In the blink of an eye, it’s the eighth day of July.
Liu Yan and his men transported 500 kilograms of iron materials, as well as a large amount of leather and charcoal from the Qianhu Station in front of Xiahe Village. These were materials specially approved by the defense officer Zhang Hailin after hearing about the achievements of Dapanbao.
Liu Yan was very grateful for this and specially prepared some gifts to visit him, wanting to express his gratitude to the defense officer Zhang Hailin.
After meeting him once, Liu Yan discovered that Zhang Hailin had indeed contracted the disease, and that it had been a long time. However, Zhang Hailin's condition did not seem to be as serious as the rumors outside. Liu Yan saw that although Zhang Hailin's face was still very haggard, his condition had improved. It could be seen from Zhang Hailin's spirit that he was very energetic and confident. .
After Liu Yan respectfully presented the gift list, he also said many words of thanks. Zhang Hailin took the gift list with a smile, looked at it briefly, put it aside, and then sincerely encouraged Liu Yan. Liu Yan just let go and went to farm. He was very optimistic about the development of Dapanbao. If he had any difficulties, he could just come to him. He could also go to Wang Wenzhen, the team leader of Wangjiazhuang. He also said hello to Wang Wenzhen.
When Liu Yan heard this, he naturally expressed his loyalty again. To be honest, Liu Yan was very touched by Zhang Hailin's strong support. Although Zhang Hailin was also motivated by his own political achievements, Liu Yan would naturally remember those who could support him during the founding of Dapanbao.
Liu Yan said goodbye to Zhang Hailin, came out of Qianhu Official Hall, and greeted everyone to carry supplies back to Dapanbao.
All the iron materials and other materials transported back were put into the warehouse and registered one by one by Zhao Min. Liu Yan called Tan Xiaoda to do the inventory and gave instructions that while the armor was being made, the firecrackers should also be made. Continue to build. If there are not enough manpower, you can bring it up, and Liu Yan can come forward to recruit more.
Of course, the armor of Dapanbao is not heavy armor, nor is it the gorgeous plain armor and cotton armor like Jingying's. It is just a simple breastplate, plus a helmet, arm guards, two gears and other components. But this is enough. Liu Yan doesn't have much money now, so he can just equip this kind of armor and iterate on it in the future.
Tan Xiao laughed and said: "There are indeed not enough manpower now. It would be better for you to recruit more."
Liu Yan nodded and agreed, and then called Chen Xun, asking Chen Xun to go to Wangjiazhuang and recruit some craftsmen.
Chen Xun agreed, and then said: "Sir, the wages of the craftsmen who built the fort and the military households involved in the construction have not been paid this month. Should we pay them together?"
"Okay, distribute them all, and distribute them in time every month."
"Sir, there are not much glutinous rice and other materials needed to build the fort wall. Wang Bo has already taken people to buy them. My subordinates approved Wang Bo three hundred taels of silver yesterday."
Liu Yan now keeps part of the funds in his hands, about five hundred taels, for emergency use. The remaining silver is placed with Chen Xun. To make it, Chen Xun needs to nod, keep an account with Zhao Min, and report the account to himself within two days.
Liu Yan also approved it and then asked: "Are there any other expenses?"
"have."
Chen Xun talked about it one by one: "There are also expenses for purchasing rations for military households, feeding cattle, purchasing soybean oil, paying for plant ash from other yandun, etc. A total of 798 taels were spent. silver."
Liu Yan's eyes suddenly widened and he exclaimed: "How many!"
Chen Xun smiled bitterly and said: "That's so much! It cost more than four hundred taels just to buy the rations for the army. After all, in addition to food, there was a lot of meat and wine. In addition, it also cost a lot of money to raise cattle. , Bean feed should be added to the feed. If the cattle only eat grass, they will not gain fat and will not be able to work."
Liu Yan sighed. It seemed that he had a lot of money in his hands. He had a balance of several hundred taels of silver last month. This month he made more than 3,000 taels of silver from selling soap.
