Chapter 179
Chapter 179
September 25, the first year of the Yongkang period.
The weather in Suzhou is starting to get cold again.
In weather like this, it seems like there is nothing to do.
Except for the steam plant.
Many workers go to the boiler to keep warm when they have free time.
With such a huge boiler burning, it's no problem to sleep in this boiler room.
Ji Yuan has been very busy lately.
The three steam engines have been built and are ready to go.
But many details must be explained clearly.
After all, this is unique to Tianqi.
If they succeeded, people from all over Qi would follow suit that day.
If it fails.
I am afraid that the advancement speed of steam engines everywhere will slow down.
It’s not that Ji Yuan thinks too highly of himself, but as the first steam factory, he does shoulder such a heavy responsibility.
Not to mention, because he was too good to the laborers, he became a thorn in the eyes of more people.
I heard that laborers in various places are rebelling.
Some local government offices even forbade them to inquire about Suzhou's affairs.
It seems that their interests have really been affected.
Ji Yuan shook his head.
Never mind that for now.
However, Suzhou was able to afford the standard labor costs for so many laborers because of the steam engine and rubber grass.
Before, the government had emptied its coffers and could not afford it.
Not to mention, he also distributed a lot of monthly salary and bonuses to officials at all levels in Suzhou government.
We all work overtime with him every day, and we can’t even neglect our family.
Ultimately, it is still necessary to improve productivity.
Only by improving productivity can we achieve better development.
Therefore, before the steam engine officially started working, he had to sort out the affairs of Suzhou.
Today, there are fifteen steam engines in Suzhou, which means that fifteen mines have been restarted. But even so, the local coal price has not dropped.
One reason is that winter is coming soon and the weather in Suzhou gets cold early, so everyone needs to stock up on coal for the New Year.
Second, steam engines do require a lot of coal.
In general, the price will not drop due to a large increase in coal.
Because of this, several other places that were waiting and watching are expected to build steam engines on a large scale after the new year.
If nothing unexpected happens, the number of steam engines will increase exponentially next year.
This is just Suzhou.
I heard that the situation in Jinzhou Prefecture is better.
They also designed a versatile steam engine.
It can help with drainage and transport of goods.
Even the coke workshop in Jinzhou Prefecture will most likely use steam engines instead of manual power.
However, the exact number of steam engines there is still unclear in the era.
Jinzhou Prefecture probably failed to reach an agreement with Ji Yuan.
In other words, they were building steam engines in secret and not telling Epoch at all.
Everyone knows this, so it’s not a big deal.
Because there are so many local miners, they also have their own organization and, like Suzhou, have a certain say.
It can be said that both sides have made concessions.
Steam engines in other parts of the country were similar to those in Jinzhou Prefecture.
Ji Yuan knows of only about fifty of them in the entire country.
Are they all useful?
That's not entirely true. After all, different places have different levels of skills. Some places can't do it even with the blueprints, so they will probably have to come to Suzhou for help.
Or perhaps their interest in steam engines was only temporary.
Why?
Because we are talking about industrialization now?
That's not even close.
At best, it is semi-industrialized, with one foot just extended out.
So in this case, a steam engine that requires time and effort to build is compared to the cheap and almost non-existent manpower.
Those wealthy people will still choose the latter.
Anyway, there is no difference for them whether machines do the work or humans do the work, as long as they can do it.
Only when it comes to things like restarting abandoned mines, which is impossible with human power, will they pay more attention to steam engines.
For example.
There is a piece of land. If you buy a machine to plow it, it will cost three thousand taels of silver, and it can be plowed in about three days.
But if you use manpower, each person gets ten cents a day, and if you hire a hundred people to work for half a month, that would only be fifteen taels of silver.
Moreover, for the landlord, there is no difference between working for three days and working for fifteen days.
Anyway, it won’t delay spring ploughing.
For the landlord, purchasing advanced machines would be a loss and not as cost-effective as using manpower.
After all, the price of one machine can hire a hundred people to work for you for two hundred years.
This is the situation that steam engines face today.
Unless it is absolutely necessary, there is no problem in still using them like beasts of burden.
Want to break this deadlock.
There are only two ways to break through.
One is the technology of the steam engine, which has reached a level that is absolutely unattainable by human power.
For example, helping to drain mines.
Or maybe labor is so expensive that they can't ignore the cost.
We can only focus on steam engines.
