Section 30 Bribery Offering and Request for Bribery
Finally, at Li Luoyou's request, Liu San took them to the power workshop to show him the "power of water vapor." Li Luoyou was startled by the boiler worker, who was all black and only had the whites of his eyes. They were in front of the boiler.
The blazing furnace is constantly being filled with black coal. As for the big iron box called the "boiler", there are wisps of white water vapor everywhere.
The rotation of the steam engine's piston, connecting rod, and flywheel made Luoyou Li and Quark stare at each other for a long time, speechless. The shock reflected by such a powerful "force" was too great.
If the Australians built such a gun factory for the Ming Dynasty... Li Luoyou immediately shook his head, how is this possible! Not to mention that Wang Zunde couldn't afford the money. Even if the court was allowed to run it, I'm afraid that just this allocation would cost the court.
There was a lot of noise in the hall.
This cannon factory is worth at least a million taels of silver. Besides, where did so many craftsmen come from? The craftsmen I hired in Foshan could at most melt iron and pour molten iron, but they couldn't start the machine.
Thinking of this, his interest was already waning. It seems that this trip: there is no hope of buying a cannon, and there is no hope of setting up a cannon factory. The deal negotiated with the Australians is good, but he has already made a lot of money, and it will be more than 100,000 a year.
Two are nothing more than that.
Because my interest was waning, I simply lost interest in continuing to visit that day. I excused myself from feeling unwell and went back to Runshitang.
After Liu San sent them back, he immediately went to the executive committee and reported the entire situation, and also told Li Luoyou about his attempt to bribe him.
"He seemed to become very depressed after seeing our arsenal."
"Probably because they think we can control the power of ghosts and gods, they are very frightened." Wen Desi said, "Looking at the information from the intelligence department, this boss Li has the potential to be a famous star. After looking at the production process, he probably has the idea that the Ming Dynasty will die.
Premonition.”
"Wouldn't it be asking for trouble if we do this? We will bring Daming to attack immediately."
"Invasion? He paid for the army and provided food for the army?" Wu De sneered, "It wouldn't be a bad idea to let the government know a little bit about our strength. At least let them know that this place is not that easy to gnaw on."
"I think you can definitely accept his bribe." Wu Nanhai happened to be working in the compound and took the opportunity to fight. "I said that after your hard work and movement, I finally agreed to build a monkey version of the artillery factory. For this reason, you exercised your willpower."
The committee members spent countless favors..."
"Okay, stop joking." Ma Qianzhu interrupted Wu Nanhai's idea of "increasing assets in disguise", "The impression we give people now is that we must be honest and honest, and it is not worth discrediting ourselves for this."
"I think so too." Liu San thought that the ginseng might have been ruined.
That night, Liu San came to visit Li Luoyou with a mysterious expression and told him: As mentioned above, selling cannons is not possible, but he can sell him equipment for a cannon factory.
Li Luoyou was stunned. This was originally what he had always wanted. The so-called "teaching a man to fish is better than teaching him how to fish." However, after visiting the cannon foundry yesterday, he had completely given up such illusions - this kind of
He couldn't afford the gun factory even if he lost all his money.
"Thank you Third Master for your troubles and your kindness. There is probably nothing I can do for you in this artillery factory." Li Luoyou smiled bitterly and cupped his hands, "Before I came to Lingao, I thought I was well-informed. It was only when I took a look yesterday that I realized that I
It’s the frog in the well!”
Liu San was stunned. She originally thought that he was going to burst into tears of gratitude to her, but she didn't expect that he would actually say these words. The implication was that he was obviously too expensive. Thinking about what he saw yesterday, it was indeed too violent. There was a misunderstanding.
"This is a simple artillery factory." Liu San gestured for a long time. He himself was not from an engineering background, and he was facing a native of this time and space - Li Luoyou didn't know anything about science. If it comes to algebraic geometry,
He is probably better than Liu San, who returned all high school mathematics to his teacher, but he knows nothing about industrial production.
After struggling to explain for a long time, Li Luoyou finally understood what he meant: the Australians were willing to provide a set of simple equipment at a level that Ming Dynasty could adapt to. This equipment can completely produce cannons in Foshan, and the production quality and efficiency are better than those of the locals.
The law must be high.
"Is it an Australian cannon that was built?"
