Anti-Qing: Starting from the Reincarnation of the Ming Dynasty

Outside Huai'an City, at the railway construction site.

Niu Zhuang finished his day's work and returned to his shack with his rice bowl.

All his roommates had gone out to have fun, and he was the only one tonight.

Niu Zhuang closed the door, first placed the rice bowl on a wooden box used as a table in the shack, then sat down and started eating.

They had a good meal today.

Multigrain rice, big pancakes, and fragrant pork stewed vermicelli.

Although the majority of the pork stewed vermicelli is cabbage, not many vermicelli, and only a few pieces of pork, Niu Zhuang still tastes it very sweet.

He had been working hard today on sleepers and pulling rails. Not to mention the fragrant pork stewed vermicelli, he could still eat it with gusto even if he was given a piece of dry cornstarch.

A farmer who grew up in a poor family is not so particular about things.

The reason why Niu Zhuang's food is obviously better than before is because he is no longer an ordinary Grade C worker.

He previously studied with fellow villager Wang Shun and learned a lot of skills. After passing a simple assessment, Niu Zhuang naturally became a Grade B technical worker.

Not only have wages increased, but living conditions have also improved a lot.

People with craftsmanship are popular everywhere, and it is impossible to go hungry. This is not just talk.

He ate the fragrant food with big mouthfuls. After a while, he had eaten all the food.

Niu Zhuang picked up his water bottle, pulled out the stopper and started pouring water into his mouth.

After drinking two drinks from the water bottle, Niu Zhuang smacked his lips with a look of unfulfillment.

The work on the railway construction site was tiring. Niu Zhuang and others had worked hard all day. They couldn't sleep at night unless they drank some wine to relieve their fatigue.

However, in order to prevent drinking from causing trouble, it is enough to relieve fatigue, but you cannot drink too much.

Niu Zhuang took a few sips and then re-plugged the kettle, washed his face with cold water, lay back on the bed, closed his eyes and prepared to sleep.

Counting the days, it would be his turn to take a break tomorrow. He planned to go to Huai'an City, eat something good, and find a kiln girl to relieve his fatigue.

Although Ming Dynasty paid these skilled workers well, it was impossible to open a kiln on the construction site for them to play.

Therefore, if Niu Zhuang and others wanted to relieve their fatigue, they had no choice but to go to the city.

Whether it's a brothel, a hook bar, or a secret door, they just have to find it themselves.

Well, now Ming Dynasty has no intention of banning the traditional industry of prostitution.

Just impose heavy taxes as a restriction!

And there is no other reason. The ratio of men to women in Ming Dynasty is now somewhat unbalanced.

Even after the war of restoration over the years, the male population of the Ming Dynasty was still much larger than the female population.

In addition, rich people in this era generally eat and occupy more, and having three wives and four concubines takes up more resources.

Therefore, there are a large number of old bachelors in society who cannot find wives.

You have to give these people a place to vent their anger to ensure that no trouble occurs, right?

Just when Niu Zhuang was lying on the bed and about to fall asleep, a gentle call sounded outside the shack.

"Have you slept, Lao Niu? I have something to discuss with you."

Niu Zhuang heard the call from outside, subconsciously opened his eyes, and immediately recognized that the person speaking was his fellow villager Wang Shun.

That is, the big brother who taught him his craft and helped him advance from an ordinary worker to a skilled worker.

Hearing this, Niu Zhuang climbed up from the bed and responded while putting on his clothes.

"It's Brother Wang, come in quickly, I just lay down and haven't fallen asleep yet."

While talking, Wang Shun walked in from outside, carrying a bottle of soju and a bag of cooked food.

As a senior technical worker, Wang Shun's salary and benefits are not as good as those of Class A engineers, but they are much better than those of newcomers like Niu Zhuang.

But even so, even Wang Shun couldn't drink wine and eat cooked food every day.

Because these things are not provided on the imperial construction site, they have to spend their own money to buy them if they want to eat them, and the price is not cheap.

If they really eat it every day, only those engineers who are regarded as treasures by the court can afford it.

Niu Zhuang could tell that there must be something going on when Wang Shun came to look for him with wine and meat today.

Niu Zhuang simply packed up the sundries on the wooden box, and then said to Wang Shun.

"Brother Wang, please sit down first and I'll boil a pot of hot water for you."

