Chapter 1312: Jin Ling of the Era

"Consider it some preliminary contact, negotiation, and public relations,"

Wang Yan said. "Jin Ling has dispatched a group to the Soviet Union for investigation and exchange with key figures. I will also depart next month to negotiate in person. The goal is not high; we just need to bring this city of our Jin Ling City back."

"Is that possible, brother-in-law?"

"Read more history. Never mind the conduct of scholar-officials of the past; do you not know what the modern era was like? You have read enough history books. Traitors, spies, compradors, running dogs—how they existed and how they survived, you should understand."

"Now the Soviet situation is chaotic, hearts are panicked, and the vast Soviet Union is about to fall apart. At such a time, what is impossible? If something cannot be negotiated, it is simply because the benefits offered are not great enough. As long as we can secure it, regardless of whether it is good or bad, and regardless of whether it is military or civilian, let us bring it all back first. Even selling it as scrap iron would be valuable."

"What do we give in return? Goods if they want goods, US dollars if they want US dollars; in the end, it is just footwear, clothing, and fast-moving consumer goods. We must not only acquire equipment but also recruit talent to come here. If we do not recruit them, they will all run to European and American countries."

"Are we buying fighter jets and cannons too?"

"Are those not military products? We buy them back, park them by the roadside, and let the children see these weapons and equipment to provide some enlightenment in military education; is that not a good thing? If we can acquire large cargo planes, it would also be greatly beneficial to our logistics operations. Of course, it would be even better if we could obtain other military equipment. I have always wanted to deal in arms but have never been able to make it happen. Now we are just selling gas cylinders; they are blooming everywhere in the Middle East and Africa."

"Still selling? Gas cylinders are not difficult to produce; are there no competitors?"

"They said they only want Jin Ling's gas cylinders: they shoot far, shoot accurately, and shoot fiercely; others are not handy to use."

Wang Yan found it both amusing and helpless; when had he ever sold gas cylinders? Yet now he had become the Gas Cylinder King. Foreign friends persistently invited the people of Jin Ling to use gas cylinders for free, supporting Jin Ling's gas pipeline construction.

This aspect of urban construction was somewhat lagging, but indeed, the conditions did not exist before. Only recently had the laying of gas pipelines begun, with plans to achieve citywide gas supply in Jin Ling within three years...

After listening to Wang Yan ramble about all the good things from the Soviet Union, Song Yunhui sighed, "You are truly formidable, brother-in-law."

"There is still much to do; comrades must continue to strive. Looking at Jin Ling now, do you feel the prosperity of socialism?"

"I feel the prosperity of Jin Ling, but I do not feel the prosperity of Jin Ling's socialism. I have been to big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, where there are already many high-rise buildings. Let alone foreign countries; although their sanitation conditions may not be very good, their urban construction is indeed excellent."

"But our Jin Ling does not lag in these aspects. To reach the current level of construction in just ten years is already a miracle. Socialism is mainly reflected in distribution. In Jin Ling, medical care, elderly support, education, housing, and employment are all secured; this is what is most important."

Wang Yan nodded with a smile: "That is why I say our goal for the next stage is to become prosperous. The city must be built better, and the people must become wealthier. Currently, our people cannot yet travel; by the new millennium, I hope our people can travel all across the country, and even all over the world. After traveling abroad, they return and say that foreign countries are nothing special, just so-so; then I will have succeeded."

"It is not far off."

"Indeed, it is not far off. Once I earn back a Jin Ling City and spend a few years digesting and absorbing it, Jin Ling will inevitably reach new heights."

Amidst laughter and conversation, dinner was finished; the whole family ate and drank, proving quite harmonious and happy.

In the time that followed, Song Yunhui's family of three wandered and sightseeing in Jin Ling, spending a happy period of parent-child time. Wang Yan also arranged for Song Yunhui's daughter, Song Yin, to attend the Jin Ling Kindergarten. Thus, after Song Yin happily attended kindergarten for a few days, upon returning home, she could no longer find her dear mother and father.

After coaxing the child to sleep, Song Yunping, yawning, found Wang Yan reading in the living room.

"This little ancestor cries so much; finally, I have coaxed her to sleep."

"Persist a little longer; children forget quickly, and in a few days, she will adapt."

"Otherwise, there is no way." Song Yunping let out a long sigh, drank a glass of water, and said, "Did Xiaohui tell you?"

"Do not be so abrupt. He only told me to let Xiaoyin study here for a few years; nothing else. Is there something else?"

"Sigh..."

Song Yunping shook her head. "His eldest brother-in-law. Xiaohui's father-in-law has retired, and Xiaohui has also been transferred away from Jinzhou Chemical Industry. The current number one leader does not get along with Xiaohui, and his eldest brother-in-law is good for nothing. Without care in the factory, he could no longer continue working. His father-in-law then approached Xiaohui, wanting Xiaohui to arrange for his eldest brother-in-law to go to Donghai. Merely arranging a position was not enough; he also wanted to manage procurement."

