Scholars in the courtyard.

Chapter 2943 A Fair Competition is Needed
Shanghai.

When Zhang Kangzhan led his fleet into the port, Zhang Wu, who was in charge there, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Old Zhang, stop holding back and go take a look."

Laughter came from Chief of Staff Huang Bo beside him, and Zhang Wu laughed along.

"They're all back, why would I go see them!"

"Make sure the dock makes the arrangements, unload the oil as soon as possible, and avoid any further trouble!"

Zhang Wu spoke casually, trying to maintain the dignity of being both a father and an official, before asking the chief of staff, "Have you found out which part it belongs to?"

"They dare to carry out such a blatant sabotage and attack; they must have a death wish."

The chief of staff shook his head. "No, there's no news yet."

"The incident occurred near the open sea. When our ships went there to search, there were no traces left. Moreover, since the other party dared to take action, they must either not be afraid of covering it up or have made thorough preparations."

"At this point, the other party should have relayed the message back."

"In that case, the Jiaolong submersible will also be exposed, since that's not near the coast."

Zhang Wu nodded. "So what if they know? As long as we don't announce it, let them think what they want."

Then, thinking of the Jiaolong's performance, he laughed heartily again, "The Jiaolong did a great job this time. Let's celebrate their success when we get back."

The chief of staff also laughed and said, "Indeed, the fact that the Jiaolong was able to hold out until the end and have the last laugh is a testament to the excellent performance of the soldiers."

"However, judging from Gong Lang's feedback, this operation still has some shortcomings!"

The chief of staff sat to the side and spoke, and Zhang Wu listened attentively.

He said that the main reason for the surprise attack was that the other side did not expect our submarine to be able to follow us all the way to the open sea. After all, as you know, ordinary submarine chasers often have limited range.

Zhang Wu nodded, explaining that it was precisely because of the Jiaolong's special nature that it participated in the escort mission this time.

However, it now seems that this escort mission was made possible by the Jiaolong submersible; otherwise, it would have been very difficult for the Li Guang and its crew to protect the oil tanker and complete the mission.

"The second problem is that the submarine is still too noisy, even louder than a regular submarine."

"This gives them little advantage when they are underwater."

Zhang Wu nodded, tapping his fingers on the table. "This has already been discussed with the academy."

"They reported that the operation of the nuclear reactor and steam turbine would cause vibrations in the mechanical system, which would generate noise."

"So if we want to improve, one is to develop noise reduction technology, and the other is to increase the precision between machines."

After Zhang Wu finished speaking, he sighed and said, "We've just started researching the former, and as for the latter, we'll have to find someone to help us!"

The chief of staff nodded. The problem didn't arise overnight, nor can it be solved overnight.

Things are better now than before, because before, there wasn't even a chance for problems to arise.

"The third problem is the nuclear reactor!"

The chief of staff was talking for a while, then he ran out of things to say because this part involved areas where his knowledge was lacking, and it was the kind of thing he couldn't explain clearly.

"What's the problem?"

But Zhang Wu kept asking, so the chief of staff could only say, "It seems the outer casing is too hot, and there's some radiation issue!"

"I heard that he paid special attention after witnessing the situation at Kosaka Castle last time."

"I don't know the specifics either. They'll explain it to me in detail when they get back."

Zhang Wu nodded, then asked, "The torpedo issue we discussed last time, it seems it's been resolved this time!"

The chief of staff shook his head. "That's the last question I wanted to address."

"What's wrong?"

"Ordinary torpedoes pose too little threat to submarines on the seabed!"

"Especially with the continuous improvement of engine technology, submarines are becoming more and more powerful and their reaction time is getting faster and faster."

"For a conventional torpedo to hit its target, it not only needs to gather a large amount of information but also needs to calculate it in a very short time. The reaction time is short, and the success rate is too low!"

"Therefore, we need better acoustic homing torpedoes!"

"The cost is just too high!"

As the chief of staff spoke, Zhang Wu felt a headache coming on.

There are problems everywhere, and money is needed everywhere.

After the chief of staff finished speaking, he understood the situation: this thing cost money to build, and maintenance cost even more...

However, these are things that superiors should consider; there's no use in them thinking about them more.

"I heard that our big ship has started to pick up speed?"

Instead of talking about upsetting things, the chief of staff took the initiative to talk about something cheerful.

Zhang Wu nodded in agreement. "Yes, the pace has sped up. The original three-year construction period has been extended to five years due to funding issues."

"However, we have enough funds now, and it should be able to be completed in three years."

Zhang Wu said with relief, pressing his hands on the chair, "Of course, it's unclear whether there will be any other issues later."

