mtl008 Chapter 306 The Bloodthirstiness of Tongan Chamber of Commerce
Chapter 306 The Bloodthirstiness of Tongan Chamber of Commerce
While drinking tea, the three of them discussed the specific responsibilities of quality inspection and the division of labor of textile machines.
Liang Fu became more and more excited as he spoke, and drank pot after pot of tea.
how to say.
He always felt that some of Lord Shen's views were particularly novel and practical, yet not difficult to understand.
Why didn't anyone think of this before?
The more he spoke, the more excited he became, and he acted as if he wanted to have a late-night chat with Shen Zheng.
Shen Zheng was actually a little overwhelmed by the continuous high-intensity mental output. As she was talking, she changed the subject.
"Master Liang, in your opinion, if we follow the method we just discussed, when will the apprentices be able to build the first textile machine?"
Liang Fu tapped his fingers lightly and replied after a moment:
"A month at most."
"Why does it take so long?" Mr. Qiao was a little confused.
In his opinion, if everything went well, the apprentices would be able to build the first textile loom in just half a month.
"Running-in." Liang Fu said concisely.
"What's the point of running-in?" Old Qiao was still a little confused.
Seeing that he still didn't understand, Liang Fu didn't get angry, but slowly explained:
"Everyone has different techniques and is good at different parts. We will have to observe them carefully for this month and then decide how to divide the work."
"Assigning everyone to their areas of expertise will make it easier to build textile machines in the future."
Mr. Qiao glanced at Liang Fu.
Although he was reluctant to admit it, the fact was that he was just a craftsman who focused on his work, while Liang Fu was a natural superior.
Those in a higher position look at things in a terrifyingly comprehensive way.
He admired and said: "You officials are smart. We are just wood, we are just doing the work for you."
Liang Fu chuckled, "Everyone has their own merits, don't underestimate yourself."
He calculated the days in his mind again and reminded Shen Zheng:
"Master Shen, it's almost time to start choosing a site for the fabric workshop."
Shen Zheng nodded and said, "I have been thinking about this for a while. The location of the workshop does not have to be good, but the land must be spacious enough."
Because as long as cotton cloth is on the market, it will be in short supply, so the more textile machines the better, and the bigger the workshops the better.
Liang Fu volunteered: "After I finish my work in the next two days, I will go around and check for you."
Shen Zheng was eager for Liang Fu to take over all the tasks without any hesitation.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Lord Liang."
......
After Liang Fu and Mr. Qiao left, Shen Zheng sat in the study room and thought alone.
She raised her hand and rubbed her temple.
Nowadays, no one in Tongan County will go hungry, but she always feels that it is not enough, nothing is enough.
Study, industry, business, these things all weighed on her mind one by one.
She knew that she might be a little too anxious. The progress of Tongan County was obvious to all, but she had seen real prosperity, and she was always yearning for it and eager for quick success.
But she had just told Wang Guangjin that things would be better if she took it slow.
Shen Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and kept reminding herself not to be impatient.
"Knock knock—" someone knocked on the study door.
"What's the matter?" Shen Zheng asked.
"Sir, Prince Wang and the merchants wish to see you." The constable on duty reported.
"Let them go to the council chamber."
"Yes."
After Shen Zheng sat down, everyone looked at her enthusiastically.
She felt something in her heart, chuckled and asked:
"We have to sell off the goods tomorrow. Why are you coming to the county government office today instead of sorting out the goods in the shop?"
"grown ups!"
Everyone stood up at the same time.
Wang Guangjin took out a piece of contract from his arms and handed it to Shen Zheng with his head down.
"Please have a look, sir!"
Everyone shouted in unison, and the noise was so loud that it scared away the birds that were looking for food outside.
Shen Zheng looked at them doubtfully, took the deed and read it carefully.
The first line of the deed clearly stated the two parties to the agreement - Tongan County School and Tongan Chamber of Commerce.
She asked Wang Guangjin: "Signing the contract in the name of the Chamber of Commerce means that all merchants have done it?"
Wang Guangjin exchanged glances with everyone and replied with a smile, "Your Excellency, that's right."
Shen Zheng nodded approvingly.
She looked down slowly, and after seeing the following content, she looked up at everyone in shock.
Everyone grinned at her.
She asked in surprise, "You invested money in the early stage to help the county school develop printing technology. After the first batch of books were successfully sold, you removed yourselves from the printing workshop. Don't you want the profits here?"
It was clearly stated in the deed that they divided the profits into two parts.
One is the profit from the sale of books - printing workshops supply books to bookstores.
The second is the profit from the sale of books - bookstores sell books to the people.
The content of the deed meant that once the printing workshop was established, it would belong to the county school, and the profits from the books published by the workshop would also be earned by the county school.
The Chamber of Commerce, on the other hand, was only responsible for opening bookstores throughout the Great Zhou and earning profits from the sale of books.
Everyone nodded and smiled.
Wang Guangjin cupped his hands and said:
"Sir, we have discussed this. We are not very good at engraving, typesetting, and printing books, and we can't find a suitable person for the time being. Why not hand it over to the county school? They will contribute their manpower and efforts, and it is reasonable for them to earn some money after the work is done."
Shen Zheng pursed her lips. This actually didn't make sense.
It is true that the county school has contributed manpower and effort, but in the early stages of research and development, money is the bulk of the cost, and this should be a matter of proportion.
Shen Zheng knew that this was their excuse.
She said with a complicated look: "You should know that the initial investment is not low."
"The little people have calculated it."
The merchants smiled and said, "It's nothing more than collecting books, engraving clay, making molds, and hiring people to typeset. The majority of the money is spent. The small people spread out their money, but each household can't contribute much."
Nothing more?
Shen Zheng looked at them in confusion.
She felt that she had looked down on them that day.
Seeing that she didn't speak, Wang Guangjin continued:
"Sir, in fact, as long as the county school develops the printing technology and the books are put on sale, it will be a very profitable business for us. Even if we set the price very low, a mosquito is still meat, and our victory lies in the large quantity."
He joked:
"It is said that we are profit-driven in business, so don't think we are at a loss in this matter. We have thought it through. As long as the printing technology is successfully developed, we will immediately send people out to open bookstores and open them everywhere in Da Zhou! Let all other bookstores close down!"
"All shops are closed!" the merchants responded enthusiastically.
Shen Zheng looked at them and felt that everyone seemed to be wearing a mask on their face.
She didn't know for a moment which side was the real them.
"Why do you have to do this?" Shen Zheng asked.
Everyone looked at each other.
There was a light in their eyes that Shen Zheng could not understand.
The meeting room fell into silence for a moment.
After a moment of silence, Wang Guangjin looked at her with a smile and said:
"Sir, you know how low the status of us merchants is."
"In the past, the people who looked down on us the most were the aristocratic families, the 'upper class'. They called us cheap while using the things we offered as tribute."
He laughed at himself and added:
"Even our merchants and their sons have only been able to go to school in recent decades. This is a rule that we paid for with our money."
"Yes."
Someone responded, "Books are so precious. We couldn't even touch them in the past, but now you have given us this opportunity..."
Give them the opportunity to bring down the "superiors".
"That's right." Wang Guangjin's eyes were slightly red, and he looked up and said:
"In fact, we are holding back our anger. We don't want to be superior to others, nor do we want to be inferior to others. We just think that it is very ugly for those people to hold books and knowledge tightly in their hands while laughing at others' incompetence."