"It's a bit chaotic, don't be surprised."

When Wang Shun heard this, he shook his head and said.

"You're all old men, let's just make things messy. We've been tired all day long, and we want to sleep when we lie down at night. We don't have the energy to clean up, so it's normal to be messy."

While speaking, Wang Shun placed the wine and meat in his hand on the wooden box, and then spoke.

"Old Niu, don't go boil the water. Sit down and let us drink some. I have something to discuss with you."

After hearing this, Niu Zhuang immediately agreed, found two large bowls, and sat down opposite Wang Shun.

"Brother Wang, are you in trouble?"

"If there is any use for me, brother, just say it. We brothers will not deal with those who are vain."

When Wang Shun heard this, he opened the jug and poured wine for the two of them. He also opened the lotus leaf wrapping the cooked food, revealing half a roast chicken inside, as well as some braised pig head meat, noodles and other braised food, and then said .

"Here's the thing."

"Some time ago, didn't the newspaper say that the imperial court approved the Shanxi business group's own fundraising to build a Beijing-Taiwan Railway?"

When Niu Zhuang heard this, he first picked up the wine bowl and took a sip, then nodded to show that he knew.

At the current construction site, people read newspapers to them basically every day, allowing them to understand the major events happening inside and outside the Ming Dynasty, as well as the hot news.

After all, this is one of the hidden benefits enjoyed by railway workers.

After all, if people outside want to read newspapers and get information, they have to spend money to buy newspapers.

But they don't have to spend any money, and someone takes the initiative to read it to them. How can this not be a benefit?

At the very least, from Niu Zhuang's point of view, this thing is pretty good.

Since he started working on the imperial railway construction site, he has learned a lot of new knowledge that he had never heard of before by listening to others reading newspapers, which greatly broadened his horizons.

Niu Zhuang was still deeply impressed by the imperial court's approval of Shanxi merchants raising money to build the railway.

Because, in the newspaper of that day, the imperial court devoted a lot of space to reporting on the matter, praising the Shanxi merchant group for their dedication to the country, and encouraging gentry and merchants from all over the country to follow the Shanxi merchant group and raise money to build the railway.

The reason why Zhu Jing'an did this was also very simple.

He wanted to build a nationwide railway network connecting the Ming Dynasty as soon as possible in order to better promote the economic development of the Ming Dynasty.

It's just a pity that except for Shanxi merchants, business gangs from other places are not very interested in this.

The merchants in the north are waiting and watching, hoping to wait until the Shanxi merchants finish building the railway and the advantages of the Beijing-Taiwan Railway are revealed before they consider their fate.

After all, the cost of repairing a railway is an astronomical figure. What if the repair fails?
Even if they have money, they will not easily spend this wasted money.

After all, whose money doesn’t come from strong winds?
Unless the Beijing-Taiwan Railway is built, or the main artery connecting the north and south Beijing is built, everyone can see the role and profitability of the railway.

Otherwise, there is no guarantee that these human beings will not end easily.

In the south, railways are not paid much attention to now.

Because, compared with railways, in the south where water systems are developed and precipitation is abundant, water transportation through rivers and lakes is obviously cheaper than building railways.

Of course, when the Ming Dynasty's railways in the north reach a certain scale in the future, and when steam engine technology improves and the speed of trains increases, sooner or later the railways in the south will also have to be built.

Wang Shun picked up a piece of pig ear with chopsticks, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed it crunchily, and then spoke. "Yesterday, a businessman who spoke with a Shanxi accent came to me and said that they were looking for workers, and they were recruiting skilled workers like us to build railways in Shanxi."

"As long as we are willing to go, our wages will be increased by 10% and our benefits will remain the same."

"I can't make up my mind. Why don't I come and discuss it with you, Lao Niu?"

When Niu Zhuang heard this, he touched his chin with a thoughtful look on his face.

He asked.

"Brother Wang, are you sure you are not a liar?"

When Wang Shun heard this, he shook his head and said.

"I'm not sure, but the other party said that they can give us three months' wages in advance."

"I think, since the person is willing to pay the wages first, he must not be a liar."

Hearing this, Niu Zhuang lowered his head again and began to think deeply.

The expression on his face kept changing.

After a moment, he spoke.

"If the other party is really willing to give us a 10% wage increase and an advance of three months, it's not impossible to go."

