Siheyuan's Silly Pillar has been replaced by someone else

The next day, as soon as I got to work, Yang Peishan came looking for me.

"How did your talk with Lou Xiao'e go? Did she agree to help?"

He Yuzhu said, "She agreed. And she won't use foreign currency, she'll pay in RMB."

We should now take stock of what equipment the factory needs.

"Yes, we should first take stock of the equipment and prepare the money. We don't need foreign exchange, but we still need to use RMB."

Yang Peishan immediately convened a leadership meeting and assigned tasks.

Equipment problems are easy to quantify, but the problem is, what about the money?
Looking at the statistics table in his hand, He Yuzhu felt a headache coming on.

"This is ripping off the rich. If they report it like this, all the equipment in our factory will have to be replaced."

Yang Peishan said with a wry smile, "Our factory's equipment is indeed outdated. The newest lathe was purchased five years ago."

He Yuzhu shook his head: "The equipment isn't anything high-tech, the problem is where the money will come from?"

The Lou family's business also requires funds; they can't possibly advance us that much foreign exchange.

Even if they lend us the money, can we come up with that much money ourselves?

Yang Peishan said, "It's definitely impossible to replace them all. But replacing too few wouldn't make any sense."

Let's write an application to our superiors first and see how much money we can apply for.

"Zhu Zi, take these orders to Lou Xiao'e first and see if she can purchase them."

The equipment needed by the steel rolling mill is all ordinary equipment and is not subject to the embargo.

Procurement is easy, but you can't do it without money.

"Okay, let's split up."

Yang Peishan took the application to the Industry Bureau, while He Yuzhu took the list and went to find Lou Xiao'e.

Lou Xiao'e was quite surprised to see He Yuzhu come over. After her surprise subsided, she pulled He Yuzhu into the house.

"Why did you come today?"

He Yuzhu said, "I'm here to deliver the factory's equipment list to you. Could you help me find out what models are available overseas?"

Lou Xiao'e glanced at it and put it aside: "When I get back, I'll find someone to take charge of this."

Brother Zhu, you…

He Yuzhu could tell what she was going to say just by looking at her.

"Xiao'e, let bygones be bygones."

Lou Xiao'e stared at He Yuzhu for a long time before finally saying "okay".

He Yuzhu felt a little embarrassed, so he started talking to her about a business issue.

He told everything he knew, as much as he could.

As for whether it's right or wrong, he can't guarantee it.

All he knew were rumors circulating outside.

Lou Xiao'e knows Hong Kong very well: "If what you said is all true, then our family will be able to make a fortune."

Unfortunately, our family's roots in Hong Kong are shallow, so we simply couldn't participate in many opportunities.

He Yuzhu naturally knew the reason: "It would be best to seize the opportunity, but if not, then so be it."

There are plenty of opportunities to make money anyway.

Unable to bear the look in Lou Xiao'e's eyes, He Yuzhu left somewhat embarrassed.

Things weren't going smoothly for Yang Peishan either. The Industrial Bureau hadn't fully approved their application.

There are many sectors that need funding, but steel rolling mills don't have enough.

Despite Yang Peishan's best efforts to persuade and plead, he could only manage to obtain a small amount.

He returned to the factory in a huff and sat there sulking.

“Zhu Zi, relying on the Industry Bureau is definitely not going to work. My idea is that we go to the higher-ups.”

He Yuzhu didn't object, and the two made some preparations before going to the big leader's house.

He wanted Secretary Chen to help him, but he needed to speak to the higher-ups first.

After listening to He Yuzhu's words, the senior leader said, "Zhuzi, our country has a great need for equipment."

Could the Lou family...?

He Yuzhu quickly stopped him: "Big leader, aren't you making things difficult for me?"

The country needs a lot of equipment, and the Lou family doesn't have that much money to cover it. Lou's nickname, "Half-Cheng," comes from his involvement in many industries, not because the Lou family actually owns half of Beijing.

The senior leader smiled and shook his head: "You're lecturing me now. It was my oversight."

However, it should be alright if the Lou family helps purchase some of the equipment.

The machine tools you want can be produced domestically.

I'll get you a domestically produced one.

"Replace the slots with other equipment."

Yang Peishan was displeased: "Big leader, the domestically produced equipment is no good."

It's not that I look down on domestic products, it's just that they...

The high-ranking leader wasn't so polite to Yang Peishan: "Why can't domestically made ones be good? We're already being generous by giving them to you."

Major national projects are precisely when equipment is needed.

Because the country lacks foreign exchange, it has been unable to make the purchase.

You must consider the bigger picture.

With just one sentence, "Consider the bigger picture," He Yuzhu and the other man were left speechless.

The top leader took the list to his study and didn't come out until more than an hour later.

This is my revised list. Purchase according to this. Prioritize the first few items on the list.

He Yuzhu was immediately displeased. According to the list given by the top leader, they wouldn't be able to buy new equipment even if the steel rolling mill went bankrupt.

"Big boss, even the emperor doesn't lack hungry soldiers. Why don't you just remove our factory's name?"

Adding our factory's name would be superfluous.

Yang Peishan took a look and immediately became unhappy: "If we do it this way, what about our factory?"

The top leader then patiently talked to the two of them, trying to persuade them.

The two of them were naturally unwilling to agree. Doing so would truly be doing someone else's work for them.

“Big Boss, the Lou family are outsiders from Hong Kong, and they don’t have much wealth. Even if they emptied their pockets, they still wouldn’t have enough for these few pieces of equipment.”

The top leader said helplessly, "I'll try my best. I know you're in a difficult position, but please also understand the country's difficulties."

Weren't you looking for Xiao Chen? I just called him and asked him to do everything he could to help Lou Xiao'e.

Oh, and I'll give you a few more addresses later; they're all from my old friends.

If the Lou family gets into trouble, they should go to them.

Helpless, He Yuzhu could only take his things and leave with Yang Peishan.

Yang Peishan stepped out the door and said with a wry smile, "If I had known it would end like this, I would have preferred not to come at all."

He's just complaining for no reason. You can't buy this equipment without going to the higher-ups.

The two of them couldn't make any money at all.

He Yuzhu could only console himself by saying, "Forget it. At least we can get some new domestically made equipment, which is better than nothing."

Yang Peishan said with a troubled expression, "That's all we can do. But Zhuzi, you have to be careful. We must find a way to get these pieces of equipment."

"Domestically produced equipment is too inefficient."

He Yuzhu looked at Yang Peishan speechlessly when he saw the note he was given.

"You knew this would happen?"

Yang Peishan said, "I was just being prepared. When I went to the Industry Bureau, before I could even say anything, Director Ding asked me how I obtained foreign exchange."

I didn't dare tell him we didn't need foreign exchange. What I told him was that as long as the bureau approved the funding, we'd figure out the foreign exchange ourselves.

He Yuzhu missed Li Huaide a little. If Li Huaide were in Yang Peishan's position, he could probably get some funds.

Li Huaide, that guy, should be in Hong Kong right now. He's taken the money he got during the movement and went there to live a carefree life.

He was swindled away by Hong Kong people within a few years and eventually had to return to Hong Kong to engage in smuggling.

He Yuzhu sighed: "Give it to me. I'll take it to Lou Xiao'e first."

He's been in Beijing for several days now; it's time to prepare to go back.

The two parted ways outside; one went to the factory, and the other went to find Lou Xiao'e.

He Yuzhu handed the address given to him by the big boss to Lou Xiao'e: "These are all the big boss's friends, and he has already made arrangements."

"At that time, you can have them handle the entry procedures." (End of Chapter)