Scholars in the courtyard.

Chapter 3010 Breakthrough in Lithium Batteries
At the intersection, Yang Xiaotao didn't rush to conclusions after hearing Chen Mingli's words, but instead asked, "Escape?"

Where can she run to?

"Given the current situation, without proof or travel permit, where can she escape to?"

"And with such obvious signs of a crime, didn't she know the consequences?"

"Besides, an accountant can easily get their money by simply tampering with the books, isn't that safer than this?"

"There are many issues here that you need to understand before you rush to conclusions."

Chen Mingli nodded. "There are indeed many suspicious points in this case, but all the evidence points to accountant Wang Lan. To find out the truth, we need to find Wang Lan; otherwise, it's all just speculation."

Yang Xiaotao nodded, "Okay, find a breakthrough as soon as possible, don't drag it out for too long, otherwise it will have a bad impact."

"Yes!"

Chen Mingli left after speaking, knowing that this year's Spring Festival was destined to be unpleasant.

Yang Xiaotao did not continue with the child, but instead sent the child home before heading to headquarters.

Upon arriving at headquarters, Yang Xiaotao saw Li Hongfeng busy in his office.

Yang Xiaotao pushed open the door and went inside.

"Old Li, you're not going out for a walk on the first day of the Lunar New Year? Are you afraid of receiving lucky money?"

Yang Xiaotao entered the room jokingly. Li Hongfeng looked up, then took out five red envelopes from the drawer. "Here you go. Don't say I'm stingy. It's not much, just enough to buy the kids a notebook."

Yang Xiaotao stepped forward and took it; it was for the child, so he naturally couldn't refuse.

"How was it? The dumplings from last night were delicious, weren't they?"

Li Hongfeng was speechless. "I said, you've already delivered it to the door, what's the point of having the security guard bring it up?"

"Are you afraid I'll make you stay?"

Yang Xiaotao nodded vigorously, "Yes, I'm just afraid that you'll grab me and I won't be able to leave!"

Li Hongfeng rolled his eyes. "If that's the case, you can't escape even if you hide in the courtyard house."

Then she added, "On the first day of the Lunar New Year, why aren't you visiting other people's relatives and friends, and instead you're here to see me?"

"Don't tell me it's about going to work, I don't believe it."

Yang Xiaotao picked up the thermos, poured a cup of water, walked over, and said, "Chen Mingli came to me about the Ninth People's Hospital."

Li Hongfeng took the cup and looked at it curiously. "The hospital? What happened?"

"Something's happened!"

Yang Xiaotao recounted what he had heard from Chen Mingli.

Li Hongfeng put down his pen, his expression grave.

"Fifty thousand? That's a lot of money."

"And the nature of the crime is very serious."

"The key figure in this case is Wang Lan. Tell Chen Mingli to find him as soon as possible and solve the case quickly."

Li Hongfeng pondered for a moment, then took a deep breath. "We need to solve the case quickly, otherwise it will have a bad influence during the New Year."

Yang Xiaotao nodded, "Yes, Lao Liang probably knows about this too!"

Yang Xiaotao took a sip of water as he spoke, but there was some worry in his eyes.

This matter may not be as easy as it seems.

After leaving Li Hongfeng's office, Yang Xiaotao did not linger in the office building, but instead headed towards the research institute.

At this time, the research institute was already on holiday. In addition to the security personnel, there were also a few project staff on duty.

Some research requires constant monitoring, so it cannot be done without human intervention.

Upon entering the research institute, Yang Xiaotao took a walk around. It was mostly routine work, and he greeted everyone he met, wishing them a Happy New Year.

Yang Xiaotao only stopped when he arrived at the lithium battery research institute and listened to the conversation inside.

Looking at the sign for the Lithium Battery Research Institute.

Suddenly, a figure appeared before my eyes: Teacher Wang.

The first time I met him was at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, when Professor Wang came to give a report on behalf of the research institutes in Shanghai.

We didn't see each other for a long time after that, until the project to artificially synthesize bovine insulin was established. Professor Wang brought people from the Shanghai research institute with him, and that's when I officially joined the Ninth Department.

Later, the artificial synthesis of bovine insulin successfully moved from the laboratory to the workshop, not only relieving patients' suffering but also earning honor and foreign exchange for the country.

then
With this in mind, Yang Xiaotao turned his gaze back to the research institute in front of him.

After Professor Wang passed away, he recommended Professor Li Qian from Shanghai Jiaotong University to take over the project. However, after having someone conduct an on-site investigation, Yang Xiaotao felt that Li Qian was not suitable, so he found someone else from the research institute.

This person is a member of the Tibetan Buddhist Army.

Zang Chuanjun was originally the deputy director of the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry. Later, he came to Jiubu with Teacher Wang.

It then plays a key role in the industrialization of bovine insulin, and also helps in the granulation of Isatis root.

He is pragmatic and meticulous in character, and has a great passion for scientific research.

