Chapter 209: Unmarriageable
Jin Sui went over and instructed them, setting up a production line model. The embroiderers were familiar with the entire process, but to increase speed, they could teach the female workers to master just one step.
Operating with a production line model not only saves time and effort but also greatly increases speed.
Yan Shiyi followed Jin Sui throughout, listening to her commands. He felt knowledge flooding his brain in a torrential manner, wanting to retain something but unable to articulate it.
“It can be done like this? So, one doesn’t need to learn the entire process, just one part to start working!”
Jin Sui sighed, “This is the model for large-scale workshop operations, but it makes it difficult to cultivate innovative talent.
I suggest having the embroiderers take on a few qualified female students to systematically learn the entire process, while ordinary female workers only need to master one link.
This way, you won’t have to worry about people poaching talent with high salaries.”
Yan Shiyi excitedly fanned himself, “I’m going to tell Eldest Brother about this method! How did your brain grow like that? No, is your heart a lotus seedpod? So many schemes! You can even think of such a method!
In the past, apprentices wouldn’t be able to start without two or three years of training. Now, it’s fine, as long as they master one process in three to five years, they can start working.
I was also worried about training female workers taking a long time! It seems it’s not necessary at all; we can launch the Yan Clan’s wool fabric this year.”
Jin Sui rolled her eyes at him, saying he didn’t read enough, even his compliments were so unpleasant! What did he mean her heart was a lotus seedpod? Why not a honeycomb? That’s terrifying!
“In fact, many industries can adopt the production line operation model, where workers can get started with simple training. Of course, the most important thing to increase output is to improve tools. Look at your spinning tools.
You have the audacity to say they’ve been used like this for a hundred years! Have your Yan Clan not thought of asking craftsmen to improve them in the past century?
Yan Shiyi sheepishly rubbed his nose, “We really haven’t thought of that; everyone just does it this way!”
“Indeed, everyone just closed their city gates and ignored things when the Tartars attacked! If it weren’t for me, the fake Li King, being different from everyone else, you wouldn’t even be able to trade with the Northern Frontier.
Yan Shiyi felt even more ashamed. It was true; why hadn’t anyone thought of changing in the past hundred years? From policies with the Northern Frontier and the Imperial Court, to improvements in spinning machines, even to greenhouses for vegetables, no one had ever considered it.
Everyone knew that fresh vegetables were rare in winter. The gentry used greenhouses to grow flowers and grew vegetables on hot spring estates, so why hadn’t they thought of using greenhouses for large-scale vegetable cultivation?
Look at the border city; by just growing winter vegetables, they earned enough food for the entire army for several years.
It was the same with spinning machines. During the time Miss Ji stayed at the Yan Clan, she watched the female workers spin and heard them complain about their hands aching from turning the wheel, being too tired to lift their arms, and only being able to spin a small amount of fabric per day.
Miss Ji immediately summoned craftsmen. She spoke and demonstrated, and the craftsmen made modifications, changing the hand-cranked spindle to a foot-pedal mechanism.
Spinning while standing turned into spinning while sitting, with both feet pedaling alternately and hands managing the thread spool. The efficiency instantly increased by more than three times! With higher efficiency, people were also more relaxed.
Miss Ji was still not satisfied, muttering something about, ‘This is all that can be done for now. Once it’s powered by a steam engine, the speed will increase.’
Having witnessed it firsthand, Yan Shiyi’s admiration for Jin Sui’s intellect grew even stronger. He didn’t mind being called stupid by her occasionally.
There were few people in this world smarter than Miss Ji, so he accepted being called stupid by her.
He felt that if Miss Ji could stay at their home for a few months, and he could take her to see various industries, and she could casually direct improvements, it would be a fortune for the Yan Clan.
No wonder Eldest Brother always loved discussing important matters with Miss Ji, often for several hours. He used to find it boring and his head would spin.
Now, with Miss Ji by his side, teaching him hand-in-hand, Yan Shiyi was starting to understand. His new catchphrase had become:
“It can be done like this!”
Jin Sui had seen the Yan Clan’s textile workshop and confirmed that all gentry were similar; the Yan Clan’s technology was actually the best.
She was relieved and changed her past strategy. She wouldn’t open a textile workshop in the border city anymore because it required a lot of labor and the returns were slow.
Selling spun fabric, whether selling cloth or ready-made clothes, required many procedures, and the capital recovery was too slow, with too many things to worry about!
When everyone else was going to pan for gold, who got rich first? Those who sold shovels!
We won’t compete with the gentry, who have mature trade systems, workshops, shops, workers, and capital, for the textile business;
We’ll sell machinery! We’ll sell improved spinning machines, generation after generation.
If you want to be faster than others, you have to buy the latest generation of spinning machines from the border city! Haha, even if the gentry improve them themselves and find craftsmen, can you be as fast as me copying homework in my space?
In the early stages, we’ll help the gentry make money, earning until agriculture and commerce conflict, forcing the gentry to choose one: will you let agriculture transform into industry and abandon land, or will you persist in farming?
