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

"I...I didn't know it was about building rockets...I really didn't know..." Wu Qiang was sweating profusely, stammering as he tried to explain.

"You don't need to know." Lin Yang straightened up, a cold, murderous glint in his eyes. "Chen Feng, notify the security department. Wu Qiang is suspected of spying on top state secrets and deliberately sabotaging the aerospace project. Send him directly to Qincheng Prison and hand him over to the special task force for rigorous interrogation. Find out who's behind him. Daring to reach into the defense industry, I think he's got a death wish!"

"Yes!" Chen Feng waved his hand.

Two guards pounced on him like wolves, grabbing Wu Qiang from the left and right.

"Minister Lin! I was wrong! I was really wrong! Please forgive me this time, since we're both in the Ministry of Heavy Industry!" Wu Qiang screamed like a pig being slaughtered, struggling desperately.

But he was no match for the iron grip of the guards and was dragged out of the conference room like a dead dog. His pitiful pleas for mercy echoed down the corridor until he was shoved into the prison van and disappeared completely.

The conference room was deathly silent. Several directors who had previously harbored some reservations about Zhao Lichun were now so frightened that they didn't dare to breathe.

Lin Yang used swift and decisive methods to once again establish rules for everyone.

He turned his head and looked at Zhao Lichun.

"How's the steel special train arrangement going with the start of spring?"

Zhao Lichun immediately straightened his back and reported, "Minister, rest assured. All three thousand tons of special alloy have been loaded onto trains at the railway station. I personally issued the highest-level clearance order; all sections of the route must give way unconditionally. It will definitely reach the Jiuquan base in Northwest China within forty-eight hours!"

"Very good." Lin Yang nodded, his gaze turning to the northwest outside the window. "Get ready, you're coming with me to the Great Northwest tomorrow morning. Let's witness how our nation's spirit soars through the heavens."

A few days later. Northwest China, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

On the vast Gobi Desert, the fierce winds whip up yellow sand, but they cannot conceal the boiling passion within.

A massive steel launch tower rose from the ground. And in the center of the tower, a giant, milky-white rocket—the Long March 1—was tightly embraced.

Inside this rocket lay the blood, sweat, and tears of the entire Chinese nation, which later became the world-renowned "Dongfanghong-1" artificial Earth satellite.

The launch command center is located in an underground bunker a few kilometers away from the launch tower.

Lin Yang, dressed in military uniform, stood at the front of the command hall as the head of the Ministry of Heavy Industry and the military-industrial system. Beside him were Qian Lao, whose temples were already gray, and Zhao Gang and a group of other important military officials.

Almost all the key materials for this rocket, from high-temperature resistant titanium alloys to precision mechanical valves, were produced by the heavy industry system's core personnel who survived the storm under Lin Yang's iron-fisted leadership.

"Yangzi, look at that big thing. It's really beautiful." Zhao Gang looked at the rocket on the monitor screen, his eyes slightly red. "Back in Yan'an, we even treasured a few reloaded bullets and used them sparingly. Who would have thought that we could build a rocket that flies into the sky today?"

Lin Yang patted his old comrade on the shoulder, his eyes resolute: "Old commander, all of this was forced upon us. If others wouldn't give it to us, we'd build it ourselves. This is just the beginning. One day, our spaceships will go to the moon, to Mars."

Old Qian turned his head and looked at Lin Yang, his wise eyes filled with gratitude.

"Minister Lin, if it weren't for you withstanding the pressure within the ministry and delivering that batch of special steel on time, our engine would definitely not have passed the pressure test. The aerospace system owes you a huge favor."

Lin Yang immediately stood at attention and gave this national treasure-level scientist a standard military salute.

"Mr. Qian, you flatter me. I, Lin Yang, am just a blacksmith. You researchers are the brains of the nation. As long as you need us, the Ministry of Heavy Industry will do everything in its power to support you!"

Time ticked by, and the atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly tense.

"Attention all units, be ready in one hour!"

As the countdown progressed, everyone held their breath.

This was not only a scientific experiment, but also a political breakthrough. Internationally, the US-Soviet rivalry was intensifying; domestically, the country was in turmoil. China desperately needed such a shot in the arm to boost national morale.

April 24, 1970, night.

The night sky over Jiuquan is dotted with stars, clear and deep.

"ten!"

"Nine!"

……

"three!"

"two!"

"one!"

"ignition!!!"

The commander gave the order.

On the monitoring screen, the Long March 1 rocket instantly spewed out blinding orange-red flames from its base. The enormous roar, even several kilometers away, still shook the underground bunker.

Like a fiery dragon soaring from the abyss, the rocket tore through the darkness of the Gobi Desert, rising slowly into the air with an earth-shaking force. As its speed increased, it transformed into a dazzling meteor, piercing the heavens.

The entire command center was deathly silent, save for the urgent voice of the radar announcer.

"Level One Escape!"

"Secondary ignition is normal!"

"Star and arrow separate!"

Ten minutes later.

The radio tracking station transmitted exciting news: "The satellite has accurately entered its designated orbit! Orbital parameters are normal!"

Immediately afterwards, a faint hum of electricity emanated from the loudspeakers in the hall. Then, a crisp, stirring piece of music, synthesized from electronic sounds, traveled clearly from distant space, across hundreds of kilometers of vacuum, and returned to Earth.

That's "The East Is Red".

The moment that familiar melody began, the entire command hall erupted in cheers.

Mr. Qian took off his glasses, letting tears stream down his face, and hugged the people around him tightly.

Zhao Gang clenched his fists in excitement and looked up with a long sigh.

Lin Yang stood in the center of the crowd, his chest heaving violently. He closed his eyes, listening to the sound from space, and felt a surge of stale air being expelled from his chest.

China has finally entered the space age. From now on, the Chinese people have a place in this vast sea of ​​stars.

On this exciting night, the song "The East Is Red," which came from space, was broadcast across every corner of China via the powerful radio waves of the Central People's Broadcasting Station.

Nanluoguxiang, the old city of Beijing.

The night in the courtyard at No. 95 was usually lifeless.

But at this moment, in He Daqing's house in the front yard, a bright light bulb was on, and a brand-new Red Star brand radio was turned up to the maximum volume, playing an exciting news broadcast.

"According to Xinhua News Agency, my country's first artificial Earth satellite was successfully launched! The melody of 'The East Is Red' resounded throughout space..."

He Daqing was wearing a clean white vest, holding a small wine cup in his hand, and took a sip with relish.

"Good! Good! That's real skill!" He Daqing smacked his lips and said smugly to He Yuzhu sitting next to him, "Yuzhu, listen to this. The leader must have contributed to this as well! Our He family is lucky to be able to follow the leader; it's like our ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke."

He Yuzhu was taking a rare day off today, dressed in a smart casual outfit, the scar on his left cheek looking quite imposing under the light.

Although he has resigned from his position in the Public Security Bureau, as Lin Yang's personal bodyguard, he is a battalion-level officer under the Central Security Bureau. In Beijing, even district leaders would politely offer him a cigarette when they see him.

"Dad, of course. The commander went to the Northwest to oversee things personally a few days ago." He Yuzhu grabbed a handful of peanuts and threw them into his mouth, chewing them noisily. "You didn't see it, but those troublemakers in the ministry were sent to Qincheng Prison by the commander with just a word. In this world, only someone with a backbone like the commander can hold this country up."

The radio was very loud, its sound filling the entire courtyard in the quiet night.