After Professor Wang passed away, I began to take over the research work on lithium batteries.

Pulling himself back to reality, Yang Xiaotao heard the continuous sounds inside, so he pushed open the door and went in.

Perhaps the sound of the door opening disturbed the people inside, because when Yang Xiaotao walked in, the others looked over.

"Minister Yang."

When everyone saw that it was Yang Xiaotao, they all shouted in unison, and then, as if remembering something, someone else shouted, "Director Yang, Happy New Year!"

Yang Xiaotao smiled and said, "Happy New Year, comrades."

"Director Zang, Happy New Year."

“You’re already working on the first day of the Lunar New Year? I need to apply for an award for your institute for outstanding performance.”

Yang Xiaotao walked up to the room with a joke, and there were four people inside.

The one leading the group was Director Zang Chuanjun.

"Minister Yang, our research has reached a critical stage, and we're hoping to make a breakthrough as soon as possible."

The Tibetan Buddhist monks stepped forward to explain, and the people behind them also showed excited expressions.

Yang Xiaotao's face lit up with surprise upon hearing this. "Tell me, how far have you gotten in your research?"

Yang Xiaotao was overjoyed, as this thing was extremely important for the future development of the Ninth Division.

Most importantly, we need to use this technology to invent it before people even realize what's happening in everyday life.

"Minister Yang, we have now mastered the power generation principle of lithium batteries, including the charging and discharging processes."

The Tibetan Buddhist monk welcomed Yang Xiaotao to his desk and then carefully explained the principles behind the teachings.

Finally, he said, "To put it simply, it's like a lithium ion moving back and forth between the positive and negative electrodes like a rocking chair, completing the charging and discharging process!"

"We have now found several suitable materials to make it."

"Among them, we plan to use lithium-containing compounds, such as lithium cobalt oxide, for the cathode. We have collaborated with chemical plants and produced it using a high-temperature sintering method."

"We chose graphite for the negative electrode, which is also simple."

"The challenge now is that we need a separator to prevent short circuits in the battery, but we've tried several without finding a suitable one, so we're here to discuss our next research directions."

The Tibetan army recounted the entire incident in one breath, along with the situation they were facing.

Yang Xiaotao was surprised that they had made such rapid progress and had already produced the positive and negative electrolytes for lithium batteries.

It can be said that we are only one step away from the success of lithium batteries.

Of course, this is just a laboratory-made product. Mass production will require further research into lithium battery technology, which will take considerable time.

But it won't last long.

As for the other party's difficulties and barriers, Yang Xiaotao was indeed aware of them.

Because he was interested in everything when he was a child before he traveled through time, and he wanted to mess with everything with a knife in his hand, the battery that fell out of his dad's watch became the target of his mischief.

Of course, back then I was truly fearless; if the mood struck me, I'd even dare to take a knife and slash.

Back then, I didn't know what a lithium battery was. Later, when I grew up, I looked it up online. I didn't remember much else, but I clearly remembered the material of the separator.

Polyethylene.

This is Yang Xiaotao's answer.

The four members of the Tibetan Buddhist group were simply discussing the situation and reporting on their progress; they didn't expect Yang Xiaotao to offer any guidance. After all, through their research and study, they knew this was a completely different path.

And what is their Yang department best at?
Mechanical design and agriculture!

Therefore, they have excluded Yang Xiaotao from the lithium battery issue.

Unexpectedly, Yang Xiaotao provided the answer at this moment.

And this answer.
Polyethylene is also under their consideration.

Does Yang Xiaotao really know?
Or was it a fluke?
The four looked at each other, and it was Tibetan Army who spoke up, "Commander Yang, among the materials we are considering and debating, polyethylene is indeed one of them, but there are some problems with it."

Yang Xiaotao didn't let Zang Chuanjun finish speaking, but instead smiled and said, "Zang Suo, whether there are any problems or what problems there are, we'll only know after we do it."

"What we want is results, and until the results are in, we must take action."

"Without action, there is no output, no result."

"So, instead of arguing about which material is suitable, I think we should try all of them. Maybe we'll find the right one?"

The Tibetan Buddhist soldiers looked at each other, hesitant to speak.

Yang Xiaotao laughed, "I know what you're worried about. Isn't it that you're worried about not having enough research funding?"

"Don't worry, as long as you make this lithium battery, I will specially approve a research grant of 100,000 yuan."

"Not only that, but if you successfully make it, you will be rewarded with 500 yuan."

There must be a brave man under the heavy reward!

When Yang Xiaotao stated the specifications, the four people in the room gasped, then showed expressions of excitement, with even one of the female researchers blushing.

"Minister Yang, with your words, what else do we have to worry about?"

The Tibetan Buddhist Army immediately responded, "Don't worry, we will start the experiment right away and make it as soon as possible, and we guarantee it will be done well."

At the same time, they were grateful to Yang Xiaotao for his attention to their project and his support for their work.

