Chapter 5: Dream Takes Off

  "Ma'am, take a look at what's written in these two books?" After putting the three volumes given by Huo Shan on the table, Fu Bo finally let out a long sigh and said with a somewhat complicated expression. Due to time constraints, he only roughly browsed through the last two volumes. Although he didn't fully understand, from the words and phrases, the information revealed was enough to make someone who had lived for half their life open their eyes wide in surprise, while also feeling a sense of trepidation.

  "What's wrong, Fu Bo? Where did these books come from?" Madame Huo looked at her loyal old servant, whose complex expression kept changing on his face, and asked with a somewhat unusual tone.

  "Look at it yourself, madam! Alas, I've been foolish to think myself worldly and knowledgeable all these years, but compared to the young master, I'm far inferior! There's just no comparison!"

  "What's wrong with him?" Looking at the old man's dejected and shaking head, the woman was puzzled while also becoming interested in these books.

  Fu Bo is indeed a knowledgeable person, born from the military, an old housekeeper who has been through several rounds of bloody battles. His experience and composure are far beyond ordinary people. It's rare to see someone who can make him feel inferior like this. Moreover, it seems that his 12-year-old son is also involved. Therefore, she couldn't help but feel strongly curious about the few books on the table.

  "What terrible handwriting!" The woman thought to herself after turning the page.

  Poor Mr. He has been here for over a month and has only just mastered the writing of traditional characters without any typos, which is still the result of his own revisions several times. Therefore, before he embarked on the great cause of promoting simplified characters, he had to continue writing those traditional characters.

  Time slipped away minute by minute, and even Fu Bo, who knew the contents, did not urge him on. Looking at the increasingly solemn expression on the woman's face, the old man couldn't help but sigh inwardly. A twelve-year-old young master who had never left his family gate, how could he understand such things? This was simply too monstrous.

  Unknowingly, several hours had passed, and the sky outside had completely darkened. In the study, at some point, ten thick red candles as big as a child's arm had been lit, illuminating the entire room with a bright glow that revealed every detail.

  After finishing reading the last page, the woman finally let out a long sigh and raised her head to find that the sky outside had completely darkened.

  "Madam, it's getting late, I've just ordered dinner and it will be sent over in a moment."

  "Thank you, Uncle Fu! Don't worry about eating first, are these books really written by Shan Er?" It's not surprising that she asked this question, the content inside is indeed a bit shocking and unconventional, it's hard to believe that a 12-year-old child would have such meticulous thinking and insight beyond that of an adult.

  "It can be confirmed that it was written by the young master himself. While you were reading, I have already gone to the city to send a telegram to ask Mr. Huang, and today is the first time the young master has left the mansion! It's impossible for him to know anyone outside the mansion!"

  The woman got up and walked a few steps before saying with a sigh, "It should be Shan Er without a doubt. But he's so young, even if he started reading books, it would only have been for a few years at most. How could he know all this?"

  "Hehehe, madam, you're worrying too much. Besides, young master is intelligent and talented, which means the Ho family has a promising successor. You don't need to pursue this matter any further."

  "That's also true!"

  The woman waved her hand and let the old man sit down. Then she opened her mouth and said, "Fu Bo, you've also read these few books. Do you think they're feasible?"

  "The old slave usually takes care of the factories in the mansion, and has more contact with Western things. The young master said that the machinery factory and steel mill can indeed make money, and once there are products, they won't worry about sales channels. However, the investment for both factories is too large, and we don't have the right personnel for this aspect, so I also have some misgivings in my heart!"

  "Then do you think Shan's solution is feasible?" The woman asked again.

  "It should be feasible, now the Qing dynasty's people are called to fight for power and profit, they can do it, but running a factory is beyond their capabilities. Just look at the officials of the Fuzhou Shipyard, they spent tens of millions of taels of silver on a large steel factory, gathered so many skilled craftsmen from all over the country, but after more than a decade, they still haven't produced a single pound of good steel, it's enough to make one's face red with shame."

  Looking at the old steward's puffed up beard and glaring eyes, the woman nodded in understanding. More than a decade ago, they had fought against the corrupt Manchu government with their lives on the line, and although they failed and came to Taiwan to avoid persecution, the hatred in their hearts only grew stronger.

