Eagle-eyed and wolf-watching

Chapter 1745

"So it's because you sold or leased the land in the industrial park to them?"

Upon hearing Ye Mingsheng ask about this, Ma Runchuan explained:

"Currently, it's leased to them. Like the taxes, the first year is rent-free, the second and third years are 50% off, and the fourth and fifth years are 30% off! After five years, the land can be purchased outright! That's the deal."

Ye Mingsheng asked, somewhat puzzled, upon hearing this:

"With such favorable taxes and rents, how come there are only seventeen factories in the industrial park?"

"Your Majesty, it's like this: although the taxes and land rents in this industrial park are very favorable, it is precisely because of these favorable conditions that we have relatively high requirements for entering the industrial park. Not just any business or factory can enter the industrial park!"

Hearing Ma Runchuan say this, Ye Mingsheng also became interested and asked:
"What standards do you have here?"

"The first requirement is that annual sales must exceed 350 taels of silver, and that at least 30 local workers be employed. At the same time, each worker's wages must be no less than 3 taels of silver per year, and wages must not be delayed. If a worker is injured or disabled while on duty, reasonable compensation must be paid!"

Ye Mingsheng was somewhat surprised to hear this. He really hadn't expected Ma Runchuan to have such standards in the industrial park. After glancing at Ma Runchuan, he asked again:
How did you come up with the idea of ​​implementing these measures in the industrial park?

Although Ye Mingsheng's expression didn't change much, Ma Runchuan noticed the subtle shift in it, which further solidified his obsequious intentions. He immediately spoke up:
"Your Majesty, during my time as the Provincial Governor of Qi and Lu, in order to develop industry, I conducted on-site investigations of some factories within Qi and Lu. I found that these factories generally suffer from three major problems: unpaid wages, no compensation for workplace injuries, and long working hours..."

“Some workers work day and night in factories and shops, sometimes working more than five hours a day, but when it’s time to pay wages, the bosses say that the factory has lost money and can’t pay out. The most pitiful are those who are injured and disabled on the job. The bosses will not have any pity for them and will immediately kick them out!”

“We had a case like this before. A man injured his hand in a factory and was immediately kicked out. He couldn’t work because of his hand injury, and his family went hungry. His wife ran away, and the man committed suicide by hanging himself, leaving behind two orphaned children!”

“This case has had a great impact here and caused a very bad influence. So ever since then, I have felt that these workers are a vulnerable group in the face of factories, and the government should protect them and not let factories bully them at will!”

Hearing Ma Runchuan say these things, Ye Mingsheng was pleasantly surprised. But looking at Ma Runchuan's serious expression, Ye Mingsheng was more puzzled. Ma Runchuan was one of the veterans of the Fengwu Army, and Ye Mingsheng was quite familiar with him.

Ye Mingsheng had always perceived Ma Runchuan as a traditional, feudal GL (Gang of the Three Kingdoms), a scholar who had fought his way up from the fierce competition of the imperial examinations to become a county magistrate. This traditional background shaped Ma Runchuan's traditional thinking; he was full of empty rhetoric about benevolence and morality, but in reality, he wasn't very concerned about the lives of ordinary people. He was more interested in how to advance further in the political arena and gain greater power...

People like Ma Runchuan are capable, but his ability is a double-edged sword. With proper guidance, he can become a good minister, but conversely, he could also become a treacherous and sycophantic minister.

Therefore, Ye Mingsheng never imagined that someone like Ma Runchuan would take the initiative to care about the lives of these workers.

Seeing Ma Runchuan's sincere expression, Ye Mingsheng nodded slightly, signaling him to continue.

Ma Runchuan cleared his throat and continued:

"In order to protect these workers, I initially intended to emulate the work methods implemented in Yijing and Lin'an, but I soon realized that it was not practical to implement the work methods in Qilu!"

“Implementing the work method will increase the cost of factories and make them lack price competitiveness in the market. Therefore, if the work method is implemented, many factories in Shandong will not be able to sell their goods. If the goods cannot be sold, the factories will have to go bankrupt, and the workers will lose their jobs! This is something I don’t want to see!”

