Chapter 1647

Yang Libin finished his instructions and got into the car, then Cao Guoli got in right after and handed him a cigarette.

"It seems Zhou Andong wants to invest in the potash fertilizer project."

Yang Libin took the cigarette, lit it with his lighter, then held the lighter up to Cao Guoli.

"Investing in the potash fertilizer project, of course we welcome it, but I'm just afraid he'll set his sights on the Qinghai Potash Fertilizer Plant."

Cao Guoli gave a wry smile: "I'm afraid too, mainly because we don't have the final say."

Yang Libin sighed: "Let's take it step by step."

Cao Guoli took a puff of his cigarette: "That's all we can do."

The Qinghai Potash Fertilizer Plant is located by the Qarhan Salt Lake, in the central-southern part of the Qaidam Basin, about a hundred kilometers from Golmud, and is a national key construction project of the Seventh Five-Year Plan.

Qarhan Salt Lake is our country's largest soluble potassium-magnesium salt deposit, with potassium chloride reserves of 1.45 billion tons, accounting for 97% of the nation's proven reserves.

After the founding of New China, to change the situation of severe potassium deficiency in China's farmland and heavy reliance on imported potash fertilizers, a group of fearless pioneers entered the vast and desolate Qarhan Salt Lake, launching the entrepreneurial history of China's potash fertilizer industry.

When Zhou Andong and his group arrived, the factory party secretary and factory director Hu Youqing had already brought the factory leadership to the gate to welcome them.

After everyone got out of the car, Cao Guoli introduced everyone, and then they shook hands and exchanged greetings.

Hu Youqing said enthusiastically: "Welcome, leaders and entrepreneur comrades, to inspect and guide work at the potash fertilizer plant."

Yang Libin said with a smile: "Director Hu, I and Mayor Cao are just here to accompany; the main guests are Chairman Zhou and the various enterprise bosses. Your task today is to accompany them well, no need to worry about us."

"No problem." Hu Youqing made a gesture of invitation: "Chairman Zhou, all you bosses, let's walk and talk."

Zhou Andong said politely: "Sorry to trouble you, Director Hu."

"My hometown is Harbin in Heilongjiang Province. I came here with my parents at fifteen, started working at seventeen, and now it's been thirty-six years since I last returned home."

Hu Youqing looked at Zhou Andong and said sincerely: "When I got the call saying Chairman Zhou of Jiangzhou Yugong Group had come to our potash fertilizer plant for inspection, I was truly moved. After over thirty years, someone from my northeastern hometown has finally come."

Zhou Andong looked at Hu Youqing's weather-beaten face and full head of gray hair, and couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

It's really true that the accent remains unchanged while the hair turns gray—just now, when Hu Youqing opened his mouth to speak, I could tell he had a northeastern accent.

"Director Hu, as soon as you speak, I can tell—we're from the same hometown."

"Really?"

Hu Youqing seemed unable to believe it, because he had always thought it impossible to find even a trace of a northeasterner in himself.

"Of course!" Zhou Andong said: "You've stayed here too long, so you don't feel it yourself, but the people around you, who are with you every day, have also grown accustomed and can't tell either."

"Indeed!" Wu Hongkang took over the conversation: "Although your accent has faded considerably, as a northeasterner, I can still pick it up right away."

The deputy factory director of the potash fertilizer plant, Shu Min, said with deep feeling: "I joined the factory three years after Old Hu. Back then, the factory had people from all over the country. But in the end, everyone's accent was swayed by the northeasterners. Even now when I speak, I still feel a hint of northeastern flavor."

Zhou Andong said with a smile: "Once you say that flavor, it really does have a bit of that flavor."

Everyone burst into laughter, and Hu Youqing asked: "Chairman Zhou, how much do you know about our Qinghai Potash Fertilizer Plant?"

Zhou Andong shook his head: "I just know your plant is the largest potash fertilizer producer in the country; I really don't know anything else."

Hu Youqing slightly raised his head to look at the distant sky: "Our first-generation salt lake people, following General Mushengzhong as he led the construction of the Heavenly Road Salt Bridge, advanced into the vast and mysterious Qarhan.

At that time, this place was just a barren saline-alkali wasteland, a forbidden zone for life. No birds in the sky, no grass on the ground, wind blowing stones to run—called the Moon on Earth.

Shu Min took over: "I'm three years younger than Factory Director Hu, and I still remember that back then, fresh water had to be hauled from over sixty kilometers away by water carts, and it took half a month to be able to take a bath.

As soon as you sweated, you could see crystals on your body; cooking and stir-frying didn't even need salt. Eat a mouthful of vegetables, then get a sweet taste on your body—just that was enough.

"What Factory Director Shu said is not false at all." Hu Youqing continued: "I lived in a salt-block house, and only some people lived in tents.

Moreover, when we first started the business, we had no funds, no technology, could only feel our way across the river by feeling the stones, using crude methods—human shoulder-carrying and back-carrying, iron shovels, iron rakes, iron pots, etc.

Using these simple, primitive production tools to produce, we stubbornly achieved China's breakthrough from zero in potash fertilizer. Back then we produced 950 tons of potassium chloride potash fertilizer, which was quite remarkable at the time.

Now, after thirty-six years of development, we Qinghai salt lake people, with superhuman courage, bravery, diligence, and wisdom, have miraculously completed the century-long development grind of the world potash fertilizer powerhouse, laying the foundation for China's potash fertilizer industry..."

Shu Min said with deep sorrow: "The first-generation salt lake people are all old now. People like me and Factory Director Hu, so 'young,' still sticking to our posts—there are fewer than thirty.

But the second-generation salt lake people have grown up; they've taken over the baton, and their spirit of being able to endure hardship, fight, tolerate, and sacrifice—even more than ours—can truly be said to be the blue that outshines the indigo.

I believe, with them, our salt lake will surely be able to create a magnificent chapter..."

Zhou Andong toured the Qinghai Potash Fertilizer Plant, his mood quite good, but some people's moods were not beautiful at all—namely, Chen Quan.

Jingcheng, Ministry of Commerce!

Chen Quan stood by the window with a grim face, not knowing whether it was the midday sun too strong or the heating too hot, making him quite irritable.

Behind him was a floor littered with porcelain shards, plus a few books and some papers; Secretary Hou Xiaojun stood not far away, with a bloodstain still on his face.

Originally, I thought transferring Zhao Jin Hui out of the Foreign Investment Management Bureau director position and promoting Chen Sheng, this obedient deputy director, would be foolproof.

But after all my calculations, I never expected Chen Sheng to suddenly fall ill, dealing him an unexpected blow, and immediately I had Secretary Hou Xiaojun go visit him.

After Hou Xiaojun returned and told him it was just a common cold, resting two days would be enough to recover, which put Chen Quan at ease.

Then, at an unprecedented speed, he completed the transfer procedures for Zhao Jin Hui—before and after, less than a week, absolutely breaking the record for cadre transfers.

Zhao Jin Hui, after receiving the transfer documents, packed his luggage that night and left the next day. Because he had a premonition that if he left late, trouble might come.

And Chen Quan kept waiting for Chen Sheng to come back, thinking in his mind: this cold rest should be about over by now, how many days has it been, why hasn't he come yet?