Scholars in the courtyard.

Can't you let me finish speaking in Chapter 2953?

Second Ministry of Machine Building, main conference room.

As Yang Xiaotao finished speaking, everyone felt relieved.

Especially when they saw the medal pinned to Yang Xiaotao's chest, the leaders of the Second Ministry of Machine Building in front of the podium all stood up.

They knew that Yang Xiaotao's presence here today was a great honor for them and represented his support.

Now, Yang Xiaotao has even publicly stated that he is an unofficial staff member of the Second Ministry of Machine Building and has been awarded the Tengfei Medal. This act of kindness is truly invaluable.

They knew that Yang Xiaotao had many medals, but now, he only had this one extremely simple medal, which warmed everyone's hearts.

Sometimes, comrades may not always be by your side, but they will always be there when needed.

Old Liu and Old Qian walked from the front of the stage to Yang Xiaotao, looked at Yang Xiaotao carefully, and then Old Liu laughed, "What nonsense, this thing is a treasure of our Second Ministry of Machine Building."

"You got lucky and got one, be happy about it."

As he spoke, he walked up to the medal and touched it. "If I remember correctly, the number is 009."

Yang Xiaotao nodded, "Yes, you remember it very clearly."

Old Liu shook his head, his expression darkening as if he were thinking of something, but then he laughed and said, "If someone just casually wears a medal and claims to be from the Second Ministry of Machine Building, I definitely wouldn't agree."

"But you can be an exception this time."

Old Liu laughed heartily, then stepped forward and extended his right hand, which Yang Xiaotao shook. "That would be my honor."

He then added, "Since we're family, you can't ask for too much money when you help us in the future."

Old Qian shook his head and said, "Now that we're family, you Ninth Department should help us out more."

Yang Xiaotao's face fell. "I feel like I'm losing out big time by doing this."

Upon hearing this, everyone laughed.

The people from the Second Ministry of Machine Building were laughing, but Gu Yuan and the others standing to the side couldn't laugh.

In their investigation, they didn't hear that Yang Xiaotao of the Ninth Department had a particularly good relationship with the Second Ministry of Machine Building.

The two sides have at most some business dealings, and their biggest cooperation is with the Dengzhou Nuclear Power Plant.

But now, why is there talk of unofficial staff?
Is this happening?

Behind them, Chen Bo and the others looked at each other, at a loss for what to do.

However, Gu Yuanlai had prepared himself mentally beforehand and made worst-case plans for any unexpected situations.

Seeing Yang Xiaotao chatting enthusiastically with Elder Liu and the others, and noticing the mocking expressions on the faces of many people below, he took a deep breath, stepped forward, and greeted them, "Minister Yang, hello."

"I am Gu Yuan, the head of the investigation team for this accident."

Yang Xiaotao was chatting with Old Liu when he heard the voice and turned his head to look, a smile on his face.

"Team Leader Gu, you just do your thing."

"I'm here to attend the Second Machinery Conference, don't worry about me."

After Yang Xiaotao finished speaking, he glanced at the old Taoist priest and Shen Rong and the others behind him. "They were all from the Second Machine Gun Company before. They heard there was going to be some excitement, so they insisted that I bring them along. Could you gentlemen make room for us?"

As they spoke, the old Taoist priest and his companions stepped forward to greet Elder Liu and his group.

Old Liu was somewhat unfamiliar with the group, but Old Qian recognized them very well. With a slight reminder, he immediately remembered their identities and then began to introduce them to the group.

"This comrade is Comrade Zhang Dedao, from the Northwest."

The old Taoist priest appeared calm on the surface, but his handshake with Elder Liu was still slightly trembling.

"Leader, although the years in the Northwest were tough, they were unforgettable and I will never forget them in this lifetime!"

"Thank you, comrades, thank you for your contributions!"

The old Taoist priest shook his head, "Leader, we are the ones who should be thanking you."

"Back then, in the Northwest, we rough men did all the peripheral work."