  "Alas, let's not talk about that anymore." The old man shook his head and sighed before continuing: "If we pay the workers according to the wages stated in your book, young master, we can also recruit skilled laborers from elsewhere. After spending some silver, those corrupt officials might even be willing to help us! However, Taiwan doesn't have any iron mines, so we'll need to transport it by ship from outside, which will increase our costs a bit. Still, making money won't be a problem for us. Moreover, with steel, our machinery factory can produce machines, and if successful, that's another huge source of income. All in all, making money isn't the issue, but the initial investment is just too much - according to your plan, young master, this first round of funding will require 500,000 taels of silver!"

  After listening to him, the woman bowed her head and thought for a moment before saying slowly: "Although 500,000 taels is a lot, we have also earned a lot over the past decade or so, and we still have that silver. So money isn't the issue. The key is that these two factories are too eye-catching. If they attract the attention of the imperial court, although we're not afraid, it's still trouble!"

  "Madam is right, but Taiwan is now isolated overseas, and the imperial court's attention cannot reach here for the time being. Moreover, we still have the people's militia in our hands, and even Liu Neng, the prefect of Taipei, cannot do anything to us."

  "That's right, since that's the case, then you just go by Master Shan's orders tomorrow!" The woman couldn't help but smile faintly as she looked at the old man's proud expression and said.

  "Alright, I'll go and take care of it now, madam should rest early!"

  Lying in bed, Huo Shan tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. He sat up, his first step already taken, and as long as his mother saw the plan, he was ninety percent sure of success. Moreover, with these machines, his next step could also be carried out smoothly.

  "It's a good thing that the machinery isn't too complicated now, or it would be really troublesome." Huo Shan muttered to himself. Relying on those blueprints in his computer, combined with his own mechanical knowledge, he had enough confidence to manufacture the machines needed for industrial development through those industrial mother machines.

  "Mauser 98k, Maxim heavy machine gun, mortar... all are inventions of the young master!" With these wonderful dreams, Huo Shan slowly entered his dream!

  The night passed quickly, and the next day, Huo Shan got up early, hastily washing his face and brushing his teeth. He didn't even tease Ling'er before rushing to the front yard.

  Carefully watching his mother's expression, Huo Shan hesitated several times before gritting his teeth and saying: "Mother, did Uncle Fu talk to you yesterday?"

  Looking at her son's face, with a worried expression, the woman couldn't help but laugh and say: "Alright, those few books you wrote yourself, your daughter has already read them. Yesterday, I asked Fu Bo to order more from the foreign goods store for you!"

  "Really, it's great, thank you mom!"

  Looking at her excited son, the woman asked with a mixture of delight and hesitation: "Shan, those few books, were they really written by you?"

  "I knew you'd ask that." Huo Shan muttered to himself, but his mouth didn't slow down. "Of course, your son is a genius and has already finished reading all the Western books brought by the teacher!"

  "Shut up!"

  Looking at the proud look on her son's face, although it was still hard to believe, she couldn't find any words to refute him. After all, in this month, her son's teacher had been praising him as a genius in her ear, and yesterday's books also proved that her son had extraordinary talent.

  After finishing dinner, Huo Shan didn't leave as usual. Instead, he chatted with his mother for a while and then said, "Mother, I want to ask you something. Can you lend me a few people?"

  "What's wrong with you? What kind of crazy idea have you got now?" The woman laughed and said.

  "It can't be said for now, you'll know when the time comes!"

  "You child, still keeping secrets from your mother! Speak up, Mother has promised you!"

  "Thank you, Mother. I want you to find fifty literate young people, preferably between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two. Additionally, please find five hundred more people within this age range who can also recognize characters and read. It's okay if they're illiterate too."

  Looking at his excited expression, the woman couldn't help but be stunned and hesitantly asked: "Son, what do you want so many people for?"

  "What's wrong, Mother? Can't our family afford it?"

  "That's not it, even if it's tens or hundreds of times more, our family's financial resources can still handle it. But you..."

  Looking at the hesitant expression on his mother's face, Huo Shan smiled and said: "Mother, don't worry, I have a use for these people, you'll know when the time comes. Please, Mother, just agree with me!" As he spoke, Huo Shan used his killer move 'acting cute'.

  "Alright, alright, stop shaking, mother agrees with you!"

  "Really, thank you, mom!"