Chapter 218
The seats for Shuguang Factory were in the third row. After Ye Manzhi sat down, he first glared at the judges' seats.
Wu Zhengrong was facing dozens of pairs of eyes in the audience. Even though he caught a glimpse of his wife's glare, he pretended not to notice and looked down at the information with a serious expression.
Ye Manzhi was secretly complaining, a hypocrite with a bad taste.
"Director Ye," Pan Kunlun gently reminded him, "I heard the evaluation criteria are quite strict this time. Let's try our best to maintain good relations with the judges."
The leaders of various companies are trying to build relationships with the judges, so why is Director Ye still staring at the judging panel?
Ye Manzhi retracted her gaze and asked, "Is Director Kang not here yet?"
"Come on, I'm going to the bathroom."
Ye Manzhi nodded, and his eyes unconsciously glanced towards the judges' seats.
There are twenty judges today, four of whom are wearing military uniforms and sitting upright in their chairs.
Wu Zhengrong stood out among a group of middle-aged and elderly judges.
"Director Chen," Ye Manzhi said to the person next to him, "Why are there military personnel on the jury?"
"It seems the National Defense Industry Office invited them from a military research institute and a military academy," said Director Chen of Radio Factory No. 3. "Aren't there quite a few military-industrial enterprises participating in the competition this time?"
They have to arrange a few of their own people to participate in the review work.
Ye Manzhi's face showed understanding. He crossed his arms and muttered to himself, "This Wu Zhengrong! He's going to have a hard time when I get home tonight!"
The evaluation meeting started on time. After the deputy director of the Machinery Bureau took the stage to speak, he quickly announced the evaluation details.
Different from the provincial and municipal excellence evaluations in previous years, this evaluation will assess the level and enthusiasm, be more modest and cautious, and more courageous in exposing contradictions.
Specifically, product quality is divided into three levels, namely "better products", "general products" and "poor products".
Before the deputy director had finished speaking, the scene exploded!
"What do you mean? Why are there inferior products?"
"I used to review high-quality products, so what's the point of reviewing a poor product this time?"
"Didn't you hear what the leader said? We must have the courage to expose contradictions and let inferior products learn from their mistakes!"
The noise of everyone's discussions could not be suppressed.
Ye Manzhi also had a headache.
She thought that this kind of quality evaluation was an evaluation of excellence. If the product quality did not meet the standards, then it would be over without the title of excellence. In fact, it would not have much negative impact on the company.
Shuguang brand televisions are still making losses and have not yet reached the stage of pursuing high quality.
Therefore, she came to participate in the evaluation just as a formality, mainly to discuss supply issues with representatives of those military factories.
But why do we have to rate it as “average” and “poor” this time?
Kang Jian had just returned from the restroom. After hearing the rules, he raised his chin toward the judging panel and asked quietly, "Director Ye, is that person on the stage your family member? They look a bit like him to me!"
"Um."
"Then we don't have to worry," Kang Jian said in a relaxed tone, "We've already penetrated the enemy!"
"..." Ye Manzhi broke his fantasy, "The scores of the 20 judges have to be calculated as an average. Even if he gives us a perfect score, it won't be of much use."
Everyone was discussing this with their colleagues around them, and they were all a little worried that they would be rated as "poor products."
Ye Manzhi looked back at the judging panel and waited for a few seconds before meeting Wu Zhengrong's gaze, who seemed to have noticed something.
When the other party looked at her, she did not glare back, but pursed her lips slightly in an attempt to bribe the judges on the spot.
Wu Zhengrong's serious face broke off and he suddenly laughed.
"What is Wu Suo laughing at?"
"Nothing," Wu Zhengrong retracted his gaze, checked his watch, and asked, "When does the review start? Let's hurry up."
There are seventy companies selected to participate in the evaluation this time, with hundreds of products.
The evaluation work will be carried out over two days.
