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

Fan Yuanlian strongly supported his brother Fan Xudong's decision. The chosen location was still in Tianjin, and Yuan Shikai had no reason to refuse.

Yuan Shikai spent the first half of his life engaged in the New Deal, the New Army, industry, and education. He knew the importance of the chemical industry and would be able to provide a large amount of finance and taxation in the future, so why not do it.

Moreover, at this time, Yuan Shikai was about to take out a large loan to deal with the aftermath, and needed to use salt tax as collateral. But the domestic salt industry is in a mess. If the salt industry is not reformed, it will be impossible to gain the trust of foreign banking groups.

Among the additional clauses of the large-scale loan contract for the aftermath, there were clauses for establishing a manufacturing industry and improving salt quality, and specified a batch of funds that must be used for salt improvement.

Therefore, Yuan Shikai was more active in the reform of salt affairs and even wanted to establish Fan Xudong as a model of salt administration in the country.

Therefore, Fan Xudong's request quickly received preliminary approval, and Yuan Shikai sent his confidant Yang Du to inspect Tanggu together with Fan Xudong and Li Yu.

The weather is still a bit cold now. Several people came to the Bohai Sea and stood in the sea breeze that blew from time to time. They looked at the vast wasteland in front of them with no trees or flowers or grass.

Fan Xudong said: "Twelve years ago, during the Gengzi national crisis, a large number of houses here were destroyed by foreign soldiers. The bricks and tiles are still buried in the soil. There are almost no new houses. It is like uncultivated wasteland."

Li Yu pointed forward: "There is a child there."

Fan Xudong quickly ran over and called to this big living person who he finally met, "Baby! Can you help lead the way?"

The young man looked at them warily, and Fan Xudong immediately gave him some loose money, and then said: "We want to find a piece of unowned land and set up a salt factory. In the future, the people around us will not have to worry about eating salt."

The young man asked: "Do you want to build a factory here?"

Fan Xudong said: "Yes, although we know that this place is suitable for building a salt factory, we are not familiar with the situation. It would be bad if it occupied the land of ordinary people."

The young man understood what Fan Xudong said and saw that they were dressed so well and did not look like bad people, so he said: "I will lead you. There is a piece of land in front of you. It used to be occupied by Russian soldiers and has been empty for many years."

Fan Xudong said happily: "It couldn't be better."

The young man led them over and suddenly asked: "If you build a factory here, can I be an apprentice? I can afford the hardship."

Fan Xudong smiled and said, "Of course."

Li Yu looked around and then said: "The place is really good, not far from the dock and the railway. But it is really desolate here and it will take a lot of time to build a house."

Fan Xudong said nonchalantly: "There is no need to worry about the house, as long as there is a factory building."

"It's a pity that the land here is not suitable for building too high a house," Li Yu said to Yang Du again, "Does Mr. Hu want to become a shareholder?"

Yang Du said: "It is my duty to support my own salt company."

Although the business environment in the Republic of China was a little better than that in the late Qing Dynasty, it was still difficult to get things done if there was no one at the top.

Li Yu's company had already recruited Tang Shaoyi and Xu Shichang to join the team.

Yang Du asked Fan Xudong again: "Have you decided on a name so that you can file a petition?"

Fan Xudong said: "Just use the word 'jiuda', which means long-lasting, far-reaching; big, broad, broad, which means long-lasting and great."

"Excellent," Yang Du said, "Brother Fan, don't worry about the filing. It won't take long to pass it when you return to Beijing. And in order to protect the new Jiuda Salt Industry, in the next twenty years, hundreds of miles away The government does not allow others to set up another salt factory. So you can safely consider raising capital."

Li Yu said: "Salt merchants will definitely not give up. Don't forget to recruit legal advisors."

Fan Xudong said: "I will note it down. But I believe that as long as we can produce refined salt that is comparable to foreigners, everything will be fine."

With Yang Du coming forward, many big names contributed money to Jiuda's first capital raising, such as Cai E, Liang Qichao, etc.

Jiuda quickly bought more than 10 acres of land.

Jiuda will experience multiple share expansions in the future, and future shareholders will include Li Yuanhong, Cao Kun, Liang Qichao and others. Liang Qichao was very concerned and would take out a pen to help calculate the share capital every time.

In short, there are many backgrounds to the establishment of Jiuda, otherwise it would be difficult for it to survive the siege of the old salt merchants.

Of course, the most important thing is that Fan Xudong himself has outstanding abilities and has always upheld the spirit of hard work and entrepreneurship.

When Jiuda was founded, the foundation was not yet solid. The earliest factory building was just an inconspicuous small courtyard with only a pair of chimneys. Before Hou Debang joined, he was both the manager and the only technician.

Fan Xudong's desk is specially made, longer than an ordinary desk, with a bedding placed under the drawer. He works and does chemical experiments here during the day, and rolls out the bedding to become his bed at night.

It was like this for the first year or two.

Moreover, Fan Xudong has firmly adopted a more modern management model. He no longer runs a business like before, and the money raised has to pay interest from the date of receipt. This is a very heavy burden for a new enterprise.

