The train driver in the courtyard

The level of special-purpose train manufacturing at the Qianmen Locomotive Depot workshop is now very high.

Li Aiguo returned to his studio.

The Queen's car underwent thorough testing, and the engine and electrical equipment were found to be in perfect working order.

Li Aiguo made a phone call to Yang Jizong.

"The special vehicle is ready and is scheduled to be dispatched this afternoon. You can prepare to receive the goods."

"So fast? Great, great! But will it need to be disassembled into parts again this time?" Yang Jizong asked habitually.

"This time it won't work. The structure of the special-purpose vehicle is specially designed and cannot be disassembled. We'll ship the whole vehicle."

Vehicle manufacturing is important, but assembly processes are even more crucial. The assembly workers at the port assembly plant are still a bit less skilled than those here.

Without hesitation, Yang Jizong agreed and immediately contacted Mr. Norland of the John Bull family.

This was a custom-made car. To ensure privacy, Mr. Norland had instructed that the car be delivered in person in the port city, and he would arrange for it to be transported back to his home country afterwards.

"We have the £30 fully prepared!"

Mr. Norland was overjoyed upon hearing the news and immediately confirmed the delivery location.

After the two sides finalized the details, Yang Jizong immediately coordinated with the mainland authorities.

Here, Li Aiguo led the workers to carefully pack the Queen's car into specially made wooden crates. The inside of the crates was lined with a thick layer of old quilts to minimize the risk of damage during transport.

Once everything was ready, the train carrying the special vehicles sounded its whistle and sped off towards the port city with a roar.

After watching the train disappear at the end of the tracks, Li Aiguo did not immediately return to his studio. Instead, he turned and walked towards the metallurgical workshop.

As soon as he entered, Chief Engineer Chen greeted him, clutching a document in his hand, his face beaming with joy: "Aiguo, you've come at the perfect time! We've made great progress here!"

During this period, Chief Engineer Chen and his researchers worked day and night, with the guidance of complete technical solutions and the full support of departments in various regions. They finally succeeded in overcoming the problem of weak vacuum sealing technology and easy leakage leading to alloy oxidation.

Currently, they are working hard to develop a dual melting process of "vacuum induction + vacuum arc remelting (VAR)".

Chief Engineer Chen lit a cigarette for himself and handed one to Li Aiguo, saying, "But a new problem has arisen. The double smelting process requires first melting the master ingot in an induction furnace and then remelting and purifying it in an electric arc furnace. The temperature connection between the two processes must be precise to the millimeter, and the metallurgical laboratory can't handle it."

"How were you dealt with before?" Li Aiguo asked, taking the cigarette.

“We record it using process cards,” Chief Engineer Chen explained slowly, taking a drag of his cigarette. “Every smelting process requires someone to keep a close eye on the temperature, recording it on the card in real time, and then adjusting the parameters based on experience. It would be great if there were a way to automatically adjust the temperature in a timely manner.”

Chief Engineer Chen's words reminded Li Aiguo of something.

The Red Star Computing Institute is working on developing industrial control software, so isn't this the perfect entry point?

The difficulty of industrial control software lies not in the software itself, but in the practical experience accumulated in production. The experience of these veteran workers in the metallurgical workshop is the most valuable asset.

"How about using a computer to control it?" Li Aiguo suggested.

“Using a computer to control it? That’s a good idea, but how do we collect the data?” Chief Engineer Chen’s concerns were not unfounded; in those days, manual table lookup was used.

"Thermocouple!" Li Aiguo picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Chief Engineer Chen paused for a moment, then frowned and pondered for a while: "The signal is transmitted through a thermocouple, the program converts the analog signal into digital data, and then connects the master ingot to exit the induction furnace."

The program sends a preheating signal to the electric arc furnace in advance and adjusts the initial power of the furnace according to the real-time temperature of the mother ingot, ensuring seamless temperature transition during remelting.

He slapped his thigh suddenly: "That's definitely a good idea."

After his initial excitement, Chief Engineer Chen calmed down: "However, the modification of the smelting furnace must be approved by the Ministry of Metallurgy. We need to produce a feasibility report first and explain the rationale for the modification."