"You are the ones who are truly in charge."

"Without you, we could eat a lot of sand and still not be able to make it or complete the mission."

The old Taoist priest spoke sincerely and without any affectation.

Old Liu was so excited that he could only clap his hands and was too moved to speak.

Then it was Shen Rong's turn, and he was excited again.

Yang Xiaotao stood aside, listening to the polite exchanges between the two sides, completely disregarding Gu Yuan and the others.

The audience below the stage was overjoyed at the sight and almost burst into applause.

"Minister Yang, please come up and have a seat."

A leader from the Second Machine Tool Plant offered to give up his seat, and everyone else thought the same. However, Yang Xiaotao waved his hand and refused, saying, "Gentlemen, I am here today as an unofficial staff member. My seat is not there."

After saying this, Yang Xiaotao smiled at Mr. Qian, who immediately understood what Yang Xiaotao meant.

It's definitely more appropriate to be below than above.

At this moment, Yang Xiaotao smiled at Gu Yuan and the others who were standing calmly beside him and said, "You guys continue, we're listening from below."

"Boss, is lunch provided?"

"Tube!"

Old Liu readily agreed, his voice now filled with joy, a far cry from its previous somber tone.

Yang Xiaotao nodded, and then led his people off the stage.

At that moment, the staff from the Second Ministry of Machine Building who were sitting in the front row immediately made way for them.

Then applause broke out.

Yang Xiaotao was stunned, and the old Taoist priest and the others didn't react either, then immediately joined in the applause.

The scene was like welcoming VIPs; there was no politeness whatsoever.

Yang Xiaotao didn't stand on ceremony and led his people to sit in the front row, where it was the perfect place to watch the show.

Old Liu and Old Qian exchanged a glance, then led everyone back to the front of the stage.

At this moment, the leaders in front of the stage were no longer as serious as before.

Yang Xiaotao has arrived. Although he represents an individual, his role is simply a matter of speaking freely and flexibly.

The key point is that if Yang Xiaotao comes on behalf of the Ninth Department, then there will be something to discuss regarding the nuclear power plant.

On a larger scale, the Second Ministry of Machine Building was tasked with researching nuclear power plants. Naturally, this research had its ups and downs, and no one dared to say for sure that it would be successful.

To put it simply, the Second Ministry of Machine Building was just working for the Ninth Ministry. Whether they did a good job or not was up to the Ninth Ministry. If the master said it was good, they would pay up without hesitation; if the master said it was bad, they would accept the punishment. It had nothing to do with this investigation team.

At most, they can speak from the Jiaolong submersible.

The other party wants to control the Second Ministry of Machine Building and gain an advantage in this area, but the Ninth Ministry probably won't agree.

In this sense, half of the opponent's objective has been thwarted.

The people at the Second Machine Tool Plant were happy, but the investigation team was naturally upset.

Chen Bo looked at Gu Yuan, then at Yang Xiaotao below the stage, feeling uneasy.

The faces of the group were grim. With everyone else seated, the people standing on the platform looked more like clowns.

Gu Yuan was somewhat unsure of what to do, but the die was cast. After a moment of contemplation, he stepped forward again, ready to continue.

cough~
Cough cough cough~~
Gu Yuan coughed twice, trying to calm everyone down, but the people below looked at them with more mockery.

"Comrades, our investigation suggests that the cause behind this accident is..."

crunch
As if it were specifically designed to interrupt the meeting, the conference room door creaked open again.

The sound was quite jarring in the quiet meeting room.

Of course, in the past, when the leaders of the Second Ministry of Machine Building heard this sound, they couldn't help but think that they should find someone to fix it after the meeting.

However, I often forgot about it afterward, since repairing a door costs money, and I wanted to save money wherever possible.

But today, everyone present at the Second Machine Tool Plant, whether leaders on the stage or workers below, felt inexplicably joyful upon hearing this voice.

Some even decided in their hearts that this door must be kept.

