The Red Mansions Across the Four Seas

Chapter 19

Nan'er brought half a barrel of water, and poured it into the water pipe according to Jia Min's instructions.

Jia Min pressed the handle up and down, and there was a snoring sound from the water pipe.After pressing for more than an hour, there is still no water.

Ping'er pouted quietly, showing a contemptuous expression.

I want to see how you can make the water come out.

At this moment, the snoring sound disappeared, and a wave of muddy water rushed out, piercing the water more than half a foot high, and spilled all over the ground.

Jia Min filled the rhythm, the water stopped flowing out, and began to flow out from the water outlet next to the iron pipe.

What Nan'er poured in just now was clear water, but what comes out now is muddy water. Obviously, the water came out of the ground.

"Oh, the water really came out. It's so strange."

The people around cheered.

"Come on, Nan'er, you come to press."

Jia Min handed over the pressure to Nan'er.

"You watch how I press, so you can press. It will be done in a while, it's very simple. Anyone can do it."

Jia Min demonstrated for a while, and Nan'er took it. At first, he was unskilled in a few strokes, but he got used to it after pushing up and down a dozen times.

Gioli was on the sidelines, holding a shovel, digging a drainage ditch to divert the muddy water flowing out.

Afterwards, Ning'er, Feng Hua, Xueyue, Jiao Li, and even Ping'er all tried it out and became proficient very quickly.

Since it was just filled with soil, the water was muddy.The more pressure, the clearer the water, until finally it is completely clear water.

Jia Min pressed the knob to the bottom, and there was a gap between the pump inside and the water pipe, and the water went down.

"When you want to draw water in the future, just pour some water into it as before, and you can press the water. When you use it in winter, you must let the water in the pipe go down, otherwise, the water will freeze in the pipe. If the weather gets colder, the iron pipe will be cracked, and the air will leak, and the water will not be pumped.”

Although Ping'er was also excited, he didn't jump up like Jia Min said.However, she still thinks Jia Min's words that the water pipes will freeze and crack are exaggerated.

That's iron, how could it freeze and crack?Net deception.

"Fourth Master, I'm surprised, everyone says that water flows downhill, how could the water come up by itself?

Gioli has been pondering for a while, but still can't figure it out.

"This is because with the twitching of the pump and the water diversion, the iron pipe is turned into a vacuum, and the pressure of the water below is high, so it comes up by itself. Do you understand?"

"not understand!"

Everyone spoke in unison.

"You still don't understand? Well, let's talk about it later."

There is a difference in the times, why don't you have any scientific literacy?

When eating at Yeduju, Jia Min made a special rule.

Regardless of master and servant, male or female, and regardless of order, everyone eats at the same table.That's what I ate last night.

At first, Ji Mingluan felt a little strange, but then he was relieved.

Ping'er and the others also felt uncomfortable and couldn't hold back Jia Min's insistence. After eating two meals like this, they got used to it.

Cooked six dishes and wine tonight.It can be regarded as a celebration for the successful drilling of the well.

"Fourth Master, how much did this well pipe cost?" Ping'er asked casually.

"Four taels of silver."

"What? Four taels?"

It costs four taels of silver to dig a well, you prodigal son.

"This time, there are a little more forty-twos, and there will be less in the future."

"Will you fight in the future?"

"Not for us, but for someone else."

"Call someone else?"

"Don't you guys think this is a good deal? The well is right in front of your house, and you can even drill it into the house and pour it directly into the water tank. You don't need to carry water, and the water is still clean."

"Who would spend so much money digging a well?"

Ping'er didn't quite believe it.

"Small households are naturally reluctant to part with money. However, those businessmen, scholars, and officials are willing. This is not just a matter of wells, but also a fashion."

"What is fashion?"

Ping'er stayed in the mansion with those half-learned people for a long time, and he also failed in his studies, and it happened from time to time.

"It's just popular... and it's decent."

Damn, it has to be translated.

"Those rich people will feel ashamed when they see other people's homes have them, but their own homes don't. So, they have to dig one too. They are still willing to spend six or seven taels of silver to dig a well."

Then, Jia Min discussed with Jiao Li about digging wells.

First of all, of course, is the cost issue.

To dig a well pit, two strong laborers can dig two wells a day. On average, one person can dig one well a day.The salary can be given up to 50 Wen a day.

As for the well pipes, because Jia Min needed them urgently and they were manufactured as a whole, the cost was relatively high.In the next step, he plans to manufacture it in sections.That is to say, the water pipes are first built in sections of three feet, and then assembled.

In doing so, first, the manufacturing process is simplified, the output is high, the batch is large, and the cost is also reduced.

The second is to keep secrets.Ordinary blacksmiths don't know what this thing is for.

Then hire two blacksmiths, get those parts back, and complete the final assembly process at home.