This was the case when Zhang Jian set up Dasheng Cotton Factory.

Ordinary companies may be able to barely survive, but Fan Xudong's refined salt factory cannot, because it needs time to engage in research and development, and may not necessarily be profitable right away.

To this end, Fan Xudong formulated a charter: the company will pay dividends only in the year when it obtains net profits.

This is a very healthy and modern management model. Fortunately, everyone at Jiuda in the early days willingly adopted Fan Xudong's policies and united as one, allowing Jiuda to slowly grow from scratch into a huge enterprise.

But in any case, it will take Jiuda two to three years to break through the siege of the old salt merchants and the shackles of the old salt policy. Dealing with them will be much more troublesome than overcoming technical difficulties.

-

Beijing, eight major alleys.

Fengling is now living a very happy life in Li Yu's house. After knowing that many sisters are not doing well, she comes to help them from time to time.

Every time she would bring some food boxes and leave some broken silver.

Lu Bicheng and Li Yu are kind-hearted, and they often provide the money.

Today she asked Zhao Qian to pull her, bought a large cart of stuff and drove over.

Caiyun, the former sister, smiled and said: "You have become our guest, but I can't keep you overnight."

Another sister said: "She can't stay, but her man can."

Fengling glanced at Zhao Qian: "He doesn't have the courage, let alone the ability."

Zhao Qian sniffed and said, "The smell of rouge is too strong here. I'll wait outside."

Caiyun took Fengling to sit down and chatted with her: "There is a prince in Bada Hutong now!"

"Prince?" Fengling peeled the melon seeds and said, "What prince? Are you fascinated by the play? It can't be Prince Zhu San?"

"No!" Caiyun said, "He is the current prince."

Fengling had been in Li Yu's house for many years and was well-informed. She even learned Morse code and English, so she said: "Now is the Republic of China, how can there be a prince? If it was the prince of the previous dynasty, Emperor Xuantong Only six years old, it’s impossible.”

"Oops!" Caiyun said anxiously, "I'm talking about now!"

Fengling didn't believe it at all: "Even if there is a prince, why is he in the land of fireworks?"

"Why don't you believe it!" Caiyun said to the other sister, "Go and call Sister Xue. It just so happens that she also hopes to contact Grand Scholar Li."

Fengling said warily: "Our master is a decent man, he doesn't know how to look for flowers."

Caiyun said: "I'm not looking for you to pimp."

"What on earth do you want to say?" Fengling was anxious. "Also, what's going on with the prince?"

"We haven't encountered such a big thing for a long time. Let me tell you slowly," Caiyun took a sip of tea and continued, "The current prince is of course President Yuan Da."

"President Yuan? Prince?" Fengling said, "What a mess!"

Caiyun said: "President Yuan's grandson, and the child of his particularly beloved second son Yuan Kewen, can't he be a prince?" "Ah?!" Fengling was stunned, "You don't mean President Yuan Your grandson is in Bada Hutong?”

Caiyun said: "Really! And it's a baby just a few days old."

"You must not spread rumors!" Fengling warned carefully.

"It's absolutely true!" Caiyun said, "Yuan Kewen, the second son of the Yuan family, often came to Bada Hutong. Of course he always went to the Qingyin class, and then he became close to Sister Xue."

Fengling said: "The sister Xue you mentioned really entered the second master Yuan's house and became a concubine?"

Caiyun nodded: "We are all from Bada Hutong. It won't take long for everyone to know this."

Fengling said: "Oh my god! That sister Xue is so awesome. She even climbed up a branch and became a phoenix. Isn't the most prominent one now the Yuan family?"

Caiyun sighed: "But Sister Xue decided to leave Mr. Yuan not long ago and returned to Bada Hutong."

"Why?" Fengling said, "Could it be that after Second Master Yuan played with her, he disliked her and threw her back?"

Caiyun said: "No, it's Sister Xue who wants to leave Mr. Yuan."

Fengling wondered: "Why is she so confused?"

Caiyun said: "It is said in the drama that 'the depth of the sea is as deep as entering a noble family'. She is just a fireworks woman. She may not be able to adapt to the sudden entry into the most powerful family. Moreover, Mr. Yuan is a passionate lover and has so many aunts and wives, but he still tolerates it. Keep looking for flowers and willows."

Fengling said: "All rich and powerful men are like this! ... No, our master is not like that."

Caiyun said: "Sister Xue stayed with Mr. Yuan for two or three years, and finally couldn't bear to leave. But she didn't find out that she was pregnant until she left the Yuan family. She had just given birth."

Fengling said in surprise: "He is really the 'Prince'!"

There are rumors that Yuan Shikai likes his two sons Yuan Keding and Yuan Kewen very much, and it is really uncertain who will succeed him in the future.

After a while, a beautiful woman holding a baby walked in. Yuan Kewen could be attracted by her, and her beauty was indeed extraordinary, and she was one of the best in the entire Bada Hutong.

Her real name was Xue Liqing, and she asked: "Are you the housekeeper of the residence of University Scholar Li?"

