Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

He Yuzhu, who was far away in the Soviet Union, picked up the international long-distance phone at his residence after a short while and dialed back to the domestic steel company.

The phone rang only twice before Director Zhang Weimin's familiar and somewhat kind voice came from the other end.

At that moment, Zhang Weimin was sitting in his office working on his tasks when he received a long-distance call from He Yuzhu from overseas. He was initially overjoyed.

He knew that He Yuzhu's trip to the Soviet Union to coordinate the equipment procurement for the Azov steel plant was a major event concerning the development of the country's heavy industry.

At first, He Yuzhu reported on his work in a slow and methodical manner.

He explained in detail the existing production capacity of the local Soviet steel plant, the condition of the complete set of industrial equipment, and the core issues of whether the domestic technical team could successfully take over and put the plant into operation.

Zhang Weimin sat behind his desk, holding a phone in one hand and a pen in the other, taking notes. His smile grew wider and wider as he nodded in agreement.

The more he listened, the more satisfied he became. He felt from the bottom of his heart that He Yuzhu was reliable and had not let down the company and his leaders.

But when He Yuzhu casually mentioned that a formal agreement on equipment procurement had been signed with the Soviet Union, it was a moment of truth.

Zhang Weimin's hand gripping the receiver tightened suddenly, he shuddered several times, and his face changed instantly.

The pen in his hand fell onto the desk with a clatter, and he instantly sat up straight in his chair.

Even if it's just a preliminary cooperation agreement, it's definitely not something that He Yuzhu, a mere department head, could sign on his own.

This was by no means an ordinary official exchange.

Behind this lies a staggering amount of real money and state funds.

It was a huge sum of money that could shake the entire steel industry!

Thinking about the stakes involved, Zhang Weimin was instantly filled with anxiety, and his tone suddenly became stern and anxious.

He spoke sternly into the phone, his anger barely contained, yet his voice was filled with worry.

"Hey He Yuzhu! How dare you have such audacity!"

"Don't think you can act so recklessly and wantonly just because you have leaders at Steel Corporation who appreciate you and support you!"

"Do you even know how much money is involved in this agreement you signed?"

"Do you even know the enormous price the country had to pay and the countless hardships it had to overcome to raise this amount of foreign exchange?"

"If you make such a decision on your own and something goes wrong, you'll be held responsible, but no one in the entire steel system will be able to bear such a tremendous responsibility!"

Zhang Weimin was extremely anxious at this moment, and his voice trembled as he spoke.

He was He Yuzhu's direct superior. Since He Yuzhu had caused trouble outside, he, as the section chief, was the first to be held accountable.

At best, they will lose their current position as section chief and be subject to organizational punishment; at worst, they will be dismissed and investigated, and sent to grassroots units in remote areas, never to recover their former status.

Thinking of such serious consequences, Zhang Weimin felt his back instantly covered in cold sweat, and his heart was pounding so fast it felt like it was going to burst out of his chest.

He Yuzhu, on the other end of the phone, was naturally furious as he listened to Zhang Weimin's scathing reprimand.

He fully understood Zhang Weimin's worries and anxieties, but he hadn't even finished speaking when the other party made a hasty judgment on him. Anyone would feel uncomfortable in that situation.

But He Yuzhu still suppressed his anger and spoke in a calm and patient tone.

"Director, please calm down and let me finish what I have to say."

"You've only heard the first sentence, and you're already jumping to conclusions and scolding me. That's too arbitrary."

"You can get angry and hold me accountable after I've explained everything clearly."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Weimin clenched his fists tightly, took several deep breaths, and desperately tried to calm his surging emotions.

He leaned back in his office chair, closed his eyes, and took a long time to calm down before finally suppressing his anger and panic.

He spoke in a low voice, his tone still tinged with impatience, but he also relented.

"Okay, I won't interrupt you, speak slowly."

"I'd like to hear what you have to say today to cover up your unauthorized signing of the agreement!"

"Let me make this clear from the start: if you can't provide a reasonable explanation, this matter is far from over!"

Hearing Zhang Weimin relent, He Yuzhu stopped arguing and clearly stated the transaction price for the cooperation, word by word.

He stated the bottom price of the equipment purchase, the amount of foreign exchange settlement, the concessions from the Soviet Union, and the subsequent supporting benefits without missing a single detail.

After he finished speaking, the other end of the phone fell into a deathly silence.

There was no sound, no response, not even Zhang Weimin's breathing could be heard.

Only a faint buzzing sound of electricity could be heard in the receiver.

He Yuzhu waited for a full half minute, but still received no response from Zhang Weimin, and a sense of doubt arose in his heart.

He held the microphone, leaned slightly closer, and called out softly.

"Director? Director? Are you still listening to me?"

Did you hear everything I just reported?

Two shouts in quick succession instantly jolted Zhang Weimin, who had been in a daze, awake.

Zhang Weimin stood frozen in front of his desk, his eyes wide with disbelief and shock, his mind blank.

He originally thought that He Yuzhu had acted on his own initiative and signed the exorbitant agreement, causing the country a huge problem.

But after hearing the price quote, he finally understood that He Yuzhu hadn't caused any trouble at all.

This is clearly a tremendous achievement for the country!

To acquire a complete set of advanced steel plant equipment at an incredibly low price, almost like cabbage, is an unbelievable stroke of luck!

When Zhang Weimin came to his senses, he stammered, his tone filled with uncontrollable astonishment and ecstasy.

"Oh, yes, I'm listening. Xiao He, please continue, don't pause, report everything clearly!"

At this moment, he no longer felt any anger, only a deep sense of shock and relief.

He Yuzhu spoke with certainty and arranged the follow-up matters in an orderly manner.

