Chapter 63

### Chapter 63: Logistics — Preparing for the Future

Chen Xie always thought that a four-wheeled carriage couldn't be made in just half a year, much like his school. So, he patiently waited until one morning when Wang Tietui came to visit him at his residence.

It was very early in the morning, and Chen Xie was still in bed, yes, hugging a maid named Yuchen. In the Ming Dynasty, the backyards were quite corrupt, and as the master, Chen Xie could do as he pleased. If he fancied a maid, he could take her without anyone making a fuss, as the maids were considered the master's private property.

The image of the great and upright divine doctor naturally wouldn't bully his subordinates. However, this man was still a young and energetic young man, and in the morning, he would sometimes be overly energetic.

Wang Tietui, of course, couldn't enter the backyard and had to wait in the front yard. Soon, one of the senior maids, Yuzhu, came out and said irritably, "So early in the morning, running around like a madman. Don't you know the master went to bed late last night?"

The Chen family's backyard was somewhat dominated by women. The master's household was managed by two senior maids. Although Yuchen and Yuzhu often fought, they were united against outsiders. To prevent other young women from seducing the master, they kept the backyard tightly controlled. Even a female fly would be stopped and questioned if it tried to fly in.

Chen Xie was a man who disliked trouble and would always try to avoid it, which led to the two maids becoming powerful figures in the Chen family and even the entire Zhangjiazhuang, where no one dared to contradict them.

Zhang Tietui, of course, wouldn't argue with Yuzhu. Even after being scolded, he had to smile and respond, "Madam Gu, the master had already instructed that once the carriage was made, we must report immediately. Last night, the craftsmen worked all night and finally completed the last step. I checked it and came to report the good news."

Only then did Yuzhu's frown disappear, and she waved her hand. "Wait here, I'll inform the master."

Entering Chen Xie's bedroom, Yuzhu immediately saw Yuchen kneeling on the bed with her backside up. Yuzhu felt a mix of envy and satisfaction. The master was still using such an outdated method to solve his problems, which meant she had a slight advantage.

"Master, Zhang the blacksmith has come. He says the carriage you asked for is ready." As Yuzhu reported, her eyes darted under the mosquito net. Seeing the master firmly holding his rival's head, Yuzhu couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Soon, Yuchen came out of the net, covering her chest, and gave Yuzhu a defiant look, declaring her temporary dominance.

Yuzhu didn't argue with her and stood still. The master indeed said, "Yuzhu, help me get up."

Although there were no elaborate forms of entertainment, this era had its own advantages. Master Chen was the core of the household, and the servants tried their best to please him, making his life comfortable. In no time, the modern "divine doctor" Chen Xie had degenerated to the point where he needed help dressing.

This wasn't really Chen Xie's fault. Whether it was Yuzhu or Yuchen, if he didn't let them serve him, they would stand aside and cry. Over time, Chen Xie naturally gave in, thinking, "If they want to serve, let them serve." Serving the master's daily life was a symbol of status in the household. Understanding this, Chen Xie became even more compliant.

Wang Tietui waited outside for half an hour before Chen Xie finally arrived.

"Have you eaten? Don't kneel, stand and talk." Master Chen greeted him, and Wang Tietui, who was about to kneel, was interrupted.

"I was called up at dawn and haven't had time to eat yet," he replied honestly. Chen Xie said, "Then let's eat together."

By "eating together," it meant Chen Xie and Wang Tietui squatted at the door, sharing a bowl of millet porridge and two meat buns. This unflattering behavior was no longer surprising to the servants. It even became a trend, especially among the male servants, who ate this way.

After a few quick bites, they finished breakfast and set out together. At the blacksmith's shop, they entered the workshop, and Chen Xie saw the basic shape of a four-wheeled carriage. The upper structure was not yet installed, but this model displayed all the technical solutions.

Chen Xie was an outsider and had only given Wang Tietui a few sketches. He had wanted to provide more detailed drawings, but neither Wang Tietui nor the craftsmen could read, and Chen Xie couldn't understand the professional diagrams.

The Ming Dynasty's craftsmen had exceptional practical skills, far surpassing their European counterparts of the same period. Craftsmen in the Ming Dynasty were among the lowest social classes, and this status was hereditary and irreversible.

Most Ming Dynasty craftsmen lived at the bottom of the social ladder. Eating just enough to fill their bellies was considered a good life. But in Zhangjiazhuang, everything changed. The major shareholder, Master Chen Xie, didn't care much about management or work, but he had strict standards for the craftsmen's daily lives.