Ji Yuan just feels that the wages of workers everywhere are still too low.
Therefore, the wages of cement factory workers must be greatly increased.
Not to mention attracting people from the entire Tianqi Kingdom.
At least the labor prices in Suzhou should be raised.
Cheap labor?
What a dream.
By then, Suzhou will attract more people to come and work.
The prices of workers in the entire Hexi Prefecture will increase.
Only by stabilizing prices on the one hand and raising wages on the other can the steam engine work.
These things are easy to say, but in reality they face resistance and difficulties.
Because this is the first time we do this, we have to find loopholes in advance to prevent anyone from taking advantage of them.
Ji Yuan, Cai Fenglan, and a group of people including the Suzhou Lisi, Gongsi, Husi and others.
Finally came up with a feasible plan.
In order to cope with the various unexpected events that may arise due to the excessive number of steam engines in the future.
This plan was put forward a little early.
After all, there are only a dozen steam engines in Suzhou, and less than fifty in the whole country.
In this situation, it sounds nice to say that it is preparing for a rainy day, but isn’t it too early?
Ji Yuan thought.
That was when the steam cement plant was still under preparation.
Once the technology becomes truly effective, you will see how steam engines have exploded all over the country.
In addition to steam engines, the rubber industry is naturally also a focus of attention.
Cai Fenglan and Liu Jun are mainly responsible for this matter, and the problem is not big. There are even smart people who are breeding better rubber grass seeds, and it is estimated that an industry can be formed.
Within three to five years, rubber grass will become the pillar industry of the entire Hexi Prefecture.
Unfortunately, although rubber grass belongs to the genus Taraxacum, this type of dandelion can only be grown in Hexi Prefecture and further northwest.
Other places have tried to grow rubber grass but have not been successful.
All we can say is that Hexi Prefecture was blessed by God, and no one can do anything about it.
Therefore, Ji Yuan and Cai Fenglan do not need to take care of the rubber industry. The prefect of Hexi Prefecture will stipulate the balance between rubber grass and local staple food.
It will not only ensure the stable output of rubber, but also guarantee the price and even the quality.
After all, even the dumbest person knows that these are all political achievements.
When the prefect of Hexi Prefecture first took office, he was afraid that Ji Yuan would think he was stealing his achievements.
But after asking a few times, I found that Ji Yuan and Cai Fenglan didn't mind at all, and even said: "It can be planted everywhere in Hexi Prefecture. It would be best if you take the lead."
The prefects were silent.
I've only heard of bosses giving tasks to subordinates, but I've never heard of letting your boss do your work.
But it is true that as the prefect of Hexi Prefecture, he has a better understanding of the situations in various places.
Therefore, the prefect put a lot of pressure on Ji Yuan.
Those who wanted to question him why he paid such high wages for labor were stopped by the prefect.
Those people sneered and said to the prefect, "It's because he handed the rubber business over to you that the tax revenue of Hexi Prefecture has increased so much every year."
"From this perspective, as long as you figure out the rubber issue, your next post will definitely be transferred to the capital."
"That's why I protect him like this!"
The prefect rolled his eyes: "You know it and you're still telling me?"
The other party was choked. He thought the prefect would deny it or would be unhappy.
If we continue to sow discord under such circumstances, will Ji Yuan still have an easy life?
But the prefect of Hexi Prefecture didn't care at all, and said with a smile: "If your master had a subordinate like Ji Yuan, and an opportunity like this official, he would also choose to help."
What are the benefits of helping the nobles of the world to contain the era?
The most important thing is to take advantage of the momentum of Ji Yuan and achieve some political achievements for yourself.
After understanding these things, I feel my career has become smoother.
What?
Ji Yuan is his subordinate, and by doing this he is actually just following Ji Yuan.
The prefect rolled his eyes again.
The fact that he was transferred to a remote place like Hexi Prefecture to serve as a prefect shows that he had no connections in the court and no political achievements.
What about the era?
I am only twenty-two this year, and my twenty-second birthday will be in November.
At this age, he is already a fourth-rank official. When I was his age, I was still trying to pass the imperial examination.
It doesn't take much thought to know that at Ji Yuan's age, he would definitely be a cabinet minister in the court.
In this case.
Still jealous?
Is he crazy?
When you meet a bigger thigh in the workplace, no matter whether he or she is your subordinate, just hold on to him or her tightly.