"Director, the current matter requires the Ministry of Foreign Trade to officially take the lead in order to move forward."

"The final formal contract also had to be signed by professionals from the Ministry of Foreign Trade with the Soviet side."

"What I signed was only an agreement of intent; it's not the final agreement. The higher-level department has to take over."

Zhang Weimin was completely flustered at this moment, filled with excitement, and repeatedly agreed.

"Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you say!"

"While you are in the Soviet Union, you must keep all relevant personnel in the Soviet Union in place and maintain the current situation. Under no circumstances should any changes occur."

"I immediately dropped everything I was doing, reported to my superiors and the general manager's office, and arranged for someone to go to the Soviet Union to coordinate as quickly as possible!"

"Your comrades from back home will arrive soon. You must stay at your post and keep everything stable!"

"Understood. I guarantee the mission will be completed, and we will resolutely safeguard the existing achievements without any mishaps."

He Yuzhu accepted all the arrangements with a crisp and decisive tone.

As soon as he finished speaking, He Yuzhu hung up the international long-distance call precisely.

Zhang Weimin, on the other end of the phone, didn't dare to delay for even a moment after hanging up.

Clutching the crucial information He Yuzhu had just reported, he didn't even bother to tidy his desk, and hurriedly ran towards the general manager's office at the steel company.

The order in which he reported was completely opposite to that of He Yuzhu.

Upon entering, he didn't immediately mention production capacity, equipment, or agreements. Instead, he meticulously reported to the general manager the astonishingly low price that He Yuzhu had negotiated.

The general manager remained calm at first, but his expression grew increasingly shocked as he listened. Finally, he stood up, his face full of approval.

The general manager, seeing Zhang Weimin's flustered yet still excited expression, couldn't help but praise him.

"This He Yuzhu, despite his young age, is quite capable and has some impressive skills."

"Going to a foreign land, daring to take risks and fight hard, and still being able to maintain a sense of propriety, it is truly rare to win such great benefits for the country."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Weimin's face showed genuine agreement, and he quickly echoed his words.

"General Manager, this is more than just having some skills; it's an extraordinary ability."

"I'm confident that if we follow his lead, we'll get even more unexpected surprises and gains far exceeding what we've achieved so far."

The general manager smiled at Zhang Weimin, his eyes full of amusement.

"Judging from your appearance, you have complete confidence in and high regard for your subordinate."

Zhang Weimin shook his head with a wry smile, silently grumbling to himself, but daring not to say it aloud.

He had no confidence in He Yuzhu at all. Just now, he was so frightened by the sudden news from He Yuzhu that he almost lost his soul and was so angry that he nearly lost control on the spot.

Who would have thought that such a daring act would hide such a big surprise?

Zhang Weimin composed himself and spoke solemnly.

"It's not that I'm biased towards my subordinates, but his ability, courage, and methods are all on full display. His solid skills make him undeniable and convincing."

The general manager nodded emphatically, refrained from further reflection, and immediately made a decision.

"Okay, this matter is of great importance. I will personally contact the Ministry of Foreign Trade and other higher-level departments to keep you informed of all the details."

Zhang Weimin looked anxious and gave repeated instructions.

"Please make sure that your superiors send someone to the Soviet Union as quickly as possible."

"I'm worried that He Yuzhu is all alone in a foreign country, and he won't be able to stay there for long. Things can change easily if things drag on."

The general manager waved his hand calmly, his tone firm and composed.

"You can rest assured, the letter of intent has been formally signed and is legally binding."

"The superiors are sending someone over; it's just a formality to complete the follow-up procedures, and there won't be any unexpected changes."

"Even if the Soviet Union wanted to back out, there was no reason for it to do so; the matter was settled."

This cross-border procurement is of great significance, involving the overall development of the country's heavy industry.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade acted with astonishing speed, without the slightest delay.

Upon receiving the report from the head office, the Foreign Trade Department immediately contacted the foreign affairs staff stationed in Moscow.

A designated person immediately liaised with the relevant Soviet authorities to initiate subsequent formal contract negotiations.

The subsequent negotiations went even more smoothly than expected.

Because He Yuzhu had signed a formal letter of intent in advance, the Soviet side had no room to back out.

Even if the Soviet officials were unwilling, they could not unilaterally break the formal agreements between the two countries.

Moreover, the Soviet Union at that time urgently needed a large amount of foreign exchange for circulation. Selling this batch of equipment smoothly would be far more cost-effective than completely scrapping it and remelting it later.

The Soviet Union was unwilling to accept the established outcome and secretly began to devise new plans.

They specially dispatched personnel to the Azov steel plant, intending to take away and seal all equipment technical data, drawings, and documents in advance to prevent the data from leaking out.

However, when the Soviet staff arrived at the location where the documents were stored, they were informed on the spot.

All technical data, equipment drawings, and process documents related to the steel plant had already been sealed up and moved away overnight, leaving no trace.

The Soviet staff who went to seize the documents were furious, their faces turning ashen, but they were utterly helpless.

Cooperation agreements formally signed between countries are absolutely binding, and neither party may arbitrarily renege on the agreement or breach the contract.

Even though they were furious, they could only obediently accept the established facts and cooperate with the subsequent handover work.

This complete set of technical documents was arranged in advance by He Yuzhu, who hired reliable vehicles to transport it all away quietly.

He carefully stored all the materials in a secret, pre-rented location and arranged for reliable personnel to guard them 24 hours a day to prevent any outsiders from approaching or stealing them.

He Yuzhu secretly included his own personal information in this batch of compliant steel mill documents.

All of it was core industrial technology data that he had painstakingly collected inside the Azov steel plant.

