Courtyard House: Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) Traded for an Aircraft Carrier, the Whole Count

The black jeep drove with the momentum of a tank charge on the dirt road back to the city.

Driver Zhang's palms were sweaty as he gripped the steering wheel. He floored the accelerator, and the engine roared hysterically. In the trunk, the 35-pound "King of Sweet Potatoes" was carefully wrapped in the Zhongshan suit that Deputy Factory Director Li had taken off, as if it were not a crop but a newly unearthed national treasure.

The atmosphere inside the carriage was oppressive yet frenzied. Deputy Factory Director Li remained silent, only glancing at his watch repeatedly, his gaze shifting between unfocused and intense, clearly frantically calculating the shockwaves of this "political nuclear explosion" in his mind.

Jiang Chen remained calm, even having the leisure to watch the poplar trees rushing past the window. The effect of the mutated sweet potato was within his expectations; in fact, it could be said that this was merely the first step in his strategic plan for this era.

"Squeak—"

The jeep braked suddenly and stopped in front of the steel rolling mill's office building.

"Old Zhang, you stand guard by the car. If anyone dares to take a step closer, grab a wrench and beat them up!" Deputy Factory Director Li threw down a menacing order, then turned to Jiang Chen, his voice hoarse, "Xiao Jiang, give me a hand, let's lift it up."

Like thieves, the two carried the enormous object wrapped in clothes, avoiding the employees in the corridor, and headed straight for Director Yang's office on the third floor.

"Bang!"

The door to Director Yang's office was pushed open by Deputy Director Li with his buttocks.

Factory Director Yang, who was engrossed in reviewing documents, was startled. He took off his glasses, his brows furrowing. "Old Li? What are you doing? You're all so flustered! What kind of behavior is this!"

As a former military officer, Director Yang couldn't stand this kind of frivolous work style.

"Factory Director, something terrible has happened." Deputy Factory Director Li locked the door behind him, even tugging at the doorknob to make sure it was locked, before turning around with a strange flush on his face. "It's a huge deal."

Seeing the two acting so mysteriously, and then glancing at the large lump covered by clothes on the table, Director Yang's heart skipped a beat: "What? Has there been a safety accident?"

"It's not an accident, it's an auspicious sign!"

Deputy Factory Director Li took a deep breath and abruptly lifted the Zhongshan suit covering it.

In that instant, a red light seemed to illuminate Director Yang's office.

That enormous, purplish-red giant sweet potato assaulted Director Yang's retina without reservation.

Factory Director Yang was stunned. He remained frozen in the position of holding his glasses, like a statue, for a full half minute.

"What...what is this thing?" Director Yang finally found his voice, but it sounded extremely dry.

"Sweet potato," Jiang Chen replied calmly. "It's a new variety we're testing on the rocky slope; it just sprouted."

"Sweet potato?" Factory Director Yang jumped up, walked around the desk, leaned close to the sweet potato, and poked it with a trembling finger. "You call this a sweet potato? It's almost as big as a millstone!"

"Old Yang, guess how much fruit this plant produced?" Deputy Factory Director Li lowered his voice, holding up three fingers. "Thirty-five jin! Thirty-five jin per plant! The yield per mu... at least twenty thousand jin!"

Clang.

The glasses that Director Yang was holding fell onto the table.

He ignored his glasses, suddenly looked up, and stared intently at Jiang Chen, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Jiang, you're from the security department. Do you know the consequences of lying about production figures? This is deceiving the organization; it's a court-martial offense!"

"Factory Manager, the sample is right here, on the rocky slope, it can't be moved." Jiang Chen met Factory Manager Yang's gaze with neither humility nor arrogance. "Moreover, to verify the taste, we can cook one on the spot."

Half an hour later.

The office was filled with a rich, sweet aroma.

Director Yang held a steaming hot sweet potato, ignoring the heat, and took a big bite. It was soft and chewy, extremely sweet, and even more surprisingly, after swallowing, a warm current slid down his esophagus into his stomach, then spread throughout his body. His body, which had been somewhat tired from working late into the night, instantly felt much lighter.

"Great! Excellent stuff!" Factory Director Yang swallowed the sweet potato in his hand in a few bites, his eyes gleaming. "Not only is the yield high, but the taste and nutrition are simply strategic resources! This is life-saving food!"

He suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the office, his leather shoes making a rapid sound on the floor.

"No, this is too big a deal, our factory can't handle it." Factory Director Yang stopped and looked at the red telephone on his desk.

That was a confidential hotline directly connecting to ministries.

Deputy Factory Director Li nervously rubbed his hands together. He knew that once this phone call was made, the world of the steel rolling mill would change, and those of them involved would be remembered in history.

Factory Director Yang took a deep breath, grabbed the receiver, and dialed a number.

"Hello, this is Yang Jianguo... Yes, I have an emergency to report to my former leader... It's not a production accident, it's about grain... Yes, you heard me right, sweet potatoes with a yield of 20,000 jin per mu... I guarantee it with my Party spirit! I'm right here, the samples are on my desk!"

A questioning tone seemed to come from the other end of the phone, and Factory Director Yang's tone became more serious than ever before, even carrying a hint of military ruthlessness: "Old leader, if I've told a single lie, you can execute me!...Yes! Yes!"

Just as Factory Director Yang was about to hang up, Jiang Chen suddenly stepped forward and interjected at the opportune moment: "Factory Director, since a high-ranking leader is coming to inspect tomorrow, seeing is believing. Why don't you invite him to see for himself?"

Factory Director Yang was taken aback, then a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes. He spoke into the microphone, "Old leader, Comrade Jiang suggests that since the big leader is coming tomorrow, why not make this a key inspection project... Good! Good! Understood!"

A moment later, Director Yang slowly put down the phone.

He turned around, looked at Jiang Chen and Deputy Factory Director Li, and a relieved yet expectant smile appeared on his face.

"The ministry is in an uproar," Factory Director Yang said in a deep voice. "The top leader laughed on the phone and said that if it's true, he'll personally recommend us for commendation!"

Deputy Factory Director Li was so excited that his fat jiggled all over, and he wished he could go to the rocky slope and sleep in the sweet potato field right now.

Factory Director Yang walked up to Jiang Chen and patted him heavily on the shoulder. At that moment, the way he looked at Jiang Chen was no longer that of a subordinate, but of a comrade-in-arms, and even a hope for the future.

"Xiao Jiang, get ready." Factory Director Yang's voice was deep and powerful. "Tomorrow is the most important opportunity of your life. You know the big boss's temper; he doesn't tolerate any nonsense. But if this works out, your future will be limitless!"

Jiang Chen smiled slightly and saluted: "I guarantee I will complete the mission."

Outside the window, the setting sun was like blood. A storm that would sweep across the entire era was about to officially begin in the small eye of the storm—the steel rolling mill.