And these things will not harm his interests.
As a prefect, he can only rise to prominence by doing these things.
As for the increase in labor prices and the troubles caused by these unruly people, what does it have to do with him?
His family is not a wealthy aristocratic family, and he does not have thousands of acres of fertile land. He just needs to do his own thing honestly.
If you work with those people, not only will they ask you to pay tribute to them, but they will also interfere in your affairs.
What about following Ji Yuan?
They don't care about the money at all, and they won't let a young man from the tribe come and tell them what to do.
Rubber is a good thing, and people will get a share of it.
From this perspective, isn’t it clear at a glance who to cooperate with and who not to cooperate with?
The man was speechless.
Can it target Epoch directly?
The soldiers around him were very alert.
And who dares to do it?
Anyone who dares to harm Ji Yuan will be condemned by thousands of people.
Who will be able to afford it then?
No one can afford it, not even the family.
Besides, there are also differences within the major families.
This does not mean that we completely deny the person Ji Yuan.
hateful.
This person is really hateful.
The damn era is still in the cement factory.
Before October, the three steam engines will be started one after another.
The boiler was already burning, and filling it with a large amount of coal seemed to have no effect at all.
There's no way, this boiler is really too big.
The workers wiped the sweat from their heads and continued to fill it in until the flames jumped up and the bottom of the boiler was flat.
A large amount of coal is also needed to keep the boiler burning until steam is produced.
Steam travels along pipes, pushing levers and gears, creating a controllable force.
This force forms a huge mixer, which mixes and grinds the mineral materials that are pulled over this time.
Then all the raw materials were transported to another factory building using steam power.
As you enter this factory, you can see the towering chimney.
The calcination temperature must be as high as over 1,400 degrees to produce clinker.
So the steam engine in this place is used as a combustion power, replacing the huge bellows of human horsepower.
The laborers who used to pull the bellows now just have to watch over them.
According to Lord Ji, we must pay attention to safety, safety first.
After high-temperature calcination, the clinker enters the next plant.
There are countless mineral materials piled up in this factory. It is time for the final step. All the mineral materials are mixed together, ground into powder and become cement.
But this plant was a little different.
As the largest steam engine in the entire cement plant, it is connected to different pipes.
Each pipeline leads to a different production line.
The cement models on each production line are different and their actual uses are also different.
So at this point, more workers and more advanced steam engines are needed.
The last step is definitely to pack the goods.
Packing and shipping is the easiest, but also the most laborious.
It is best to find someone who can read to do this step, otherwise if something goes wrong during shipment, it will be troublesome.
The main building of this simplified version of the steam factory is finally completed!
Even the office building and the factory wall were not built, only the main structure was completed.
If a modern construction team were to see this, they would definitely say, what the hell is this.
But even such a semi-finished product is enough to amaze people.
Everyone who sees this scene will be shocked.
Such a huge machine can accomplish things that are beyond human power without much effort.
If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, you would definitely say it was a miracle.
But this is not a miracle, this is real, it is a man-made machine, a man-made assembly line.
Even though we knew the magic of the steam engine, seeing the scene today, we still can't help but say: "This, this thing is really amazing."
October.
It has started snowing in Suzhou, and winter has already arrived in Suzhou.
But this Suzhou steam cement plant has just started construction.
The first batch of cement is about to be produced.
In the past, the cement workshop could produce about 5,000 kilograms of cement manually in a month.
On the other hand, the steam workshop produced 150,000 kilograms in just half a month.
One hundred and fifty thousand kilograms of cement.
Although this is also due to the inequality in scale.
But compared to this, the former is not even a fraction of the latter.
And in terms of time, there is a huge difference between half a month and one month.
This is different from spring ploughing.
Farming just needs to be completed within the specified time.
For such salable goods, the sooner they are produced, the better.
Do the same with bricks.
You make it by hand for a hundred yuan.
The machines I have here cost 10,000 yuan.
Can the former compete with the latter?
Absolutely impossible.
The 150,000 kilograms of cement made almost everyone's eyes light up.
There is no need to say more about the magic of cement.
They want to buy!
They want to use it on their own house!
So many tall buildings and palaces need cement!
But another group of people, who are close to the water, get the moon first.
That is Wuying, who has not appeared for a long time, and Commander Li.
Some people even spread rumors that there might be a conflict between them. Otherwise, there must be something wrong if they hadn't appeared for so long.