Previously, we had been struggling to find a safe and discreet way to transport the goods back to China, but now, thanks to this collaboration, we can smuggle them all in for transshipment.

The Soviet side was extremely careful and cautious when handing over the steel plant's data.

They preemptively screened and withheld all core confidential information, such as the research and development formula for new special steel and advanced smelting technology, leaving only the drawings and operating data related to basic production equipment.

The personal agenda that He Yuzhu smuggled in was quite significant.

Not only do they have a complete set of technical drawings for the 250-ton top-level heavy smelting equipment, but they also have a large amount of top-secret information on special steel smelting formulas, production processes, parameter standards, etc., which are only slightly behind the current world's top level.

These materials are invaluable for the development of China's heavy industry.

After the domestic handover staff arrived at the scene, He Yuzhu looked solemn and repeatedly gave instructions to each of the staff members who came to make the handover.

"The value of this batch of technical data is far greater than that of the heavy steel equipment on site. It is a core technology that the country urgently needs, and it must be properly stored. Under no circumstances should it be damaged or lost."

Upon hearing this, the personnel in China immediately realized the significance of the documents and dared not be negligent in the slightest.

Professional personnel were immediately dispatched from nearby Kyiv to the site to coordinate and escort the documents.

He Yuzhu stayed on site until all the professionals from Kyiv arrived and completed all the handover procedures for the documents and the site before leaving with peace of mind.

During the period when He Yuzhu was in charge of all procurement matters for Soviet steel mills.

As for the Azov steel plant, it has already arranged for qualified steel to be loaded and shipped in accordance with the letter of intent.

The complete set of heavy-duty rolling mills and supporting industrial equipment purchased were also loaded onto trucks in batches and in an orderly manner, embarking on their journey to China.

All logistics and transportation matters are proceeding smoothly and in an orderly manner.

The only problem was that the engineers sent from China to the factory to learn equipment operation and production technology were completely delayed.

Previously, He Yuzhu had been handling agreements and transferring documents externally, without him taking the lead and smoothing things over with all parties.

Despite Mikhail's best efforts, he was unable to smooth things over with the Soviet factories and was unable to arrange for domestic engineers to smoothly enter the factories for training.

After He Yuzhu had completely finished all the matters related to the handover of the steel plant and the escort of the documents, he rushed back to the Azov steel plant without stopping for a moment.

He knew that engineers learning technology was crucial for the successful implementation and production of equipment, and that no time could be wasted.

After returning to the factory area, He Yuzhu was very familiar with the place and began to deal with people and make arrangements.

He hosted a banquet, gave thoughtful gifts, smoothed things over with all parties involved, and won over all the managers in the factory area.

With a well-executed and efficient operation, all the previously blocked levels were easily cleared.

The domestic engineers who came with He Yuzhu were all beaming with excitement and their eyes were full of enthusiasm when they learned that they could smoothly enter the factory to learn the technology.

They came with the determination to learn advanced technology and serve the country, and now that their wish has finally come true, they are filled with gratitude for He Yuzhu.

Not only can everyone learn the operation, maintenance, and repair techniques of the rolling mill, but they can also learn the relevant technologies of other supporting industrial equipment in the factory area.

However, most of the local Soviet technicians harbored resentment. They agreed to teach on the surface, but in reality, they were perfunctory and unwilling to genuinely impart the core technologies.

They either only teach the surface-level operations without explaining the core principles, or they deliberately omit key steps to fool domestic engineers who come to learn.

He Yuzhu had already devised a solution to this problem.

He specifically entrusted Mikhail to host banquets for all the senior technicians in the factory on several occasions.

Simply eating and drinking is far from enough to move people's hearts.

He Yuzhu also prepared a large number of exquisite and practical small gifts that were rare in the Soviet Union, and presented them to each person individually.

By combining social drinking with courtesy and etiquette, he thoroughly strengthened his relationship with Soviet technicians.

After some maneuvering, all the Soviet technicians lowered their guard and began to sincerely and unreservedly impart their core technologies.

The long-standing technical teaching problem was easily and completely solved by He Yuzhu.

After settling all the subsequent matters at the steel plant, He Yuzhu finally had some rare free time and some time to himself.

But he wasn't one to sit still by nature; his mind raced, and he began to devise a new plan.

Simply acquiring steel plant equipment and smelting technology is far from enough at present.

A nation's industrial development requires comprehensive and multi-faceted support from advanced technologies.

At that time, the Soviet Union's overall industrial level was among the world's best, and its technology and equipment in all sectors far surpassed those in China.

Taking advantage of this excellent opportunity, he must strive to secure more core resources for the country and acquire more scarce materials and technologies.

After careful consideration, He Yuzhu went directly to Mikhail beside him and asked him the question in a straightforward manner.

"Mikhail, you have extensive connections in this area. Do you know anyone at the Kharkiv tractor manufacturing plant, someone you can talk to?"

After hearing He Yuzhu's question, Mihai looked at him with a puzzled expression and a surprised look.

"Tractors? Heh, you just finished settling things off at the steel mill, why are you suddenly interested in the tractor factory?"

He really couldn't understand why He Yuzhu, who had just secured a heavy industry steel project, would suddenly set his sights on agricultural tractor equipment.

He Yuzhu remained calm and patiently began to analyze the pros and cons with Mihai, guiding and deceiving him step by step.

"You know in your heart that China is a real agricultural powerhouse, and your Soviet Union, with its vast territory, was also an agricultural powerhouse."

"Since we are both major agricultural countries, you should understand just how important agricultural tractors are to agricultural production."

"Currently, there is a severe shortage of high-power, high-performance agricultural tractors in China. Agricultural production relies entirely on manual labor, which is too inefficient and outdated."

