A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 340 Teaching Again
After all, the factory had just started operation, and Li Yu didn't ask for any production capacity.

Especially the high-end radio, he is not in a hurry, so as not to become a place that attracts too much attention.

As for monosodium glutamate, etc., it is more likely that Li Yu wants to earn some money for charity.

Although it is an inconspicuous little thing, the industry involved in daily necessities of life was actually very profitable in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China.

Isn't table salt a typical example?

If industrialization continues to deepen in a few years, the price of salt will continue to fall. In later generations, ordinary people will no longer feel the price of salt, and they will never hear the term salt tax.

However, if you look at the data, the salt tax has always been a very important pillar tax of the feudal dynasty. Even in the year when the Qing Dynasty perished, the salt tax still accounted for a terrifying quarter of fiscal revenue.

Since the feudal court regarded salt as a key tax area, the price of salt would naturally not be too low.

Konoe Zhaoxue is a high-achieving student in Dongya Tongwen Academy, and she has also dabbled in economics. She said, "Sir, your actions will greatly damage the interests of our factory."

She is now a senior leader of the factory, and she has been very concerned about efficiency issues since the beginning of the company.

But what you said is right, because the purpose of survival for enterprises is to make profits.

It's just that Li Yu thought a little more. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, the development will not be delayed, because there are other industrial supports."

Konoe Zhaoxue said: "If we earn money and help the victims, then we are doing charity?"

Li Yu laughed: "I just want to do charity."

Konoe Zhaoxue couldn't understand: "If this goes on, I can't become a big businessman."

Li Yu spread his hands: "Wealth depends on the sky, it can't be said for sure."

He glanced at Xu Shichang next to him again, and quickly said to him: "Master Xu, don't worry, there will be no less taxation, and what I control is only the profit part."

Xu Shichang said: "The emperor has a big heart, I admire it."

Jinwei Zhaoxue said anxiously: "Sir, I know you are very talented, but do you not understand economics?"

Li Yu opened his mouth, thought for a while and then said: "It's true that I only know a little bit."

Konoe Zhaoxue said: "There are already so many related books in the West, haven't you studied them?"

Li Yu spread his hands: "How do I have so much time?"

"Anyway, it's wrong for you to do this." Konoe Zhaoxue sighed, really wondering what Li Yu was thinking.

Li Yuman didn't care: "There won't be any problems. The salaries of the workers, the taxes of the court, and the development of the enterprise will not be delayed. I just don't want to make much money in these industries."

"It's wrong not to want to make money!" Konoe Zhaoxue said loudly.

Li Yu said: "I've said it all, I just don't want to make money in MSG and other industries, and it's not that I really don't want to make money."

"That doesn't work either!" Konoe Zhaoxue said, "They're all companies too! And MSG, instant noodles, etc. are all managed by me according to the agreement. I can't let me see that all the hard-earned money is thrown at the refugees!"

Li Yu laughed again, and patted her on the shoulder: "Then you must work hard!"

Jinwei Zhaoxue didn't understand the meaning of Li Yu's words, and said helplessly, "Sir, it seems that I must teach you about economics in the future!"

Li Yu said, "There is no need for this."

Jinwei Zhaoxue said firmly: "Yes! Very much!"

Li Yu said nothing more, let her go first.

Turning around, he picked up a few large packets of monosodium glutamate produced in trial production, and handed it to Xu Shichang, "Master Xu, you can give it to your colleagues when you go back, and we can refer to it together."

Xu Shichang has already heard of this magical thing that can "lift freshness", and he can't wait to try it in his own room.

Li Yu can also use this to promote more.

After staying in the factory for a day, they then went to Tianjin, looking for salt merchants, and looking at the school.

Lu Bicheng's uncle, Yan Fengsheng, used to be a salt transport envoy in Tianjin.

As long as it is related to "salt", there is no need to think about it at all, the oil and water will not be small.

In Tianjin, many famous families have been born by relying on salt for many years.

Those who came to meet Li Yu were Yan Fansun and Zhang Boling.

The two cupped their hands and said, "Brother Shucai, don't come here unharmed."

Li Yu said, "You two are welcome again."

Yan Fansun said: "Everything should be done."

Li Yu first asked about the school: "Brother Fan Sun said last time that we can start recruiting students after the new year. How is it?"

Yan Fansun said: "The notice has been posted, and our Nankai School enrollment information has also been released."

Li Yu said with a smile: "From now on, we will be brothers' schools."

Zhang Boling said: "We still have to rely on the name of the emperor's teacher."

Li Yu said: "Mr. is just joking. When it comes to education, how dare I compare it with the two of you."

