285

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! The boat is coming! The Fanzi boat is coming!"

Following the excited shouting, a group of people rushed out. Some of them didn't even put down the tools in their hands and followed anxiously.

When we arrived at the dock, there was another round of exclamations. We saw a dilapidated large ship parked in the dock, looking like it was ready to be slaughtered.

"It really is a foreign ship! Look at the hole in that ship! Aren't they afraid of the wind and waves?"

"Oh, how are we going to raise and lower so many sails? Don't you think these people are stupid? They don't even know to put some bamboo rafts on the sails. If they break, won't the whole sail have to be replaced?"

"I heard this is the compensation the barbarians gave us. Hey, this ship must have at least ten guns!"

"Can we repair this thing? It wasn't meant to be disassembled, right? I don't know what kind of wood the barbarians used..."

A group of onlookers were discussing excitedly from afar, but the person actually responsible for dismantling the ship was already standing in front of them.

"This kind of boat is different from ours. See? The bottom of the boat is sharper than that of the Fujian boat, and the bow and tail are the same. It is not easy to build the keel." Master Huang sighed as he watched.

The boy next to him immediately said, "Dad, with such a sharp bottom, wouldn't it be very shaky?"

The sand ships and trough ships they built all had flat bottoms. Even warships such as clippers and Fu ships had to have pointed bows and square sterns so that the ship could sail smoothly and people wouldn't get dizzy when they got on it.

Master Huang didn't blame him for being too talkative. He nodded approvingly. "A flat bottom makes the boat more stable, but a pointed bottom can better withstand wind and waves. And haven't you seen the cannons they're carrying? A dozen or twenty cannons firing at the same time, the thrust is enormous. Only with such a pointed bottom can the boat sway without sinking."

The boy suddenly realized something and then became worried again: "Do we have to repair our boat in the same way?"

This is completely different from what I learned before. Can I master it? A ship at sea is not like something that can sail on land. If you are not careful, it will sink.

"It's definitely not possible to build it exactly the same. We still have to use the foundation of the Fujian ship, but we have to make some changes to how to place the cannons and how to raise and lower the sails. This is a big project. I heard that three groups are working together to make the changes. We can't fall behind." Master Huang sighed.

He was once a prominent figure in Huangkou Tanka Village, owning a boatyard and taking over the Red Flag Gang's business. Later, the Red Flag Gang flourished, recruiting workers and forming an army. Tanka villagers flocked to join them, and their fishing boats stopped drifting along the coast, seemingly intent on settling on land. Who would willingly drift at sea if they didn't have a place to stay? Now, finally, a fair and just tycoon has emerged, and with the rise of the General Temple, not only Huangkou, but all the Tanka villages along the South China Sea might soon vanish.

Master Huang also saw the tide turning, and with a nephew who had previously worked on Luoling Island, he steeled himself and merged his shipyard into the Red Flag Gang, becoming a master craftsman and acquiring a stake. However, he knew he couldn't rule the place alone. There were three master craftsmen from the same Tanka village, not to mention the Dongning craftsmen and the skilled workers hired from outside. He couldn't afford to slack off for even a moment and needed to focus on his work.

While talking to his son, a voice suddenly came from the side: "Uncle, you are here."

Upon seeing the person coming, Master Huang's face immediately filled with smiles: "A Mao is here too, is he checking on the boat?"

Huang Mao smiled and nodded: "The master is taking us to see the bottom of the ship. The keel is quite interesting. I heard that they will start to dismantle it soon."

Foreign ships had docked on the island before, but they were in good condition and the soldiers were still training, so they could only take a quick look. It wasn't until the end of the war that a scrapped ship was towed over, allowing them to be disassembled and examined in detail. He had heard that his uncle and his men were coming, so he came to say hello and would be leaving soon.

This is important news. Master Huang understood and immediately said, "I'll take people over right away. You have to reserve a good spot for us."

There are certain techniques to dismantling a ship, and you need to learn other people's skills. Naturally, the closer you stand, the better.

Huang Mao smiled and said, "Don't worry, I've been thinking about it. But there's one more thing I need to inform you about. I heard that the shipyard is going to have a night school. It will be a two-hour class every day after dinner, teaching mathematics. Brother Liang, you'd better go and listen."

