Chapter 835

Seeing several people agree to expand the management team of Plant One, Lu Zhizhang frowned.

When Plant One first started, its management team had been downsized, but back then there were only three hundred people; later, the number of workers surged, yet the management structure didn’t expand quickly.

Because once a management department is established in a state-owned enterprise, it’s nearly impossible to shrink it later, so Plant One merely added one Comprehensive Department and one department head.

But now everyone’s jealous—they all want to hand you a full set of departments: Housing Management, Logistics, Sanitation, Discipline Inspection. Are you supposed to accept their gifts with gratitude—or defy them?

Blocking someone’s path to promotion is even more hateful than blocking their path to wealth!

Li Ye, seeing Lu Zhizhang frown, cut in coldly: “Comrade Kan, you’re saying the construction team we cooperate with isn’t from Pengcheng, so it’s not a Pengcheng company—that’s pretending to sell lamb while actually peddling dog meat, right?”

The department head, confronted by Li Ye’s icy gaze, couldn’t help looking away: “I didn’t say that. It’s what the workers have been saying—you know, many employees have worked here for decades, hoping to get a decent apartment. We can’t let some small workshop build them...”

“Shoddy work? Ignorance is terrifying.”

Li Ye sneered: “Pengcheng was just a small fishing village—how many people could there be? Do you think Pengcheng’s speed was built by a single village? Has anyone who says that ever even been to Pengcheng?”

“Our cooperating company, Pengcheng Fenghua Construction, has built over a thousand factories, workshops, and worker dormitories in four years—why are you calling it a small workshop now?”

The department head pursed his lips and retorted: “But isn’t it still less reliable than our Beijing state-owned construction companies?”

“Reliable?”

Li Ye said: “Do you even know how much the Beijing state-owned construction companies quote?”

Comrade Que said: “That’s negotiable! Our factory has always had good relations with Construction Four and Six—why let the profits go to outsiders...”

,

“We can’t afford that kind of profit!”

Li Ye laughed bitterly: “Comrade Kan, Construction Four’s quote is twenty-five percent higher than Pengcheng Fenghua’s, and their schedule is four months longer. If we hired Construction Four, wouldn’t we earn another hat of wastefulness?”

“Besides, the construction company I hired has my fellow townspeople—so I’m suspected of bribery? Are you not suspected too, for hiring Construction Four?”

“You...”

“Who said you were bribing? I’m just discussing facts!” “Then tell me—who exactly complained about pretending to sell lamb while peddling dog meat? I’ll go explain it to them myself.” “Hey hey hey, Deputy Factory Director, don’t get so worked up—we’re all here for the unit’s interests. Let’s voice our thoughts and discuss them calmly—focus on the issue, not the person!”

Comrade Que turned red-faced under Li Ye’s glare, while others jumped in to subtly accuse Li Ye of being too aggressive.

Meetings are about endurance and verbal skill—about being smooth. How can you act like you’re shouting in the street and tear everything apart?

“Alright, let’s set aside Plant One’s issues for now. I have another question.”

?

The chief factory director silenced the commotion and looked at Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang: “Little Lu, Li Ye, I’ve heard recently that your Plant One plans to double or triple output and profits within five years, and give every worker an apartment. Are you just blowing smoke—or do you really mean it?”

Lu Zhizhang said: “We do intend to do it. My visit to Japan opened my eyes.”

“Mitsubishi’s single car plant produces more than all of China’s car output combined—and even in Japan’s auto industry, Mitsubishi isn’t even the top player.”

“We now have the ministry’s support, with tens of millions of dollars invested to introduce two advanced projects. If we still can’t deliver results in five years, we’ll be betraying the leadership’s trust.”

The chief factory director’s eyes narrowed, revealing a chilling glint: “The ministry supports your five-year plan? I didn’t even know that! Hehe~”

The chief factory director was angry.

Lu Zhizhang’s words had clearly implied that the introduction of Japanese technology had the ministry’s backing.

When Ma Zhao had initially sought to import passenger chassis in Japan, he bypassed the chief factory director and went straight to the ministry for support.

He knew asking the chief factory director would be useless.

But could the ministry refuse?

Every single dollar of real investment is a performance point for the ministry, a credit for the Fenguan leader, isn’t it?

Compared to those subordinate units that constantly beg for handouts, Plant One brought in tens of millions in loans on its own and even accepted projects rejected by Beijing Auto & Motorcycle—this is absolutely a good child worthy of public commendation!

The ministry certainly has many factions, but on this issue, no one could openly oppose Plant One’s actions.

So even if the chief factory director was furious inside, he couldn’t openly oppose—only subtly sabotage. After all, the interior isn’t Japan; overthrowing superiors doesn’t work here.

Wan Kechang of the Finance Department, having received the chief factory director’s signal, spoke gravely: “Plant One has its own plan, but the main factory has its own plan too.”

“When the main factory assigned workshops and workers to Plant One, it was meant to support each other and develop together.”

“The main factory already formulated a comprehensive plan for the entire year based on Plant One’s performance. So no matter how Plant One develops in the future, the profits owed to the main factory must be paid on time—otherwise, it will disrupt the entire Light Auto Company’s overall situation...”

Ah, finally—Comrade Fang’s speech was the real climax of today’s meeting.

Everyone was an old fox; they must have guessed Li Ye’s intentions the moment they heard Plant One planned to expand.

Bloodsuckers fear most that the blood bag suddenly dries up. The main factory can’t afford to lose Plant One’s blood supply.

If Plant One had never existed, fine.

But over the past half-year, Plant One has been so incredibly productive that it’s spoiled these people at the main factory.

Look at Xiao Jinguang accusing Plant One of extravagance—yet the real wasteful ones are them.

In the first half of the year, there was only one trading company clinging to the main factory; now there are seven or eight—and they can’t stop even if they wanted to.

It’s like those in the future who got used to spending gold bars and credit loans—spend as much as you have, rip from one wall to patch another, no pressure at all.

But once you get used to using credit loans, gold bars, and credit cards as working capital, they’ll clamp down on your neck.

If Plant One suddenly cuts off its profit supply, the main factory’s finances will instantly collapse.

After Wan Kechang finished speaking, Li Ye calmly replied: “This year’s inflation is extremely severe, costs have skyrocketed—we can’t predict next month’s profits. So Comrade Wan, you can’t rely too heavily on Plant One...”

“This is the main factory’s assigned task for you, not a reliance on you, Li Ye—you must understand that.”

“We can only say we’ll try our best, but we must also fulfill the ministry’s orders.”

“Then cut expenses, increase revenue—raise the price of all existing J3-130 models, readjust worker wages.”

“If you can’t do it, we’ll replace you with someone who can.”

Li Ye blinked, then asked Wan Kechang: “You want to replace me? Who do you want to replace me with?”

Wan Kechang, still furious, snapped: “Anyone will do! Our Light Auto Company is big and wealthy—we can easily find several experienced managers.”

“Can he easily bring in tens of millions of dollars?”

Li Ye never followed their rules, had no sense of humility, and actually boasted, “I’m the key figure,” which was utterly hateful.

Li Ye didn’t follow their rules at all—he had no humility, openly declaring “I am the key figure”—it was infuriating.

【Are you threatening your superior?】

But the worst was yet to come.

[64] After the meeting ended, Li Ye returned to Plant One and issued two announcements—his sudden moves sparked a huge uproar.