Super dictator.

Regarding Zhou Fu's praise, Wei Jichen had no choice but to bear it brazenly.

Yan Dunyuan was the general manager of the Anshan Iron Works, and Zhou Fu was the general manager. Zhou Fu was a little unhappy that Wei Jichen had placed people beside him, but in the past few months, Yan Dunyuan has proved with his own ability that Wei Jichen's recommendation was not wrong.

Yan Dunyuan waited until Zhou Fu finished speaking, and reported to Wei Jichen excitedly: "Wei Shuai, the iron ore collected from Anshan was sent to Hanyang Iron Works for smelting, and the final smelted steel is qualified."

The iron ore in Anshan area is widely distributed, and its composition is very complex. After Zhou Fu and Yan Dunyuan prepared to build the Anshan Iron Factory, they collected some specimens from all the places where the miners found iron ore, and then classified them into different categories. The ore was transported to Hanyang Iron, and finally the ore quarried from some places met the standard after smelting.

What does this mean? This means that a lot of money can be saved, as long as the batch of old machines from Hanyang Iron Works can be bought at a low price.

Li Hongzhang of Anshan Iron Works and Sheng Xuanhuai are all shareholders in it. Now that Sheng Xuanhuai takes over Hanyang Iron Works, he will definitely make great efforts to facilitate this matter.

Zhou Fu also smiled and took a sip of tea and said, "General Wei can always come up with unexpected solutions, Zhou really admires him."

As soon as Zhou Fu took office, he thought about buying machines from abroad from the very beginning. He expected that this matter would turn around, which not only saved a lot of money, but also saved a lot of time, so that the iron factory could implement it as soon as possible. , This action greatly increased his favor towards Wei Jichen.

Wei Jichen laughed and said, "I'm just talking nonsense. I thought things would go so smoothly. Now that the machine has disappeared, I don't know when it will be put into production?"

Seeing Wei Jichen's impatient look, Zhou Fu couldn't help but smiled and said, "The factories, mines, houses, and public houses are already under construction, and the factory technicians are almost recruited. Now we're waiting for the furnace from Hanyang Iron Works to be delivered and produced. Iron and steel, it is estimated that it will start in the spring of next year."

The furnace is the main machine, but there are other machines that have to be bought from abroad.

Wei Jichen frowned, he didn't expect to solve the main machine problem, and the speed would be so slow.

Seeing his frown, Yan Dunyuan couldn't help explaining: "Wei Shuai, laborers spend six hours a day building factories, and this is already the fastest time."

Six hours, that is, twelve hours.

According to the plan, Anshan Iron Works will include 20 large and small factories including ironworks, steelmaking plants, and iron foundries, two furnaces, 2 workers, and 5000 coal mining workers. After completion, it will surpass Hanyang Iron Works and become the first largest in Asia. Steel Plant.

Wei Jichen said that in order to produce steel, it does not mean that so many factories can produce at once, but all of them must be put into production, not even a year is not enough.

Wei Jichen thought for a while and asked aloud, "Why not use a three-shift system? This way the construction speed can be more than doubled."

"Three shifts?" Zhou Fu and Yan Dunyuan heard this name for the first time, looked at each other, and turned to Wei Jichen puzzled.

Wei Jichen almost forgot that there is no such term yet, so he couldn't help being an evil capitalist and began to explain: "Three shifts means that workers are divided into three batches, and each batch works for eight hours, so that they can be used 24 hours a day."

Zhou Fu and Yan Dunyuan are both smart people. After hearing Wei Jichen's explanation, they immediately understood that they don't have to worry about manpower, they can still recruit if they don't have enough manpower. It's just that they didn't think of using their evening time before.

Although it is going to be winter soon, but some indoor work can be transferred to the evening, so as long as the planning is proper, the construction time of Anshan Iron Works will be cut in half.

Zhou Fu muttered to himself: "Three shifts, why didn't I think of this idea!"

He patted his forehead suddenly, then looked at Wei Jichen with a strange expression, and said, "General Wei, I suddenly discovered that if you do business, you will definitely be rich."

