Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 264 It’s so difficult for you to get dressed. Will the prince have to weigh the pros and cons when he gives orders in the future?

Li Yu stood 200 meters away and felt the heat of the blast furnace.

He turned around and asked:

"How many shifts do the workers work? What measures are taken to prevent heatstroke?"

"Go back to your Majesty, every time a furnace of molten iron is produced, the workers on duty will change a batch and go to the forest over there to rest and pay for food. Cold boiled water will be freely available."

"Let's go over and have a look."

When going down the hillside, Li Yu suddenly asked:

"Old Chen, can workers from Jiangning adapt to such hard work?"

Old Chen smiled awkwardly:
"Your Majesty is wise. A lot of people quit their jobs, and the remaining ones added 5 coins, and the situation is basically stable."

"Do you have enough people here?"

"Don't be surprised, Your Majesty. There are 1500 people working in shifts at the open-pit mine all year round. Iron smelting is a technical job, 1200 people working in shifts, and there are also 400 small workers to transport materials. I have observed that more people will create chaos and cannot help. ”

Killing two birds with one stone, he replenished the army.

There is also a creek on one side of the forest.

Li Yu smiled, it made sense.

The cooling area is located in the dense forest.

Otherwise the trouble caused would be no less than a rebellion.

"It seems that there are too many in one car, but people are needed to drive the mules, and the mules need to be specially raised and cared for. Calculating this, it is easier and cheaper to just use people directly."

It seems that before promoting the machine in the future, we must seriously consider this issue!

The location of the living areas was carefully considered.

Old Chen stood in awe, how wonderful.

"Enough! Local farmers are rushing to dig mines."

“Can coking coal keep up?”

Li Yu stopped and whispered:
"Send them all to dig open-pit mines, and wait until the second month to tell them that there are too many people and they have to quit. If you don't want to quit, you can transfer to the army in the mining area."

A flat area was cut down, a simple road was built, and a simple shed was set up with many tables, chairs and benches inside.

There are only two production tools: shovels and wheelbarrows.

Everyone lamented that "King Wu was kind and considerate" and actually treated people as human beings.

It avoids the downwind direction and is distributed parallel to the production area to avoid the trouble of black smoke from iron smelting.

In the face of infinitely abundant and extremely cheap human resources, all excellent mules, horses, and advanced machines will be defeated.

"My lord, please forgive me. There is no need."

Businessmen had no incentive to introduce machines because there was no profit. People hate machines because they ruin their jobs.

“The cargo is unloaded directly there and then transported to the blast furnace on wheelbarrows.”

……

Li Yu smiled and said:

"Go back to your lord, the coal mines in Tongling will process it into qualified coking coal on site and then ship it to us."

An area covering an area of ​​about 1000 acres is where the open-pit iron mine is located. There is no need to dig vertical pits or blasting, which is very trouble-free.

"Yes, food and accommodation are provided, and clothes are given out. The net profit is 2 taels per month. Last time we recruited 100 people, 300 people signed up, and there was even a fight on site."

"What if, I say, what if a four-wheeled mule-drawn cart is used instead of a wheelbarrow?"

"So popular?"

"Old Chen, take it all next time."

There are cement roads all the way.

There is cold boiled water with salt in the water tank. People after work will come and drink a few bowls of it.

The iron ore is then hammered and chiseled into a suitable size before entering the blast furnace. This is a purely manual job.

Lao Chen pointed to the pier not far away and added:

And let the remaining people not dare to neglect. If you want to keep your job, you need to increase your mining speed.

"it is good."

……

……

Li Yu estimated that it was about 300 meters from here to the blast furnace.

"Your Majesty, would you like to go to the open-pit iron mine?"

"Tell me?"

The miners can go down to wash themselves and cool down.

……

"Where is Zhang Youhou?"

"He's in the workshop over there. I'll lead the way!"

The flintlock workshop is the quietest area in the entire Ma'anshan Iron and Steel Industry, located in a valley.

