Chapter 31: The Shipbuilding Industry (Part 2)

  Yang Yingqi had said so much, and what he meant was that Aguda should agree to this. He then said to Aguda: "We have a lot of wood in our country, but the good wood is all in the mountains. The Han people are few, and we can only spare 500 men to make rafts. I hope the Khan can send more people into the mountains to cut wood for shipbuilding."

  "This is no big deal! Let the Grand Chancellor arrange it."

  After discussing the shipbuilding, Aguda measured up that map again. The Jurchen people did not have such a map at that time, and Aguda had been traveling extensively in the northeast for decades, with thousands of mountains and rivers etched in his mind - he relied on this invisible map to fight and plan. Although he was not very educated, he was a person with real insight, and now that he saw this tangible map that could be verified with what he knew in his heart, he was overjoyed.

  Yang Yingqi pointed to a certain point on the map and explained what it meant. Abaoji also corrected several errors on the map based on his knowledge. Finally, he put his hand down, pressing on the location of the Eastern Capital of Liao, saying: "I will take this place sooner or later. If I get this place, then my Great Jin will have the solid mountains and rivers, and the danger of the rivers, can share the court with the Liao people, and let Yelü Yanxi dare not look down on me again!"

  Sa Kai and others said: "Your Majesty is heroic and has great strategies, you will definitely achieve your goals."

  The shipyard was roughly scaled up within half a month, and a month later, the wood materials from the deep mountains continued to arrive. Ou Yang's uncle and nephew were so excited that their eyes turned red! Such large, good, and numerous wood materials were actually used only for building river boats! He eagerly ran to see Yang Yingqi, hoping that General Yang would allow him to supervise the construction of sea ships.

  Yang Yingqi said, "I know you have the skills to build ocean-going ships. However, among the 500 people I entrusted to you, there are hardly any who understand woodworking and shipbuilding. Therefore, it's unlikely that these ocean-going ships can be built in a short period of time. Why don't you first build some small boats as practice? Moreover, we're deep inland here, even if we do build ocean-going ships, they won't be able to enter the sea."

  Ouyang Jie was somewhat disappointed, but also knew that Yang Yingqi was right. Yang Yingqi saw him like this and had a deeper understanding of the person. He thought: "Everyone has their own favorite things. This person is not only good at navigation and shipbuilding, but also seems to be obsessed with it! Although he has worldly desires for officialdom, what can give him a sense of accomplishment is probably still being able to build good ships. As long as he is slightly guided, he may become an important partner in my department."

  Yang Yingqi was right, and the 500 people indeed had no experience in shipbuilding, not even simple carpentry. Looking at the hundreds of "clumsy" men, Ou Yangbiao's ambitious expectations for shipbuilding suddenly hit rock bottom again - he even doubted whether this group of people could build a batch of river boats.

  "These people are not even qualified to build a boat!" He ran back to Yang Yingqi again, but this time it was to complain: "These people don't even know how to use a scraper! If the things they make can float on water without sinking, that's already very good."

  Yang Yingqi said patiently, "Who is born to build big ships! They don't understand, you teach them, and keep teaching until they all know how. If they all know how, what do we need you for?"

  Ou Yang Jie Dao said: "Teach? How can I teach? These people are clumsy and slow-witted, I'm afraid even in a hundred years they won't learn!"

  Yang Yingqi's face sank, and he said coldly: "What are you talking about! Two days ago, you came to boast that you wanted to build a sea ship, but now it has become a problem to even build some small rafts! I told you, I have already reported to the monarch, within three months, there will be thousands of ships launched. Now I have given you the manpower, and the wood materials will also be transported continuously! The forging room has stopped other work and produced large quantities of tools according to your description! It can be said that whatever you want, I will give it to you. If you can't produce the ship on time, just wait for your head to roll!"

  Ouyang Jie was so frightened that he lost half of his soul, and after finding that pleading had no effect, he rushed back to the shipyard and mobilized hundreds of people. He and his nephew Ouyang Yun selected a dozen or so who were skilled in carpentry and relatively quick-witted, and taught them day and night, then let them teach others. As for those with rough hands and feet, they were told to move things around.

  A few days later, Yang Yingqi went to the shipyard and saw that it was all tense and chaotic. He thought: "The enthusiasm of Ou Yang uncle and nephew seems to have been mobilized, but it's too disorderly." He came to find Ou Yangtong, who was personally planing wood flowers, and saw Yang Yingqi hurry over and said: "General Yang, I'm in a rush now, don't urge me!"

  Yang Yingqi said: "Let others be busy first. You two uncles and nephews follow me."

  "I'm in a rush for work."

  Yang Yingqi said: "With your current pace, I'm afraid it will be difficult to deliver within three months. Come over and I'll teach you some heavenly book secrets."

  Ouyang Zhen was overjoyed when he heard "Tian Shu Secret", and hurriedly followed closely behind.

  The three men sat down, and Yang Yingqi said: "If you want to build a big ship, can it be like the current shipyard, all messy and chaotic? Does your OuYang family's shipbuilding also have no rules or order?"

  Ouyang Jie sighed and said, "How can there not be? Looking at the drawings, supervising the construction, carving the wood, everything is separate. But now these people don't understand anything! I can only teach them one by one."

  Yang Yingqi said, "Teaching is necessary, but you don't have any rules or regulations in your heart, that's why it ends up being so chaotic! I told you to build 1,000 ships in three months, but actually, you don't need to be in such a hurry. In the first month, even if you only build ten ships, it doesn't matter, the key is to establish the shipyard's organization and cultivate a group of capable people. Then your second and third months will be much faster."

  Ouyang Jie nodded, and Yang Yingqi continued to explain the principles of division of labor and management. Ouyang Jie hadn't read any books, so he couldn't articulate these principles, but after decades in the Ouyang family business, his experience was extremely rich, so Yang Yingqi's key points were immediately understood. Ouyang Yun was still young and also knew some written characters, so he gained even more.

  Ouyang Jie heard and was very impressed, saying: "General Yang, it turns out you also know how to build ships, and are even better at it than me."

  Yang Yingqi smiled and said, "I don't understand shipbuilding. However, the principles of organizing people are basically the same everywhere. It's just a matter of how to apply them to shipbuilding, you need to think carefully about it, if there's anything you can't figure out, come find me anytime to chat. Remember, you're no longer just a shipbuilder, but the supervisor of Jiang Shipyard! Get this batch of ships built, and bring in a group of skilled workers, then we'll be able to build ocean-going ships in the future."

  Ouyang Jie exclaimed in surprise: "A giant sea ship?"

  Yang Yingqi said, "Right! A great sea ship. As long as you do a good job, I will allocate more manpower and materials to you in the future. One thousand people, two thousand people... even ten thousand people! Think about it, if you can command ten thousand people to build a sea ship, what kind of magnificent giant vessel will be built? At that time, even your brother Ouyang Ji will have to bow his head when he sees you."

  Ouyang Jie exclaimed with great joy: "General Xiao Yang, don't worry, I will definitely do a good job."