Yang Xiaotao turned his head and saw the people coming in, and immediately took the lead in standing up.

With Yang Xiaotao taking the lead, the others also stood up.

Then, upon seeing who it was, the applause rang out immediately without hesitation.

Leading the way in was Mr. Qian from the Seventh Ministry of Machinery Industry, Yang Xiaotao's mentor.

He was also a key figure in the Second Ministry of Machine Building.

Behind Mr. Qian, Mr. Wang followed closely.

Next was Ran's father, whose face was as cold as ice, giving off an impression that strangers should not approach.

Yang Xiaotao watched from the side. His father-in-law was just like that; he wore his heart on his sleeve and didn't know how to hide anything.

Behind Ran's father was another group of people, most of whom were key members of the Seventh Ministry of Machinery Industry.

Amid applause, the group slowly made their way to the front of the stage. Old Liu and Old Qian exchanged another glance, both certain that this group had definitely planned this all along.

"Boss, we're not late, are we?"

Mr. Qian stepped forward and spoke frankly, without any intention of beating around the bush.

Old Liu smiled and shook his head, "Not late, not late at all, just in time, just in time."

Old Wang glanced at the investigation team members beside him, then stepped forward and said, "Old Liu, you know, we've all arrived and you didn't even go out to greet us. Remember that next time."

Old Liu rolled his eyes at Old Wang, "You're just being hypocritical after getting the benefits. You've poached so many of our good comrades."

Old Wang chuckled, "What do you mean by digging? That's called supporting construction."

"I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going downstairs to watch the show."

After saying this, Old Wang waved his hand, and Ran's father and the others followed him off the stage without exchanging pleasantries.

Mr. Qian did not go down, but sat on the platform with Mr. Liu.

In an instant, two coins sat down next to Old Liu.

Many elderly people from the Second Ministry of Machine Building watched this scene with tears in their eyes, as if they were seeing the past and recalling that glorious era.

Finally, Old Liu held the two people's hands, which trembled slightly.

"I didn't expect everyone to come."

Old Liu's voice was deep, and the two of them suppressed their excitement.

"It's good that you can come."

"You have no idea how my heart was when Xiao Tao came wearing his medals just now."

"I haven't taken good care of my comrades."

The next moment, the power coming from both sides helped Elder Liu regain his composure.

"Old Liu, don't be sad, we have to look forward."

"Over the years, I have been working at the Seventh Ministry of Machinery Industry and have always paid attention to our development. In the future, let's visit each other more often and have more exchanges."

"Yes, Xiao Qian is right. We're inseparable, like blood is thicker than water. We're intertwined."

As the two men persuaded him, Old Liu's heart also began to stir.

Over the years, their Second Ministry of Machine Building has indeed been somewhat 'out of step', but fortunately it's not too late now.

"What brings you here, sir? This is a major conference of the Second Ministry of Machine Building."

Yang Xiaotao looked at Old Wang sitting next to him and said jokingly.

Old Wang curled his lip upon hearing this, "Didn't you come too? What are you pretending for?"

Yang Xiaotao puffed out his chest and said, "What's with all this pretense? Look at this, it's an honorary medal issued by the Second Ministry of Machine Building. Wearing this means you're an unofficial staff member, which is why I was able to come."

Old Wang stared wide-eyed, then looked again and again, finally glancing at Ran's father beside him.

"This is an award specifically given by the Second Machinery Plant to technical personnel who have made contributions."

"Having this medal certainly makes one a non-official staff member of the Second Ministry of Machine Building."

After hearing Ran's father's explanation, Old Wang smacked his lips and said dismissively, "It's just a medal. I'll have Old Liu give me one after the meeting, a one-of-a-kind medal."

Yang Xiaotao leaned back in his chair, saying, "The one-of-a-kind medal from the Seventh Ministry of Machinery Industry."

Old Wang turned his head away, too lazy to pay attention.

