Chapter Eighty: The Yan Daxue Institute

  Ouyang Yun was still too young, although he knew that the officialdom of the Republic of China was quite dark, but he did not understand the specific situation inside. After listening to Song Zheyuan's words, he realized that he had thought the problem was simpler than it actually was, and frowned, saying: "If it really doesn't work, then we can only give Chen Hanlin and his group 20% more shares."

  Song Zheyuan said: "I'm not too familiar with economics, you'd better discuss and handle this matter with Shu Ren." Then he walked into the study, took out a file bag and handed it to him, saying: "Here are 3,000 US dollars I've saved up, not a lot, take it with you to America for expenses. You're representing our 29th Army on this trip, can't let the Americans look down on us."

  Ouyang Yun thanked him repeatedly, but in his heart he couldn't help but smile wryly: Now that we can't even afford the most essential equipment, what's the point of saving face? He thought of some officials in modern Chinese society who, despite being poor and destitute locally, still put on a show to go abroad for inspections, dressed up in suits and ties like they didn't know who they were. He muttered to himself: It seems this is also inherited from our predecessors.

  After saying goodbye to Song Zheyuan, Ouyang Yun thought that he hadn't exchanged views with Jiang Shuren for a while, so he suggested going out for a late-night snack. Jiang Shuren also had something to discuss with him, so the two of them, along with Liu Zheliang and Jiang Shuren's bodyguard Li Shi Tou, casually found a night market near Nanwan, ordered some food, and started discussing while eating.

  "Now you know how difficult it is to run a business in China?"

  Ouyang Yun thought for a moment and said seriously: "It's much better than I imagined, I originally thought that the old China was full of corrupt officials everywhere."

  "Old China! This term is well used, we are indeed going to break this old China and establish a new China," Jiang Shuren's eyes lit up as he listened, and he looked at him with a glance.

  Ouyang Yun put down his chopsticks, thinking of some people and things around him, feeling a little worried and sighing: "What a pity that time didn't wait for me! If I had come a few years earlier, it would have been great!"

  "The old self" comes out, true nature is revealed, this is the real Ouyang Yun, a straightforward and outspoken Sichuan girl.

  "How old is Ouyang this year?"

  "21", Ouyang Yun looked at him, wondering why he suddenly asked this question, recalling that in Tianjin, it seemed to have been discussed at Song's residence, and he was present at the time.

  Jiang Shuren, however, thought that because of his previous words, "A few years ago you were still in school, and at that time you were already thinking about repaying your country. Your parents are really impressive!" In his opinion, Ouyang Yun's high awareness was naturally due to her parents' good teaching. After all, how could a child born in a foreign land know such big principles? He didn't know that the reason why Ouyang Yun felt that time was not enough was because she understood the direction of history and worried that she couldn't effectively stop the little devils from invading northern China.

  "Mr. Jiang, there's something I'm not sure if I should ask or not."

  "Ask away, I'll tell you everything I know, and speak without reserve."

  "General, you've called me over, it's not just to help me come up with a plan, is it?"

  Jiang Shuren's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he looked at Li Shi Tou, his gaze shifting to his face, and he shook his head with a bitter smile. He thought to himself: Still too young, can you really ask such questions? And in front of Li Shi Tou, no less! Does he really think Li Shi Tou is just a security guard? Or does he truly believe Song Gong is the reincarnation of Yue Wu Mu? It's really too lacking in city manners, and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

  Ouyang Yun saw his attitude and knew he had been foolish, feeling a bit awkward for a moment. He lowered his head to eat something, then suddenly called out: "There's an important matter I forgot to tell Junzuo."

  "What?" asked Jiang Shuren.

  Ouyang Yun pulled out a few sheets of paper from his pocket and handed them to him, saying: "Mr. Jiang, take a look at this. This is the combat uniform I designed based on Western military uniforms. I was going to ask Commander for instructions to see if the Student Army Brigade can be equipped with it."

  What is called a field uniform is camouflage clothing, and Ou Yangyun designed two styles based on the climate and geographical conditions of North China, one with grass green as the main color and the other with a floral white tone.

  Jiang Shuren looked carefully and said: "I don't understand these things, but aren't they too flashy?"

  "This is a layman's talk," Ouyang Yun explained, "The reason for setting these two colors is to better hide the soldiers' bodies during field battles."

  Hearing this, Jiang Shuren saw the way and praised: "Really can't see it, you also have a talent for being a tailor."

  "Tailor?! Fashion designer!"

  "Great job, fashion designer!"

  Ouyang Yun was speechless.

  Jiang Shuren suddenly furrowed his brow and said: "Ouyang, there's something that needs to be taken care of."

  "What?"

  "The Japanese took advantage of the businessmen who joined our inspection team."

  "Ah! Is this really happening?!" Ou Yang Yun's eyebrows furrowed, as he was just thinking of finding fault with Xiao Gui Zi because of Gu Lian Yun's matter. But unexpectedly, they had again set their sights on the merchant team. So it seemed that the merchants' withdrawal from the team must have been due to consideration for Xiao Gui Zi, which led to the lamentation "having a life to earn but no life to spend". "I'm telling you, does Xiao Gui Zi think the 29th Army is just eating idle rice? Are they easy to bully?" Ou Yang Yun said loudly, intentionally letting his gaze linger on Li Shi Tou's face for a moment - it seemed that Jiang Shu Ren was quite wary of him. So his true identity should be the nail laid down by Song Zhi Yuan.

