Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 441 The End of a Communication Era

Since there were people in the internet company who could support it, He Yuzhu reduced his attention and only left some development suggestions.

In April, He Yuxin delivered a national railway development plan.

The above is an internal briefing about the upcoming third large-scale speed increase of the national railway.

"What, did CNR (China Southern Railway) contact you, or CSR (China Northern Railway)?"

"what?"

"They haven't broken up yet, bro, how did you know?"

"Don't worry about the messages. You must have a reason for showing me this, right?"

He Yuxin nodded: "Brother, they urgently need high-reliability axle bearings, new brake pads, as well as precision connectors and chassis structural components for the signal control system. We have won the trial production tasks for several key components and are working on them."

"So, are you planning a long-term partnership?"

"Of course it's a long-term project. There are quite a few bidders, but more of them are from overseas."

Do you have confidence?

"The R&D team below is very confident that our technology is no less advanced than that of others."

"That's settled then, but you still haven't stated your purpose."

"I heard that Xiao Rizi and the Germans are working on some kind of maglev train. I'd like to apply to study it as well."

"Isn't this the motorcycle company's business?"

“Brother, building locomotives is someone else’s business. What I’m thinking is that we can start with basic research, such as superconducting materials, linear motor drives, and control systems—these are the core subsystems. These things aren’t just for maglev; they might be used in many high-tech fields in the future, such as semiconductor production lines, high-end scientific research equipment, and even transmission devices in certain special fields. If we thoroughly understand these key components and their underlying mechanisms, we can make a living just by selling core components and technical solutions. Moreover, this is also a way to reserve technology for the future. If the country decides to launch a project someday, that will be our opportunity.”

"That's great, you've got a broader perspective now," He Yuzhu praised.

"Hehe, I'm bound to improve if I work for you," He Yuxin said modestly.

"You're being modest with me, kid. Fine, if you're going to do it, you should do it the best. Are you planning to start from scratch?" He Yuzhu said.

"No, that's not it. We still have some methods. We can get some technical data, and we can also poach a few people."

“Good, go for it. You’ve forgotten about the other factory, haven’t you?” He Yuzhu said.

"what?"

"How's the permanent magnet motor project going at the Jidong motor factory?" He Yuzhu asked.

"Brother, you still remember? I thought you had forgotten all those factories in Jidong."

“I proposed that project, and I was the one who brought back the initial technology. How could I forget?” He Yuzhu said.

"That factory's exports now account for 70% of its sales."

"Oh, it's selling so well?" He Yuzhu asked.

"Yes, mainly because of their good skills."

He Yuzhu nodded: "Permanent magnet motors are very important in the future, whether in wind power, automobiles, or industrial drives. They have broad application prospects, and the technology still needs to be further developed."

"clear."

“Caofeidian has been completed. What are your plans? Will you continue to manage it yourself?” He Yuzhu asked.

"I've already found someone, so I won't be managing that part directly anymore; I can't handle it. By the way, would you like to meet that person?"

"No need. You've been in the port business the longest, I trust your judgment. Is there anything else?" He Yuzhu said.

"Yes, there is a huge demand for subway systems in first- and second-tier cities right now. Should we bid and give it a try?"

“This job has been on the radar for a while now. You just need to sell your tunnel boring machine. The project has a long construction period and a long return on investment cycle,” He Yuzhu said.

"It's really because someone ordered a tunnel boring machine, otherwise I wouldn't have thought of it. Well, I thought I had found a big order for my niece."

"Forget it, can't your niece do things herself? If she wanted to do it, she would have asked for it already. Besides, your brother Lang is keeping an eye on things. If Lang thinks she's capable, would he let her go?" He Yuzhu said.

"That's true."

"Alright, I'm fine now, you go and spend some time with your wife and kids."

"Okay, brother!"

As we entered the year 2000, pagers, once ubiquitous on the streets and worn on the waist, were replaced by mobile phones of various shapes at a visible speed.

The once bustling scene of three shifts at the pager factory under Huanghe Communications is long gone. The production line utilization rate has continued to decline, and the warehouse is accumulating more and more finished products.

The atmosphere in the factory manager's office was somber.

Factory director Ma Baoguo, who was nearly fifty years old, frowned deeply as he held the latest sales report and inventory list.

