The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 166 Sanhe Commune Seeks Help
This was the first year, and also almost the most difficult year.

Zhou Zhiqiang had known for some time that there was no food in the village, so the factory's purchasing department stopped going to the countryside to buy food after the National Day holiday.

I wouldn't be able to buy anything even if I went, so I might as well save my energy and not go at all.

However, according to Zhao Tiandong, the production brigade of Hongqi Village seemed to be facing even more difficulties than he had imagined.

Zhao Tiandong could get a lunch at the factory, plus he could buy expensive coarse grains at the pigeon market for one yuan per kilogram, giving his family about twenty or thirty kilograms a month.

Therefore, his family was just hungry, but they could manage to get by; however, other families were already waiting for the commune's help.

If this is the case in Hongqi Village Production Brigade, then other places are even more likely to be the same.

Wu Xiaojun's family is doing alright. He and his wife both have jobs and are registered urban residents. It's just the two of them living together. Mr. Wu also has a job.
It's fair to say there's no burden at all, and we can even help them out.

After listening, Zhou Zhiqiang shook his head and didn't say anything more.

A confluence of factors created these tense years, and his individual efforts were far too limited.

Although some changes have been made, all things considered so far, the total value of materials has probably only reached around 200 million.

That's still not enough for the whole country.

Zhou Zhiqiang knew why the secretary of Sanhe Township Commune had come to him, but he wasn't a god who could conjure up food. At most, he could only offer some assistance to Sanhe Township.

"By the way, would you two be willing to come to the Second Machine Tool Plant?"

Zhou Zhiqiang suddenly asked, "If you come to the Second Machine Tool Factory, the treatment will not change, and the overtime will be about the same as at Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory. However, if anything happens, I can lend a hand."

"Brother Xiaojun, don't worry about your wife. The logistics canteen is also short-staffed."

There was little difference between working overtime at the Second Machine Tool Plant and the Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Plant, and the Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Plant also received many foreign trade orders.

Next year's plans and tasks have been prepared in advance, and the year after that is uncertain, but based on the development tasks for the next two years, they will probably be fully booked as well.

Overtime wasn't scheduled as tightly as at the Second Machine Tool Factory, but there were at least twenty days a month where we worked overtime until 10 p.m.

Producing one more piece of agricultural machinery means earning more foreign exchange and providing more help to the country.

Now, Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory is like it's been injected with chicken blood. Some people are physically injected with chicken blood, but Dafeng Factory is injected with chicken blood in spirit.

However, Zhou Zhiqiang was certain that the Second Machine Tool Factory would develop better than the Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory in the future, so he suggested that the two of them come over, which was also for the good of Wu Xiaojun and Zhao Tiandong.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Tiandong immediately said, "Brother Zhiqiang, if it's not too much trouble, I'm willing to go to the Second Machine Tool Factory."

"You and my wife are both there; to be honest, I've wanted to go for a long time."

Wu Xiaojun glanced at Zhou Zhiqiang and asked, "Won't it be a lot of trouble? It involves both my wife's and my jobs."

"No, it might be difficult for others, but for me, it's just a matter of saying hello."

Zhou Zhiqiang said with absolute confidence.

To transfer workers between factories, one side needs to release workers, the other side needs to pick them up, and then the higher-level unit needs to approve it.

But Zhou Zhiqiang alone can handle three links. Wu Xiaojun, his wife, and Zhao Tiandong are not senior workers. One more of them won't make a difference, and a few less of them won't make a difference either.

Factory Director Zhao and Secretary Yan probably don't care, and the ministry is easy to talk to. Although Zhou Zhiqiang doesn't know the person in charge of this matter, the ministry usually doesn't even ask questions since both factories agree to the transfer.

"Zhiqiang, thank you for your help."

Wu Xiaojun thanked him and said, "From now on, we can go home together after work."

Zhao Tiandong, who was standing next to her, also said happily, "Yes, I was quite worried that Pingping would come back so late when she was working overtime before. Now I can come back with Pingping."

Zhou Zhiqiang asked in surprise, "She's still working overtime? Don't the logistics canteen staff go home after cooking?"

“Go and take care of the mushrooms, Brother Zhiqiang. It seems your factory is short-staffed. Pingping said that the canteen and purchasing staff have all gone.”

"It seems like that's the case."

Zhou Zhiqiang remembered that Tian Wenguo had come to him once asking for someone back, but he had driven him away.

At that time, there were not enough production workers on the front line, so Zhou Zhiqiang told Tian Wenguo to find a solution himself. As the logistics director, he would step in to fill the manpower gap.

Unexpectedly, Tian Wenguo got people from other departments in the logistics department to fill in.