Li Luoyou has never seen Australian cannons fire, but he has heard a lot about them: what can shoot extremely accurately and very far - a gun can be fired for dozens of miles. And yesterday he saw the production process at the cannon foundry and was also impressed.
He had a feeling that the cannon was extremely powerful - if it was just an Australian version of the Hongyi cannon, they wouldn't need to be so meticulously crafted.
"This set of equipment is specially prepared for making red barbarian cannons," Liu San said. "Of course it will still be a red barbarian cannon, but it will be easier to use than the red-haired cannon."
"That's it!" Li Luoyou was slightly disappointed. But then he thought about it and thought that he was setting up a foundry in Foshan to make Hongyi cannons. This trip was worth the money.
Subsequently, the foreign trade department proposed a contract. It stipulated that Lingao would provide Li Luoyou with a complete set of equipment and production technology for the simple artillery factory, and be responsible for installation and training of workers. It would also provide maintenance and spare parts services for a period of one year. The total contract value was equivalent to the library
Fifty thousand taels of ordinary silver,
Li Luoyou gasped when he saw the quotation. It was more expensive than the British artillery factory equipment quoted by Quark! Quark estimated the equipment plus shipping costs at 40,000 Spanish double-column silver coins. The craftsman calculated separately: the highest price would not be more than 220 taels for the new year.
Silver. The minimum is one hundred taels a year. The total labor cost is less than two thousand a year.
I'm afraid Wang Zunde won't be able to make back the investment even if he builds cannons for ten years. Not to mention his own investment in this project, it is a question of when the Guangdong Chief Envoy can pay him back the full amount of the cannons.
Li Luoyou was torn between his loyalty to the emperor, his patriotism and his nature as a businessman for a long time. He could never make up his mind.
"Is it really impossible to sell cannons?" He still hopes to buy cannons directly. Fifty thousand taels can buy a lot of cannons. The effect of shipping cannons back from Australia will definitely be more conspicuous than buying back a set of equipment. Although most of the money is paid by himself.
After all, there is also the intention of officials to supervise commercial affairs. He did things under the banner of the government with great fanfare, but the results were not obvious, and the chief envoy's face was not good-looking. Wang Zunde was jealous of him as the envoy.
Many times, the situation becomes a big handle.
"In principle, it's not possible." Liu San said in an official tone. Looking at Li Luoyou, he looked like he had eaten bitter melon, and it was obvious that his body ached for money.
"Allow Li to think about it again."
That night, Liu San returned to his office in Runshitang. He just wanted to take a rest, take a bath, and have fun with Xuan Chun in the evening. The relationship between the two grew stronger, and Xuan Chun gradually started to let go.
A lot, and I was much more proactive than before when I just lay down and let him do what he wanted. Just when I was thinking about something new to do at night, Fu Wuben suddenly reported: Master Han is here to pay my respects.
"Master Han?" Liu San was surprised. This man was Li Luoyou's accompanying master. Why did his confidant suddenly come to visit him?
"Please."
As he was talking, Master Han had already come in. Master Han was about fifty years old, and his eyelids were drooped all the time. He seemed to be listless, but his eyelids only gleamed once in a while.
"Third Master," Master Han bowed to the end. He was very polite, "The students are here to disturb you!"
He spoke Mandarin, but his accent had a hint of southern Fujian dialect. He was followed by two servants carrying food boxes.
"Easy to say, easy to say." Liu San quickly returned the greeting and asked him to sit down in the main room.
"The good Wuyi tea brought by the proprietor was a tribute to the emperor. The student saw that the tea here was not very good, so he borrowed flowers to offer to Buddha and share it with the three masters."
As he said that, the two servants were already busy opening the tea sets and stoves one by one. Liu Sanyi saw that this was the so-called Kung Fu tea, but the shape and decoration were slightly different.
The servant raised the stove and sat on the cold water. Master Han signaled them to leave.
The wind stove uses fine red charcoal, and the cast iron kettle is not large, so the water has been boiling slightly for a while.
"There is no such thing as good spring water, but Shopkeeper Yang's family is an aristocratic family after all! There is actually rain every other year!"
Fujian's Wuyi tea was made with clean utensils and was cooked to perfection. Although Liu San didn't know the reason for his visit, he took things as they came, sipping the tea while appreciating the tea sets, and chatting with Mr. Han in a casual manner. He seemed extremely comfortable and casual.
