being promoted by the US, is priced at only around ten million US dollars!
Li Aiguo smiled faintly: "Gentlemen, this matter cannot be settled in this way."
The C141 has a payload of 40 tons, while this one has 80 tons, a range of 2000 kilometers, and can take off and land on unpaved runways.
It can be used even in war zones or harsh environments.
What you need is ultra-long-range strategic airlift capability, not some small gadget like the C-141.
"But...but this price is just too outrageous..." The representatives were speechless after being confronted, but they still felt that the price was simply robbery.
"Alright, everyone sit down." Madeline suddenly raised her hand, interrupting her subordinates' argument. She gave Li Aiguo a deep look.
When she heard Li Aiguo insist on the words "ultra-long-range strategic delivery capability, theater," she realized with despair that she probably couldn't get the price down by a single penny today.
President Dai is now dreaming of restoring the former imperial glory of the Gallic Kingdom and returning to North Africa.
At this critical juncture, they absolutely cannot abandon the large transport aircraft capable of carrying out this mission!
But... where did this Easterner named Li Aiguo get this top-secret intelligence?
It's important to know that the entire plan to return to North Africa is currently only known to a few of President D'Angelo's closest confidants, and even many high-ranking members of the French government are still kept in the dark!
"Great! Thirty million US dollars per aircraft! We'll order ten for the first time! But we have one condition: you must complete all deliveries within three months!"
"Deal! Ms. Madeline is such a straightforward person."
As friends, we can also offer free flight training for the first batch of pilots. Additionally, we can send senior mechanics to your country to help establish a maintenance system.
"However, there is one thing I must state in advance," Li Aiguo said, his smile fading.
"You should be clear that we have a technology lien on large strategic aircraft like this that possess core technologies."
"If you dismantle core components without permission, we have the capability and the means to bring all your transport planes to an instant halt!"
Training pilots and dispatching mechanics to establish a maintenance system... these two services would be considered standard "pig butchering scam" add-ons in the arms trade of later generations.
Of course, it's called a "free gift" now, but when it comes to maintenance, repairs, and parts replacements later, it'll all be pure foreign exchange!
Moreover, as long as the French pilots and ground crew are trained in the East, they can naturally grasp the usage of these aircraft.
Incidentally, these exchanges among grassroots personnel can further strengthen the implicit relationship between the two countries in the defense field.
"Deal." Madeline gave Li Aiguo a deep look; she always felt that Li Aiguo had too many cards to play.
"A pleasure doing business with you, deal!"
Li Aiguo stood up and extended his hand to Madeleine again.
"Thirty million US dollars for a plane? That's an astronomical price!"
"Let me do the math. The Concorde, which is said to be able to fly at supersonic speeds, is currently priced at only around $1800 million..."
Good heavens! All things considered, our 'Vostok 1' is definitely the most expensive aircraft currently openly sold for export on the international market!
Inside the Aviation Industry Bureau, the top leaders were invigorated upon hearing the news.
Of course, the reason for limiting the export of aircraft is that fighter jets such as the XB70 Valkyrie and SR71 Blackbird have high manufacturing costs, but since they are not exported, it is impossible to calculate their selling price.
"Great! Comrade Patriot has really made us proud this time! The French have ordered ten aircraft at once, which is a full three hundred million US dollars in foreign exchange!"
"Wow, this is way more than we earn from selling tons of agricultural products all the time!"
"Especially in terms of strategic significance, our transport planes have entered France's territory. Pilot training and transport plane maintenance must follow our methods, which have been incorporated into our system and can expand our sphere of influence."
Upon hearing this, the leaders' eyes lit up.
Yes, the arms trade is never a one-off deal.
Generally speaking, when a family purchases weapons and equipment from another company, especially complex equipment like airplanes and warships that require a large logistical support system, it indicates which company's equipment they own.
Therefore, in the coming decades, due to system inertia and compatibility issues, they will most likely continue to purchase products from this company in their next procurement.
This is called system integration!
The only oddball is the Indian family.
The Indian family is a well-known collector of all kinds of antiques.
At the same time, they spent a lot of money to buy various equipment from the Russians, the Americans, and even the French.
The result? Logistics was a complete disaster. Various pieces of equipment were incompatible with each other, creating a hodgepodge, and often leading to laughable situations due to the inability to find matching parts.
