Chapter 673: Who Can't Distinguish Importance?

A sentence that Watching Liu Muhan blurted out suddenly left Li Ye speechless.

【I say, Auntie, we are a generation apart! Don't tell me these heartfelt words, okay?】

However, just as Li Ye didn't know how to respond, Little Zhu from the technical section ran over, panting.

"Li Ye, Li Ye, you're still here chatting? Go over there and take a look! The Jin Ling factory has come to our doorstep, and everyone is comparing their new car with our 136!"

"What do you mean by coming to our doorstep?" Li Ye smiled. "We are all enterprises under the First Ministry of Machine-Building. We can come to offer gifts, so why can't they come to report good news?"

The Jin Ling Automobile Manufacturing Factory had been under the management of the First Ministry of Machine-Building since 1953, and in 1958, they had imitated the Gaz car from the Soviets to produce the NJ130 automobile. This year, they had developed a new NJ131, so they certainly had to come to report the good news to their parent organization and earn some praise, right?

But Little Zhu swallowed his saliva and said, "It's not that, Li Ye. Go take a look! They've brought a set of nesting dolls this time, and the small one is aimed at our new car."

"..."

Li Ye was a bit puzzled, so he followed Little Zhu to the truck area of the report meeting.

After arriving, Li Ye immediately understood what Little Zhu meant by "nesting dolls."

He saw several blue Yuejin trucks neatly lined up there. At first glance, they were the same car, but upon closer inspection, he found that the height of the chassis was slightly different.

The one with the high chassis had 20-inch wheels, and the one with the low chassis had 16-inch wheels. Other than that, the cab and the cargo box were exactly the same.

Old Qiu from the technical section, Director Lu from the factory office, and Guan Liang were all examining the 16-inch wheel car, and none of their faces looked very good.

Little Zhu explained to Li Ye in a low voice, "Originally, our 136 car had a load capacity of two tons, and Jin Ling's 131 had a load capacity of three tons. Everyone did their own thing, but now they've just changed the wheels and also called it 136. Isn't this clearly trying to compete with us?"

Li Ye said noncommittally, "Competing is competing. Didn't the higher-ups say? Only with competition can there be progress. Now they are encouraging us to compete!"

Little Zhu looked at Li Ye, very unconvinced. "Fair competition, we aren't afraid of. But what are they doing?

A driver buys a 136, pays the road maintenance fee for two tons, and then changes to a set of 20-inch wheels to do the work of three tons? If they do this, who would still want to buy our car?"

"Hmm? What you say makes a lot of sense!"

Li Ye finally understood the reason why Little Zhu and the others were angry.

Before 2009, all automobiles in the mainland had to pay road maintenance fees. This fee was paid monthly and based on tonnage.

A load of three tons meant paying the road maintenance fee for three tons every month; a load of two tons meant paying the fee for two tons.

Now, Jin Ling had adopted a modular design, which not only saved development costs but also left a certain amount of space for the users.

Don't underestimate this one-ton difference. Accumulated over months and years, it was quite a sum of money.

Li Ye asked in a deep voice, "Have you looked carefully to see if the interior is exactly the same?"

Little Zhu said unconvincingly, "I can't say it's exactly the same, but it clearly doesn't meet the settings for a two-ton load. Their car, let alone two tons, can withstand three or even five tons."

The product philosophy of the Jin Ling Automobile Manufacturing Factory had always been to inherit the style of the Soviets. Just take their NJ130, for example; it didn't look like a light small truck at all, but more like a medium-sized truck.

Now, the new NJ131 was also "sturdier" than similar products. When it came to overloading, it indeed had an advantage over the new car from Li Ye's unit.

Li Ye nodded slowly. "This kind of thing is unavoidable, and it might become more and more common in the future."

Little Zhu asked in surprise, "It will become more and more common in the future? Then why doesn't the public security department manage it?"

"Heh~"

Li Ye smiled.

Although what Little Zhu said made a lot of sense, Li Ye knew that this kind of thing, before the abolition of road maintenance fees, not only could not be stopped, but would become more and more rampant.

The reason was that with the development of social economy, the automobile manufacturing industry would completely transform from a seller's market to a buyer's market.

In the past, old Jiefang trucks or Beijing 130s didn't worry about selling at all. Many small units wanted to buy a new car but had to beg for indicators.

But from now on, the one buying the car is the boss. Whoever's car can help me obtain greater benefits, I will buy whose car. If you can't satisfy the user, just wait to be eliminated by the market.

At this time, Watching Liu Muhan leaned over and whispered, "Brother, the situation in your unit looks very grim."

Li Ye said indifferently, "It's not that exaggerated. The market in our mainland is still very large. Let alone two companies competing, even if three or five automobile manufacturing factories compete together, it's not like it can't accommodate them."

Watching Liu Muhan smiled and said, "But your unit has no money. You wouldn't know that your unit's production base in Shunyi has been unable to be implemented, right?"

Li Ye glanced at Watching Liu Muhan and asked with a faint smile, "You really know a lot of things."

Watching Liu Muhan said proudly, "Of course. The technology introduction of Isuzu also has something to do with our unit. As one of the three technology digestion units, we certainly pay attention to your unit. I have to give you a reminder: your unit is the weakest of the three."

