The Mid-Autumn Festival sun is shining, the sky is high and the clouds are light, and the morning is slightly chilly. The courtyard of the Institute of Geology seemed very quiet, and early in the morning, Xu Qianqian accompanied Ouyang Jian to check the facilities and conditions of various places. Walking out of a scientific research room, Ouyang Jian suddenly seemed to be thinking about something, feeling that something was wrong. "Brother Ouyang, look at your head full of question marks, is there anything wrong?" Xu Xiangqian asked when he saw Ouyang Jian's frowning. "Brother Xu, the temperature here can reach more than minus 20 degrees in winter, and I found that there is no heating equipment in every house. You must know that drastic changes in heat and cold have a great impact on people's health! ”

"Brother Ouyang, what do I mean, you are too worried. The logistics department has prepared an iron stove for each house, which can be installed to make a fire for heating when the weather turns cooler. The Northwest lacks nothing but coal. "It is not advisable to place an iron stove in the house to make a fire for heating, because it is unhygienic and dusty, and it is easy to produce carbon monoxide poisoning. These scientific and technological personnel and skilled workers are our treasures, and there must be no problems. "This is the way to heat the house in winter, do you have any good ideas?"

Ouyang Jian secretly thought: It is not possible to make a fire kang in the office, and the stove for building a fire wall is still in the house. Suddenly, Ouyang Jian had an idea, and thought of the fire ridge. "Brother Xu, you come with me!" The two returned to the office, and Ouyang Jian hastily drew a sketch and said: "Brother Xu, you see, this is a house, the ground ridge is built in the pattern of a fire kang on the ground, the stove is set up in the basement outside, and the position of the chimney forms a diagonal with the stove. After the ridges in the house are trayed, cover them with thin stone slabs and seal them, and then lay the floor on top of the stone slabs, and reserve space between the stone slabs and the floor. ”

Ouyang Jian explained carefully and continued: "The advantage of this is that it is clean and hygienic, and it has the function of a fire kang and has a good heat dissipation effect. The kang and the stove are hidden underground, and they have an aesthetic effect, killing two birds with one stone. "Hmm! I think this method will work. Brother Ouyang! You really live up to your reputation, and you have a lot of ideas! Then the two of them studied it carefully, and a clear architectural drawing was drawn. Brother Ouyang, I didn't expect that your drawing level is not simple, standard operation diagrams. Xu Xiangqian took the drawings and praised them.

"Brother Xu, this method is not a big investment, and the results are immediate. I think it's better to hit the next day and do it. Take this office as a model, you immediately arrange for the logistics staff to organize the construction, and I will personally command. "You're such an impatient!" After Xu Xiangqian left, Ouyang Jian immediately picked up the phone and personally called Jiang Bida, the commander of the garrison division, and asked his logistics department to immediately purchase thin stone slabs in the stone factory. Soon Xu Xiangqian brought more than 20 people, including 8 logistics personnel and 15 soldiers of the garrison who were on leave in shifts.

The bricks in the courtyard were ready-made, and Ouyang Jian personally commanded them, and everyone was in full swing. By dusk, the basement and stove outside the house, the ridge inside the house, and the outdoor chimney were completed. The next day, according to Ouyang Jian's requirements, thin stone slabs of square size and specifications were delivered. Then the thin slate was covered with a seal, and the heat dissipation effect was very good after test firing. "Haha, isn't this a fire kang? The entire floor is dissipated, and if you put it on the floor as a bed, you can sleep directly! Xu Xiangqian walked up and down the stone slabs, happy like a child.

"Since the effect is good, let the logistics department take action, and if there are not enough manpower, the officers and soldiers of the garrison can participate. However, it should be noted that the fire ridges and slate must be dry before the floor can be laid, otherwise the floor will be deformed by moisture. "Okay, according to your requirements, before the weather turns cool, all offices, research rooms, and dormitories will be built with fire ridges, so that our scientific researchers will not be happy." With the model mode, Ouyang Jian and Xu Xiangqian no longer need to participate, and suddenly a renovation boom was set off within this mysterious high wall.

Three days later, Jiang Bida, commander of the garrison division, came to the Institute of Geology to report on his work. "Chief of the General Staff, Director Xu, according to your orders, I have transferred 50 capable officers and soldiers to the reconnaissance units of the division to set up a counter-espionage department, with its headquarters in Lanzhou City, do you personally guide them?" "The headquarters will send professionals for special training, and you will report to Director Xu on the specific work. In addition, I found that the patrol density of your cavalry unit is not enough, and the number of patrols should be increased, requiring 24 hours without interruption. "Yes! I'll start from scratch right away! ”

Ouyang Jian continued: "I discussed with Director Xu and decided that the garrison division camp area should be redivided, with the Institute of Geology as the center, and the troop barracks will be distributed all around, so that the peripheral warning area can be naturally formed." "Chief of the General Staff, isn't the Institute of Geology a scientific research unit, as for such a high level of security?" Jiang Bida was a little unimpressed.

"The Institute of Geology is a confidential unit, and as for why it is doing this, there is naturally a reason for doing so. Your task is to carry out orders, don't ask what you shouldn't know, it's discipline, and what you do is a military order, understand? "Understood!" "You have a lot of problems, and you are so hypocritical in front of the chief of the General Staff." Xu Xiangqian reprimanded with a straight face.