"This is great news. I will report it to my superiors immediately."
The leader of the Aviation Industry Bureau took the report and stood up.
Inside a study in the capital city.
The superior was reviewing documents when he learned that the aviation leader was reporting on the situation, and he stood up.
"Why are you here at this time? Is there some progress in the negotiations regarding the large transport aircraft deal with the Qianmen Locomotive Depot?"
Seeing the attention from higher-ups, the aviation leaders knew they had made the right decision.
"Yes, leader! This is fantastic news! Comrade Li Aiguo has reached a complete agreement with the French delegation! Look, this is the preliminary cooperation agreement that has just been signed."
The superior took the agreement, glanced at it, and laughed, "Thirty million US dollars for one airplane?!"
This is absolutely astronomical in the current international arms market!
In my opinion, our Comrade Li Aiguo is not only a scientific genius, but also an absolute prodigy in economic negotiations!
"I also think that Comrade Li Aiguo deserves great credit for securing this super order at such an incredible price!"
Furthermore, he argued forcefully at the negotiating table and successfully secured for us the subsequent construction of the aircraft maintenance system and the pilot training services for French pilots!
"Well, since you've made such a great contribution, you should be rewarded. This matter will be handled by your aviation department," the superior said.
When this matter was brought up, the leaders of the aviation department were immediately filled with worries.
The airborne tactics that Li Aiguo had developed earlier became essential tactics for airborne troops after the capture of the small town of Pami.
Li Aiguo also wrote a complete set of tactical ideas, which made a great contribution. He was supposed to be promoted, but the procedures were not yet completed. Now he has made another contribution.
What should I give them?
However, those who should express their stance should still do so.
"Sir, please rest assured, I will make the arrangements as soon as I get back." The leader of the aviation department stood up.
The superior nodded, then seemed to suddenly remember something and gave a special instruction.
"By the way, the delegation led by Madeleine from the Gallic family is our guest."
They've come all this way, and they'll probably stay in Beijing for a while.
Go back and immediately convey my instructions: tell Li Aiguo that he must be treated with the utmost hospitality and show them our best hospitality.
"Don't worry! We guarantee the mission will be completed!"
Just kidding, we should be enthusiastic about the $300 million order.
As for why the French delegation, even after signing the agreement, chose to remain in Beijing?
The aviation authority leaders had no intention of asking at all.
Li Aiguo had assumed that after the deal for the transport plane was finalized, Madeline would lead the team away.
After all, they urgently needed large transport planes to go to North Africa to do their thing, and time was of the essence.
However, they were told that Madeleine and the delegation members were going to visit the capital, and Li Aiguo was appointed as their tour guide.
"The leader said you should treat Comrade Aiguo well."
"Yes!"
Li Aiguo did not ask Madeline and the others why they stayed there.
That's how it is these days; don't ask questions you shouldn't ask.
As for how to entertain them, Li Aiguo had already thought it through.
The capital city has the most famous historical sites and scenic spots.
Visiting the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace would be exhausting.
What? They still have energy to do all that?
Then the next day we'll take them directly to visit the even more expansive Yuanmingyuan Ruins!
In short, tour guide Li's hospitality principle has only one goal.
The main goal is to exhaust all their excess energy in this beautiful land!
That way they won't wander around aimlessly and see things they shouldn't.
The next morning, the sky was high and the clouds were light.
“Dear Ms. Madeline, the place we are going to today is called the Badaling Great Wall.”
Li Aiguo pointed to the magnificent building in the distance and introduced it: "In ancient times, this was a great military defense project built to resist foreign invasion."
Today's itinerary is very relaxed; it's just a walk from the fourth floor of the South Gate to the Fortress.
Upon hearing Li Aiguo say that "the trip was very easy," Madeline immediately breathed a sigh of relief and nodded with a very elegant smile.
What she didn't know was that even though only a small section of the Great Wall was open to the public in that era, it still stretched for several miles.
Just as Li Aiguo was happily "training" on the Great Wall with Madeline and others.
The European continent, thousands of miles away, was in an uproar because of a news story.
Several of the largest-circulation mainstream newspapers in France published the news of this cooperation on their front pages on the same day!
