Chapter 81

When Wei Ming entered Yang Yuanzhao's room, Yang Yuanzhao was working with the blacksmiths, holding several huge steel pillars and making gestures. Steel-framed buildings were no longer rare in the modern world. On an empty plot of land, with the help of steel structures, a three- or four-story building could be constructed in just a few days, and it was easy to dismantle. Even if it wasn't needed in the future, it could be easily taken apart to restore the original appearance of the area.

However, it was one thing to see it and quite another to research it oneself. How to ensure the quality and prevent the steel-framed building from collapsing was a challenge for an outsider like Yang Yuanzhao. Reluctantly, he had to abandon the idea of large frameworks and large rooms and instead opt for small supports and small rooms. While this layout would waste a lot of materials, it was more structurally sound and at least wouldn't collapse easily.

When Wei Ming entered, Yang Yuanzhao had just finished a step and instructed the blacksmiths to continue practicing welding. The welding machine and welding rods were improved versions of the small welding machines he had brought from the future. The welding rods were replicated exactly as they were in the future. The only issue was the electricity, so he took out the generator he had replicated from Shanghai and made a DC-AC converter based on a mobile phone charger from the future.

The bright sparks from the welding rods gave the entire warehouse a somewhat dreamy atmosphere.

"Brother Wenju, you're here!"

"Yuanzhao, everything is arranged. Our Wei family and the Yang family have a total of 27 grain stores, and some close allies have a few more. Currently, there are about 50 grain stores in Taiyuan!"

"50 grain stores!" Yang Yuanzhao nodded. He knew that there were roughly 60 grain stores in Taiyuan, and 50 of them already accounted for the majority. Even without a full-scale distribution, they could still proceed. He nodded and asked, "Have the logistics for the fleet been arranged?"

"Already done!"

"Then let's start!"

That day, about a hundred vehicles arrived in Baotou, loaded 60,000 bags of flour from the warehouse, and headed directly to Taiyuan for sale.

In early May, a large batch of foreign flour appeared on the market in Taiyuan. It was not only whiter and finer but also cheaper than ordinary foreign flour by about 10 cents. Most importantly, there were many promotional activities, such as "buy two bags, get one pound free" or "buy five bags, get five pounds free." These small discounts made the flour attractive to the citizens.

White flour was always the highest-end grain, but its price was too high. The introduction of this new batch of flour, while not significantly cheaper, still brought white flour into the view of ordinary people. Even a pound or two of white flour was a heavy weight in this era. Even for the sake of trying something new, people would buy some to eat.

The white flour quickly gained popularity, and sales soared. Even those who rarely ate it started to buy some. In just a week, it dominated the market, and almost all other foreign flour became unsold.

Under Yang Yuanzhao's arrangement, the 60,000 bags of flour began to spread from Taiyuan. First, they followed the Zhengtai Railway eastward, gradually dominating the market. Then, they moved along the route from Datong to Baotou. By this time, the flour from the Baotou New Flour Mill had spread throughout the Baotou area.

The extensive network quickly dominated the market, and the Baotou New Flour Mill began operating at full capacity. The many shareholders of Baotou New gathered to celebrate their success. Within a week, they had achieved zero inventory, and orders were already booked for two months ahead. Raw materials were consumed in large quantities, and they even organized wheat from Shanxi, Mongolia, and even Henan for processing. Fortunately, it was the wheat harvest season, and the price of wheat was very low.

"Everyone, I suggest we buy a large amount of wheat. If stored for three months before milling, the flour will be better!" Yang Yue, an agricultural expert, suggested. In the United States, he had studied flour, and such flour would be more elastic and produce better-tasting noodles.

The flour mill had been in production for a week, and the massive cash flow from retail sales gave everyone confidence. Yang Yue, recognized as an agricultural expert, had already proven his worth in cotton cultivation. However, building storage facilities would take time. After discussion, they decided to invest more to expand storage capacity and purchase enough wheat before prices rose.

Grain prices were not stable. Generally, they were lowest at harvest time and remained low for a while, allowing grain merchants to buy enough grain. As time passed, the price of wheat would rise rapidly, peaking just before the next harvest. The lunar months of February and March were the highest for grain prices, a period known as "the gap between the old and new crops," when many families could barely fill their stomachs with wild vegetables. Any slight fluctuation could lead to widespread famine.

The plan to expand storage and the specific implementation were decided by several shareholders and assigned to Liu Shu, who was responsible for the basic construction. Seeing the traditional construction speed, Yang Yuanzhao smiled bitterly. Perhaps he should bring out the steel structures. He knew the basics of steel structures, and some steel components could be made by a machine, but the key was the welding machine.

They had already started trying to make steel structures and had some success, but the stability of the welding was not strong enough, even for small houses. Before it was mature, Yang Yuanzhao would not use it, not even as a warehouse.

The gathering was lively, and the generosity of the northwestern men was almost all in the alcohol. Yang Yuanzhao's body, though tested by alcohol, could not withstand such generosity. He repeatedly excused himself, saying he had more research to do, but even so, the room was filled with the smell of alcohol.

After the gathering, everyone left. Yang Yuanzhao was about to return to his courtyard when he suddenly thought about the idea of steel structures. Just as he was about to continue his thoughts, he saw Liu Shu standing outside.

"Yuanzhao, come with me, I'll take you to a good place!" Liu Shu said, pulling Yang Yuanzhao along without waiting for a response.

Yang Yuanzhao, puzzled, followed Liu Shu. After a few turns, they arrived at an old, unassuming courtyard that looked no different from others from the outside. However, the location was excellent. A short walk from the alley led to the bustling East Street of Baotou, and it was only a five-minute walk from Liu Shu's silver shop.

Inside the courtyard, it was a three-section quadrangle, with large ancient trees everywhere, suggesting a long history. It was spotlessly clean, and there were even new pieces of furniture, emitting a fresh, woody scent, as if they were specially prepared.

"What is this?" Yang Yuanzhao asked, slightly puzzled.

"How do you like it? This is your home!" Liu Shu said grandly.

"My home?" Yang Yuanzhao was a bit surprised. He had been in the 1908 timeline for about a month. After the initial rush in Baotou and a trip to Shanghai that took over a month, he had returned and had a bit of a break. However, with the tractor, flour mill, and the design and sales of flour, he had been extremely busy and hadn't thought much about a home.

Yang Yuanzhao was never one to prioritize material things. Otherwise, in his previous life, he wouldn't have lived in an old neighborhood. To him, a home was just a place to sleep. But now, as the controller of Baokeng Company and with more companies to come, living in an old place was somewhat inconvenient.

"Previously, you helped me secure shares in the flour mill. There's nothing much to thank you for, but this courtyard is my way of showing my gratitude," Liu Shu said.

Yang Yuanzhao tried to refuse, but Liu Shu was determined. Besides, houses in Baotou were expensive for ordinary people, but for them, a three-section courtyard cost only about 300 to 400. With the Baotou New Flour Mill operating at full capacity, even a small shareholder like Liu Shu would receive substantial dividends over time. Giving a courtyard as a gift was quite normal.

"Alright, I'll accept it!" Yang Yuanzhao said. Liu Shu's enthusiasm was genuine, and further refusal would seem pretentious. He deserved the gift, but looking at the spacious courtyard, he couldn't help but frown. A three-section mansion for one person felt quite empty.