Upon hearing this, Mihai nodded subconsciously in agreement, expressing his deepest consent.

"You're absolutely right. Advanced agricultural tractors can save a huge amount of manpower and greatly improve agricultural efficiency. They are the core equipment for agricultural production."

Seeing this, He Yuzhu got straight to the point and stopped beating around the bush.

"Stop talking nonsense and just tell me, do you have any reliable connections? Can you get in touch with people inside the tractor factory?"

Mihai frowned, carefully recalling his network of connections, and spoke after a moment of contemplation.

"Let me think about it carefully and sort out my network of contacts. I'll give you a definite answer later."

"Okay, I'll wait for your news. This is urgent, so please take it seriously."

He Yuzhu didn't urge him and calmly agreed.

The reason why Mihai was willing to go to great lengths and why Yuzhu went to great lengths to mediate was definitely not just because of simple friendship.

Previously, when He Yuzhu facilitated the equipment procurement cooperation of Azov Steel Plant, he secretly gave Mikhail and the intermediary he contacted a generous kickback.

The generous rewards far exceeded Mihai's expectations, which also made him extremely loyal to He Yuzhu and willing to do his best in everything.

Mihai returned to his residence and went through all his contact lists and network of contacts, checking and sorting them out one by one.

Persistence pays off, and he actually found a reliable connection.

The next morning, Mikhail, beaming with joy, hurriedly found He Yuzhu and excitedly reported back.

"Wow, that's great! I've found a connection, and it's a really reliable acquaintance!"

"At the Kharkiv Tractor Manufacturing Plant, there was a former comrade of mine who held a management position."

He Yuzhu's eyes lit up, and he quickly pressed for more information.

"What specific job will you be responsible for in the factory? Will you have the authority to speak up and get things done?"

"Although he is in charge of logistics, he has a lot of influence in the factory and is extremely reliable."

Mihai quickly responded, giving He Yuzhu plenty of confidence.

He Yuzhu was overjoyed and immediately made a decision.

"Having connections is enough. It doesn't matter what position you're in charge of, as long as you can get into the factory area."

"Take some time to arrange for me to go to the tractor factory in person so I can meet your comrade-in-arms."

Mihai readily agreed and immediately finalized the itinerary.

"No problem, let's set the time for this weekend, I'll drive you there."

He Yuzhu nodded slightly and asked casually.

"No problem. How far is the Kharkiv Tractor Plant from where we are now?"

"The factory is located in Kharkiv city, which is about 300 kilometers away, so it's not a short distance."

"Our journey takes a long time, so we'll probably have to set off the night before to arrive at the factory smoothly during the day."

He Yuzhu was thoughtful and gave repeated instructions.

"Make sure you arrange your trip properly, bring all the necessary self-defense equipment, and have enough fuel for the entire journey. You absolutely cannot have any accidents along the way."

"Don't worry, I've prepared everything for your trip, including fuel and self-defense tools. I've also prepared yours."

Mihai patted his chest and assured that there would be absolutely no oversight.

The actual trip started earlier than expected. Mikhail's work is usually quite relaxed, without too many complicated matters to deal with.

On Friday evening, the two got ready, got into a military jeep, and officially began their journey.

Before setting off, Mihai repeatedly reminded He Yuzhu.

"He, be sure to bring all the Chinese seasonings and ingredients you carry with you. You'll need them when you visit your comrades."

Within the Soviet Union, authentic Chinese cuisine was a rare commodity, far more valuable than ordinary gifts.

He Yuzhu readily agreed and responded calmly.

"Don't worry, I've already packed everything, nothing will be left behind."

The jeep sped across the vast Soviet plains, its journey relatively uneventful.

The Soviet Union had a vast territory with sparse population in the countryside, and you could hardly see any pedestrians or vehicles along the way.

The danger did not come from human beings, but from wild animals in the wild.

As the vehicle drove through the wilderness, several ferocious wolves suddenly appeared in front of it, howling wildly at the jeep as if they were about to pounce and attack.

He Yuzhu's eyes were sharp, and his movements were swift and decisive. He picked up the firearm for self-defense and fired accurately.

In just a short while, several wolves fell to the ground, becoming victims of He Yuzhu's gun.

During the drive, He Yuzhu also managed to catch several plump wild sheep, reaping a bountiful harvest.

After a long journey, the two arrived safely at the Kharkiv Tractor Manufacturing Plant.

Upon seeing the comrade-in-arms that Mikhail had mentioned, He Yuzhu instantly understood.

This was no ordinary comrade-in-arms; this man was clearly Mikhail's direct superior from his time in the army.

When Mihai retired from the army, he was only a company-level officer.

The man in front of us, named Andrei, was a battalion-level political instructor back then, with a rank and position far higher than Mikhail's.

Even now, after retiring from the military, he remains the deputy director of the tractor factory in charge of logistics, a position and power far exceeding that of Mikhail.

The moment the two met, Mikhail immediately stood up straight, his expression solemn, and gave Andrei a standard military salute.

Their attitude was extremely respectful, and they dared not be negligent in the slightest.

Andrei looked at his old subordinate whom he hadn't seen for many years, his face full of warm smiles and his eyes particularly friendly.

After a brief reminiscing and polite greetings between comrades-in-arms.

Andrei's gaze fell on He Yuzhu, an unfamiliar figure standing next to Mihai, and he asked directly, his face full of doubt.

"Mikhail, who is this young man to you? Why did you bring a Chinese man to our tractor factory?"

Mihai dared not conceal anything and immediately told Andrei everything, without missing a single word, about He Yuzhu's intention to purchase agricultural tractors.

After listening, Andrei frowned slightly and bluntly expressed his concerns.