There are guards standing guard at the door.

The workshops inside are distributed according to the sequential process flow.

Drilling gun barrels, cutting, component machining, sanding, carpentry, painters, and assembly are all separate.

Zhang Youhou ran out with oily hands and knelt down to salute.

"It doesn't have to be like this. Get up. You can briefly report on the production progress and difficulties."

Obviously, Zhang Youhou was a little panicked.

The explanation was somewhat stuttering, even incoherent.

Li Yu didn't mind, nodded frequently and asked some questions. Slowly, Zhang Youhou's speaking speed also slowed down, and he gradually stopped stuttering.

“What is the biggest difficulty in limiting production right now?”

"The proportion of defective products is too large."

……

The deepest part of the valley is the test gun packing area.

Under the shed, on oil paper and cloth.

There were several layers of finished flintlocks piled up.

Zhang Youhou quickly picked up a few, placed them on the long table, pointed at one of them and said:
"Your Majesty, please take a look. There is no need to test this gun. It will be directly judged as unqualified."

Li Yu picked it up and understood what the problem was.

The flintlock mechanism is very loosely assembled, the leaf spring has insufficient striking power, and the front sight is slightly skewed.

"Approximately what is the proportion of defective products?"

"Thirty-four out of ten."

"How to deal with it?"

"Go back and let the master repair it again. After that, half of it will be barely qualified, and half will have to be dismantled for qualified parts, and the rest will be remelted."

Li Yu's face became very gloomy. He couldn't accept such a result.

"What's the daily output?"

"If we only make flintlock guns, we can produce up to 500 guns a day. After excluding the unqualified products, about to can be equipped in the army."

"Old Chen, 20 kilograms of pig iron a day, after refining, the worst is 10 kilograms of refined iron. Where is it used?"

……

Old Chen quickly said:

"In addition to making guns, the rest is also used to make tools and agricultural tools. Some of the refined iron materials are shipped to Jiangning to make swords and armor, and some are sent to Xishan Island to make cannons."

Li Yu shook his head, this was such a waste of manpower.

"I will move all the skilled craftsmen who forge cold weapons from all the provinces under my rule here. Their families can accompany them and we will provide them with free houses."

"Yes."

Zhang Youhou became very frightened again and didn't know where to put his hands.

Li Yu suppressed his anger and asked him:

"What do you think the problem is? How to increase production? I hope the daily production can be increased to 800 flintlock muskets, 100 muskets, and 50 short-handed muskets."

"The current animal-powered and hydraulic machine tools are not as good as the steam machine tools in Xishan. In addition, they have attracted a large number of novice apprentices, and their skills are too poor."

Li Yu spoke directly to dispel some of his thoughts:

"It's impossible for all the skilled craftsmen from the Xishan Gun Factory to move here. Write a letter and ask your father to assist for two months."

"Yes."

……

After leaving, the guard captain Li Xiaowu couldn't help but asked in a low voice:
"Father, we still have 70,000 flintlock guns in stock."

Li Yu said calmly:
"I am gradually distributing it to all non-combatants under my command, including family members."

"According to the experience of the First Army, the lifespan of a flintlock gun will enter its old age after at most 500 rounds, and its spread will expand. It is recommended to eliminate it. If it fires more than 40 rounds quickly and continuously, it is recommended to eliminate it after a battle."

"In addition, the prefectures and counties bordering the Qing army need to reserve large quantities of food and weapons in advance. Once a fight breaks out, it is best for the defenders to have two or even three flintlock muskets per person, so as to increase the density of firepower."

"So, do you understand?"

Li Xiaowu nodded sadly.

Calculating it this way, production is really tight.

This is also the first report submitted by Tan Muguang, the Administrative Minister of the General Staff Headquarters, after taking office - an analysis and forecast of gun production and consumption.

……

A few days later, factory director Lao Zhang came.

New rules and regulations were introduced that day, and one foreman was promoted for each process.

