Courtyard House: Starting in a Ceramics Factory

Jiang Dashan took the heavy report, but did not immediately look at it. Instead, he first scrutinized the young man in front of him with a critical gaze.

The sheer length of this report speaks volumes.

He tapped the cover lightly with his fingers, making a soft "tap-tap" sound.

“Construction Report of Fully Automated Ceramic Production Line…” Jiang Dashan slowly read out the title, his voice not loud, but carrying a natural authority. “Xiao Li, you are the person in charge of this report. You are responsible for every word and every piece of data in it.”

This serves as both a reminder and a warning.

Such a massive project has far-reaching consequences, and cannot tolerate the slightest carelessness or exaggeration.

Li Feng remained calm, meeting Jiang Dashan's gaze with neither servility nor arrogance, and replied, "Leader Jiang, please rest assured, every word in this report has been repeatedly reviewed and scrutinized by our team."

“Each piece of data is supported by detailed experimental records and theoretical basis. I personally take responsibility for the authenticity and feasibility of this report.”

His voice was steady and powerful, resounding and exuding a strong sense of confidence.

This confidence stems from his absolute mastery of technology, as well as from his vast knowledge reserves that far exceed those of this era.

"Good!" Jiang Dashan nodded approvingly, his smile becoming more genuine.

What he admired was Li Feng's youthful vigor and sense of responsibility.

Then, Jiang Dashan put on his reading glasses, which were on the table, and opened the first page of the report.

The office fell silent instantly, with only the rustling sound of papers turning.

Zheng Guowei sat to the side, picked up the tea his secretary had just brought, and gently blew on it, while keeping a close eye on Jiang Dashan's expression out of the corner of his eye.

Li Feng straightened his back, sat quietly, looked straight ahead, and felt at peace.

He poured countless efforts into this report, carefully considering everything from the overall framework to every detail.

He was confident that anyone knowledgeable would recognize the value of the report.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Jiang Dashan watched intently, sometimes frowning as he fell into deep thought, and sometimes relaxing his expression to show approval.

His fingers would occasionally tap lightly on a certain data or chart in the report, as if he were silently calculating and deducing.

Li Feng originally thought that as the top leader, Leader Jiang would probably only look at a general outline.

Unexpectedly, he read it so meticulously, from the project background and technical principles to equipment selection, process flow, cost accounting, and risk assessment. He read almost every chapter with great interest.

This made Li Feng feel even more respect for his old leader.

The layman sees the spectacle, the expert sees the details. Although Jiang Dashan did not have a technical background, he had held a high position for many years and was in charge of the entire Ministry of Light Industry. His vision and judgment were absolutely top-notch.

He couldn't possibly be unaware of the enormous potential and epoch-making significance contained in this report.

More than half an hour passed before Jiang Dashan finally let out a long sigh of relief and closed the report. He took off his reading glasses, rubbed his slightly sore eyes, and then gently placed the report on the table.

"Amazing!"

Jiang Dashan looked at Li Feng and didn't hold back his praise.

"Xiao Li, your report is excellent! It's so detailed!"

He pointed to the report with his finger, "This isn't just a construction report; it's practically a plan that can be used directly to guide construction and production! It has theory, data, steps, contingency plans, and is extremely comprehensive. It even lists all the possible difficulties and provides solutions."

"I can say that this is the most solid, rigorous, and valuable project report I have seen in recent years!"

Receiving such high praise, even the usually composed Li Feng couldn't help but smile.

"This is the result of the team's joint efforts; I only did some overall planning and organization work," he said modestly.

Seeing this, Zheng Guowei added with a smile, "Leader Jiang, you don't know, Li Feng has been working non-stop at the ceramics factory for this report. He leads experiments during the day and stays up all night writing it. He's lost weight. And it's not just him, the whole project team is really pushing themselves!"

"Yes, we see and appreciate your hard work, comrades." Jiang Dashan nodded with satisfaction, then turned his gaze to Li Feng: "Xiao Li, I've read the report; it's very well written. However, theory is no substitute for practice. For the project to be implemented, we'll definitely encounter all sorts of problems."

"Now, tell me what practical difficulties you are facing? What kind of support do you need from the ministry? Please let me know, and we'll work together to find a solution."

This is the most critical issue.

Even the best plan is just a castle in the air without the support of resources.

This is exactly what Li Feng was waiting for.

He paused for a moment, organized his thoughts, and then said earnestly, "Director Jiang, Director Zheng, there are indeed difficulties, mainly in terms of funding."

"Oh? Tell me about it." Jiang Dashan looked at him with great interest.

"That's right!" Li Feng explained calmly, "A fully automated production line requires a significant investment of capital, whether it's the procurement and customization of hardware equipment or the development and debugging of software systems."

"In particular, many core electronic components and precision instruments cannot be produced domestically at present and need to be imported from abroad through special channels, which is another considerable expense."

"Although our Wuxing Ceramics Factory achieved record-high output and profits last year, according to regulations, the vast majority of profits need to be turned over to the state, leaving the factory with very limited funds at its disposal."

"The initial investment in the first phase of technological upgrading and the second phase of the project has basically emptied the factory's coffers. Therefore, we urgently hope to receive strong financial support from the Ministry for the research and development and construction of subsequent projects."

Li Feng's words were reasonable and well-founded, neither exaggerating nor complaining; they were a completely factual account of the difficulties.

Jiang Dashan and Zheng Guowei exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of a smile in each other's eyes.

They were afraid that Li Feng would say nothing and try to shoulder everything alone. It's good that young people are energetic, but sometimes they also need to learn to utilize resources and seek help.

"You don't need to worry about the funding." Jiang Dashan waved his hand, his tone very decisive.

"Xiao Li, you've made such a great contribution to the country, we absolutely cannot let you worry about money!" (End of Chapter)