He addressed He Yaozong and the group's strategy department specialist, who had come to inquire about the situation, in a somber tone: "Mr. He, Specialist Wang, this is the situation. Last month, we only sold less than 30,000 units, even with price reductions and promotions. We have nearly 150,000 finished products and a large number of specialized components stuck in the warehouse. One-third of the production line has already been shut down. This pager business is probably truly over."

He Yaozong flipped through the reports; the data was alarming. He looked up and asked, "How are the workers' morale?"

"What else can we do? Everyone is in a state of panic." Ma Baoguo sighed. "They are all veteran workers who have been with the factory for more than ten or twenty years. Their skills are unquestionable, but, but these skills are about to become useless. Everyone knows this, but no one expected this day to come so soon."

Wang, the specialist from the strategy department, adjusted his glasses and got to the point: "The group's strategy committee has reviewed and approved the official closure of the pager business line. The factory will be transformed, utilizing existing facilities and some personnel to shift to the production of supporting components such as mobile phone casings and chargers. Director Ma, your future work focus will shift to this."

Ma Baoguo nodded. This was an expected decision. He was more concerned about the follow-up: "What about the existing production lines and equipment? And what about the warehouse?"

He Yaozong closed the folder and said decisively, "Keep the production lines that can be modified for new businesses. Sell all the specialized and outdated ones. Clear out the inventory of complete machines and components as soon as possible. If it's not feasible to sell them domestically, sell them overseas. Recover as much capital as you can. The group's asset management department will take the lead on this matter, with your factory cooperating. Come up with a plan as soon as possible, and act quickly."

When the order was issued, a complex emotion permeated the factory that once served as a bridgehead for the Yellow River in the special economic zone.

A few days later, the asset management department moved in and, together with the appraisers, began to inventory the equipment.

In the workshop, the workers looked at the familiar chip mounters, testing stations, and assembly lines that used to roar day and night, now labeled with various colors, their eyes filled with reluctance and confusion.

Several experienced craftsmen silently wiped down the tools that had been with them for many years, as if saying a final goodbye.

"Old Zhang, this testing machine was imported from abroad back then. How much foreign exchange did it cost?" an old worker murmured, touching the cold machine casing.

"Of course, they were so precious back then, now they're sold by weight and nobody wants them." The technician, called Old Zhang, shook his head and sighed.

The warehouse doors were wide open, and piles of unsold pagers formed a small mountain.

The team responsible for clearing out the inventory contacted pager operators in various regions and overseas branches, and began to sell off the stock in bulk at cost price plus shipping costs.

At the same time, information on those specialized production line equipment was compiled into a detailed list and distributed through industry channels.

The target customers are small domestic and foreign factories that have slow technology updates or specific needs.

It's really difficult to handle domestically, after all, pagers are a thing of the past, and the related industry chain is shrinking.

There were quite a few people looking at the equipment, but most of them were extremely aggressive in trying to drive down the price.

"Director Ma, no offense, but who else would want your equipment besides those of us still doing low-end paging business? This price really can't go any higher," a businessman from the south said, pointing to a semi-automatic assembly line with a heavy accent.

Ma Baoguo glanced at the person from the group's asset department next to him. The person nodded slightly, indicating that it was acceptable, because the price after conversion was actually about the same, and the freight was too expensive.

"Alright, it'll be the price you said." Ma Baoguo gritted his teeth and signed the agreement.

Production lines were dismantled, loaded onto trucks, and transported away.

The number of pagers in the warehouse was decreasing, truckload by truck, turning into funds that kept flowing back into the books, but had shrunk significantly compared to the original investment.

The factory grounds gradually became more open, making the space seem somewhat empty.

The growing pains of transformation are real.

A group of young, quick-learning workers were selected to receive training for their new positions.

Some older, less skilled workers face the difficult choice of changing jobs or having their jobs bought out.

Ma Baoguo was busy coordinating the transition between old and new businesses, calming employees, and handling the follow-up matters of asset liquidation, leaving him extremely overwhelmed.

He stood at the office window, looking down at the trucks loading the last batch of old equipment, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

An era thus came to a slow end under his leadership.

And another new era, full of uncertainty, awaits them to adapt to and explore.

He compiled the final equipment disposal report and preliminary personnel resettlement plan for the factory, and prepared to report them to He Yaozong and Xu Damao.