But his own expenses were also huge. At this time, the number of people in the soap workshop had reached about 30, and the labor wages per person had increased to six taels of silver. Chen Jiang's was one tael. Just paying wages to everyone would cost 20 taels. Two taels of silver, including the cost of soybean oil, plant ash, rosin and other materials, the monthly expenditure of the soap workshop is more than two hundred taels of silver. This is the cost.
In addition, the dozens of craftsmen who built the fort wall, and Tan Xiaoda and others from the weapons workshop, also spent more than two hundred taels of silver every month. These are all labor costs, not counting the material costs, which is the bulk of the cost. You can't get it without 1,800 taels of silver a month. After all, the prices of iron materials, glutinous rice, etc. are already ridiculously high.
Another point is that now the more than 80 Dunjun troops in Dapanbao must also be paid military pay, and the pay for Miao Shao, Xu Ming and the ten soldiers who have not been paid at night is even higher. This is the rule set by Liu Yan. Only by doing so Sufficient food and adequate pay can ensure the combat effectiveness of the army.
According to the rules set by Liu Yan, each Dunjun soldier is paid eight coins of silver per month, and the four small flag officers Chen Xun, Wang Yue, Zhang Yi, and Wang Bo are paid one or two coins of silver per month. This is very common in Lingshan. Wei is also considered a "high salary". Because of this, all the Dunjun soldiers train with great energy every day. Even if they are tired, they will never be lazy, for fear of being kicked out by Liu Yan.
Liu Yan and Chen Xun calculated it and found that Dapanbao's monthly expenses now cost more than 1,400 taels of silver!
“I really can’t help spending money.”
This expenditure can still be supported now, but Liu Yan has a strong sense of crisis. Now Dapanbao only has one source of income from the soap workshop. Once there is a problem with the sales of soap, Dapanbao will go bankrupt within two months, and everything he has worked so hard to save will be in vain.
So Liu Yan made up his mind that he must open up another way to make money.
"How much silver is left now?"
Chen Xun said: "I still have more than 1,900 taels of silver here."
Liu Yan nodded, adding the five hundred taels of silver he had here, two thousand four or five hundred taels would be enough.
So Liu Yan said: "Early tomorrow morning, gather some women in the fort, at least thirty people, and take them all to the salt drying field on the beach. Clean up the abandoned salt drying field for me as soon as possible!"
Chen Xun was shocked when he heard this. At this time, both of them were in Liu Yan's house. Although there was no third person, Chen Xun still lowered his voice and said: "Chief Jia can't help it. The salt drying field was originally opened by Lingshan Wei Dai Baihu." Yes, even Dai Baihu can't stop Shangguan from exploiting it, so it has to be abandoned, how can we take over!"
Liu Yan looked at Chen Xun's nervous expression and said with a smile: "Dai Baihu can't save the salt drying field, but I am sure to save it!"
"Let me tell you, Commander A, don't worry too much. It's enough for us to have a soap workshop now. We earn three to four thousand taels of silver every month. Isn't this enough to cover the expenses of our Dapanbao? Why should Commander A bother to mix in the salt drying plant?" Something?"
Liu Yan shook his head and said: "Remember: you can't put all your eggs in one basket, do you understand? Furthermore, the salt drying field is a place to make money, how can I let it go to waste there!"
"As for the trouble..."
Liu Yan smiled and said: "Now the more than 80 Dunjun troops in our Dapanbao are not vegetarians. They can stop ordinary minor troubles. As for the superior officers in the guard station, I have my own way to deal with them!"
Liu Yan had also thought about these things. It was just that the superior officials of Dai Baihu heard the news and either came to fight against the autumn wind or directly grabbed it.
It's okay for Qiu Feng. Liu Yan is already planning to bring in the team leader Wang Wenzhen and take a share in the salt drying field. This way he can block some of the trouble and make it easier for those Shangguan who is fighting Qiu Feng to deal with it.
