Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 403 Prepare for a rainy day
After meeting with the MTR staff, Ho Yiu-cho still sought Ho Yu-chu's opinion.

He Yuzhu told him to do it this way, why should he indulge them?

Then He Yuzhu called Xu Damao again, asking him to inquire whether the military's construction engineering company dared to take on such a large project, or to directly contact China Railway to ask if they were interested in taking on another one.

However, the specific estimate depends on the application situation in the Special Administrative Region. He doesn't recall that the first subway line was built so early.

Fighting broke out in the Gulf, and it was quite a big fight. This reminded He Yuzhu of the many disasters that might occur in China in the future, so he asked Bai Yifeng to check on the situation of the Yellow River Rescue Team.

The results of the inspection were not satisfactory.

"Boss, I sent someone to check on the training situation, and it's not optimistic. The team members are generally older, and they haven't conducted large-scale, high-intensity, combat-oriented rescue drills for many years. They've mostly been doing routine maintenance training, and their equipment updates haven't kept up with the latest technological developments. Their overall condition has become somewhat lax."

He Yuzhu was not surprised by this.

The rescue team, which was established in its early years, was originally intended to deal with possible emergencies, but in recent years there have been no major operations, and the initial sense of urgency has inevitably been worn down.

He Yuzhu pondered for a moment and made a decision, "I understand. In this way, we will transfer experienced people from there to come to China."

"Boss, what do you want?"

"I plan to rebuild a high-standard professional rescue team in China."

"What about Hong Kong?"

“Recruit new people, weed out the old ones, let them do other jobs, they don’t need to waste their time in the rescue team.”

"Okay, I'll get on it right away. The personnel and equipment will be selected according to the highest standards."

"I plan to redo the equipment, but mainly the personnel."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, He Yuzhu contacted Wu Qianli and asked him if he knew any veterans who were unemployed and had excellent qualities and other qualities.

"Zhu Zi, what are you going to do? Arrange for them to work as security guards in the factory?"

"I'm prepared to risk my life to save you, but how should I put it, I'm not professional enough."

“I agree with what you said. I’m just afraid you’ll end up in a bottomless pit. I know you have one in Hong Kong, and you must have spent a lot of money on it over the years.”

"Yeah, you'd be lucky to use a team like that even once. You should understand that."

"Understand."

"Then please get it done for me, the sooner the better."

"Okay, I'll ask for you in a bit."

Before long, the first batch of carefully selected veterans took their places.

He Yuzhu temporarily placed them at the newly established training base in Huacheng, and at the same time, he asked Bai Yifeng to transfer several veteran team members with international rescue experience from Hong Kong to serve as instructors, and they began systematic training.

As for medical staff, they were really hard to find. He Yuzhu handed the task over to Yu Yuntao, the newly appointed captain of the rescue team. Before his demobilization, Yu Yuntao was a battalion commander. He was not used to working in the local area. After a phone call from his old superior, Yu Yuntao gave up his public office and came to work.

He Yuzhu didn't meet with him, but he asked Xu Damao to meet with him. Xu Damao said he was a good person and appointed him as the team leader immediately.

When Yu Yuntao arrived at the rescue team, it was as if he had returned to the army. His spirits and energy were back. This kid was also quite wild, and he went straight to the military hospital to dig people out of the army.

Then Wu Qianli called him into his office and berated him mercilessly, but he stubbornly insisted, "Commander, I dug people up to save lives! How can the rescue team be without doctors and nurses? It's such a waste to leave those promising talents in the hospital!"

Wu Qianli slammed his fist on the table in anger: "You think you're right! Do you know how hard it is for a hospital to train someone? And you, you cheat and swindle!"

Yu Yuntao muttered, "I didn't lie... I said we could go to the front lines and really save lives..."

"How dare you talk back!"

As he was giving instructions, the red phone on Wu Qianli's desk rang.

He glared at Yu Yuntao, answered the phone, and his expression gradually softened.

"Alright, you're lucky." After hanging up the phone, Wu Qianli said irritably, "There's a place that might be able to solve your problem."

Yu Yuntao's eyes lit up: "Where?"

"Go to the schools, the medical school and the nursing school."

"Oh, those recent graduates, can they handle it?"

"Whether it works or not, you'll find out when you go and see for yourself. Besides, your boss has assigned experienced people to you. If you don't know how, you can't learn, right?"

"Oh, I'll go take a look."

"Get out of here. If you do anything out of line again, don't blame me for whipping you with a belt."