"However, I don't think it will be later than 1977!"

Zhang Wu said with a smile, and the chief of staff nodded in agreement, "In that case, we might be able to go up and take a look before we retreat."

"By the way, has the captain been decided?"

The chief of staff asked in a low voice, knowing that the two of them, having reached their current positions, were basically no longer destined to be captains.

But he had a lot of gossip in his mind.

Zhang Wu shook his head, "That's a bit early."

"Besides, the ship's name hasn't been decided yet! What's the rush!"

The chief of staff looked at Zhang Wu and smiled, "Don't worry about the ship's name, that's a matter for higher-ups. But as for the personnel selection..."

"I heard that the academy is going to set up a training program for senior generals, which will include professional training for various job functions!"

"Old Zhang, I think Kangzhan is a good kid. Why don't you let him give it a try?"

Zhang Wu's expression was serious. He was about to speak when the chief of staff stopped him.

"Don't rush to object, listen to me first."

"First of all, the age was right for the War of Resistance, around forty years old, which is the prime of life."

"Furthermore, he has extensive combat experience, having worked on gunboats, missile destroyers, transport ships, and other positions, so his basic skills are quite good."

"Finally, he represents Shanghai, we can't just give it to those people from the north."

After the chief of staff finished speaking, Zhang Wu opened his mouth, but finally shook his head and sighed, "Well, it's hard to say."

"The age of those who fought in the war was a problem, and people from the north had an advantage!"

After Zhang Wu finished speaking, the chief of staff immediately waved his hand, "Age has never been a problem. Have you forgotten about your Commander Yang?"

"this…"

Thinking of his nephew who had been found, Zhang Wu felt a surge of complex emotions.

In the past, younger generations would often compare their children to other people's children to encourage their own.

But later, when even they had to look up to these other people's children, it was better not to say anything.

"Old Zhang, let me say something unpleasant."

The chief of staff spoke again, "In terms of strength, we are no less than those in the north."

"In terms of achievements, we are miles ahead of them."

"In terms of importance, what are we facing, and what are they facing?"

"From both a moral and logical standpoint, this ship should stay with us, especially since it was built here."

"For the reasons mentioned above, it wouldn't make sense not to appoint one of our own as captain."

As the chief of staff spoke, Zhang Wu's expression remained unchanged, but his heart was filled with conflict.

He was naturally aware of everything that was being said.

But he understands even more the importance of unity.

Given the current situation, building just one ship has already strained the domestic resources and nearly crippled the Ninth Division's support. The idea of ​​building another one is simply wishful thinking, unless the Ninth Division is willing to invest heavily.

But is it possible?

Even if Yang Xiaotao wanted to, he should have considered the opinions of the other people in the Ninth Division.

Zhang Wu knew that this ship might be a historic one, or even the only one in the last twenty or thirty years.

He understood the profound historical and contemporary significance of the matter, and so did everyone else.

Being able to become the captain of the first aircraft carrier is enough to leave a significant mark on history.

Many people have their eyes on this position.

Many people are even working hard for this.

Their family.
Zhang Wu shook his head inwardly. Although he had made many contributions in the past two years, compared to others, he was still too inexperienced.

"Old Huang, this matter is not as simple as you think!"

At this point, a hint of melancholy flashed in Zhang Wu's eyes, "Maybe they've already drawn the circle, we just don't know it yet."

Huang Bo understood the meaning behind Zhang Wu's words and also grasped the underlying logic.

Compared to Zhang Wu, he was an outsider and saw things more clearly, so he walked up to Zhang Wu, took out a cigarette from his pocket, and they lit it together.

As he exhaled a puff of smoke, Huang Bo licked his lips and said again, "Old Zhang, I don't know what you think, but I'll offer my perspective as an outsider."

Zhang Wu nodded, and Huang Bo continued, "You also know why we were able to build this ship?"

"We still used the materials and money from the Nine Ministries!"

"Without their support, if we rely on ourselves, we wouldn't be able to build it even in thirty years, let alone three or five!"

Speaking of the Nine Departments, Zhang Wu suddenly understood the meaning behind the other person's words.

Because there is one person among the nine departments who cannot be ignored.

Then Huang Bo continued, "That person from the Ninth Department, I must say, is a big shot, a very important person."

"Old Zhang, I really didn't expect that your ancestral grave would still be emitting auspicious smoke, tsk tsk."

Zhang Wu exhaled a puff of smoke and said, "You can't be envious!"

"Ha ha!"

Huang Bo smiled, then said seriously, "Old Zhang, you have a nephew like this, why don't you use him?"

"We don't need him to take our side, just say something, say something about fair competition, that's enough!"

