Gu Jiu sat in the backyard of the butcher shop drinking tea
At this time, the goods in the butcher and vegetable store had already been sold out and were being cleaned.
Deng Cunli dealt with the troublesome farmers and hurried to meet Gu Jiu.
"This old servant pays his respects to the Madam."
"Is the matter settled?"
Deng Cunli nodded, "It's been dealt with. From now on, those ringleaders will never be able to buy a single onion or a pound of meat from the butcher shop."
I've also spoken to those cheap farmers. We won't interfere with who they want to trade with, but they can't cause trouble in front of our Sihai Trading Company. This is just one time, and it won't happen again. If they do it again, our Sihai Trading Company's meat and vegetable shop will not buy their produce."
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "You handled it well. There will always be traffickers who take shortcuts, so don't worry too much.
We win the market and gain trust through word of mouth and integrity. A few vendors can't stir up any trouble.
There are always some farmers who are greedy for small profits, so don't worry about it. What happened before is actually helping us to screen suppliers and customers.
A butcher and vegetable shop needs to sell high-quality meat and vegetables, and also needs to retain high-quality customers and suppliers. Those who are messy should be discarded.
Have the butcher and vegetable shop write down all the people who caused the trouble and make a list. I'll give it to Erzhuang. Erzhuang spends every day in the countryside. When he goes to the village, he has his own way of dealing with those greedy peasants and teaching them a lesson.
Deng Cunli agreed and said, "I'll hand over the list in a moment."
Gu Jiu continued, "I've already told you about the plan for the meat and vegetable shop. We need to attract as many farmers as possible throughout the Gyeonggi region to join our vegetable basket plan.
However, because many places are so remote, a trip to the capital takes several days. I plan to set up fixed delivery points in various locations, and the Sihai Trading Company's meat and vegetable store can prepare to open branches."
Deng Cunli was surprised. "So soon? Winter is coming soon. Isn't it too hasty to open a branch now? Why not wait until spring?"
Gu Jiu said, "Let's open two branches first to test the market's reaction. I heard from Er Zhuang that many restaurants are willing to cooperate directly with our meat and vegetable store."
"That's right. There are already more than ten restaurants in the capital, and they regularly purchase meat and vegetables from the butcher shop every day."
Gu Jiu was very happy.
The vegetable basket plan was an important part of her plan. Otherwise, she wouldn't have sent Erzhuang out to personally handle this matter.
"Let's open branches first and spread our influence and reputation. It doesn't matter if we put in the money first."
"I obey your command."
Gu Jiu then went on to talk about the relocation plan. "Before next summer, I don't care what method you use, whether it's violent demolition, emotional appeals, or interest-free loans. In short, the shantytowns must be completely demolished. All the refugees must be moved into the new village market. If there are those who refuse to cooperate, you know what to do."
"I know. Dismiss them, drive them away, there's always a way to make them submit."
Gu Jiu nodded and said, "The demolition methods must be both soft and hard. Don't let the refugees think that the landlord is weak and easy to bully.
Furthermore, starting next year, the mountain will be closed. Regardless of the method, promote coal stoves and honeycomb briquettes as quickly as possible. Honeycomb briquettes must also be made as cheap as possible, hitting the market at the lowest price. Ideally, it should be cheaper than firewood on the market.
Deng Cunli suddenly felt a lot of pressure. Making honeycomb coal cheaper than firewood was not an easy task.
He said: "According to my wife's instructions, the coal plant cannot make money when the quantity is small in the early stage."
Gu Jiu has always been decisive in his work. "I can subsidize the coal plant's profits for a year. Starting next year, the coal plant will be responsible for its own profits and losses."
Deng Cunli heaved a sigh of relief. "One year is enough."
Over the years, he has learned all kinds of fancy marketing from Gu Jiu.
He already had some preliminary ideas on how to promote the new coal stoves and honeycomb briquettes. He only needed to wait for the weather to cool down for another day before he could get to work.
Deng Cunli has personally experienced coal stoves and honeycomb coal. These things are convenient, simple, and really cheap.
Using free coal slag, compacted to make honeycomb briquettes, even if they cost only a penny each, the profit is nearly double. It's also possible to lower the price a bit.
If you are a little frugal, three or four honeycomb briquettes a day are enough.
It's only a hundred coins a month.
If it were half a year ago, when the refugees were so poor that they couldn't even afford a penny, honeycomb coal would have been a great product, but it would have been impossible to promote it.
But it’s different now. The refugees all have some money in their hands.
Many families would accept honeycomb coal that costs a few cents a day.
Because when winter comes, firewood also costs money.
Firewood is not necessarily cheaper than honeycomb coal, and it cannot be used to heat the house.
Next, Gu Jiu took a tour of the second phase of the project and finally went to the textile workshop.
The textile workshop with thousands of workers is full of people at first glance.
The textile workshop is divided into three workshops, one for spinning cotton, one for spinning wool, and one for making ready-made clothes.
The cotton piled up in the warehouse is all this year's new cotton.
It seems really fulfilling.
Outside the textile workshop, an artificial canal runs through, the gurgling water is very pleasant.
