At the end of Qin, I became a son of the plane

Chapter 619: Difficult Reform and Backlash
Hearing what Chao Cuo said, the factory managers around him immediately became excited, thinking that he meant to delegate power to them.

It is difficult to be a factory director in a government-run factory. You have to obey the orders of the imperial court and the county. Although the county magistrate cannot give orders to them, he is a local boss and you must help him with some things.

These people were powerful and they were high officials in the imperial court, so they could tolerate it. However, the factory also had a staff meeting, and the factory workers had this support. They would run to their offices and slam the tables at any time. As a factory director, he was treated like a young wife, oppressed by the upper and the lower. If there were one or two rogue craftsmen in the factory, the whole factory would be in turmoil, but they could hardly punish such craftsmen.

Xu Wen, the director of Chen County Silk Textile Factory, said: "We are the county's industry, so we should obey the county. County Magistrate, do you have such great power?

Let me give you an example. For example, the county governor wants me to expand production capacity, but I think the textile industry market is too saturated. Continuing to expand production capacity will not make money. Can I still disobey the county's order? You know, our textile factory was built with the county governor's money?"

He still has some moral principles of doing things for whoever he is paid by, but that doesn't mean Xu Wen is willing to obey the county's orders.

In recent years, with the rapid development of the silk industry, the competitive pressure from the overseas silk industry has become increasingly greater. Within the Han Dynasty, the counties and prefectures south of the Yangtze River are also vigorously developing the silk industry. Under such internal and external pressure, Chenjun Silk is under great pressure. Xu Wen wants to develop more high-end silk and new jacquard machines to occupy the high-end silk market in the Han Dynasty. After all, the profits of luxury goods are much higher than those of ordinary silk.

But Chen Junnei did not have such an idea, or it could be said that Junnei did not care about his idea. If you want to develop higher-grade silk and new machines, that's fine, but the money given to Junnei cannot be reduced.

After receiving this reply, Xu Wen was extremely indignant. In his opinion, the county magistrate was like a vicious mother-in-law who wanted him to cook a good meal but was unwilling to give him money to buy the food.

How can he hire a skilled craftsman or conduct research and development without money? He had no choice but to give up the idea.

Chao Cuo said: "Now is a special period of reform. The court allows Chen County's factories to carry out the one-management system reform. The so-called one-management system means that you have the right to operate the factory. The Shaofu, the county governor's office, and the county office only have the right to supervise, but have no potential to interfere with your operation. Let's put it this way, except that the factory does not belong to you, your rights are the same as those of private factory owners."

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience was in an uproar. It seemed that the court was determined to let the situation go to the end.

Hundreds of factory managers at the scene could no longer suppress their inner excitement, and the corners of their mouths rose unnaturally by 5 degrees.

Especially the factory directors of county offices. Their factories are small in scale, but they have the most bosses above them. They don’t earn much money, but they still have a lot of tasks to do.

They have to find ways to resettle the local Han officials and retired Han soldiers. They only make a few cents a year, which is basically better than what the higher-ups do. The factory director's job is so frustrating.

Xu Wen said excitedly: "Then do we have the right to fire the factory employees? Magistrate Chao said that we must increase profits above the industry average, so we must find ways to increase revenue and reduce expenditure. However, it is very difficult for the silk industry to increase revenue. Unless the court discovers a new continent, the only way to increase profits is to reduce expenditure, and to reduce expenditure we have to lay off some employees."

Factory Director Zhao Yun said, "Don't forget, County Magistrate. The court has also arranged quotas for us to place people. We are not in the steel industry. Their scale has been expanding. Although our factory's production capacity has increased a little, the improvement of machinery has offset the increased capacity. The craftsmen assigned to us every year are a heavy burden. You want us to be above the industry average. Can we recruit craftsmen on our own?"

Chao Cuo said: "The industry of our Han Dynasty doubles in size almost every 10 years. How dare you complain about having too many craftsmen?"