Zhou Zhiqiang added, "If you work late, you can come back with me. I take the factory's car every day, so it can carry you all."

I go to the workshop every day; just wait for me when it's time.

The personnel haven't been transferred yet. Even if Zhou Zhiqiang makes a call tomorrow, it will take two or three days before the three of them can come to the factory.

With the matter settled, Wu Xiaojun and Zhao Tiandong went home after lunch to discuss it.

There's definitely nothing wrong with Zhao Tiandong's family. Wu Xiaojun needs to talk to his wife about it, but a normal person would agree immediately.

It doesn't matter which canteen you work in, and besides, the Second Machine Tool Plant is a large factory directly under the ministry.

Moreover, Wu Xiaojun and Zhao Tiandong have a good relationship with Zhou Zhiqiang, and the relationships between the families are generally good. If they don't go to the machine tool factory where Zhou Zhiqiang works, then it can only mean that they're not thinking straight.

After resting for a while in the afternoon, Zhou Zhiqiang did not continue working, but instead spent some time playing with his son at home.

I need to spend a day with my son every now and then, otherwise if we don't see each other for a long time, one day he might actually call Zhou Zhiqiang "uncle".

The next day.

Every Monday, the factory holds a routine meeting where the heads or directors of each department report on the previous week's work and any problems encountered.

If not, then report on the tasks for the new week.

The Second Machine Tool Plant is now on the right track for production, so there's nothing to worry about.

In other words, Tian Wenguo from the logistics department mentioned that mushroom production might decrease by the end of the year as temperatures get colder.

He has tried his best to take care of the mushrooms, but the greenhouse conditions are not yet feasible. The factory may have to stop mushroom production for two or three months and resume cultivation next spring.

Zhou Zhiqiang and Secretary Li understood this, as the logistics department had done a very good job that year, helping the factory produce nearly 100,000 jin of mushrooms.

It's understandable that it's winter. Although the mushroom cultivation workshop was close to the boiler room, the boiler room couldn't guarantee the temperature 24 hours a day.

The technical department also reported on the production of the new machine tool. If the universal grinding machine is produced, their factory will definitely be busier, but the output value will also be higher.

The important and trivial matters were quickly discussed, and the factory cadre meeting ended.

Now, meetings are no longer held to waste time. Everyone from top to bottom is rushing to produce, and meetings are held to report what needs to be said as quickly as possible so that all factory leaders have a clear understanding of the situation in the factory.

After the meeting, Zhou Zhiqiang followed Secretary Li closely and said, "Secretary Li, there's something I'd like to tell you."

"About the factory?" Secretary Li asked, then pointed to his office and said, "Shall we talk about it back in my office?"

"No, no, it's a small matter, no need to go back to the office."

Zhou Zhiqiang glanced back, and after he and Secretary Li's two assistants had gone far away, he turned back to Secretary Li with a smile and said, "I want to transfer three people from Dafeng Factory: two skilled workers and one person from the logistics canteen."

"We're both from Sanhe Township, so there's no need for any promotion or salary increase; we're just being transferred from Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory."

"Oh, I see. Then you can just talk to the personnel department."

Secretary Li thought it was something important, but it turned out to be a trivial matter.

It's just a lateral transfer, without any extra benefits. They'll just let the other side release the person and then pick them up.

After speaking, Secretary Li asked, "Comrade Zhiqiang, is there anything else important?"

Zhou Zhiqiang shook his head and said, "That's all. The rest, besides the trial production of the new machine tool, is about the branch factory, but Director Ren doesn't know when he'll be able to give us any information."

Secretary Li nodded, and after confirming that there was nothing else, he returned to his office.

After returning to his office, Zhou Zhiqiang made a phone call to Secretary Yan of Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory.

At first, they chatted casually, but after a few words, Zhou Zhiqiang brought up the matter of needing people. After listening, Secretary Yan readily agreed and said that he would arrange it as soon as possible, and that Zhou Zhiqiang could just wait for the notification to pick up the people.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Zhiqiang felt he had finished talking about the matter and was about to continue working.

But as I picked up my pen, I remembered that I had been thinking of asking about the Sanhe Commune on Monday.

So Zhou Zhiqiang picked up the phone and dialed Sanhe Commune.

A moment later, after the call was connected, Zhou Zhiqiang said, "This is Zhou Zhiqiang from the Second Machine Tool Factory. Is this Secretary Liu from Sanhe Commune?"

I heard from Captain Zhao of Hongqi Village that you wanted to see me; but I have a lot of things to do at the factory and can't leave right away. Secretary Liu, what do you need me for?