Beside the artificial canal, craftsmen are trying to set up a waterwheel.
Gu Jiu reminded Deng Cunli, "For the textile workshop, fire prevention is of paramount importance. Other workshops should be moved away from here. Also, do everything possible to provide convenience for the craftsmen and help them modify their textile machines. If the water flow in this artificial canal is not enough to power the waterwheel, then we can divert water from the Wei River."
Deng Cunli was shocked. "Diverting water from the Wei River is a huge project."
Gu Jiu looked at the towering waterwheel with excitement, "No matter how big the project is, it's nothing compared to this waterwheel."
Is this a waterwheel?
yes!
Not really!
This is productivity!
If the experiment at the textile workshop is successful, waterwheels will be used in most industries: spinning and weaving in textile workshops, pounding rice in grain and oil workshops, compacting coal in coal plants, irrigating farmland, and even for steel and iron making.
Wherever a large amount of manpower is required, it can be replaced by water wheels.
This is an improvement in productivity.
It is also the most solid step for Gu Jiu's huge business empire.
What is a developer?
Liberating productivity is what really matters.
Unfortunately, she only had a general idea of these things, and the craftsmen had to figure out how to implement them.
Fortunately, she has the best craftsmen of this era.
She opened a window for the craftsmen, and the craftsmen gave her a dream.
Is there anything more wonderful in the world than this?
There won't be any more.
Gu Jiu made a decision. "We can start evaluating the craftsmen by the end of the year, from level one to level twelve. Level twelve and above are master craftsmen. The higher the level, the higher the salary. This will encourage more people to learn and pass on the skills."
Deng Cunli asked, "After the craftsmen's grades are determined, how should their salaries be divided?"
Gu Jiu looked at the large waterwheel in front of him and said, "A first-class worker needs at least two years of training. The salary is at least three to five times that of a hard laborer.
For every level up in rank, the salary of a craftsman doubles. This does not apply to master craftsmen, whose salary is calculated separately.
As for the assessment standards, you can contact the Shaofu Jiangzuojian and ask them to help you set the standards. You can even pay them to help with the assessment."
Deng Cunli nodded, "I will hurry up and do it."
Gu Jiu reminded him, "In the future, we will need more and more craftsmen, and craftsman training must start now. Whether this place can take off and support hundreds of thousands of people depends on whether your craftsman training can keep up."
Also, the craftsman assessment is not limited to gender, and female workers in textile workshops can also take the craftsman assessment. As long as they pass the test, they can get a bonus. "
Deng Cunli frowned. "It would be a great disgrace for a female worker to take the test. Madam, I'm afraid we need to put this matter on hold. I'm worried it will draw public criticism."
Gu Jiu laughed, not caring at all.
She said, "Over the years, everything I've done has been a crime against humanity. It's just a test for a female worker, don't you think it's that serious?"
Ask those refugees: which is more important, the world's criticism or money? There is no shame in earning money with your own hands.
As long as you're willing to sacrifice your reputation and pass the craftsman exam, you can increase your income three to five times. With such a good opportunity, do you believe that more than 80% of the women workers here would lose their pride and choose to take the craftsman exam? The remaining 20% are all too embarrassed to take the exam because they don't have the skills."
Deng Cunli still found it hard to accept.
Gu Jiu smiled and gave him a few words of advice, "You have to be prepared. There will be more and more female workers here. Maybe one day, the number of female workers will far exceed that of male workers."
Deng Cunli didn't believe it.
Men work outside and women work inside, this has never changed.
How could there be more female workers than male workers?
Gu Jiu smiled mysteriously without further explanation.
After a busy day, it was time for her to return to the capital.
The road is not easy to walk on.
Many roads were still muddy, and the carriage was shaking violently.
Gu Jiu asked Deng Cunli, "Why aren't there any bluestone slabs?"
Deng Cunli said hurriedly, "I was just about to talk to Madam about this. Stone isn't produced near the capital, so the bluestone slabs for paving have to be shipped from other places, and the shipping costs are extremely high. Consequently, the cost of the bluestone slabs has also risen sharply."
If all roads are paved with bluestone slabs as Madam requested, it will be a huge expense. Therefore, I would like to ask Madam to save money by paving only the main streets with bluestone slabs.
Gu Jiu asked him, "How much did the bluestone slabs cost? How much did it cost to pave that street in the market?"
All the accounts were recorded in Deng Cunli's mind, and he immediately reported two numbers.
After hearing this, Gu Jiu did some careful calculations and realized that if he included the cost of the road into the house, the house price would have to rise rapidly.
It turns out that laying bluestone slabs is not cost-effective and is simply a waste of money.
But what does it look like to have such a nice city with muddy roads?
She pondered for a moment and asked, "If the capital doesn't produce stone, does it produce clay?"
"Produce!"
Gu Jiu laughed immediately.
She thought of modern cities, where the sidewalks were paved and quick and convenient.
There are no cars these days, and the only vehicles on the road are horse-drawn carriages, donkey carts, and ox carts. The bricks on the ground can fully withstand the crushing of these vehicles.