. And Master Han also deliberately did not talk about serious matters and only tried his best to deal with it. He wanted to deepen the friendship in a moment.
After changing the tea leaves, Master Han finally said: "The student is here on a mission from the East. He is here specifically for the artillery factory."
Liu San nodded: As expected, we are still here to bargain. Normally, bargaining is necessary for large transactions. However, there is a fierce debate on this issue in the Executive Committee and the Standing Committee of the Senate. Wu De's plan to sell equipment is just a reluctant one.
It has just passed, so the price of 50,000 taels has to be discounted, which may become the best ammunition for the opponents.
Master Han saw Liu San's embarrassed expression upon hearing his purpose, and his calculations became more certain. He was indeed sent here by Li Luoyou, but he also had another purpose.
Master Han touted Lingao as "the prosperous people in the city" and complimented them before talking about the requirements:
"I wonder if we can make some concessions on the price of this artillery factory?"
Of course Liu San shook his head. The Ministry of Foreign Trade only gave him the power to quote prices, but not the power to negotiate business.
Master Han then hinted: When doing business, there is always a false head wearing a hat. If Liu San can come forward to reduce the quotation by 10% or 20%, Li Luoyou will definitely have a benefit gift, money, and women are welcome.
"I really can't help." Liu San continued to shake his head, "It's not that I'm being pretentious, it's actually the rules set by the higher-ups. I won't sell anything unless it's 50,000 taels." He said in an emotionally intelligent tone, "Always ask for your understanding in everything."
This is tantamount to talking to death. At this point, there is actually nothing more to talk about. Liu San is too lazy to socialize with him anymore, and talks in a roundabout way with false affection.
Unexpectedly, Master Han did not leave, but started to say something else. "We are very fond of Guizhong's machines. It's just that the price is too high, and I haven't been able to make up my mind. I'm always in between. To be honest,
The success or failure of this matter always depends on a word or a thought."
Liu San didn't understand what this meant. Was it all empty talk? Thinking about it carefully, he suddenly understood: Master Han was opening the plate.
This deal can be done, and it will be based on their quotation, but Master Han must be given a personal benefit.
First, he had to bribe himself to counter-offer, but when the counter-offer failed, he turned into asking for a bribe. This transaction was really creative! Liu San wanted to travel through the group and accepting bribes was absolutely prohibited, but paying bribes was not a problem - this was originally a bribe
In a public society, nothing can be done without bribery.
"I wonder how many hats Mr. Han wants to wear?" Liu San tried it first.
"Haha, the third master is really happy." Master Han said, "The total price of 40,000 yuan has been quoted, and the hat cannot be worn."
"How much is the commission?"
"10%." Master Han raised two fingers.
"10%?" Liu San almost shouted, this is five thousand taels - it is definitely no good. Let alone 10%, even a thousand taels of kickback is not possible. There are already many people who are opposed to this matter, and another one is caused.
Huge rebates make it a ready target!
There was no need to even report it—Liu San refused directly.
"Third Master, don't you think twice anymore?" Mr. Han narrowed his eyes and sipped the tea.
"There is really nothing we can do." Liu San shook his head.
Seeing that his attitude was very firm and there was no room for negotiation, Master Han sneered slightly:
"I didn't say anything about the Australian machines, but after all, they are just made of iron."
Liu Sanyi was furious at this, thinking that Master Han was really flipping out faster than reading a book. He also sneered: "The mirror is made of sand, and people are still rushing to buy it with real money."
Master Han smiled enigmatically, said goodbye and left. Liu San looked confused, and in the end she didn't understand what Master Han meant.
Li Luoyou received the report from Master Han and knew that it would be useless to negotiate the discounts privately. So he discussed with Master Han whether to buy or not to buy the gun factory. Li Luoyou rarely did business and business.
After some deliberation, we really couldn't make up our minds this time.
Master Han pondered for a moment and said: "I have seen what the Australians are capable of. It is not convenient for students to say anything. However, no one in the Ming Dynasty knows how to use this machine, which is a problem..."
"According to this third master, they help train craftsmen to operate it."
"Australians always keep their word, so this matter can be ignored." Mr. Han said, "But the price for Australians is not low. It will be fine within a year. If one year passes, the Australians will take advantage of the opportunity."
'what to do?"