Zhao Yun said helplessly: "The scale of expansion is mainly in industries such as steel. The textile industry was saturated decades ago."

Other factory managers also began to speak out: "The county magistrate can't just say that our profits are low without mentioning our contributions to the court. Every year we have to place more than a dozen retired soldiers in the factory. The county and prefecture have given us banners for supporting the army, covering an entire wall. Now that the reform has begun, all these are no longer recognized. If we can reduce some of the craftsmen, it won't be difficult to reach the average profit line."

Among the factory managers here, only the machinery factory, steel factory, carriage factory, and train factory remained silent, because the industrial scale of their industries continued to expand, and the need for craftsmen was also increasing. The retired soldiers from the court received discipline training in the army, and before retiring, these factories also cooperated with the court to conduct skills training. These retired soldiers are all high-quality craftsmen.

Chao Cuo frowned when he heard this. It was not so easy to fire a craftsman in the Han Dynasty, especially in a government-run factory, and the Han Dynasty had to accommodate more than 100,000 soldiers every year.

The construction troops were able to quickly expand to a size of 60, thanks to the continuous development of the Han Dynasty's industries, led by the steel industry, which absorbed a large number of employed people. The court could then deploy these soldiers into the industry.

For the good families in the vast rural areas of the Han Dynasty, if they can get a stable job after three years of hard work, then these three years of hard work are worth it.

However, if the one-man management system is implemented, this model will be broken. It is impossible for the court to set KPIs for these factory managers on the one hand and punish them if they fail to meet them, and on the other hand continue to add staff to their factories.

Chao Cuo thought to himself that it was true that a single move could affect the entire body.

Chao Cuo thought for a moment and said, "Let's do it step by step. This county will set up a technical school in Chen County. You can transfer the people who think they are rogue craftsmen to this technical school. I will arrange a skills assessment for them. If they fail the skills assessment, they will stay in the technical school and only receive the minimum basic salary."

Chao Cuo said: "As for the placement of veterans, I will discuss with the court and try our best not to place retired veterans in your factory."

"The county magistrate is wise!" The factory managers present saluted and shouted.

Although it didn't solve all the problems, it was a good thing to get rid of those annoying rogue craftsmen.

However, Chao Cuo said in a deep voice: "The court has given you such great power with requirements. I have also checked the ratio of management positions to production positions in private factories, which is roughly 1:20, that is, 20 craftsmen correspond to one manager. But I checked your factory and found that the ratio is roughly 1:5. This is not just the case in one or two factories, but in almost all factories. It is the same industry, why is the gap so big? This is not just a problem of craftsmen. The first task I give you is to cut half of these managers within a year, and cut another half next year."

When these words came out, the whole audience was shocked. This county magistrate from Chang'an was so fierce. Didn't he know who these managers were? If they really chopped them like this, they would be the ones to die.

Chao Cuo said: "The court has given you such great power, so you should naturally bear greater responsibilities. If you are unwilling to bear this responsibility, there are many people who are willing to bear it. I believe there will be some capable managers in your factory."

This is a naked threat.

Xu Wen smiled bitterly and said, "County Magistrate, this is Chen County, the birthplace of the Han Dynasty. Every county has countless marquises, earls, barons, and viscounts. Anyone in Chen County has connections that go far."

Chao Cuo said calmly: "I am the county magistrate appointed by the emperor. Who has better connections than me? In a word, if you can't do this, you should step down and let someone who can do this take over."

The meeting started with joy in the first half but ended in fear in the second half. These factory managers all felt confused about their future.

Xu Wen asked Zhao Yun, "How are you going to deal with this?"

Zhao Yun was not without background either. Chen Jun, the former Imperial Censor of the Han Dynasty, was from the same hometown as him. Now this Han Dynasty elder was living in his hometown. Zhao Yun smiled bitterly and said, "How else can we deal with this? Gather everyone and tell us about this matter."