A smelting furnace is worth millions; it's a prized possession of the Ministry of Metallurgy. How could it be dismantled or altered so casually?

"How about we work on a feasibility report first?"

"Of course," Li Aiguo readily agreed.

This transformation required collaboration between engineers from the smelting workshop and computer experts from the Red Star Computer Research Institute.

Li Aiguo picked up the phone and contacted Professor Xia Zhongsu.

"Industrial control software?! Patriotism, this is a great opportunity! You wait, I'll take people over there right away." Professor Xia Zhongsu was overjoyed upon hearing this.

Today, the Red Star computer has undergone several iterations, its performance has become increasingly powerful, and it has developed more and more applications, but it has never ventured into the field of industrial production.

This opportunity to collaborate with the metallurgical workshop on developing industrial control software is an excellent chance to break into the industrial sector, and Professor Xia Zhongsu naturally wouldn't miss it.

While Li Aiguo, Professor Xia, and Chief Engineer Chen were busy working on the first industrial control software in China.

Inside the medical room of the steel rolling mill.

Yi Zhonghai lay on the hospital bed without saying a word.

An older woman inquired about Dr. Yi Zhonghai's condition and learned that he had fainted due to a sudden attack of anger. Only then did she feel relieved and return to her ward.

"Old Yi, how did the promotion go?" An older woman asked tentatively when she saw Yi Zhonghai's expression.

Yi Zhonghai turned his head and uttered two words: "Didn't pass!"

"You didn't pass the promotion?!"

Big Mom was stunned.

Although she didn't know what agreement Yi Zhonghai had reached with the deaf old lady, Yi Zhonghai was very confident this time. In the morning, he even vowed that he would ask her to cook some good dishes to celebrate that evening.

How could it not have passed?

"Is something wrong?"

"No problem," Yi Zhonghai said coldly, "It just didn't pass."

"Not only did Liu Haizhong fail, he actually passed the Level 8 worker exam this time!"

"Liu Haizhong?"

The older woman finally realized what was going on: "So from now on, Uncle Er will be a level above you. Stop making trouble, okay? We're all neighbors in the compound, why are you always picking on Li Aiguo?"

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai's face darkened further, and he felt as if a heavy stone was lodged in his heart.

"Alright, that's enough!" Yi Zhonghai snapped.

The old lady was startled by his shouting.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai's ashen face, he didn't dare to say anything and stood up to pack his things.

The doctor said that Yi Zhonghai doesn't have any serious illness and just needs to rest. He can be discharged and go home today.

While they were busy, Qin Huairu had already helped with the discharge procedures and came in: "Master, let's go home."

Yi Zhonghai was now somewhat apprehensive about returning to the courtyard house.

There's just nothing I can do about it.

When the three returned to the courtyard, it was after get off work hours, and the residents were gathered at the gate, chatting about the promotion exam that day.

"I never expected that Liu Haizhong would be the first person in our compound to be rated as an eighth-grade worker!"

"Liu Haizhong has really put in a lot of effort these past few years. I heard that in addition to being the workshop director, he would stay in the workshop every day after the workers got off work to study the technology and work overtime. Now he has finally made it."

"On the other hand, Yi Zhonghai is becoming more and more outrageous. I heard that the leaders from the ministry have said outright that his level is only enough for a level six worker."

"Isn't this just a case of someone pretending to be someone else?"

"Shh...don't say anything, Yi Zhonghai is back."

When the residents saw Yi Zhonghai being helped over by an older woman and Qin Huairu, they all fell silent.

But those gazes were like knives, piercing directly into Yi Zhonghai's heart.

"Hello everyone." Yi Zhonghai wanted to greet the residents, but he opened his mouth and couldn't make a sound.

He sighed deeply, his head drooping, his back hunched, and strode into the courtyard.

At this moment, Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao and the others also returned.

"Oh, Uncle! Congratulations! Level 8 worker! This is the first honor in our compound!" Someone immediately greeted him with a smile.

"Second Uncle, you seem to be in such a good mood today, you should treat us to dinner tonight."