These words were like a bucket of ice water poured on Li Luoyu's head. Only Australians can use the machine, and only they can make it. If it breaks, only they can repair it. This is a big problem!
"Master, the contract only guarantees repairs and teaching in the first year!" Master Han saw Dong Weng's expression changed drastically, and he knew that his words had already convinced him. The implication of his words was very clear: If the Australian
The next year, the prices were all over the sky, and he wondered whether he should use it or not. If he used it, he would be exploited. If he didn't use it, wouldn't the machine he spent a lot of hard work and money to buy become just a pile of scrap metal?
"Sir, the Australians' machines are indeed better, but they are no better than the local craftsmen. Zhang San doesn't know Li Sihui, and Li Si doesn't know Wang Wuhui. You can always find one or two who can do it. Besides, you are working for the imperial court.
It's disrespectful to ask the government to deal with someone who wants to come and refuses to do so with just one post! It's not the British mechanic invited by Mr. Quark - it's all up to you when I get here, and my eyes darken when I step out.
The Australians are the only ones who know how to do it, and they have their base in Lingao. It seems that the government can't do anything to them. What if Naqiao doesn't come to fix it?"
"Australians always keep their word and will never do such a thing." Li Luoyou's confidence has been shaken.
"Sir, let's not talk about this level. After all, the Australians are aliens. The court may not always be indifferent to Lin Gao. When the time comes, they will launch an army to attack for several years. The Australians will not be able to come to the mainland. Here again
We can't dismantle the machine and send it to Lingao. Wouldn't it be a troublesome thing?"
"That's right!" This is a very worrying thing, "What do you think?"
"Students think that in order to have no worries, they must spend a lot of money to recruit a few mechanics from Australians to bring them to the mainland to maintain them." He continued, "It is nothing more than using a lot of money to win their hearts."
Master Han didn't say he wouldn't buy it, but said it was impossible to do.
"This is simply not feasible." Li Luoyou had already made this plan, and Liu San refused flatly and only agreed to train craftsmen for him. As for recruiting Australian craftsmen privately, he was not familiar with the place here.
, and judging from the fact that the Australians are heavily guarded, it is simply impossible.
He breathed a long sigh unconsciously.
"It's such a shame to make this kind of crap." Several technicians gathered around a table in the machine factory office. Several three-dimensional views of the equipment were spread out on the table. These were materials that had just been transferred from the big library.
The so-called gun factory equipment: there are only five things in total: power machine, gearbox, pulley crane, blower and artillery boring machine. The three views on the drawing are all drawn according to the actual equipment drawings from the 18th to 19th centuries. They are definitely tested.
Old equipment.
After discussion, everyone thought that the use of wind power in Foshan was probably unreliable and that water power was still the mainstay. Almost all factories in the early industrial revolution used water power on a large scale. Water power is more reliable than wind power and can maintain continuous production. There is no steam engine.
The most suitable source of large-scale power in the past.
The hydraulic machine cooperates with the gearbox, and the power generated can drive a bellows much larger than the manual blowing, providing oxygen to multiple iron furnaces at a time, and the artillery boring machine can also be driven by hydraulic power.
"It only takes a week to make this set of things." Zhan Wuya looked at it for a while and announced.
"I think it's quite boring. Although it doesn't consume a lot of resources and man-hours, it still feels inexplicable." Xiao Gui commented, "It would be better to just sell cannons and matchlock guns to Boss Li. At least it can let the apprentices practice their skills.
.”
"Selling guns and guns is crazy!" Sun Li jumped up, "Selling equipment is crazy! I think Wu De is a prostitute! I want to initiate impeachment!"
"What is cross-dressing?"
"Don't be ridiculous! I think it's good for Wu De to sell equipment," Zhan Wuya said, "Let's set up an industrial model and let the rich people over there see that using machines to produce can improve efficiency and make money. Let's do it together.
At least it will allow Guangdong to slowly establish a primitive primary industry. In this way, primary finished products can be imported, instead of buying raw materials and processing them yourself. Besides, a few simple equipment can make tens of thousands of taels, and this business can be done!"
Note: I don’t know if British equipment costs this much, so I wrote it casually. The wages of craftsmen are based on the wages of Portuguese soldiers employed to operate training firearms in the late Ming Dynasty. The highest at that time was one hundred and twenty taels per year, and food expenses were ten ten taels per month.