The door of the courtyard house has been welded dead

Minivans are still a rare commodity these days.

The main reason is that ordinary people haven't seen it before, and they always have some concerns about new products and unfamiliar fields.

It looks like a steamed bun, but it drives much like a regular car. Although it was made in a military factory that produces airplanes, who knows if such a huge vehicle can actually handle it?

Within its familiar appearance, one can already see a hint of its future origins; it has a round, round head.
Li Feng got into the car and tried it out himself. The van had a wide field of vision, two round headlights in the front, and a side door. According to the manufacturer, it's not called a van yet, but a minibus.

Because there are many seats inside, even if you squeeze in, you can still fit quite a few people.

"The engine and the entire vehicle's technology are all from Suzuki. It's a 1.0-liter engine with a four-speed transmission, which is much more fuel-efficient than a Jeep. On the road, it can save about half the fuel!"

"Although its top speed isn't as fast as a Jeep, its fuel efficiency is absolutely unmatched. In the south, we have no trouble selling it. In the north, we plan to enter Beijing first. Driving schools are the best way for novice drivers to learn about this car. Our factory would rather lose a little money than not cooperate with you!"

Sitting in the passenger seat was Manager Zhou from Changhe Automobile Factory, who was very eloquent. He never stopped talking and his eyes were always on Li Feng, who was driving. It seemed that he was eager to open up channels in the north.

Unfortunately, very few people are currently accepting of this concept of small passenger vehicles.

"Your factory is in Jiangxi Province, and your vehicles are different from others. Our factory can purchase from sources including driving schools, but has your maintenance system been established yet?"

"You can't just sell cars here and then ignore them. There's no after-sales service. Items like engines, transmissions, and even easily damaged windows need to be stored in a warehouse. We can't have to ship them from Jiangxi Province when repairs are needed, that would be too time-consuming!"

I test drove all the cars, and apart from the power, which was a bit slow to pick up speed, to be honest, this car is indeed quite suitable for the next stage of the market.

After listening to Manager Zhou's description, Li Feng also wanted to proceed with the next step of the negotiation. Now that the popular minivan had appeared, it would inevitably set off a trend. As the first formal institution in Beijing, Ping An Driving School still had to keep up with the times.

"Secretary Li, you can rest assured about this. As long as you are willing to purchase, our spare parts will be sent directly to Beijing on a train. The location has already been arranged."

Manager Zhou emphasized the word "procurement," making it clear that the car factory wanted cash, not quota allocations.

Are factories that transitioned from military to civilian production struggling these days?

The factory wasn't short of funds. Li Feng parked his car downstairs at the government office building and took Manager Zhou back to his office.

Manager Zhou, whose hairline was already receding precariously, showed a slight hint of embarrassment when he heard the question Li Feng asked.

To be honest, after entering the factory, he was quite envious of Factory 787. At least they were still maintaining production, while Changhe's aircraft manufacturing workshop had long since stopped operating.

"Our factory is doing alright, but other units have been cramming in more people in the past few years. With more people, many production targets have been halved or even stopped. Actually, our factory had secretly produced buses before, making more than 200 and selling them for nearly 10 million yuan."

"There was no other way. Two years ago, our factory was in trouble with paying wages. The military-to-civilian conversion was so fast. Those who were quick to convert, producing refrigerators, electric fans, and washing machines, were selling like hotcakes. Our factory was relatively quick to react."

Both being military factories within the military industry system, Manager Zhou did not attempt to conceal the difficulties the factory had faced. Without the two hundred or so vehicles produced back then, the factory could be said to have come to a standstill.

Wages cannot be paid, workers are unwilling to work, and production materials cannot be purchased to carry out the next stage of production. Once trapped in a vicious cycle, it is difficult to break free from that quagmire.

It was that ten million that allowed Changhe Factory to successfully transform into an automobile factory. Although the path from military to civilian production was somewhat bumpy, a glimmer of hope could be seen.

"Fortunately, we've made it through. Things we used to do secretly can now be done openly and freely. The Ministry of Aviation is also giving us strong support!"

Following the sixteen-character principle of "military-civilian integration, peacetime-wartime integration, military as the main body, and civilian support for the military," Changhe Factory has successfully completed its transformation.

Once the "battleground" of Beijing is successfully breached and the situation is opened up, Changhe's minivans are destined to appear on roads across the country one after another; they are confident of this.

Li Feng nodded and sighed. After the 1980s, the production targets of Hongxing Factory also gradually began to decline. This was a general trend. They were in the same boat and urgently needed a boost.

Based on the timeline, it should be soon. The fighting between Iran and Iraq has already begun, and equipment is being depleted. Once the stuff in the warehouse is almost used up, they'll be waving their knives and coming to buy model toys from the rabbit. That's much more lucrative than selling vans.

