Chapter 214

After a brief conversation with Director Li, Ye Manzhi returned to the factory to organize staff and write a feasibility report for the production of phosphor.

She was not aware of the specific losses of the chemical plant and could only analyze it based on the market prospects of phosphor.

After handing the report to the Municipal Revolutionary Committee, Ye Manzhi did not take the car, but walked towards the Military Academy with his thoughts on his mind.

The city still needs time to discuss the matter. If it agrees, then as a major user of phosphor, the cathode ray tube business will also be put on the agenda.

At that time, the city may have two options: one is to merge the light bulb factory into the Shuguang Factory, and the other is to let the light bulb factory switch to producing cathode ray tubes and supply the Shuguang Factory.

Ye Manzhi felt that from the perspective of the city leaders, the latter possibility was more likely.

Oh, it would be great if the light bulb factory was also willing to merge into the Shuguang factory!

She strolled all the way back home, and when she opened the door, Wu Yuzhuo was sitting at the dining table quietly doing his homework.

After stroking her daughter's pigtails, Ye Manzhi asked with a smile, "Youyan, why are you so well behaved today? You're actually doing your homework at home?"

Youyan usually finishes the homework assigned by the teacher at school. After returning home, his time is all for leisure and entertainment, and he runs around the compound with his classmates.

Squad leader Little Wu wrote quickly, taking a moment to say, "Grandma Li from the neighborhood committee has asked the street propagandists to get ready. They're going to be doing some street propaganda in a couple of days. Mom, do you think this is okay for me to write?"

"The commune has assigned you another task?" Ye Manzhi glanced at her manuscript paper. "What's the propaganda this time?"

The Youth Street Commune often organized mobilization activities on the streets, but the population of Youth Street was large and the commune cadres were too busy to handle it, so they selected more than 30 propagandists from residents of all ages.

Her son Wu Yuzhuo is quite good at reciting slogans. As early as the second grade, he and Yi Yi became propagandists of the commune.

But propagandists of their age generally promote the elimination of the four pests, vaccination against smallpox, and "learning to oppose arrogance and complacency, and advocating modesty and prudence."

They don’t get to read the particularly important content.

Wu Yuzhuo pushed the manuscript over and said, "Grandma Li said we should promote the Anshan Constitution and carry out in-depth street propaganda activities to encourage industry to learn from Daqing. I'm going to go to the streets in a couple of days to promote it with everyone!"

"Wow, you're so awesome now! You can even promote the Angang Constitution!"

Wu Yuzhuo sighed softly and said truthfully, "I don't really understand the Angang Constitution. Grandma Li gave me a brochure and told me to just memorize it. But when I was doing street promotion, some uncles and aunties would ask questions. It would be so embarrassing if I couldn't answer them!"

"You're still an elementary school student, so it's normal that you don't understand the Angang Constitution. Many adults don't understand it either. Precisely because people don't understand it, we need people who understand it to go out and spread the word on the streets," Ye Manzhi encouraged. "The Angang Constitution is a very good set of corporate management experience. I'll explain it to you later."

She spent six years promoting the "Angang Constitution" in two companies and considers herself experienced in this work.

Just because she was a cadre and participated in labor, she felt that she had done a good job. At least she could make a toy gun!

Ye Manzhi shared with her daughter her experience in promoting the "Angang Constitution" at work. There were difficulties, but of course there were also exciting moments.

"Knowledge gained from books is always shallow. If you want to understand it in depth, go visit your mother's workplace and see how the Anshan Iron and Steel Constitution is truly implemented."

Wu Yuzhuo was fascinated by what she heard. She used to think that her great-grandfather and father were very capable, as one could make a TV and the other could study computers. But now she thinks that her mother is also very capable, as she can make the Anshan Constitution so interesting!

"I'm going to visit the Shuguang Factory after school tomorrow at noon!" She thought for a moment and then asked, "Mom, can I bring other people with me?"

Ye Manzhi was about to agree, but then asked cautiously, "About how many people?"

"Yi Yi and Zhou Mo should go. There are 32 street propagandists. I wonder if the others want to go."

"Then please confirm the number of people first."

*

Most of the street propagandists were adults, and everyone had to work during the day. In the end, only 14 primary and secondary school students came to Shuguang Factory.