She said to Deng Cunli, "Bricks are definitely cheaper than stone. Let's find a way to build a kiln or find a brick-making company to cooperate with. Ask them to help us make blue bricks for paving the road."
Deng Cunli frowned, "Is it appropriate to pave the road with bricks?"
Gu Jiu laughed. "There's nothing wrong with it. But the bricks used for paving roads are definitely different from those used for building houses. To figure out how to make bricks, you should find a brick-making craftsman and ask him to help you figure out how to make the most suitable bricks for paving roads. As long as you can make them, we can have long-term cooperation. It's best to find two or more to avoid being manipulated."
Deng Cunli took note of this and said, "I hope it can really be burned out."
"It will definitely burn out."
The craftsmen of this era are actually very awesome.
In the past, they simply lacked opportunities to display their talents.
Now, Gu Jiu helps them open up their minds. As long as these old craftsmen are willing to seize the opportunity, they will surely burst out with unimaginable creativity and execution.
Haha, she found a new business point.
Once the bricks for paving the road are made and a model street is created, it can quickly be promoted from the capital to the whole world.
By then, it will be a huge industrial chain.
The carriage swayed slowly as it entered the capital from the South Gate.
She didn't rush back to the palace, but went to the pharmacy to take a look.
After several years of development, Xinglintang has established its own reputation and good reputation.
Especially the four signature prescriptions that Gu Jiu gave to Xinglintang were highly praised.
Nowadays, Xinglintang’s plaster for bruises and injuries has become a must-have plaster for the Xiuyiwei, Wucheng Bingmasi, Jinwuwei, and yamen runners.
Whenever you suffer losses from falls, you can always go to Xinglintang.
The plasters for bruises and injuries sold in other pharmacies in the capital are completely insufficient.
After three or five rounds, he was already defeated miserably.
These three signature prescriptions of the store are equally famous for relieving cough and phlegm, relieving pain from rheumatism, and regulating qi and blood.
When Gu Jiu arrived at Xinglin Hall, it was crowded with people.
The waiting room in a corner of the drugstore was full of ordinary people queuing up, about twenty or thirty of them.
Compared with the beginning when there were few visitors, it is like heaven and earth.
The number of shop assistants increased from two to six, and Doctor Tian's son, Tian Ku, became the shopkeeper.
In addition to Dr. Tian, another old doctor was invited to see the patient.
It would be less tiring if two people took turns seeing patients.
Gu Jiu sat in the carriage and watched for a while. The six servants were still too busy to handle it.
As the shopkeeper, Tian Ku not only has to do the accounting, but also has to help prescribe medicine.
Seeing that everyone was so busy, Gu Jiu didn't go in to disturb them.
"Return to the palace!"
The carriage swayed and returned to the palace.
Gu Jiu got off the carriage at the second gate.
The maid came forward to greet them warmly. "The Madam is back. Princess Huyang came to look for her, but when she saw she wasn't there, she went to Chunhe Hall to speak to the Princess."
"Oh, has Aunt Huyang arrived? How long have you been here?"
"Reporting to Madam, Princess Huyang has arrived half an hour ago."
Gu Jiu said, "I'm covered in dust, so I'll go back and wash up first. After an incense stick of time, Nanny Fang will invite Aunt Huyang to the East Courtyard for me."
"As you command."
…
Pei and Huyang, the sister-in-law, had always disliked each other. They would start arguing after just a few words.
Pei was annoyed to death by her.
When she heard that Gu Jiu had returned home, she waved her hands hurriedly, as if chasing away a fly, "Go away, go away, you are not welcome here."
"Sister-in-law is so cruel."
Pei's eyebrows twitched. "Don't try to play tricks on me. Didn't you go to talk to the eldest brother's wife? She's back now, hurry over."
"Sister-in-law doesn't like me as always. Humph, I don't even want to come to her place."
Pei was overjoyed. "Then don't come next time. This princess doesn't want you to come either."
Hu Yang sneered, "If my nephew's wife wasn't here today, do you think I would be happy to come to you?"
"This princess didn't ask you to come, so leave immediately."
"Just leave."
Hu Yang stood up, turned around and left.
She brought people to the East Courtyard.
Before she even entered the door, she heard a howl, "My nephew's wife, my life is miserable!"
As soon as Gu Jiu finished washing up and sat down, he heard Hu Yang complaining about his miserable life and almost dropped the brush in his hand.
She has a headache!
Princess Huyang rushed to Gu Jiu like a gust of wind, "Nephew's wife, you have to help me. I have a miserable life!"
"Aunt, don't cry first. Have a cup of tea and talk slowly."
Gu Jiu was very patient and coaxed Hu Yang like a child.
Don’t mention it, Princess Huyang falls for it.
So she particularly liked Gu Jiu, and she believed everything Gu Jiu said.
Qingmei served tea and stepped aside.
Gu Jiu coaxed Hu Yang, "Auntie, drink some tea first, Run Run."
The tea was just the right temperature. Hu Yang took a gulp from the cup, then wiped away his nonexistent tears with a handkerchief. Every word he sang was about how miserable his life was.
"Could you please tell me first what happened?"
Hu Yang sobbed, "The young monk is leaving the capital. Wow... my heart is breaking."
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