Chapter 217
Ye Manzhi and Lei Wanyuan had long coveted the military railway.
The reason why no action has been taken in recent years is mainly because coordinating between the military and local governments is rather difficult, and just thinking about it is daunting.
Moreover, the fleet of cars can meet the factory's transportation needs, and the right to use the railway does not seem to be that important.
Anyway, the matter was delayed again and again.
"Director Wang, this railway is vital to our factory!" Ye Manzhi's expression was sincere. "If you can secure the right to use the railway for the factory, you'll be a great contributor to Shuguang Factory and will definitely occupy a prominent page in the factory annals!"
"..." Wang Zaofu asked suspiciously, "If the railway is so important, why didn't you negotiate with the military before?"
This railway has been idle for six years since the year Factory 833 moved out.
If it was really as important as Ye Manzhi said, why didn't Shuguang Factory apply for it before?
Ye Manzhi gave him a look that said, "Are you asking this even though you already know the answer?" "Does that mean we can just apply? Without the city's support, our application is just a piece of useless paper! The local government can't just take over the military railway for free. Don't they have to pay something?"
"Yeah." Wang Zaofu nodded subconsciously.
"But under the circumstances back then, neither the province nor our factory wanted to spend money on this railway. Building a military railway was a one-time investment, and subsequent maintenance required funding from the local government and the company. At the time, all we had were factory buildings and dormitories, so we simply didn't have the money to maintain the railway."
Wang Zaofu: "The city won't be willing to pay, right?"
This railway goes directly to Shuguang Factory, and other units cannot enjoy this convenience.
Ye Manzhi chuckled and said, "It depends on us to convince the city leaders."
In other words, it depends on whether Wang Zaofu can convince his father-in-law.
Wang Zaofu thought to himself, he is just a son-in-law, not a son. Even if it is Weidong, there is no way his father would be so foolish as to agree to it!
"If we're the only company using the railway, the city might not be willing to contribute..."
"Then let other units benefit from this," Ye Manzhi suggested. "A few years ago, the Materials Bureau announced plans to establish comprehensive material supply stations in each district and county to facilitate procurement for businesses. However, for various reasons, the plan was shelved, and we still have to go to the various specialized company locations to pick up supplies. If we can convince the city to establish comprehensive material supply stations in each district and county, then our county's supply station could be considered near this military railway. This would make it more convenient for receiving supplies transferred from other provinces and cities."
Wang Zaofu listened attentively to her introduction to the railway and supply station.
At the same time, he sighed in his heart, no wonder his father-in-law always said that Ye Manzhi was capable.
Most people really can't think of this direction.
Ye Manzhi smiled and said, "If this railway can be reopened, it will also benefit Anyang County. You can go to the county again and let's work together to get the railway!"
Upon hearing this, Wang Zaofu's heart moved slightly.
If it is true as Ye Manzhi said, and Anyang County and the Materials Bureau are brought in together, then he will have to visit many more units.
I should be able to expand my network through this opportunity.
Seeing the obvious interest on his face, Ye Manzhi said sincerely, "Director Wang, putting ideas into practice is very difficult. I can only offer suggestions, but the specific implementation depends on you. Just go for it, the factory will fully support you! If you need to treat the guests to a meal, please invite them to our guesthouse."
Wang Zaofu often used the guesthouse, and even if she didn't mention it, Director Wang would still take the guests there.
Ye Manyzhi simply decided to be more generous and let the other party feel his sincerity.
Anyway, the maximum amount of entertainment for each meal is four yuan, and each member of the factory leadership team is only allowed to spend 20 yuan on entertainment per month. He doesn't have the conditions to enjoy delicacies from land and sea.
Wang Zaofu said cautiously, "It's not easy to accomplish this. I can only try."
"Okay, just go ahead and do it!"
At the team meeting of the new week, Ye Manzhi mentioned that Director Wang should apply for railway on behalf of the factory, and officially determined his work tasks.
Applying for a railway is a time-consuming and labor-intensive task. Having Wang Zaofu go out and make connections can at least give the factory a few months of relief.