As the director of the Revolutionary Committee of Shuguang Factory, Ye Manzhi personally took these students to visit several workshops that were open to the public, and asked worker representatives to introduce the specific implementation to them.

Promoting the "Angang Constitution" and carrying out the "Industry Learns from Daqing" campaign in depth is the city's task, and all urban communes and enterprises must do a good job in publicity and mobilization.

In addition to this group of students, Shuguang Factory also received several sister units that came to visit and study.

"Director Kang, hasn't the light bulb factory replied yet?"

"No, if you didn't reply, it means you're not happy."

After talking with Director Li of the Municipal Revolutionary Committee, Ye Manzhi no longer concealed his purpose and clearly extended a merger invitation to the Binjiang Light Bulb Factory.

Both sides no longer need to pretend to be confused.

The light bulb factory replied that they were going to hold a meeting to discuss the matter, and that was the end of it.

Ye Manzhi said, "Many companies have come to learn recently. Give Meng Ping a call and invite him and worker representatives to visit our factory to see how the Anshan Iron and Steel Constitution is being implemented."

"Haha, that's a good idea. Meng Ping is avoiding us right now. With this invitation, he'll have to come even if he doesn't want to."

This is a political task. If Meng Ping refuses to accept the invitation, he might be accused of having ideological problems by some people.

After receiving the invitation, Meng Ping did not want to go as they expected, but he had no choice but to go.

In the end, only two workers were carefully selected from the workshop to visit the Shuguang factory together.

Ye Manzhi was still working in the workshop and did not come out to receive the three people.

As the deputy chief of the Propaganda Department, Zhou Ruyi took on the reception task.

However, in addition to representatives from the Binjiang Light Bulb Factory, representatives from the Dongyang County Light Bulb Factory and the Tonglan County Light Bulb Factory also came to visit this time.

More than ten people came from the other two factories, forming a large group, which was much more sincere than the Binjiang Light Bulb Factory.

"Old Xu, why are you here?" Meng Ping asked in surprise.

Everyone is in the same industry. Although some are in the city and some are in the county, the factory leaders are still familiar with each other.

"Haha, Director Ye invited us, so we must come!"

Hearing this, the two workers from the Binjiang Light Bulb Factory looked at each other, feeling a little worried.

Although the factory leaders have not revealed this to the employees, who doesn’t have relatives connected to each other these days?

The news that Shuguang Factory wanted to merge with the light bulb factory had already spread privately, and some people even came to Anyang County for an on-site inspection.

This place is located in the suburbs and is not as convenient as living in the city center, but it is a real big factory!

If they could join Shuguang Factory, they would be employees of a large factory!

They are usually quite honest in the workshop, working hard every day and rarely meddling in other people's business, so they were brought out by Director Meng.

But they are real grassroots workers and they also want to work in big factories.

Seeing the representatives from Dongyang County and Tonglan County light bulb factories, I couldn't help but feel worried. It seems that Binjiang Light Bulb Factory is not the only option for them!

Zhou Ruyi pretended not to notice the strange atmosphere between the three factories.

According to the procedure, she first took everyone on a tour of the factory.

The vast area and neat and uniform layout brought a real shock to those who entered the factory for the first time.

After speaking about the "Angang Constitution", she followed Ye Manzhi's request and gave a detailed introduction to the welfare benefits of Shuguang Factory. Her tone and expression were full of pride and confidence.

"Our Shuguang Factory was once a military factory. After its conversion to civilian use, it has continued its fine traditions. Both work and life are very orderly. Of course, our wages and benefits are among the best in the city." Zhou Ruyi raised his hand and pointed eastward. "That's our living area. The family compound can accommodate over 10,000 people. Nearby is the factory nursery and school for children of employees. The staff hospital and Shuguang Park are also over there."

"Although it's quite far from the city center, Anyang County has everything you need for daily life. There's the Anyang County Department Store, a large store, and a supply and marketing cooperative, a grocery store, a public bathhouse, a barber shop, and a laundry service station right outside the family compound. The factory gives employees monthly tickets for bathing and haircuts, and occasionally, laundry too."