"How could Kaiyan understand so much? Or perhaps Kaiyan understood but pretended not to. She just listened to her family, quarreled with Xiaohui, and asked Xiaohui for help. You know Xiaohui; his principles are upright. He simply stood firm and refused to yield an inch, no matter what."

"Later, his father-in-law had no choice but to suggest that his eldest son become an individual business owner and try to obtain some materials. Our Jin Ling has a huge throughput, purchasing from all over the country; purchasing from them would be the same. Moreover, the quantity they require is not large, but for their family, it would be inexhaustible."

"Did Xiaohui tell you this?"

"Kaiyan brought it up; she cried to me for a long time. I then asked Xiaohui, but he was too embarrassed to speak of it. I estimate Xiaohui is still angry with Kaiyan right now."

Wang Yan nodded: "Find the telephone number for Xiaohui's father-in-law's house; I will talk to him."

"Okay."

Song Yunping went to fetch the telephone directory, came to the phone, and dialed. After a short while, the call connected.

"Uncle Cheng, this is Wang Yan. I know about the matter. We are all family, after all; you are right, it is all so much money; whoever earns it is the same."

"However, let me state some things clearly upfront. All goods purchased by Jin Ling have standards. Passing off inferior goods as quality ones to deceive the people of Jin Ling and swindle their hard-earned money will incur the wrath of the people of Jin Ling. No one is allowed to undermine collective interests."

"If you wish to supply Jin Ling, your standards must be met, and you must face long-term random inspections. There are many types of non-compliance; the most serious among them endangers the life and property safety of the people of Jin Ling. In such cases, Jin Ling will enforce the law across regions and arrest the offenders. You may look into this. If you can guarantee compliance and bear the consequences, then contact the Jin Ling Procurement Department."

"Do not play petty tricks; do not harbor any luck-based mentality. In such matters, no one can tamper with things. Ask around more, and you will know how many people Jin Ling has executed."

"Additionally, Uncle Cheng, you must still consider Kaiyan's family harmony regarding Xiaohui's side. That is all; Uncle Cheng, go to sleep early."

Wang Yan spoke without any courtesy, nor did he need to be courteous. Whether defined by reason, status, or moral character, there was no need to give Father Cheng a good face.

This was a person who loved to play smart and who would climb over one's head if given an inch. If the words were not spoken directly, Father Cheng would likely commit errors and then play the victim. Of course, it was even more probable that his stupid son would not take Jin Ling's rules seriously, would play his own little games, and force his own father to clean up the mess.

The eldest brother of the Cheng family had learned Father Cheng's petty cleverness but had not understood limits. Of course, Father Cheng himself might not have had many limits either.

Wang Yan was truly not bluffing Father Cheng. If they truly dared to pass off inferior goods as quality ones, Jin Ling would truly arrest them. The lightest punishment would be working on a construction site for a year; Jin Ling had plenty of messy jobs, guaranteeing that a chubby person arriving would leave after shedding a layer of skin.

As for execution, that was no exaggeration. There was a case involving Jin Ling's procurement and material supply, where even quality inspectors were bribed. A group of people colluded together; Jin Ling's public security enforced the law across regions, directly arrested them, and followed the procedures. Within two months, they were all executed.

Wang Yan personally appeared on a live television broadcast, held a grand meeting for the entire county's people, severely criticized the borers within the collective, and once again launched a large-scale rectification campaign, re-emphasizing the importance of the collective and the vital role of public supervision and reporting.

Rectification had become normalized; Jin Ling held a batch every two or three years. Non-feasance, corruption, crime, laziness, undermining the collective, and tarnishing the collective's image—all such things must be severely dealt with.

This rectified the atmosphere and strengthened ideological education, giving the masses a sense of crisis and a sense of participation in the people's struggle. At the same time, it removed the borers from various positions, vacating spots for capable people to rise, achieving internal self-renewal and purification.

Of course, this was built upon the leaders themselves. First, Wang Yan, as the helmsman of Jin Ling, must be upright himself. If he deviated even slightly, the damage to the collective would be enormous. In Wang Yan's position, the temptations were simply too great and too numerous; not everyone could hold firm.

This also indicated that the future of Jin Ling was likely pessimistic.

But Wang Yan would not see that day. As long as he was here, Jin Ling would continue to develop and progress. One could not simply refrain from acting because the ending was likely not good; one must begin to have an end.

Overall, Wang Yan was a positive and optimistic person, one who knew pessimism yet remained optimistic, or rather, open-minded.

More accurately, he was indifferent; let things be as they may. While present, he did his best; after he was gone, even if floods surged to the sky, it would have nothing to do with him.

Simply admonishing Father Cheng a couple of times had a relatively obvious effect. A few days later, only after Song Yunhui had arrived in Donghai did he call back, complaining a great deal to Wang Yan.

