Chapter Thirty: Burning Oneself (Seeking Bookmarks)

  When Zhang Lei received the notice from Bai Yang and Yu Boss, he was slightly surprised. He had thought that there would still be some time to go, but it seemed that both of them were so anxious that all plans had to be implemented ahead of schedule.

  Yu Lao Ban has allocated all the wasteland around Xu Jia Ying to his own name, just waiting for the right moment to plant tobacco. Bai Yang's progress on this side is much faster, a box of silver has already made Yan Jue, who has just taken office, compromise, and immediately approved his factory plan, promising that as long as it does not harm the local people and can benefit the common people, he can do whatever he wants.

  According to Zhang Lei's suggestion, Bai Yang built the factory in a vacant area between the town and the countryside. At the same time, Old Master Yu also built a factory next door. It was called a factory, but it was actually just a small workshop occupying only a few acres of land. As an initial plan, this was enough.

  The reason why Old Boss Yu's and Bai Yang's factories are adjacent to each other is that Zhang Lei thinks cigarettes and matches should be together, which is also his own bad taste, although this bad taste is not wrong either.

  Chen Lao Tuo and Chen Da Yong were taken to the dormitory built specifically for workers inside the factory. This was a facility specially built by Zhang Lei, who told Bai Yang that it was a way to win people's hearts.

  After being busy for more than a month, the factory has taken shape. Just when everyone else was idle, Chen Lao Chui and Chen Da Yong were just starting to get busy.

  It was already early April, and Zhang Lei was summoned by Bai Yang at dawn.

  For now, the two are in a cooperative relationship. Although Bai Yang still doesn't think Zhang Lei is very important, at least his attitude has improved a lot compared to before. The butler Tang Hongzhi won't give him a cold face again either.

  "Boss Zhang, this factory has been built according to your requirements, are you satisfied now?" Bai Yang said straightforwardly.

  Zhang Lei nodded and said, "Yes, the factory has been built very well, especially the warehouse. I've checked it out myself. Matches are very prone to dampness, so a dry, ventilated warehouse is essential. I've inspected it and it's fully qualified."

  "By the way, Boss Bai, I have something new here, and I'll give it to you as a token of gratitude for your kindness in knowing me." As he spoke, Zhang Lei took out the drawings of the transmission cutting machine. Since he couldn't make it himself, he might as well give it to Bai Yang. When the time comes, even if Master Zhou makes it, Bai Yang will probably have a way to deal with it too.

  "Oh?" Zhang Lei had already brought out so many things, and Bai Yang was no longer surprised. He didn't know that Zhang Lei had long since finished making this thing, and thought it was just designed now. His "oh" was just an expression of his surprise at how leisurely Zhang Lei was in the midst of such heavy work.

  "Marvelous! Marvelous! Indeed, it's exquisite and unparalleled." After seeing Zhang Lei's design, Bai Yang couldn't help but praise him like Zhou Shifu did.

  Zhang Lei took advantage of the situation and introduced the advantages of this tool to Bai Yang in a continuous stream, and then combined it with the matchstick manufacturing machine, saying that only by manufacturing this machine, using it to cut the required wood, the process of making matchsticks would be greatly accelerated.

  "It only takes one, and it can save dozens of man-hours." Zhang Lei said finally. "And I just so happen to have made one already, if you approve, I can bring it over right away."

  Bai Yang was also moved by his words, and since the thing was already ready-made, he didn't hesitate to make a decision: "If Boss Zhang can deliver the machine, that would be great, let's just install it in the factory."

  Zhang Lei nodded, this machine, to be honest, doesn't have much use, just wanting to help his father Zhang Baosheng reduce some work pressure. Since he said he can't expose all of his wealth-making skills, then send it to the factory for use, at least don't waste it.

  Zhang Baosheng has now been recruited by Bai Yang to be in charge of the wood section, Chen Laochui is in charge of the steel section. Neither of them needs to do anything, just let the people under them handle it, and Zhang Lei will take care of paying their wages, 10 taels of silver per month, which is considered one of the highest wages in the local area.

  In terms of wood, it's relatively easy with the help of machinery. Zhang Lei also had someone design a pulley device, so even larger logs can be transported to the cutting machine by one person.

  Compared to Zhang Baosheng's ease, Chen Laochui and Chen Dayong were much more fortunate. Their workload was also very large, making matchstick holders, it took several days to produce one, but there was a comforting point that making a few was enough.

  At the same time, Zhang Lei obtained a piece of land in his personal capacity and planted tomato and sesame seeds he had bought.

  Compared with the lively scene on this side, the Xie family's house was a completely different picture.

  "Look at what he's done! The entire Xujiayang, except for my land, has all been taken over by him! Planting tobacco, humph, you say the villagers have all gone to plant tobacco, who will come to work on my land?" Xie Yuanwai slammed the book in his hand onto the desk with a loud "thud".