"By the way, our factory has two subsidiary factories, one producing popsicles and ice cream, and the other producing jams and canned goods," Zhou Ruyi said with a smile. "On the market, a bottle of canned fruit costs over 1.2 yuan, but the Shuguang Factory employee welfare price is only 80 cents, and each person can buy one bottle per month. Have you ever heard of Shuguang brand wafer ice cream? It costs 18 cents to buy outside, but the internal employee price is only 10 cents."

The workers at the two county light bulb factories had never seen wafer ice cream, but the Binjiang Light Bulb Factory was in the city center and had heard of wafer ice cream, but it was too expensive, so they had never bought it.

Even if they didn't understand, everyone was excited by what she said!

The welfare benefits are really amazing. If I could work in Shuguang Factory, life would be so comfortable!

They even have their own park!

Not to mention the workers, even the top leader Meng Ping was tempted.

A small factory like theirs does not have the conditions to set up a staff hospital, kindergarten, or children's school, let alone a bathhouse or a barber shop.

Everyone uses street public services.

A worker from Dongyang County asked, "Section Chief Zhou, I heard that all workers who come to your factory are allocated housing. Is that true?"

Zhou Ruyi nodded. "It's true. New employees can live in the family housing complex, but they'll have to pay the same rent as Anyang County's public housing for the time being. After working at the factory for three years, they'll be eligible for welfare housing. It's 1.5 cents per square meter, so for a 20-square-meter house, the monthly rent is only three yuan."

After hearing her words, the two workers at the Binjiang Light Bulb Factory secretly clenched their palms.

The light bulb factory was small and did not have its own housing for employees, so the workers all rented houses on the street.

Not only is the rent expensive, but the environment is also not good.

The light bulb factory is nestled in a residential area, and when it's in operation, it produces exhaust gas. Living there year-round, they think of the exhaust gas as coal smoke and are used to it. But if there were cheaper, better-off places to live, they would certainly want to move!

Zhou Ruyi took everyone to visit the factory, eat in the cafeteria, and then visit the family quarters and Shuguang Park.

The workers were so excited that they sent the guests away.

Halfway through his visit to the Shuguang factory, Meng Ping felt that the situation was not good.

On the way home, he repeatedly warned us not to talk nonsense to other workers.

The two honest workers agreed to it in person, but as soon as they got home they told their parents and wives what they had seen that day.

The speed at which news spread among family members was almost as fast as the speed of sound. Before they could go to work the next day, the factory knew everything they needed to know.

The employees' reaction was even stronger than the last time the company was acquired by the automobile factory.

Last time, most people only knew that large companies had good benefits, but they didn’t know how good they were.

Now that everyone knows the specific situation, they want to work at Shuguang Factory even more!

*

Kang Jian walked into Ye Manzhi's office and said, "Director Ye, the workers at the Binjiang Light Bulb Factory are making a fuss and are suggesting that the factory leadership merge the factory with us. Do you want to discuss Meng Ping's personal treatment with him now?"

"Wait a little longer. It's too early to tell. We'll inevitably have to bargain. Let's wait until our TV production line is in place before we talk about it!"

The Chinese New Year comes early this year, and the Spring Festival will be here soon after the commendation meeting.

The production line that was long-awaited by all the employees in the factory finally arrived before the Spring Festival in 1971 and was officially settled in Binjiang Shuguang Machinery Factory!

The trucks transporting the equipment entered the factory in the morning. Most of the employees came to work early and crowded at the door to welcome this production line.

Tian Chunshan and Huang He went to the province to pick up the goods last night. They stayed with the truck all night and were still full of energy when they jumped off the truck.

"Director Ye, should we put the equipment in the warehouse first or send it to the workshop?"

"Let's send it to the workshop!" Ye Manzhi said excitedly, "Everyone wants to see what a TV production line looks like!"

"Haha, it can't be installed today. I need to discuss it with Director Pan and the others."

"It's okay, let's put it in the workshop first so everyone can see it for themselves!"

Accompanied by the crackling sound of firecrackers and the loud sound of gongs and drums, the car started again. The workers chased the car and ran towards the TV workshop, ready to take a look at the real appearance of the production line.

I heard this thing is worth two or three million!

From now on, we will rely on this gold nugget to make money for the factory!

The workers chased to the TV workshop, and after barely satisfying their curiosity, they returned to their respective workshops arm in arm and continued working.

Ye Manzhi stood beside Pan Kunlun and said with a smile, "Director Pan, you guys came back just in time! We can install this production line right now!"

