Siheyuan: My Northeastern Farmhouse

Chapter 187 Secretly
Director Yang was so excited that he told the story of the recent changes in the steel rolling mill: from accepting Qian Weichang, a teacher from Tsinghua University who came for labor reform, and caring for him in every possible way, to now relying on him for research, but... Research diesel engines and other technologies that have nothing to do with steel rolling!
Director Yang was heartbroken, "I'm not against researching technology, but it has to be suitable for our rolling mill, right? Just like the previous factory was planning to research roll mills, I just support it! And from what I know, this single-cylinder Diesel engines have very low technical content and can be produced by many machinery factories, so why are we still studying them? Isn't this a waste of manpower and material resources?"

The big leader tapped his fingers on the armrest of the sofa, frowning in thought.

Director Yang knowingly made tea with the Dahongpao he brought and gently placed it in front of the big leader.

After a long time, the big leader finally spoke, "I will mention it at the regular meeting of the Ministry of Agriculture next week to express my attitude, but you must also be prepared. If the Ministry arranges an investigation team to come down for inspection, there must be very special personnel in the factory. Definitive evidence!”

Factory Manager Yang was overjoyed and patted his chest and assured, "The big boss, Director Guo of the machine repair shop, has long been very dissatisfied with this phenomenon!"

The big leader nodded with satisfaction, "Well, the mass base is also very important!"

At the same time, Secretary Huang and Director Nie were drinking tea and chatting together, and they all talked about Director Yang's personality.

"If Director Yang didn't come to the rolling mill today, that would be a problem!" Secretary Huang commented positively on Director Yang, "Director Yang has been able to serve as workshop director under Lou Bancheng before the founding of the People's Republic of China, and then to manage production. The deputy director of the factory and the current director of the factory have merits both in terms of factory management and human relations!"

"Although our steel rolling mill has a better foundation, unlike Anshan Iron and Steel and Shijingshan, which were built from the ruins, in addition to the state's investment, Director Yang is also indispensable for its development to its current scale!"

"But after all, he is an employee from the old era, and he still retains the characteristics of bureaucracy and capitalism! He has only embraced it, but has not truly integrated into the working masses!"

Director Nie also frowned and asked strangely: "What about this time?"

Secretary Huang understood what Director Nie meant. Why didn't he investigate Director Yang's issue in depth this time?Secretary Huang smiled and said, "The main purpose is to correct the work style. Since the working group has not found any problems in Factory Director Yang's work, there is no need for us to push the working group to continue digging deeper to avoid affecting normal production!"

"After all, our steel rolling mill has undertaken many national-level tasks! Steel production is the most important! In addition, Director Yang is also changing in a good direction, and now he is slowly getting deeper into the grassroots level! But for now, it seems that he will continue Better management!”

Director Nie thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. However, since his own future was concerned, he couldn't help but ask, "Will Director Yang compete for the position of secretary?"

Secretary Huang picked up the tea and took a sip, "If he is smart and rational enough, he won't!" Looking at Director Nie's probing eyes, Secretary Huang continued to explain, "It is better to be still than to move at this time, especially in the position of secretary. It’s about ideological work, it’s hard to sit down!”

"You are from the army, and you follow the instructors ideologically. You have done a good job in uniting your comrades, so you have an advantage!"

Concern leads to chaos. Factory Director Nie was still worried about this step involving his main office, and asked further: "What if Director Yang must fight for the position of secretary?"

Secretary Huang smiled and pointed at Factory Director Nie and criticized, "The teachers taught us that all the party's work must be based on the interests of the masses as the starting point and foothold! What does this have to do with the position? If it is still the same after serious discussion in the organization, I think Factory Director Yang is more suitable for the job of secretary, what’s wrong with us working together?”

Director Nie quickly explained: "I am worried about the current research work!"

Secretary Huang shook his head and felt a little regretful about Director Nie's performance. "I will be transferred to Shijingshan Steel Plant in February. In comparison, Hongxing Steel Rolling Plant is small in scale, with less than 2 people! If the Ministry of Metallurgy does not To support the research work at the steel rolling mill, we can only invite scientist Qian and others to Shijingshan, where there is also a steel rolling branch. In short, the research work cannot stop! Lao Zhou and I can still withstand the pressure! Just like As Lao Zhou said, we stand upright and are not afraid even if the lawsuit goes to the top!"

