The first day of October in the fifth year of Jiaqing is a day worth remembering.
Not because of its first snow, but because today the first batch of cement is about to be launched.
The three Fang siblings were full of expectations. While waiting for the cement to be released, Kong Fang gave them detailed knowledge about cement.
Any good new thing is worth looking forward to.
Kong Fang was half excited and half apprehensive.
He did experiment with cement production in his previous life, but this was the first time for mass production on such a scale. Although he has been personally mastering all the data from the beginning of mixing the raw materials, he is still not sure that the first batch of cement will be successful.
"Uncle, the temperature of the blast furnace has dropped. Can it be turned on?"
Uncle Fang returned to the office from the workshop, with snowflakes on his head and breathing in the hot air. Suddenly, what Kong Fang saw was Uncle Fang shrouded in smoke.
Kong Fang drank the tea in the cup in one breath, waved his hand, and left!
The Fang siblings followed him behind him.
Kong Fang straightened his back, even for this scene, he had to produce cement.
"master!"
The craftsmen are respectful. This was the first time they heard about it, and it was also the first time they made cement themselves. They didn't know what it was, but seeing that the master valued it so much, they must be good things.
They were more curious than nervous, but they were equally hopeful.
"Turn on the furnace—" Kong Fang roared. When a craftsman opened the blast furnace cover, a wave of heat hit his face. People instinctively backed away and waved their hands to drive away the heat. Wherever you look, it's all gray-white, grass-ash-like stuff.
Everyone looked at each other, is this the legendary cement?
Is it the cement they worked hard day and night to make?
The bandits were escorted by county soldiers and watched on the outside. When they saw the furnace full of things that looked like ashes, they secretly covered their mouths and smiled. It seemed that the grievances they had felt for many days had been released.
Only Kong Fang shouted, It’s done!
Done?
Fang Shibo wanted to touch his brother-in-law's forehead to see if he had a fever again. One of the bandits couldn't help but laugh out loud, and was whipped twice by Guan Yu and kicked several more times.
"Old Wu, go get water." Kong Fang ordered. Old Wu didn't dare to be arrogant and quickly went to get a bucket of water. Kong Fang looked at it, poured out part of the water, and then asked Lao Wu to scoop up the cement with a shovel and pour it into the bucket.
He mixed it himself, and after mixing it evenly, he waited for the cement to harden.
As time passed, the snow became heavier and heavier, but no one except the bandits felt it was cold. They kept their eyes fixed on the cement in the barrel.
"It seems to have changed color." Someone whispered.
Kong Fang pressed it with his fingers. Although the cement had not completely hardened, it had indeed hardened.
"Shibo, please press it with your hands."
He's a bit of a stinker.
Fang Shibo pressed down with his hand, with surprise on his face, "Hey, it's really hard. Brother-in-law, will it continue to be hard? Will it become harder than a stone?"
"certainly."
Kong Fang was even more disgusting. If he hadn't been carrying the identity of the master and the county magistrate, he would have jumped up and screamed three times: Success.
Fang Shiqing and Fang Shiyi also tried it, and then Uncle Fang. They were all shocked. After the cement was completely hardened, Lao Wu used a giant hammer to smash rocks. He only smashed the barrel several times, but the cement block remained motionless.
Kong Fang asked someone to find two more blue bricks, mix the cement again, and stick the two bricks together with cement. After the cement dried, they could not be completely separated until the green bricks were smashed.
There was a sound of admiration at the scene. The bandits lowered their heads sadly. The successful cement trial production meant that they had to continue moving rocks.
Kong Fang announced on the spot that each craftsman would be rewarded with fifty kilograms of rice and one tael of silver; the bandits would be rewarded with a white steamed bun for three consecutive days.
The bandit raised his head in astonishment, hey, I got a prize too?
Surprised or not? Is it surprising?
When Kong Fang saw their shocked expressions of being bitten by dogs, he truly understood the power of sticks and carrots.
So he simply drew another pie for the bandits.
They will not work in the dark all their lives. In fact, they are now undergoing labor reform and reforming their thinking through labor. Whoever transforms and becomes outstanding will not only be able to get rid of the shackles at their feet, but they will also have the opportunity to receive the same treatment as craftsmen, eating white rice every day and receiving monthly wages.
The bandits raised their heads one after another and looked at Kong Fang in disbelief.
Then, someone cried, and the cry became soft, then loud, and then howled.
His crying seemed to be contagious, and suddenly the sound of crying outside the workshop was loud.
After the cement reaches normal temperature, Kong Fang arranges for the bandits to be packed in pre-prepared bags, weighing one hundred kilograms each. No one among the bandits was slowing down their work anymore, and they didn't need to be chased away by county soldiers. Instead, they took the initiative to divide the work in pairs and cooperate, and they were very busy.
"Brother-in-law, is it necessary to be so nice to the bandits?" Fang Shibo expressed his confusion.
The same is true for Fang Shiqing.
They were just a group of bandits who committed all kinds of evil, and they deserved their death. It was a great blessing to keep them alive. What qualifications did they have to eat white rice and receive wages?
Kong Fang raised his chin slightly.
"Well, isn't the effect coming? Do you think their labor enthusiasm has increased unprecedentedly?"
Give them some benefits, mobilize their enthusiasm for work, and make money while still being the boss.
"Then you can't promise them freedom." Fang Shibo was unwilling.
Kong Fang reassured him that even if these bandits gained freedom through their own transformation, they might not leave the workshop. Because they have been gangsters for many years and are now undergoing transformation in workshops, they are actually out of touch with society.
What can they do after leaving here?
Will you continue to be a bandit?
They have lost the brutality and wildness of the bandits and can no longer burn, kill and loot without restraint. Which mountaintop is willing to accept a soft-footed shrimp as a bandit?
If they want to return to society and be good citizens, what will they do for a living?
Farming?
It is impossible to farm the land, even in this life. It’s not that they don’t want to farm, it’s that they have long lost the skills to farm.
At the same time, no landowner dared to rent his land to the former bandits for farming.
So if they want to survive, they can only stay and work in the workshops.
The most important thing is that Kong Fang holds their renunciation contract in his hand. They will have freedom sooner or later, but the freedom beyond his control is not non-existent, but very scarce.
There is not even a high chance of winning lottery tickets in my previous life.
To put it bluntly, it is the pie that Kong Fang painted for the bandits.
A few days ago, he chopped off the heads of several bandits with a knife, which was a big blow to make them realize the truth; now he is improving their living conditions and giving them a big pie, which is a carrot temptation to make them return to their homes.
With the support of sticks and carrots, will these fools not obey?
"Brother-in-law, you are so cunning!" Fang Shibo couldn't help but "admire" after hearing this.
As soon as he finished speaking, he received a slap on the head.
"How do you talk?"
Fang Shiqing reprimanded. Fang Shibo was stunned for a long time before realizing one fact:
When my brother-in-law fell out, he no longer smelled good.
