Chapter 988: A Prodigal Son Returning is Worth More Than Gold
The Steam Assembly Workshop at the Chang'an Automobile Factory in Xi'an.
Bin Sheng had spent a grueling day studying technical skills, wiping beads of sweat from his forehead.
The workshop director walked past, and seeing him diligently studying, couldn't help but nod with a smile.
This young man was the most diligent the director had ever met; he plunged into learning technical skills with a desperate fervor and worked with fierce determination.
He possessed a discipline typically found only in soldiers!
The director couldn't resist approaching him and gently patted Bin Sheng's shoulder. “Bin, still diligently studying your skills?”
Bin Sheng quickly offered a deferential smile. “Hello, Director. I just want to learn as much as I can, sir, so I can one day build a complete steam engine with my own hands.”
The director remarked, “Young man, you truly impress me. If I had been half as diligent as you when I was young, I wouldn't be just a small workshop director now, alas.”
Bin Sheng demurred, “You flatter me, sir.”
Bin Sheng's eyes lit up. A secret? This was precisely what a spy relished; the more, the better.
The director continued, “I'm about to be transferred to the Zhoushan Shipyard to assist with production. I'll be the workshop director for the steamship assembly there, and that means the director position in our current workshop will be vacant.”
“Oh?” Bin Sheng uttered.
He had thought it would be some vital classified information. But it was just about personnel matters. *Sigh.*
The director smiled faintly. “Young man, you really don't understand the implications. A vacant workshop director position is a golden opportunity for you. You should really strive for it.”
“Oh?” Bin Sheng asked again.
The director explained, “You're a young man who's willing to work hard, strive, and learn. Just recently, you even earned the title of Labor Model. You're the strongest candidate for the next workshop director. So put in some extra effort, perform well lately, show everyone your fighting spirit. Once I transfer, you'll be able to step up.”
Bin Sheng timidly asked, “Once I become director, will I be able to learn all the secrets of building a steam engine?”
The director chuckled. “So that's what's on your mind, young man? Hahaha! How much do you love steam engines, hahaha! Don't worry, as long as you're willing to learn, you'll definitely master it.”
Bin Sheng was overjoyed. “I will work hard.”
A few days later, the workshop director packed his bags and transferred to become the workshop director of the steam engine assembly at Zhoushan Shipyard. Several technical experts from various workshops—armor, bearings, and more—also went with him to assist.
With so many people suddenly leaving the Chang'an Automobile Factory, it naturally created a need for others to fill the vacancies.
Bin Sheng was honorably promoted to workshop director. His ten support team members, all of whom had worked diligently, thoroughly studied the techniques, and made significant progress, each received promotions of varying degrees.
From the moment they joined the factory until their promotions and raises, only a very short time had passed.
Consequently, these eleven young people became the benchmark for the new generation of workers at the Chang'an Automobile Factory! Their fighting spirit became a widely celebrated topic among the populace—
Evening fell, and the breeze was pleasant.
Bin Sheng stepped out of the workshop and saw Yanzi, a young female worker from the cafeteria, waiting for him beneath a tree at the workshop entrance.
As soon as she saw him, Yanzi's face broke into a sweet smile. “Brother Bin Sheng.”
Bin Sheng smiled back. “Little Sister Yanzi, have you been waiting for me this whole time? Oh dear! I accidentally worked overtime for a bit longer. If I'd known you were waiting, I wouldn't have stayed late.”
“No, not long,” Yanzi said, her small face flushing with embarrassment. “Brother Bin Sheng is a Labor Model; everyone knows you work a lot of overtime. I... I was prepared for it. Besides, I like a man who's as dedicated and hardworking as Brother Bin Sheng. I was secretly watching from outside the window just now, and your profile while you were working so seriously, Brother Bin Sheng, looked so handsome.”
Bin Sheng's heart swelled with delight.
Yanzi reached out and produced two movie tickets. “Brother Bin Sheng, the Workers' Cinema is re-screening an old movie today, 'A Soldier from the Daling River Garrison.' Shall we go together? Look, I have tickets. The cafeteria head auntie gave them to me. She said... young people like us need this sort of thing...”
Bin Sheng was greatly surprised. “Oh? There's a movie like that?”
Yanzi replied, “Yes, it's about the Manchus besieging Daling River City.”
As soon as he heard this, there was no reason not to go. Bin Sheng's curiosity was fully piqued; he genuinely wanted to see it.
He and Yanzi, close and shoulder-to-shoulder, arrived at the Workers' Cinema. Just as they reached the entrance, he spotted one of his subordinates...
He turned his head again, and saw another subordinate mingling in the crowd.
Almost the entire ten-person support team had come.
After all, the movie depicted the Jin army, and their interest was greatly piqued.
It was an old film rerun. Almost all the audience members in the cinema had seen it before, and it was unclear how many times they had rewatched it. Only Bin Sheng and his ten team members were seeing it for the first time.
Bin Sheng settled down, even forgetting Yanzi beside him, and wholeheartedly immersed himself in the film.
This movie, like the "Xuan-Da Defense Battle" he had seen previously, was objective and realistic.
It perfectly recreated the ferocious combat power of the Eight Banners soldiers. From beginning to end, the film didn't preach difficult moral principles, nor did it offer saccharine platitudes; it simply told a tragic and desolate story.
In the end, Daling River City fell. The common people within the city were almost entirely killed or wounded. Zu Dashou surrendered, and the protagonist went into hiding, changed his name, and fled to a distant land.
A profound sense of sorrow enveloped Bin Sheng's heart.
“Those Manchus are truly despicable,” Yanzi pouted. “But the Han traitors are even worse.”
At her words, Bin Sheng's entire body trembled slightly.
He swallowed hard and whispered to Yanzi, “Actually, many Han Chinese originally lived in the Manchu region. They grew up under the control of the Jin... *cough*... under the control of the Manchus. So, really... they have no emotional attachment to the Great Ming.”
“And also, some Ming soldiers from Liaodong,” Bin Sheng cautiously defended, “they only knew Zu Dashou, not the Great Ming itself. They also had no emotional attachment to the Great Ming. Asking them to be loyal to the Great Ming doesn't really make much sense. When they surrendered with people like Kong Youde or Zu Dashou, they became people of the Manchus. They were just being loyal to their former lord. Calling them Han traitors, wouldn't that be a bit... like lumping everyone together?”
“Oh?” Yanzi said, “What you're saying isn't entirely without merit. But even fallen leaves long to return to their roots. Don't these Han Chinese beyond the pass dream of returning to the embrace of the Great Ming?”
Hearing this, Bin Sheng trembled slightly again.
He whispered again, “Even if they wanted to return to their roots, who would have them? After all, they've already become Manchus.”
Yanzi chuckled. “Well, you're wrong there. Our people here are very accepting. A prodigal son returning is worth more than gold, you know.”
Bin Sheng listened to her words, and was silent for a long time.
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