I believe many stubborn clan leaders will definitely want to do both, as land is the foundation and absolutely cannot be abandoned!
However, some younger, profit-driven individuals will prioritize industry and commerce when faced with a choice between the two. This way, our border city can smoothly reclaim the farmland.
Promote land reform, reclaiming the good farmland encroached upon by the gentry and returning it to the government, then distributing it to the farmers.
Industry and commerce will fatten the gentry’s purses, but they will lose the ability to encroach on the nation’s foundation. They will transform from aristocratic clans into mere rich merchants.
Furthermore, their path to wealth must pass through the border city, and we will have new firearms. The gentry will be unable to raise troops or unite to rebel.
Their aristocratic prestige, which has been high for a thousand years, will fall to the ground and become ordinary amidst the great chaos stirred up by Jin Sui.
Taking this opportunity, the border city will open an academy to train talented individuals from humble backgrounds. In just a few years, Lord Li will be able to resolve the calamity of the gentry through a war without bloodshed.
The prerequisite for everything is that Chang’an gives Lord Li time to implement this long-term plan in Yandi.
Very little news came from the Northern Frontier envoy, and Li Heng only learned that during the New Year in Chang’an, things were extremely unusual.
There were no songs and dances; the powerful and noble celebrated the New Year in low-key fashion. Many people were executed at the Vegetable Market Mouth daily, as the Prince Yu’s Faction was silencing people with brutal methods.
But they couldn’t silence the gossip of the world. After one batch was killed, another batch of people emerged, discussing the Empress’s relationship with the Left Wise King, and how Prince Yu colluded with the enemy country.
Even if Prince Yu had people spread rumors that Li King colluded with King Batel, it had little effect. This was because the Northern Frontier envoy was in Chang’an, and they adamantly stated that before Li King was ordered to go to the Northern Frontier, he had no acquaintance with King Batel.
However, the Empress and Prince Yu repeatedly communicated with the Left Wise King, intending to have the Left Wise King kill Li King in the Northern Frontier…
In short, Chang’an was in chaos, so much so that Li Heng dared not ask to be transferred back to Chang’an. Some old colleagues he had corresponded with not long ago were now reported to have been implicated, either losing their positions or being exiled.
He didn’t even dare to communicate with people in Chang’an, for fear of being implicated.
Li Heng gave a self-deprecating smile. Who would have thought that Yandi, which everyone avoided like the plague, had now become the only pure land?
Meanwhile, after Jin Sui saw the wool textile workshop moved, she prepared to return to the border city. Gu Changxiao and Cheng Yu were leading tens of thousands of refugees towards the border city!
She had to go back in advance to check if the refugee camp was adequately prepared.
She was going to ride back on horseback, but Yan Shiyi insisted she take a carriage. After leaving the Yan residence, even while sitting in the carriage, Jin Sui felt something was wrong.
Looking out the carriage window, the common people on the road seemed normal, but on the second floors of the shops on both sides, people were crowded, looking at the carriage.
When she peeked through the window, those people immediately sat back, pretending not to have looked at the carriage.
“What’s going on? Do I have a bomb in my carriage?”
Yan Shiyi chuckled dryly, “Hehe, everyone is just curious.”
“Curious about what?” She was suddenly startled, “You didn’t tell them I’m the fake Li King, did you?”
Yan Shiyi quickly replied, “You can’t just blame me. You had all the officials detained to write commercial law, it was they who spread the word.”
Jin Sui covered her face and quickly closed the window tightly. What to do? She had agreed before that any disgrace done by Li King had nothing to do with her, Ji Sui!
Any disgrace done by Ji Sui has nothing to do with me, Ling JinSui!
Now, her disguises were being peeled off layer by layer, and everyone knew that Miss Ji was the fake Li King!
Jin Sui regretted it immensely. If only she hadn’t been so arrogant before! Using Li King’s identity to do whatever she pleased. Now, she had truly become a monkey in a circus, being stared at wherever she went.
She said with great pain, “What did they say about me?”
Yan Shiyi was about to speak when she added, “Wait a moment! I need to prepare myself mentally… Okay, you can speak now! I’m not thin-skinned; I can take any harsh criticism!”
Yan Shiyi said softly, “They said you’ll definitely never get married!”
Jin Sui was stunned for a moment, “Anything else?”
“That’s all.”
She blinked, “Are you sure? I’ve done so many earth-shattering things, and all they have to say is this one sentence?”
Yan Shiyi exclaimed, “Isn’t that serious enough for a young lady?”
Jin Sui was speechless, “I curse you to never eat sweet tomatoes in your life, only sour ones.”
Yan Shiyi: “…What kind of curse is that? I’m already tired of eating tomatoes; it’s fine if I don’t eat them!”
Jin Sui: “So, calling someone ‘unmarriageable’ is not an insult?
Damn it, I burned Tartars, killed Zheng Yun, toyed with Imperial Commissioners, stormed the Northern Frontier, and built a border city. Yet, in the mouths of you gentry descendants, a woman doing all these things is met with just ‘definitely unmarriageable’?”
