Chapter 338 Mobilizing the People's Enthusiasm
"Sir, what do you think of this kiln?" Su Laoer was looking through the blueprints when an official came running over.
The official in charge of the workshop was unsure about the new kiln and came to ask for instructions.
This kiln is different from the ordinary horizontal furnace, it is a blast furnace.
The top is equipped with various designs such as discharge ports, and the bottom outlet is connected to the pipeline and enters the next workshop for grinding, followed by dry and wet calcination...
New terms, new technology, and a factory building was built to prevent dust from flying.
Each person is given a gauze mask and a coarse cloth dust cover, and a sheepskin dust cover when it is cold.
Everyone was puzzled, especially the villagers. Many of them were not wearing anything as delicate as a gauze mask, so how could they bear to use it?
Su Laoer severely criticized them many times, telling them that the cement factory produced a lot of dust, which caused them to cough when inhaled into their lungs.
Over time, the lungs will become as hard as stone and the person will suffocate to death.
Everyone was skeptical, thinking that Su Laoer was exaggerating, so they tried not to wear it if possible and took the cloth home to save it.
The route of Dayuling was determined and the construction period was set. After the second-season rice was harvested and the winter wheat was planted in October, laborers from all over the county were recruited to build Dayuling.
During this period, we took advantage of the gap to build a cement plant and produce cement.
Su Laoer thought that he would be resisted by the people because the officials always pushed and delayed whenever possible. He often felt physically and mentally exhausted and had to take care of every aspect himself.
Only the manager sent by the Ministry of Industry can be used. He is highly professional and is also his former colleague.
Several times, Su Laoer was so tired that he wanted to write to Lu Zhaoshi and ask him for some help.
Then I thought again, there is no point in coming here. This is not their territory, and the government and township governments cannot interfere. They can only do errands, which is not very meaningful.
He could only bear it on his own and deeply understood the difficulties his brother faced as a county magistrate. There were too many people in the officialdom who were content with nothing but idleness.
This was the real sense of being able to stand on his own two feet. He couldn't retreat, so he had to follow his brother's example and coordinate and supervise all parties.
Although it was tiring, my abilities improved quickly, and I also learned how to deal with these corrupt officials without offending them and at the same time being able to drive them along.
When the notice was posted, there was no resistance as expected. The people ran around to tell each other, hoping that the government would start construction as soon as possible, as they had suffered from the difficulty of crossing Dayuling for a long time!
To build the cement plant, all the villagers from nearby came to work. They didn’t work for free, they were paid and provided with labor protection supplies.
Su Laoer was very touched, but also felt helpless about the villagers taking the labor protection products home!
We found a well-known local doctor to educate everyone and explain the dangers of inhaling too much dust. Only then did everyone gradually accept it and start wearing protective masks while working.
While the cement plant is being built, the road also needs to be widened and paved to facilitate the transportation of cement.
This cement plant immediately revitalized the local area and required a large number of wooden barrels and ox carts for loading and transportation.
A lot of raw materials were also transported in, such as iron slag, clay, etc., and a large number of people needed food and drink.
The men from each village go to work in the cement factory when they have time, and the women set up stalls on the roadside to sell food and tea.
Another team brought people to build a road along the Nanling Mountains of Dayuling Mountain, driving piles and pulling lines according to the markings on the blueprint.
Every day, many people walk dozens of miles to see it. When they see what the wooden stakes show, they all wonder why they didn’t think of this place.
Some people doubted it before and thought it was impossible, but after seeing the actual scene, they believe it can definitely be achieved!
"Sir, a merchant wants to see you!" The servant came to report.
"What's the matter!" Su Laoer was busy day and night in the cement factory. He wanted to make cement with higher viscosity and hardness.
After Dayuling was built, passenger flow increased, traffic became very busy, heavy cargo was carried, and the road surface was severely worn.
Ordinary cement roads do not last long and need to be repaired every six months or a year.
It would be great if we had better cement. Every repair is a waste of time and money, so we should use as little as possible.
"I don't know, just say I want to see the master!" the person below replied.
Su Laoer took off his protective mask, brushed off the dust on his body, and rode back to the post station.
"Sir Su!" A fat middle-aged man raised his hand and bowed, followed by many merchants.
"I'm Huang Baiwan, a ship merchant from Guangdong Port! Since we heard you're planning to build the Dayuling Mountain, we've prepared some money and supplies to help you dig through it as soon as possible!"
I was so excited when I saw the road marked by wooden stakes just now!
Every time overseas goods were shipped into the Central Plains, they would be blocked here, and a large number of laborers would be hired to carry the goods from the Pearl River Wharf over Dayuling Mountain to the Ganjiang Wharf.
They also carried the Central Plains porcelain, silk fabrics, etc. from the Ganjiang Wharf back to the Pearl River Wharf, which was time-consuming and labor-intensive. They had to stay here for a month or two each time to exchange supplies.
"Mr. Huang, you are too polite! I was ordered by the court to dig through Dayu Mountain. It is my duty. Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Huang!" Su Laoer declined politely.
"Sir Su, please accept this. This is not the work of Huang alone. It is the work of many ship merchants in Guangzhou Port. We do this as a token of our gratitude. We hope that you can complete the construction as soon as possible!" Huang Baiwan respectfully handed over a list.
Just as he was about to decline, another merchant from the Ganjiang River water transport came to ask for a meeting, also bringing money and property to help.
There was a lot of money and property, something Su Laoer had never seen before in his life, so how could he dare to accept it? Both sides pushed and pushed.
The merchants were sincere in their words and Su Laoer couldn't refuse, but these things were really hot to the touch.
On second thought, we asked the merchants to take their belongings back, but also asked them to help by providing bamboo strips, tung oil, wooden barrels, gauze masks, dust masks, various work tools, etc.
When being rejected, Huang Baiwan and others felt embarrassed, thinking that this Lord Su was too cold and unworldly.
But when they heard that they were asked to help later, they all happily agreed and promised to deliver it within half a month.
They also contributed to the construction of Dayuling Mountain, which is more practical and saves money than simply sending money and goods.
Su Laoer also eliminated the tedious purchasing process, allowing customers to feel involved.
He publicly stated that he would register all donated materials from each household.
After the road is completed, monuments will be erected at both ends of the road, with the names of all donors, government officials, and villages involved in the construction engraved on them as a memorial.
As soon as these words were spoken, not only Huang Baiwan and his group of merchants were excited, but the officials who originally had no motivation suddenly became enthusiastic and proactive as if they had been injected with chicken blood!
Su Laoer was confused. How could the person who was impossible to control before suddenly be so full of fighting spirit?
Fulu and his companions rode at full speed and soon arrived at Dayuling Mountain.
Before reaching the post station, he was blocked by the bustling crowd of pedestrians in front of him. He asked passers-by what was happening ahead.
Passersby happily told them that Dayuling was going to be repaired, a cement plant was being built, and the road from the cement plant to Dayuling had been opened.
Fulu was curious and went around to take a look.
Truckloads of raw materials, tools, etc. were transported in.
The cement factory is about the same size as the Qingshi Mountain in Huanggou Village, but larger and taller. There are people coming and going on site and there is plenty of labor.
I also went to see the road that was about to be built. There were piles of bamboo strips, baskets, etc. on the roadside, ready to start construction at any time.
When Fulu heard that all the participating merchants, government officials, officials, and villages would have inscriptions and monuments erected, he marveled at the Su family's intelligence, and how they could mobilize the enthusiasm of the people in this way!
I hope I can take this path when I return!
As we led the horse carefully and arduously over the Beiling Mountains, our desire for a new road to be built became stronger and more urgent.
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