Master Huang was stunned and looked at his son. Huang Liang was also caught off guard and said in embarrassment, "Why should I go to school when I'm just a woodcutter?"

Huang Mao immediately said seriously, "Brother Liang, we'll all need rulers when building ships in the future. We'll need to calculate the size and the arc using numbers. If you don't learn now, you might not even be able to keep your uncle's shares in the future."

If it were their own shipyard in the past, no matter how capable his cousin Huangmao was, it would still belong to Huang Liang. But now, things have changed. Huangmao has become an apprentice of the Red Flag Gang, so how could he possibly work for them again? If he wants to keep his shares and pass down his skills, he'll probably have to rely on himself.

Huang Liang couldn't help but get nervous: "This, I'm so old, and I'm still going to school, I can't..."

Huang Mao immediately waved his hand and said, "These are people hired by our shipyard. The people attending the class are all grown men. Besides, the generals in the army are also learning mathematics, so why should we be afraid of learning it ourselves?"

Huang and his son were stunned by this. Master Huang was more decisive and slapped his son on the back: "Just go if I tell you to! Once you learn it, it will be your own skill!"

Huang Liang staggered after being slapped, and stammered, "Then, then I'll go and listen."

Huangmao immediately became happy: "Don't worry, I will go to learn it too, and we can sit together then."

He had actually learned quite a bit in the past few months and could even recognize a few words, but since they were all attending night classes, he had to attend anyway. If he didn't study hard, he'd be squeezed out by the others...

…

"I heard that another ship was launched recently. Is yours one of them?" Nowadays, when people in Dongning's wealthy circle meet, this is the first thing they will ask.

In preparation for war, the Red Flag Gang had previously offered a lucrative deal: depositing money into the bank would allow them to purchase a ship in their fleet, or even the naming rights. With the Long Whale Gang eyeing them covetously, few actually bought a ship; most simply put their name on the deal, hoping to share in the profits.

However, after the Long Whale Gang's defeat, things changed. How could owning a ship be the same as just naming it? Furthermore, Dongning had been devastated by the war, and many families had suffered heavy losses. To recoup their losses, they sold the naming rights. As a result, the price skyrocketed, leaving those who sold them heartbroken.

Those who still hold the ship and the naming rights are so proud that they would be remiss not to show off. The Changjing Gang has been defeated, and Hepu is about to be officially opened to navigation. There will be a lot of money in the future. This is a great deal!

Tang Yansheng, who bought two ships at once, became the object of everyone's flattery and became the head of the Dongning Chamber of Commerce.

"I think you have all heard that the Red Flag Gang is planning to open a new porcelain kiln." Sitting at the top, Tang Yansheng spoke slowly.

This was said without any context, and someone immediately chimed in, "Brother Tang, did you hear any news?"

Tang Yansheng didn't respond, but said, "The Red Flag Gang has opened many workshops. They previously opened a cement workshop, but now the cement has been sold to Dongmen and Yangxian. They previously opened a cloth workshop, but now they have acquired a weaving factory with thousands of looms in Panyu. Now they are planning to open a porcelain kiln."

This statement set people thinking, and made many drool. While it was true that they were salivating, getting a piece of the pie was not easy. Just like the cement factory, only Tang Yansheng had invested. And at the Panyu weaving mill, only a few bank shareholders had a stake.

Someone couldn't help but ask, "Brother Tang, do you have any way to get some shares? As long as it's Red Flag Gang's business, I'm willing to invest."

It was understandable that we were hesitant before, but now that the Red Flag Gang has dominated the South China Sea, any further hesitation would be foolish.

Unexpectedly, Tang Yansheng shook his head and said, "There's no hope of acquiring shares in the Red Flag Gang now, but don't forget, we still have a ship."

The man was shocked: "Could it be that we also want to open a porcelain kiln? Would this be taboo?"

Porcelain has always been a major maritime trade, with incalculable profits. Only wealthy individuals like the Red Flag Gang can enter; anyone else will be crushed to death. Furthermore, the Red Flag Gang's porcelain kiln has just opened, and you're following suit. Isn't that courting death?