In another place, let alone personal rewards, even project funding would require begging and pleading. The approval process would be extremely rigorous, and every penny would have to be meticulously recorded to avoid waste. Every penny would have to be used to its fullest potential.

But what about here?
Money is the one thing the Ninth Department has no shortage of.

Look at those profitable industries: pharmaceuticals, machinery, computers, game consoles, etc. You can pick any one of them and build an industry around it. You can even split nine departments in half and create a new department or ten departments.

Moreover, that would have no impact on the Nine Departments at all.

Of course, having money is one thing, but whether you're willing to spend it on them is another.

Fortunately, they met Yang Xiaotao, a leader who was willing to invest in research.

Yang Xiaotao nodded, then thought of something, "It's good to be determined, but today is the first day of the lunar new year, and your task is to spend more time with your families."

"Revolutionary tasks cannot be accomplished in a day. Hurry up and pack your things and go home."

The four Tibetan soldiers smiled, then one of them stayed behind to keep watch, while the rest said goodbye to Yang Xiaotao before leaving.

When Yang Xiaotao left the research institute, it was past lunchtime, so he strolled out and decided to visit some acquaintances along the way.

Before long, Yang Xiaotao arrived at Xing Jiaqi's location.

Before he could knock, the door opened from the inside.

In an instant, Yang Xiaotao saw a familiar face.

Liu Fen.

Li Nan's wife.

Behind the woman were two boys, Li Nan's two sons, Mengmeng and Liangliang.

"Yang, Xiao Tao, brother."

Liu Fen was taken aback when she saw Yang Xiaotao, then smiled and hurriedly went up to greet him.

"Happy New Year, sister-in-law."

Li Nan is older than Yang Xiaotao, so calling her "sister-in-law" is perfectly fine.

But given Yang Xiaotao's status, Liu Fen felt very uncomfortable being called "sister-in-law."

Yet it felt incredibly reassuring.

"Brother Xiao Tao, Happy Chinese New Year."

"It's barely light, hurry up."

The two children recognized Yang Xiaotao and quickly went up to greet him, "Uncle Tao, Happy New Year."

Yang Xiaotao smiled and said, "Happy New Year, Happy New Year."

After saying that, he took out two ten-yuan bills from his pocket and said, "Here, this is for you. Take it and study hard."

The two children didn't take it, but instead turned their heads to look at Liu Fen.

Liu Fen hurriedly said, "Brother Xiao Tao, this is too much."

Yang Xiaotao didn't care and stuffed the money into the two children's pockets, saying, "It's not much, it's not much."

"Are your godparents at home?"

"Yes, at home!"

Mengmeng spoke up, pointing inside, "My younger brother is also at home."

However, Xing Jiaqi had two children after getting married: an eldest daughter and a second son.

The four were talking when Xing Jiaqi heard the noise and rushed out of the house. Upon seeing Yang Xiaotao, she gave him a hug.

"You walked here?"

"Ah, I came from headquarters and came here for a walk."

Yang Xiaotao smiled and said, "Is there any food? I haven't had lunch yet."

Yes, yes, there must be.

Xing Jiaqi said happily, beckoning Yang Xiaotao inside, and also asking Liu Fen to bring the child back.

There's no time to leave now.

"Mengmeng, go to your Uncle Li's house and ask him to bring some wine."

"Liangliang, go call your Uncle Che, and then go call Uncle Wang."

Xing Jiaqi gave the order, and the two children immediately ran away.

Yang Xiaotao didn't mind and went inside to wish Xing Jiaqi's family a Happy New Year.

Not long after, Wang Fa, Li Wei, Che Wenwei, and the others, having received the news, rushed over.

"I said, you're a high-ranking official who comes to people's homes without bringing anything. You shouldn't do this when you're looking for food."

As soon as Wang Fa came in, he started teasing Yang Xiaotao.

Yang Xiaotao was sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) playing with Xing Jiaqi's youngest son when he heard Wang Fa's teasing and laughed, "Brother Wang, you're wrong about that."

"Today, we don't care about official rank; we're talking about seniority."

"Younger people just wish older people a Happy New Year; there's no need to give gifts."

Wang Fa and Li Wei both shook their heads when they heard this, and Che Wenwei even said, "This guy is the best talker. It's better to tell him to drink less alcohol than to talk to him."

"That way we can drink more."

After he finished speaking, everyone laughed heartily.

Xing Jiaqi's wife and mother were busy downstairs, and their smiles became even brighter when they heard the laughter of the group.

They knew exactly why their family was doing so well.

Without Yang Xiaotao's help, they wouldn't be living such a comfortable life.

At the same time, Yang Xiaotao and the others also talked about Li Nan.

Xing Jiaqi also explained Li Nan's situation inside, and Yang Xiaotao then learned that the original five-year sentence had been reduced to four years and two months.

In other words, Li Nan will be able to return next September.

This is certainly good news.

As for Li Nan's future, that depends on his own choices.

Everyone was happy for Li Nan, and at the same time, they were also happy that their friendship had remained unchanged over the years.