"As for the Hongxing Steel Rolling Plant, it's better to keep it the same! There is no willingness to improve technology over the years. Whether it is seamless steel pipe or cold-rolled stainless steel technology, it has to be introduced from brother units!" Secretary Huang sighed deeply. In one breath, "In 64, the Ministry of Metallurgy spent a lot of money to introduce Austrian 50-ton converters, Swedish 50-ton electric furnaces, and Federal German 8-roller and 20-roller cold-rolled stainless steel technology and production lines to build Taiyuan Iron and Steel. Do you know how much it cost? What? Several hundred million!"

"How much millet can we sell? This is what we get in exchange for the grain that farmers have worked so hard to grow!"

Secretary Huang felt deeply guilty when talking about this topic, "So we must persist in our independent research work! The reason why Lao Zhou and I agreed with Gu Weijun's suggestion to focus on the single-cylinder diesel engine was because it was in line with the teacher's requirements. This idea of ​​handicraft industry and first-hand agriculture can produce results as quickly as possible, and can also effectively support agricultural production!"

"With the results, the pressure on subsequent technical research work will be much less! Upgrading the steel-making furnace from 30 tons to 50 tons, 100 tons, and upgrading the rolling mill from 2 meters wide to 4 meters wide will require more It’s time and investment!”

Factory Director Nie nodded silently. Before leaving, Secretary Huang gave him another message: "Xiao Nie, remember: maintain your style and continue to fight on the front line. No movement is worse than silence!"

At the weekly meeting of the Ministry of Metallurgy on Monday, the top leaders were discussing the candidate for secretary of the steel rolling mill. After hearing that Secretary Huang recommended Director Nie, they expressed their clear opposition!
The leader's tone was sonorous, and the reason for his objection was very solid. "We cannot blindly engage in research for the sake of performance. What is the main focus of our Ministry of Metallurgical Industry? This needs to be clarified! Can the work path be deviated? Absolutely not!"

"Doesn't the Ministry of Agricultural Machinery have any relevant agricultural machinery research? Does the Ministry of Machinery Industry no longer have relevant machinery research?"

"This kind of research that is done blindly for its own achievements is absolutely not allowed! The development of the factory must not be based on achievements alone! The ideological path must be correct!"

"Even if the steel rolling mill develops first-class agricultural machinery, what about the production arrangements? The production of the Jingcheng Agricultural Machinery Factory is not saturated, and it has begun to supply jeep engines to the Jingcheng Automobile Factory. Could it be that a steel rolling mill develops more agricultural machinery than the agricultural machinery factory? Is it suitable for agricultural development?”

The big leader slammed the table and shouted: "Nonsense!"

The leaders who supported Director Zhou and Secretary Huang also rebutted the big leader tit for tat, "Have you forgotten how much we spent just last year to introduce foreign steelmaking and steel rolling technology?"

"Why is it that the research on engines and agricultural machinery in steel rolling mills has become a neglect of the real job? Isn't the research of first-class agricultural machinery also beneficial to the country and the people?"

"Did the steel rolling mill affect its production plan? No!"

"When we first founded the country, we were so poor that we just built whatever the factories had the capacity to do? Didn't our achievements today reflect the subjective initiative of the workers? The spirit of independence and hard work cannot be lost!"

"If you make iron, you can't make steel? Once you make steel, you can't roll steel? After rolling steel, you can't do mechanical manufacturing? What's the truth? What a joke, which factory doesn't have a machine repair shop?"

The big leader's attitude was very tough, "We have introduced more advanced technology!"

The leader who retorted shouted angrily: "You are making generalizations!"

In the end, Minister Chen of the Ministry of Metallurgy stopped the quarrel between the two parties. The position of secretary of the steel rolling mill was temporarily left vacant to see the effect and the aftereffects!

(End of this chapter)