Pan Kunlun has been working at Shuguang Factory for four years and has been looking forward to the launch of the TV project. Looking at the large boxes in front of him, he finally felt a sense of pride in his heart.

"We must do something big this time!"

"Haha, that's for sure!" Ye Manzhi laughed. "Just lead the engineers and do their best. I'll take care of the logistics!"

…

After the production line was in place, Huang He, Kang Jian and Tian Chunshan, three deputy directors with technical backgrounds, ran to the TV workshop all day long.

Even Wang Zaofu, who had just finished his mission and returned from the city, seemed to have grown up in the TV workshop.

Miao Sufen asked, "Director Wang is so enthusiastic, is he planning to take charge of the TV business?"

Ye Manzhi said with a smile, "Director Wang is always at the forefront."

He can stay in the workshop if he likes, but the TV business will never be handed over to Wang Zaofu.

Several deputy directors were in charge of their own workshops, and the electric fan workshop where Wang Zaofu had been assigned to work was under the charge of Huang He.

Strictly speaking, Director Wang does not have a workshop under his charge.

It is not surprising that he is interested in the television business, but Director Wang only has a junior high school education and knows only nine out of ten about the business. It is impossible for Ye Manzhi to give him such an important job.

She had made up her mind and ignored Wang Zaofu, letting him stay in the workshop.

After the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, the factory will start distributing New Year’s goods.

Ye Manzhi sent an invitation to the Binjiang Light Bulb Factory Union through the factory union.

The reason for the invitation was to visit the black and white TV production line.

The light bulb factory union did not deliberately suppress the news; upon receiving the invitation, it spread the news among the employees.

Immediately, more than 20 employees signed up to visit the Shuguang factory.

However, there were still production tasks before the New Year, and in the end only five people were selected as representatives to accept the invitation.

Meng Ping actually received an invitation as well. He didn't want to go at first, but was afraid that the workers would cause trouble, so he had to follow and came to the Shuguang Factory again.

On that day, the logistics department and the trade union were distributing New Year's goods to the employees, so when the group arrived at Shuguang Factory, the factory was bustling with activity. The employees were carrying carp and pork, chatting and laughing happily.

Seeing this, the workers at the light bulb factory whispered, "Why is their factory sending out so many New Year's goods?"

"It wasn't a lot in the first few years, but it's quite a lot now."

In recent years, it has been advocated to celebrate the revolutionary Spring Festival. Work cannot stop, and extravagant eating and drinking are not allowed.

Some factories, such as the light bulb factory, used this as an excuse to withhold New Year's goods from their employees. This year, things were a little better, with each employee receiving three pounds of frozen pears.

Originally, everyone thought that after Meng Ping became the top leader, the workers' treatment had improved.

However, looking at the delicious fish and meat at the Shuguang Factory and thinking about their own three pounds of frozen pears, they felt bad again.

Ye Manzhi personally entertained everyone this time and said with a smile, "Our factory will also celebrate the revolutionary Spring Festival. We will eat the bitterness-recalling meal on New Year's Eve, but we must also provide the benefits that are due to everyone. Every family has elderly and children who need additional nutrition."

The workers nodded frequently. Yes, revolution is revolution, but everyone has been busy for a year, so how can we not give them the benefits they deserve?

I wish they could come to Shuguang Factory to work!

Ye Manzhi asked the union chairman to help entertain the employees, and then invited Meng Ping into the office alone.

"Director Meng, how is it? Our Shuguang Factory is pretty good, right? Come work at Shuguang Factory, and we won't let you down!"

Meng Ping smiled bitterly. Of course the workers would not be treated unfairly, but he and the other three deputy directors were all cadres. Where was the place for them in Shuguang Factory?

"Director Ye, you've defeated me. When everyone returns from Shuguang Factory, morale will be low."

Ye Manzhi personally brewed a cup of tea for him and said, half truthfully and half falsely, "Director Meng, to be honest, setting up a cathode ray tube workshop is a task assigned by the city. You should have heard the news about the Binjiang Chemical Plant's losses, right?"

"I've heard some."

