Uncle Lai in the Red Chamber

Chapter 179 Cashing Out
State Operations Department, conference room.

Lai Shangrong took a sip of tea and said slowly: "Last year, I promised to arrange admission for the children of craftsmen. Now that the income of the department is abundant, Huang Xin, you will be responsible for this."

The so-called scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, the feudal society had strict hierarchies, but by the Ming Dynasty, craftsmen and military households could already participate in the imperial examination. Of course, the military household must be Yu Ding.

However, Lai Shangrong did not intend for these craftsmen's children to learn the Four Books and Five Classics. Instead, he planned to start with literacy, mathematics, physics, etc.

After all, industrialization also requires a talent base. How can Daxia's industrialization develop only with those talents?

Of course, there are still limitations of the times. The imperial examination is the right way of this era, so he still needs to give the craftsmen a glimmer of hope under the guise of merit-based selection.

Similar to high schools and technical secondary schools in later generations, those who were qualified were taught the content of the imperial examination, while those who had no hope in the imperial examination were taught professional skills.

This is also good for him. This move undoubtedly gives these craftsmen a way to rise. In the future, if someone succeeds in the imperial examination and becomes an official, they will definitely be grateful to him.

"The funds for this will be provided by the sold cinders and slag. Recruit a few talents who know mathematics, and I will arrange for people to give them on-the-job training in a while!"

Nowadays, in the factories of state-owned companies, steam engines have been widely used, and the cinders produced are naturally not small. These cinders are also materials for making cement. Secondary sales can not only increase the income of state-owned companies, but also reduce environmental pollution.

Of course, the cement factory will not be willing to spend money to buy these waste materials, but who expects the state-owned company to still control the right to conduct business audits?

As for pre-job training, my three apprentices have been following him for so long, so it shouldn’t be a big problem to do some training, and it can be considered a kind of experience.

Then, after explaining several preparations for the rubber factory, Lai Shangrong got up and returned to the duty room.

…………

Inside Zhujin Building.

Siqi was dressing Yingchun when he heard a voice from outside: "Is Miss Xing there?"

Listening to the crisp shout, Si Qi recognized Qingwen's voice and couldn't help but shake his hands.

Busyly said to Xiu Ju: "It should be the maid of Uncle Lai's house, who came to deliver the mirror and soap. If you take the things, don't ask her to come in!"

She often walks by the river without getting her shoes wet. She goes to Lai's house twice a month and is inevitably bumped into by Qingwen.

Qingwen still remembers her old grudge for falsely accusing Lai Shangrong, and she often made sarcastic words. Now that she is back in Yingchun's house, she is afraid that she will talk nonsense in front of Yingchun and others and arouse everyone's suspicion.

While aimlessly combing Yingchun's hair with a comb, she pricked up her ears to listen to what was going on outside.

When Xiuju came back with the things, he put his heart back into his stomach.

He hurriedly said to Xiuju: "Put the things here first, don't send them in a hurry!"

Her attention was focused on eavesdropping, and the work on her hands slowed down. She also combed the same spot again and again. Yingchun naturally noticed something strange.

He said timidly: "Are you also worried about your wife changing her ways?"

She was not close to Mrs. Xing. Seeing Mrs. Xing's attitude towards her niece and her extremely explicit words yesterday, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

In addition, early this morning, Lai Shangrong sent someone to give Xing Xiuyan a gift, which made him even more uneasy.

As Si Qi was her eldest maid, both master and servant could be said to be prosperous. When she heard that Lai Shangrong gave Xing Xiuyan a gift, she felt uneasy and thought she was just as worried as him.

After all, although she is a young lady from the Rong Mansion, she has never been taken seriously. Over time, she has inevitably developed an inferiority complex.Siqi knew that Yingchun was thinking about it, and because he knew her temperament, he was afraid that she would be overwhelmed, so he explained: "How can Miss think like that, she is just my wife's niece, how can I kiss Miss? Grandma didn't talk to her yesterday. I told you that the wife wants to use the young lady to get married, so she can take her cousin with her and make her a concubine for Uncle Lai!"

"Being a concubine?!"

Yingchun exclaimed and hurriedly covered her mouth.

Although she was a concubine and was not taken seriously in the mansion, she never thought that being a concubine would happen to her.

Although they just met Xing Xiuyan for the first time, they are still cousins ​​after all.

"Is she willing to be a concubine?"

There were many concubines in the east and west mansions, and Aunt Zhao, who was in the best situation, was only slightly better off than a slave.

Of course, this is also related to the fact that the two houses have no good concubines.

However, in Yingchun's heart, there is not much difference between being a concubine and being a slave.

"Miss, you haven't seen it. Yesterday, Xiuju and I went to pick up her luggage. It wasn't considered luggage at all, it was just a baggage. I think most of the time, those who came to seek refuge with my wife were unable to survive. She could be a concubine for Uncle Lai. Isn't she satisfied?"

The butt determines the head. To Yingchun, being a concubine is no different from suffering, but for a maid like Si Qi, it is out of reach.

"But she is my wife's niece after all..."

Before Yingchun could finish speaking, Siqi grabbed the conversation and said, "So what? Grandma Zhen's sister in Dongfu also became a concubine for Uncle Lai? Now their whole family lives in Lai's house. I guess, Ma'am Mostly because of this reason, I want to push their family to Uncle Lai!"

Hearing what Si Qi said, Yingchun thought about Mrs. Xing's money-grubbing temperament and felt that this guess was very reasonable. She couldn't help but feel lucky that she was in Rongfu. Although Mrs. Plus there's an old lady on top.

"That's good. I see that Sister Xing is also easy to get along with. We are cousins. We can feel more stable when we go to Lai's house together in the future."

Originally, she was not confident enough to compete with Baochai, but after hearing that there was an extra helper, her confidence improved in the two-on-one competition.

The key is that Lai Shangrong sent someone to deliver gifts early in the morning, and he obviously had a good impression of Xing Xiuyan.

As for competing for favors, she has always been a weak character. As long as others don't bully her, she will be 'Amitabha'.

"Miss is too unambitious, you are the main wife, who can surpass you?"

Siqi said, picking up the golden phoenix from the dowry box on the dressing table and putting it on Yingchun.

She looked at Yingchun in the mirror and said with a smile: "Okay! Miss, let's go and give Uncle Lai's gift to Miss Cousin!"

Yingchun hesitated and said: "Isn't this...isn't it good? Brother Lai gave it to me, just ask Xiuju to send it and say it!"

Si Qi complained: "Why is it bad? Miss, you are right not to fight or grab, but you must also show some style of being a mistress of the house. Otherwise, as time goes by, those who bully the weak and fear the strong will not be able to ride on you. Is it on your head? Haven’t you suffered enough from the losses in the government these years?”

Yingchun evaded, "But it's not yet..."

"What's the matter? You are the host and she is the guest. Isn't it natural that you should transport her on your behalf?"

Si Qi said, holding Yingchun with one hand, holding the box on the table in his arms with the other, and walked towards Xing Xiuyan's residence in the west room.

(End of this chapter)