frightfiction Chapter 431 "What the hell?
Chapter 431 "What the hell?
Mao Junyi pondered for a moment and said, "As long as everything is ready, you can provide 60,000 pairs of boots to the army in the first month, right? At this season, we should make cotton boots first."
Shen Zhiqiu nodded and said, "Sir, it should be possible. At most, we can make an extra layer of plastic cotton inside the cotton boots. At worst, we can recruit more female workers, and we will definitely be able to keep up.
But I just thought of a way, that is, cotton boots can actually be made into a pair of cotton socks with plastic cotton, and then put on the cotton socks and then wear the boots directly.
In this way, we only need to make two types, the summer ones with holes and the spring and autumn ones without holes, and the supply can be increased. By only making these two types, we can provide 360,000 soldiers. "
Mao Junyi raised his eyebrows and looked at Shen Zhiqiu: "Is this the idea you just thought of?"
Shen Zhiqiu nodded, and after a moment of silence, he said, "Sir, I didn't have this plan before, but I changed my mind because I heard you just said that you are recruiting clothing merchants to come to Beijing.
Later you asked us to provide cotton, and that’s when I came up with this idea. At that time, we can just let the clothing merchants make finished cotton socks, and we will just focus on making shoes.
As you know, these shoes are not breathable, so the inner cotton layer may get dirty, or the inner layer may get wet due to snow or rain. If you make separate socks,
Each soldier is equipped with a pair of boots and two pairs of socks. If the inside of the socks gets dirty or wet, they only need to wash the socks themselves, dry them over a fire and wear them. There is also space for replacement of the two pairs. "
Mao Junyi and the four clerks were surprised at Shen Zhiqiu's quick reaction and clever mind. They couldn't help but sigh again that he was indeed a talented person.
"Okay, let's do as you say. Recruit as many female workers as possible. If the quantity of each type of boots can reach 450,000 every six months, that would be the best."
Shen Zhiqiu nodded, lowered his eyes, and thought: "This adult is not careful when speaking, what do you mean by this, tell me clearly,
The total number of our northern border troops does not exceed 450,000. According to Shen Zhiqiu's estimation, it should be between 430,000 and 440,000.
This statement is a loophole, and the awareness of prevention is too weak.
He said that the court should strictly test officials in this regard and not let them be easily tricked.
Fortunately, he is a good man. If he were a spy, your forces would be completely controlled by him, okay?"
Of course, no matter how things change, the ability to provide 60,000 pairs of boots a month will not change.
At most, it would increase a little, so Mao Junyi signaled one of the clerks to give Shen Zhiqiu a token, saying that this token would be needed for the future handover of goods.
Then he wrote a document, indicating that Shen Zhiqiu could follow the clerk to collect the banknotes.
Shen Zhiqiu was a little confused: What banknotes? I want to receive the banknotes now.
When he saw the note in the clerk's hand, which read: "Twenty thousand high-top military boots, forty thousand low-top military boots, sixty cents for high-top boots, fifty cents for low-top boots", he was stunned.
Mao Junyi was just about to deal with the next task when he saw Shen Zhiqiu standing there without moving, looking dazed, and suddenly he felt a little bored.
It turns out that when it comes to money, even if you talk about righteousness, you actually have to bargain.
He did know that the cost price of a pair of high boots that Shen Zhiqiu initially gave to General Fu was fifty cents. If he had bought them from a store outside, he would definitely have made more than ten cents per pair of shoes.
Even those clothing merchants who provided military boots to the imperial court could make a profit of several dozen coins per pair.
But he was thinking that the court was indeed short of funds in the past two years. Not to mention the constant natural disasters, just think about the refugees entering the city. Even if there was money to collect,
However, the imperial court also spent a lot of money to subsidize the food and drink of those people who could not afford the money.
Moreover, can you be the same as others? Others have many clothing merchants working together to provide military boots, and the court does not need to control everything.
But you are different. The court has to arrange people to build workshops for you quickly, and the Ministry of Industry has to make those sub-machines for you.
To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that you, Shen Zhiqiu, are indeed a talent, and have indeed developed plastic cloth, plastic boots, and plastic cotton, and have made great contributions to the court, I really wouldn't have arranged for him to be at this level.
What's more, have you ever seen the court paying money in advance when cooperating with clothing merchants? They will just wait until you deliver the goods, and they may not necessarily pay you. It may take a year or two to get the money. The court has many places to spend money.
Talking to the court about more or less? Are you crazy about making money?
Besides, I can give you the money first because General Fu has repeatedly emphasized in the court that you guys seem to be quite capable, but because of the low pricing, you don’t make much money.
Don't delay providing military supplies to the army due to a shortage of liquid silver.
You know, there is also the reward from King Yan, which will probably be distributed tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
Even if we put all these aside, Mao always believed that every man has his share of responsibility for the fate of his country.
Just as Mao Junyi had this expression, his inner favorable impression of Shen Zhiqiu gradually decreased.
Shen Zhiqiu said, "Sir, isn't the price you're offering a bit too much? The new King of Lin is eyeing us covetously, and His Royal Highness the King of Yan is taking care of us who have fled from famine.
Work-for-relief, shouldn't the court need money right now? 20,000 pairs of high-end shoes cost 1,200 taels, and 40,000 pairs of low-end shoes cost 2,000 taels. That's too much!"
"What's the matter?"
The four clerks couldn't believe it.
Mao Junyi looked dazed, and felt like he was hallucinating: "....."
But Shen Zhiqiu said immediately: "Sir, I have other things to do this time. I have something left outside the door and I want to present it to you."
Without waiting for Mao Junyi's response, Shen Zhiqiu hurried out and came back with a bamboo basket. He said, "Sir, this is vermicelli, made of starch.
It’s filling and can be stored for a long time. Just cook it when you want to eat it. It’s great for stir-frying cabbage with vermicelli or making sour vermicelli soup. One pound of it will yield a lot of flavor.”
Actually, he wanted to say hot and sour noodles, but after thinking about it, he realized there was no chili pepper, so he just changed the name.
After saying that, he handed the vermicelli that looked neatly bundled to Mao Junyi.
“Is this also made of starch?”
Shen Zhiqiu nodded: "Yes, sir, my family is now cooperating with a fellow villager who fled with me for famine. My parents and that fellow villager agreed to hand over the recipe to the court.
As we all know, sweet potatoes have a high yield, but are not easy to store. Making them into vermicelli allows people to plant sweet potatoes without worry.
After all, many small hillsides and wastelands may not be suitable for growing other crops, but sweet potatoes can be grown. As long as there are more starch and vermicelli workshops among the people, it will be fine.
Sir, we have been fleeing from famine and have seen refugees without food or water. In fact, we ordinary people don’t ask for much, as long as we can have enough food and warm clothes. "
The four clerks wondered whether this man did it on purpose or not. If he had not spoken so simply, they would have felt that this man had big ulterior motives.
Working in this department, you have heard all kinds of flattering words and met all kinds of people. Don't think that people who give you things by trying to please you are good.
Don’t assume that the other person wants nothing in return and that he or she is a good person just because he or she acts righteous. Sometimes they want more.
But this person said: In fact, we ordinary people don’t ask for much, as long as we can have enough food and warm clothes.
It touched the hearts of everyone present. Look at the adults in their family, they were obviously moved.