Wei Jichen said lightly: "I have already opened a shipping company, but it is still losing money. It seems that talking and doing are two different things."

Wei Jichen's funny words made both of them smile and take a sip of tea.

Then the meat scene came, and Wei Jichen said in a calm manner: "Speaking of which, it's luck. Not long ago, a British princess was rescued in Lushun."

This is still a secret, and only a few people know it. Now that Wei Jichen said it, it immediately attracted the attention of Zhou Fu and Yan Dunyuan.

"Saved an English princess?" Yan Dunyuan said in astonishment, "The English princess even came to China."

Zhou Fu also felt that this matter was very strange and interesting, and he couldn't guess why Wei Jichen brought it up at this time, his ears were pricked up, waiting for Wei Jichen's next words.

"The thinking of foreigners is naturally different from ours. Let's not talk about it for the time being. The most important thing is that this Maude, er, Maude is the British princess." Wei Jichen said it too intimately, but fortunately he stopped in time , continued: "This Princess Maud is very kind, she is very grateful for our life-saving grace, and always wants to repay us something."

repay?Zhou Fu's heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Wei Jichen unblinkingly.

Wei Jichen felt uncomfortable being stared at by the two, so he said quickly: "When she said that at the time, I thought about it in my heart. Now that I am building a factory in Liaodong and running a mine, why don't I need machines? So I proposed, Ask Princess Maud to help you set up a bridge and buy the machines we need from England."

In the past, when China bought machines from the UK, they entrusted the envoys in the UK to handle them. They were often deceived by the British, such as buying guns and guns. They were all new guns and guns on the outside, but they were hidden inside. A large number of obsolete guns and ammunition are used indiscriminately.

When Zhou Fu heard Wei Jichen's words, they gasped with a hiss. Unexpectedly, Wei Jichen actually made a request. Maybe the British princess just said so casually, and you really asked other princesses to help you. Isn't this a repayment of kindness?

Regarding Wei Jichen's claim that he saved the life of the British princess, although the two felt it was unbelievable, they could still accept it. After all, Wei Jichen could not deceive them with such a big matter, and as long as the matter was secret, it could still be found out if they inquired about it. of.

How did Wei Jichen know that the two were slandering him in their hearts, but he continued with a calm expression: "The British will benefit, and the British royal family also has business. Unexpectedly, I made this request, but Princess Maud smiled. Why do you think so? Princess Maud has started her own company."

"The princess even started the company herself, and the atmosphere of foreigners is really open." Zhou Fu couldn't help but admire Wei Jichen's luck.

Yan Dunyuan asked, "What kind of company did the Moder Company start?"

Wei Jichen gave him an appreciative look and said, Yan Dunyuan is a good guy, he knew how to follow his words.

Wei Jichen unhurriedly took a sip of tea, cleared his throat, and then continued: "This Moder Company has opened a transit company, um, that is, a comprador company. As long as she charges a little agency fee, she can Buy us the latest, most authentic and cheapest machines."

Zhou Fu couldn't help lowering his head when he heard the words, and began to think carefully. For the sake of her reputation, the British princess should not lie. Be deceived.

"Does Wei Shuai want to?" Although Yan Dunyuan understood Wei Jichen's meaning, he still asked.

"That's right, I want to entrust her to purchase all the machines we need for the Anshan Iron Works." Wei Jichen said with a smile.

Although Wei Jichen can force Zhou Fu to obey him, it is really unwise to do so. In addition, there are many shareholders in Anshan Iron Works, and they run enterprises for the government, supervision and business. That's why he spent so much time convincing Zhou Fu.

Although Zhou Fu was recommended by himself, he is now the general office of the Fengtian Coal and Iron Administration, and he is a person trusted by all parties.

"General Wei, how about this, let's buy a small amount of machines from the British princess first and try it out first. If it is really high quality and cheap, it will not be too late for us to start a long-term cooperation." Although Zhou Fu was persuaded by Wei Jichen in his heart, but The trouble was serious, and the cost of it was millions of taels, so he had to act cautiously.

"Brother Zhou is right, and I think so too." Wei Jichen smiled and agreed.