Xu Damao was specifically brought back by He Yaozong, since he was the one who built that factory.

At the end of the report, he hesitated for a moment, then added: "President He, President Xu, although the era of pagers has ended, the spirit and technical foundation of our factory's workforce remain. We earnestly request the Group to provide more support and time, and we are confident that we can complete the transformation and gain a foothold in the new field."

"Then I wish you success," He Yaozong said.

Xu Damao patted Ma Baoguo on the shoulder, his tone filled with emotion: "Old Ma, don't be so down! We managed to build the factory through such hardship back then, and now with such a powerful group as our backing and such a good foundation, what are we afraid of? Come on, it's been so long since we last met, let's find a place to have a couple of drinks and have a good chat!"

Ma Baoguo looked at Xu Damao, his eyes slightly red, and nodded vigorously: "Okay, Mr. Xu, I have a lot to say to you!"

He Yaozong didn't attend the drinking party; he felt it wasn't appropriate for him to go.

Before leaving the special economic zone, Xu Damao reminded He Yaozong that the disposal of the pager operating company should also be put on the agenda sooner rather than later.

Then, under He Yaozong's leadership, several internal meetings were held at Yellow River Communications.

The discussion mainly revolves around the user data and frequency resources held by pager operators. Selling the other data is fine, but it would be a shame to simply sell these.

“Selling them off as a package is the easiest thing to do, and there are still people willing to take over these remaining resources.” An executive suggested this, referring to someone who felt they might lose future development opportunities.

He Yaozong glanced at him, thinking further ahead, and then said, "User data is the key."

He pointed to the user distribution map on the screen, "These are valuable resources accumulated over the past ten years or so. Although pagers are no longer used, many of these people are potential mobile phone users of our Yellow River Communications, or at least target customers for our communication products."

“I suggest that the operating company should not sell directly. We need to develop a smooth transition plan. We should send a notification to all current pager users, informing them that the service is being shut down, while simultaneously launching special offers: users can enjoy significant discounts or free call credit when purchasing Yellow River's own-brand mobile phones or subscribing to communication services using their pager numbers. We need to convert as many of these users as possible into our new business system.”

The suggestion to "coax" sparked a heated discussion in the meeting room.

“Mr. He, this plan is good, but it will be difficult to implement. First, large-scale user notifications and targeted marketing require strong customer service and IT system support, which our existing pager operation system may not be able to handle. Second, negotiating and integrating with mobile operators on package agreements and billing will take time. Most importantly, how many of these pager users will be willing and able to switch to mobile immediately? The conversion rate is probably not optimistic.” A vice president in charge of operations raised concerns.

"I know the difficulties, but selling it directly would be like wiping out our customer base built up over a decade in one fell swoop, which would be such a waste. We must overcome the difficulties; if the system isn't working, we'll upgrade it, or we can leverage the technical capabilities of the group's internet company. I'll personally coordinate the negotiations with the operators. As for the conversion rate..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "We don't aim for 100%. Even if it's only 10%, or even 5%, that's tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of highly targeted customers brought into our new business. It's not just about selling a few phones or getting a few numbers; it's about establishing the 'Yellow River' brand in their communication consumption. This long-term value is far greater than the residual value from a one-time sale."

He looked at the head of the marketing department: "Old Chen, you guys get to work immediately and design several attractive switching promotion plans, targeting different user groups, such as students, business people, and existing users. The plans need to be differentiated. They need to be quick and intuitive, so that people can see the benefits at a glance."

He then looked at the IT department head: "Engineer Li, assess the capabilities of the existing system and list the upgrade requirements. At the same time, contact Fang Qidong at the internet company and ask if they can provide technical support, such as user information screening and whether these people can be converted into internet company users."

"Understood!" the two replied in unison.

“Legal and finance,” He Yaozong continued, “you follow up on the negotiation framework and settlement model with the operators and strive for the best terms.”

After the meeting, the tasks were quickly assigned and distributed.

The transformation of the pager factory continued, and a new direction had been identified. A few days later, Ma Baoguo approached He Yaozong again with a preliminary personnel placement and transformation plan.

"Mr. He, this is the preliminary plan." Ma Baoguo handed over the document. "After preliminary investigation and discussions, about 30% of the workers are willing to transfer to the new production line to learn mobile phone casing injection molding and charger assembly. About 40% of the experienced workers have chosen to take early retirement with compensation or find their own jobs. The rest are still hesitating."