But now that the cement has been made, Commander Li has appeared.
Afterwards, the prefect of Hexi Prefecture and the commander-in-chief of Hexi Prefecture also came.
After a round of secret discussions, the batch of cement was delivered to Northwest Border Guard as quickly as possible.
What are you sending it to?!
Before the weather gets too cold, we should reinforce the city walls.
And at least half of the subsequent cement will be produced specifically for full-backs.
By the beginning of next spring, the troops stationed at the border guards will continue to reinforce the border until it becomes an iron wall.
What about the remaining half?
Of course!
Sell it!
Everyone can purchase on demand, and merchants in need can place orders.
What?
Afraid of not being able to buy it?
Look at their steam cement plant, is there any need to worry?
Ji Yuan thought, there is still reason to be worried.
Although the steam cement plant has a huge output, it cannot keep up with the demand.
There will be many places where cement will be needed in the future.
By then, there will definitely be a shortage of supply.
The most important thing.
It will let everyone see the potential of the steam engine.
The days of the single steam engine are over!
Why not build a steam factory for fun?
What?
Won't?
Then you guys are really bad.
Another winter is here.
The people of Suzhou only felt that they had met people from almost all parts of Tianqi Kingdom in this year.
There is no way, these people always run back to their hometowns.
After running over here, he acted like a bumpkin.
Sometimes he asks about cooked rubber, sometimes he asks about steam engines.
Some people are also asking about the wages for their labor.
Some people even asked about the factory workers' wages and asked them if people from other places could apply for the job if the steam factory recruited next year.
Just ask about other things.
But what if you ask whether the factory recruits people from other places?
He will definitely be severely scolded by the people of Suzhou.
You outsiders should stop stealing our jobs!
Why?
Not to mention the local talents!
The locals won’t tell you!
Finally, I heard about the treatment at the steam factory from a scholar in Suzhou.
These Suzhou scholars were also indignant.
"The steam factory only needs two kinds of people. One kind is women, who are said to be meticulous and down-to-earth in their work."
"There are also men who have done hard labor. They say that factory work is hard and one must endure hardships."
In short,
It's good to work hard.
It's good to have done hard labor, but it directly excludes people with better family conditions.
Another point is that if you want to farm at home, no matter you are a tenant or have your own land, you must be a hard-working person known in the surrounding area.
What?
Falsely claiming to be a hard-working person?
And you asked someone to give false testimony for you?
What a joke! Just ask around and everyone will know whether it’s true or not.
Some people also say that it depends on whether educated people can go, because factories need people who can write and read to produce goods.
Yes, but only those from poor families.
Anyone with a little wealth was excluded.
Anyway, a group of scholars were so angry that they were jumping up and down.
The steam cement plant's reasons are legitimate.
It's dusty, dirty and tiring here, and only the poor can persevere.
Besides, you are so rich, why do you want to compete with poor people for jobs?
As a result, a strange sight appeared outside the Suzhou factory.
Everyone was vying to say that their family conditions were poor. One moment they said they had sick parents, another moment they said they had many children. In a word, they all couldn’t get enough to eat!
At this time, someone may ask a question.
Not having enough to eat?
Why not grow some rubber grass?
It is hard work, but it won’t be so hard that you won’t have to eat.
Yes, there are so many opportunities in Suzhou, how can you not have enough food to eat?
Even those who were not impoverished due to illness would still be repeatedly questioned by the clerks recruiting workers at the steam cement factory.
It’s so annoying!
Are you recruiting workers?
It's clearly humiliating!
But those who can be humiliated are either lazy and greedy, or those who come from a well-off family and want to steal opportunities from others.
If you tell others about it, you will just be laughed at.
"Then why do you all want to go?"
“The conditions are good.”
"In addition to the fixed monthly salary, there are also performance bonuses and gifts for all seasons and festivals."
"They also said that the factory would set up a private school for the cement factory, and the children of factory workers would be able to study for free. If there are elderly people at home, they would also be given medical expenses."
"I heard they also gave out work clothes made of Dianzhou fabric, which is really impressive."
"Does their cement factory have so much money?!"
"How come there isn't any? Can't you see that their office is already filled with orders?!"
"Why am I not from Suzhou?"
"What are you talking about! Just because my parents left me two houses, I am not eligible to apply! How can I not be poor?"
After saying this, the two of them no longer had anything to say to each other.