Liu Haizhong felt like he had reached the pinnacle of his life and nodded excitedly: "It's my treat. I'll have your second aunt go to the market to buy a fish and two chickens. We also have some old wine. Everyone can come over for dinner tonight."

"Okay, okay." The residents nodded in agreement.

Hearing the commotion behind him, Yi Zhonghai's shoulders hunched even lower.

As soon as Liu Haizhong entered the house, he told his second aunt about the dinner party.

Auntie Er beamed with joy: "That's only right! Such a joyous occasion deserves a proper celebration. By the way, where's Aiguo? He was a great help this time; we absolutely have to invite him."

"Hey, I think I heard a motorcycle. I'll go check it out!" Liu Haizhong said, quickly walking out of the house.

As soon as Li Aiguo parked his motorcycle in front of his house, Liu Haizhong came up to him with a big smile: "Aiguo! Congratulations to me, right?"

"Of course, congratulations, Second Uncle! You truly deserve the title of Level 8 worker!" Li Aiguo nodded with a smile.

"Aiguo, thanks to you for this. I'll treat you to dinner tonight, so tell Xueru not to cook," Liu Haizhong said with a smile.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony, thank you, Uncle!" Li Aiguo readily agreed.

That evening, Liu Haizhong's house was bustling with activity.

He spared no expense for this celebration, with the table laden with meat dishes, including braised fish and stewed chicken soup.

He even took out the beef jerky that his eldest son, Liu Guangqi, had sent back from the Northwest and laid it out on a full plate.

When Liu Guangqi was mentioned, Aunt Er burst into tears: "I heard from the families of those who worked in the Third Front factories that conditions in the Northwest are very harsh, with people living outdoors in the wind and rain. I wonder if Guangqi is eating well and staying warm there, and how his health is..."

“What are you saying, you old woman! Guangqi is doing well at the factory now, and he even has a girlfriend. A doting mother spoils her son!” Liu Haizhong said sternly.

"Come on, come on, eat some vegetables, eat some vegetables."

The cheerful laughter from Liu Haizhong's family drifted out through the open window, across the quiet courtyard, and into the deaf old lady's room.

The deaf old woman glanced sideways at Yi Zhonghai standing there and sighed, "Old Yi, you have really disappointed me."

"Grandma, don't worry. Although I haven't been promoted to level eight, I'm still a senior member of the compound and have some influence in the factory. When Shazhu comes out, I will definitely take care of him."

Seeing that the deaf old lady's face was still gloomy, he hurriedly explained, "Grandma, this really isn't my fault! It was Li Aiguo who deliberately targeted me and secretly changed the questions on the promotion exam, which is why I failed!"

"It's Li Aiguo again. This kid is going to be a jerk for this old woman." The deaf old lady stood up, supporting herself on the bed frame, her teeth grinding together.

"Grandma, we need to find a way to get rid of him. Otherwise, he'll bring up your past sooner or later." Yi Zhonghai stopped mid-sentence.

Because the deaf old woman had slowly walked up to him, a sharp light flashing in her cloudy eyes: "Old Yi, what you just said about me? What did I do wrong?"

"I don't know, I don't know anything. I'm just worried that Li Aiguo will find out about your meeting with Director Liao," Yi Zhonghai quickly said. "Don't worry, Director Liao isn't stupid. He wouldn't betray me. Otherwise, he'd be the first one in jail." The deaf old lady gave Yi Zhonghai a deep look and waved her hand, "You can go now."

"Okay, okay." Yi Zhonghai nodded hurriedly as if he had been granted a pardon and left the house.

The door closed, and the room was plunged into darkness once more.

The deaf old woman sat in her chair, her eyes slightly narrowed, a sinister smile curving her lips: "This Yi Zhonghai is truly a good-for-nothing. However... he did remind me that Li Aiguo is not someone to be allowed to live!"

It was past 10 p.m. when Li Aiguo left Liu Haizhong's house.

When I got home, I washed my feet, went to bed, and cuddled up to my wife to sleep.

In the following days, the compound returned to calm.

Although Yi Zhonghai was mostly recovered, he still took half a month off and stayed indoors all day.