"Yes." Yu Yuntao stood at attention and saluted.

Having recruited medical staff, this guy wasn't satisfied and started eyeing the equipment. He knew that the rescue team in Hong Kong had top-notch equipment.

So he went to Xu Damao, because Xu Damao was the one who interviewed him. Xu Damao didn't have the authority to give him the equipment, so the guy shamelessly got He Yuzhu's phone number.

"Hello, who is this?" Hearing the slightly authoritative voice on the phone, Yu Yuntao became nervous. He had heard about He Yuzhu's deeds so many times that he was practically sick of them.

"Mr. He, I am Yu Yuntao from the rescue team."

"Captain Yu, I've heard Da Mao mention you before, is there something you need?"

"This one, that one"

“Are you even a former soldier? What kind of behavior is this, stammering like this? If you’re like this, my rescue team wouldn’t dare entrust you with their duties.”

Yu Yuntao took a deep breath, calmed himself down a bit, and then began to speak: "Mr. He, our new team's framework is in place, and the brothers' morale is high, but the equipment is really a bit lacking. We can manage with basic digging and demolition tools, but there's a huge shortage of things like infrared detectors, jacking equipment, and especially professional-grade communication and transportation equipment. I've inquired about the equipment of the rescue teams in Hong Kong; that's the standard for dealing with major disasters. Since we're going to do this, we have to go for the highest standard. Otherwise, when the critical moment comes, if we rush in but the equipment isn't up to par, wouldn't we just be wasting our time?"

He spoke rather quickly, with the characteristic drive of a soldier and a hint of defiance.

He Yuzhu listened quietly without interrupting until Yu Yuntao finished speaking before slowly saying, "Standards, of course I know. I've already had someone draft the equipment list, which includes helicopters, engineering vehicles, trucks, jeeps, ambulances, cell phones, and walkie-talkies. You can start training first, and the equipment will be distributed to you once it arrives."

Yu Yuntao's eyes lit up on the other end of the phone, and his breathing quickened.

But He Yuzhu changed the subject: "However, Xiao Yu, even the best equipment needs the most professional people to use it. Now I ask you, if this batch of equipment arrives at the warehouse tomorrow, how many of your current personnel can immediately operate it proficiently and form combat capability? Do you have a plan in mind for the supporting maintenance system?"

Yu Yuntao was immediately stumped. He had only been thinking about equipment, and personnel training and system establishment had not yet fully caught up.

He honestly replied, "This requires more training, after all, I'm not a professional myself."

“Therefore, the order cannot be messed up,” He Yuzhu said. “The equipment will be available, and it will be better and more advanced than that of the old Hong Kong team. But the premise is that your people must first use the existing equipment to lay a solid foundation and improve their teamwork. I have already contacted the relevant units and will arrange for the team members to undergo professional training in batches, including different subjects such as earthquake rescue, flood relief, and mountain search and rescue. Once you pass the assessment and prove your capabilities, the equipment will naturally be provided in one go.”

“Rescue work isn’t just about passion. You’ve been on the battlefield, you should know this. Tell the team what I’m saying: if they want good equipment, they should trade their training results and professional skills for it. I, He Yuzhu, won’t be stingy with that.”

Yu Yuntao held the microphone, his face flushed, but he felt reassured, and a stronger surge of energy welled up within him: "Yes! Mr. He, I understand! I will definitely lead the team well and live up to your expectations!"

"Okay, go ahead and do it. If you encounter any difficulties, you can contact me directly." He Yuzhu said and hung up the phone.

The word "yes" stuck in Yu Yuntao's throat on the other end of the phone. He realized that this new boss was much more powerful than his old superior.

Yu Yuntao put down the phone and paced back and forth in his office a couple of times, still feeling quite excited.

He wiped his face and strode towards the training field, determined to tell the team members what Mr. He had said.

On the training field, the newly recruited team members are undergoing basic physical fitness and equipment training.

Everyone stopped what they were doing when they saw the captain approaching.

Yu Yuntao stood in front of the team, his gaze sweeping over the faces that were tanned from training or sun exposure.

"I just spoke with Mr. He on the phone," he said, getting straight to the point, "about equipment."

A slight commotion immediately arose in the group, and everyone stared at him expectantly.

"Mr. He said the best equipment will be provided!" Yu Yuntao's voice boomed. "Helicopters, engineering vehicles, and top-of-the-line communication equipment are all in the plan!"

The team members' faces immediately lit up with joy, and some even let out a soft cheer.