Ye Manzhi and Kang Jian were both newcomers to the electronics industry. After sitting in their chairs for a while, they stood up to look at the products on display in the display area.
The Shuguang brand black-and-white TV was the first TV produced in the province, and it was proudly displayed on its own stand.
The booth was crowded with people, all there to admire the TV.
The three people from Shuguang Factory were feeling proud but nervous at the same time, especially Ye Manzhi. Yesterday, Wu Zhengrong mentioned the problem of the average trouble-free working time being only 500 hours, which gave her a bad feeling and she kept watching the reaction of the judges.
Both radios and televisions were evaluated on the first morning.
Before lunch, the judging panel announced the quality evaluation results of 17 models of radios and one model of television.
There are 5 “better products”, 10 “average products” and 3 “poor products”.
Ye Manzhi saw the scores of her own products. Wu Zhengrong, as a relative, needed to recuse himself, and only 19 out of 20 judges gave scores.
The average score is 3.97, which is in the range of 0-4 and is rated as a "poor product".
The moment they heard the result, the three people from Shuguang Factory widened their eyes in disbelief.
They were mentally prepared. Judging from the current technological level of televisions, the probability of being rated as a "better product" was low, but there was still a great hope of being rated as an "average product".
I didn’t expect that the judging panel didn’t even give them an average grade, but directly rated them as poor!
You know, televisions are new products in the province. If they are given a "poor" grade when they participate in the quality evaluation for the first time, wouldn't that be too discouraging for the enthusiasm of the companies?
Pan Kunlun's face flushed with anger. "They're so capable, why don't they come and produce TVs? What's the point of just talking about data and technical materials all day? They completely ignore the actual difficulties faced by the production line!"
He previously served as department head at a provincial university, where he also emphasized theory over practice. It was only after working at Shuguang for several years that he began to appreciate the difficulty of transforming scientific research results.
If the production technology on the front line cannot keep up, then talking about ideals is nonsense!
Ye Manzhi clutched the score sheet, his blood rushing to his head and his ears buzzing.
"Let's go ask the judges. There's only one model of TV. What criteria do they use to score it?"
"Forget it," Kang Jian tried to hold her back. "What's the point of arguing with the judges? They're bound to list all our shortcomings one by one!"
Pan Kunlun stood on Ye Manzhi's side and said, "Just count, I want to hear how they score!"
The two men ran to the judging panel angrily.
Ye Manzhi quickly composed himself and politely said to the Deputy Director of the Machinery Bureau, "Director Zhang, the purpose of this evaluation is to assess enthusiasm and performance. So, could we ask the panel where the points were deducted for the TV? This will allow us to improve the quality of our products."
Director Zhang had no objection and asked her to ask the 19 judges who were giving the scores.
The judges seemed to have anticipated that the companies would come to them. After all, there was an item called "poor products" this time, and the companies that were selected would definitely come to judge.
A middle-aged judge gave an explanation on behalf of everyone.
"Your TVs have two major problems. First, the failure rate is too high. The average time between failures is only 500 hours. If a consumer watches two hours of TV a day, the TV will break down in about eight months."
Pan Kunlun corrected: "Compared to the 450 hours of other TVs, our failure rate is already better than the industry average. And 500 hours is just the lower limit. It doesn't mean that a TV will definitely fail if it is used for more than 500 hours."
"But there's a chance it might malfunction, right?" The middle-aged judge tapped the TV's large head. "Another issue also has something to do with the failure rate. The internal structure of this TV is too complex, and the power consumption of hundreds of components is too high. It started to heat up after half an hour of use. Overheating is also a cause of failure."
Ye Manzhi felt very uncomfortable.
The two points he raised are indeed problems with televisions.
But this is the technical bottleneck of the entire industry, and Sugon Factory has no solution.
Another judge said, "This type of vacuum tube television has been developed in China for over a decade, while the international market has long been producing transistor and even integrated circuit board televisions, which have greatly improved failure rates and power consumption. There are already factories in China developing transistor televisions, so you might want to give it a try."