Tang Yansheng immediately said, "That's wrong. The Red Flag Gang has so many businesses. Has it ever prevented others from doing business?"

That's not true. Forget about obstruction. Many people in Dongning now have bricklaying teams, making money by building concrete houses for others. The Red Flag Gang has never intended to dominate the market, which makes them much more straightforward than many wealthy families and merchants.

Seeing everyone looking at each other in bewilderment, Tang Yansheng didn't keep them in suspense. "The Red Flag Gang does business by sea. They charge fees for hanging flags and have their own fleet. They're the ones who want a prosperous maritime business and a fleet of ships. If that's the case, we can follow them and open a porcelain kiln and engage in maritime trade. Once that's done, it'll be a lucrative business."

Nothing could be more captivating than a mountain of gold and a sea of ​​silver, and everyone was immediately tempted. Some, still uneasy, asked, "Brother Tang, are you sure? If you can't be sure, I'm afraid it's still not safe."

Tang Yansheng was certainly certain of this, as he had personally asked Shopkeeper Wang about it. However, he couldn't be so explicit. He simply said, "If you have any concerns, don't force yourself."

When he said this, many people realized that this man had dared to be the first twice and had tasted the sweetness of being a guest of honor of the Red Flag Gang. Now that he had spoken, why were they hesitating?

Someone immediately said, "Since Brother Tang said so, I'm willing to do this business."

"Do you want to form a partnership? How big a porcelain kiln do you plan to open?"

"I'm afraid we'll have to find a good worker from Jiangdong. If the kiln is not built well, I'm afraid we'll lose money."

"By the way, do we have any porcelain clay mines here?"

A group of people were already discussing this, but Tang Yansheng coughed lightly, instantly shutting everyone up. Glancing at the merchants, he said, "Porcelain firing is a complex undertaking. We'll need to discuss this more carefully. But one thing must be said upfront: we need not only skilled workers but also skilled craftsmen. Anyone who can improve one or two processes and create new products will be generously rewarded."

If everyone could understand what I said before, this sentence is completely confusing.

Someone hesitated and said, "Aren't these kiln firing techniques all handed down from generation to generation? At most, they'd just change the patterns. How could they spend all day making new things?"

Seeing everyone's confusion, Tang Yansheng chuckled, "You probably don't know, but the cement process has been revised three times, with five formulas. Each time, the craftsmen were rewarded handsomely, the highest being a hundred taels of silver."

With a bang, the whole room exploded. One hundred taels, that would probably cover the peasant's expenses for half his lifetime! It's only been a short time, and he's already making frequent changes, and he's not skimping on the cost. This, this...

"Today's cement is much stronger and the output is also greater. If it weren't for these few hundred taels of reward, I'm afraid no one would think of changing it. It's like this for cement, silk, and certainly porcelain. If we stick to the old ways, we're afraid we won't be able to compete with those big businessmen and won't even get a sip of soup." Tang Yansheng sneered.

There was another buzzing sound below. Everyone knew that the new gadget could be sold at a high price, but it was time-consuming and labor-intensive, and could easily be stolen by others. Therefore, not many people were willing to invest the money.

Seeing that everyone was wavering again, Tang Yansheng threw out his final trump card: "Don't worry, Shopkeeper Wang has already agreed. Anything we research will be named after us. And for three years, the Red Flag Gang's ships will not accept the same goods from other companies."

Who is Shopkeeper Wang? Isn't he the Red Flag Gang's business manager? Did he really discuss this with the Red Flag Gang?

Now, no one had any more concerns. Regardless of whether they could create something new, at least this path was safe. If they could make a profit within three years, then the profits would be even greater. When it came to making money, who would be left behind?

"Brother Tang, I have connections. I can definitely invite a master craftsman from Jiangnan..."

"Brother Tang, Brother Tang, for the sake of our friendship..."

"Brother Tang, I still have a few naming rights on hand, I'm sure they can be used..."

A group of people started talking at once, and Tang Yansheng responded one by one with a smile.

He really didn't know what Boss Cheng's intention was, but he had to admit that this was a good business.

If you can come up with a few more new products that are worth showing off, would you still be worried about not making money or not being able to pass on the business to your family?