The Great Industrial Ming Dynasty Started from Beiping

Chapter 117
After sending Guo Dong's family away, Steward Wang took advantage of the noon time to find Gao Zhen's shopkeeper and brought forward Guo Dong's idea.

"Although he is courageous, he has little knowledge about business matters, and he was shocked by a few words."

Manager Wang said with a self-proclaimed smile, "You also asked me why I didn't do business in briquettes."

Gao Zhen is calmer than Wang Guanshi, and speaks more sincerely.

"The briquette market is fiercely competitive, with high intensity of work and low profits. It is a business for the leftovers to make small money and ordinary workshops to earn a well-off life. If we don't overwhelm others, we may not be able to do it."

"That's true. Dong Guo's family can be regarded as the number one honeycomb briquette in Beiping, with a profit of less than 1000 taels a year."

"He has no status, no capital, and no footsteps. To achieve this achievement is already the dream of many people."

"Speaking of which, I think of someone." Gao Zhen suddenly laughed.

Steward Wang showed a curious look.

Gao Zhen laughed and said, "Xu Ning, the treasurer of the engineering team, used to want to work in our cabinet. He hoped that through his own efforts, he could earn 30 taels of silver a year."

"Haha."

Steward Wang couldn't help laughing.

There are quite a few people in the outer cabinet who get 30 taels of silver a year, especially at the level of management, the minimum silver is 12 taels a year.

According to the current sales volume, there are several who can pay a one-time dividend of hundreds of taels at the end of the year.

But it is not easy to gain a foothold in the outer cabinet, not everyone can take on this job.

"If shopkeeper Xiao Xu really stayed in our outer cabinet, with his ability, it would be no problem at all."

"For talented people, as long as they are willing to endure hardships, persevere, and persevere, they will always have a chance. Sooner or later." Gao Zhen sighed.

Steward Wang nodded, he recognized this truth.

Many apprentices on the outer cabinet are like this.

Some people can't find a way, so they just bury their heads and work hard, but in the end they can only leave the cabinet in despair and return to the factory to work as workers.

There are also some smart people, but they didn't persevere, couldn't stand the setbacks, couldn't stand it, and left the outer cabinet.

Only those apprentices who have found the correct method and can persevere will finally become more and more proficient in the outer cabinet.

"Most of the dozens of honeycomb coal workshop owners entered this business by relying on luck and foresight, just following the trend."

Those who really have a foothold and capital, such as mine owners, made honeycomb coal at the beginning, but none of them are still making it, and they all handed over what they had.

Those who take over the honeycomb coal workshop may be members of the mine owner's clan, relatives, or friends, or workers from the original workshop, etc.

"A small number of them have a long-term vision and can clearly see the direction of the industry, but they also have a lot of shortcomings. Only Guo Dong's family, although lacking knowledge, is still better than others on the whole."

Steward Wang commented.

"The little prince wants to organize the briquette workshop owners. I'm afraid it will be very difficult, but the little prince said that he wants to organize the mine owners. Although it seems that there is a lot of resistance, I think it is much easier."

"No matter how difficult it is, you have to do it well. You have been following up on this matter. I told you in front of the little prince. Whether you can grasp it or not depends on you."

Gao Zhen draws cakes casually.

Steward Wang restrained his smile and nodded seriously.

"I'm doing my best on this one."

Gao Zhen patted Guanshi Wang on the shoulder, "China Heavy Industry is our future, and we can only rely on ourselves in the end."

"The cultivation of the shopkeeper, I will never forget."

in the afternoon.

Gao Zhen didn't show up anymore, and Wang Guanshi presided over the meeting, and he began to talk about specific affairs, such as the establishment of a briquette chamber of commerce.

"In order to encourage the owners of honeycomb coal workshops to try boldly and develop the market boldly, China Heavy Industries came forward and established the Honeycomb Coal Chamber of Commerce."

"The standard for membership is that the number of workers must be more than ten."

……

Many people breathed a sigh of relief. They didn't recruit outsiders. Among them was a young man with a dark complexion and a look of disappointment.

Their family was the first to make briquettes, but my father always refused to recruit people from outside, for fear of being learned by others and causing trouble.

The briquette market is getting bigger and bigger, but they are still a family of three, with two cars a day.

It has to be produced, but also sold in the city. The output is always so much, and it has gradually become the bottom of the existence.

On the contrary, my father enjoyed it, and was glad that the family had money to live on.

The young man gritted his teeth, and this time he went back, no matter what, he had to convince his father that he had to recruit workers and expand the scale.

Others were equally happy.

For example, Guo Dong's family could not control the joy welling up on his face.

Although it is not directly under the name of a nobleman, there is not much difference if it is under the name of China Heavy Industry.

In his opinion, the Laoshizi Honeycomb Coal Chamber of Commerce means that it will be incorporated by the nobles.

How great it was to be compiled, he had a foothold.

A lot of worrying things dare to continue to do.

"The purpose of the Honeycomb Coal Chamber of Commerce is to help merchants expand their business channels, summarize business problems, and make appeals to the government."

"Let the honeycomb coal industry benefit the people and the country, achieve sustainable development, make profits, and provide a good environment for the honeycomb coal workshop owners."