"How can they work well if they can't even eat enough?" This simple truth didn't apply in the Ming Dynasty. This led to Master Chen's offer of wages, making the craftsmen eager to join. They were provided with three meals a day, either millet or white flour, and one meal with meat. Each craftsman received a minimum monthly salary of 20 pounds of millet and 60 pounds of sorghum. They also received labor protection benefits, including two sets of work clothes, two pairs of shoes, and ten pairs of gloves upon joining. Every two months, they received one set of clothes, one pair of shoes, and ten pairs of gloves each month. They also had four paid days off each month.

Such treatment was unheard of in the entire Ming Dynasty, which is why it was so easy to recruit people. Many craftsmen even escaped from the city of Dengzhou. The officials were well-fed by the joint business association and turned a blind eye. The clerks were even more unscrupulous, and the ten best craftsmen at Zhang Tietui's workshop were recommended by them. Of course, they weren't doing it for free; for each skilled craftsman recommended, they received one tael of silver.

Wang Tietui, the lackey of the black-hearted capitalist, under Master Chen's instructions, was aggressively poaching talent from the Ming Dynasty.

The main components of the two carriages were made of cast iron, with the wheels and axles made from the steel provided by Chen Xie. Other non-wear parts, considering weight, were made of hard wood. With the invention of bearings, many traditional problems with carriages were no longer issues. The only technical challenge was the steering system, but after multiple experiments, the Ming Dynasty craftsmen found a solution by adding a steering mechanism.

Once this problem was solved, the rest were no longer issues. Later, Chen Xie found a related post on a forum, stating that the Chinese had already solved this problem during the Qin Dynasty. The reason it didn't become widespread in China was due to the vast size of the country and the varied terrain, making four-wheeled carriages impractical.

Therefore, the lack of a market for four-wheeled carriages in China was not due to technical factors but market factors.

For now, Chen Xie had no such concerns. The North China Plain was flat, and horses could be bought with money. The Ming Dynasty was not the Northern Song Dynasty; horses were not in short supply.

Although it was just a prototype, after a few test runs with horses, Chen Xie was very satisfied. He then drew a diagram, or rather, pulled out a printed picture from his small backpack and handed it to Wang Tietui, saying, "Make one like this, and make the interior more luxurious."

"Master, what do you mean by 'more luxurious'?" Wang Tietui didn't dare to neglect any of the master's instructions and had to understand clearly.

Chen Xie felt a sense of pride in dealing with the locals and patiently explained, "The carriage should be made of the most expensive wood, and the interior should be carpeted. The light fixtures should be made of silver, and this part should be gilded, and this part, ... ." The requirements were numerous and extravagant, but Wang Tietui would execute them without any discounts.

Chen Xie concluded, "Tietui, there are too many rich people in the Ming Dynasty. From now on, we will only make one such carriage per month, and I plan to sell each one for 3,000 taels of silver."

Wang Tietui then fainted. Selling a carriage for 3,000 taels was unimaginable, even 300 taels was an astronomical number. Chen Xie had him revived with cold water and, with a black-hearted capitalist's demeanor, said, "This carriage, without the luxurious interior, you must produce at least five per month. If you need more people, recruit them. My only requirement is that you turn carriage production into a new industry, or rather, a workshop. By the end of the year, you must be able to produce 10 simple carriages per month. Otherwise, I'll find someone else to do it."

After inspecting the carriage, Chen Xie, accompanied by his long-term attendant Changsheng, headed to the Zhangjiazhuang school. The school had not yet officially opened, and currently, a group of 120 household servants was stationed there, including Ding Zixiong.

Ding Zixiong's family owned about 30 acres of land, with three sisters, one brother, and two younger sisters. This family had once made great efforts to support Ding Zixiong's education, hoping to change their fate through his studies. However, this effort was in vain. At six, he started his primary education, and at eight, his grandfather, who had decided to support his education, passed away. Soon after, his grandmother also passed away. Then came the division of the family!

His father's generation had three brothers, and the result of the division was three parts for each, with one part left over. As the eldest brother, his father gave up the right to inherit the ancestral home in exchange for more land.

Undoubtedly, the Ding family's talent cultivation plan was aborted. Ding Zixiong, who had been known as a prodigy and could recognize about a thousand characters, had to return home to herd cattle. Studying was no longer an option, and he had to settle for being a farmer.

At 17, Ding Zixiong had always thought he would be a farmer for the rest of his life. The characters he knew wouldn't help him much. Until one day, about half a month ago, while carrying a load of firewood to the city to sell, he saw the divine doctor recruiting household servants.