It was evident that Song Yunhui had accumulated quite a bit of emotion in his daily life. Few marriages are sweet from beginning to end; bumps and hurdles are inevitable. Someone always has to endure grievance; mostly, couples endure and make do to get by.

To Wang Yan, these were trivial matters; his primary focus remained on helping the big brother preserve assets.

In September, he filed a report with his superiors and went to the capital to explain the situation; of course, traveling to the Soviet Union also required flying from Beijing. After some time, and having attended several meetings along the way, he obtained permission to go abroad and successfully boarded a plane to the Soviet Union.

He met with many high-ranking Soviet officials. At this time, their internal strife was fierce, and everyone was scrambling for silver. Wang Yan's work proceeded very smoothly: tanks, fighter jets, cannons, various mechanical processing equipment, various research materials, and various talents. Just as he had always intended to lure away, there were three-digit research teams, Soviet aerospace experts, and more; he actively courted and strove to secure them.

This work was long-term; some things could not be sold now but could be negotiated in a few months, and in a few more months, they would be sold off in a fire sale.

Meanwhile, goods from Jin Ling, with the cooperation of the railway system, were pulled to the border train by train, and pulled back train by train.

Jin Ling was like a tireless worker, vigorously wielding its pickaxe to dig and recruit twenty-four hours a day.

At the same time, Jin Ling was conducting various research projects, absorbing all kinds of research data acquired through trade, or launching new initiatives; in short, the goal was singular: to reproduce the entire massive scope of research Wang Yan had undertaken.

A series of projects took root: biology, medicine, life sciences, computing, artificial intelligence, aerospace, communications, materials, energy, and more.

Supplemented by various livelihood projects and other endeavors, plus investments, supporting Jin Ling's potential population of several million, along with over ten million people related to its industrial chains, posed no problem whatsoever.

While rolling out these various projects, Jin Ling also acted as a middleman. Whether useful or not, they bought a great deal, then resold it to other domestic enterprises or even abroad without issue, earning an additional profit.

After all, at this time, the nation was still struggling, and various enterprises were developing with difficulty. Of course, some enterprises that had undergone shareholding reforms and introduced foreign capital were in considerably better shape, but not everyone had foreign investment. In terms of returns, the profits were still quite substantial.

It might not be enough for the whole of Jin Ling, but disposing of idle assets saved on maintenance costs, and the money earned could subsidize certain projects, effectively earning twice over.

Of course, Jin Ling also contributed immensely; this year, Jin Ling no longer provided foreign exchange to the state, and on top of that, it supplied all kinds of goods that filled Jin Ling to overflowing. But undoubtedly, all of this was worth it.

Jin Ling specifically designated an area in the suburbs to open a military museum, subsequently collecting various weapons and equipment from home and abroad: tanks, aircraft, armored vehicles, all manner of blades, spears, cannons, as well as ancient weapons like knives, spears, swords, halberds, axes, Zi Yue-blades, hooks, and forks, along with armor and so forth.

At the same time, Jin Ling successfully obtained military qualifications for armaments, permitting the research and manufacture of weapons and equipment, which constituted a stable source of revenue. After all, Wang Yan was taking future armaments and placing them in the present; when participating in military bidding, the advantage was considerable.

The aerospace project also obtained qualifications, with personnel trained locally, plus experts brought back through various channels from the Soviet Union, researching aircraft, rockets, satellites, and more.

Jin Ling was doing its utmost to digest the gifts of its big brother; otherwise, it would truly be unworthy of the big brother's efforts.

This process continued until the winter of 1992, when Jin Ling finally stopped, beginning to focus wholeheartedly on research, operation, and development.

Jin Ling had gradually moved to the forefront of the era; during these years of frantic purchasing, Jin Ling had not fallen behind in research or halted production, but instead advanced even more rapidly.

During these few years, an even larger thermal power station was built to supply electricity to the entire county, safeguarding livelihoods and production. In fact, a new one had been built a few years prior, replacing the old, but as industrial development demanded ever more electricity, Jin Ling was absolutely a major consumer of power.

Furthermore, Jin Ling made rapid strides in LED technology, launching various products simultaneously ranging from all kinds of lamps to screens, which were very popular. VCDs and DVDs were launched concurrently, along with traditional color TVs and new LCD televisions utilizing LED technology, all of which were warmly received by the market.

At the same time, to coordinate with this development, Jin Ling established a culture and entertainment company, purchasing various audio-visual copyrights from home and abroad to layout the culture and entertainment industry. Now they could sell discs, later develop players, possess screening resources, and even into the new century, they could continue making money.

These were merely trifles; there were even more formidable achievements. Jin Ling launched its own communication and weather satellites and was researching a satellite navigation system; information technology was spreading and being applied rapidly in Jin Ling, with the entire city undergoing an informational revolution. At the same time, it began adjusting the city's industrial structure, transferring heavily polluting industries while ensuring employment.

It was at this time that Jin Ling truly stepped onto the crest of the era's wave, leading the way...