After all, that’s 10% of the wages, not a small amount.

An extra 10% per month means you can get more than one month's salary in a year, which is several silver dollars.

That’s all free money!
In the past, they might not have been able to earn so much in a year.

As the saying goes, people go to higher places and water flows to lower places. What is a high place?

Of course, the one with more money will be at the top!

Wang Shun nodded and said after hearing this.

"I think so too."

"That's why I came to see you. I thought, let's go together. When we get to Shanxi, we are not familiar with the place. At least we can still have company with each other."

Hearing this, Niu Zhuang nodded and said.

"Okay, listen to Brother Wang."

When Wang Shun heard this, a smile appeared on his face, he tore off a chicken leg and gave it to Niu Zhuang, and said.

"That `s a deal!"

"The master from Shanxi has said that he will host a banquet for me in Huai'an City tomorrow. Let's go and see it together tomorrow."

Niu Zhuang nodded and agreed.

But thoughts arose in his mind.

After working on the railway construction site for such a short two years, Niu Zhuang learned more than just skills.

It also made him understand that the future of railways is estimated to be unlimited.

If you want to start a business and make a fortune, the opportunity may lie in the railway.

Although he could not afford to build the railway, he knew many workers who knew how to build the railway.

If these people could be gathered together, they would be of great value.

Niu Zhuang said to Wang Shun as if he remembered something.

"Brother Wang, there are too few people just for the two of us."

"With fewer people, the farts don't make any noise."

"Let me tell you, we might as well contact more people now and go to meet the owner from Shanxi together tomorrow."

"When the time comes, there will be more of us, maybe we can get him to increase our wages and remuneration?"

When Wang Shun heard this, his eyes brightened obviously and he spoke.

"That's the truth, that's the truth!"

Wang Shun is popular and Niu Zhuang is quick-witted. When the two come together, they create a pretty good chemical reaction.

After discussing it, the two of them went to fetch people separately.

……

At dawn the next day, Wang Shun and Niu Zhuang left the construction site together and walked towards Wang Huaian City.

On the way, Wang Shun's expression was unconceivably excited.

Because, last night, he and Niu Zhuang contacted dozens of people in total.

Although most of them are just ordinary workers rather than skilled workers, they can still be regarded as a considerable force.

By uniting these people, they will be qualified to negotiate with the owner.

If you ask the owner to raise the salary, he will definitely not refuse.

After all, there are many of them, right?

If wages are increased by 10%, it will be more than one month's extra wages in one year.

Wages are increased by 20%, which means more than two months...

Who can not be moved by this?
Soon, the two arrived at Huai'an City, and then met the Shanxi master who was in contact with Wang Shun in a restaurant in Huai'an City.

The host was wearing a thick cotton-padded jacket with new fabrics and solid texture. He also had a dog-skin hat on his head and a friendly smile on his face.

It gives people a good feeling to talk!

After seeing Wang Shun, the host stepped forward very politely and spoke.

"Oh, Master Wang is finally here. I've been waiting for you for a long time. Come on, please come in."

"I have prepared wine and meat. Master Wang, please take your seat quickly."

Wang Shun took a few steps forward and bowed his hands very politely, then followed the host into the restaurant.

After sitting down, Wang Shun introduced Niu Zhuang to the host.

"This is Niu Zhuang, a master craftsman at the construction site, with very good skills."

The host greeted with a smile.

"Hello, Master Niu."

The three of them ate together in harmony. During this period, the host kept instilling in Wang Shun and Niu Zhuang the idea that as long as you follow me to Shanxi, you will be allowed to eat spicy food.

Wang Shun was obviously moved, but Niu Zhuang was unmoved.

He just smiled and drank. It was okay to drink, but as long as he talked about serious matters, he would be confused.

Seeing this, the host knew that Niu Zhuang was a difficult person to deal with, so he smacked his lips and then asked.

"Master Niu, let's be honest. What conditions do I need before you are willing to follow me to Shanxi?"

"If you have the conditions, just tell me. If I can make the decision, I will agree to it. If I can't make the decision, I will report it to the shopkeeper and ask the shopkeeper to make the decision."

He knew there was no point in beating around the bush with smart people.

You might as well just say it and let's talk openly and honestly.

In this case, it is best to finalize the matter as soon as possible to avoid wasting everyone's time. (End of chapter)