Yan Fansun also laughed: "The emperor is still modest!"

Li Yu said again: "By the way, I will go to the United States again in the near future to participate in the World Expo held in St. Louis. At the same time, St. Louis will also host the Olympic Games. Is Brother Boling interested?"

"Olympic Games!" Zhang Boling became energetic after hearing these words, "But, are we qualified to participate now?"

Li Yu said, "If you try hard, it should work."

Zhang Boling said: "It happened so suddenly, I'm afraid it's too late to select athletes, but I really want to go to the scene to have a look."

Li Yu said: "Just pick a few that run fast or have good stamina. The most important thing is to participate, not to ask for medals."

The 1900nd Paris Olympics in 1904 and the [-]rd St. Louis Olympics in [-] actually failed.

These two Olympic Games were all held together with the World Expo that year.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the status of the World Expo was far greater than that of the just-created Olympic Games.

So the Olympic Games that year were basically reduced to a vassal of the World Expo.

The government of St. Louis spent most of its energy on the exposition. As for the Olympics, they didn't even build a dedicated stadium.

What's even more funny is that they have been studying how to make the games more ridiculous in terms of the format of the Olympic Games, just to facilitate the promotion of World Expo products.

As for the citizens of St. Louis and visitors from all over the world, they also focused their interest on the fair.There are only a handful of spectators in the Olympic games, and even the most exciting track and field event has only 2000 spectators.

And this World Expo, the number of visitors is more than [-] people every day.

It's a world of difference.

Only 1904 countries participated in the 12 Olympic Games, and the total number of foreign athletes was less than 100.

Therefore, American athletes "showed their prowess" in this Olympic Games, and many event participants even only have native American athletes.

What's more, in order to cope with the longer duration of the World Expo, this Olympic Games has also been extended to 5 months, which is protracted.

Zhang Boling really liked the Olympics, so after thinking about it, he said, "I will immediately publish an announcement in several major newspapers tomorrow!"

Li Yu said with a smile: "Don't be too nervous, just use it as experience."

Li Yu mentioned again that he wanted to meet the salt merchant so that he could buy more salt.

Yan Fan Sunjiu was in Jinmen, so he knew him naturally, and his in-laws were also salt merchants.

Yan Fansun asked: "What does the emperor need so much salt for?"

Li Yu said frankly: "Make some pickled vegetables and give them to the refugees in Beijing and Tianjin."

"Pickles! Pimples!?" Yan Fansun and Zhang Boling were very surprised, and the span was too big. Just now, they were high-ranking Olympic Games and new schools, and suddenly they became pickles.

Li Yu said: "Although I know that I can't save many people with my own strength, as long as I see it, it is always uncomfortable, so I will help as much as I can."

Yan Fansun and Zhang Boling clasped their fists together and said, "Mr. Gao Yi!"

Yan Fansun went on to say: "But I still have a question, why not distribute the salt directly? Wouldn't it be more convenient?"

Li Yu said: "Since they are already refugees, how can they have the conditions to light a fire and cook? So for them, the best way to replenish salt is to eat a bite of pickled cabbage every day."

Thinking about this kind of scene makes one's teeth shudder, Yan Fansun sighed: "We have too much to do after all."

Then Yan Fansun recommended one person: "If you say that among the salt merchants in Jinmen, the person who loves charity the most is an old friend of mine, Wang Yisun."

His name is somewhat similar to Yan Fansun.

Yan Fansun continued: "Wang Yisun is from Shanxi. As you know, Shanxi people know how to do business in their mother's womb. After coming to Tianjin for a few years, they not only have Yanyin, but also opened a bank."

Li Yu said with a smile: "Shanxi people's business level is indeed comparable to that of making vinegar."

Afterwards, there was an even more powerful Shanxi businessman, Kong Xiangxi whom Li Yu had met in the United States.

Zhang Boling added: "Don't forget there is Fenjiu."

Yan Fansun took Li Yu to find businessman Wang Yisun.

As soon as I entered his salt factory, I saw a few square salt bricks, crystal clear and white.

These are the best tribute salts to be presented to the court.One piece weighs 7.5 kilograms, and nearly a thousand yuan has to be handed in every year.

It's just white money!
The life of salt merchants has always been extremely extravagant. Yongzheng, who advocated frugality, criticized many times the actions of salt merchants who spent a lot of money.

In addition, salt is an industry supervised by the imperial court. The business of salt merchants is very good, and their life is even much better than that of silk merchants in Jiangnan.

Wang Yisun was very excited when he saw the emperor's teacher coming, "You are a famous person, I'm just a merchant, so I don't deserve you to visit in person."

