The train driver in the courtyard

The development of things at the Institute of Computing Technology was somewhat beyond Li Aiguo's expectations.

"Computer Dynamics" is just a niche journal in China, and ordinary people will never pay attention to it.

But on the American side.

The computer industry is booming, and the prospects of the computer industry have been optimistically viewed by many investors.
In the capitalist world, capitalists are like flies, able to keenly smell the location of rotten meat.

Even though the domestic and foreign servers are not yet connected, those well-informed capitalists are always paying attention to the movements of the flower growers.

The emergence of a supercomputer that can perform 5 calculations per second and has 72K of memory quickly attracted the attention of the American computer and investment communities.

However, they all expressed doubts about the performance of the 103 vacuum tube computer.

After all, the basic conditions in China are notoriously poor. In the eyes of Americans, there is no soil at all for developing computers.

A curious reporter interviewed Thomas Watson Jr., the legendary president of International Business Machines Corporation (IBM).

Thomas Watson Jr. was the son of Thomas Watson Sr.

In the early 1950s, with the help of Dr. Howard of the Naval Ordnance Bureau, Watson Sr. built the famous MARK computer in a laboratory at Harvard University, establishing the international Mercantile Machine Corporation's position in the computer field.

However, with the development of technology, the technology that Watson Sr. took out from the Naval Ordnance Bureau had become outdated, and the International Shangye Machine Company began to decline.

Old Watson was even ready to give up the International Shangye Machine Company and continue the family business, concentrating on the production of machine guns, sights and other weapons.

[That’s right, many multinational companies in later generations actually started out by relying on arms.

For example: Fiat makes naval guns, General Motors makes submarines, L'Oreal makes chemical weapons, Toshiba makes missiles, Mitsubishi makes tanks, HP makes fighter jet engines, etc.]

Thomas Watson Jr. became president of the International Mercantile Machine Company when it was in crisis.

He had a keen eye for Wang An's magnetic core memory and offered a high price of two million US dollars.

After Dr. Wang An agreed, he used Dr. Wang An's background to coerce and bribe him.

Thomas Watson Jr. finally paid only $500,000 to get the patent for magnetic core memory.

Relying on magnetic core memory, the international Shangye Machinery Corporation regained its strength.

So after reading the report on the 103 vacuum tube computer, Thomas Watson Jr. was very nervous.

But I have to stay calm.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible! We have the most advanced computer in the world."

"But although Orientals are poor, they don't like to exaggerate. They even take pride in their modesty." The reporter persisted.

Thomas Watson Jr. glanced at the reporter, thinking that this guy must have been sent by a competitor to cause trouble.

Of course, Thomas Watson Jr. also has his own reasons.

"We, International Shangye Machine Company, control the patents for magnetic core memory. The capacity of our magnetic core memory is only 36K. Do you think the capacity of Oriental's magnetic core memory can reach 72K?"

Having mastered core technology, Thomas Watson Jr. is indeed confident.

Once the report was released, discussion about the 103 electron tube in North America quickly decreased.

Those investors and computer experts all felt that Orientals had become as cunning as they were.

But two days later, "Computer Dynamics" which came out from the East announced another blockbuster news.

In the computing institute of Zhonghuajia, a consultant named Li designed a high-level programming language.

The language can automatically run programs, directly manipulate machine characters, and write games.

That language has a strange name, called ㄅㄛ language.

ㄅㄛ is a strange character even among Chinese characters, and most Americans cannot recognize it.

The reporters found someone who had worked in the mainland to figure out that this is a phonetic symbol, pronounced BO (啵).

It’s just that foreigners’ tongues are thicker and they can’t pronounce the O sound at the end.

Finally, the reporters and computer experts simplified BO, leaving only B to speak.

The ㄅㄛ language has become the B language again.

Zhonghuajia introduced the B language in detail in "Electronic Computer Dynamics" and published the programming specifications of the B language.

He even compiled a small game called Shooting Down American Planes using B language.

The magazine also comes with more than a dozen photos of the operation of the game of fighting American aircraft.

Because there is no display screen, after the program is running, the display lights made up of vacuum tubes on the console will flash rhythmically according to the program, forming an airplane.

Although it is abstract, it does look like an airplane.

Under the aircraft, there is a "gun barrel" consisting of five electron tubes.

The operator can issue commands to operate the gun barrel to fire bullets.

There are a total of sixteen operation photos, which were carefully arranged by the staff of the "Electronic Computer Dynamics" journal. If you flip through them quickly, you can see the entire process of firing a shell from the gun barrel and destroying the aircraft.

Quickly flipping through the pages of the book and watching the scenes of the aircraft attacking the American Empire played like a movie, Thomas Watson Jr. felt that the situation was serious.

To be able to run such a complex game program, the storage capacity of the core memory must be far more than 36K.