Sure enough, after Wang Zaofu took on the task, he went out to socialize almost every day.
His appearance was intimidating, and he had the air of a leader, so he gradually became a frequent visitor to several units.
However, it is indeed difficult to apply for the right to use the railway. It was not until August that the black and white televisions passed the technical appraisal and could begin mass production, but he still had no confirmed news!
The televisions were about to roll off the production line, and almost no one in the factory cared about the railway anymore.
Everyone turned their attention to the TV.
In order to commemorate the first black-and-white TV produced by Shuguang Factory, Ye Manzhi not only asked the Propaganda Department to take more photos, but also contacted Binjiang TV Station, hoping that they could send a cameraman to the factory to record this exciting moment!
The TV station is the Party Committee’s propaganda base and usually only takes orders from the municipal government.
But Shuguang Factory gave the TV station one million yuan in funding, and it was paid in installments. A year later, three hundred thousand yuan was still not received.
The director sent a reporter and a cameraman, and personally went to the Shuguang Factory.
Mainly I want to ask when the 300,000 yuan can be transferred.
Ye Manzhi said cheerfully, "It will definitely arrive by the end of this month!"
Anyang County was already able to receive television signals, and the images of the televisions going into production were recorded by cameras. Shuguang Factory had no other requirements, so the balance of the payment could be paid to them.
"Director Liu, the Shuguang Factory produced the first home television in the province. Please ask the comrades at the station to help us film it!"
Upon learning that he would receive 300,000 yuan by the end of the month, Director Liu happily said, "No problem! I'll have someone make a tape and send it to the Shuguang Factory later!"
The TV production line officially started operation, and many provincial and municipal leaders came to the scene.
According to the leaders' original intention, they would visit the Shuguang Factory, watch the birth of the first television, and then go home.
However, this most advanced domestic production line is still semi-automatic and can only produce 37 televisions in each eight-hour shift.
The leaders waited at the Shuguang factory for a whole morning and then went to the cafeteria for lunch. They did not see the finished TV until after 1:00 p.m.
Ye Manzhi felt that some people were already impatient.
She quickly asked someone to tie the big red flower to the first TV set, and then called the TV station's cameraman and propaganda staff to take pictures of the leaders.
"Director Sun, this is the first television produced in our province," Ye Manzhi picked up the TV and put it in the man's arms. "Please take a picture with it. We can put the picture in our factory annals later!"
Director Sun, holding the TV: "..."
Okay, we’ve waited for so long and can’t wait in vain, so let’s take a picture.
So, the leaders took turns holding this 14-inch black and white TV and took photos.
Looking at the busy backs of their leaders, the two female workers on the production line exchanged glances and couldn't help but smile.
"Ahem," the deputy workshop director coughed softly and reminded, "Focus on your work, no laughing!"
He tried hard to control the curve of his mouth and walked to the other side of the production line with his hands behind his back.
After seeing off the provincial and municipal leaders, the directors of Shuguang Factory collectively slumped in their chairs.
Kang Jian sighed and said, "This day has been like a war!"
"Haha," Tian Chunshan lay on the sofa with a cigarette in his mouth, "There will be a tough battle to fight soon!"
Ye Manzhi asked, "The director of the department store hasn't left yet?"
"He left, but he sent all the managers of his eight department stores here. They said if they can't get the goods today, they'll live in our factory!"
Ye Manzhi: “…”
Televisions are in very short supply these days. The 37 televisions produced today didn't even need to be put into the warehouse, as they were directly taken away by the city's hardware and electrical appliance company.
"They're so used to being the bosses in department stores, they thought no one would compete with them!" Tian Chunshan scoffed. "What's the point of going to the store and blocking them now? They can't even eat hot shit!"
Wang Zaofu, who was having dinner nearby, said: "..."
I don’t want to eat anymore.
"Explain the situation clearly to them and ask them to come back later."
Being able to produce televisions locally is a big deal for the business sector.
In the past, they had to go to Tianjin and Shanghai to beg for help to get a batch of televisions.