At this moment, with the arrival of the Seventh Ministry of Machinery Industry, the front row seats were almost full, and even the seats reserved for the investigation team were taken.

Those on the platform had no choice but to continue standing, as there were no seats available for them below the stage.

Gu Yuan turned his head to look at the person next to Elder Liu, and then glanced at the audience below the stage.

The Ninth Ministry of Machine Building and the Seventh Ministry of Machine Building.

These two departments are difficult to manage.

However, the things that need to be done still need to be done.

This time, Gu Yuan decided to get straight to the point and avoid rambling, so as to prevent anyone from interrupting him again.

Before he could cough to stop the conversation below, the creaking sound started again.

Everyone looked at each other again, and then Yang Xiaotao and Old Wang both laughed.

Mr. Zhang led his men into the Third Ministry of Machinery Industry.

"I told you, Old Zhang wouldn't miss this opportunity."

Old Wang was talking happily from the side when Yang Xiaotao added, "When did you say that?"

Old Wang didn't care at all, "That's what I just said."

Applause erupted again as the two were speaking.

On the platform, the people, including Elder Liu, were already used to it.

After all, when the Mushroom Egg was completed, many people transferred to other machine departments.

The Seventh Ministry of Machine Building had the most, followed by the Third Ministry of Machine Building and the Logistics Department, and lastly the First and Fourth Ministries of Machine Building.

If we think about it that way, it's not surprising that the Third Ministry of Machine Building came.

Then the people on the platform realized something, and they looked at each other, a thought they dared not even imagine rising in their minds.

No, come on over.

The thought had barely formed when he saw Elder Zhang walk in, followed by another group of people.

Sure enough, it was the logistics department.

Yang Xiaotao nudged Old Wang, "You notified them?"

Old Wang shook his head, "Didn't you notify them?"

"I didn't invite them, after all, they're not from the Second Ministry of Machine Building."

Old Wang was speechless. "Does that mean I can't come anymore?"

"We are still very close comrades-in-arms."

This time, Yang Xiaotao did not refute, "I like to hear that."

"Virtue~"

Ignoring the stares of others, Elder Zhang and Elder Qin went up to the platform, shook hands with Elder Liu, exchanged a few words, and then, seeing Yang Xiaotao and the others sitting below, stepped down from the platform.

The old Taoist priest and his father, who were in the front row, all moved to the back row.

They realized that there would be many leaders coming this time, so it was good to give up their seats in advance.

As for the people from the Second Ministry of Machine Building, at this point, they would be happy to just stand aside, let alone give up their positions.

Yang Xiaotao greeted Old Qin, but then looked at Chief Designer Huang and Liu Bin who had come with him, "Old Huang, Old Liu!"

"Minister Yang!"

Upon seeing Yang Xiaotao, all three of them smiled.

Seeing that the three of them looked somewhat haggard, Yang Xiaotao nodded, "Let's have a drink later."

"it is good!"

Everyone then took their seats, and a group of acquaintances met, creating another lively atmosphere.

Former colleagues gathered together, and naturally they had endless things to talk about.

"Old Qin, why did you bring so many people?"

"I don't remember your logistics department having that many people!"

"Could it be that you've been up to something behind the scenes again?"

Old Wang grabbed Old Qin's sleeve, asking questions relentlessly.

Old Qin sneered, "Stop talking nonsense, I'm not as shameless as you!"

"We're here about the Jiaolong submersible!"

At this point, his gaze fell on Gu Yuan on the stage, his expression cold and stern.

"I'm not here to watch a show!"

Yang Xiaotao grinned and said, "We're not here to watch a show either!"

The group sat together and then burst into laughter.

On the platform, Old Liu and the others became increasingly comfortable, their earlier unease and tension completely gone.

On the contrary, Gu Yuan, Chen Bo, and others looked ashen-faced.

Gu Yuan clenched his fists tightly, roaring in his heart with grief and indignation.

One after another, when will it ever end!
Can't you let me finish speaking?