"We do have agricultural tractors in stock at the factory, and we also sell them to other companies. However, all the tractors produced by our factory are tracked tractors."

"Previously, China had not shown much interest in these types of tracked tractors and purchased very few. Why is it that they suddenly want to buy them now?"

He Yuzhu responded to Andrei's question in a calm and composed tone.

"This procurement is due to special circumstances. Construction and farmland cultivation are underway in many parts of the country, and tracked tractors are needed."

"The tracked model is suitable for complex terrain and has strong mobility, which is exactly the equipment we urgently need."

After hearing this, Andrei immediately dispelled his doubts and stopped asking questions.

He looked at He Yuzhu and spoke in a calm tone.

"Since it's a purchase for essential needs, everything is negotiable. My brother-in-law, Ivan, happens to work in the factory's sales department, in charge of external sales."

He Yuzhu spoke slowly, his eyes calm.

"The procurement isn't urgent. Could I first go to the factory to check out the tractors in stock and their performance?"

Andrei readily agreed without the slightest hesitation.

"Of course, no problem. I'll arrange it personally and take you to the factory site to check it out in person."

Led by Andrei, He Yuzhu arrived at the open-air storage square of the tractor factory.

Upon witnessing the scene firsthand, He Yuzhu couldn't help but feel genuine admiration for the Soviet Union's robust industrial base.

Thousands of brand-new, fully functional tracked tractors were neatly parked in the square, creating a truly impressive scene.

They have all kinds of machines, big and small, of various models and with different power ratings, and the variety is amazing.

He Yuzhu deliberately avoided everyone's gaze and focused on carefully examining the large-displacement, high-power, heavy-duty tracked tractors.

Andrei and Mikhail, who were accompanying him, assumed he was just curious about buying things and didn't think much of it or take any precautions.

He Yuzhu made an excuse to want to test drive the equipment and experience its performance, and Andrei immediately arranged for him to go without saying a word.

This clearly demonstrates that Andrei wielded immense power and wielded considerable influence within the tractor factory.

It was this test drive that allowed He Yuzhu to completely confirm his bold guess.

After personally controlling and test driving it, he was instantly shocked.

These are no ordinary agricultural tracked tractors.

It's clearly a standard military tank chassis, only with a civilian tractor cab replaced and disguised as a civilian vehicle!

The chassis structure, load-bearing capacity, and transmission system are all standard configurations for military tanks!

Once wartime begins, the agricultural hull can be dismantled and converted into a military combat tank, making it extremely powerful.

He Yuzhu suppressed the overwhelming joy in his heart, remaining calm and composed on the surface, showing no sign of anything unusual.

He deliberately concealed his thoughts, found a plausible excuse, and spoke to Andrei.

"The purchase quantity is huge, and I need to report and communicate with my superiors in China and wait for their approval before the final order can be confirmed."

Andrei didn't care at all and had no suspicion whatsoever.

He wasn't in charge of production or sales, and the domestic and export sales of tractors didn't affect his performance, so naturally he wouldn't be wary of them.

At that moment, as they were reuniting with old friends, Andrei was eager to catch up and immediately pulled Mikhail aside, insisting on going out for drinks and a long chat.

The two hadn't seen each other for nearly ten years, and their friendship was deep, so they naturally had a lot to talk about.

Mikhail was a picky person and spoke frankly to Andrei.

"Old buddy, the food in your factory canteen is really mediocre, not even remotely appetizing."

Upon hearing this, Andrei immediately smiled and asked in return.

"What, you know someone who's a good cook and can make delicious meals?"

Mihai laughed heartily, raised his hand and pointed directly at He Yuzhu beside him, his face full of pride.

"Top chefs are not only far away, but also right under your nose. He, who is right next to me, is a hidden top chef."

"His culinary skills are unparalleled; you could find them anywhere in the entire Soviet Union, even if you paid a fortune."

Andrei looked on in astonishment and subconsciously glanced at He Yuzhu, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Isn't he the purchasing manager from China? And he's also a top chef?"

"Purchasing is just a temporary job for him; his superb culinary skills are his true specialty."

Mihai spoke with certainty, praising He Yuzhu's culinary skills to the fullest.

Andrei listened with great curiosity and was eager to try, but he smiled helplessly and spoke up.

"Now that you mention it, I really want to see Mr. He's superb culinary skills, but unfortunately I just ate in the cafeteria and I'm too full."

Mihai simply waved his hand, easily finalizing the matter.

"That's easy. You provide the kitchen and ingredients, and I'll come to your house in the evening. He can show off his skills and let the whole family taste authentic Chinese cuisine."

"We just happened to hunt some wild, fat sheep on the way. With a little more basic food, that should be enough."

Andrei readily agreed, speaking with great joy.

"Okay, it's settled then. Everyone's coming over to my house tonight!"

That evening, the group went straight to Andrei's house.

Andrei was nearly fifty years old, came from a wealthy family, had many children and grandchildren, and most of his family members worked at the Kharkiv Tractor Plant, making him very well-connected.

He Yuzhu showcased his culinary skills in the kitchen, completely winning over Andrei's entire family with his superb cooking abilities and impressive drinking capacity.

The whole family enjoyed authentic Chinese cuisine and praised He Yuzhu's cooking skills, instantly gaining his favor.

During the meeting, He Yuzhu subtly expressed his desire to visit the tractor factory and tour the entire production process.

Before Andrei could even speak, his eldest son, Andrew, immediately agreed without hesitation.

Andrew happened to be in charge of security at the factory and had access to the factory area.

But as soon as he spoke, Andrew was glared at fiercely by Andrei, and immediately fell silent, not daring to say another word.

Andrei remained calm and spoke tactfully to He Yuzhu.

"A thorough visit to the factory requires formal approval from senior management. I can help you submit the application and smooth things over."