Now building a blacksmith shop, as long as you have the funds, is actually relatively simple. You have a house, build a stove, get a few iron bars, a bellows, hammers and pliers, buy some coal and pig iron, and the rest is craftsmanship. and strength. '

Jia Min calculated that if he hired a blacksmith and only carried out the final assembly process, plus making the drawers and putting thick cloth on the drawers, at least two sets could be produced in one day.

The blacksmith's wages, plus the component money, can be controlled at about 2 taels of silver per set.

A person digs a well a day and charges 5 taels of silver, and the net profit is about 3 taels of silver.

For two people to dig a well, it costs 6 taels of silver a day, which is equivalent to half a year's monthly salary in Ping'er, which is half a year's salary for white-collar workers in this era.

"Gioli, you are going to do these things tomorrow. First, find a blacksmith. You don't need the best, just apprentices. Second, prepare to build a blacksmith shop. Third, hire two well diggers. [-]. Didn’t I bring back two sets today, and give away the remaining set, and we’ll dig a well for him for free.”

"It's free, isn't it cheaper for others, but it's four taels of silver."

Ping'er felt sorry for Yinzi.

"Go to a place with a lot of people in the city and find a middle-class family. Let's send him people, ship goods, and give him free money. Explain to him clearly that we don't need a penny. The only thing is that when digging a well, he Tell the neighbors to watch it. If you want him to tell everyone he sees, spread the word.”

"Oh, I see. When people see this, they all come to us to dig wells."

Nan'er first understood that Ruzi can be taught.

"Jiao Li, do the math, how much silver can we earn a month?"

"180 taels."

"What about 3 months?"

"540 taels."

"We'll just do this for three months, and we'll earn 3 taels of silver by drilling wells."

"Fourth Master, you did your calculations wrong. Isn't it 3 taels for 540 months? Where did you get 3000 taels?"

Pinger found something wrong.Others felt the same way, waiting for Jia Min's explanation.

Jia Min did not answer directly.Back to Jolly.

"Gioli, if it's the first time you find out that our well-drilling business is so profitable, would you be willing to do it?"

"Of course I would."

"If you can earn 180 taels of silver a month, and ask you to spend 20 taels of silver to learn this craft and the ability to make money, would you be willing?"

"Of course I would."

"Let's work hard for two months. When the time comes, we will recruit apprentices and teach this craft to others. Each person will charge him 20 taels of silver. He will charge him more than 100 taels, or more than 2000 taels."

"Fourth master, you can eat it all over the world with one trick. You can't teach others such a profitable business."

"Jiao Li, let me ask you again, will others steal our business when they see our business is booming?"

"Of course it will."

"Can you steal it?"

"As long as you have the heart, you will naturally."

"So, sooner or later, many people will do this business. I figured that in three months, others will figure it out. Why don't we take them as apprentices and make a fortune from them."

"Teaching the apprentice, wouldn't the master starve to death?"

"Where is this, they know it all, why don't we change places? Shaanxi-Gansu, Yunnan-Guizhou, North Zhili, South Zhili, the world is so big, we take the lead every step of the way. We are familiar with this. Wouldn't it be a lot of money for us to move to another place in the imperial capital?"

The six people stared wide-eyed, and the friends were all stunned.

Can you still make money like this?
"Now, the seven of us form a team..."

"Fourth Master, what is a team?"

Fenghua doesn't understand.

"Well, this means a family. You work hard and earn money. Everyone has a share?"

"Don't dare, it's all fourth master's."

"Of course it's mine, but if you're lazy, I won't be able to earn that much, so Fourth Master wants to reward you."

"Fourth Master, what is a reward?"

"It means a reward. From tomorrow onwards, in addition to the monthly money from the officials in the mansion, the fourth master will give you another monthly money. I will give as much as the officials give. Ping'er and Jiao Li used to be 1 tael, I’ll give you another 1 tael. Ning’er, Fenghua and Xueyue are half taels, so I’ll give you half taels. Nan’er didn’t make money, so if you do it with me, you’ll be like Ning’er and the others , a month is also two and a half."

"Fourth Lord, is it true?"

"Naturally."

"That's great. In this way, I will be able to marry a wife in two years."

Alas, that's all it takes.

"By the end of this year, I will take out [-]% of the net money (net profit) and give you dividends according to your contribution."

"Fourth Master, what are you doing?"

Jiao Li said so, but his heart was itching.

"Although I will give you [-]%, after all, I will take [-]%. If you earn more, don't I get more?"

"Also, Joli, how much do you think the piece of watermelon can sell for?"

"If the year is good, it can be sold for six or seven taels of silver."

"Take care of it, this piece of watermelon, I will sell it for at least 5000 taels of silver this year."

puff!Ping'er sprayed all the wine in his mouth onto Jia Min's face.

5000 taels?Fourth master, are you not drunk?
　Thanks to Qipinwolf and Auntie for the recommendation ticket.

　　


(End of this chapter)