But now they just need to beg for help from everyone in Binjiang!
Therefore, after the Shuguang Factory's production line was in place, the Municipal Hardware and Electrical Appliances Company called the factory every now and then since the beginning of the year.
As soon as they learned about the factory price set by the Municipal Revolutionary Committee for televisions, they placed an order for 1,000 units and transferred 402,000 yuan to the Shuguang Factory's account.
The reason why Ye Manzhi readily agreed to pay off the balance for the TV station was all because of the confidence given by this payment!
The monthly production capacity of Shuguang Factory is only more than 1,000 units. Accepting the more than 400,000 yuan is equivalent to producing all the products for the hardware and electrical appliance company in the next month.
The department store is only now coming to order the goods, and the daylily is already cold.
Kang Jian slumped in his chair and said weakly, "Just let the department stores wait! Aren't they powerful? Think about how much we suffered from those department stores back then!"
"Yes, they thought our fans weren't as profitable as those from other places, so they put our products at the bottom. We put up an advertisement ourselves, but their salesperson tore it off!" Huang He said proudly, "This time, let them have a taste of what it's like to be rejected! Humph..."
"Don't be hard on the money," Ye Manzhi said with a smile, "If they're willing to pay in advance, then we'll take the order."
Shuguang Factory only started producing televisions in August, and their superiors did not assign them any production tasks for this year.
Therefore, until the end of the year, Shuguang Factory can find sales channels on its own.
And there is no problem selling televisions, they can sell them to anyone they want!
*
Because they were able to produce in-demand goods, several leaders of Shuguang Factory suddenly mastered new skills such as being arrogant, looking down on others, and speaking in official language.
Trucks from the Hardware and Electrical Appliances Company go in and out of the Shuguang Factory every day, while several department stores can only watch helplessly.
When we contacted the Shuguang factory, we only got one reply: "We can't help it. They have already ordered all the goods for this month."
Shuguang Factory's business was booming, and even outsiders had heard about it.
When Ye Manzhi returned to her parents' home on the weekend, her eldest sister asked her, "I heard that the TVs from your factory are in great demand. Is that true?"
"Really? The department store managers are all waiting for the shipment at our factory!"
The second sister asked, "Laiya, what's the use of a TV? I heard that a TV costs a year's salary. Who would buy something so expensive?"
"It's expensive for a reason. Televisions can show images, news, movies, and performances. And this year, our city's TV stations have increased their broadcast hours, allowing us to watch TV programs six nights a week. Many businesses buy televisions just to watch news broadcasts from Beijing TV."
The eldest sister asked, "Laiya, can our hotel order a few televisions from the Shuguang factory?"
"All this month's supply has been ordered to the power company. We don't have any in our own retail department." Ye Manzhi asked, "Sister, does the guesthouse really want to buy televisions?"
"Of course! Our director knew that my sister was the head of Shuguang Factory, so he assigned me this task specifically!"
The drama troupe's guesthouse had long wanted to purchase televisions, but once the foreign products arrived in Binjiang, they were divided up among various units without even having to go to a store counter.
A small unit like a guesthouse has no way to purchase televisions.
“How many do you want to buy?”
"Buy two. You can't afford more."
Tearing a page from the pilling exercise book, Ye Manzhi took out a pen and wrote a note.
"Our factory can't sell it. Take this note to the Municipal Hardware and Electrical Company and ask Director Huang of the Revolutionary Committee to buy it from them." She looked at her second sister and asked, "Sister, do you want a TV? Or should I write you a note?"
The two sisters never asked her to do anything, but she could still help them find a way to buy a TV.
"How can I afford to buy a TV?" the second sister said, waving her hands. "That thing is too expensive. If I buy one, Niuniu's grandma will nag me to death!"
Chang Yue'e put the cut watermelon on the dining table and sighed when she saw it: "Laiya has really grown up now and can help her two sisters."
"I didn't say anything," Ye Manzhi said speechlessly, "I've grown up a long time ago!"
Her parents still treat her like a child.