"However, the factory is currently on holiday, so the approval process will not be officially completed until next week."

He Yuzhu was overjoyed, but remained calm and composed on the surface, nodding gently.

"It's alright, I can wait here patiently until the holiday ends, and then I'll return to the Azov steel plant on my own next week."

Mikhail immediately took the initiative to express his support and make follow-up arrangements.

"Don't worry, just wait here for news. I'll personally drive over to pick you up next week. I'll take care of everything at the Azov steel plant for you."

The next morning, Mikhail drove back to the Azov steel plant alone to handle his work.

He Yuzhu was well taken care of by Andrei and stayed in the guesthouse inside the tractor factory, with all his food and lodging provided and generous treatment.

After checking into the guesthouse, He Yuzhu acted with extreme caution and did not make any rash moves.

He had already realized that the security level at the Kharkiv Tractor Plant was far higher and more stringent than that at the Biaz Steel Plant.

During his daytime visit to the factory, he clearly saw that many key areas of the factory were built according to the standards for machine gun defense fortifications.

Even without openly displayed machine guns, security measures were in place everywhere, making it a heavily guarded area.

He knew it all too well.

This tractor factory was originally a military tank manufacturing plant that was transformed. Although it appears to be for civilian use, it actually retains complete military production capabilities.

Once war breaks out, it can instantly transform from a civilian tractor factory into a military engineer and tank factory, with extremely high secrecy.

Early Monday morning, as planned, He Yuzhu picked up the phone at the guesthouse and made another international call to Zhang Weimin in China.

He knew very well that being in a foreign country required him to be meticulous in his actions, and that he had to follow all the proper procedures and maintain appearances to avoid giving anyone cause for criticism.

When the call connected, Zhang Weimin learned that He Yuzhu had gone to a Soviet tractor factory. He immediately looked puzzled and asked.

"We didn't have any tractor purchase quotas for this overseas procurement trip, so what are you doing going to the tractor factory?"

He Yuzhu had prepared his response in advance and answered naturally.

"Director, I just took advantage of my free time to come and visit. The tractors here are all kinds and have a wide variety of models. It's really an eye-opener."

"The high-powered tractors here are even larger than military trucks, demonstrating a highly advanced level of industrial technology."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Weimin repeatedly gave instructions, his tone full of worry.

"Even if you visit, you absolutely cannot act recklessly. We don't have corresponding procurement quotas or relevant approvals."

"Remember, just visit and look around. You absolutely cannot make any decisions on your own, such as placing orders or signing contracts. As the department head, I cannot bear such a heavy responsibility."

He Yuzhu spoke sincerely and obediently agreed.

"Don't worry, Director. I know what I'm doing and I will never make decisions on my own, causing trouble for you or the country."

"You must keep your word. You become bold and meticulous when you go abroad, and you do things in unexpected ways. I'm really worried about you."

"I solemnly assure you that I will never act on my own initiative."

"Okay, international calls are expensive, so I won't say more. Just remember to keep your distance. Bye."

After giving repeated instructions, Zhang Weimin hung up the phone directly.

After making the call to report back to China, He Yuzhu immediately contacted Andrei's brother-in-law, Ivan, from the sales department.

He truthfully stated that the procurement matter was still under study and discussion in China, and no clear procurement conclusion had been reached yet.

Ivan didn't care at all, and didn't even take it to heart.

The tractor factory's core customers have always been concentrated in the Soviet Union and European countries; the Chinese market has never been a major source of customers.

In addition, the Soviet Union was implementing a planned economy at the time, and sales staff had fixed salaries. They did not receive any performance bonuses regardless of how much they sold, and they would not earn any extra income.

Even if they wanted to boost sales, they couldn't rely on China at all, so they naturally didn't care about He Yuzhu's purchasing intentions.

Andrei is reliable, considerate, and extremely efficient.

On Wednesday, He Yuzhu obtained a formal permit to visit the tractor factory.

The reason for this was entirely due to He Yuzhu's help in maintaining appearances and resolving a major problem.

On Monday and Tuesday evenings, He Yuzhu personally cooked two high-profile family banquets for Andrei.

One banquet was for external liaisons and cooperative partners of the factory area, and another banquet was for the superiors of the tractor factory.

The authentic Chinese cuisine was a hit with all the guests, earning Andrei a lot of face in front of his relatives, friends, and superiors.

He Yuzhu also took the opportunity to help Andrei resolve many thorny external liaison and official business issues.

Before the formal visit, Andrei specifically sought out He Yuzhu, his expression solemn, and laid down the rules in advance.

"Well, before we officially enter the factory area for a tour, I must say something unpleasant beforehand."

"You may only move around in the designated permitted areas. In non-open areas, you are not allowed to ask questions, approach, or linger without permission."

He Yuzhu understood immediately and responded respectfully.

"Andrei, I understand your difficulties. The same rules apply when visiting the Azov steel plant, and I will strictly abide by them."

"I hope you can understand. Ivan and Andrew will accompany you throughout the tour."

"Thank you for your understanding. I have another question: Is your tractor factory's complete production line available for sale?"

He Yuzhu remained calm and asked the question that concerned him most.

Andrei looked troubled and politely declined.

"In principle, the core production line is absolutely not sold to external parties. It is the foundation of our entire factory and our core livelihood."

"We are purchasing production lines solely for agricultural production and will never compete with you in the market."

He Yuzhu patiently explained.

"I can help you inquire about the application with your superiors, but you need to understand that tractor factories and steel factories are completely different in nature, and the approval process is extremely difficult, making a sale virtually impossible."

Andrei responded truthfully.

He Yuzhu then changed his tune and stopped insisting on the core production line.

