Chapter 100

Under the night sky, Baotou appeared particularly quiet and unusual. The stars in the sky twinkled, making the night sky sparkle. Under the starlight, the buildings of Baotou were faintly visible, and in the black background, the few places with bright lights stood out prominently, their glow illuminating the surroundings.

In the darkness, a pair of eyes looked through the window at the brightly lit area. The location where Li Mingsheng stayed had a very good vantage point, allowing him to see most of Baotou through the window.

Baotou was a small place, which Li Mingsheng knew from the moment he arrived. From the provincial capital of Shanxi, Taiyuan, passing through Datong and Suiyuan, all the way to Baotou, it looked bustling but retained the characteristics of a border town. Apart from a few bustling areas, there were rows of dilapidated houses.

The long journey had left Li Mingsheng somewhat tired. After eating, he declined the invitation to a banquet and observed Baotou in the night. When the distant lights illuminated, he was slightly shocked to see electric lights in such a border town.

He knew about electric lights and had even used them before, but even in Qixin, there were no electric lights. They were only found in the key areas of the Beiyang government and the bustling concessions. He had even heard the general manager Zhou say that the electricity in the key areas of the Beiyang government was barely supplied through negotiations with the concessions, at a great cost.

Baotou was far from any city with electricity and was located in a remote area. It was impossible to pull power lines, so there must be a power station in Baotou.

A power station was a rare thing in China, and the Beiyang government had also wanted to build one, but faced many problems. The issues with power plants were insurmountable. He never expected that a place like Baotou would have one. It seemed that the cement factory was not a bluff. What kind of foundation did such a small city have to build a power station and a cement factory? Who was behind it?

Footsteps came from behind. A young man with a headscarf appeared behind Li Mingsheng. Under the moonlight, she raised her head, her face bright and beautiful.

"Jiao'er, why are you out?" Li Mingsheng turned around and asked his daughter with concern.

"Father, I can't sleep!" Li Minrong followed Li Mingsheng's gaze, looking at everything around her, especially the distant bright lights, and said with anticipation, "It's so beautiful over there!"

"Is it? In a few days, when you're more familiar, I'll take you there to see it."

Li Minrong's face was filled with anticipation, but she quickly suppressed her desire and said, "Father, it's better not to. I can't go out随意!"

Li Mingsheng sighed, stroked Li Minrong's hair, and said, "Go to sleep early. We don't know what will happen tomorrow. This place is very strange."

"Father, it's all my fault. If it weren't for me, my brother and the others..." Li Minrong's eyes instantly turned red, and her voice choked up.

"Enough. I brought you here to protect you, not to put you in danger. I hope that by you leaving, they won't be too harsh on the others." Li Mingsheng said this, but his words were weak and powerless. He was uncertain but couldn't show it to Li Minrong, his expression was conflicted.

"Father, you must be tired after a long day. You should rest early too. I'm going to sleep."

The lights in the room dimmed, and the north wind gently blew. Baotou's night gradually deepened, and the bright lights gradually went out. It was late.

The next morning, the sun rose, and Baotou returned to its usual hustle and bustle. The workers, who had rested for the night, began to curiously look at this unfamiliar land. After a hearty breakfast, the workers were gathered and divided into groups, heading to the cement factory construction site.

In Yang Yuanzhao's view, the high salaries had only brought them to Baotou. To make them work effectively, they needed to see hope. Any job, especially a caring one, required a sense of purpose.

About 150 people were led by several guides to the outskirts of Baotou. It took about half an hour to walk there. The entire construction site was bustling with activity. Ten bulldozers were clearing the remaining land, and four cranes were positioned around the steel structures to be built. Steel cables were distributed in all directions, and one crane was in operation, slowly moving a two-meter-long steel bar to the right position. The noise of the bulldozers and steam engines made the construction site extremely noisy.

Several large steel beams had already been erected in the foundations, the result of yesterday's work. The large steel beams, the vast construction site, and the towering cranes all proved that this was a massive factory. These people came from various cement factories, some having worked for over ten years. Such a large cement factory was unheard of, and this was where they would work in the future.

A tour was given, especially mentioning the future cement kiln, whose basic civil construction was already complete. The next step was the construction of the large cement kiln, which required these experienced workers. The materials and kiln body were ready, and the 150 people would be divided into five groups, each leading twice as many laborers to build the cement kiln and install more machinery.

The Baotou cement factory had already hired about 1,000 people. Apart from the 300 selected, the remaining 700 were gathered by Yang Yuanzhao on the other side.

Yang Yuanzhao did not abandon the traditional master-apprentice method. The 150 workers were accompanied by those he had selected, who were more intelligent and suitable for learning from masters. Since the factory was not yet built, they would start by learning some basics. However, he did not neglect the remaining people. He adopted modern training methods, first gathering them for concentrated training.

To be honest, Yang Yuanzhao had undergone many concentrated trainings, but he never imagined that such training would be so difficult in this era. Just forming a line was a challenge. Fortunately, these people, though a bit slow and unaccustomed to the training, were obedient.

The salary offered by Baotou Keng Company was top-notch in all of China, and the food was excellent. Baotou was close to the Mongolian grasslands, where meat was abundant and not scarce, though more expensive than grains. Yang Yuanzhao did not skimp on their meals, providing a good amount of meat and enough staple food.

Yang Yuanzhao found a few obedient people and some of the Yang and Wei family's servants, who had some military training experience. He made some innovations in the training but kept it simple. Once they were familiar, they could lead the others.

Following modern military training methods, the workers were gathered and trained. The transformation from farmers to workers required not only individual skills but also teamwork. Farmers could work independently, relying on the weather, but workers were different. A worker's ability was just one aspect; discipline and teamwork were crucial. Ten well-coordinated first-class workers were far more valuable to the factory than ten uncoordinated third-class workers.

Yang Yuanzhao watched for a while but found it difficult. Just a simple right turn or left turn was a challenge for most. Only a few could do it correctly. Finally, a former Green Standard Army servant suggested they wear straw shoes and cloth shoes, using them to practice turning left and right. Once they were familiar with the directions, they would use the standard commands.

The simple method improved the scene significantly. The workers, in their neat uniforms, formed a complete formation, looking much better. Watching these honest farmers gradually transform under the commands, Yang Yuanzhao knew the process would be difficult, but the emergence of the first generation of industrial workers in Baotou, with many modern characteristics, was a source of pride for him.

A day's hard work was not unusual for farmers of this era, but the strict and precise movements, and the requirement for uniformity, were new. One mistake by an individual meant the entire team was punished. This was very different from what they were used to. The honest farmers followed orders, knowing that for the sake of a few dozen silver dollars a month, they had to do it. They were not slaves or servants, and before Baotou Keng Company, even servitude did not pay such high salaries.

As the sun gradually set, the large communal kitchen had prepared a fragrant pot of food. Just the sight of it included at least a large fat pig, dozens of chickens, a lot of beef and mutton, and local dishes like radishes, all in a large pot. Steamed buns made from white flour were neatly stacked, looking very appetizing.