Chapter 95: Buying a Factory

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, the militia camp also took a holiday. After a month of training, these honest farmers, though not completely transformed, looked much more spirited. The militia uniforms were different from the household servants' uniforms. The cotton clothes, pants, and hats produced by the Zhangjiazhuang clothing workshop made everyone look a bit swollen. The militia did not require haircuts, but everyone had to wash their heads with lime water before entering the camp to prevent lice from being brought in. With the cotton hats on, the hair could not be tied up in a bun and had to be tied with a band.

Before the holiday, they were paid their salaries, two taels of silver each, with nothing else. In contrast, the 120 new students in the adjacent household servants' martial hall presented a completely different scene. Entering the school required a haircut, and with the example set by the previous batch, no one resisted this. The students' uniforms were all modern, not only good-looking but also light and convenient. They wore wool coats, round hats, and each carried a backpack containing some New Year's goods. The items were not many, but they included cigarettes, alcohol, sugar, and canned food, making a stark contrast to the militia.

This deliberately created difference in treatment naturally gave everyone a psychological hint that the students were superior.

The militia were the majority, while the students were the minority. To enter this minority, one had to study hard in the night literacy classes, and those with excellent grades could be recommended to the household servants' martial hall or take the exam themselves, which was held every six months.

Most of the militia were quite satisfied with the treatment here. They received two sets of clothing for the four seasons, which was unimaginable in the past. The food was good, and the only downside was the intense training. Were farmers afraid of hard work? That was a joke.

With two taels of silver in their pockets, they entered the military service station. They were just militia, right? Why did everything here start with "military"? No one understood, but they didn't need to; they just had to remember.

The purchasing power of two taels of silver was astonishing. Most people chose to buy grain, and only with the remaining money would they consider other things. Each person's situation was different, but overall, the most popular item was millet. Many wheelbarrows waited outside the camp, and it was a well-known fact that soldiers earned good money during the New Year.

Groups of militia soldiers left the camp, those with good relationships went together, and one by one, the wheelbarrows were loaded with various New Year's goods. By noon, the camp was empty, except for a few soldiers who volunteered to stay and guard the camp. There were not many of them, just a dozen or so. They were not unwilling to go home but were more honest and stepped forward when the officers asked for volunteers.

However, these people soon became the envy of others because they received an extra month's salary. With this money, they bought New Year's goods, which were delivered home by a dedicated person, ensuring their families could feel the benefits of their service in the militia.

Ding Zixiong was no longer a student. As one of the top students in the first batch, he was now the captain of the first team in the militia camp. His former cellmate, Weng Zhengqing, was the deputy captain. Some of the other students were retained as instructors, and a few with good shooting skills were selected for special training. More followed the two in serving as officers at various levels in the militia. They had suffered greatly under the instructors before, and now they used the same methods to train the new recruits, enjoying the taste of being in charge.

Despite their glory, everyone knew that if they really had to go to war, they would have to stand in the front row. This was clearly stated in the officer's code of conduct. You could choose not to follow it, but if you fled or retreated, you would be executed on the spot by your superior officer.

As the captain, Ding Zixiong was the last to leave the camp, accompanied by Weng Zhengqing. Their homes were in opposite directions, and after a short walk on the main road, they had to part ways. The wheelbarrows were rented in advance, each carrying a load of New Year's goods. After parting ways, they each mounted their horses. Only officers at the team level and above were entitled to ride horses, and the militia camp was a place with a strict hierarchy. The people of the Ming Dynasty had a high sense of recognition for this.

Weng Zhengqing's monthly salary was 18 taels of silver, while Ding Zixiong received 2 taels more. A half-grade difference meant a 2-tael difference in salary. In fact, the highest salary was not for the team officers but for the special squad composed of those with excellent shooting skills and physical abilities, who received 22 taels. Why did they receive so much? Just look at their training. In the cold winter, they would lie in the fields for half a day or even longer.

Weng Zhengqing did not envy these people. On the battlefield, some of the special squad members would be the scouts, and they would die first. Then it would be the turn of the team officers. It's worth noting that when recruiting the militia, they claimed to recruit five teams, but in reality, they recruited ten teams, five of which were called the reserve militia teams, responsible for logistics. Those who did not perform well in the regular militia teams were kicked into the reserve teams, and if they still did not perform well, they were dismissed.

The officers of the regular and reserve teams received the same treatment, but the soldiers in the reserve teams received half the salary.