"The chemical plant was singled out for criticism by the central government, giving city leaders a headache. They're considering having the plant cooperate with the nation's electronics industry development to produce phosphors," Ye Manzhi said seriously. "The reason television screens are called fluorescent screens is because the inner surface of the cathode ray tubes is coated with a layer of phosphor. The production of television cathode ray tubes requires a large amount of phosphor, so the city is attaching great importance to the construction of this cathode ray tube workshop!"

The truth of the matter is that the city leaders thought that the cathode ray tube workshop of Shuguang Factory was already completed, so they needed the chemical plant to produce phosphors.

But in Ye Manzhi's words, it became that the chemical plant wanted to produce phosphor, so the city urged Shuguang Factory to set up a cathode ray tube workshop.

She calmly reversed the situation and continued, "Director Meng, let's be honest. The merger of our two factories is a powerful alliance. You may have heard that we've also approached two county-owned light bulb factories. However, based on the worker proficiency and product quality, I'm actually more inclined to choose Binjiang Light Bulb Factory. If yours truly doesn't work out, I'll consider the other two factories."

This is what she really thinks.

The Binjiang Light Bulb Factory is an old factory with a history of more than ten years, while the other two factories were newly established in the past five years.

Nowadays, incandescent lamps are consumables, and the tungsten filaments burn out easily, so every household needs to have a few bulbs on hand.

She asked the technical department to conduct several experiments, and found that the incandescent lamps produced by Binjiang Light Bulb Factory were superior to those of the other two factories in terms of vacuum degree and defective rate.

If she can win over Meng Ping, she still wants to do her best.

Meng Ping's expression eased a little. He was quite confident in the quality of his products, but he still didn't want to work at Shuguang Factory.

"Director Ye, I understand the principle of leaning against a big tree for shade, and I understand the workers' desire to work at the Shuguang Factory. However, in addition to the workers, the light bulb factory also has many comrades on the cadre list. What will happen to everyone when the time comes?"

The organization of workshop directors is rather vague, and they can be either cadres or workers.

He worked his way up from being a worker, and finally got a cadre position. If he were to go back to manage the workshop, wouldn't that be a step backward in history?

Ye Manzhi sighed and said, "Director Meng, the city is anxious to set up a cathode ray tube workshop. I heard that the workers from the light bulb factory also hope to come to the Shuguang Factory to work. In this case, if the city uses administrative means to intervene, it is very likely that the workers will be transferred to the Shuguang Factory and the cadres will be transferred to other units. In that case, won't everyone be passive?"

Meng Ping's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he was half-believing and half-doubting her words, and couldn't help frowning.

Ye Manzhi didn't say anything else, giving the other party enough time to think.

You could hear a pin drop in the office.

The second hand of the wall clock ticked around. Ye Manzhi waited for it to complete two circles before speaking, "Director Meng, we've shown great sincerity in inviting the light bulb factory. We won't let you down in terms of treatment. I can promise you right now that once you come to Shuguang Factory, you'll be the director of the picture tube workshop and also the deputy secretary of the Shuguang Factory Youth League Committee."

Meng Ping was slightly startled when he heard this and looked at the young female cadre opposite him.

Ye Manzhi nodded slightly: "In two years, the secretary of the factory Youth League Committee will retire. He is not on the Revolutionary Committee, but he is a member of the factory Party Committee."

Meng Ping is a deputy section-level cadre and can come to Shuguang Factory to be a section chief or workshop director.

But it is impossible to join the Revolutionary Committee and the Party Committee.

The Revolutionary Committee must have both cadres and workers. He has no chance of getting in at a level that is neither high nor low.

But if he can successfully become the secretary of the Youth League Committee after two years, he can become a member of the Party Committee.

Televisions are the key products of Shuguang Factory in the future. Meng Ping understands some technology. If he can work hard, in a few years, he may have the opportunity to reach the current position of Kangjian and Huanghe.

However, he had no further opportunities at the light bulb factory. Most of the positions in the city were transferred from large factories. It was difficult for a small factory like the light bulb factory to have a chance to get ahead, let alone come to Shuguang Factory to become deputy director or deputy director.

From the perspective of personal development, this is a great opportunity for Meng Ping.

Of course, the prerequisite for all this is that he can successfully become the secretary of the Youth League Committee.

Shuguang Factory already has a deputy secretary of the Youth League Committee. Once Meng Ping arrives, he will have to work hard. He can't get promoted just by doing nothing.