What is more serious is that the B language released by Zhonghuajia crushed the Fortran language released by International Business Machine Corporation last year in terms of both structure and function.

"This Li Aiguo is definitely here to cause trouble!"

A hint of murderous intent flashed in Thomas Watson Jr.'s eyes.

******
The emergence of the game of shooting American airplanes caused a sensation far beyond what Thomas Watson Jr. had expected.

Computer experts have compiled many computer games these days.

But those games are static games.

To attack American planes, players can control the firing of shells and destroy the planes.

For a time, the game of playing American airplanes was reported in newspapers across the United States, and it was inevitable to mention the 103 vacuum tube computer of the Flower Planting Company.

A nosy reporter spoke up again: "The East can come up with this kind of game, but we invest hundreds of millions of dollars every year, but in the end we don't come up with anything. Isn't this very suspicious?"

The computer experts were shocked and quickly expressed their grievance: "The East can come up with a computer that can shoot down American planes because they have a 103 vacuum tube computer, a memory that can store 72K of data, and a language."

The nosy reporter asked, "So it's all the fault of International Shangye Machinery Company!"

For a time, the stock price of International Commercial Machinery Company plummeted (International Commercial Machinery Company went public in 1911).

Thomas Watson Jr. held several meetings in succession, and finally came up with a solution after learning that Hextech had applied for a patent for the improved memory and the copyright for the game of shooting American airplanes.

"Immediately contact the Flower Planter's Hextech in Hong Kong City and purchase the patent for the improved model memory from them."

Li Aiguo came back from driving and was about to go back home after finishing his regular meeting. As he reached the door of the locomotive depot, he was stopped by the guard.

"Li Da Che, wait a minute, there is a confidential phone number for you in the section."

The Qianmen Locomotive Depot was a key unit in those days. In order to prevent Dieter from eavesdropping, the telephone company specially arranged a confidential line.

The telephone was placed in a dark little room.

On weekdays, it is managed by an old man who walks with a limp.

The old man is in his sixties. When he was a child, a bullet pierced his calf. He used to be in charge of weapons maintenance in the armed forces department.

This person has a problem and he can't sleep all day.

Even if I fall asleep, I will wake up immediately at the slightest noise.

What is needed to keep a confidential phone call is vigilance, so Minister Niu arranged for the old man to stay in the small house.

This can also be considered as applicable according to talent.

The old man has another problem, which is that he is too old-fashioned.

Even though Li Aiguo had been to the cabin several times, he still had a stern face and stretched out his hand through the small window at the door.

"Boy, ID!"

After verifying the ID, the old man opened the iron gate and walked out.

"Li Da Che, go answer the phone. When you come out, I'll tell you about my life on the battlefield."

The old man also has a bad habit, which is that he likes to talk about things in the past.

Usually, it was Section Chief Xing and other section leaders who answered the confidential calls. They were too busy with work and had no time to listen to stories.

Li Aiguo, on the other hand, was interested in past events and was a good listener.

When you don't need someone, call them kid.

When you need someone, call him Li Dache.

Quite powerful.

Li Aiguo didn't care.

This old comrade looks unremarkable and his resume is terrifying.

Even if you meet Minister Niu, you can call him "Little Niuzi".

After the old man walked out of the house, he took out his pistol, loaded it, and stood guard outside the door.

After the iron gate was closed, Li Aiguo walked to the table and picked up the red telephone.

"This is Li Aiguo from Qianmen Locomotive Depot."

"Please wait, the call is being transferred"

A manly voice came from the other side.

After a while.

Yang Jizong's voice came from the receiver.

"Brother Aiguo, we are rich, we are rich!"

"General Manager Yang, you are the general manager of Hextech. You are the man who will lead Hextech to become a world-class technology company. Please pay attention to your image."

"Ahem, Aiguo, have you heard of International Business Machines? It's a large computer company in the US, and now they want to buy our magnetic core memory patents. The asking price is $200 million."

When Li Aiguo heard about the International Shangye Machinery Company, he was quite happy. It was a big fat sheep.

But when he heard the 200 million US dollars, Li Aiguo frowned.

A few years ago, when the international business company Yee Machine Corporation purchased the magnetic core memory patent from Wang An, the asking price seemed to be also US$200 million.

Is it that the president of International Shangye Machinery Company has a low level of education, lacks imagination, and only knows 200 million US dollars?
"Four million dollars."

"What?!" Yang Jizong's surprised voice came from the other side of the phone.

Li Aiguo held the microphone and said in a deep voice: "Tell International Shangye Machinery Company that it will cost four million US dollars to purchase the patent. This money must be paid in one lump sum." There was silence on the other end of the phone.

It was obvious that Yang Jizong was also shocked by this astronomical figure.