"Can a mantis arm stop a chariot? Reforms are too common in Chen County. This is just a reincarnation. Just like what Magistrate Chao said, if things go wrong, I will just step down and let others take over. Anyway, I am old and have earned enough over the years. It is better for me to retire now.

Zhaoyun owns 25% of the shares in his own textile factory, and has received tens of millions of dollars in dividends over the years. The competition in running a factory is too fierce, especially in the Han homeland. He does not intend to let his son take over. Instead, he plans to let his son take the money to Southeast Asia to buy an economic crop garden, so that he can have a stable income regardless of drought or flood.

Xiliushifang, Yunxiu Textile Factory.

After returning, Zhaoyun convened a high-level meeting and discussed the court's reform of the one-leader system and the plan to cut half of the management level.

"Chao Cuo is indeed a cruel official of the Legalists. He wants to overturn the jobs of thousands of people with one blow. The court should not have allowed the Legalists to make a comeback." If the one-man system was only for craftsmen, they would naturally welcome it warmly, but now they are the ones who are hit the hardest. It is better not to have this kind of reform.

Then a manager looked at the workers' meeting and said, "We call on all the craftsmen to strike and march. We reject the court's reforms. You should know that you craftsmen are also among the ranks of Chao Cuo, the cruel official."

The consul of the Workers' Congress smiled bitterly and said, "The Mohist headquarters has passed a resolution that Mohists must not hinder the court's reforms."

After the Mohist Congress, the Mohists began to carry out reforms in several relatively grassroots collective textile factories, but they did not implement the one-leader system reform.

After discussion, the Mohists believed that the productivity of the Han Dynasty had been greatly improved compared to more than ten years ago, but the relative management ability had not been improved, and the production and management were not matched, so the advantages of productivity were not fully utilized. They decided to implement a refined management system in the Mo family's factory, strictly implement the system, deduct profits little by little during production, and increase the factory's profits without reducing the welfare benefits of workers. At that time, they will use this management system to completely replace the backward management system of the Han Dynasty.

Of course, in order to contrast with the one-leader system, the Mohists had already ordered the Chenjun Mohists not to hinder Chao Cuo's reforms.

"Are we just going to watch that cruel official do whatever he wants in our Chen County? The old man has spent most of his life in Yunxiu Textile Factory. Now that he is old, he deserves to be promoted."

"It's no use retreating any of you. Now they want to cut off half of our people. Chao Cuo just doesn't want us to live. We gave him face and called him Chao County Magistrate, but he really thought he was the emperor's confidant and could mess around in Chen County. Now we might as well go all out and publicize the court's reform measures, launch a general strike throughout Chen County, and drive Chao Cuo out."

The consul of the workers' congress said meaningfully: "The court actually wants to cut off some people who are just eating and drinking. If these people leave, our factory's profits will be much better."

This immediately angered a relative who said, "Do you think a factory can be opened just because you craftsmen work hard? Without my uncle's connections, how could the factory get the most favorable low-interest loans? I alone save the factory millions of interest every year, and I only get a salary of hundreds of thousands a year. The factory is making a lot of money. The impact of me alone is equivalent to the impact of hundreds of your craftsmen."

Another relative also said, "If my father hadn't reserved the best warehouse space and coordinated the transport ship, the cotton cloth from our factory could not be shipped out so quickly. We can only make so little money. We have to go out early and come back late every day to work. Do you believe that Naigong has quit? See if the factory can make more money without someone?"

"I didn't make much money, and the management is so strict. Now you still think I'm just sitting there doing nothing. If I don't do it, I'll go to Daqinzhou to make some money." The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He slammed the door and walked out. It was obvious that he was also dissatisfied with this job and didn't want to do it anymore.

Times have led to different choices for people. Now there are too many opportunities in the Han Dynasty. You can easily become a big landlord by going to the New World, and you can easily make a fortune by making cash crops by going to Southeast Asia. It is easy to be a grassroots official in India. If you are capable, you may be able to become an official with a salary of two thousand stones. Even going to the Xiongnu to do business is not bad. The economic crisis of the Xiongnu in the past two years directly brought the asset prices of the Xiongnu to the bottom. In addition, the Xiongnu has cheap labor, so it is easy to make money by opening a textile factory in the Xiongnu.