He Yaozong reviewed the plan and nodded: "This ratio is within expectations. The training for the transferred staff must keep up, and the quality standards for the new business must be strict. The compensation plan should follow the highest standards of the group, so as not to disappoint our old colleagues. For those who are hesitant, we should work on them some more. If all else fails, we should provide them with a sum of money and let them find their own jobs."

Ma Baoguo nodded emphatically: "I understand, President Xu. Everyone is just having trouble grasping the concept right now, I will continue to work on it."

“I know you have feelings for the workers, and I hope so, but you still need to prepare for the worst.”

"understood."

The conversion plan for pager users is also being carried out intensively.

After receiving the request for help, Fang Qidong's internet company quickly dispatched a technical team.

They leveraged their experience in handling massive amounts of user data to help optimize the user filtering and notification system.

The marketing department has also released a special offer: customers who purchase a Huanghe brand mobile phone with a Huanghe pager number can enjoy a 20% discount, or sign up for a designated package and receive six months of free monthly fees.

The solution is simple and direct, but it hits the nail on the head.

everything's ready.

In the early hours of a weekend morning, a massive SMS notification was quietly sent to millions of Yellow River pager users who were still online through an upgraded system.

All Yellow River Communications pager users' pagers emitted a "beep beep" sound.

The screen scrolled through farewell messages and invitations from "Yellow River Communications".

The response was more enthusiastic than expected.

Perhaps due to trust in the established brand "Huanghe", or perhaps because the preferential offers were truly appealing, in the following days, Huanghe Communications' mobile phone sales stores and partner service centers saw a surge in customers coming in with pagers to inquire about and conduct business.

"I've been using this number for eight years, and your service at Yellow River has always been excellent. I was just thinking of getting a new phone, so of course I'll choose you since you have the discounts," a middle-aged man said to the salesperson in the store.

Although the conversion rate did not reach the ideal level, the number of users converted in the first batch has silenced the executives who were previously skeptical.

More importantly, this group of users has demonstrated high loyalty and spending potential.

The pager operator was not sold directly; its valuable legacy was extracted and transformed to the greatest extent possible, and injected into Huanghe Communications' new business.

The remaining portion will continue operating for a period of time until customers switch to another operator, become mobile phone customers, or abandon the service. After listening to the final report on the closure and transformation of the pager business, He Yaozong signed the report.

In fact, Ho Yiu-chung had wanted to deal with the pager issue for a long time, but he had been putting it off because he was too busy with the mobile phone business.

Entering the new century, the domestic mobile phone market also ushered in an explosive growth.

Billboards and television screens on the streets are filled with all kinds of mobile phone brands and tempting advertisements.

International giants such as Motorola, Nokia, and Ericsson remain dominant, while domestic brands such as Bird, TCL, and Kejian are emerging like mushrooms after rain, striving to seize market share by leveraging their price advantages and local channels.

Both NeoComm and Huanghe brand mobile phones under Huanghe Group are facing unprecedented pressure.

The data in the last meeting report was not very good.

"Mr. He, everyone, these are the international market share data from last month." The marketing director's tone was somber. "Nokia and Motorola are closely following NeoComm, showing a subtle trend of overtaking. The Yellow River brand, due to limitations in overseas markets, can only rank eighth at present. In the domestic market, among domestic brands, Bird has achieved rapid growth thanks to its strong advertising campaign and expansion into lower-tier markets, and has already broken into the top five. The Peninsula brand focuses on appearance design and has also attracted many young users."

He switched to a different slide, which showed the sales curves and price trends of NeoComm and Yellow River mobile phones in the domestic market.

He Yaozong, seated in the main seat, slowly broke the silence: "Do we really have to engage in a price war? Besides, the design of our phones should be quite stylish, right?"

“Mr. He, the fashion you’re talking about is for men, but nowadays half of mobile phone users are women.” At this point, a female manager spoke up.

"Oh, you're not using the company's 'Damai' phone?"

"this."

"Let me see it."

The female manager took out her Samsung phone, SGH-A188.

"Just because it's a flip phone?"

The female manager nodded, then shook her head.

"It's mainly because it's pretty. The Ericsson T28 is also a flip phone, but it's too ugly. The Motorola V998 is also a flip phone, but it's too business-like."

