Courtyard House: From Deputy Division Commander to Civilian, Progressing All the Way

In the conference room, different interest groups and different construction concepts clashed fiercely in an instant.

Some advocated starting with light industry to accumulate capital, while others advocated taking a steady approach and focusing on coal and steel first, and still others were eager to launch advanced machinery.

The argument escalated until everyone was red in the face and completely unresolved.

They weren't deliberately causing trouble; it's just that the country is too poor and its foundation too weak. Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice; everyone, from their own department's perspective, faces insurmountable practical difficulties.

Lin Yang remained silent.

He sat quietly in his chair, toying with a red and blue pencil in his hand, his deep gaze coldly observing the argument.

They argued for a full ten minutes.

"Bang!"

A dull, loud sound suddenly erupted in the conference room.

Lin Yang snapped the red and blue pencil in his hand into two pieces and slammed it heavily onto the table.

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling, murderous aura.

The entire conference room fell silent instantly.

All the vice ministers and bureau chiefs who were arguing stopped and their gazes involuntarily turned to the youngest vice minister in the room, whose prestige was terrifyingly high.

Lin Yang slowly stood up.

He didn't look at the vice ministers, but instead focused his gaze on the huge map of Chinese industry on the wall.

"Comrades. I've been listening for a while now, and everyone is complaining and emphasizing the difficulties they face."

Lin Yang turned around, placed his hands on the table, and leaned forward slightly, like a tiger ready to hunt.

"Insufficient resources, insufficient talent, and inconsistent standards. These are all facts. But I want to ask you all a question."

Lin Yang's gaze was as sharp as a knife, staring intently at the entire audience.

"Back at Chosin Reservoir, our volunteer soldiers were wearing only thin clothes and eating frozen potatoes. Facing American planes and tanks, did they ever complain about not having enough weapons? Did they ever complain about inadequate logistics?"

"No!"

"They blocked the enemy's gun ports with their chests, and with their flesh and blood, drove the world's leading superpower back to the 38th parallel!"

Lin Yang's voice gradually rose, echoing like thunder in the conference room.

"Now, we're sitting in a spacious, bright conference room, enjoying the warmth of the heating and drinking hot tea. We have the most advanced Soviet blueprints in our hands. And you're telling me that because you're afraid of translation errors, because you're afraid of wasting materials, you're going to shelve this national treasure—the 10,000-ton hydraulic press—and wait it out?!"

Lin Yang slammed his hand on the table, causing the water in the teacup to splash everywhere.

"Wait? Wait for what! Wait for the imperialist aircraft carriers to sail into our Bohai Bay! Wait for the enemy's nuclear missiles to be dropped on our heads!"

This resounding question struck like a heavy hammer blow to everyone's heart.

The vice ministers who had just been arguing all blushed and lowered their heads in shame.

"Comrade Lin Yang, then tell me, how should this battle be fought?" Minister Huang Jing looked intently at Lin Yang, his eyes full of admiration.

Lin Yang straightened up, his tone regaining its absolute calmness and coldness.

"Fight a large-scale annihilation battle!"

"The blueprint translation is slow? Then let's mobilize the entire population! I propose that the Ministry of Heavy Industry take the lead and issue a direct order to all universities and research institutes nationwide! Gather all professors and students who understand Russian in Beijing! Implement militarized closed management!"

"Don't understand the technical jargon? Then pair up a senior engineer with a translator! One person will translate the literal meaning, and the other will draw up the diagrams for verification! Working around the clock! Within three months, you must translate all the core drawings into Chinese!"

Lin Yang's gaze shifted to the deputy director who had just been complaining.

"Not enough raw materials? Then concentrate our efforts on major projects! Resources across the country must be allocated in a unified manner; we absolutely cannot allow each country to fight its own battle!"

"I propose the establishment of a 'Heavy Equipment and Special Steel Task Force'! Let's break down the existing departmental barriers and draw upon the core strengths of Ansteel, the First Ministry of Machine Building, and the Second Ministry of Machine Building, uniting them into a single force!"

Lin Yang surveyed the entire room with a cold and sharp gaze.

"No matter how great the difficulties, the 10,000-ton hydraulic press must be erected within two years! The supporting special steel must be forged within one year!"

"This is not only an economic task, but also a political task; it's a military order!"

"If we don't complete the task by the deadline, and we can't produce any steel," Lin Yang pointed to his head, his tone chilling, "you'll use my head to apologize to the Party Central Committee! If the coal and logistics can't keep up, I, Lin Yang, will use your heads as a sacrifice to the flag!"

This powerful and intimidating speech, full of military discipline, completely stunned the entire audience.

There was no wrangling or shirking of responsibility.

Lin Yang used the most direct and violent military logic to tear away the veil of red tape in industrial construction.

Minister Wang Heshou looked at Lin Yang, his eyes gleaming with an extremely bright light.

He knew that the Central Committee had made a brilliant but risky move by placing Lin Yang in this position.

This country desperately needs such a valiant general who dares to overturn the table and make firm commitments!

"good!"

Wang Heshou suddenly stood up and slammed his hand on the table.

"Comrade Lin Yang's plan is the highest-level action plan for our Ministry of Heavy Industry going forward!"

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures! I fully agree to establish the 'Heavy Equipment and Special Steel Task Force'!"

Wang Heshou looked intently at Lin Yang and immediately announced the most crucial personnel appointments.

"Comrade Lin Yang! The Party Committee of the Ministry has decided that you will personally serve as the commander-in-chief of this key project command center! You will be fully responsible for the implementation of the 10,000-ton hydraulic press, heavy rolling mill, and related special steel materials!"

"You have the first priority in allocating personnel, supplies, and equipment! Comrades from the First and Second Ministries of Machine Building will also fully cooperate with your work!"

"Lin Yang, this is a mountain weighing on the backbone of our country. Can you shoulder it?"

Lin Yang did not hesitate at all.

He abruptly brought his legs together, the sound of his boots clattering together, and gave a solemn military salute, like a soldier receiving a commando mission on the battlefield.

"I guarantee I'll complete the mission! If I can't crack this tough nut, I, Lin Yang, will never return to Beijing!"

……

End of the meeting.

Lin Yang strode out of the conference room.

In the corridor, Secretary Chen Feng had been waiting for some time. He was holding a thick stack of newly compiled urgent documents.

"minister!"

Chen Feng quickly caught up with Lin Yang, his tone filled with tension and excitement, "We all heard your speech in the conference room just now. It was so inspiring!"

"Stop flattering me and get down to business," Lin Yang said coldly as he walked away.

"Yes!" Chen Feng immediately flipped to the top document.

"Based on your instructions, the expert group has provided three alternative locations for the 10,000-ton hydraulic press and heavy metallurgical equipment: Northeast, North China, and Southwest China, respectively."