"But!" Yu Yuntao changed the subject, raising his voice, "Mr. He also asked, the goods will arrive tomorrow, how many of our current personnel can operate them immediately? And who has a good idea about the associated maintenance?" The training ground fell silent, and the team members looked at each other in bewilderment.

"I can't answer that," Yu Yun admitted. "Many of us haven't even figured out the limits of the basic equipment we have right now. Mr. He said the order can't be messed up. We need to solidify the foundation first and refine our teamwork. The group will arrange for us to undergo professional training, including earthquake, flood, and mountain search and rescue! Once we pass the assessment and prove that we're not just cowards who only know how to get equipment, but a professional team that can truly fight tough battles, then the equipment will be in place from the start!"

He paused, looking at his team members: "Mr. He also said that rescue isn't just about passion. Those words made me blush. What about you? If you want good equipment, you'll have to trade your training results and professional skills for it! Do you have the confidence?"

"Yes!" After a brief silence, a unified roar erupted across the training ground.

"Alright! Let's continue training!" Yu Yuntao waved his hand. "First, master this set of demolition tools!"

The team members threw themselves back into training, their enthusiasm noticeably higher than before.

Looking at the group of soldiers yelling and shouting, Yu Yuntao felt much more at ease.

He returned to his temporary office and began working on developing a more detailed training plan and a personnel skills assessment program.

Mr. He has pointed out the direction; the specific implementation is up to him.

One day, Xiaoman came over with a newspaper and asked, "Brother Zhu, a stock exchange is going to open in China soon. Should we set up a financial department and participate?"

He Yuzhu took the newspaper and glanced at it: "Okay, it doesn't need to be too big. Also, have the group's finance and legal departments assess which of our companies meet the domestic listing requirements."

The results came back a few days later.

"I've inquired, and all our subsidiaries are joint ventures or wholly-owned enterprises. According to current regulations, they do not meet the listing requirements."

He Yuzhu wasn't surprised: "Then let's put it aside for now."

On the day the Shanghai Stock Exchange opened, Xiaoman paid special attention to the news.

Seeing only eight stocks, she couldn't help but shake her head: "With only a few stocks and low trading volume, there's really nothing to play with."

"The domestic financial market is still in its early stages, and it will take time."

Xiaoman nodded.

"Understood. By the way, the aftermath of the financial market turmoil on the island has been resolved, and most of the funds have been safely withdrawn. They really suffered a severe drop this time, losing nearly 80% from their peak."

"How did the team perform in this operation?" He Yuzhu asked.

"Not bad, it withstood the test. Although the profits weren't as amazing as when you were in charge, it still made a steady profit, mainly by reaping the benefits from those international speculative funds that fled at the first sign of trouble." Xiaoman smiled. "It seems your strategy of letting them take the lead was right. They need to be given independent experience."

"What about the profitability?"

"That translates to roughly 20 billion US dollars. The funds have already begun to flow back in batches through various channels. Brother Zhu, where will this money be invested? Will we continue to look for opportunities overseas, or increase investment domestically?"

He Yuzhu pondered for a moment: "The overseas market will continue to be operated by the team according to the established strategy. The main part of this money will still be invested back in China. Have someone focus on two areas: first, industries in China that are relaxing entry requirements, and see which sectors are showing a trend of large-scale capital inflow; second, our own mobile phone production capacity must be increased immediately. The infrastructure of the new factories in the Special Economic Zone and Shanghai has been completed, and the equipment is arriving at the port one after another. We need to urge the lower levels to speed up the installation and debugging, and carry out personnel recruitment and training simultaneously to form a large-scale production capacity as soon as possible. I estimate that once our mobile phones are fully rolled out, the existing production capacity will be far from enough."

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away." Xiaoman noted down the key points, "Especially the mobile phone factory, I'll personally oversee the progress."

"Yes, also, we need to regularly follow up on the progress of our cooperation with the military. After the first batch of armored vehicles from Factory 541 were delivered, the user feedback is very important. There are also orders from the helicopter factory; although they are for parts, the quality is crucial to future cooperation, and we cannot afford any mistakes."

"Understood. I will have all parties submit reports regularly."

The two chatted about other group affairs, and then Xiaoman went to the study to process documents and make phone calls, implementing He Yuzhu's instructions one by one.

Funds began to flow in an orderly manner into the designated areas, and at the construction site of the new mobile phone production line, engineers and workers began intensive equipment installation and debugging work.

