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

"Chen Feng, tomorrow, in the name of the General Office of the Ministry of Heavy Industry, issue an urgent top-secret document. Notify all core backbone enterprises under our absolute control nationwide to immediately activate the 'wartime evacuation and relocation' contingency plan."

"All the cutting-edge equipment, special steel smelting technology drawings, and precision instruments were packed and boxed overnight. All the core technical backbone, level eight workers, and chief engineers were given the highest settlement allowances, and they and their families were all put on military special trains and secretly sent to Panzhihua in the southwest and the deep mountains in the northwest."

A cruel sneer curled at the corner of Lin Yang's mouth.

"Don't the rebels like to seize power? Don't they like to occupy factories? Fine, I'll make room for them! I'll leave them those outdated, obsolete machine tools. I'll leave them those half-baked workers who can only shout slogans and can't even read blueprints."

"I want to see what kind of new world they can create with just a pile of scrap metal without equipment and technical backbone!"

This tactic of cutting off the enemy's supply lines is extremely ruthless.

Not only did they perfectly utilize the politically correct banner of "supporting the third-line war effort," leaving the rebels with no reason to obstruct them, but they also transferred the nation's true industrial essence to remote rear areas beyond the rebels' reach, placing it under direct military control and protection.

"What a brilliant tactic of feigning one move while secretly making another!" Zhao Gang's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh. "As long as we have the people, the blueprints, and the core equipment, the mountains and valleys of Southwest China will be our safe haven for heavy industry. Once this storm passes, we can easily rebuild an industrial army!"

Li Yunlong grinned, "Yangzi, what's wrong with your brain? You're really going to pull off this empty city stratagem in a spectacular way! Let those rebels take back an empty shell and treat it like a treasure, how satisfying!"

"Brother Li, things aren't that simple." Lin Yang shook his head, his expression serious. "Such a large-scale relocation requires extremely strong execution and absolute cooperation from the local military region. So, you have to go back."

Lin Yang walked up to Li Yunlong, placed his hands on his old comrade's shoulders, and looked at him intently.

"Old Li, don't get involved in the mess in Beijing anymore. You've seen General Peng's situation; he was caught out because he was too straightforward. You have a lot of troops on the Fujian front. As long as you're in command, the coastal defense in the southeast won't dare to mess up. As long as the country's doors are kept tight, no matter how much commotion there is inside, it won't hurt the core."

"You will return by military plane overnight. Once you are back, shut yourself in and refuse all visitors. Whether it's Red Guards or rebels, anyone who dares to storm the military control zone will be dealt with according to wartime regulations. Remember one thing: no matter how fierce the storm outside, the army's guns must never be allowed to malfunction!"

Li Yunlong's smile faded. Although he was a rough man, he could still distinguish between what was important and what was urgent. He knew Lin Yang was right; staying in Beijing would only make him a tool for others to use, and he wouldn't change anything.

"Yangzi, don't worry. With me keeping watch on the southeast coast, the Americans and Taiwanese spies can't even fly over here. You have to be careful in this quagmire." Li Yunlong nodded heavily.

After arranging things for Li Yunlong, Lin Yang's gaze fell on He Yuzhu, who was standing at the door in charge of guarding.

"Pillar."

"Commander, I'm here!" He Yuzhu immediately stood at attention, his back ramrod straight. He had been hit on the face with a stick earlier that day for stopping the rebels, and half of his face was still swollen, but his eyes were unusually fierce.

"You should resign from your position at the Dongcheng Branch. The public security system is practically defunct now; you'll only suffer there," Lin Yang said calmly.

He Yuzhu was taken aback, then nodded without hesitation: "I'll listen to you! Those bastards hold denunciation meetings every day; I've wanted to quit for a long time. I'll come back to be your bodyguard. If anyone dares to touch you, I'll cripple them first!"

"No, you have a more important task."

Lin Yang walked to the table, picked up a pen, quickly wrote down a warrant, and stamped it with his personal seal.

"Take some men to the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill first thing tomorrow morning. My older brother, Lin Fan, is the factory manager there. I bet those rebels, led by Liu Haizhong, are already plotting how to seize power from my brother."

When Lin Yang mentioned those beasts in the courtyard, a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes.

"Give my warrant to my brother. Tell him to immediately take the special steel smelting team from the factory, along with all the senior technicians, and, under the name of the 'Ministry of Heavy Industry Direct Aid Team,' take all the core equipment and evacuate to the southwest."

Lin Yang sneered.

"As for Liu Haizhong and his gang wanting power? Let them take it! Give the factory director's office to Liu Haizhong, and the propaganda department's loudspeaker to Xu Damao. Once my brother and his men leave, this steel rolling mill will be nothing but an empty shell. With production targets coming down from above, let's see how these bunch of useless wimps who only know how to shout slogans will explain themselves! When they fail to complete the national tasks, the military control commission's bullets will be waiting for them."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu's eyes lit up like light bulbs, and he rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"Commander, this is brilliant! If that career-obsessed Liu Haizhong knew that the factory director he went through so much trouble to snatch was a complete mess, he'd probably have a stroke from anger! Don't worry, I'll take two companies of bodyguards to the factory tomorrow. Anyone who dares to obstruct the transfer, I'll execute them on the spot!"

The general direction has been basically finalized in the meeting room.

Preserving strength through a three-pronged strategic shift, and stabilizing the overall situation by having the army tenaciously defend the borders—this is the ultimate form of strategic defense.

Just then, a somewhat weak but unusually firm voice came from the cot in the corner.

"Minister, what about the Ministry of Heavy Industry? If we completely let it run rampant, Wu Qiang and his gang will definitely destroy all the ministry's confidential files, and might even plant their own people to completely control industrial targets. Someone must stay behind to keep them in check from within."

Everyone turned to look.

The medic had finished bandaging the wound and left.

Zhao Lichun had a thick white bandage wrapped around his head, from which blood was still seeping. He was shirtless, holding his tattered Zhongshan suit in his hand, and shakily stood up, walking to the conference table.

His eyes looked somewhat ferocious due to being bloodshot, but his gaze was frighteningly calm.

"Lichun, what are your thoughts?" Lin Yang asked, looking at the political secretary he had personally promoted.

Zhao Lichun took a deep breath, met Lin Yang's gaze without fear, and said, word by word:

"Minister, I beg you, give me a punishment."

All you have to do is label me a rightist, or arbitrarily accuse me of sympathizing with the rebels.

Upon hearing this, both Zhao Gang and Li Yunlong were stunned.