Chapter 9: A Word Stuns the Audience

The conference staff member, crouching low, hurried in three quick steps to Li Yi, grabbed his arm, and scolded him with a fierce look: "Who are you? How did you get in? Get out! This is not a place for you to play around."

Li Yi's self-esteem was once again hurt. Is he really that easy to be embarrassed? He pushed away the staff member's hand and said seriously, "I came to attend the conference."

Whispers and discussions spread throughout the venue.

Liu Mingming deliberately called out loudly, "Why is there a beggar here?"

Zhou Ziqi bit her lip and glared at Liu Mingming with hatred. Although she was Li Yi's classmate and wanted to protect his dignity, she did not dare to stand up and speak. Instead, she shrank back, afraid of being recognized by Li Yi or being mistaken as having any connection with him.

A beggar?

What a joke! This is an international conference, and in the first ten rows, who isn't wealthy or influential, with a substantial net worth? Many people's faces showed surprise and disgust.

The conference organizers were embarrassed. With so many leaders and foreign guests present, and the provincial TV station broadcasting live, this was a major blunder.

Several staff members approached Li Yi from behind, bending low.

The protagonist, Comrade Li Yi, did not realize that many people were looking at him with daggers in their eyes. He still had a relaxed smile, bowed to the podium, and then to the audience, and said loudly, "I apologize for the disruption!"

Most of the foreign guests didn't mind; they found the opening ceremony too dull, and now it was spiced up. Some even clapped.

Li Yi glanced around and noticed that most of the applause came from foreign guests. He continued in fluent English, "I know you are all leaders in the global steel industry. You have traveled thousands of miles, bringing the most advanced technology and experience from your countries. On behalf of myself, I welcome your arrival."

Applause broke out.

The staff members who were about to apprehend Li Yi, hearing the enthusiastic applause, stepped back and hid in an inconspicuous corner.

Li Yi was not a leader, so the conference interpreter did not translate his words.

The organizers looked at each other, and most people couldn't understand what Li Yi was saying, so they asked each other.

Wen Yuxi, sitting on the podium, waved to a young man who quickly approached. Wen Yuxi asked, "What did he just say? Translate it for me."

The young man, Wen Yuxi's secretary, had average English skills and blushed, stammering for a while. Wen Yuxi, displeased, said, "Where is the interpreter from the Foreign Affairs Office?"

The secretary hurriedly ran to call someone.

The thick carpet on the floor made the secretary slip and almost fall. He wiped his sweat, feeling a chill. His boss's expression was very unhappy, and if the boss was unhappy, his hard-won position might be in jeopardy.

On the other side of the podium, five people were sitting: two girls and three men, all interpreters for the conference.

Soon, a pretty girl, instructed by the secretary, with a high ponytail, quickly walked to Wen Yuxi.

"Secretary Wen, hello, I am Wang Hong from the Foreign Affairs Office. Please give me your instructions." The girl, newly assigned to the provincial Foreign Affairs Office, was quite nervous facing such a high-ranking official.

"Translate what Xiao Yi just said."

"Xiao Yi? Which Xiao Yi?" Wang Hong was confused.

Wen Yuxi pointed to Li Yi.

"Oh—!" Wang Hong quickly translated what Li Yi had said.

Wen Yuxi nodded and said, "Stay by my side and translate for me. Let's see what this guy is up to."

Wang Hong was delighted. The opportunity to show off in front of a leader was something she eagerly sought.

Li Yi pushed away the staff member who was trying to stop him, walked to Wen Yuxi, and said, "Uncle Wen, can I borrow your microphone?"

This "Uncle Wen" caused a stir in the audience, and there was a commotion below.

Wen Yuxi said, "Xiao Yi, this is a live international conference, which concerns the reputation of our province and our country!"

Li Yi respectfully replied, "Please rest assured, Uncle Wen, I know what I'm doing."

With Wen Yuxi's approval, Li Yi took the microphone and said in English with a smile, "Whether you come from across the ocean or from the other side of the Himalayas, we all share a common title: businessman! The essence of a businessman is one: to pursue profit! Don't tell me you came to our country to give away technology and equipment for free! No one gets up early without profit, and I am no exception! I got up at 5:30 this morning and rushed here to meet you. I certainly didn't come just to say a few welcoming words! I am here today, just like all of you, to seek profit and do business!"

The entire audience was stunned.

Wang Hong translated for Wen Yuxi, and as she translated, she was shocked. This young man, who at first glance seemed unremarkable, was actually full of energy and charisma. His English was fluent, and his words were bold and striking. She secretly admired him while also worrying for him.

"Uh?" Wen Yuxi was secretly surprised. How could he be so direct and blunt?