The three people from Shuguang Factory: "..."
Do they not want to use transistors and integrated circuits? The key is that they cannot be mass-produced!
What's the point of producing only a few hundred televisions a year?
The middle-aged judge consoled him, "We all know that televisions have many technical problems, but quality evaluations should be conducted from the consumer's perspective. If the consumer experience is poor, then the rating can only be 'poor.'"
They said all kinds of good and bad things about me. What can Shuguang Factory do?
I can only accept it!
Ye Manzhi accepted it on the surface, but was holding her breath in her heart. Before leaving, she glared at Wu Zhengrong, who was also a judge.
She didn't dare to offend other people because they might have the possibility of cooperation in the future, but she was a bully at home and she still dared to glare at her own man.
Wu Zhengrong, who had not participated in the scoring, was innocently implicated and said, "Director Ye, please stay."
Ye Manzhi: “…”
what?
Wu Zhengrong's words were not very polite.
However, he was not talking to his wife, but to the other judges.
"If quality evaluations are solely based on consumer assessments, wouldn't it be more convenient for the National Defense Office and the Machinery Bureau to just pick a few passersby to serve as judges? Problems like high failure rates and power consumption can be easily spotted by anyone. If that's all they're talking about, what's the point of going to all the trouble of inviting expert judges?"
Judges: “…”
Why are there still people who are divided and disintegrating from within?
Wu Zhengrong sat in the first row wearing a neat military uniform. His tone was calm, but with a sharp and aggressive tone.
He hadn't rated the TV just now, and the other three officers sitting with him already knew the situation.
The person in front of me is Wu Suo's family member.
Military dependents! Our own people!
So, the three officers also echoed: "Since we have invited experts from the Revolutionary Committee's technical team, scientific research institutions and universities, let's be professional!"
The other judges looked at each other.
What's the meaning?
Are you trying to overturn the previous score and start over?
Ye Manzhi had actually accepted the result and did not need the judges to re-score.
Moreover, doing so would have a bad impact on Wu Zhengrong. If people knew that they were a couple, Wu Zhengrong would likely be seen as abusing his power for personal gain and obstructing the judges' normal scoring.
She winked at Wu Zhengrong, telling him to stop worrying about it.
However, Wu Zhengrong acted as if he didn't notice and continued to speak with an arrogant face that made people love and hate him.
"Anyone can find problems, but raising them isn't the point; the key is solving them. Many of the products participating in this quality evaluation are constrained by industry-wide technological bottlenecks, preventing them from achieving quality breakthroughs. What's the point of giving such products a 'poor' rating? Will it actually advance the development of the product and the industry to which it belongs?"
Kang Jian said with a stern look, "That's definitely not the case."
"Yes," Wu Zhengrong nodded slightly. "So, I suggest that the review team conduct one-on-one consultations with products like televisions, frequency shifters, and reverberators that haven't broken through technical barriers, and do their best to help grassroots companies resolve their problems."
Judges: “…”
They were just invited to mark the scores, not the factory's engineers and technicians.
However, no one could say anything against it.
It is now advocated that universities and scientific research institutions should open their doors to run schools and conduct scientific research, and they should combine it with the production practices of grassroots units.
If they reject this suggestion, they will certainly be violating the highest instructions.
Ye Manzhi responded quickly, "You're all experts in the electronics industry, both highly skilled and knowledgeable. If you could hold a consultation for our TVs and resolve our production difficulties, we'd be more than happy to help! Director Zhang, is this feasible?"
Director Zhang certainly wouldn't object. "As long as the judges are willing, the provincial bureau will fully support it."
“…”
After a period of silence, the judges expressed their willingness to take this opportunity to help the front-line workers solve practical difficulties!
The three people from Shuguang Factory applauded in thanks.