Yan Shiyi couldn’t figure out why she was so angry. Anyway, she was very angry, and Yan Shiyi didn’t dare to say anything more, feeling he had suffered an undeserved disaster.
Who told you to be so arrogant and detain all the officials to work? Otherwise, they wouldn’t have believed me if I said Miss Ji was the fake Li King!
Jin Sui secretly vowed to build the academy well, so that women from the lower classes could learn a skill and become self-reliant.
So that men would no longer use ‘unmarriageable’ as a curse against women.
Heh, it’s even better if I can’t get married!
Yan Shiyi escorted her to the outskirts of Yanzhou City and sincerely said, “Let me know when you have time, and I’ll ride quickly to pick you up to my place.”
Jin Sui glanced at Yanzhou City, finding it increasingly annoying. She waved her hand, “No need! Just come find me if you have something.”
Leaving Yanzhou territory and seeing the fields being reclaimed by the soldiers of our Military Farms and the common people, her mood finally improved.
She asked Hei Hu outside the carriage, “Is your wedding house ready?”
Hei Hu was poking his fingers again, “It’s ready. The wedding banquet will be on the second day of the second month.”
Jin Sui then turned to look at Han Xing. She hadn’t said anything yet, but Han Xing’s cheeks were already flushed red.
She sighed softly. Forget it; Miss Yan is still young anyway. It’s good for young people to date for a few more years before getting married.
Halfway there, they encountered Liu Xiaowei returning from the seaside, bringing dozens of carts of sea salt and sea fish to Yanzhou City.
He was so excited to see Han Xing, Hei Hu, and Liu Xiaowei! He had led a group of refugees to build a base by the sea and hadn’t returned for the New Year.
He was almost in tears, thinking the person in the carriage was Gu Changxiao, and quickly got off to pay his respects.
Hei Hu laughed, “It’s Leader Ji in the carriage.”
“Leader Ji?”
Jin Sui poked her head out. Liu Xiaowei quickly lowered his head, not daring to look. It was a female family member! Hei Hu was really something, not clarifying. Was she a favored guest of the Prince?
Then, they heard Jin Sui say with a smile, “Liu Xiaowei, long time no see! Looking at your convoy, it seems the base is developing well! Why are you delivering the goods yourself?”
Liu Xiaowei was stunned for a moment, then looked up at Jin Sui in disbelief, and then exclaimed, “Heavens! This is, this is…”
“Leader Ji!”
Liu Xiaowei propped himself on the carriage head and cried.
Some old soldiers from the Military Farms also ran over and surrounded the carriage, crying. Anyone who didn’t know would think Jin Sui had died in the carriage!
She had to get out and comfort and apologize to them one by one, and promised to visit the base when she had time, before she could console these tearful gentlemen.
Jin Sui looked back at Yanzhou City, which was no longer visible. Hmph, no matter how you look down on this young lady, as long as these people respect me, that’s enough.
Liu Xiaowei explained very seriously to Jin Sui, as if she were still Li King.
He was only delivering this batch of goods incidentally and had arranged to meet with the Yan Clan’s steward to discuss sea cargo. The base didn’t have sea vessels, and a batch of goods needed to be transported out using the Yan Clan’s sea vessels.
He took the opportunity to report to Jin Sui that the base already had over thirty thousand residents, developing into a small town.
Besides salt fields, shallow-water aquaculture, and sea fishing, they had also reclaimed farmland.
There were also fish oil workshops built on several small islands, specifically responsible for boiling fish oil, but it needed to be transported to the border city for bottling. Lord Cheng attached great importance to the base.
They chatted so well that the two teams talked by the roadside for over half an hour. Finally, Jin Sui was afraid of delaying Liu Xiaowei’s business.
She arranged for them to continue their conversation when they returned to the border city soon. Amusingly, Liu Xiaowei, like Grandpa Ling, had a fixation and reminded Jin Sui, “It’s Li Da Wu Qiong City!”
These old men and old subordinates from the border city attached great importance to the name of our new city! Indeed, seeing the once desolate border camp transform into its current state, they were prouder than anyone else.
Hei Hu also wanted to visit the base, “After I get married, I’ll bring Baozhu with me. She said she hasn’t seen the sea yet.”
When they saw the border city, it was already dusk. The setting sun dyed the city walls red, and from a distance, it truly looked like a city cast in bronze and forged in iron.
Compared to the old and weathered Yanzhou City, our border city was grand and magnificent, with roads extending in all directions. It was a city of infinite expansion and vibrant energy.
Dense horse hooves sounded from behind. Jin Sui thought it was Liu Xiaowei chasing after them. She turned around and saw Personal Guards who had gone with Gu Changxiao to pick up refugees.
“Miss Ji, the Prince wants you to look at this.”
It was a somewhat damaged copy of the 《Thirty-Six Stratagems》, but on the edge of the book, the personal seal of ‘Li, the Boundless King’ was stamped.