However, Yang Jizong is only the general manager in name only, and the real controller of Hextech Technology is still Li Aiguo.

After a moment, Yang Jizong reacted and said, "I will notify the International Shangye Machinery Company now."

hang up the phone.

Li Aiguo walked out of the dark room with his hands behind his back and handed a cigarette to the old man.

"Uncle, come here, I want to hear how you lived your life as a child."

******
"What! Hextech is offering $400 million?"

After receiving the news, Thomas Watson Jr., president of International Shangye Machine Company, slammed the table and his eyes widened: "Does Hextech really think its magnetic core memory is worth so much money? They are blackmailing us."

An assistant rolled his eyes and said in a low voice: "Maybe we should agree to it first, and then do the same as we did with Wang Laboratories back then."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and made a chicken-killing gesture.

Peter, the manager in charge of the negotiations, shook his head quickly: "Hextech requires us to pay four million US dollars in advance before they will transfer the technology patent to us."

"How cunning! These Orientals are so cunning!" Upon hearing this, Thomas Watson Jr. slammed the table.

Pete was speechless.

If you hadn't used tricks against Wang Laboratories back then, would Hextech be so vigilant?
But as the manager in charge of negotiations, he still needs to give advice.

"It is said that Hextech is the property of the Yang family. How about we find some connections in Hong Kong and communicate with the Yang family face to face?"

"No need. A while ago, news came from Hong Kong that the Yang family has completed its internal reorganization. Now everyone in Hong Kong knows the position of the Yang family."

Although Thomas Watson Jr. had a bad character, he was a very shrewd man.

After getting involved in the family business, he used the Watson family's many years of connections to establish connections with some big shots in the United States.

Only by relying on well-informed information can one rise among a group of technology companies.

"But magnetic core memory is too important to us. If our competitors take it away from us, our products will become second-rate products," the manager reminded.

Thomas Watson Jr. smiled. "Not buying the patent doesn't mean we can't make an improved model of magnetic core memory."

After these words came out, Peter's face turned pale.

He understood that Thomas Watson Jr. was ready to "steal" the technology.

Of course, Thomas Watson Jr. wouldn’t call it “stealing” but “borrowing.”

Once you get the original technology, you can make it your own patent by making slight changes to it.

This was the trick used to deal with Wang Laboratories.

"It's just that we already got Wang Laboratories' magnetic core memory. Now the 103 vacuum tube computer is still in the mainland. What should we do?"

"Dear Mr. Pitt, I hired you as the manager in charge of negotiations, not for you to ask me questions." Thomas Watson Jr. interrupted him, stood up, put his hands on the table, and stared at the manager: "Now that negotiations are impossible, you can leave. Thank you for your contribution to our International Shangye Machinery Company."

"Leave?" Pete was stunned for a moment before he understood what Thomas Watson Jr. meant.

This is like getting rid of the donkey after it has done its job.

He smiled bitterly and shook his head, then returned to his office and left carrying the cardboard box.

Thomas Watson Jr. stood on the building, watching Pete's figure staggering and disappearing in the heavy rain, a smile appearing on the corner of his mouth.

He turned around and looked at his assistant and said, "Publish a notice in the Wall Street Journal tomorrow. The content is that Manager Pete, who is in charge of the negotiations, accidentally misinterpreted the intention of the board of directors during the negotiations with Wang Laboratories, which had a negative impact on the relationship between the two companies.

The company absolutely cannot tolerate such a person with no business spirit, so Pete has been fired."

"Yes!" The assistant couldn't help but shudder, turned around and left.

Wait until the office door is closed.

Thomas Watson Jr. sat back at his mahogany desk, picked up the gold-plated telephone on the table, and dialed a number.

"Hello, is this Uncle Jefferson? We have recently opened a new major with Harvard University, specializing in computer studies.

I remember that my cousin Mike seemed to be particularly fond of computers and had a lot of talent for them.

Our company likes this kind of talent, so we decided to provide a full scholarship to Mike’s cousin.”

"What? Cousin Mike likes finance and plans to work on Wall Street in the future? That's fine. We also have a partnership with Duke University and can provide scholarships as well."

"Okay, okay, I'll fly over to meet you right away."

After hanging up the phone, Thomas Watson Jr. picked up the phone again and contacted his assistant.

"Get the private jet ready right now. I'm heading to Langley, Virginia."

Half an hour later, a Cessna 172 belonging to the Watson family took off from the ground and flew towards Langley, the location of the American intelligence base.

Surrounded by white clouds, looking out the window at the pedestrians below who were as tiny as ants, Thomas Watson Jr. took a sip of his wine.

The bitter taste exploded in the mouth, and then became extremely sweet.

“Why spend money to buy something when you can just rob it?”

