Courtyard House: A Major Power's Heavy Industry, Hand-Crafted Nuclear Fusion

1970, spring.

A satellite launch center in the Gobi Desert of Northwest China.

It's busier and quieter here than before.

A spherical object, one meter in diameter and 72-sided, is suspended on the testing frame. Its surface gleams with a metallic sheen, like a gem from the future.

This is the artificial satellite codenamed "Star One".

"Dean Su, does this thing really make a sound?"

An experienced aerospace engineer circled the satellite twice and asked with some concern, "The requirements from above are very high: 'Get up there, be able to track it, be able to hear it, and be able to see it.' This 'being able to hear it' doesn't just mean making a beeping sound; it means singing 'The Song of the East.'"

In this day and age, playing music in space is still very difficult.

Vacuum environment, extreme temperature difference, radiation interference... any one of these factors could turn that electronic music into jarring noise.

"rest assured."

Su Zheng held a black chip the size of a fingernail in his hand.

"We originally planned to use a mechanical aluminum plate piano, but that was too heavy and prone to vibration. Now, we're using this one."

He inserted the chip into a specially made circuit board.

"This is a 'music synthesis chip' specially customized by Workshop 701. It has the melody of that song burned into the logic gates of the transistor. As long as it is powered on, it will keep playing tirelessly until the end of time."

"Then... how come we can see it?" Old Qian asked again. "This satellite only weighs a few hundred kilograms, flying at an altitude of several hundred kilometers. How could it possibly be visible to the naked eye?"

This is indeed a difficult problem.

According to the principles of optics, such a small object would be an invisible speck of dust on the ground.

But this is also an important task. The whole nation is watching with bated breath; how can we fail to see it?

"That's easy."

Su Zheng smiled.

He walked up to a blueprint and pointed to the third stage of the launch vehicle.

"The satellite itself is too small, but this thing is huge."

"We're putting a huge 'skirt' (observation skirt) on the third stage rocket."

"This is a specially made aluminum-coated film balloon. Once in orbit, it will automatically inflate and unfold, reaching a diameter of several meters. Under sunlight, its brightness will approach that of a first-magnitude star."

"It flies behind the satellite. The 'stars' that ordinary people see are actually it."

"This is called... 'borrowing light'."

Old Qian was dumbfounded.

"Dean Su, your brain... it's absolutely amazing! How could you even think of something like this?"

"There was no other way; I was forced into it."

Su Zheng shrugged.

"In this era of extreme poverty, we could only use the most basic methods to solve the most complex problems."

……

1970 4 Month 24 Day.

Launch site.

On this day, the wind in the Gobi Desert stopped. The sky was as blue as a giant piece of jade.

The launch vehicle, codenamed "Changjian-1," stands tall on the launch tower. It is taller and more imposing than the previous "Dongfeng" missile.

At its very top lies the "star" that carries the dreams of hundreds of millions of people.

"Attention all units, prepare in 15 minutes."

The atmosphere in the underground control room was solemn and sacred.

Su Zheng sat in the commander-in-chief's seat. Beside him were Lao Qian, General Zhang, and Ye Xinyi.

"Xinyi, are you nervous?" Su Zheng squeezed his wife's hand.

"I'm not nervous."

Looking at the data on the screen, Ye Xinyi said, "Our chip has undergone tens of thousands of tests. It won't misfire."

"Um."

Su Zheng nodded.

They worked tirelessly for three whole years for this satellite and this rocket.

For the past three years, the storms outside have continued to rage. But this base has been like an ark, tenaciously protecting this last spark of hope.

Today is the day to hand in the papers.

"One minute countdown."

"50".

"40".

……

Su Zheng's gaze pierced through the thick explosion-proof glass, looking at the rocket in the distance.

He silently recited in his heart:

"Fly!"

"Let's take our voices and fly to a place where no one can disturb us."

"10".

"9".

……

"ignition!"

"take off!"

"boom--!!!"

A burst of orange-red flames erupted from the bottom of the rocket.

The immense force caused the earth to tremble.

"Long Arrow One" slowly left the launch tower. Unlike a missile, it did not climb rapidly, but instead flew upwards steadily with a calm and graceful demeanor.

The speed is getting faster and faster.

Until it turned into a dazzling point of light and disappeared into the depths of the sky.

"Separation of Level 1 and Level 2 was successful!"

"Fairing jettisoned successfully!"

"Third-stage ignition!"

Each instruction was accompanied by a round of applause.

Ten minutes later.

"Star and arrow separate!"

"Satellite in orbit!"

An excited voice came over the loudspeaker.

But no one cheered.

Everyone is waiting.

Waiting for that sound.

A few seconds later.

A familiar melody suddenly came from the loudspeakers in the control room.

That was "Song of the East" played with electronically synthesized sounds.

Although it is somewhat monotonous, and somewhat distorted.

But at that moment, to everyone's ears, it was the most beautiful symphony in the world.

"It rang! It rang!"

"We heard you!"