The troublesome ones are those who directly reach out to snatch them. Liu Yan has already thought about it. If he really encounters such a blind Shangguan, Liu Yan now has some money in his hands and dozens of subordinates who are obedient. Those who want to take advantage. Shangguan also needs to think about it so that both parties can have an opportunity to negotiate.
Liu Yan would not tell Chen Xun these things, but asked Chen Xun to mobilize manpower early tomorrow morning to clean up the salt drying field as soon as possible.
Chen Xun accepted the order, but still said awkwardly: "Chief A, that salt drying field is very big, and the twenty or thirty women we have are not enough for it."
Liu Yan nodded and said: "First clean up two or three salt ponds. Let's resume production as soon as possible first, and take our time in the remaining areas."
"Yes, I will do it tomorrow."
Early the next morning, Chen Xun got up early and rushed to the military camp. He explained the affairs of the general camp, and then rushed back to Dapanbao. He mobilized thirty strong women and asked everyone to get the corresponding tools. , and then rushed to the salt drying field by the sea.
Liu Yan then rushed over. At this time, Chen Xun and others had already begun the cleaning work. They saw everyone gathered in two salt-drying ponds, working hard to clean up the accumulated sand, gravel, silt, etc. in the ponds. Chen Xun also followed them sweating profusely. Busy.
Liu Yan took a general look, and then said to Chen Xun: "That's the canal that leads to seawater. When cleaning it, make sure it's high on the outside and low on the inside, and use bamboo tubes to reinforce it."
Using bamboo tubes to strengthen the water diversion channel is a method Liu Yan came up with based on the technology of later generations. It can not only prevent the sand on the beach from refilling the water channel, but also ensure the smooth flow of sea water into the salt pond. It can also add a mechanism to a section of the bamboo tube to use A wooden board is used as a baffle. When it is necessary to stop the water inflow, the baffle can be lowered and inserted into the bamboo tube to act as a water gate.
After hearing this, Chen Xun suddenly became enlightened and immediately sent several women to go over and clean the diversion channel at the same time.
Then Liu Yan looked at the cleaning tools in everyone's hands and shook his head. They were all agricultural tools used for land reclamation, and even wooden basins brought from home. Using such tools to clean up the sand and silt on the beach was very awkward. .
So Liu Yan asked Chen Xun and others to do this for today, and then Liu Yan returned to Dapanbao, called Zhang Yi, and asked him to take people to Wangjiazhuang to purchase a batch of sand washing tools, as well as various other things needed for the salt drying field. Instruments and tools.
Zhang Yi looked solemn when he heard that these things were going to be used to reopen the salt drying field.
"Remember, don't buy these things at the shop run by Mrs. Xu. If you can't buy them at Wangjiazhuang, take people to Qianhu in front of Xiahe Village and buy them at several shops separately. Don't be asked. What, do you understand?”
Zhang Yi nodded and said: "Don't worry, Commander A, my subordinates understand that the information will never be leaked."
"Choose reliable people from the army under your command to go. Before departure, I will give you instructions. If anyone leaks the news, I will drive him out of Dapanbao!"
"clear!"
Then Liu Yan gave Zhang Yi three hundred taels of silver. After Zhang Yi went to Zhao Min to keep accounts, he was ready to go.
Liu Yan returned to the house. During this period, he had to keep an eye on all matters by himself. Although he didn't have to do it himself, it was quite tiring.
Lying on the bed, Liu Yan was thinking about his next plan, but after much calculation, he was still stuck by a problem: "There are not enough manpower!"
Although the population of Dapanbao has caught up with Wangjiazhuang, there is no need to farm in Wangjiazhuang. The people there have their own livelihoods, such as farming, selling, etc.
This is not the case here in Dapanbao. The military camp, soap workshop, weapons workshop, and the soon-to-be-launched salt drying field all require a large number of manpower. Even though Dapanbao now has more than 400 people, excluding the elderly , children, that is, more than 300 people, half of whom are women, can only do what they can in the soap workshop and salt drying field.
Thinking of this, Liu Yan couldn't help but sigh: "It seems that we have to find a way to poach people from elsewhere!"