The rate of defective products is set at 1%.

Once this number is exceeded, the foreman's salary will be deducted in half. Below this figure, the foreman's wages double.

In addition, the previous average production is used as a benchmark.

For every 1% exceeded, everyone will receive an additional 1% bonus that month.

Simple and rude!
Convert the contradiction between output and quality into a contradiction between the foreman and workers, and a bonus contradiction between workers in the same group.

Before leaving, he also scolded his son. Tell him not to always regard himself as a technical craftsman, but now he must learn to adapt to his identity as a supervisor of the Ministry of Works and how to control people.

If there are thorns in the head, you can ask the guards to arrest them.

There is a shortage of hard labor in the prince's coal mine.

He was not sure whether his son understood. But his grandson Zhang Chengye really understood it, which made him quite relieved.

In short, there are successors to the old Zhang family.

……

The news that Li Yu became king had already spread throughout Jiangnan.

And how to "acquire scholars" has become a major event that attracts everyone's attention.

Most people prefer the old system of imperial examination. After all, it is a mature mechanism that has been implemented for 2000 years and has been used in countless dynasties.

If you don't learn the words of saints and don't read the Four Books and Five Classics, how can you be qualified to be an official?

Here, the gentry danced the most happily.

On all occasions, they wildly praised the king of Wu for his wisdom, and they would definitely return to the imperial examination to obtain scholars.

And countless scholars are also looking forward to this day.

No one expected that a piece of royal decree suddenly spread throughout the towns and villages in Jiangnan.

Dongshan Youth Civil Service School is recruiting students.

Admissions requirements:

Be able to read and digitize, have certain cultural qualities, and be able to analyze and solve problems.

Have the ability to think logically and swear loyalty to King Wu.

Age, under 15 years old.

His place of origin can be traced back to his grandfather who moved to this house.

No matter the status, it doesn't matter whether you are rich or poor, gentry, merchant, craftsman or farmer.

The course lasts for 2 years, and the tuition is 15 taels per year. After graduation, he will be awarded a civil servant position at the state or county level based on his examination results.

The registration period ends on the fourth day of September at sunset.

……

As soon as the king's order was given, he arrived at each city first.

Then it was conveyed to each county seat, and then the county seat conveyed it to each village office, so that everyone knew it.

It immediately hit home what Jiangnan people value most - education (or exams, futures, or being an official).

Countless people frantically inquired about the authenticity of the news, and some responded quickly and took their children to Dongshan overnight.

From the time I saw the notice to the deadline for registration, there were only three days in total.

Dongshan Island was caught off guard and welcomed countless people.

The tea vendor at the stall was laughing so hard. The water vendor looked at the big river, and it was all about money. Next to it is Taihu Lake, which is inexhaustible.

Except for the cost of firewood, everything else is profit.

Economy Minister Beom Kyung is well aware of the allure.

200 militiamen and police officers were temporarily mobilized, and they stood outside the school with their swords and guns unsheathed.

The dark crowd almost overwhelmed the registration office.

After studying for 2 years and spending 30 taels of silver, you can become an official after graduation.

Such good things come only once in a lifetime!
Even the people from Suzhou, who used to be reticent in quarreling, raised their fists and beat a group of people from Songjiang to the ground.

Just to register first and complete that too simple exam.

If you can read and decipher, who is so humble at this level?

The waiters in Fucheng restaurants can also read two to three hundred words.

……

"Pull up the red silk thread."

Hurray, the soldiers present tore apart several pieces of red silk, tied them up again, and pulled out a fragile cordon.

Prevent crowds from hitting the school gate.

However, the people still pushed forward crazily.

An officer on horseback felt something bad and fired a shot into the air to temporarily calm the situation.

shouted:
"Everyone, don't crowd."

"As I said before, don't force me to arrest people."

"What I'm arresting is not a person, but your family's ancestral grave."

"What you are crowding is not the cordon, but your own future."