Fengling replied: "Yes, Miss Xue."

As a housekeeper, Uncle Wang couldn't handle some things, but Fengling was smart. After learning to send telegraphs and learn English, in the past few years, everyone accepted her as the housekeeper and managed the Li Mansion separately from Uncle Wang. Although it is not that surprising that a woman with fireworks achieves this goal, in the eyes of many promiscuous women in the eight major alleys, it is already an excellent destination.

Xue Liqing said: "I know that Grand Scholar Li is the teacher of Second Young Master Yuan. So I would like to ask you to invite Grand Scholar Li and let him hand over this child to Second Young Master Yuan."

Fengling asked: "Why don't you send it back yourself?"

"I have sworn never to step into the Yuan family's door again," Xue Liqing said, "but the child is innocent, and he is also the Yuan family's flesh and blood. I don't want him to grow up in a place like this, and you know the rules. Here he You can’t even call me mom.”

Fengling said distressedly: "Miss Xue, what are you doing?"

Xue Liqing looked at the baby in her arms tenderly: "I've already seen what it's like inside the high walls. It's not much better than a brothel, and it's not even as free as here."

Fengling opened her mouth: "But..."

Xue Liqing continued: "As for why we hired Grand Scholar Li, it's because everyone knows that he is the most educated person in the world. He can also be a source of support for the children. His mother has no face at all. "

She shed tears as she spoke, "Don't tell the world about his life experience in the future, just pretend that there is no such mother, otherwise I'm afraid that he will not be able to stand out in his life."

Fengling felt unbearably sad, but she definitely didn't dare to make a decision for Li Yu in private, so she called Zhao Qian over: "Go and call the master!"

Zhao Qian said bitterly: "I asked the master to come here? Madam won't scold me to death if she finds out."

Fengling said: "Tell the master and madam that there are the biological flesh and blood of Second Master Yuan here."

Zhao Qian was shocked when he heard this: "Are you singing? This is something that only happens on the stage."

Fengling said: "How dare I lie to you? Go quickly!"

-

"Master, Master!" Zhao Qian rushed into the door and shouted, "Feng Ling said, let you go to the Bada Hutong quickly."

At this time, Li Yuzheng and Lu Bicheng were teasing their children, their faces turned green: "Eight Big Alleys?"

Lu Bicheng also looked at Li Yu in surprise.

Zhao Qian said: "The child of the second son of the Yuan family was born in Bada Hutong. The child's mother must ask you to pick up the child."

Li Yu just breathed a sigh of relief, and then said in surprise: "Yuan Kewen's child?!"

There were many strange people and strange things during the Republic of China, but Li Yu could not have imagined such a thing.

Lu Bicheng also felt that it was a big deal, so he got up and went with Li Yu.

Driving to Bada Hutong, after listening to Fengling's description, Li Yu said to himself: "This Second Master Yuan is really good at flirting with women. No wonder thousands of prostitutes saw him off after his death."

Xue Liqing wiped away her tears and said, "Master Li, I have not been rich and powerful in the Yuan family. This is because I am a humble person. However, I don't want my child to be like this. After all, he is the flesh and blood of the Yuan family."

In fact, this Xue Liqing was no ordinary courtesan. She came from a family of officials. Unfortunately, she was kidnapped by traffickers and taken to a brothel when she was five years old.

When she grew up, she became a great beauty, and she was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, and she soon attracted Yuan Kewen.

Xue Liqing naturally knew Yuan Kewen's identity and desperately wanted to marry into a wealthy family.

But she didn't expect that after entering the Yuan family, she discovered that the second son of Yuan was Cao Zhi. Although he was very talented, he was not interested in politics at all and had no chance of getting ahead.

In addition, he was so romantic that Xue Liqing couldn't bear it and chose to leave.

Li Yu said: "I will help you hand over the child to Mr. Yuan."

Xue Liqing wanted to kneel down, but Lu Bicheng hurriedly supported her: "You haven't given up yet, so don't bow."

Xue Liqing cried: "If we say goodbye from now on, I'm afraid I'll never see my son again."

She knew very well that letting her child return to the Yuan family was ten thousand times better than following her.

Lu Bicheng had just taken care of a child and skillfully picked up the baby: "What a juicy baby."

When they left Bada Hui, Xue Liqing's crying didn't stop until their car drove further and further away.

At this time, Yuan Kewen had his own house.

After Li Yu entered, he asked Lu Bicheng to hand the child to him: "Kewen, this is your son."

Yuan Kewen read a letter in his swaddling clothes and said in surprise: "Ah Qing was really born!"

Li Yu said: "Miss Xue hopes that this child will be like you and stay away from politics."

Yuan Kewen sighed. After all, none of these girls understood his thoughts, but he couldn't tell them.

Yuan Kewen looked at the baby and said, "In that case, you can call me Jialiu from now on."

Li Yu was shocked. It turned out that this child was Yuan Jialiu, and he had done the right thing.

Yuan Jialiu is a well-known high-energy physicist, and his wife is even more famous-Wu Jianxiong.