Chapter 278 Recruiting Talents
The power principle of the steam loom is to heat water through a boiler to generate steam. The steam expands in the cylinder and pushes the piston to reciprocate. The reciprocating linear motion is then converted into the rotational motion of the crankshaft through a connecting rod structure to complete the basic work of textile production.
Textile machines are fixed equipment and only need to ensure stable output.
A vehicle that can be pulled by steam power must not only have sufficient traction, but also make this force controllable, able to be adjusted and changed in direction at any time. And because the entire boiler is on the vehicle, its working efficiency must be considered.
Zhao Yuanxi provided a drawing of the valves connected to the steam engine. By controlling the closing of the valves, the power supply can be controlled so that the speed and stop of the car can be adjusted at any time.
Of course, Zhao Yuanxi did not put all her eggs in one basket. She didn't know how much time would be needed until the steam locomotive was actually built and put into use. She couldn't wait here for Meng Xi to finish before starting to build the highway from Yunzhong County to Xianyang.
After Kaogongling planned the route, she had people start construction.
Most of the technical personnel are craftsmen under the command of the Kaogongling, and those migrant workers are recruited from all over the place. However, if they do not need to perform labor this time, they can receive a certain amount of wages. If they need to complete labor, they will also be provided with enough food and do not need to bring any additional food.
All county magistrates in the counties through which this road passes must cooperate with its work.
Mao Heng, the magistrate of Yiyang County, also received the news and was responsible for the construction of a section of road in his jurisdiction.
When Mao Heng first heard the news, he thought that Qin was going to forcibly conscript laborers. His face looked heavy. It was spring plowing season now. If a large number of laborers were conscripted to build roads, Yi Yang would have a hard time this year.
He asked the messenger who had come to deliver the message, "Does this road have to be repaired now?"
"It's all clearly written on the decree. Please read it yourself, County Magistrate! I still have to pass on the order elsewhere! Don't worry, this matter was pushed by the Empress Dowager. I heard that the Empress Dowager paid a large sum of money!"
When talking about that sum of money, Ling Shi couldn't help but smack his lips. If he could just use up some of that money, he would never have to worry about food and drink for the rest of his life.
Mao Heng was stunned. A while ago, Mao Chang wrote back and said that the Queen Mother was asking him to sort out the classics left by the State of Zhao and translate those classics into Qin characters. Now he was working under Lady Mi, the wife of former Prime Minister Zhang.
Mao Heng thought that the empress dowager was only interested in those historical and cultural materials, but he didn't expect that she was also in charge of road construction!
He opened the decree and read it carefully before understanding the whole story. He also sighed as the envoy did: it was really a huge sum of money.
Why did conscripting laborers make the people's lives miserable? In addition to delaying the farming season, conscripted laborers would not be provided with food and money. Even if there was, it was only a small part. The people spent a lot of time, energy, money and food, and even sacrificed their bodies, but in return they could not get anything they needed.
They are just consumables, and when they are gone, we will replace them with the next batch.
But with this money, the laborers can at least survive during the construction process, and even live a better life.
Those who were hungry and displaced were able to get a full meal during the road construction process.
Tears glistened in Mao Heng's eyes.
The county magistrate was shocked upon seeing this and said in panic, "Mao, County Magistrate, how many civilians are the court going to conscript? We in Yiyang have just breathed a sigh of relief, and some of the people on the road are still surviving by digging wild vegetables and tree roots! If they conscript everyone, we will all be dead!"
He was making so much noise and fuss that Mao Heng didn't know what to say. "Stop, stop, stop! Who said we're going to requisition all the people? We still need people to farm this land! Take a look for yourself!"
The county magistrate took it, confused, and after reading it, he clapped his hands and laughed, "Great! Great! With this amount of money, our county will have enough money to buy seeds this year! Many people will be able to afford food!"
Last year, the Queen Mother ordered the planting of new crops such as corn and soybeans here, and also reduced taxes, which indeed brought life back to the people of Yiyang. However, those who had no land still had no land, and the people had to rely on farming for the rich. Even if the harvest was good, they could only make ends meet, and the bulk of the profits were taken away by the rich.
These landless people have had no other way to support their families except to work as tenants. If the road could be built, at the end of the year, even after deducting the one month of duty each year, the remaining eleven months would allow those people to save enough money to buy their own land and crops next year. Wouldn't that make their lives better?
The more the county magistrate thought about it, the happier he became. He rolled his eyes and said with a smile, "I heard that private schools are booming in Xianyang. County Magistrate Mao sent his nephew to Xianyang early on. He really has foresight."
The county magistrate's idea was very simple. Xianyang might not be a bad place to go. Mao Chang, that scoundrel, had even managed to work as a book editor for Queen Mother Zhao. In time, he would surely be given an official position and a higher rank. Seeing this, he felt itchy.
Mao Heng stroked his beard, feeling elated, but spoke politely, "The Empress Dowager came personally to take Mao Chang away. I don't know what she liked about Chang'er. As his uncle, I warned him repeatedly, fearing he might cause trouble in Xianyang. Fortunately, this child was quite obedient and worked honestly under the Empress Dowager's command!"
"Yes, yes, that child Chang'er, I have always felt that he has extraordinary bearing and will have a great future!"
"Hahahaha——" Mao Heng laughed.
Seeing that the time was almost right, the county magistrate pretended to be distressed and said, "My son has learned some classics and historical literature, but he still hasn't made a proper living. He is really not as good as Chang'er. My wife is so worried that her hair has turned white."
"The child is still young, the county magistrate does not need to worry."
"Well, I have an unwelcome request. I would like to ask the county magistrate for help. Although my son is not as good as Chang'er, he is also quite knowledgeable. I wonder if the Queen Mother still needs any work. I am not picky. I just want him to have a meal."
"this--"
"Yier was raised under your care, County Magistrate. Don't you still worry about him?"
Mao Heng thought for a moment and sighed, "I'll write to Chang'er and ask him to find out."
The county magistrate quickly thanked him and bowed, "Then I would like to thank you, the county magistrate."
Zhao Yuanxi is indeed recruiting talents at this moment. She has more and more businesses and needs more and more manpower. What's more, she has only completed three-tenths of the tasks assigned to her by the system, and there is still seven major tasks to be completed!
The first batch of graduates from Yuanxi College entered management positions in her business empire, but even here she is often short of staff.
The newspapers have published seven consecutive recruitment notices, and even the prime minister's magazine has an advertisement for recruiting talents.
Indeed, many people came to submit their business cards. Except for some people who were good at business, the others were handed over to Zhang Cang for screening. Those with good talents and character were recommended to the Minister of Justice for selection.
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