He Yaozong gestured for her to show him her phone, and someone passed it to her.

He Yaozong picked up the Samsung phone, weighed it in his hand, opened it and closed it again, feeling its texture and design language, which were completely different from his own products.

He had paid attention to competitors before, but the feeling was particularly direct when it was pointed out to him by his own employees, especially a female product manager.

He did not show any displeasure, but instead turned his gaze to Gu Changming, the head of the mobile phone appearance design department, who was sitting silently to the side.

"Changming," He Yaozong gently pushed the phone towards him, "What do you think of what Manager Lin said? How is our design department responding to market changes, especially the rise of the female market?"

Gu Changming took a deep breath. "President He, our design department is already aware of the issues that Supervisor Lin mentioned, and it's not something we just realized recently. Since the second half of last year, we've been monitoring changes in market trends, with miniaturization, personalization, and decorative features becoming new growth points in demand. We've also conducted extensive market research and user interviews internally, especially targeting young white-collar workers and female users."

He gestured to his assistant to open another PowerPoint presentation, and several concept designs that were clearly different from the existing "Barley" series appeared on the screen.

There are clamshell-style flip phones with rounded lines, candybar phones with bright colors and interchangeable covers, and even a few designs that attempt to combine traditional Chinese patterns with modern materials.

"This is our ongoing next-generation product line planning, internally codenamed 'Colorful Butterfly' and 'Exquisite' series," Gu Changming said, pointing to the screen. "'Colorful Butterfly' focuses on colorful designs and personalized accessories, targeting young and fashionable people; while the 'Exquisite' series emphasizes compact portability and exquisite appearance, mainly targeting the female market. In terms of materials, we also plan to introduce more advanced spraying processes and metal trim."

"If there's a plan, why is the progress so slow?" A senior executive in charge of production couldn't help but interject. "The market waits for no one! Bird's 'fighter jet among mobile phones' advertisements are everywhere, and other manufacturers' mobile phone concepts are also being hyped up. If we don't keep up, we will lose both channels and consumers!"

Gu Changming's face showed a hint of helplessness: "President Li, there's a huge gap between design drawings and mass-produced models. A new appearance means new molds, new production line debugging, and new supply chain coordination. Just the hinge mechanism of that flip cover alone required us to work with Jinggong for three months to balance feel, lifespan, and cost before we even reached the initial mass-production standard. And the colored shell you mentioned has extremely high requirements for injection molding precision and pigment stability; the yield rate of our suppliers has been consistently low."

He paused, then looked at He Yaozong: "Mr. He, it's not that we don't want to be fast, but objective laws and the supporting industrial chain take time. A mature and stable product takes at least eight to twelve months from design finalization to mass production. We are already doing our best to shorten the cycle, but some aspects cannot be rushed."

The conference room fell silent again.

Everyone understood that Gu Changming was telling the truth.

Huanghe Communications' advantage lies in its solid technological accumulation and reliable quality control, but in terms of chasing market trends and rapidly iterating on appearance, it is indeed not as good as some more flexible competitors who are even willing to sacrifice some quality for speed and cost.

He Yaozong's gaze swept across the concept images on the screen, the Samsung phone on the table, and the faces of the executives.

He slowly broke the silence: "Changming, I have seen your efforts and foresight. It is right to plan ahead in the face of market changes."

He then changed the subject, his tone becoming resolute: "However, the market won't wait for us just because we're in trouble. Time waits for no one, and consumers certainly won't."

“Adjust our strategy,” He Yaozong decided. “The ‘Colorful Butterfly’ and ‘Exquisite’ series will be given the highest priority. Group resources will be allocated to these two projects. For mold and supply chain issues, we will establish a cross-departmental task force, which I will personally coordinate. If necessary, we can leverage the strengths of Jinggong and Zhonggong, or seek external strategic partners. The goal is to reduce the mass production time to six to eight months.”

He looked at the heads of the marketing and sales departments: "Before the new models are launched, we need to streamline the existing product line. Models with overly simplistic functions or outdated designs should be decisively discounted to clear inventory and free up channel resources and market attention. At the same time, we can plan some marketing activities to highlight the traditional advantages of our Yellow River phones in terms of signal strength, battery life, and durability, so as to stabilize our core market."

