Uncle Lai in the Red Chamber

Chapter 358 Good News
It was September, and Second Sister You gave birth to a daughter, named Yunqing.

Originally, Lai Shangrong was supposed to come to the Yamen yesterday, but unexpectedly, Uncle Tian Guo couldn't wait for the full moon wine, so he brought his female relatives to the door to congratulate him, so he was delayed for another day.

Lai Shangrong was not surprised by this. He guessed that the medicinal wine was quite effective, so Uncle Tian Guo came to thank him in advance.

Stepping into the Yamen, congratulations came and went.

"Congratulations, my lord! Both girls are perfect!"

"Hahaha!" People are in high spirits during happy events. Lai Shangrong couldn't hide his joy and said with a smile: "Everyone is here?"

"Back to your lord! All relevant personnel, including the Salt and Iron Department, are waiting in the conference room." Yuan Chengtao paused and said, "I don't know if your lord's daughter's full moon wine..."

"Hey! That's all it was last time, but I won't do it this time. When the meeting is over, you can pass on what I mean!"

Stepping into the conference room, the hall that seemed noisy just now fell into silence.

Lai Shangrong cleared his throat and said, "Let's talk about the industrial park in the southeast of the city first, and related matters!"

As the scale of the state-owned company expanded, the originally designated area could no longer meet demand. Lai Shangrong simply circled a [-]-hectare piece of land to the southeast a few miles away from the capital and rebuilt an industrial zone.

Several existing factories close to the city wall will also be relocated and transformed into living areas.

"According to your Majesty's instructions, the land acquisition work has now been completed. The land acquisition will be compensated with the shares of the new factory in the future. We are currently organizing manpower to level the site and other related matters..."

Although there is no shortage of money, subsequent construction and infrastructure construction will require a large amount of money, plus capital costs are also costs. Of course, exchanging shares for land is the most cost-effective.

"Yes! Railway tracks must be reserved in the park, and sufficient width must be reserved for roads."

The reason why it was chosen in the southeast of the capital was also for the convenience of transportation. Although there are coal mines in Xishan, they have not been over-exploited, and a large amount of coal, iron and other raw materials are transported via waterways.

It is close to the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and closer to the Tianjin Seaport. It is also preparing for the construction of a railway between the two places in the future.

In ancient times, security was always a big problem. Iron tools were already under control. With large-scale track laying, theft was a problem that had to be faced.

This is also the reason why there has been no construction of railways even though steam engines have appeared and the train models of the state-owned enterprises are all for show.

However, with the security of the State-Owned Industry Department, it is possible to pilot the test in advance in the park and between the workers' dormitories and the park.

On the one hand, it facilitates workers' commuting to and from get off work, and on the other hand, it saves manpower consumed in transportation.

"Sir! We are currently negotiating with each factory on the factory area. We will wait until everything is summarized before planning!"

Regarding this answer, Lai Shangrong nodded in approval.

"The Salt and Iron Department, in cooperation with the State-owned Department, is fully committed to the manufacturing of railway tracks."

He also mentioned some precautions, and then said: "The 30 silver coins invested in the early stage seemed to be gone without much circulation!"

"Your Excellency, you are so good at predicting things! According to my subordinates' estimates, at least 30 of the first batch of 20 coins have disappeared. This amount alone made more than 50. My subordinates had to temporarily increase their investment. Now the Mint There is still a stock of [-]. As long as there are no more private castings in the furnace, the current size of the state-owned company is enough for our internal circulation." The matched silver coins contain only [-]% silver, but the quality and fineness are the same. Pure silver is no different. Folk silver has a lot of impurities, attracting a group of speculators to smelt it privately.

This has two advantages. On the one hand, every time a silver coin is melted privately, the state-owned company will increase its income; on the other hand, these speculators cannot bear the loss for nothing, but their craftsmanship is not skillful and they can only cast low-quality coins privately. The introduction of silver ingots into the market also increases the credibility of silver coins.

"We need to take a longer-term view. The promotion of silver coins by this official is not just for the internal circulation of state-owned enterprises. From next year, workers' wages will also be paid in silver coins, and exchange banks will be opened around living areas to gradually promote it to the private sector."

Lai Shangrong picked up the tea on the table, Niu took a sip, and continued: "The research and development side should also step up, and don't rush to announce the results, pay attention to the rhythm, add more, and dilute.

In short, when a research and development result is released, our state-owned company must withhold part of it as a bonus for R&D personnel. No matter how hard it is, scientific research cannot be done! "

…………

While Lai Shangrong was working hard on government affairs, Tian Chang came to Queen Tian's Fengzao Palace.

"How? Any news?"

"Back to your Majesty, the Jin Yiwei only found out that the clothes came from the Rong Mansion, but they have never been able to penetrate into the Lai family. Fortunately, yesterday, under the pretext of congratulations, Wei Chen took his female family members to visit the Lai family. Sure enough, all the female family members in his family have them. The clothes the empress mentioned."

"Okay! Okay! It really matches my guess!" Queen Tian clapped her hands.

"There is something I don't understand. Even if Concubine Xian De and Lai Shangrong were in love with each other before she entered the palace, after she entered the palace, would Lai Shangrong still dare to covet the emperor's concubines regardless of life and death? Besides, if she wears clothes designed by Lai Shangrong, this will only It shows that the virtuous concubine never forgets her..."

Queen Tian interrupted: "Of course I know what you are talking about, but I don't intend to expose it. There is a saying that men chase women across the mountain, and women chase men across the veil. What's more, the virtuous concubine is dignified and beautiful, and she is Miss of the host family, how many men can resist this kind of temptation?
Even if they have nothing to overcome, the less they can get, the more they value it and the more difficult it is to let go of it. "

Tian Chang understood immediately and said: "What the empress means... Could it be that at the critical moment, Concubine Xiande will be Lai Shangrong's weakness?"

"That's right! But I won't use this method for the time being. If you can be gentle, it's better not to quarrel. Since the two of them have feelings for each other, I will take care of the virtuous concubine for her. I believe he can repay her kindness!"

After a pause, he added: "The medicinal wine he sent last time was just a way of repaying his kindness! It seems that I asked Concubine Xian De to repay him last time, so it was considered unintentional."

When Tian Chang heard this, he immediately said happily: "Empress! Could it be that the medicinal wine is really... really effective?"

Empress Tian smiled, stroked her belly, and nodded: "The emperor was poisoned and plotted by Prince Yi Zhong, which caused the root cause of the disease. In all these years, he only has one heir, Prince Jing, who was born to Concubine Duan before he was poisoned.

Now, this palace finally has a dragon seed, if it can give birth to a prince, in the future..."

Speaking of this, he suddenly stopped and said quickly: "I have to prepare some more wine, just in case this baby is just a princess..."

"Congratulations to the empress! Congratulations to the empress!" Tian Chang kept rubbing his hands and said: "If the empress can give birth to a prince, our family will have peace of mind in the future!"

Suddenly he came to his senses and said hurriedly: "Weichen, go find Lai Shangrong now!"

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(End of this chapter)