  The accountant fiddled with the abacus in his hand and said, "There's no way around it. According to the information gathered from outside, the villagers of Xujia Village who are willing to plant tobacco have all registered with Zhang Lei, with a monthly wage of one or two silver coins per person. And something about designated responsibility areas..."

  "Foolish people, this group of obstinate commoners! Foolishness, if they don't farm the land, what will they eat? Can tobacco be eaten as rice?" Xie Waiwai seemed to have gotten a bit too angry, even forgetting that the villagers' wages were already far higher than the silver needed to buy grain. After all, one dan of grain could be bought for only seven or eight mace of silver (160 catties).

  Mr. Zhang wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Let's calm down, let's calm down. If we had pressed them a bit harder last year, they might have given up on tobacco by now, and it wouldn't have come to this... Why don't we tell those villagers that the county magistrate has already issued an order, strictly prohibiting the cultivation of tobacco?"

  "You're not afraid of death? Falsely transmitting the county magistrate's orders, aren't you afraid of being beheaded? I dare to die, but I don't dare to collect your corpse for you. You always come up with these rotten ideas. Moreover, you know what kind of people are in Xujiayang, they're even more vicious than the most vicious commoners. If they're pushed too hard, they'll bite back at you... Forget it, forget it, there's no use saying this. Go and call Qin Luofeng over for me." Mr. Xie became more and more irate as he spoke, finally throwing up his hands in frustration and slumping into the chair in despair.

  Qin Luofeng was called over and saw Xie Yuanwai. He immediately smiled and said, "Xie Yuanwai, what's the hurry in calling me over?"

  "How dare you say that if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be in such a miserable state now? The county magistrate has already sent me a notice to donate the land and make contributions to the villagers' wealth. Contributions to his damn family! That's my ancestors' land, why should I let it go...” Jiang Yan slapped the document issued by Yan Fa onto Qin Luo Feng's head, only then did he feel somewhat relieved.

  Qin Luofeng picked up the document, wiped off the dust on it and put it back on the table. A hint of resentment flashed in his remaining eye as he echoed Xie Yuanwai's words: "I didn't expect it to end like this either. Alas, I'm filled with regret now. The tobacco seeds were brought back by me, but now they want to plant tobacco and refuse my participation citing my physical disability."

  "What about the tobacco seeds on you? As long as I have these, I can cooperate with you. They can be used to grow flue-cured tobacco, and we naturally can too. Besides, now that we know the structure of the flue-curing house, we can build one ourselves." It turned out that Qin Luo Feng had been rejected by them, no wonder he was like this. Xie Yuan Wai's mind quickly turned, and suddenly he felt that as long as he could win over Qin Luo Feng, the mastermind behind all this, he still had hope.

  At the mention of this, Qin Luo Feng had a desperate look on his face and said: "It's useless, it's all useless. They bought all the tobacco seeds from me, I have nothing left..."

  Xie Yuanwai suddenly stood up from his chair, staring tightly at Qin Luo Feng and gritting his teeth: "What? You actually sold the seeds to them?"

  Qin Luofeng said with a crying face: "I don't want to either, but this person is Old Master Yu, he came personally and gave me 1,000 taels of silver, can I not sell?"

  "Looks like he's really playing for real this time......" Xie thought to himself, but said out loud: "Do you know where Zhang Lei has gone? Since we can't touch Bai and Yu, why not just take him down directly?"

  "I don't know, just a few days ago he was still visible, but now he hasn't been seen for several days. Zhang Baosheng has moved to the new house in town and Zhang Chen has gone to county school to study," said Qin Luofeng.

  "Vanished? How is that possible?" Xie Yuanwai was shocked, "Then what evidence can we still find on him? If I don't give him some trouble, this breath of mine will not go down."

  When it came to adding bricks for Zhang Lei, Qin Luo suddenly thought of a good idea and said: "If Shuai really wants to do it, then I can provide you with some information."

  "Oh? Hurry up and say, we two are now like ants on a rope, he's treating you this way, surely you're not happy about it?" Upon hearing that Qin Luo Feng had a method, Xie Yuan Wai suddenly became excited.

  Qin Luo Feng then told Zhang Lei about the transmission cutting machine bed made at Zhou's iron shop, and finally said: "Thank you, sir. Think about it now, Zhang Lei has this thing in his hands, and Master Zhou also has this thing in his hands. He is just a commoner, even if he cooperates with White Boss and Yu Boss, he will only be used. Poor him, still so diligent. But Master Zhou is different, he has been in contact with the emperor, besides, he has been making iron for a lifetime, it's not impossible to make such a thing. When the time comes, we'll fan the flames, who is the master of this machine, and who is the shameful plagiarist, isn't it obvious?"

  Far in the mountains, Zhang Lei never thought that in this short period of time, Zhang Baosheng's words would come true, and he would set himself on fire because of this cutting machine.

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