Gathering twenty experts at once, even if they can only solve one or two small problems, it will be a profit for Sugon Factory!
Compared to that, that so-called "inferior product" doesn't seem that important.
Ye Manzhi comforted herself that she would never put the word "poor" on the TV before it leaves the factory, so it didn't matter what.
*
After returning home that night, Ye Manzhi put aside her past grudges and generously cooked a meal herself to reward Dr. Wu, who had played the villain.
"How are the judges today?" Ye Manzhi poured him a glass of wine and asked worriedly, "They should be able to help us solve the problem, right?"
"This is a common problem with vacuum tubes. Unless you can switch to producing transistor televisions, the judges won't be able to completely solve the problem."
Ye Manzhi: “…”
Isn't this a waste of my feelings?
Wu Zhengrong clinked glasses with her and finished the drink. "They've picked out so many problems today. If we can't solve any of them, it will be embarrassing. Your factory should get some benefits."
Ye Manzhi also felt that Shuguang Factory could gain some benefits. After returning to the factory, he quickly organized the engineers to meet with the experts to diagnose the TV together.
However, as Wu Zhengrong said, the problem of tube televisions cannot be solved overnight.
The judges from the four troops returned to their teams on time after the evaluation work was completed.
The remaining 16 people gradually returned to their original units for various reasons.
In the end, only the deputy director of the Radio Research Institute remained at the Shuguang Factory and helped them redesign the high-frequency head.
The new high-frequency head is smaller in size and costs one-third less.
This was a pleasant surprise for Ye Manzhi!
She is not actually worried about the quality. After all, the entire industry is like this. Reducing costs as soon as possible is the most urgent thing!
The workshop can only produce 37 televisions a day, but the high-frequency heads can actually be produced by the factory itself.
After confirming that the newly upgraded high-frequency head was feasible, Ye Manzhi sent people to a military factory in the province to learn the production process.
He also presented the Radio Research Institute with a bright red and golden banner, and promised to include Deputy Director Sun’s contributions in the Shuguang Factory’s annals!
Other factory leaders: "..."
The Shuguang Factory's brochure is so thick that it's almost too thick to fit in here!
For Director Ye, being included in the factory annals is the highest honor.
Ye Manzhi said happily, "Don't be so happy. We need to make a production plan for next year by the end of the year. All the televisions we produce next year will use the latest high-frequency heads. By then, the loss for each TV will only be 9 yuan! Everyone, keep up the good work and make the black and white TV business profitable as soon as possible!"
Director Xiao Ye seems to have seen a new dawn, and is full of energy and vitality every day.
After getting home from work that day, she met Chang Yue'e at the gate of the staff housing compound.
"Mom, why don't you come in now that you're here?" Ye Manzhi put her arm around her mother's arm. "It's so cold standing outside!"
"I just arrived too, and I'm registering!"
The mother and daughter walked home arm in arm.
As soon as Ye Manzhi entered the house, she lit the stove to boil water. Just as she was about to ask her what happened today, she saw her daughter dragging a bag of fertilizer into the yard out of the corner of her eye.
She quickly put down the ash hook, pushed open the door and shouted, "Youyan, put that thing outside immediately and don't bring it into the house!"
Chang Yue'e asked, "What are you yelling at the child for? Can't you just talk it out nicely?"
"It's too late to talk nicely!" Ye Manzhi whispered. "The city is sending 'one million tons of city manure to the countryside,' and has called on over 300,000 primary and secondary school students to participate in the fertilizer campaign. Youyan goes out with his classmates every day to pick up manure. Oh my god, it stinks!"
To prevent it from being taken away by other students, Wu Yuzhuo brought the fertilizer bag into the house and placed it at the entrance of the courtyard.
She trotted in and was about to hug her grandma when Chang Yue'e dodged her.
"Go wash your hands first!"
Wu Yuzhuo urgently refuted the rumor: "We picked up cow and horse dung, not human dung! And we picked it up with tongs, not with our hands!"