Old Qian took off his glasses and wiped away his tears.

General Zhang slammed his hat to the ground. "Did you hear that?! Did the whole world hear that?! That's our voice!"

Su Zheng leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

He looked at the trajectory drawn around the Earth on the screen.

That's more than just a track.

That was the red carpet for this ancient country's return to the world stage.

……

That night.

The national news agency broadcast this news that shocked the world.

Across the country, countless people took to the streets to gaze at the stars.

They saw it.

In the deep night sky, a bright star is slowly streaking across the sky. It carries light and song, the pride of all Chinese people.

……

Across the ocean.

The capital of that Western superpower.

The president sat in the Oval Office, listening to the recording that came from space.

"This singing...is very powerful."

He turned off the recorder and looked at the diplomatic advisor across from him.

"This is more than just singing."

The advisor adjusted his glasses, his expression grave. "Mr. President, you should understand what this means."

"That means if they can send a satellite up here, they can drop nuclear warheads here."

The president pointed to the floor beneath his feet.

"Yes."

The advisor nodded. "Their 'Long Arrow' rocket is actually a variant of a long-range missile. Moreover... according to intelligence, they are developing an even more powerful intercontinental ballistic missile. Its range... can cover our entire territory."

silence.

a long time.

The president sighed.

"It seems our previous policies were wrong."

"It is foolish to blockade a country with a billion people that possesses nuclear weapons and satellites."

He stood up and walked to the window.

"We need to try a different approach."

"Doctor, let's get ready."

"What are you preparing?"

"I'm getting ready to go to that mysterious ancient country in the East."

"I think...it's time to shake hands with Mr. Su Zheng and his leader."

……

1971, summer.

That doctor secretly visited China.

This visit was known as "Operation Baltic".

Amidst the tense political negotiations, the doctor made a special request: he wanted to visit a "high-tech factory" in the East.

He came with arrogance.

In his view, although the East had developed nuclear weapons and satellites, that was definitely an "exception" under the national system. The country's industrial base as a whole should still be at the level of World War II.

however.

When he walked into the base codenamed "001" (an exhibition area open to the public as an exception) and saw the place called "Workshop 701", his jaw almost dropped.

What did he see?

He saw the clean, dust-free workshop.

I saw a CNC machine tool that was operating automatically.

I saw that "portable electronic calculator" that was only the size of a book.

"This...you made this yourselves?"

The professor picked up the calculator and pressed a few buttons. The red numbers on the screen moved with perfect precision.

"Yes."

Su Zheng, who was accompanying the visit, said calmly.

"This was made using discarded chips. It's an educational toy for elementary school students."

"Discarding...teaching aids?"

The doctor felt his worldview had collapsed.

This level of integrated circuit technology is only just beginning to become widespread in his country. Here, it's already considered "obsolete"?

"Mr. Su, where did your technology come from?" the doctor couldn't help but ask.

"It fell from the sky."

Su Zheng pointed to the sky and joked, "Maybe God felt we were suffering too much and gave us a little gift."

The doctor gave a wry smile.

He knew Su was just giving him the runaround.

But he realized one thing: this country was no longer the backward nation that could be manipulated at will.

They have already obtained their tickets to the future.

……

After the doctor left.

Relations between the two countries have warmed rapidly.

In the years that followed, the two-decade-long blockade was finally broken.

Base 001 has also ushered in its new mission.

"Dean Su, the transfer order from above has arrived."

General Zhang walked into Su Zheng's office with an official document in his hand.

His expression showed a mixture of reluctance and relief.

"You're leaving."

Su Zheng took the document.

[Comrade Su Zheng is hereby appointed Minister of the Ministry of High-Tech Industries. He shall proceed to Beijing immediately to assume his post.]

"Yes, it's time to go."

Su Zheng looked at the office he had lived in for almost ten years.

The map on the wall was covered with circles and dots drawn by him.

From atomic bombs to hydrogen bombs, to satellites, to chip chips.

These ten years were the most wonderful ten years of his life.

It was also the most difficult, yet most glorious, decade for this country.

"Old Zhang, I'm leaving this place to you."

Su Zheng stood up, patted General Zhang on the shoulder, and said, "Although it's thawed outside, our swords still need sharpening."

"The intercontinental ballistic missile is not yet finalized. The nuclear submarine is still on the slipway."

"You need to take good care of this house for me."

Don't worry!

General Zhang saluted, his eyes reddening. "As long as I, Old Zhang, have a breath left, this red flag will never fall!"

……

airport.

A silver-white private jet is waiting.

Su Zheng and Ye Xinyi stood on the boarding stairs, turned around, and took one last look at the desolate wasteland.

At sunset.

That towering launch tower stands like a monument between heaven and earth.

"Bye now."

Su Zheng said softly.

"No, it's goodbye."

Ye Xinyi corrected, "Our hearts will always be here."

The plane takes off.

Flying eastward, towards the capital city that is welcoming the spring breeze of reform.

There, there is a broader stage, fiercer business battles, and a grander blueprint.