  Li Shitou wasn't stupid, he had already seen from Jiang Shuren's previous attitude that the other party was on guard against him. Now, facing Ouyang Yun with a slightly provocative gaze, he smiled wryly in his heart and said something somewhat inexplicable: "I am also Chinese."

  Ouyang Yunle smiled, this Li Shitou should be called Li Huli, patted him on the shoulder and said: "Thank you." Then he turned to Jiang Shuren and said: "So, tomorrow after my class, we'll go to Nanyuan again. As the saying goes, 'coming but not going is impolite', since that little devil has sent gifts repeatedly, we should take some action to repay him. I think General Li will agree, right?" After finishing speaking, he looked at Li Shitou, his intention was too obvious, clearly seeking Li Shitou's opinion.

  The latter was just sending food into his mouth at this time, and when he heard the words, he suddenly coughed violently, then shook his head like a rattle drum.

  Ouyang Yun was taken aback and muttered to himself: "Is it not possible?"

  Li Shi Tou rubbed his neck with his hand and said: "I choked on my food." Then he became evasive.

  Ouyang Yun looked at Jiang Shuren, then looked at him again, and secretly furrowed his brow. This Li Shitou was indeed a master of pretending to be stupid and foolish.

  In June, the campus of Yanda University is lush and green by the side of Weiming Lake, accompanied by spirited students, giving off a particularly youthful atmosphere. Ouyang Yun holds his lecture notes and stands by the lake with Si Tuolei, engaged in an animated conversation.

  It was a very strange thing, the usually serious Mr. Sito saw him, his originally tense face relaxed involuntarily, and he smiled and asked: "Is everything ready for going to America?"

  "Yes."

  "Isn't it about ten days before departure? Are you going to finish next week's classes before leaving?"

  "The student army has just expanded and there are still many things to deal with on Ren Qiu's side, really can't leave."

  Situ nodded and said, "Then for the last two classes, you can focus on explaining exercises to the students. Don't worry about the exam, I'll arrange it properly. Ouyang, are you sure Renqiu has oil?"

  It is also unknown who leaked the news, but the message that Renqiu has oil has now become a public notice in Beiping. As long as people know the value of oil, they talk about it before meals and after tea, and it's all about this matter.

  Ouyang Yun nodded and answered honestly: "Yes."

  "No wonder you want to buy drilling rigs and refining equipment! If Renqiu can really explore oil, as the Chinese saying goes, Renqiu will be a treasure trove! However, you Chinese people seem to have another saying, 'to possess jade is to invite trouble' - Ouyang, you'd better be careful not to get too full of yourself!"

  Renqiu, due to the presence of oil, is not just a treasure bowl, but rather the lifeline of the 29th Army. This army with strong warlord characteristics, if able to fully utilize Renqiu's oil, will undoubtedly grow into a force that influences China's future political landscape. With benefits come drawbacks; perhaps, the 29th Army will become a thorn in the side of other forces due to Renqiu and be destroyed prematurely.

  Situ is indeed a Chinese expert, and this remark perfectly conveys the true meaning of Renqiu's 29th Army. The news that Renqiu has oil fields originated from Ouyang Yun, and tracing back to its source, it is also a double-edged sword for him.

  Ouyang Yun had only seen the benefits of Renqiu's oil field before, completely ignoring its potential negative impact. Upon hearing this, he was taken aback and looked at Sutu Lao's wrinkled face, falling into deep thought.

  Because it was one of the last two classes of this semester, he came to find Si Tu, originally to borrow the laboratory. After discussing with Jiang Shuren about the construction of Renqiu, he already had a vague plan. Power plants, water companies, military uniforms, iron ore screening plants, steel plants, and soldier factories (the 29th Army has its own soldier factory, after the National Government withdrew from Beiping, its 37th soldier factory in the western suburbs of Beiping naturally became the product of the 29th Army) will be the first batch of opened mines. In addition, three small groups of the Special Task Force will conduct research on the industrialization of penicillin and semiconductor electronic components, so they must borrow the laboratory of Yanda University to do so. To protect the safety of the special task force soldiers, Renqiu Special Police Brigade and Hu Tang small group will leave people; after the soldier brigade went to Renqiu for garrison, in order to recruit soldiers and workers, a guard station will be set up in Beiping, Ouyang Yun wants to put it near Yanda University, all of which need to get Si Tu's consent.

  Mr. Sito readily agreed to his request, only putting forward one condition, hoping that the research results of the Special Task Force in the future can be published first on the campus newsletter of Yanda, and then submitted to some popular science journals around the world in the name of Yanda Institute.

  Ouyang Yun mentioned in the construction plan of Xuebing Travel that some outstanding soldiers would be sent to universities for training to improve their cultural literacy, and they were looking for a school to cooperate with. Upon hearing this, he casually brought up this idea. The two men agreed immediately and decided to establish an institute in the name of Yanda and Xuebing Travel. Every academic year, Yanda would provide around 20 quota-free admission places for Xuebing Travel, and all research results of Xuebing Travel would be published under the name of Yanda Institute.

  The establishment of the institute is a good thing for both Yan University and the student soldiers, which has somewhat alleviated the negative emotional impact brought to Ouyang Yun by Situ's previous statement that the oil field was a double-edged sword.