"Give us a chance to get into the industry, a chance to compete fairly."

After Huang Bo finished speaking, Zhang Wu's heart stirred slightly.

Then, looking at the chief of staff seriously, he asked, "Is this your personal opinion?"

The chief of staff chuckled. "Of course not, I'm just one of them!"

He got up and walked to the window, looking at the distant sea. "Many comrades think the same way!"

"Old Zhang, sometimes you need to take bigger steps!"

"Since there's this kind of relationship, even if you don't say anything, people won't know?"

"If you don't fight for it, it just means you don't care and you don't have the will to fight."

"You never know, they're just waiting for you to give your opinion."

Huang Bo's words were like a wake-up call, making Zhang Wu realize that his thinking was too one-sided and naive.

If we're not exactly an open secret about our relationship with Yang Xiaotao, then at least anyone who can find out about it will know.

They also clearly understood the contributions of the Ninth Division to this shipbuilding project.

In fact, if he just speaks, he will not only enter the circle, but he will even get closer to the center.

Previously, I was hesitant and cautious, so I didn't clearly express my stance, thus creating the illusion of indifference.
Zhang Wu forcefully stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, his expression returning to calm. Huang Bo, standing beside him, continued, "There are many eyes watching us too."

Let's see how far we can go!

Zhang Wu frowned slightly but remained silent.

He understood what the eldest and second eldest brothers were thinking, but being in their positions, he couldn't very well show favoritism.

But now that the chief of staff has said this, Zhang Wu feels that this is no longer just a personal matter for him.

Suddenly, Zhang Wu felt a bit irritated. His position was becoming increasingly important, but the things he was facing were becoming more and more troublesome, and he felt increasingly powerless to control his own destiny.

At this moment, he suddenly thought of his powerful nephew in Beijing. Could he have such worries?
And how can we resolve these troublesome issues?
Perhaps we should listen to the other party's opinion on this matter!

Nine parts.

Yang Xiaotao sneezed twice in a row, prompting Lou Xiao'e and Liu Lixue in the room to look up. They then exchanged a glance and went back to their work.

Yang Xiaotao rubbed his nose, then frowned as he looked at the document.

This is the project plan submitted by the West-East Gas Pipeline project team.

Or rather, this is a plan specifically designed by Teacher Xie Jiarong.

Of course, this is just a first draft.

Even the first draft gave Yang Xiaotao a headache.

First, there's the personnel.

Yang Xiaotao looked at the list Xie Jiarong had compiled; it was still the same people he had written down before.

But what about the identities of these people...?

Each and every one of them, at the very least, was the second-in-command of a local geological college or department.

From this perspective, it's clear how talented Professor Xie Jiarong's students are.

The fact that these students are so accomplished while their own families live in such poverty speaks volumes about their character.

From that moment on, in Yang Xiaotao's mind, Teacher Xie was on the same level as his own master.

Therefore, Yang Xiaotao decided to appoint him as the honorary president of the Ninth Research Institute, firmly binding him to the Ninth Department's chariot.

With Teacher Xie's intervention, these people were easily dealt with.

As for whether these people's employers would release them or whether anyone would take over their projects, Yang Xiaotao didn't think it was a problem at all.

"Xiao'e, send a message to the people on these lists and their respective work units in the name of the Ninth Department."

"Have them come to the Ninth Department for a meeting on August 1st."

"Those who cannot come should submit a report in advance explaining the situation!"

Lou Xiao'e quickly stood up, nodded, and then stepped forward to take the list.

Then Lou Xiao'e glanced at Liu Lixue, her face full of smugness.

That means, I guessed right.

In contrast, Liu Lixue showed a helpless expression.

The people on this list are no small fry. Yang Xiaotao's direct approach in summoning them is simply too crude.

Should I send you a report?
Who would dare to hit you!

This is a reason that absolutely cannot be refused!

However, considering the situation of the West-East Gas Pipeline project, the difficulties it faces, and the coordination among multiple regions, etc.

Such a large project really couldn't be completed without a strong leader.

Perhaps it's a good thing that one's boss is so assertive.

Yang Xiaotao ignored the secretaries' ulterior motives and continued looking at the plan.

Yang Xiaotao simply didn't bother with some of the "trivial," "argumentative," or "unclear" matters. He would just pick up the phone, find the relevant person, and quickly resolve the mess.

I don't care what you do, I just want things done my way.

Can it be done?
Whenever Yang Xiaotao asked this rhetorical question, none of the people on the other end said they couldn't do it.

If they can't do it, they can really replace them!
This is Yang Xiaotao's reasoning.

This is why what's troubling Zhang Wu is nothing to Yang Xiaotao.