"I understand. Could you help me find out if there are any obsolete or idle small tractor or automobile factories in the factory that are willing to be transferred or sold?"

"I can keep an eye out for this matter and let you know as soon as I have any news."

"Thank you so much, Andrei, you've done me a huge favor."

He Yuzhu extended his right hand and sincerely thanked Andrei.

Andrei also reached out and grasped He Yuzhu's hand tightly, his tone full of gratitude.

"I should also thank you properly. You've helped me solve so many tricky problems during this time. I should be thanking you."

On Thursday, accompanied and secretly supervised by Ivan and Andrew, He Yuzhu toured most of the tractor factory area by car.

All the factory's production workshops open to the public were open to him, allowing him to observe and learn about them up close.

The only restricted area is the core of the factory, a closed area enclosed by a fence. Access is strictly prohibited, and armed guards stand watch, making it a heavily guarded area.

The entire tour route deliberately avoided the core engine production and R&D workshops, providing no opportunity to come into contact with core technologies.

During his visit to the production workshop, He Yuzhu witnessed firsthand how dozens of tractor cabs were simultaneously hoisting and installing equipment in the large workshop, demonstrating extremely high production efficiency on the assembly line.

He couldn't help but sigh to himself.

It would take at least a decade, or even several decades, for China to catch up with such large-scale, modern industrial production lines.

What's even more frightening is this factory's ability to convert military equipment into military products.

Once war breaks out, the entire production line can be transformed to produce military tanks in a very short time, demonstrating an astonishingly strong industrial capability.

Throughout the visit, He Yuzhu acted discreetly and demonstrated a strong sense of propriety.

They didn't ask any professional or sensitive technical questions, only routine procurement questions such as production volume, model, and basic parameters. The whole process was flawless, completely dispelling everyone's vigilance.

After walking through the production workshop, Ivan took He Yuzhu to visit the factory office building and explained the basic factory structure.

There are no core research and development or confidential departments inside the office building, and nothing special about it.

After the visit, Andrew invited He Yuzhu to his home.

Andrew has been craving He Yuzhu's cooking ever since he tasted it.

Previously, He Yuzhu had been kept at home by Andrei, but this time he finally took the initiative and invited He Yuzhu to cook.

Ivan, also interested in He Yuzhu's culinary skills, shamelessly followed along.

During the meal, He Yuzhu deliberately urged others to drink, precisely controlling the amount of alcohol consumed.

Before long, they had gotten Andrew and Ivan completely drunk and made them lose all their guard.

After drinking too much, Andrew became a complete chatterbox, incoherent, rambling on and on without any restraint.

His speech was incoherent, jumping from one topic to another without any logic.

He Yuzhu patiently listened and sifted through the jumbled words, extracting a shocking core secret.

Andrew made a slip of the tongue while drunk, inadvertently revealing the truth.

Hidden within the closed area of ​​the factory, where visits are prohibited, is a core R&D building with its own dedicated testing workshop.

Beneath the R&D building, there are multiple hidden underground spaces containing the factory's most core secrets.

Within the closed area, there are also several core production workshops hidden away, and the control is extremely strict.

Andrei had once inadvertently mentioned these confidential family matters at home, and at that time he severely reprimanded the whole family, strictly forbidding them from revealing even a single word to outsiders.

Andrew's wife was just an ordinary housewife who knew nothing about factory secrets or military matters.

Seeing this, she quickly went over and helped the drunk Andrew back to his bedroom to rest, trying to shut him up.

Ivan, who was standing nearby, was also completely drunk and had no idea whatsoever, so he was unable to remind his nephew Andrew to shut up.

He Yuzhu silently memorized all the confidential information, remaining outwardly calm and pretending not to care.

After the dinner, He Yuzhu returned to the factory's guesthouse alone to rest.

These past few days, he has spent every day with Andrei, the leaders of various departments in the factory, and the security officers. The staff at the guesthouse treated him with utmost respect and showed no wariness or difficulty whatsoever.

In the dead of night, all was quiet, and the entire tractor factory fell into complete silence.

He Yuzhu changed into a set of dark, close-fitting clothes, making thorough preparations to remain hidden.

Taking advantage of the lax security at night, and relying on his exceptional skills and keen observation, he quietly sneaked into the heavily guarded core area of ​​the tractor factory.

Fortunately, it is not wartime, and security at the factory has been relaxed by more than double.

He Yuzhu evaded multiple patrols and guards, and silently infiltrated the core closed area.

Upon entering the area, He Yuzhu lowered his body and quickly inspected the buildings on site.

Soon, a strangely shaped and uniquely structured building came into his view.

This building is neither an ordinary office building nor a standardized production workshop, making it stand out conspicuously.

He Yuzhu concluded that this was the core R&D building that Andrew had mentioned after drinking, and immediately lowered his body and approached it directly.

The main entrance of the R&D building is heavily guarded with personnel on duty 24 hours a day, making it impossible to enter normally through the main entrance.

He Yuzhu hid in the shadows and quietly observed for nearly an hour, thoroughly figuring out the patrol patterns of the guards at the main gate.

After confirming that there was no way out through the main entrance, he quietly went around to the back of the building.

All the windows in the entire building were locked, except for one bathroom window on the eighth floor, which was open.

It's likely that the cleaning staff deliberately forgot to turn it off after cleaning during the day.

Without the slightest hesitation, He Yuzhu used his agile and nimble skills to climb the building walls little by little and steadily reach the top of the eighth floor.

After climbing through the window, it turned out to be the rooftop bathroom, both secluded and safe.

After a short rest, He Yuzhu quietly began checking each floor on the top floor.

The entire top floor is filled with ordinary office space, with no research and development laboratories or core data archives, making it utterly worthless.

