Chapter 606: The Expert Has Left

In the days that followed, He Yuzhu did not let Secretary Liu down.

He made a few more trips to the aircraft dismantling plant, and by combining that with the aircraft models he had in his space, he picked and chose, busying himself for nearly a month, and managed to cobble together four more planes for Secretary Liu.

With eight planes in hand, the strength of the drought and locust relief Disaster Relief Group was suddenly magnified significantly.

As soon as the planes were sorted out, He Yuzhu returned to the Rolling Mill to continue building his Diesel Engine and water pumps.

The days rushed by, and in the blink of an eye, it was June.

The drought in the north showed no signs of improvement, and the drought in the south became even more severe.

The cracks in the fields were wide enough to fit a fist into, and the riverbeds were bleached white by the sun.

He Yuzhu worked as fast as he could to produce equipment, and in two months, he had only managed to assemble over two thousand sets, all of which they supplied to the south.

Just as the entire Rolling Mill was running like a wound-up clock, operating at full production capacity, the two Large Open-Hearth Furnace projects, which were three months away from completion, ran into trouble.

These two Steel Smelting Furnace projects were being built with the help of Soviet Union experts, and once completed, they would be able to produce millions of tons of steel a year.

The Soviet Union was pulling out, and they intended to take all the blueprints with them.

Without these blueprints, it was not that these blast furnaces couldn't be built, but that they would be delayed by at least a year or two.

If that happened, all of He Yuzhu's drought relief plans would fall through.

When he heard the news, he became anxious immediately and went straight to reason with these Soviet Union experts.

"Comrade Xie Er Gai," He Yuzhu said, getting straight to the point, "do you remember? At the beginning, you wanted our Rolling Mill to cooperate, but we didn't agree. It was only because you repeatedly requested it that we let you come. At the time, we also had an agreement—we would teach you Top-blown Converter Steelmaking Technology, and you would help us build Large Open-Hearth Furnace projects. Now that you are leaving just like that, isn't that a bit unprincipled?"

Xie Er Gai spread his hands: "Comrade He, I remember this matter. But what you say is incorrect—we have already helped you build one open-hearth furnace with an annual capacity of one million tons and another of two million tons; we are already even."

"Xie Er Gai, if you want to put it that way, then I have to settle the accounts. I promised your country to send people to learn Computer technology from me; what return did you give me?"

Xie Er Gai shook his head: "But we taught you the technology to produce airplanes."

He Yuzhu immediately retorted: "And we provided you with the prototype and blueprints for the U2 Zhenchaji."

Xie Er Gai stopped talking, just shaking his head incessantly, and finally sighed: "This is the will of our country; there is nothing I can do. It is useless to tell me."

He Yuzhu stared at him for a few seconds and nodded: "Fine, if the deal doesn't go through, the friendship remains. Then tonight, I will have Kajia come over, and we will have a drink together."

Xie Er Gai nodded: "That is fine."

He Yuzhu turned and went to find a few veteran masters.

Although he had helped the Rolling Mill build an Oxygen Top-Blown Converter, he had not studied steelmaking very deeply.

He found the steelmaking Expert Lao Qiao and asked directly: "Lao Qiao, regarding the construction of these two blast furnaces, is there anything else we have to beg them for?"

Lao Qiao sighed: "Actually, strictly speaking, we could build these two blast furnaces with our own strength. The problem is that from the foundation to the furnace body, these Soviet Union experts have been in control the whole time. For us to figure out the ins and outs of their design and calculate all the various parameters and data ourselves, it would take at least half a year to a year."

"If I get those core parameters, how long will it take you to build them?"

"If you get the furnace structure strength, foundation load-bearing, hot blast pipe ratios, flue dimensions, and furnace thermal expansion and contraction parameters, we could finish at most two months later than they would have," Lao Qiao said.

He Yuzhu asked again: "Lao Qiao, I give you the blueprints; can you build it within five months, yes or no?"

Lao Qiao's eyes suddenly became firm: "As long as you bring the data, I can build it in five months. Even if we don't have enough manpower here, we can transfer the experts from Heifengzhai. They have gone further than us in terms of Top-blown Converter technology, and they are currently building their own large steelmaking open-hearth furnaces; they have plenty of experience."

He Yuzhu had an idea in mind: "Is Yang Xiuqing still in charge over there?"

Lao Qiao nodded: "That's right, it's him."

He Yuzhu called over his Soviet Union student, Kajia.

This girl was a student in name, but everyone knew she carried intelligence-gathering duties. However, having followed He Yuzhu for these few years, she was sincerely devoted to this teacher, and the bond between master and apprentice had long since outweighed her stance.

"Kajia, when we drink tonight, help me persuade them. If I can photograph the blueprints and parameters, I will give them a large sum of money privately."

"I know doing this violates my faith, but Teacher, you are very sincere and did not stop me from learning the most advanced Computer knowledge. What we are doing is very wrong, but I promise you."

At dinnertime, He Yuzhu treated several key Soviet Union experts to a meal.

At the table, he did not mention the blueprints once.

When they had drunk enough, He Yuzhu gave Kajia a wink.

Kajia talked to them individually and revealed the offer of a heavy reward.

Kajia said everything that could be said, but the result—none of them agreed.

Xie Er Gai entrusted Kajia with a message: "This is the will of the country. We are in a relationship of mutual supervision; all technical materials, blueprints, and calculation drafts will not be left behind—everything will be taken away."

Kajia lowered her head, her eyes red: "Teacher, we have been together for five or six years, and you have taught me everything you know... We have failed you."

He Yuzhu let out a long breath and instead smiled: "I don't blame you."

He Yuzhu still took out a sum of money and had Kajia give it to the five key experts.

Kajia held the money, not knowing what to do: "Teacher He, why do you still treat them this way?"

He Yuzhu smiled: "This is called courtesy demands reciprocity."

Early the third morning, He Yuzhu personally sent the experts to the airport and even wanted to help them carry their luggage.

Although the five men had taken He Yuzhu's benefits, they politely declined his offer to help carry their luggage.

The five experts, led by Xie Er Gai, carried their heavy document cases and left, feeling satisfied.

They had not come to the Rolling Mill in vain these past few years; they had taken away advanced Top-blown Converter Steelmaking Technology.

And what they had paid was merely helping the Rolling Mill build one one-million-ton and one two-million-ton open-hearth furnace. In their country, this was technology from twenty or thirty years ago.

They did not leave behind a single sheet of paper regarding the latest large-scale steelmaking technology.

He Yuzhu stood outside the security checkpoint, smiling and waving goodbye to them.

Xie Er Gai boarded the plane and muttered to Ivan beside him: "Does this guy He Yuzhu have something wrong with his brain? Why give money when he didn't get the blueprints?"

Ivan did not respond, only saying: "After we get on the plane, check our carry-on luggage again."

Xie Er Gai shook his head: "Ivan, you are too worried. Do you think He Yuzhu is a master thief?"

After the plane took off, they all opened their document cases. Everyone's expression changed.

"Where are the materials?"

"My blueprints are gone!"

"Everything in the large furnaces... it's all gone!"

Xie Er Gai's face flushed bright red, and he slammed his fist onto the chair's armrest: "Despicable! Too despicable!"

Ivan, however, was unusually calm; he leaned back against the chair and slowly closed his eyes: "Do you understand now? What that generous gift he gave was for."