"At the same time, we should bring the briquette coal industry into a benign and right track and eliminate some hidden dangers, such as the source of employment."

……

During a break at the venue.

Manager Wang was surrounded by eight or nine briquette workshop owners, who kept asking about some specific matters.

More briquette workshop owners stayed in their original positions obediently and didn't care about other things.

In their view, it is a good thing that they are not qualified to join the chamber of commerce, and it would be even better if they could leave earlier.

If it weren't for the briquette coal technology belonging to China Heavy Industry and the concern about the status of the nobles, many people would not come, and a day would be wasted, and work would be delayed.

"There is no mandatory requirement for joining the chamber of commerce, but if you join the chamber of commerce, there will be specific regulations, and there are conditions for joining and conditions for exiting. It's not that you can enter if you want to, or leave if you want to leave."

Steward Wang put his ugly words up front.

Some people hesitated, some people were happy, and even took the initiative to say: "It's good to have a request, and only if there is a request, it shows that you value it."

The rest of the people suddenly realized.

"I hope that everyone will join in and do business in a group. In the future, relying on the chamber of commerce, let go of your hands and feet, and work hard."

Dong Guo's family is the most active, and his performance, in the eyes of outsiders, seems to be cooperating with Steward Wang.

"I sincerely hope that everyone will not miss this opportunity."

The snake has its way, and the rat has its way.

Guo Dongjia knows his own ability, and this industry is what he can grasp in front of him, like the coal industry, he would like to, but he doesn't have this ability now.

But doing a good job in the briquette industry can still make money.

When he has enough capital and accumulated connections, at that time, why can't he do it.

Steward Wang glanced at Dong Guo's house approvingly.

This person is really good.

"As for the issue of employment, the government will definitely intervene. The Chamber of Commerce can help cover up one or two things, but it is not a long-term solution."

"You are all businessmen. We should cooperate for a win-win situation. The same goes for us and the government. Too many hidden households will make the rest of the people suffer more corvee. The government will not agree."

"But the chamber of commerce can come forward and discuss this matter with the government."

"How can we talk about it?"

"Pay."

Hearing this answer, everyone looked hesitant, how much money they only earn a year, and how much money they can afford.

"The chamber of commerce has an advantage. It can be negotiated in batches and meet the government's needs with the least amount of money."

"I think it's a good idea."

Guo Dong's family began to cheer again, and continued: "I dare not go to the government to talk, how can I have the qualifications."

"And even if we talk to the government, if the government says anything casually and guarantees the price based on the number of workers, I still can't afford it."

Steward Wang nodded, then took it over and said, "The chamber of commerce will make full consideration, that is, protect your profits, and discuss this matter with the government at the lowest price."

"The price is too low, can the Yamen agree to it?"

"You can't look at it that way." Steward Wang shook his head, "The Chamber of Commerce bought out directly, and it also solved a lot of energy for the government. The government is willing."

In short, it is to reason with the government.

Ordinary people can't sit down with the government to reason. Even coal mine owners don't have this qualification, but if China Heavy Industry has it, so will the chamber of commerce.

……

Day three.

Gao Zhen brought Steward Wang to Zhu Gaochi's office to report on the events of the day before yesterday and the first version of the Chamber of Commerce's articles of association.

"A total of eight workshops are willing to join the chamber of commerce, with a total employment of nearly 200 people, including 50 people in Dong Guo's workshop."

Steward Wang did not have the same publicity as yesterday, and his attitude was low-key and serious in front of the nobles.

Zhu Gaochi flipped through the regulations.

The main reason is that the chamber of commerce pays a sum of money to the government according to the number of workers, exempting them from corvee.

It is a bit similar to the reforms of the Jiajing and Wanli dynasties in the Ming Dynasty, one whip method.

The Jianghuai area has a prosperous economy and high per capita income, so the people are unwilling to serve in corvee, and the losses caused by corvee are too great.

One whip method is to combine land tax, corvee, and miscellaneous taxes together, and collect them together according to silver.

This greatly simplifies the tax system and facilitates the collection of taxes.At the same time, it makes it difficult for local officials to cheat, thereby increasing fiscal revenue.

It was also the active choice of the local people in the Jianghuai area in the Ming Dynasty after the commodity economy developed to a certain extent.

It seems that the development of industry in Beiping has achieved results, so a trace of this kind of appeal has also been born.

"This method is very good."

In the Ming Dynasty, there were different taxes for the fields and acres in different places. There were summer taxes and autumn taxes, as well as local miscellaneous taxes, and corvee service.

The output per mu of fields in the north and the south is also different, and the price of grain is also different.

Just to take a rough idea, the average value of an acre of land is five cents to one penny. Jianghuai is a special case, and it may be as high as one penny to two pennies.

The total tax for ten mu of land, not counting corvee, is roughly five qian to one tael.

The workshop is naturally calculated by the number of workers. According to the plan of the foreign cabinet, the price will be lowered with the government.

A worker does not exceed two denarii a year.

Zhu Gaochi believes that the government can agree, first of all, he can sit down with them and reason.

Second.

In later generations, the price of buying a new house by an individual is higher than the price of buying through an intermediary, and the intermediary still has money to earn, which is the reason.

(End of this chapter)