Without any greed, he followed the safety passage, going down level by level, carefully searching and checking.

When they reached the fifth floor, He Yuzhu finally found the factory's R&D laboratory.

He quickly scanned the documents and files displayed in the room and confirmed that this was a research and development laboratory for new agricultural tractor technologies.

All the interior drawings, technical parameters, and R&D data are priceless treasures in China.

He Yuzhu didn't dare to delay. He quickly took out the miniature hidden camera he had prepared in advance and took clear photos of all the core data to preserve it.

These types of paper documents are too large to be taken away privately, so taking photos to preserve them is the only way.

After careful investigation, he discovered that the laboratory only contained tractor exterior design and fuselage structure drawings, but no information related to the research and development and production of core engines.

He Yuzhu understood in his heart and couldn't help but sigh at how strict the Soviet Union was in controlling core technologies.

He remained calm and continued searching on the next floor.

On the fourth floor of the building, He Yuzhu found the factory's core technology archives.

The room contains production drawings, parts parameters, and process standards for all models of tractors from the entire factory.

He Yuzhu meticulously selected only the latest and most advanced technical information, and photographed and preserved all of it.

Even after searching the entire archives, no technical information related to the core engine or power system could be found.

He Yuzhu was certain that the most crucial engine secrets must be hidden in a more concealed and secure secret area.

Without core engine technology, all tractor equipment and production lines are just for show, devoid of any core value.

He suppressed his emotions and continued his search.

The first three floors of the building are all large-scale military testing workshops, which are patrolled and guarded very frequently, making it impossible to approach them rashly.

He Yuzhu carefully avoided all the patrol personnel and focused all his efforts on finding the entrance to the underground secret space.

The core elevator requires exclusive access and cannot be used at all.

He spent a lot of time searching carefully, and finally found a hidden escape route leading underground in a closed room disguised as an ordinary office.

We followed the hidden passage deeper and deeper.

Upon arriving at the basement level, even the well-traveled He Yuzhu was deeply shocked by the scene before him.

In the vast underground space, various types of active-duty military tanks were neatly parked, their fuselages intact, their equipment complete, and their presence imposing.

He even saw a T-54 main battle tank with a clear model number in a corner of the underground warehouse; there was only one.

Judging from the fuselage, it is a commemorative prototype vehicle that was finalized and preserved in the early stages of the factory's research and development, and it has great reference value for military industry.

He Yuzhu did not linger and continued searching deeper underground.

After reaching the deepest underground chamber, they finally found the core area they had been dreaming of—the engine research and development storage room.

A dense array of military engines for tanks and vehicles of various models are neatly displayed indoors, exuding a strong sense of technology and power.

All the core power secrets are hidden here!

He Yuzhu suppressed his inner elation and headed straight for the engine core data archive room.

The archives have extremely high security, and the door locks are complex and impossible for ordinary people to open.

Fortunately, the universal lock-picking skill that the system had previously rewarded came in very handy at this moment.

He Yuzhu skillfully and silently opened the lock on the sealed archive room door.

In addition to complete sets of documents on tractors and tank engines, the room also contains a large number of dusty, discontinued technical drawings of military tanks.

The document box was covered in dust and had long been abandoned and neglected by the Soviet side, with no one looking at or maintaining it for a long time.

He Yuzhu quickly sifted through the data and accurately identified the complete blueprints and core technical data of the matching engines for the two classic tanks, the T34/76 and T34/85, which had been completely discontinued.

These materials, which the Soviet Union had already stopped producing and phased out, are invaluable core technologies that are rare and priceless for the domestic military industry.

He took out the discarded and meaningless old documents he had previously collected from the Azov Steel Plant from his personal storage space.

The entire set of T34 tank paper documents was precisely replaced, perfectly filling the gaps without leaving a trace.

After doing all that, he picked up a miniature camera and took clear, high-speed photos of the T54 tank and its advanced engine, preserving all of them.

After completing all the operations, He Yuzhu carefully tidied up the archives, restoring all the materials, documents, and locks to their original state, leaving no trace of tampering or theft.

After leaving the archives, he quietly slipped into the surrounding workshops.

Taking advantage of the convenience of his personal space, he secretly took away a complete set of core components from the interior of a T54 tank, avoiding all surveillance and guards.

He left no trace of prohibited or conspicuous parts such as outer armor and artillery, leaving no room for error.

The entire operation was carried out silently and without a trace, perfectly completing this top-secret mission.

He Yuzhu returned the way he came and arrived safely at the guesthouse, where he completely relaxed and had a good night's sleep.

The trip to the Kharkiv Tractor Plant was a great success, yielding far more results than expected, and can be considered a complete success.

In the following days, He Yuzhu kept a low profile, paying close attention to the tractor factory's movements and thoroughly investigating any rumors of stolen documents or intrusion into the factory area.

For several days, the factory area remained calm and peaceful, with no abnormal investigations or security alerts, and everything proceeded as usual.

He Yuzhu was completely relieved and waited patiently for Mihai to come and meet him.

In his spare time, he was still pulled into the kitchen by Andrei to help prepare family banquets and entertain relatives and friends.

Andrei reciprocated the kindness by gifting He Yuzhu a large quantity of Soviet specialties, fine wines, and scarce supplies, showing no favoritism whatsoever.

Before he knew it, it was the weekend. Mikhail drove to the Kharkiv Tractor Factory on time to meet He Yuzhu.

After the group had another meal and drinks and enjoyed a lively conversation, He Yuzhu bid farewell to Andrei and successfully returned to the Azov Steel Plant by car.

He Yuzhu's journey to make money overseas continues, with even greater opportunities and surprises awaiting him ahead.