"Hehe, Director Xu, you know me, aren't we curious!" "It's better to put away your curiosity, and see how I clean you up if something goes wrong!" It can be seen that Jiang Bida and Xu Xiangqian are not accustomed to it. Ouyang Jian said with a smile: "Commander Jiang, in order to deal with emergencies, the garrison division must have the ability to react quickly and attack. In the future, when the conditions are good, I am going to equip a motorized regiment in the garrison division. "Chief of the General Staff, great, looking forward to that day." Jiang Bida raised his hand to salute the army and left happily.

A week later, the night before Ouyang Jian left the Institute of Geology, Qian Sanqiang came to report on his work. Ouyang Jian personally painted the tea and put it in front of Qian Sanqiang and said, "Mr. Qian, time flies quickly, after a week of familiarity, I think you understand the situation here, I want to know what you think." "General Ouyang, the experimental conditions here are top-notch, which greatly exceeds my expectations. The experimental equipment is also very complete, and all kinds of front-end scientific materials are well prepared'It is no exaggeration to say that the experimental conditions here are not inferior to those in my French laboratory. ”

"General Ouyang, I can see that you have made long-term, large-scale, and thorough preparations in order to prepare for the establishment of the atomic energy experimental base, and I admire this very much. However, I found that the researchers here are only at an intermediate level in high-energy nuclear physics. It is important to know that the development of atomic weapons requires the vigorous cooperation of various disciplines and is a systems project. Under the current circumstances, the existing staff is not up to the task. "Mr. Qian, I didn't misread the wrong person, you have grasped the crux of the problem, and science must not be false at all."

In other words, it is not enough to rely on blood alone. Truth be told, I can tell you that our elite talent is in the United States so far, and they are engaged in high-energy physics research. I'm ready to send America's elite back in '43, and you'll be like a tiger when you get back to home. At this stage, your main task is to impart your knowledge to them as soon as possible, and at the same time find a correct direction of development and avoid detours. Don't be in a hurry, walk on two legs, practice and learn together. ”

"General Ouyang is confident, and our ideas coincide. I can't eat hot tofu in a hurry, but I can't be targeted. I prepare for half a day of scientific experiments and half a day of study, so as to increase the theoretical level and professional knowledge of scientific researchers. "Mr. Qian, I fully support you! At present, the world situation is increasingly favorable to us, the anti-fascist camp is being formed, and we are not alone. Perhaps within a year, the world situation will change dramatically, Japanese militarism has reached the peak of rampant rage, and we are growing stronger day by day with the pace of war, and we must not only drive the Japanese bandits out of their homeland, but also completely eliminate them. ”

"Mr. Qian, I will give you 6 years, that is, 46 years, to make sure that our atomic bombing succeeds, because this is related to the fate and future of the country, and to the life and death of the Chinese nation, do you have confidence?" "Please rest assured General Ouyang, even if you live 20 years less, you will not fail in your mission!" Qian Sanqiang's eyes were blazing and assured. "Mr. Qian, how to talk about living 20 years less, I believe that China's cutting-edge weapons will be born, developed and strengthened in your hands, let us witness the early arrival of that day!" Once again, the hands of both sides were clasped together.

The next day, a small wooden steamer was moored on the dock by the Yellow River, and the slight sound of the motor at the tail of the steamer seemed to urge the guests to get on the road. The river is crystal clear, and the fish fly on the shallow bottom. The Yellow River in its upper reaches of the Lanzhou region, because it has not been washed by the Loess Plateau, the river water does not seem to touch the yellow edge. Xu Xiangqian, who came to see him off, was a little anxious and uneasy. "Brother Ouyang! Your plane has already flown to Yan'an, so it will not arouse suspicion. But your secret journey along the Yellow River to the Hetao area really makes me feel uneasy. ”

"Brother Xu, I must meet with Fu Zuoyi, the commander of the 35th Army, and the next step involves the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain and the Western Strategy. In addition, regarding Yan Xishan's collusion with the Japanese, I would like to give him a briefing and win his understanding and support. "Brother Ouyang, it's really difficult for you, it can be described as a subtle effort." "Details determine success or failure, what should be thought of must be thought of, and what should be done must be done." "But this time, there is only one squad of guard forces, how can I rest assured."

"Brother Xu, we are dressed in disguise, and a large number of people will arouse suspicion, so you should put your heart in your stomach!" "Brother Ouyang, I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to meet again when you leave!" "Yes! I won't come to Lanzhou without special circumstances, and then your burden will be heavier, so you should pay attention to your body not to be too tired, because your body is the capital of the revolution. "Have a nice trip!" "Take care!" The two sides shook hands tightly and were reluctant. Ouyang Jian boarded the steamer, which slowly left the dock and set sail along the ancient waterway of the Yellow River.

Ouyang Jian waved his hand to Xu Qianqian to say goodbye, and the dock became confused as he walked away. Looking into the distance, Xu Xiangqian's figure was still standing on the dock beckoning, unwilling to leave for a long time.