"So later, our Provincial Administration Department brainstormed and decided to take it one step at a time. At that time, in order to create an industrial cluster effect, reduce factory costs, and improve land utilization, we intended to build an industrial park near Licheng. So I was thinking at the time, could we put these measures to protect workers into practice in this industrial park!"

"After having this idea, I discussed it with the owners of these factories. After some on-site visits, the factory owners all expressed that as long as the preferential policies offered by the government were implemented, they could guarantee to treat these workers well, pay their wages on time, and provide reasonable compensation for work-related injuries or disabilities..."

"So in the end I decided to try it out in the industrial park. Your Majesty, don't underestimate this industrial park just because there are only seventeen factories. These seventeen factories all have advantages in technology or brand. Take that brick factory for example. The blue bricks they fire are the best in Licheng. Those wealthy families who want to build houses with blue bricks will have to choose theirs."

“The rich are different from the poor. The poor haggle for ages before they even buy something, but the rich are willing to pay a high price for good things. That’s why that brick factory has always had good business. And the textile factory we’re going to visit this afternoon—the owner used to be a dyeing master at the Second Manufacturing Bureau. He left the Second Manufacturing Bureau a few years ago and returned to his hometown of Licheng to set up this textile factory!”

"Because the owner had worked at the Second Manufacturing Bureau and knew the technology and textiles, the fabrics produced by this textile factory were very strong and durable, and they were never hard to sell in the market!"

"So Your Majesty, although our industrial park only has seventeen factories, these factories and businesses are quite competitive in the market. They initially guaranteed timely wage payments and compensation for work-related injuries, which I believe can set a good example and encourage other factories in Shandong to treat their workers well..."

"Furthermore, regarding taxes and rent, this industrial park hasn't brought much revenue to our provincial administration at the moment. However, Your Majesty has always taught us to have a long-term vision. I believe that with the help of our provincial administration, these factories will definitely develop better and better. The more they earn, the more we will collect!"

As he finished speaking, Ma Runchuan's expression grew increasingly confident, clearly indicating that he genuinely believed these factories would thrive and grow larger with his support.

Seeing him like this, Ye Mingsheng realized he hadn't misjudged Ma Runchuan.

Ma Runchuan is indeed a master at managing the economy, and appointing him as the Provincial Governor of Shandong was a wise decision. However, Ye Mingsheng still found it hard to believe that this guy would be so kind as to care about those workers.

However, Ye Mingsheng reconsidered. In the martial world, actions speak louder than words. Regardless of what Ma Runchuan was really thinking, at least he had made this gesture, and Ye Mingsheng should praise him. With that thought, Ye Mingsheng praised him:

"Ma Runchuan, your approach is good. We should indeed protect these technologically advanced factories. We must always remember that science and technology are the primary productive forces! We must adhere to technology-driven and market-oriented principles!"

Hearing Ye Mingsheng say this, Ma Runchuan, although he didn't quite understand what Ye Mingsheng meant by "technology-driven" and "market-oriented," couldn't stop himself, as a seasoned veteran of the gambling industry, from skillfully flattering him:
"Your Majesty's summary of 'technology-driven and market-oriented' is truly insightful! All of us in Qilu should carefully understand and learn the meaning of this statement!"

Ye Mingsheng didn't pay much attention to Ma Runchuan's flattery, but instead earnestly gave him some advice:

"Ma Runchuan, you can guide the development of these businesses and factories, but you must remember not to interfere too much!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Runchuan also looked serious and said:

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I am well aware of this. Moreover, the affairs of the government are numerous, and even if I were willing, I simply do not have the energy..."

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Yijing Medical College

In a classroom, Bae Ji-soo addressed dozens of female students below the podium, saying:
In the last lesson, I told you that the most common gynecological conditions are irregular menstruation and dysmenorrhea. However, the causes of these conditions are different. Some are caused by blood deficiency and blood stasis, some by deficiency and cold of the Chong and Ren meridians and blood stasis, and some by liver stagnation, blood deficiency and spleen weakness!