The last one is Daqinzhou. Although it is poor, they are the ones that lack various industrial products and machinery the most. Even if you do purchasing on behalf of others, you can easily make a fortune. The Han Dynasty promotes globalization, and this era is in the first wave of globalization dividends. There are too many opportunities, and there is a great probability that you will succeed if you rush into it.

Therefore, many of the second generation of the Han Dynasty are still willing to venture out, but because of their parents' personal experiences, they prefer their descendants to live a stable life. Although there are opportunities, there are also dangers in going out.

In the New World, even now, everyone has to carry a musket when leaving the city, otherwise there is a certain chance of disappearing without a trace. Nanyang has been developed by the Han Dynasty for nearly 30 years, but the accidental death rate in this land is still 10 times higher than that of the Han Dynasty.

Now the most dangerous place in the entire Han Dynasty is Yanzhou Continent. Although there are gold mines there, wild beasts, natives, diseases, and various natural and man-made disasters can take people's lives. The current mortality rate in Yanzhou Continent is as high as 2%. You have to know that it is not the mainland of the Han Dynasty. Those who go there are young and strong, and there are no elderly people at all, but the mortality rate is still close to the level of war. There is no way. With the medical level of the Han Dynasty, many diseases are really unpreventable. Before a certain infrastructure city is developed, this mortality rate is difficult to reduce.

Zhao Yun smiled bitterly and said, "The court has set the retirement age at 60. I am old now, so I might as well retire and enjoy the happiness of family at home, and also make room for the young people in the factory."

In the Han Dynasty, craftsmen were willing to retire at 60, not to mention 50, so that they could receive rice, flour, oil, and money from the court, enjoy family happiness, and live a few years of leisure. This was the life they had always dreamed of.

But for senior managers, retiring at 60 is too early. 60 is the golden age for a manager. With decades of work experience, they can guide many young people to avoid detours.

Therefore, many managers of Yunxiu Textile Factory did not retire when they reached age, or they were re-employed after retirement. This kind of thing is very common in factories in Dahan.

"Director, if you want to retire, then do so. I will not retire. I will continue to work with Chao Cuo, the cruel official. He wants to destroy my job, so I will destroy his job." After saying this, the old man left.

The people who stayed here looked at each other in bewilderment. But soon a manager said, "Director, why don't you go and talk to the county magistrate and ask him to reduce the number of positions a little bit? How can you destroy half of your jobs in one go?"

Zhao Yun said: "The new county magistrate is the emperor's confidant, so I can't make sense of it."

Sheriff's Mansion.

Zheng Qi looked at Chao Cuo and sighed, "I have already told you to be careful and tread carefully, but you are even more reckless than Prime Minister Zhou back then. Prime Minister Zhou was a high-ranking official and a founding hero of the Han Dynasty. He was trusted by the emperor. There is also an economic crisis outside. But what do you have now? The one-man system has already offended the Mohists and the craftsmen, and now you are going to cut half of the managers. You have offended everyone."

Chao Cuo said: "This reform will definitely affect the interests of the craftsmen. If I cannot be relatively fair, I am afraid that the contradictions will intensify. County Magistrate, think about it. On the one hand, the management will occupy high positions, and their power and wealth will increase in the foreseeable future. On the other hand, the number of craftsmen will be reduced on a large scale. The craftsmen of the Han Dynasty can tolerate such unfair treatment. I am afraid that the younger generation will be beaten with a stick when they go out."

"Down with Chao Cuo, the cruel official!"

"The court cannot hide its bows after all the birds have been killed!"

Outside the county magistrate's mansion, the shouts of tens of thousands of people could be heard.

Zheng Qi said bitterly: "The backlash is coming."

(End of this chapter)