The conference organizer, wiping his sweat, approached the podium and asked Wen Yuxi, "Secretary Wen, should we forcibly remove him?"

Wen Yuxi waved his hand and said, "It's live! Let's see what happens." The organizer nodded and stepped back.

Unexpectedly, the foreign guests were not angry but applauded.

In his previous life, Li Yi had done a lot of business with foreigners and knew that foreign businessmen detested the domestic bureaucracy, which was too complicated and insincere. The most direct approach was also the most effective.

Li Yi took a tube from behind, took out his work, and laid it on the podium, holding up a sheet to show the audience, "What I bring are some new equipment and new technology."

When the foreign guests heard that this young man was selling new technology, they laughed in disdain. A Japanese businessman even shouted proudly, "A child, what can he have? Even your country has nothing to offer! Your equipment and technology are all imported from our country!"

Li Yi glared at him but ignored him for the moment, smiling, "Now, let me introduce this new technology. This is a ccpp (combined cycle power plant) system. Using this ccpp unit, 400,000 cubic meters of blast furnace gas and 40,000 cubic meters of coke oven gas can be burned per hour, with a maximum power generation capacity of 270,000 kilowatt-hours per hour, and an annual power generation capacity of over 2 billion kilowatt-hours. Compared to thermal power plants of the same level, it can save over 650,000 tons of standard coal annually. This unit can utilize about 3.1 billion standard cubic meters of blast furnace gas annually, reduce carbon monoxide emissions by 900 million standard cubic meters, and reduce greenhouse gas carbon dioxide emissions by about 1.8 million tons, increasing the self-sufficiency rate of power in steel plants by about 35%. It has significant energy-saving effects, economic benefits, and environmental benefits."

The audience was captivated, and the noise gradually subsided, with only Li Yi's voice echoing.

The Japanese businessman was so surprised that his mouth dropped open. He ran up and carefully studied Li Yi's drawings.

Li Yi sneered, "Sorry, sir, I won't sell my technology to your island nation. Please sit down!"

The Japanese businessman's face turned red, and he returned to his seat, mumbling.

"Good!" The Chinese audience applauded.

Wen Yuxi, listening to the translation, asked, "What is ccpp?"

Wang Hong blushed, "Secretary Wen, I don't know either. I'll find someone who does."

Wen Yuxi sighed, "It seems we were not well-prepared! You see, most officials don't understand English, and they can't figure out the equipment in the steel plant. This young man has taught me a lot! He is a talent!"

A vice president from Liugang, called by Wang Hong, flattered, "Secretary Wen, ccpp is a combined cycle power plant. In English, it's called combined cycle power plant, abbreviated as ccpp. It first mixes blast furnace gas and desulfurized coke oven gas. After being compressed by a gas compressor, it is mixed with air and burned in the combustion chamber, generating high-temperature, high-pressure gas. This gas expands in the gas turbine, driving the gas turbine, which in turn drives the compressor and external load at high speed. The exhaust gas from the gas turbine is directed to the waste heat boiler, generating high-temperature, high-pressure steam to drive the steam turbine, which, together with the gas turbine, drives the generator to produce electricity."

Wen Yuxi frowned, listening.

The vice president knew that too many technical terms were hard for Wen Yuxi to understand and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Wen Yuxi asked, "How does the technology he mentioned compare to what we have in our plant?"

The vice president broke out in a cold sweat, "Secretary Wen, the difference is huge. Our ccpp unit's main equipment is imported from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. After more than a year of development by dozens of engineers in our plant, it was finally put into operation, but its performance is less than one-third of what he described."

Wen Yuxi was moved, "Do you think his technology is feasible?"

The vice president wiped his cold sweat, "To determine that, we need to see his design drawings and understand his design ideas."

Wen Yuxi said, "If the technology is feasible, we must secure it within our province! No matter the cost! Such good technology cannot go abroad!"

"Yes, yes! I'll discuss it with President Wang immediately."

Wen Yuxi nodded sternly, acknowledging. Looking at this poorly dressed student, Wen Yuxi's expression changed. A literature student had actually developed such an important ccpp technology! It was unbelievable!

Li Yi's strong, resonant voice continued to echo in the hall, explaining his new technology.

To the layman, it was a spectacle, but to the experts, it was a revelation. Almost all the experts were stunned by Li Yi's words. If what this young man said was true, what would it mean for a steel plant?

Wealth!

Huge wealth!

The best ccpp units now can only achieve one-third of the efficiency Li Yi described!

What does this mean?

Li Yi's technology would bring about a major reform in ccpp units!

It would also lead to a major revolution in the steel industry!