The job posting attracted a flood of applicants. The Yellow River is doing well, with higher salaries and bonuses, which means the entry requirements are also higher.

That year, the He family had a series of happy events. Zhou Baige, Gong Xue, and Zhong Chuhong all gave birth to sons, who were named He Yaojun, He Yaosheng, and He Yaohui respectively.

He Daqing and Chen Lanxiang were overjoyed. With three more little babies in their home, their original manpower was immediately stretched thin, so they had to hire two more experienced nannies to help take care of them.

He Yuyao came back for a mission related to China. He Yuxin stayed at home for a while, and He Yuyan also took leave to come back for a few days before going back to the army.

Xiaoman called Le Huizhen back to Beijing, and He Yaozu had no time to take care of her. Sometimes, Le Huizhen even had to take care of him. Xiaoman couldn't stand it anymore. Since there were servants at home, she decided to let the boy stay in Hong Kong by himself.

In addition, after the completion of Ho Yiu-chung's second film, the film performed better than the first one and almost became the box office champion. However, Ho Yiu-chung handed over the project to a professional manager and went back to his home country to continue his studies.

1990 has passed just like that.

The New Year's bells of 1991 were still ringing in our ears when, in mid-January, the sudden outbreak of war in the Gulf region shocked the world.

Television news only reports on strategic and situational developments.

However, He Yuzhu was summoned by Lao Fang to see the internal report. The footage of precision-guided bombs, overwhelming electronic jamming, and the devastating armored onslaught demonstrated to everyone an unprecedented mode of warfare.

Information warfare, air-dominated operations, and non-contact strikes—these concepts are presented to the world with unprecedented clarity.

He Yuzhu watched the scene on TV without thinking much of it; he had seen plenty of images of future wars online.

Old Fang remained silent for a long time.

"Pillar, can we win a war like this?"

"How we fight future battles will also depend on how well we make up for lost time," He Yuzhu said.

"I'm asking now."

"At present, it doesn't have much reference value." He Yuzhu paused and chose his words carefully. "The geographical environment we face is completely different. The depth of our territory, the overall size, as well as the structure and mission of our army are not the same as the opponents they face."

Old Fang picked up the cigarette pack on the table, took out a cigarette, and lit it.

His brow was furrowed amidst the swirling smoke.

“I understand what you mean by scale and depth. But the way this war is fought has completely changed.” He pointed to the frozen television screen. “Wars that relied on numbers and willpower may really be becoming history.”

He Yuzhu picked up the thermos and refilled their teacups. "The core of the war hasn't changed; it's still about destroying the enemy's will. Only the methods have changed. What they're demonstrating this time is essentially a generational advantage."

"Generational gap?"

“It’s like when cavalry faced machine guns back then. It’s not that the cavalry weren’t brave, it’s that the rules of war have changed.” He Yuzhu sat down. “What we need to consider now is not replicating this tactic, but how to prevent others from using this tactic against us.”

Old Fang took a deep drag on his cigarette: "Be more specific."

“Develop asymmetric capabilities. For example, strengthen underground defenses, disperse key facilities, and develop strike forces capable of breaking through blockades. And then,” He Yuzhu tapped his temple, “most importantly, accelerate the modernization of our own military.”

Old Fang was silent for a moment, then stubbed out his cigarette.

"This war has taught the whole world a lesson."

"The next arms race in the West has begun," He Yuzhu said.

"Why only talk about the west, and not about the east?"

"Do you think the Russian bear has the energy right now?" He Yuzhu asked.

"You little brat, what about us?"

"Let's develop quietly while they're not paying attention or are still wary of us. Isn't it better to make a fortune in silence?" He Yuzhu laughed.

"You can bring up money in everything now."

“It’s all about money. What doesn’t require money to do?” He Yuzhu said.

"Yes, yes, I can't argue with you now. Can I report what you've said to the higher-ups?"

"I don't think it's necessary. There are plenty of smart people up there."

"Ok."

A few days later, He Yuzhu was invited to Huacheng.

The internal video materials that He Yuzhu saw in Huacheng were much more detailed and shocking than what Lao Fang saw. After all, Lao Fang had already retired, and the fact that he could see them was because he took the initiative to ask Lao Fan for them to study with He Yuzhu. Otherwise, Lao Fan would not have sent them to him on his own initiative.

The battlefield situation clearly presented a one-sided crushing victory. The efficiency and power demonstrated by the highly information-based combat system plunged all the veterans present who had experienced traditional warfare into a long silence.

(End of this chapter)