Chang Yue'e said, "While the three of you are here, it's a good opportunity for you to help me come up with an idea."
"What's up?"
"It was a deputy director from Lai Ya's former company, Binjiang No. 1 Food Factory. He came to the meat processing factory a few days ago and wanted us to join their factory."
Ye Manzhi was skeptical. "That's impossible. The food factory's production area is already full. Your processing plant has 60 or 70 people, so it's not small. How can they accommodate so many people in the workshop? What's the name of that deputy director?"
"I think his name is Song Zhicheng. He said the food factory wants to build a branch factory, move the canned meat business there, and add a sausage-stuffing workshop."
"Oh, Deputy Director Song was transferred there later. I haven't had any contact with him."
My eldest sister asked, "Mom, they can't just say we're going to merge, right? What benefits will your factory get?"
"What benefits can I get? Just the benefits of a large factory employee! I can retire in two or three years. I have to make arrangements for the factory before I retire, right?"
When Chang Yue'e left home to work, she wanted to arrange a promising job for her fifth child and to get a pension.
I didn't expect that I would do this for more than ten years, and now I can't let it go.
But the factory belongs to the state and will be handed over to someone else sooner or later. She wants to make arrangements for the factory and employees before she retires, so as to give an explanation to everyone.
The older sister rolled her eyes and said, "There are no benefits at all. Why would we recruit so many of you? What kind of benefits are there at a big company? We only get a few bonuses during the Lunar New Year and other festivals, but the monthly salary remains the same. But it's so easy for you to work right next to home. After the merger, the distance will be so far. How can the employees get used to it? The annual transportation costs will cost more than those few benefits!"
My second sister also said, "Mom, the workers in your factory are all from Guangming Street. If we move to such a far place to work, no one may be happy."
"Come on, ya," Chang Yue'e looked at the little girl, "What do you think?"
Ye Manzhi asked back: "Mom, what do you think?"
"I want to merge with them. The benefits offered by large factories include not only holiday bonuses but also medical and housing benefits. We have a headache every time we have to wait half a year for reimbursement of serious illnesses. Large factories don't have this problem. Furthermore, with the recent relocation of educated youth to the countryside, many employees have had their children take over their jobs. In a few years, these young people will inevitably get married and have children, and small factories in the communes can't provide housing for them."
"Also, I'm concerned about the supply of raw materials," Chang Yue'e said anxiously. "Guangming Street used to be a suburb, and the government encouraged residents to raise pigs during lean years. But in recent years, Dongyang Wharf has boosted Dongyang County and our area significantly. Some people think running a pig farm in the city is smelly and dirty, and they're suggesting that the commune disband the farm. Without the pig farm to supply raw materials, our processing plant won't be far behind."
Ye Manzhi asked, "Did the commune say they're going to disband the pig farm?"
"Not yet. The pig farm and processing plant are profitable, so the commune won't disband for now, but it's hard to say. If it disbands, our processing plant will be in jeopardy."
By then, Chang Yuet-e might have already retired.
But the processing plant was developed by her, so she still hopes that it will get better and better.
"Mom, can those two ingredient masters in the factory listen to you?"
"Yes, I taught them how to make the ingredients. They usually call me master and even give me gifts during festivals."
"Then negotiate terms with the food factory," Ye Manzhi said. "The enema formula is also an important asset of the factory. The reason the food factory chose your factory is probably because of this formula."
There are several meat processing factories producing sausages in the city. Their recipes are similar, but the sausages made by some factories are not authentic.
This actually has something to do with the order of adding ingredients, temperature, origin of seasonings, and how pork is processed. Without guidance, other factories will never be able to figure it out.
The food factory went to great lengths to merge with a small commune factory, most likely because they were attracted by their recipe.
The eldest sister's eyes lit up. "Yes, Mom, you can use the formula to negotiate with them. At the very least, they want you to be the deputy director of the branch factory's revolutionary committee!"
"Director Song said that he wanted me to be the director of the enema workshop. I'm not a high-ranking official anyway, so being a workshop director is good enough."