Zhou Fu is very famous and has a wide range of acquaintances. He has friendship with many industrial figures in the Westernization School. If the leather bag company that Moder is about to register can gain trust from him, he will definitely become famous in China through him. , when the time comes, the business will come in a lot, and his own silver will also come in a lot.

Mining and iron smelting is just the prelude to Wei Jichen's plan. His main purpose is to build railways, build arsenals, and even build docks to build ships himself.

It's just that for the construction of the railway, even the Qing government has to consider the money spent, it's not something he can afford alone, and Wei Jichen doesn't want to be taken advantage of.

However, this road has to be repaired, and after repairing, the benefits will be even greater.

Wei Jichen started to make up his mind again. Zhou Fu used to start China's commercial railway. Now that the Anshan Iron Works is under construction, it is best to build a railway to Fushun first, so that coal transportation will be much more convenient. This railway is relatively short. , the Qing government should be able to afford it.

However, what Wei Jichen wanted to build was a major railway line connecting the three eastern provinces, and the money he spent was probably astronomical. At this time, the Qing government was in financial constraints, so even if the money was allocated, it would definitely not be enough to build it.

Therefore, Wei Jichen thought of the road protection movement in Sichuan in later generations. At that time, the Sichuan-Han and Guangdong-Han railways adopted the method of collecting private shares, and the taxation of the local government added rent shares, rent shares, rice donated shares, salt Donate shares, donate houses, etc. to raise funds for road construction, so not only the gentry, businessmen and landlords in the four provinces became shareholders, but even some farmers also held shares.

Later, under the pressure of the big powers, the Qing government wanted to nationalize the two railways and auction them to the big powers.

Wei Jichen now wanted to encourage Zhou Fu to go to the court to use this method to build the railways in the three eastern provinces. As for why he didn't go by himself, it was because he liked to hide in the dark.

"Brother Zhou, after the completion of the iron factory, I wonder if Brother Zhou has figured out how to sell the steel produced?" Wei Jichen asked indifferently.

Zhou Fu said without thinking, "Of course it is used to build the railway."

Wei Jichen nodded with a smile, "A lot of steel is used to build railways, but have you ever thought about it, Brother Zhou, there is Hanyang Iron Works in the south, and the steel they produce will definitely be used in the southern railways, and our Anshan Iron Works is like this Huge scale, if there is no market, it will eventually close down at a loss."

Zhou Fu didn't expect that the factory hadn't been built yet, and Wei Jichen was worried about the sales. It's just that Wei Jichen's performance was too dazzling, and he followed Wei Jichen's thinking because of his preconceived ideas.

"So, what General Wei means is that if the steel from our Anshan Iron Works is to be sold, it must be because the north has also vigorously built railways?" Zhou Fu, being a smart person, immediately understood Wei Jichen's meaning.

Wei Jichen showed an appreciative smile, and said unhurriedly: "Nowadays, all the provinces want to build railways, but the imperial households are empty, so there is no extra silver. In the end, I don't know which province will be the first. If we can find a unique way , if we raise additional funds, it will definitely be appreciated by the imperial court, so that we can be the first to start.”

"Oh, I don't know what clever plan General Wei has?" Zhou Fu asked curiously.

Wei Jichen smiled lightly, and calmly described the preparation method of the Sichuan-Han Railway.

Zhou Fu and Yan Dunyuan were stunned for a while after hearing Wei Jichen's method.

"What Wei Shuai means is that even Xiaomin can get the shares of the railway?" Yan Dunyuan asked cautiously.

Wei Jichen said nonchalantly: "What's wrong with Xiaomin owning the shares? They don't join in the management right. As long as we give them a little bonus when we make a profit, the railway will ultimately be controlled by our local government."

"It's not unreasonable for General Wei to say that. Zhou is willing to take the lead and go to the court to facilitate this matter." Zhou Fu knew the reason why Wei Jichen told him this method, so he immediately embraced it.

What Wei Jichen does is very simple, that is to activate private capital, and the stinking copper coins left by the old landlords at home can be used for me. , whoever dares to sell them to other countries will surely bear the wrath of the people.