Finally, he looked at Gu Changming: "The design department needs to be closer to the market and establish a more agile user feedback mechanism. In future new product reviews, we must invite representatives of target users of different genders, ages, and professions to participate. What we need to do is not just manufacture communication tools, but also create technological products that users are willing to carry with them and that reflect their personal style."

After the meeting, He Yaozong called NeoComm again, asking them to adjust their market strategy and design concept as well.

He Yaozong reflected on it afterward and realized that he did not have his father's foresight. He had also talked to He Yuzhu about this. He Yuzhu could only tell him that technology is not everything. Just like those fashion brands, are their products the best? No, but they are at the forefront of trends and they earn the money they deserve. The same is true for the telecommunications industry.

However, He Yaozong still asked about possible future developments. He Yuzhu gave him some pointers, and He Yaozong felt enlightened. He stayed at home for two days and then hurriedly returned to the Special Economic Zone.

In the wake of the Y2K crisis, the IT industry was hit with a bombshell.

Microsoft officially released Windows 2000 Professional, Server, Advanced Server, and SQL Server 2000 database software. Microsoft touted this product series as a "milestone" for the enterprise market, highlighting significant improvements in stability, security, and network management compared to the previous Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 9x series, particularly in these areas.

New-Vison is ready to ride this wave.

"Boss, Microsoft is coming on strong this time." Chen Sheng received a phone call.

"What, you weren't prepared?"

"Yes, but the customer will definitely waver," Chen Sheng said.

"So what do you mean by calling back?"

"I'd like to ask whether the next version should be released ahead of schedule," Chen Sheng said.

"The test is complete?"

"It's finished. It was originally scheduled to be released in the second half of the year, but Microsoft released it first," Chen Sheng said.

"Then let me ask you one more question: you haven't been able to defeat your opponents all these years, have you ever thought about why?"

"this."

"Isn't your strategy too conservative? The Y2K crisis was an opportunity that you wasted."

"Boss, it's me."

He Yuzhu's words were like a needle, piercing Chen Sheng's heart.

He held the microphone, unable to continue speaking.

On the other end of the phone, He Yuzhu's voice came again: "Asheng, what have we relied on to fight Microsoft for so many years? First-mover advantage!"

He paused, giving Chen Sheng time to process the information, before continuing, "But now the initiative is gone; you could say you gave it away. Our competitors are also improving. If we cling to the idea of ​​holding onto our small territory, we'll be devoured sooner or later. The Y2K bug was an opportunity; we could have been more aggressive in promoting the maturity and stability of the Vison system and grabbing more customers who had reservations about Microsoft. But you didn't do that. As far as I know, many who were initially interested have probably turned against us this time."

Chen Sheng took a deep breath on the other end of the phone: "Yes, boss, this is my problem."

"No, this is a problem with your entire team, including AMD. Has AMD forgotten the pain they suffered back then? How did Intel treat them?"

“I know what to do. I will get the patent department moving, and we will try our best to win over those hesitant clients.”

"If we're going to do it, we should do it well. Also, release the next version as you said. It's not that our current version is lacking, but rather it's to appease your subordinates."

"I understand, boss."

“Furthermore,” He Yuzhu added, “Looking at the bigger picture, the landscape of the personal computer operating system market is unlikely to change drastically in the short term, but new battlegrounds are emerging. In areas such as handheld terminals, embedded systems, and the future mobile internet, Microsoft hasn’t made any moves, has it? We need to accelerate the 'Super Vision' project; we need to seize the initiative on the next-generation platform.”

"Yes! Boss!"

"Finally, let me remind you to keep an eye on Apple; they're likely to make some moves."

"Yes." Chen Sheng's hair stood on end. The boss really knew everything without leaving home. If this continued, the boss would probably have to resort to drastic measures later.

After hanging up the phone, Chen Sheng immediately convened a meeting with the core management team of New-Vison.

The task was assigned according to He Yuzhu's requirements.

A few days later, New-Vision officially released the next generation of the VISION system, with the version number jumping to VISION XP (derived from eXPerience).

At the press conference, the spokesperson for New-Vision did not shy away from the competition with Windows. Instead, he cleverly cited a large amount of data and application cases, emphasizing the extremely high stability of VISION XP in key fields such as finance, telecommunications, and manufacturing, which has been proven over a long period of time; the performance advantages brought by deep integration with Yellow River hardware; and the built-in security module that has withstood the Y2K bug test.