“I completely understand your current situation. Our targets are decreasing year by year, but thankfully, thanks to the factory's insistence, the driving school wasn't forced to leave!” “Regarding funding, the driving school has a special reserve fund for purchasing vehicles, which has been saved up over the years, so you don't need to worry about that. We can purchase up to thirty vehicles from the factory. Next, we just need to discuss the price!”

"Although I understand your situation, 25,000 yuan a car means your factory probably won't make much money, but every little bit helps. As the Party Secretary of Hongxing Factory, I have to consider our factory's situation. Also, we can help you expand your distribution channels with the bus companies in Beijing!"

Just like we discussed back at the Dongfeng Motorcycle Factory, we'll use our factory's procurement and connections with the bus company to negotiate lower prices, even if it's just to get a few more parts, like engines or gearboxes. That would be a good thing.

The negotiations regarding the first batch of minivan purchase orders in Beijing continued until the end of the workday. They were only concluded after Li Feng and Manager Zhou shook hands and said goodbye, and the draft purchase contract was stamped with the company seal.

The transportation department specially dispatched a three-wheeled motorcycle to take the person to the train station.

Manager Zhou had to take the train back, and the van he drove over was left at the factory.

……

After getting the car, Liu Qiang and his nephew Liu Lei were incredibly proud and high-spirited.

Riding a three-wheeled motorcycle through the streets has never felt so exhilarating. Even a mule running at full speed can't match the thrill of twisting the throttle.

Instead of immediately driving the tricycle back to Nanluoguxiang, the two took it to the home of a repairman introduced by Jia Haijie—an acquaintance from the transportation department's maintenance team and an apprentice trained by Jia Shanhe.

To be honest, after so many years of neglect, the two tricycles look extremely bad. To say they're 50-60% new would be an understatement.

Many parts of the cargo bed were even rusted through, and the mudguards and other parts wobbled as the truck drove, threatening to fall off at any moment.

The six wheels of the two tricycles, even the tire treads were worn down, still required connections to buy six tires from the motorcycle factory.

Although the two vehicles cost a total of over 1,300 yuan, there was still a lot of money to be spent on preparation work afterward. Only after everything was in place could we prepare to start operating, mainly in freight transportation.

Our business scope extends beyond Beijing and its suburbs. We can also go to nearby cities like Tianjin, Baoding, and Langfang. But we dare not go any further than that, given the current road conditions, long-distance travel is not feasible for one person.

After treating the repairman to dinner, the uncle and nephew left the tricycle there and returned to the west courtyard to clean the stables.

The two mules that had accompanied the two of them for so many years were barely adults when Li Feng brought them from Inner Mongolia. In the blink of an eye, they were ready to be sold.

Neither the uncle nor the nephew were willing to part with them, after all, they had been with them for so many years. But in Beijing, animals are no longer allowed on the road, and the regulations are becoming increasingly strict. They can no longer stay at designated train stations.

But mules have a lifespan of thirty to fifty years, which is also their prime. If they were brought back to the rural areas of southern Anhui, or even the county town, such good mules would be highly sought after.

After so many years of training, both mules are very docile, and they know the way around the streets and alleys of the capital city when called upon. It can be said that they have developed a real bond with each other.

"You've worked so hard all these years. Without your hard work, my nephew and I wouldn't be where we are today. Don't worry, we'll find you good families!"

Liu Lei cracked six eggs—eggs he usually wouldn't even eat himself—into the hay in the horse trough, even crushing the shells and kneading them in. His voice was full of reluctance as he spoke, and tears welled up in his eyes as he brushed the mule's body and combed its fur.

If it weren't for the restrictions on livestock, the two of them would really be reluctant to part with them. They had been together day and night for so many years, and it was only thanks to the two animals that they were able to keep the family's corn stalks afloat and eventually get the two tricycles they had today. In the Liu family, they were considered heroes.

After dinner, Liu Yin also came over. Every year during the Spring Festival, she was the one who fed the hay. Later, as she gradually became unable to do the heavy work, she would ask Liu Guangfu or Yan Jiekuang to lend a hand.

The family had a deep affection for the two mules, and the thought of them being sold made them feel uneasy. Li Hui even took photos of the mules with her camera.

Even after Li Feng got off work, the family wasn't in high spirits. The uncle and cousin weren't short of money from selling the mule, but feeding it required a lot of effort.

"How are the pigs doing back home? If you really can't bear to part with them, how about this: the factory can send a truck to pick up the mules along the way, and then we can load the fattened pigs onto the truck on the way back, which will be a good way to improve the factory's meals!" (End of this chapter)