bayedsolid Chapter 250 World of Famous Works 39
Chapter 250 World of Famous Works 39
The system task has been completed, but Lin Xiaoqian and his group didn't plan to leave so early anyway, and they still had to wait for Monkey King to finish his pilgrimage, so the shop remained open.
However, when to open and what to sell depends entirely on Lin Xiaoqian's mood.
Sometimes she would cook some food to sell in the shop, and sometimes she would take out some modern, but not outrageous, products from the warehouse to sell in the restaurant's lobby. These included things like military binoculars, mechanical watches, solar-powered lighters, and high-precision compasses, and sometimes she would also include some pamphlets on popular science.
During this time, life was peaceful. Neither her cheap master Bodhi nor any Buddhist monks appeared. Instead, the princess came to the shop every day, and she bought most of the new gadgets in the shop.
On this day, news came from Liaozhuang that the first cement factory in the Tang Dynasty had been completed.
Lin Xiaoqian was really confused when he heard the news. Wasn't the plan to build weapons and set up an artillery battalion? Why did they end up with a cement factory?
Upon hearing this, Liao Zhuang replied, "You think building weapons factories is so easy? The Tang Dynasty looks prosperous now, but it simply can't afford the firearms battalion you mentioned. We still have to find a way to be self-sufficient. Sigh, you had such a brilliant idea, I don't know how many brain cells it took me. But luckily, we recently struck coal while mining, and you and I went to the palace. The Tang Emperor was quite agreeable and entrusted the entire mine to you. I immediately thought of building a cement plant first. As the old saying goes, 'To get rich, build roads first.' The Tang Emperor has already agreed that 50% of the cement plant's profits will go towards the firearms battalion's expenses."
Lin Xiaoqian couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "Amazing!"
Liao Zhuang has always had a strong business sense and eloquence, which is why Lin Xiaoqian kept him by Zhuang Damao's side.
Liao Zhuang said with a hint of helplessness, "What we're really lacking right now is skilled technical personnel. I remember you have quite a few educational robots, right? Could you spare some for me?"
Lin Xiaoqian agreed without hesitation: "No problem."
Two months later, all the main roads in Chang'an were repaired and turned into smooth cement roads.
The appearance of cement roads caused a huge sensation in Chang'an. The roads that were originally muddy and difficult to travel on could now be traversed by vehicles without raising clouds of dust. The businesses along the streets became more and more prosperous, and the transportation of goods became more efficient and convenient. The entire city of Chang'an seemed to be injected with a new vitality.
People walked on the flat, wide roads, marveling at the changes. The streets and alleys were filled with talk of this unprecedented transformation, and naturally, the cement factory on the outskirts of the city was the center of the conversation.
"Have you heard? This cement road was paved by a cement factory on the outskirts of the city."
"Everyone knows that. To tell you the truth, the son of my second aunt's eldest son-in-law's cousin works at that cement factory, and they're the ones who paved this floor."
"Really? That cement factory was hiring two months ago, but I heard it's haunted there, and some people have encountered ghosts and got lost in the maze, so I didn't dare go."
"What ghost stories? Those are just rumors. Do you know who's behind that cement factory? It's the current emperor! How could it be haunted? I've also heard that the benefits at that cement factory are excellent."
"Really? Tell me how good it is."
“I heard from my second aunt that the cement factory’s regular employees earn three strings of cash a month. When they first go in, they don’t work. They are trained for half a month. During this period, they are provided with food and accommodation, and they eat three meals a day with vegetables and meat. They are full and they also receive a subsidy of fifteen coins a day.”
Upon hearing this, everyone else's eyes widened instantly, their faces filled with disbelief and envy.
"Wow, what a great deal!" A short, stocky man dressed in coarse linen clothes exclaimed in surprise. "We usually work hard all day at the docks carrying heavy loads and only earn thirty coins. This cement factory pays fifteen coins for doing absolutely nothing, plus room and board. It's like a pie falling from the sky!"
Then the man continued, "It's not over yet! I heard that the cement factory only has four hours of work a day, and they pay extra for anything more. Every five days of work, you can go home and rest for two days. And now that the New Year is coming soon, the cement factory is giving out New Year's goods: two catties of pork, half a bolt of cloth, and a red envelope for each person! I heard that there's a string of cash in that red envelope alone. And none of this is included in the monthly allowance."
Upon hearing of this treatment, the crowd erupted in uproar, with noise rising and falling.
Some people slapped their thighs in regret, exclaiming, "If only I had gone then!"
Others with inside information countered, "Even if you go, you're not guaranteed a place. After the training, there's an assessment. Only after passing the assessment can you sign that contract... whatever it is, some kind of contract. If you fail the assessment, you're out."
"How will you know you can't pass the test if you don't try?"
Someone even asked impatiently, "Is the cement plant still hiring?"
The well-informed person shook his head regretfully: "They stopped recruiting a long time ago! My second aunt's eldest son-in-law's cousin's family used to be so poor that even mice would leave in tears. His son was already in his mid-twenties and still couldn't find a wife because they had no money. But in the last two months, their family has undergone a complete transformation. These past few days, they've been asking my second aunt to help find a wife for their son."
The crowd was buzzing with discussion when someone shouted, "This cement factory is so good, why doesn't the Emperor open more factories and hire more people? So that more of us ordinary folks can work in factories."
The well-informed person sidled up again, saying mysteriously, "I heard that those iron lumps of machinery in the factory are quite mysterious and rare. Not just anyone can operate them. Moreover, I heard that the training methods for workers are complicated. They have to teach everyone how to operate those machines and how to mix and fire the materials. It's not something you can just grab anyone and expect them to be proficient. However, when I passed by the cement factory on the outskirts of the city a few days ago, I saw that they seemed to be building houses next to that factory. I wonder if they're planning to open a new factory."
His words rekindled hope in many people's eyes, and they thought to themselves that if a new factory opened, they would definitely want to work there.
Although Lin Xiaoqian's restaurant was not on a main road, it was paved with cement, so she naturally heard some people talking about it.
Jiang Shuang sighed beside her, "Liao Zhuang and Zhuang Damao did something that all time travelers want to do. If the people knew what they were researching now, they would be shocked."
Lin Xiaoqian turned to look at her and said, "Liao Zhuang said he plans to build a parts factory next to the cement plant, but he didn't say what parts it will make. Do you know, Sister Shuang?"
Jiang Shuang raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Zhuang Damao went to the north half a month ago and found an iron mine. So they had a bold idea: they wanted to build a railway."
Infrastructure construction can be addictive; Zhuang Damao probably forgot by now that he originally wanted to build cannons.