At the same time, New-Vision announced the launch of the Blue Sky Program, which provides enterprise users migrating from the Windows platform to VISION XP with comprehensive technical support and substantial subsidies, including data migration, application adaptation, and personnel training.

This series of moves directly targets enterprise customers who have doubts about the stability of Windows 2000 or are troubled by its high licensing fees.

The market response was positive.

Although Windows 2000 remains strong due to its brand and ecosystem, New-Vision's targeted strategy has successfully created a gap in the established market barriers, especially in state-owned enterprises and specific industry units with extremely high requirements for system stability and independent controllability, where orders for VISION XP have seen significant growth.

They also released a series of office, database, and internet development tools, targeting Microsoft's upcoming Office suite, SQL-related applications, C#, .NET, and other tools.

Microsoft, naturally, was not to be outdone, and the two sides began to fight fiercely on various battlefields, including technology, patents, and marketing.

Amidst the fierce competition in the North American IT industry, Xu Damao rushed back to Beijing from out of town.

"Brother, the astragalus base in Longxi has finally been completely stabilized!"

After taking a sip of tea, Xu Damao wiped his mouth, his tone filled with the satisfaction of a victory, "Those guys who were trying to drive up prices and poach our members, seeing that our traceability system has really taken off and that our members can sell their herbs for a good price after getting the certification labels, are all determined to work with the alliance. They can't burn money anymore, and they've slunk away. Several wavering cooperatives are now begging to join our system."

He Yuzhu nodded upon hearing this: "Stabilizing the source is fundamental. What about within the alliance? Have those established brands tasted the benefits yet?"

"I tasted it! Of course I tasted it!" Xu Damao excitedly leaned forward. "Tongrentang used the improved ancient process we provided, and their Angong Niuhuang Wan yielded a nearly 10% increase in production rate, while the impurity rate decreased. The concentrated granules they co-developed with Guangyuyuan have received excellent clinical feedback, and orders are booked until next year. Now I don't have to beg them; they're the ones who proactively approached the alliance, asking if there are any other formulas they could develop together. Hey, these old guys, they've finally figured it out!"

"The enlightenment comes from seeing the tangible benefits," He Yuzhu said calmly. "Instead of holding onto a formula as a family heirloom, it's better to take it out and turn it into a good medicine that can cure diseases and save lives, and also keep out the wolves outside. That's the true inheritance."

“That makes sense!” Xu Damao agreed wholeheartedly. “By the way, brother, the pilot program for passing on the experience of renowned doctors that you mentioned last time has been rolled out. The first batch of the inheritance class in cooperation with that university of traditional Chinese medicine in the south has three senior professors leading more than a dozen promising students, and the results are quite good. It’s just that… the qualification certification part is still very strict. Some people in the health system are still clinging to those rigid rules.”

“If his interests are threatened, of course he’ll complain.” He Yuzhu wasn’t surprised. “No rush, take it slow. First, get things done, achieve results, and let the higher-ups and the people see the benefits. When the time comes, some rules will have to be changed, whether they want to or not.”

He changed the subject abruptly, asking, "What about outside? Have those other businesses quieted down?"

Xu Damao's face darkened: "There have been fewer overt actions, after all, Lao Fan and his team made a joint enforcement operation last time, arresting a group of people, which served as a warning. But their underhanded tactics haven't stopped. They're publishing articles in some international academic journals through third-party organizations, questioning the unclear effective components and mechanisms of action of some of our traditional Chinese medicines—it's the same old trick. In addition, I heard that they are also stepping up their acquisition of medicinal herb plantations in Southeast Asia, trying to replicate our model from the source."

“As expected.” He Yuzhu put down the walnuts. “So we can’t stop. Patent registration must continue, we must participate in the formulation of international standards, and we must firmly grasp the source of medicinal materials. If necessary, we can let Yaozu go to Hong Kong or Taishan through his channels to make arrangements outside. We can’t put all our eggs in one basket.”

"Understood." Xu Damao solemnly wrote it down.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the study door, and Xiaoman came in carrying a plate of freshly washed fruit. Seeing Xu Damao, she smiled and said, "Damao's back? Look at you, all covered in dust. Did things go well?"