The meat processing plant developed from a small factory with a dozen people, and her level as the factory director was only that of a clerk.
You definitely can't be the deputy director of a big company.
The second sister was so unsure of what they were saying that she asked nervously, "Laiya, can our mother go to the branch factory and be the deputy director?"
Ye Manzhi said as a matter of course, "Of course we can fight for it! The food factory is a deputy division-level unit, and the branch factory is its second-level unit, so at most it's a regular section-level cadre. The deputy director of the Revolutionary Committee is a deputy section-level cadre. Mom, you've been the factory director for more than ten years. If you hadn't been hiding in the commune, you should have been promoted long ago."
The commune president is only at the deputy section level, so as the director of a subordinate factory, what rank can Chang Yue'e have?
She introduced to her mother the plan proposed by Shuguang Factory when the light bulb factories were merged.
"The conditions at the light bulb factory aren't as good as yours. We're not irreplaceable, but you have the formula, skilled workers, and even a pig farm. With these conditions, you can definitely become a deputy director at the branch factory!"
Ye Manzhi advised, "Mom, don't feel embarrassed about asking for a promotion. You have to remember that you're being merged into the food factory. As an outsider, if you can't have a say in the leadership, then the development of the sausage-stuffing workshop will be at the mercy of others. You can retire in two or three years at most, with the salary of a deputy section chief. You can also fight for the promotion of sausage-stuffing workshop director. This isn't just for you, but for the entire processing plant!"
"Besides, the processing plant was funded by the commune. If the food factory wants to merge with you, it will have to go through Guangming Commune. In this regard, you can speak on behalf of the food factory, which is also one of your bargaining chips."
Chang Yue'e never thought that she could become the deputy director of such a large factory.
Her daughter's words made her blood boil. She clutched her chest and said, "How about I talk to the food factory?"
"Talk!" the three sisters said in unison.
The eldest sister urged, "Mom, Lai Ya is right. This processing plant is not an ordinary small factory. You have the formula! As long as you can keep your two apprentices stable, this thing will probably succeed!"
My second sister reminded me, "Mom, talk to them about housing benefits. It would be best if we could get housing for the employees."
"Oh, forget about the house. The food factory has been raising funds to build a building for several years, but just as they had laid the foundation, the movement hit. There was no movement for several years, and construction only resumed this year. I heard from Mai Duo that their top executive, Yu, was nearly drowned in the spit of the employees! It seems someone has already written a letter of denunciation to the city government!"
"What's the point in suing him? A lot of projects have been suspended in the past two years. We can't blame him entirely, right?"
"Who knows? It all depends on what the city leaders think."
*
Ye Manzhi spent a happy weekend at her mother's house, and then returned home with food and gifts.
She acted very aggressively at her mother's house, wrote notes to her elder sister, and gave advice to her biological mother, which seemed to indicate that she might be impatient.
But after returning to the factory, she still sighed.
The director of the First Department Store stopped her and said, "Director Ye, now that your TV production line is up and running, you should make good use of it, right? Isn't one shift a day too little? If not three shifts, at least two, right?"
As long as Shuguang Factory works harder, the output will double immediately!
Ye Manzhi laughed and said, "Director Yin, you have already paid the deposit, so you can pick up the goods next month. Why are you in such a hurry?"
She also wants to double the output and increase production at full capacity, but the reality does not allow it!
The city's factory price for a 14-inch black-and-white TV is 402 yuan.
After more than half a year of hard work, their cost price dropped from more than 500 yuan to 423 yuan.
That is to say, every unit produced will result in a loss of 21 yuan.
The city leaders have told her privately that they should maintain the current output until the company turns a profit.
It’s okay if the city subsidizes more than 200,000 yuan every year, but it’s hard to say if it’s more than that.
But Shuguang Factory set up this production line to make money, and even if the city subsidizes the deficit, Ye Manzhi is not very satisfied.
"How about I contact those military factories in the province?"
Wu Zhengrong took off his shirt and asked absentmindedly, "Which ones?"
