Chapter 729

"Over the past month, we have organized dozens of people to conduct a detailed market survey. You factory directors and section chiefs can take a look at the gap between your products and the world's second-rate level."

Li Ye took out a dozen sets of data materials and distributed them to the suppliers who had come to attend the briefing.

After these people received the materials, they all hurriedly searched for the parts relevant to themselves, and then fell silent—a long, prolonged silence.

Li Ye watched these people silently, hoping someone would take the initiative to speak.

If they gave Li Ye face, then Li Ye would give them a chance.

After all, the thing to fear most in a meeting is this kind of cold silence, because it is a standard phenomenon of collective resistance.

When the people in the audience are all resisting you, no matter how skilled you are on stage, you can't keep the show going.

Li Ye smiled and took out a dozen more contracts to distribute.

"Everyone, take a look at this procurement contract. If there are no problems, you can sign it now, but after today, it won't count!"

"Just today? We have to report to the factory, and the factory has to hold meetings to discuss it..."

The people from the dozen or so supply units took Li Ye's contract and emphasized their difficulties while flipping through it.

However, after finishing the contract, everyone stopped talking again.

The contract had very high requirements for product quality, almost at the limit of their own capabilities, but the procurement volume was not low, and a portion of the advance payment would be made, and the settlement cycle for the payment was also much shorter than before.

Nobody's life was easy these days! The phenomenon of triangular debt was becoming increasingly serious, and people were constantly having to beg and plead just to borrow money to get by.

And today, as long as the contract was signed, they could take a sum of cash back immediately.

As for product quality... if they pushed the workers in the factory, it wasn't impossible to meet the standards.

Therefore, this contract left them feeling very conflicted.

Everyone looked at each other, unable to make up their minds for a moment.

And at this moment, Li Ye noticed a hint of something unusual at the scene.

So Li Ye glanced coldly at Wu Wu Qingyi and said faintly, "Deputy Wu Kezhang Wu, do you have any opinions on my proposal?"

Wu Wu Qingyi smiled strangely, shook his head slightly, and said, "Deputy Li Kezhang wants to implement advanced new standards and catch up with Europe and America; what opinions could I possibly have?"

【Since you have no opinions, why are you making gestures at others?】

Li Ye had noticed just now that Wu Wu Qingyi was covertly making gestures and winking at several suppliers, clearly trying to manufacture a cold silence on purpose to make him lose face.

But how could Li Ye, who had seen plenty of the tactics of those in power in his later life, not be prepared?

Even restaurants have "shills"—couldn't I prepare a few "meeting shills" for my meeting?

A middle-aged man wearing glasses caught Li Ye's eye and immediately broke the silence, asking, "Li Kezhang, I don't understand how you got these survey data."

"Just tell me, why aren't our factory's leaf spring assemblies considered wear-and-tear parts, and why is the 'Three Guarantees' mileage 100,000 kilometers?"

"Can leaf spring assemblies be wear-and-tear parts?" Li Ye said deliberately, looking displeased. "If automotive leaf springs broke every few days, could this car still be sold?"

"Besides, it's written in the survey data! The average lifespan of a leaf spring assembly is over 100,000 kilometers; what are you afraid of?"

"That's not for sure. Some drivers who specialize in hauling heavy loads and driving fast can break a leaf spring in two trips! I'm willing to sign this contract, but it must be understood that we are not responsible for damage caused by overloading."

Factory Director Sun sat down dejectedly, muttering non-stop and complaining to the people around him.

Influenced by Factory Director Sun, others also spoke up one after another: "Li Kezhang, our gauges should count as wear-and-tear parts, right? Cars bump and jolt on the road; maybe a big pothole will shake the needle crooked."

"That's right, that's right! Our factory's vacuum booster should count as a wear-and-tear part, especially when used in mountainous areas; you have to step on the brake hundreds of times a day, so forget 30,000 kilometers, it won't even hold up for 20,000."

"Yes, yes, yes, our factory's clutch plates operate in harsh conditions, so they must be wear-and-tear parts, and we can't provide a warranty after overloading."

"."

The factory directors and section chiefs of the dozen or so supply units were all clamoring together like aunties in a vegetable market, haggling with Li Ye.

This made Wu Wu Qingyi so anxious he was jumping up and down.

【A bunch of idiots, being led by the nose by Li Ye.】

Wu Wu Qingyi had tipped off a small half of the supply units in advance: no matter what tricks Li Ye pulled, they were to ignore him and not cooperate.

Because if they cooperated with Li Ye, it would be equivalent to Li Ye successfully implementing the new procurement standards.

Then, would the procurement standards of the General Factory have to learn from the First Branch Factory in the future?

What did this represent?

This represented that the management reform of the First Branch Factory was a preliminary success, and in the future, all the "new standards" of the First Branch Factory would be promoted and implemented in the General Factory.

A victory in the first battle—a great start!