"Thanks to King Wu, you have the opportunity to see this glittering Imperial Academy."

"Are you sure you dare to break through this line?"

The effect was particularly effective, as a thin piece of red silk stopped thousands of troops.

Fan Jing, who came after hearing the news, was relieved and immediately ordered the registration to begin.

The exam is very simple, just open a page of the book and read it aloud on the spot. You can pass the test fluently and clearly.

Then write down what you read aloud, making sure nothing is missed.

It is sufficient that the person has no disability and no obvious signs of mania.

We gathered 50 people and swore loyalty to His Highness the King of Wu to Guanyin Bodhisattva.

Then go to the room inside for a physical examination.

The soldier only repeated twice: "Take off your clothes and shoes."

Still sluggish, he immediately beat him with a big stick and announced that he had lost his qualifications for admission.

In the words of a mounted officer:

"It's so difficult for you to get dressed. In the future, if the prince gives orders, will you also have to weigh the pros and cons and hesitate before hesitating?"

……

Those who have passed these tests will have their place of origin, name, and age recorded.

Distribute a piece of paper with a red seal and report to the local county government 15 days later.

Fan Jing sat in the carriage and looked at these young people who looked excited and stumbled around as if they were drunk.

Sighed:

"Although he is crazy, I can understand it."

The subordinate officer did not dare to answer the question and asked respectfully:

"More than 1000 qualified slips have been issued, and it seems there will be more. If this continues, will it~?"

"Your Majesty is so wise, he must have planned something in advance. Civil servant? Hehe."

The official laughed, he also thought it was impossible.

If you can read and write, and are healthy, can you become an official? Being a security guard is more or less the same.

As for what will happen next.

The prince is wise and mighty, and if he says it can be done, it will be done.

……

The fourth day of September, at sunset.

The registration office closed on time and we left.

In the next few days, more people arrived one after another, some of whom had a long way to go, some were hesitant and entangled, or some were lost.

All in all, it was extremely miserable to cry.

But the person who came early and got the qualified piece of paper was very proud.

Human happiness often comes from the misery of the same kind.

There is happiness only when there is comparison.

Especially when you see people you know and look like doing worse than yourself, it's like eating iced watermelon in June - so relaxing!
There may be people who can escape from such vulgar taste, but not many.

Li Yudongruo watched the fire and fished in Xuanwu Lake.

The fishing rod sank suddenly, and I felt a strong pull in my hand.

"Your Majesty, we've caught fish."

"I think this fish is not small, at least 3 pounds."

The concubine Wei Xiu was the only one who accompanied him to Jiangning.

And fishing, she is professional!
If it weren't for her status, she would have wanted to row a small boat to catch the fish.

……

Pull and release twice in a row.

Li Yu lost his patience and handed the fishing rod to his guard:

"Hold it tight and let the fish out of the water."

Then, he took the flintlock gun from another guard.

Slightly shorter than the standard flintlock of the field regiment, it was a carbine prepared for knights.

While looking at the churning lake, I filled it slowly. Aim at the blue-black back that emerged from the water and shoot with a bang.

The water became calm and flushed with blood.

A fat-headed fish weighing at least 4 pounds, half of its body was smashed, but its head was intact.

"Stew it and make fish head soup."

Several people fishing with him in the distance were all thoughtful.

Hu Xueyu looked as usual and talked about his fishing experience. After all, he and Li Yu once went boating and fishing in Shihu Lake, and they almost ate Pan Dao Noodles that time.

But Wang Shenxian was not so calm and was sweating all the time.

In order to cover up his embarrassment, he pretended to complain: "It's too hot today. I'm fat and I sweat a lot."

Suddenly, he saw Li Yu waving towards him:

"Old Wang, come here and tell your fortune."

He hurriedly threw away the fishing rod, picked up the corner of his robe, trotted all the way, and raised his right hand: "Your Majesty, the little one is here."

(End of this chapter)