Riding on his horse, Weng Zhengqing looked solemn, but his heart was not calm. His family had sent a letter saying that the threshold of their house was almost worn out by matchmakers. This time, he had to go for a match. His parents had seen several girls, and in the past, they might have made a decision. Now, he sent a message back, saying he had to see them himself before making a decision, and his parents agreed.

Who wouldn't be moved by the prospect of a daughter-in-law from a family where the son was a team captain in the Zhangjiazhuang militia camp? Thinking of this, Weng Zhengqing felt a sense of pride. When he had queued up to sign up as a household servant, he had faced a lot of disdain.

South of Dengzhou City, after walking for ten miles, the road ahead changed. The narrow two-lane road became a wide four-lane road, paved with cement, making the horse-drawn carriages run much faster.

It was the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, and the next day was New Year's Eve. After several busy days in Dengzhou City, Chen Xie finally had a chance to catch his breath. He was surprised to find that he had no desire to return to the modern era for the New Year. He soon realized that it was probably because he felt a stronger sense of presence in this era.

The deeper Chen Xie became involved in this era, the less important it seemed whether he returned or not. Next year, this road would be extended to the foot of Dengzhou City. What would the situation be then?

...

Outside the window, the spring rain was drizzling, but it was not the sky of the Ming Dynasty. After the 15th day of the first lunar month, Chen Xie returned to the modern era. The small factory in front of him, now called the Spring Wind Thermos Factory, was formerly known as the Liberation Thermos Factory. In the 1980s, it was contracted out, and in the 1990s, it underwent restructuring. From a large factory with over a thousand employees, it had become a private enterprise with only a hundred or so workers, and the factory had moved from the city center to the outskirts.

There were many such enterprises in the city. A few years ago, when the real estate market was booming, the boss neglected the business and invested all the funds in real estate. He invested tens of millions in a western region, losing everything. When the bank took over the factory, it found that the factory was not worth much. Even if it was not valuable, the bank had to sell it to recover some of the interest. The manager who had arranged the mortgage loan for the factory owner was already in jail, eating rice and soap.

The new manager, Zhang Quansheng, after multiple failed attempts to sell the factory, had almost given up and planned to sell it cheaply, just for the land. However, a turning point came when someone called to inquire about the factory's debt and transfer. Zhang Quansheng, with a "try anything" attitude, decided to meet the person who was willing to take on the 30 million yuan debt to buy the factory. He thought this person must be a fool because the land was worth at most 10 million yuan, and the real estate market was not doing well. A nearby high-end residential area had been completed for three years, but the occupancy rate was less than one-fifth. Moreover, all the workers had left. The bank, to find a buyer, temporarily retained a few technical experts and paid them to wait for someone willing to take over the factory.

"Old Li, when you meet the boss, be careful with your words. From his tone, he seems to want to resume production. You need to be flexible. If things work out, you won't be treated badly," Zhang Quansheng instructed repeatedly. Old Li, the technical expert who stayed behind, did not want to leave because he had nowhere else to go and could not take care of his family if he worked elsewhere.

"Okay, I got it," Old Li nodded. He had feelings for the factory. The boss had run away with his mistress and owed him three months' salary. If the new boss really wanted to resume production, he might get some of his salary back.

Chen Xie, who was low-key, chose a Phaeton as his private car, lacking the youthful vigor and flamboyance.

"Is this Mr. Zhang?" Chen Xie was not very sure. A high-ranking manager of the Construction Bank would personally receive a small client like him and even wait in the rain at the factory gate.

"Is this Mr. Chen?" Zhang Quansheng was a bit disappointed but then saw the driver in the driver's seat and immediately put aside his contempt. Such a cold and elegant person driving for this young man was not normal. Maybe there was hope for this deal.

After some polite exchanges, Wu Qi did not even get out of the car. Chen Xie followed him into the factory and listened to Old Li's introduction.

"The boss owes three months' salary, and there are 5,000 inner linings left in the warehouse that no one wants. This thing is not technically demanding. With a few skilled people, we can recruit dozens of workers and resume production," Old Li rambled, making Zhang Quansheng very unhappy. Why mention the three months' salary?

Chen Xie remained silent, walked around, and then suddenly asked, "Old Li, can you call the original workers back?"

Old Li was taken aback and nodded, "I think so. Bringing back half of them should be no problem."

"I see. Mr. Zhang, 15 million yuan. I'll take the factory. Not a penny more, or I'll give up."