"It's inconvenient to talk on the phone? Okay, you can come to Beijing, as long as it won't interfere with your business. Just come to the Second Machine Tool Factory to find me."

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Zhiqiang shook his head. The Secretary Liu Fengnian on the other end of the line sounded so excited when he heard him, as if he had seen a savior.

It was difficult for him to directly refuse Secretary Liu's invitation to the factory.

If Sanhe Commune really intends to let him help save the village, then Zhou Zhiqiang does have a method, but he hopes that Secretary Liu will not look down on him.

If someone dislikes it or thinks it's not good enough, then Zhou Zhiqiang really can't help; his willingness to help is based on his ability and capacity to do so.

If it's beyond Zhou Zhiqiang's capabilities, then he's like a piece of meat weighing over a hundred pounds—powerless to do anything about it.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Zhiqiang stopped thinking about it and focused on his work at the factory.

During this period of self-study and research, he has mastered a great deal of technical and process theories about CNC machine tools and integrated circuits.

At the current pace, in about six months, Zhou Zhiqiang will be able to self-study all the theoretical knowledge and deduce a technologically advanced CNC machine tool.
However, it may be a huge investment, and it may require the joint efforts of the First Ministry of Machine Building and the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building to manufacture CNC machine tools.

Machine tools are only one part; CNC technology is the key, and this is definitely inseparable from the Fourth Ministry of Machinery Industry. Zhou Zhiqiang needs to produce a convincing R&D report that can convince both ministries.

Zhou Zhiqiang was busy in the office for a while, and then went to the new workshop to take a look. This workshop was responsible for manufacturing some parts for universal grinding machines.

Production isn't going very fast, since Zhou Zhiqiang didn't give us many people, and we've only completed about 10% so far.

There's still more than a month until the Chinese New Year, which should be enough time. As long as there are no unexpected events, their success on the first try won't count as wasting time.

Therefore, Zhou Zhiqiang would come to check every two days. He was very familiar with the universal grinding machine and had all the parts handled by him, so there would definitely be no accidents in the final production.

At noon, Zhou Zhiqiang had just finished lunch and made himself a cup of tea when the phone on his desk rang.

After the call was connected, it was from the factory office, saying that Secretary Liu from Sanhe Commune had arrived and had been picked up by them.

Zhou Zhiqiang told them to take Secretary Liu Fengnian to his office, and then hung up the phone.

A short while later, there was a knock on the door.

"come in."

Zhang Yaoguo led a middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit into the room. The man was covered in dust and dirt, and looked like he had traveled a long way to get here.

His face was tanned a dark red, and you could tell from his complexion that he had done a lot of farm work; you couldn't get that kind of tan indoors.

"Secretary Liu, please sit down. Yaoguo, pour Secretary Liu some tea."

Zhou Zhiqiang said to Zhang Yaoguo, and then sat down on the sofa with Liu Fengnian.

After Zhang Yaoguo poured the tea and left the office...

Zhou Zhiqiang finally spoke and asked, "Secretary Liu, did you come to see me because of the food shortage in Sanshui Commune?"

"That is indeed the case."

Liu Fengnian's face flushed slightly as he lowered his head in embarrassment and said, "I should have gone to the county, but after going more than ten times, the county couldn't offer any help."
Later, I learned that you, Director Zhou, were the factory manager of the large factory you established, so I thought that perhaps you might…

"Oh, thank you for your hard work, Secretary Liu."

Zhou Zhiqiang comforted him, saying, "I've heard about the Sanshui Commune from other people, so I have some understanding of the situation."

However, we are a machine tool factory, and currently, due to the daily rush to meet production targets and work overtime, we don't have enough food in the factory and need assistance from the ministry to barely keep going.

Upon hearing Zhou Zhiqiang's words, Secretary Liu lowered his head and said, "I know, Director Zhou, you just wanted to come."

"Here's what we'll do, Secretary Liu. I'll give you a solution, but it might not be very effective in the short term. However, it will at least alleviate the situation for your commune next year."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he stood up and said to Liu Fengnian, "Secretary Liu, I'd like to show you something."

"Looking at something?"

"Yes, let's see how our factory can alleviate the food shortage. I also studied in Sanshui Township before, so I'll definitely lend a hand if I can."

"Giving you grain directly is impossible, but I can teach you a method to harvest a large amount of food in a short period of time, and our factory can also provide some assistance to Sanshui Commune."

Upon hearing this, Secretary Liu immediately stood up and said excitedly, "Director Zhou, if you're willing to help us, that would be wonderful! On behalf of the 30,000 people of Sanshui Commune, I thank you!"

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(End of this chapter)