"You're pretty smart then," Chang Yue'e grumbled. "Qiqiu also went to the street with his classmates to pick up manure, but they didn't pick up cow or horse manure."
It is very common to urinate and defecate in public these days.
When the weather got cold, the manure froze hard and was picked up by the students to be taken to school to complete the task.
The urban environment has therefore improved a lot.
Ye Manzhi went to the kitchen to boil water and give her daughter a bath.
Watching the little cub obediently go into the bathroom, she breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Now I get a headache just seeing that fertilizer bag of hers."
"All students are like this, they all have to be proactive!"
The mother and daughter went to the kitchen together to light a fire and cook. Chang Yue'e helped her pick vegetables while talking about today's business.
"I've had several conversations with the food factory over the past few months. They were pretty anxious at first, coming to do my work every now and then, but they haven't been around much lately. What do you think they mean?"
"They're dragging us along," Ye Manzhi, who had also been involved in mergers, understood the psychology of large factories. "State-owned factories have obvious advantages, and most workers are willing to work in them. They might be trying to get the workers to force you into submission."
"I also think they didn't hold their farts well!"
Ye Manzhi asked, "The food factory refuses to agree to the conditions we proposed earlier?"
"Well, they're moving the canned meat business to a branch factory. I heard there are several workshops there. The branch factory's rank will be downgraded by half a level. The original workshop directors are expected to become deputy directors at the main factory, so they definitely won't be happy to be workshop directors at the branch factory. So I guess those deputy director positions at the branch factory are probably reserved for workshop directors."
"Don't worry about who those positions are reserved for. Our goal is to get a deputy director and deputy factory director. Mom, you have to be more resolute!"
Chang Yue'e sighed and said, "I'm quite resolute, but the factory isn't mine alone. Now everyone knows the food factory wants to merge, and they're all looking forward to joining the larger factory to enjoy the benefits. Recently, the food factory stopped negotiating, and some people panicked and made a lot of sarcastic remarks behind closed doors."
Ye Manzhi asked, "Are they saying that you're holding everyone back from getting jobs at the big factories because you want to be deputy director?"
"About the same."
Chang Yue'e has always felt that she gets along well with her employees, and they have gone through all the ups and downs together over the years.
Unexpectedly, a wave came from outside and almost capsized the boat.
It's made her a little sad lately.
"Isn't it your right to be the deputy factory director?" Ye Manzhi said disdainfully, "The sausage recipe is yours. Without it, how could the factory be run? Besides, during the famine, so many small factories on the street closed down. If it weren't for you and Fifth Brother who kept trying to keep it going, everyone would have gone home long ago."
Chang Yue'e said honestly, "I'm not afraid of anything else now. I'm just worried that if the two factories fail to merge, it will cause disunity among the people. Then everyone might blame me!"
Ye Manzhi cracked the eggs and put them in the wok, humphing, "Then let them complain. There must be someone in the factory who's on your side, right? Is anyone in the staff quarters spreading gossip about you?"
Working near home has its pros and cons.
Any slight disturbance in the unit can spread throughout the entire compound.
Chang Yue'e and Lao Ye have lived in the military industrial compound for half their lives and are more concerned about their reputation among the neighbors.
"There haven't been any rumors yet, but if it drags on any further, it's hard to say. I suspect the food factory wants to delay this until next year, or even after the Chinese New Year. The longer it's delayed, the more anxious the employees will become, and then they can negotiate terms."
Ye Manzhi waved the iron spoon and asked, "Mom, do you have any ideas?"
“Yes, there is one, but it’s not easy to do.”
"You tell me first."
"The food factory is so arrogant because it's a state-owned enterprise. I'm sure our employees would want to merge with it," Chang Yue'e said. "But if a competitor emerged, do you think they would still be able to sit still?"