"They're the military factories that can produce civilian products," Ye Manzhi showed him a list of companies. "Our Shuguang brand TVs were selected by the provincial government. Tomorrow we'll go to the Provincial Machinery Bureau to participate in the province-wide electronic product quality evaluation. There are quite a few military factories on the list of companies participating. If we can purchase parts from this province, it will definitely be cheaper than importing them from other places!"
Among these military factories, some produce loudspeakers and some produce high-frequency heads. If we can purchase spare parts from military factories in this province, the cost will definitely be reduced!
Wu Zhengrong raised an eyebrow and asked, "You're going to participate in a product quality evaluation, but you're not worried about the results, and instead you're going to the venue to socialize?"
"The quality of our factory's televisions is still good, I'm not worried." Ye Manzhi said stubbornly.
"The average trouble-free time is only 500 hours. Is this considered good quality?"
"That's the overall level of the industry! Other manufacturers' TVs aren't as good as ours," Ye Manzhi asked doubtfully, "How do you know ours is 500 hours?"
Wu Zhengrong said in a normal tone, "Didn't you say that?"
Ye Manzhi: “…”
Did she say that?
Forget it, let them have some fun while the kid is not at home!
Ye Manzhi didn't bother with the unimportant questions and was pulled by Dr. Wu to the bathroom to take a shower.
Since the washing machine he made last year was like a rabbit, jumping around when it was working, Wu Yuzhuo planned to improve the performance of the washing machine.
I have been at the old house these two days, studying the washing machine with the old man.
With no primary school students at home, Ye Manzhi was so happy that he almost missed out on important work the next morning.
The quality evaluation meeting for electronic products would start at 8:30 in the morning, and it was almost 8 o'clock when Ye Manzhi went out.
She hurried to the bus station at the entrance of the compound. It was rush hour and the bus to the city center was nowhere to be seen. She was so anxious that she kept checking her watch.
“Beep beep—”
A military green jeep was parked not far from the platform, and Wu Zhengrong, who was in the driver's seat, leaned out and waved at her.
Ye Manzhi ran over and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Get in the car, I'll take you there!"
Ye Manzhi said insincerely: "I'll wait for the bus so as not to delay your work."
"It's okay. I'm going to the provincial government on business today, so I'll give you a ride."
Hearing this, Ye Manzhi didn't care whether he was really busy or not, and sat in the passenger seat swiftly.
"Captain Wu, please drive faster! I have a meeting at 8:30 and I'm about to be late!"
"Well, sit down."
Wu Zhengrong started the car and drove all the way to the door of the Provincial Machinery Bureau's office building as his wife requested.
Ye Manzhi looked at her watch and saw that there were still ten minutes before the meeting. She kissed the man on the face with satisfaction.
"Luckily, I have you, otherwise I would definitely be late today!"
Of course, the culprit who caused her to be late was Wu Zhengrong himself.
Dr. Wu sent him to the meeting, which was equivalent to atonement for his sins.
However, she would not say such a spoiling thing!
After kissing the man on the lips twice more, she opened the door and jumped out of the jeep.
After taking only two steps, I heard the door closing behind me again.
Wu Zhengrong also got out of the car and quickly caught up.
"Anything else?"
"I'll go up with you."
"Oh," Ye Manzhi gently pushed the sticky man, "Go back to work, I can go up by myself!"
Wu Zhengrong insisted on accompanying her inside, "Let's go, we'll be late."
Ye Manzhi had no choice but to let him take her upstairs.
Arriving at the door of the conference room, she grabbed the man's sleeve and said, "Just send it here!"
Wu Zhengrong seemed to have acquaintances here and nodded and greeted the two men passing by.
When there was no one else around, he pushed his wife on the waist and said, "Let's go in together."
Ye Manzhi thought to himself, I'm here for a meeting, why are you coming in with me?
The two entered the conference room one after the other, and then she watched Wu Zhengrong respond to the salute of the two officers, smiled at her, walked quickly to the front row of the conference room, and sat in the judging seat.
Ye Manzhi: “…”
You are my family member, how can you be a judge?
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