You are not from Suzhou, and you still want to work in the factory?
Do you have two houses? Do you want to go to the factory?
It seems that the cement factory was right not to recruit you!
The two had the same idea, but they were really jealous of the treatment given in that factory.
What about the factory workers?
Never say how much money you make.
It is absolutely impossible to say that performance-based wages are more than basic salary.
If they tell others, there will definitely be a lot of people competing with them for it, right?
This won’t do!
However, the factory has strict rules. For example, you must learn 100 words in the first year, and you cannot be late or leave early, or slack off.
You must also work in accordance with safety regulations.
Those who work hard for three days and rest for two days, as well as those who violate regulations, will definitely be fired.
The rest is fine.
Learning characters makes it difficult for them.
Fortunately, the monthly salary is generous enough and there is enough rest time for them to learn to read in their spare time.
Lord Ji said that they are the best workers in the world and they must be better than others.
That’s right!
They will do it!
If ordinary people want to work in a factory.
The wealthy and powerful saw the huge profits of the factory.
Even if the workers didn't say anything, they could guess something.
Half of the monthly output of at least 300,000 jin was given to Bianwei, as if it was used as tax to offset the output to Hexi Prefecture, which then transferred the money to Bianwei.
But the price was very good, and it could be considered as allocating supplies to the sidebacks.
The remaining half was sold.
Even so, I heard that the production has not been liberalized, reaching 150,000 kilograms per month.
If we wait until the beginning of the year when the weather warms up and truly release the production capacity they mentioned, it is estimated that one can produce 500,000 kilograms.
What about the profit?
Although the entire factory requires a lot of workers, the number of staff is still greatly reduced compared to traditional workshops.
If it were them, they would not pay such high wages, and the profits would definitely be doubled.
Why not pay such high salary?
How easy is factory work?
At least it's easier than working outside, why should I pay so much money?
But when this idea came out, everyone thought of Ji Yuan again.
If they want to learn how to build a steam plant, they have to go to Ji Yuan.
What if Ji Yuan gives them a workers' convention?
So should I sign or not?
The miners are already very unhappy about the increase in pay.
Now they are asked to give these lower-class people higher monthly salaries?
Isn't this a dream!
If you calculate it this way.
Let’s not open the steam factory.
It's all the same anyway.
The worst that can happen is that they hire more people!
It’s a pity that this person doesn’t know.
Once caught up in the torrent of the times, no one can be immune, least of all them.
People who have these ideas will definitely be abandoned by new things.
When the time comes, people will cry out that rituals and music are in chaos and that the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed.
But what's the use of these words?
Anyway, the steam engine has come out.
Steam Factory is also out.
No one can stop what happens next.
Even Ji Yuan himself can't do it.
The new year is coming again.
Ji Yuan believed that the steam cement plant would definitely be more shocking than the emergence of the steam engine.
Anyone with insight will know its potential.
Not to mention that cement also emerged out of nowhere.
I think by next year, the role of cement will become apparent and it will eventually become irreplaceable.
He was very confident that by then, steam engines would definitely be used all over Tianqi.
Tianqi Kingdom.
Northwest Frontier.
The barbarians on horseback looked at the Northwest Pass from afar and frowned tightly: "What is that? Why did the Northwest Pass change color?"
It's gray and was recently put up there by the soldiers at the Northwest Pass.
Reinforcement works?
Why?
Did they know that they intended to go south?
Where did they get the news from?
The scout replied, "I don't know what it is, but they made a lot of barbs in front of the city gates and poured these things on the city walls."
"But the weather turned cold so quickly that only the city gate was watered. The city wall is still the same as before."
"Find out and make a decision later."
A young man in gorgeous clothes behind him said, "Brother! We can't wait any longer! The cold weather came early this year, the cattle and sheep all froze to death, and there is no food to eat."
"We have to go to Northwest City!"
The person who is called "big brother" doesn't mean to hit him.
But this kind of thing is really too suspicious.
"We'll discuss it again when we get back."
"If that doesn't work, go through the undefended city wall."
The Northwest has a vast geographical area.
Even though the city walls were repaired everywhere, some places had gaps due to disrepair.
These barbarians have already figured it out.
Every time we came down to thresh the straw, we had to go through the holes.
I guess this year is no exception.
"Send someone to continue the investigation."
"If necessary, contact the spies in the northwest city."
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