******
Thomas Watson Jr. was busy contacting Hextech.

In a two-story laboratory located on the corner of Clarendon Street and Columbus Avenue in Boston, Dr. Wang An was listening to a report from a financial staff member.

"What?! After paying $450,000, International Shangye Machinery Company is actually delaying payment?"

"International Shangye Machinery Company said that there was a problem with the patent we sold them, and their financial situation was not very good, so they postponed the payment for three years."

The financial officer said cautiously.

"How shameless! Thomas Watson Jr.'s behavior has completely violated business ethics." Dr. Wang An, who has always believed in traditional culture, cursed at this time, slammed his fist on the desk, and looked angry.

It's no wonder that he was so angry. International Shangye Machine Company had already acted like a rogue when it purchased the magnetic core memory patent, and now it is even going to default on its debt.

"They are not businessmen, they are robbers. Let's sue them! We want to sue the International Shangye Machinery Company." Dr. Wang An took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth.

The finance department reminded him, "Doctor, International Shangye Machinery Company has a very good relationship with the Navy, and they also have a very good relationship with those congressmen. If a lawsuit is filed..."

The finance manager didn't say anything else, and Dr. Wang An also understood.

The reason why the International Shangye Machinery Company was able to forcibly purchase his patent at a low price was because they were the local tyrant.

Dr. Wang An felt a sense of powerlessness.

Just then, there was a knock on the door outside the meeting room.

The finance department was stunned. Dr. Wang An had a bad temper. Normally, when he was in a meeting, he would not dare to let anyone knock on the door.

Dr. Wang An was stunned for a moment and shouted, "Come in."

A young man came in holding a newspaper and a report.

The young man was very sturdy, and looked more like a boxer than a researcher.

He had a head of thick hair that would make Dr. Wang An jealous.

Dr. Wang An has a special ability: he can remember everyone he has ever met.

The new employee, named Chambers, was a sales specialist in charge of Wang Laboratories' business in Asia.

"Chambers, you just flew back from Hong Kong City, what's up?"

"Something may have happened at the International Shangye Machinery Company. I think you should know about it."

Chambers placed the newspaper and report in front of Dr. Wang An.

Then he took a step back and stood quietly aside.

Dr. Wang An picked up the newspaper and read it for a few seconds.

He already knew the news in the newspaper, which was about the 103 vacuum tube computer and the American airplane shooting game, which were the hottest topics in the computer field recently.

Dr. Wang An picked up the report again, took just a glance at it, and immediately became excited.

"An improved model of magnetic core memory. Now what the International Shangye Machine Company stole from us may really become a pile of garbage."

Dr. Wang An knew that in the computer field, poor performance meant no value.

"Which company owns the patent for the modified magnetic core memory? I need to contact them immediately?"

Chambers had been keeping his head down, and only looked up at Dr. Wang An after being questioned: "The company that owns the patent is Hong Kong Hextech Technology. The apparent controlling shareholder of Hextech Technology is the Yang family from Hong Kong, but the person behind it is a man named Li Aiguo from the mainland."

"Our own people have come up with an improved magnetic core memory!"

When Wang An learned the news, he sighed in his heart, everything has its consequences!

International Shangye Machinery Company had snatched away his patent, and now his own family had stepped forward to give International Shangye Machinery Company a blow.

The depression that had been weighing on Wang An's heart for a long time finally disappeared.

Relieve your anger!
“Dr. Wang An, I know you have connections with the mainland.

If magnetic core memory can indeed have 72K storage capacity, it will change the current computer market.

So I suggest you contact the mainland.”

Chambers spoke in an orderly manner, like a cold robot.

"Yes, yes, yes. The mainland has made such great achievements. We who are far away overseas will also be proud of it. I will contact the mainland immediately."

Dr. Wang An realized that this was a good opportunity for Wang Laboratories.

As long as the patent for the improved magnetic core memory is obtained, the patent in the hands of International Shangye Machine Corporation will become waste paper.

After returning to the villa, Dr. Wang An called the comrade in charge of North America.

Dr. Wang An had already made a name for himself in North America at this time, and was still devoted to his motherland, so he was on the list.

After receiving the call, the staff in charge of North American business did not dare to delay and quickly sent the message back home.

"What? Dr. Wang An has set his sights on magnetic core memory and wants to purchase patent licenses?" Vice President Zhang of the Academy of Sciences was a little surprised when he heard the news.

At the same time he became excited.

There are already very few patented devices available in China, let alone high-tech equipment like computers.

It’s just that Hextech is not under the management of the Academy of Sciences.

"It's just that the patent rights of the magnetic core memory are in the hands of Li Aiguo, and are managed by Hextech in Hong Kong City. If necessary, we can help connect Dr. Wang An and Comrade Li Aiguo."

Vice President Zhang quickly regained consciousness and responded to his superiors.

(End of this chapter)