"It went smoothly, it went smoothly, sister-in-law, thank you for thinking of me." Xu Damao quickly got up.

"That's good. Zhu Zi, don't just focus on the business, let Da Mao rest. Old Zhao just called and said he and Old Fang will come over to play chess with you later." Xiao Man put down the fruit plate and gave him a word of advice.

"Understood," He Yuzhu replied.

Seeing this, Xu Damao knew that He Yuzhu had other plans, so he got up to say goodbye: "Brother, you go ahead and do your work. I'll go back, take a shower, change my clothes, and put together a detailed report on this trip."

Not long after Xu Damao left, Lao Fang and Lao Zhao arrived together as expected.

Three old men set up a chessboard at the stone table in the courtyard, and the game of chess, with the Chu River and Han border in place, was fierce and evenly matched.

After a few games of chess, Lao Fang took a sip of tea and casually remarked, "Zhu Zi, things haven't been peaceful internationally lately."

He Yuzhu moved the "vehicle" without even looking up: "When has there ever been a peaceful day?"

Old Zhao chimed in, "I was talking about the grain sector. I heard that the four major grain traders have been making a lot of moves in the Americas lately, causing significant fluctuations in the futures market. Old Zhu and his team must be under a lot of pressure, right?"

He Yuzhu grunted in agreement, took one of Lao Fang's "horses," and then slowly said, "Lao Zhu called a while ago, and the situation isn't very optimistic. They're buying up grain at low prices in South America and hoarding it to drive up international grain prices and force us to open up the market. Some voices in China are also joining in the clamor, saying that we should make greater use of the international market to ensure supply."

"Hmph, you've got a bad attitude!" Old Fang sneered. "How can you feel secure when your rice bowl is in someone else's hands?"

"So Lao Zhu and his team are stepping up their stockpiles and trying to find new import channels. We on the Yellow River side are helping as much as we can. We've been doing direct sourcing from overseas, although the volume isn't large, it's still a supplement," He Yuzhu said.

"How's your Fengnian Agricultural Investment Company doing in South America and Australia?" Old Zhao asked.

"We've looked at a few places and discussed two cooperative projects, mainly soybeans and corn. The local strongmen there have been operating for many years, so it's not easy to break in; we have to take it slowly." He Yuzhu examined the situation. "The key is the seeds. If our own seeds are of high quality, the yield in the fields will increase, and we'll be able to stand taller. Old Zhu and his team understand this principle and are increasing their investment in agricultural science."

"What about hybrid rice?" Old Fang asked, intrigued.

"I heard there's been a breakthrough, but I don't know the specifics." He Yuzhu waved his hand. "That's a national project, so we shouldn't ask too many questions. Just focus on doing our own jobs well."

The three stopped talking about these things and refocused their attention on the chessboard. Only the crisp sound of chess pieces hitting the board and the faint whistling of pigeons in the distance filled the courtyard.

A few days later, He Yuzhu received a phone call from He Yaozong from the Special Economic Zone.

"Dad, Fang Qidong from the internet company has launched a new event, and the response has been very good." He Yaozong's voice was relaxed. "They've teamed up with several software companies to hold a 'Millennium Domestic Software Innovation Competition' at the Yellow River Software Center, offering a million-yuan prize to solicit outstanding office, utility, and entertainment software. It has instantly boosted the platform's popularity and reputation."

"Yes, that's the right approach. Developing an ecosystem can't rely solely on importing technology; we also need to support our own people," He Yuzhu affirmed. "Is HICQ's voice function stable yet?"

"It's basically stabilized. User growth is rapid, especially among university and enterprise users. The average daily voice call duration is now almost catching up with the number of text messages sent. I heard that our competitors are also urgently developing similar features, but it won't be easy for them to catch up with us in the short term."

"We can't let our guard down. Have them continue to optimize the experience, especially in situations with poor network conditions, to ensure connectivity," He Yuzhu instructed. "What about the *Conquer Online* game?"

"The number of online players is very stable, and the operations team is cooperating more and more smoothly with Taishan. It's just that cheating is like chives, it grows back after you cut it down, so anti-cheating is a long-term task."

"Tell Fang Qidong that if necessary, we can use means other than technology. Legal channels and public pressure can be used. We cannot be lenient with people who break the rules like this."

"clear."

(End of this chapter)