Such a huge credit, and Li Ye got his hands on it so easily?

And once the First Branch Factory's reform was completely successful, would young, vigorous cadres like Li Ye, who had "reform experience," turn around and lead this group of old fogies in the General Factory?

This wasn't just a question of a new procurement standard; this was a life-or-death power struggle.

【I can't let him get his wish.】

Wu Wu Qingyi's life creed was to get ahead in the unit; not only did he have to climb up at all costs, but he also had to know how to secretly trip people up, otherwise, the one who won in the end would definitely not be you.

"Ahem~, everyone, don't argue. Read the contract carefully. If there's anything you're unsure about, you can go to my office to borrow the phone and discuss it with the leaders of your respective units."

"Oh, right, right, right, I have to call and ask our factory's engineer."

"Wu Kezhang Wu is still the most thoughtful; I have to ask our factory director."

"."

The dozen or so section chiefs and factory directors stood up and were about to go out to make calls, but Li Ye tapped the table.

"Those going out, please hand back the contracts. These are commercial secrets and cannot be spread outside."

"Commercial secrets... alright."

Everyone felt Li Ye was being a bit exaggerated and pretentious, but they didn't think much of it; they took a few careful looks at the contract and then handed it to Li Ye.

A few minutes later, only the heads of three or four supply units remained at the scene.

And Wu Wu Qingyi also walked out with his cigarette case, not knowing if he was going out to smoke or to engage in collusion.

But Li Ye didn't care; he sat there silently waiting, waiting until the end of the workday in the afternoon.

No one came back—not a single one.

Li Ye picked up the contracts on the table and tore them up casually.

The crisp "rip-rip" sound shocked the few factory directors who had remained at the scene.

Factory Director Sun, who had promised to act as a shill for Li Ye, pulled out his fountain pen, signed his name on the contract with a flourish, and then handed it to Li Ye with a sheepish look.

It was five o'clock, and the end-of-work bell had already rung. Did the "today" in "it won't count after today" include the evening?

Li Ye smiled and put away Factory Director Sun's contract, then said, "Tomorrow, go to the First Branch Factory's finance department to get the advance payment. Also, three days from now, we will hold a supply bidding meeting. I hope Factory Director Sun can attend and learn from the other suppliers."

"Three days from now? Bidding?" Factory Director Sun was stunned, then hurriedly nodded and said, "Good, good, I will definitely be there."

When the remaining few heard Li Ye's words, how could they dare to hesitate? Sign quickly! Their families were waiting for rice to put in the pot!

Factory Director Sun and the others signed the contracts and came out, thinking about finding a small tavern outside the factory gate to drink a few cups and exchange thoughts.

As it turned out, after arriving at the tavern, they discovered that the dozen or so people from the other supply units were already drinking.

Wu Kezhang Kan, who produced vacuum brake pumps, pulled Factory Director Sun over and teased him with a smile: "I say, Old Sun, you're a dignified Deputy Factory Director of Operations, and you actually listened to that kid with no hair on his lips babble for an entire afternoon? I winked at you to follow me out; didn't you see it?"

"Tsk~"

Factory Director Sun made a tsk sound and asked in a low voice, "What do you guys mean? Not giving him face?"

"He doesn't have a fart's worth of face."

Another sales section chief curled his lips and said, "We've been supplying the Second Factory for so many years; how can so many conventions be changed just like that? That Li Ye doesn't understand operations at all. If he pays on time, what use are we salesmen? What benefits are left?"

Factory Director Sun was stunned and said in a deep voice, "You're only thinking about your own benefits?"

The sales section chief said amusedly, "I'd like to think about the factory too! But the factory only pays me a basic salary and doesn't even give me bonuses. If we follow that Li Ye's way of playing, paying on time means no more kickbacks—how are my family and I supposed to live?"

"Exactly, we've followed the old rules for so many years; what right does he have to change them? Who does he think he is?"

"."

Factory Director Sun opened his mouth but didn't speak; he only swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Kickbacks were the most common form of operational funds in the hands of business personnel.

If everything were done according to the rules like Li Ye wanted, paying according to the schedule, then what need would there be for "excellent salesmen"? Truly, anyone could do it, and there would be no need for kickbacks at all.

The various performances these people put on at the scene just now were all just superficial work; when it came to "new standards" that affected their personal interests, only a fool would cooperate.

"Come, come, come, Old Sun, hurry up and pour the wine. Let's have a good drink. From now on, we must form a defensive alliance and not let that Li Ye smash everyone's rice bowl."

Factory Director Sun picked up his wine glass and drank a mouthful silently, his mouth full of bitterness.

He had originally wanted to give these brothers a heads-up and advise them to hurry and find Li Ye to plead for mercy and sign the contract while today hadn't passed yet.

But now it seemed that "to hell with your neighbor, save your own skin"—it was better to let them break and then rebuild!