Liu Haizhong often wanders around the compound, seemingly having taken over the position of the old man.

Li Aiguo was living a very happy life.

During my workday, I write feasibility reports for industrial control systems. In my spare time, I ride a motorcycle around the track at the driving school.

Time flew by and a few days later.

The Queen's car passed through the checkpoints and arrived safely in the port city.

On the mainland side, they were escorted by comrades from here. Once they crossed the border, they were handed over to Hextech's security personnel.

Because the vehicle was extremely valuable and of great significance, Yang Jizong made thorough preparations, even bringing along the mine protection team members who were undergoing training.

The mine protection team members recruited from mainland China are now being trained to adapt to life in Africa as quickly as possible.

Hextech built a small island at sea for several months of training, learning the local customs and language.

Then it was sent to Africa and handed over to Captain Liu Tiehan.

The port city is a melting pot of all sorts of people. When the big capitalists saw that Hextech had taken on another big job, they wanted to cause some trouble. They bribed a few police officers and spent money to hire a few gangs.

They planned to intercept the goods and charge Yang Jizong with a serious crime of smuggling.

However, the group was stunned by the submachine guns of the mine protection team before they even got close.

They would just brandish their big blades on the street, but they rarely actually fired a gun.

I've never seen a team that's comparable to a regular army.

This is not finished.

When John Bull's dealers learned that the Queen's car had been stopped, they were terrified and immediately contacted the port city, which dispatched sailors.

These guys don't care what kind of big family you are, what kind of gang leader you are, or what kind of double-flower red stick you are. They aim their guns, then grab their sticks and start beating you up.

After beating them up, that wasn't the end of it; they threw them straight into jail.

Just kidding, robbing the Queen's car, whether you'll ever be able to get out again is another matter entirely.

Those powerful families who were itching to make a move exchanged glances at each other, realizing they couldn't afford to offend them.

Hextech is in trouble these days, even the Governor of Hong Kong is alarmed, they're really not to be trifled with.

In particular, if someone committed a crime in Hong Kong, they could flee to the mainland to hide.

Now, anyone who dares to cause trouble should try going to the mainland.

Johnson's dealers were also alarmed by the incident. The celebration was just around the corner, and if something happened to the chauffeur, how would they send the chauffeur?

So a team of fully armed military police appeared on both sides of the truck, strictly prohibiting anyone from approaching. Even if a dog ran over, it would get hit with a stick.

And so, the box was successfully delivered to Hextech's factory.

"This car is absolutely gorgeous!" When the box was opened, the Johnson family's dealer and Mr. Norland exclaimed in amazement upon seeing the Queen's car.

The entire car is painted in peacock blue, the Queen's favorite color, which not only shows her taste but also highlights her distinguished status.

In particular, the peacock blue developed by Li Aiguo has been specially formulated to be even purer, radiating a captivating glow under sunlight.

The car door opened, and upon seeing the interior decorations, Mr. Norland clapped his hands excitedly: "Her Majesty the Queen will surely love it!"

"Definitely."

"People from the mainland actually know the Queen's preferences."

"Alright, alright, everyone get back somewhere. We have one last task."

Mr. Norland walked up to Yang Jizong and said, "Dear Mr. Yang, according to security regulations, we need to conduct a full inspection of this vehicle. Of course, it's not that we don't trust you, but as you know, some people have some opinions about the Queen."

Yang Jizong certainly knew.

Xiao Ai's side has been making quite a fuss, as has Xiao A's family, who have been keeping an eye on an island for the past few years.

"Of course we can check, but first..."

Before Yang Jizong could finish speaking, Mr. Norland took a check from his attendant and handed it to him.

“Three hundred thousand pounds, very good. Now the ownership of this car belongs to you.” Yang Jizong handed over all the paperwork to Mr. Norland.

Several men from Scotland Yard quietly entered the factory and inspected the special vehicles with various instruments.

"Sir, there is no problem."

"Very good, contact a ship immediately. This vehicle is too valuable; send a transport plane over."

The Queen's car was transported out of the factory and loaded onto a transport plane.