"Hmm, I know."

Li Ye certainly knew that his unit was the weakest. After all, according to the original historical trajectory, the other two, Jiangling and Qingling, had lived well, while the Light Auto Company in the capital was eventually merged.

At 10:00 AM, the sun slowly climbed into the sky, and the vast exhibition site finally warmed up a bit. The leaders at all levels finally appeared, and the exhibition site, which had been cold and quiet, immediately became lively.

If you looked down from the sky, you would find that the scene at this moment was like a pasture on the prairie, with a few head sheep walking slowly in front, followed by a group of big sheep and small sheep.

The entire flock had a strict hierarchical system. The small sheep were very eager to squeeze to the side of the head sheep to show their faces, but even the big sheep found it difficult to show their faces, so how could it be the turn of the small sheep?

Li Ye was a small sheep, following behind Old Qiu and Director Lu. In front were the big factory manager, Deputy Manager Ma, and so on.

Deputy Manager Ma was considered a big sheep, but in front of him were the people from the Cherokee group. They were wealthy and had excellent results, occupying almost all the glorious positions.

"This is the new product BJ136 of the Light Auto Company this year. It integrates the advanced technology of Japan's Isuzu and has independently innovated thirteen patents, filling a domestic gap..."

The flock finally reached the product exhibition area of the Light Auto Company. Only then did Deputy Manager Ma and the others get to show their faces in front, but it was only for a few words before they went to other units.

Li Ye once again deeply understood the meaning of "small unit."

Why did the Light Auto Company have no money? Wasn't it because it was "small"?

If it were in a fourth or fifth-tier city below, a unit of thousands of people would definitely be highly valued. Asking for land or loans would receive strong support from the local area.

But in a place like Beijing, it wouldn't be your turn for a while.

According to the original historical trajectory, this new car, BJ136, didn't produce three prototype cars until October 1987.

Then, after many improvements, it wasn't until 1989, when it was renamed BJ1041, that it began small-batch production.

This was still under the condition of absorbing "partial technology."

You have to know that whether it is domesticating the Isuzu N-series directly or starting from CKD assembly and gradually domesticating, it requires a large amount of funds. The Light Auto Company in the original timeline didn't have enough financial resources.

At that time, after the Light Auto Company reported the project for the Seventh Five-Year Plan, it waited three years before acquiring land in Shunyi for expansion.

So, under such premises, despite having the full set of Isuzu technical drawings, the fact that BJ1041 only changed the cab and the parts it could afford to change was actually a helpless move.

In contrast, Jiangling not only adopted the form of combining technology and trade to introduce a full set of cab molds, welding fixtures, test lines, and some key equipment from Isuzu,

but also raised hundreds of millions of yuan in funds to accelerate technological transformation, built a batch of modern workshops and production lines, and formed a comprehensive capability for large-scale production, allowing the enterprise to achieve pioneering development.

Many years later, when the old people of the Light Auto Company mentioned this, they were all filled with sighs. If they had fully adopted the Isuzu light truck at that time, perhaps the history of this unit would have been completely rewritten.

However, if history wants to be rewritten, only a bug like Li Ye can appear.

Li Ye could provide enough funds right now to expand a brand-new factory area and production line, but he chose not to.

He only invested a portion of the funds to slightly accelerate the R&D process of BJ136, but wanting to acquire land and expand was another matter.

The Light Auto Company had three shareholders. The major shareholder had a heavy burden and no money, but still possessed most of the management rights. So, if your money doesn't arrive, why should my money arrive first?

After the leaders finished visiting all the new products, it was almost noon. First, they solved lunch, and then they went to the auditorium for the session of reporting achievements by various units. The dull and long reports made Li Ye, who was in the back row, drowsy.

It wasn't until after 4:00 PM that everyone finally perked up.

It was time for dinner!

But Li Ye didn't intend to follow everyone to dinner. He told factory office director Lu Zhizhang and planned to slip away quietly.

But as luck would have it, he was spotted by Guan Liang.

"Li Ye, aren't you responsible for sending Section Chief Pu and Director Han to the dinner? I have to remind you: don't drink and drive, don't drive and drink. Don't drink later, and safely send the leaders home..."

I'll send your sister!

Li Ye said directly, "I have to pick up my wife from work. I don't have time. Director Lu will arrange for them to take the bus."

Guan Liang froze for a moment, then said seriously, "Li Ye, this attitude of yours won't do! Is work more important or family more important? How can you not distinguish between importance?"

Li Ye glanced at Guan Liang coldly and sneered, "I bought this car just to pick up and drop off my wife. You say I can't distinguish between importance? Is there something wrong with your brain?"

"..."

Guan Liang was stunned by Li Ye's retort. By the time he reacted, Li Ye had already slipped away.

So he rushed to find Director Lu to complain.

But Director Lu said meaningfully, "Li Ye is still able to distinguish who is important and who is not."

Guan Liang: "..."

So the one who can't distinguish importance... is me?

Guan Liang: "..."

The one who can't distinguish between light and heavy, is it me?