After Meng Ping understood the conditions offered by Shuguang Factory, his heartbeat began to quicken for no reason.

This is a good opportunity for him, but what about others?

Ye Manzhi said that he could be fully responsible for the cathode ray tube workshop, and the cadres from various departments of the light bulb factory could join the relevant departments of the Shuguang Factory.

As for the treatment of other factory leaders, she did not mention a word.

Then he will have to arrange it.

It is his job to persuade others to agree to the merger and to arrange their positions.

Ye Manzhi really hadn't figured out how to arrange the other three deputy directors, but Meng Ping had worked in the light bulb factory for nearly twenty years. Even after experiencing the chaos in the past few years, he still stood firm and was promoted to director this year. He must have some strengths.

So, Ye Manzhi simply didn't mention it and let the other party worry about it.

The position of deputy secretary of the Youth League Committee cannot be given to him for nothing!

The two chatted for more than an hour. Meng Ping was already tempted, but he did not impulsively agree on the spot.

He still has to go back and discuss it with everyone, but this time he gave a clear time and will reply to Ye Manzhi after the Spring Festival.

Ye Manzhi smiled and said, "Director Meng, please do it as soon as possible. If you refuse to cooperate, I will have to contact the other two factories!"

*

This year's Spring Festival is still revolutionary. There are no holidays from top to bottom. The work continues on the 30th and continues on the 1st.

Wu Zhengrong went on a business trip to the East China Institute and has not returned. He will spend the New Year in the south this year, and only Ye Manzhi and the little one are left at home.

After so many years, the family of three spent the New Year apart for the first time, which made Wu Yuzhuo unhappy for several days.

Except for having a New Year's Eve dinner at the old house on New Year's Eve, she always followed her mother closely and accompanied her to work.

Ye Manzhi wanted her to go play at Zhou Suo's house next door, but Wu Yuzhuo was a sensible child. It was okay for her to go play on ordinary days, but she didn't want to cause trouble when the whole family was gathering together during the Chinese New Year.

So, she always accompanied her mother to work, either playing with other children who followed their parents to work, or staying alone in the office reading.

It wasn't until the eighth day of the Lunar New Year that I gave up being a follower because I was too lazy to get in bed.

Of course, Ye Manzhi's first important thing at the beginning of the year was to wait for the reply from the light bulb factory. She even wrote the merger application to be submitted to the city.

However, she did not wait for Meng Ping's call, but instead met Deputy Director Wang Zaofu first.

Wang Zaofu had been digging an air-raid shelter in the city a few months ago and had lost some weight. After the Spring Festival, he seemed to have gained some weight back.

Ye Manzhi complained in her heart, it seems that Deputy Director Wang didn’t eat the bitter memory meal well!

During the Spring Festival, her waist became thinner and her face was rosy.

After returning from the city, Wang Zaofu has been busy in the TV workshop. Ye Manzhi actually doesn't understand what he is busy with there.

However, as soon as Director Wang opened his mouth, she understood immediately.

"Director Ye, I think Pan Kunlun and those engineers have very questionable backgrounds. We should investigate them further and dig deeper. Furthermore, such an important project as the television shouldn't be handed over to them."

Ye Manzhi: “…”

It seems that the air-raid shelter is not deep enough.

She didn't answer, but took out a few envelopes from the drawer and mentioned another matter.

"Director Wang, you've come at the perfect time. I was just wanting to talk to you!"

Wang Zaofu was a little dissatisfied with her changing the subject. He frowned and asked, "What are we talking about?"

"Hey, I didn't want to tell you. You worked so hard leading everyone in the city to dig air-raid shelters, so I've already suppressed this matter." Ye Manzhi pushed a few envelopes to him. "Someone wrote a letter of complaint against you, saying that you have problems with your lifestyle."

Wang Zaofu's pupils shrank slightly: "What?"

"Take a look at it yourself. I don't actually believe this kind of thing. When I first received the letter, I wanted to suppress it, but not long after, Director Kang and Director Miao also received the report letter, and they both sent it to me." Ye Manzhi comforted him, "I've already told them not to make this matter public for now, so as not to affect your reputation and family harmony. I'll confirm it with you after you return from the city. Director Wang, please take a look at the contents of the letter first, and we'll talk slowly..."