"Haha, then we'll definitely be anxious. This opponent must be a large state-owned enterprise."
Chang Yue'e nodded. "I've chosen the Binjiang Meat Processing Plant and your uncle's sausage factory. The food factory didn't produce sausages before, so merging them would be like starting from scratch, and whether they can thrive is uncertain. But the meat processing plant and the sausage factory are both established sausage factories. If we can merge them, we'll truly be able to lean on a big tree for shade."
If she could only be a workshop director, she would rather work as a workshop director in a meat processing plant or a sausage factory.
"Have these two factories expressed their intention to merge with you?"
"No."
"..." Ye Manzhi suggested, "How about I help you contact the sausage factory? I've dealt with one of their deputy directors before. But let me make it clear first, the factory may not want to merge, so they may just play along with you."
"It's all fine for show," Chang Yue'e said contentedly, "to make Director Song at the food factory anxious, and at the same time appease the employees. If both factories want to merge us, they'll have to take the time to think it over carefully!"
Ye Manzhi walked into the room with her, carrying a plate, and said with a smile, "Director Chang, you're not in vain! No wonder you gave birth to a top leader!"
"Ha ha!"
Wu Yuzhuo had already finished her shower and was asking her father to help her dry her hair by the stove.
"Grandma, don't go back today, sleep with me!"
"You just picked up manure, it stinks, I won't squeeze in with you!"
"I washed it with soap, it smells so good!" Wu Yuzhuo said, pulling her grandmother. "I washed the clothes you left in my room for you. I washed them in the washing machine, and they're so clean!"
Chang Yue'e would occasionally stay at her daughter's house and live in her granddaughter's room.
After she shook his arm a few times, he reluctantly said, "Then I'll squeeze in with you for one night!"
*
Ye Manzhi helped her mother contact the deputy director of the Revolutionary Committee of the sausage factory and asked him to help perform a play.
When Director Lu heard that the Bright Meat Processing Plant was willing to be merged, he said, "That's great. Bright Meat Processing Plant has some very good products. If they are willing to join us, we would be more than happy to do so."
Ye Manzhi: “…”
Is this fake becoming real?
She asked the other party to contact Chang Yue'e directly and then left the matter alone.
"Director Ye, the factory office just called you." The young clerk from the factory office ran into the workshop to report.
"Who's calling?"
"One is from a reporter from the provincial newspaper, and they want to schedule an interview with you."
"Are you going to date me?"
"Yes, that reporter said he wanted to interview you."
Ye Manzhi asked in surprise: "What are you interviewing me about?"
"She said it's related to the Workers' University," the young clerk said. "If you're willing to be interviewed, please help her schedule a time."
"Okay, let her come to the factory this Friday!"
Ye Manzhi often publishes articles in newspapers, and the factory often deals with newspapers, but every time they have publicity needs, they take the initiative to ask reporters for help. She has never met a reporter who actively asks to interview her.
She agreed to the interview invitation and then asked, "Any other calls?"
"There is also a female comrade named Xia. Please call her back when you have time." The young clerk handed her a note with a phone number on it.
When Ye Manzhi heard that the other party's surname was Xia, his heart suddenly beat fast and he hurried back to the workshop office and picked up the phone.
After just a dozen seconds, a familiar female voice came from the other end of the line, "Hello."
Ye Manzhi asked excitedly, "Xia Ting, is that you?"
"Well, how's Xiaoye doing lately?"
"I'm fine!" Ye Manzhi asked hurriedly, "Xia Ting, where are you? Have you returned from the cadre school?"
"Just got back, let's meet up when you have time."
Ye Manzhi's voice was tinged with tears, "When I have time, I'll be there right now!"
Xia Zhujun gave her the address and comforted her with a smile: "Why are you crying? I'm fine too!"
"I know!" Ye Manzhi cried and laughed, "I just sent a package to the cadre school the day before yesterday. This time I want to give it to someone else for free!"
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