After Mr. Norland and the Scotland Yard men left, Yang Jizong opened the small door next to the warehouse and said inside, "Well, did you get all the photos?"

As Chen Daming from the Special Equipment Group 2 of the Meteorological Station's Materials Department took the film out of his camera, he said, "I've taken pictures of everything. I really didn't expect that Scotland Yard would have already developed a portable radio detector."

"Thanks to Deputy Director Li's trick of luring the snake out of its hole, otherwise we would still be in the dark." Another meteorologist put away his video camera.

These photographs and films will be worthy of future research.

Handing it over to the analysis department could not only reveal Scotland Yard's organizational structure, but also clarify the behavioral patterns of those agents.

Yang Jizong pretended not to hear these words, as this matter had already involved the special front.

"I'll take you back right away."

The comrades from Equipment Group 2 boarded a vegetable transport train the next day and headed towards Beijing.

The transport plane carrying the Queen's car had already arrived in London.

The nobles of the John Bull family had already received word that someone had chartered a transport plane from the east to deliver a car to the Queen.

Once the special car arrived at the Queen's estate, the nobles brought their families to watch the spectacle, all in an effort to display their status.

Some of the Queen’s close friends were also invited.

Mr. Norland was able to take on the important task of delivering a gift to the Queen, and he was also very clever. He listened to some ideas from the car designer and created an unprecedented car delivery ceremony.

A platform was built inside the manor, and it was decorated with many ornaments in accordance with the old aristocratic customs of the John Bull family.

The car was placed on the table, covered with purple silk, which looked very ceremonial.

When the Queen and her close friend approached, Mr. Norland took out a large golden key that he had prepared beforehand and handed it over with both hands.

"Your Majesty, this item symbolizes your ownership of the chariot."

The Queen was particularly pleased to hear that Mr. Norland had used the formal "you" instead of the royal title.

Guided by Mr. Norland, the Queen walked to the car and gently lifted the red silk.

A peacock blue luxury car appeared before the crowd, and the nouveau riche on the outermost edge finally realized just how bad their sense of aesthetics was.

Opening the car door reveals an interior featuring a combination of linen white and dark green leather, complemented by walnut wood veneer and dark wool carpets, further accented with walnut wood trim, showcasing a noble and sophisticated feel.

These are precisely the interior design elements that the Queen favored.

These are not the key points.

Each seat back has a different embroidered pattern, with the rear seats featuring an embroidered horse.

The passenger and driver seats are embroidered with Corgis.

There is a dedicated space for handbags in the front center armrest, which is perfect for storing your beloved bags.

"It's simply unbelievable!" Even the usually composed queen couldn't help but exclaim in surprise as she stood at the car door.

Seeing how pleased the Queen was, the nobles exchanged glances. Even the Queen liked this custom-made sports car; perhaps they should buy one too.

According to the plan, the Queen simply parked the car in the garage, which was considered the completion of the handover ceremony.

Now the Queen couldn't wait to get into the driver's seat.

As soon as she gripped the steering wheel, the Queen was somewhat surprised. The height and angle of the steering wheel seemed to have been tailor-made for her, requiring no adjustments whatsoever.

The Queen drove her sports car around the estate twice. At first, she was worried about going too fast, but once she got the hang of it, she felt relaxed.

The next day was the day of the celebration.

After going through the ceremony according to protocol, the Queen drove her chariot and appeared on the street under the escort of the Royal Guard.

Along the way, many reporters followed the photographer to capture this rare scene.

When the Queen rolled down the car window and waved to the crowd on both sides while holding the steering wheel with one hand, it drew cheers from the people.

soon.

Everyone in the John Bull family knew that the Queen had a peacock blue sports car that she particularly liked.

soon.

The Ou and Mei families all know that the Queen is particularly fond of the sports cars manufactured by Hextech.

In no time, the Velociraptor sports car became famous.

Those capitalists who disliked large off-road vehicles seem to have discovered something that can showcase their status.

In just a few days, Yang Jizong received dozens of orders from all over the world.

"What? You also need a blue sports car? Sure, sure, but it'll cost extra."

(End of this chapter)