On the front page, there was a photo of Li Aiguo and Madeleine shaking hands.
The headline reads: "A Historic Handshake! France Expected to Purchase Ten New Strategic Transport Aircraft from the Far East, Deal Worth $3 Million!"
This earth-shattering news was like a nuclear bomb dropped on a calm lake, instantly shocking the entire Western world!
The first reaction of everyone who saw the newspaper was disbelief.
"My God! The price of this plane is outrageous! A whopping thirty million US dollars apiece?!"
"That backward country to the east actually managed to build a strategic transport aircraft? Has the French been fooled by those cunning Easterners?"
"This is absolutely impossible! Commander-in-Chief Dai has always been shrewd and capable. How could he allow such an outrageous and ridiculous deal to happen?"
If the bystanders are just watching the show...
So, after receiving this definite information, Xiao Mei's family, as the leader, couldn't sit still any longer.
You should know that the US has been holding France by the throat, planning to sell their C-141 transport planes at an exorbitant price.
So when President Dai humbly inquired about the purchase intentions of the American family, the American family deliberately put on airs and used various absurd reasons such as insufficient production capacity and technical limitations to delay the purchase.
They're just waiting for the French to be cornered so they can squeeze them dry.
Now, things have taken a turn for the worse. The leader of the group that they had always considered easy prey has turned around and bought ten transport planes from the East at great expense!
This is tantamount to slapping Xiaomei's family hard across the face in front of the whole world!
Xiao Mei's family immediately called France and launched into a stern rebuke, condemning France for acting unilaterally and being extremely disrespectful!
Faced with the eldest brother's aggressive questioning, the Gallic family was surprisingly confident and self-assured this time.
"You're blaming us? What a joke! You're holding onto your planes and refusing to sell them to us, so why can't we buy from other companies?!"
Xiao Mei's family never expected that the Gallic family wouldn't listen to him, their leader, but they were shocked to find that they had no cards in their hand.
After all, the French had long wanted to leave the Northern Alliance, while the French had built transport planes in the east.
The situation was beyond their control, and the previously arrogant executives of Xiaomei's company instantly changed their tune.
"Brother Chicken, don't be angry. There's just a misunderstanding between us. Instead of buying transport planes from the east, why don't you buy mine? I'll give you a 20% discount, how about that?"
The person in charge from the French side sneered and retorted, "A 20% discount? That's quite a price reduction. But... can your transport planes carry eighty tons of cargo at a time?"
"Uh... well... a lighter load is fine! I can even include a five-year full range of maintenance and repair services free of charge!"
"I just have one question: can your transport planes carry eighty tons?"
"."
"Can we not mention the figure of eighty tons?"
"As a transport aircraft, if we don't talk about its carrying capacity, what should we talk about? Its appearance?"
"."
Xiao Mei hung up the phone in frustration.
He felt that his little brother was becoming increasingly disobedient.
Li Aiguo's tour guide career has unknowingly reached its fifth day.
When I learned that the afternoon tour was cancelled
Meanwhile, people from the Ninth Bureau and the Thirteenth Division of Shanghai came over. When Lao Mao personally led the team to carry out the mission, Li Aiguo knew that his tour guide career was coming to an end.
Without a doubt, Madeline's presence here is definitely related to the Super Mushroom Egg.
However, Li Aiguo was unsure about the extent of our cooperation with the French.
In our previous life, after we finished dealing with things here, the French also quickly detonated the Super Mushroom Egg.
Then, with the mushroom eggs by their side, the French left the Northern Alliance.
Will history repeat itself?
If that's the case, we should add fuel to the fire if we have the chance.
Sure enough, as evening approached, Madeline returned to the Friendship Hotel and said her goodbye: "Comrade Patriot, I'm going back tomorrow. Thank you so much for taking me to see so many famous historical sites these past few days. You're a great tour guide."
"It's all I should do. I'll take you tomorrow."
The next morning, Li Aiguo personally went to the airport to see Madeline and the members of the delegation off onto the plane.
When Li Aiguo returned to the Qianmen Locomotive Depot, Lao Mao came over before he could even sit down.
"Professor Yu from the Thirteenth Research Office of the Theoretical Department of the Ninth Academy wants to meet you."
(End of this chapter)