Li Yudao: "It's easy to say, easy to say. I'm here because I want shopkeeper Wang to participate in accumulating merit."

Yan Fansun told about Li Yu’s desire to help the refugees, and Wang Yisun was quite moved: “I invited Brother Fan Sun and Bo Ling to give lectures in our library, and I was deeply influenced by them. Make a request, and I dare not refuse."

Li Yu said with a smile: "Actually, for you guys, it's just a drop in the bucket, and I won't refuse to pay, at least I won't let you lose money."

Li Yu knows that the profit of salt is quite large, and the cost is actually not high.

Especially since the Changlu Salt Field in Tianjin adopted the process of drying salt, the output and quality have been greatly improved.

Wang Yisun said: "Not only this matter, I also intend to support the school of Emperor Shi and Brother Fan Sun."

There is also an unexpected harvest, Li Yu said: "Thank you so much!"

When Wang Yisun saw Li Yu, he opened up the chatter box, took him to his house, and said, "Master Emperor, all the children in my family are receiving new education. I also hired Englishmen to teach English and Germans to teach German; There are mathematics, physics, chemistry and other subjects, and there are teachers."

Wang Yisun showed Li Yu some scientific instruments he had purchased.

It is quite courageous to be able to achieve this in new learning education.

It's only because of his approach that only the rich can afford it.

Li Yu didn't expect things to go so smoothly, so he invited them to have lunch at noon.

The next day, Fu Zengxiang from Beiyang came again to deliver a message to Li Yu that he was going to the Beiyang Army.

Li Yu guessed that it was probably related to the Russo-Japanese War.

Sure enough, when he came to Beiyang, Yuan Shikai asked him to quickly teach the people in the Beiyang Military Equipment Crash School.

It is still a surveying and mapping class where elites gather.

However, not only Wu Peifu, Sun Chuanfang and other "veteran students" attended the lecture this time, Duan Qirui, the supervisor of the Beiyang school, also ordered Zhang Xun, Cao Kun and other supervisors to attend the lecture.

The content of the narration is naturally radio-related.

Fortunately, what they have to learn is mainly application, and they don't even need to talk about circuit principles, so it's not complicated.

It's so simple, Zhang Xun was still confused and complained, "Grandma, why do you care so much about the war!"

Duan Qirui coughed outside the room, and Zhang Xuncai sat upright and listened to the class carefully.

But he seemed to have a hemorrhoid attack, and after a while, he felt uncomfortable sitting there swaying from side to side.

Li Yu asked, "Zhang Guandai, do you have any questions?"

Zhang Xun said: "The question, ah, the question...the question is when is get out of class over?"

Cao Kun on the side laughed loudly: "Zhang Guandai, do you feel uncomfortable down there again?"

Zhang Xun said: "No way! Don't talk nonsense!"

Cao Kun refused to let go: "Zhang Guandai, don't you drink very well, why did you only drink half a catty of wine yesterday, and you are like this? When I wake up at night, I can hear you crying and howling."

Zhang Xun blushed: "Cao Guandai, when did you care about me so much?"

Li Yu knew that Zhang Xun's hemorrhoids were indeed serious, and with the level of medical treatment at the beginning of the [-]th century, the pain he endured must have been much greater.

So Li Yu held back his smile and said seriously: "Zhang Guandai, why don't you go and see the doctor in the camp first."

Zhang Xun grinned: "The emperor is still reasonable! Thank you!"

After speaking, he ran away clutching his ass.

These old guys must not understand it, so Wu Peifu and Sun Chuanfang in their own surveying and mapping class are very serious.

Wu Peifu still looks like a "study committee member", taking notes neatly, and Li Yu glanced at it, feeling that he should have done study and research before he came here.

After speaking, Duan Qirui called Li Yu and Wu Peifu to Yuan Shikai's office.

Duan Qirui said: "Others have learned this level enough, and you can explain the rest to Student Wu alone."

Li Yu asked, "Could it be that there is a mission?"

Wu Peifu said, "Yes!"

Li Yu guessed seven or eight points in his heart: "Go to Liaoning?"

Wu Peifu didn't dare to answer, Tang Shaoyi said: "It doesn't matter, brother Shucai is our own."

Only then did Wu Peifu go on to say: "Student Wu Peifu was ordered to enter the Russian-occupied area as a spy to spy on information."

It was the same as what Li Yu thought, otherwise he wouldn't be in such a hurry to improve his radio knowledge.

Li Yu said: "I understand, then you must memorize the code table I gave you."

Wu Peifu said: "Thank you teacher for reminding me!"

Hearing these big warlords call him "teacher" many times, Li Yu finally got used to it.

(End of this chapter)