"I've already told you what prescriptions are needed to treat these ailments, where they come from, and what medicinal ingredients they contain. Before we start this lesson, I'll test you on something."

"Is there anyone among you who would like to step forward and answer questions?"

Upon hearing Bae Ji-soo's words, the female students below the podium immediately sat up straight, especially those sitting in the back rows, who became particularly cautious, afraid that Bae Ji-soo would call their names. Seeing her students' reaction, Bae Ji-soo was somewhat disappointed. However, at that moment, a pretty girl raised her hand.

Upon seeing this, Bae Ji-soo also called out by name:
"Han Rui, since you raised your hand, stand up!"

Upon hearing this, the girl named Han Rui stood up, and Pei Zhixiu also asked:
What prescription should be used to treat menstrual irregularities and dysmenorrhea caused by deficiency and cold in the Chong and Ren meridians and blood stasis?

Han Rui answered without hesitation:

"Wenjing Decoction, this formula comes from the Synopsis of Prescriptions of the Golden Chamber, and contains Evodia rutaecarpa, Angelica sinensis, Paeonia lactiflora, Ligusticum chuanxiong, Ginseng, Cinnamomum cassia, Colla corii asini, Paeonia suffruticosa, Zingiber officinale, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Pinellia ternata, and Ophiopogon japonicus. This formula can warm the meridians and dispel cold, nourish blood and remove blood stasis..."

Listening to Han Rui's story, Pei Zhixiu continued to ask:

What prescriptions can be used to treat menstrual irregularities and dysmenorrhea caused by blood deficiency and blood stasis?

"Siwu Decoction originated from the Taiping Huimin Heji Bureau and is hailed as the premier formula for gynecology. It consists of Rehmannia glutinosa, Angelica sinensis, Paeonia lactiflora, and Ligusticum chuanxiong, and has the effects of nourishing blood and regulating menstruation!"

As Pei Zhixiu listened to Han Rui's fluent answers, her gaze softened. Among the dozens of female students, Han Rui was the most talented in medicine, and what was most remarkable was her diligence and eagerness to learn. Pei Zhixiu saw a reflection of her past self in her.

The reason why Bae Ji-soo possessed unparalleled martial arts skills at such a young age was not only because of her high talent in martial arts and the extremely strict training she received from childhood, but also because she began taking a secret medicine from the Eastern Island, the Purple Rhyme Pill, from the age of twelve.

This Purple Rhyme Pill can greatly stimulate the body's potential, causing a person's martial arts skills to improve rapidly in a short period of time. However, it also has a side effect: those who take it often don't live past the age of twenty-five. Because of this side effect, those who take this drug are basically assassins trained by various forces on the Eastern Island…

Although her mother left behind a method to deal with the side effects of the Purple Cloud Pill, this method was not perfect. Therefore, Bae Ji-soo's initial purpose in studying medicine was to combat the side effects of the Purple Cloud Pill and enable herself to live past the age of twenty-five. In order to race against death, Bae Ji-soo studied medical skills with great eagerness, and she eventually succeeded and has lived to this day.

Pei Zhixiu didn't know why Han Rui was so eager to learn, but she admired Han Rui and even had the idea of ​​having Han Rui inherit her medical skills.

At this moment, facing Han Rui who answered fluently, Bae Ji-soo smiled and nodded slightly, saying:
"Good, you answered well!"

After saying that, Bae Ji-soo waved for Han Rui to sit down, and then continued to ask:
"Besides Han Rui, is there anyone else who would like to answer questions?"

Following Han Rui's example, several other girls stepped forward to answer questions, but their answers weren't as crisp and clear as Han Rui's; their recitations were rather hesitant and stuttering. Once no one else stepped forward to answer questions, Pei Zhixiu directly instructed:
"Those of you who didn't stand up to answer questions just now, go back and copy what I taught in the last class ten times. When I teach you again in two days, you have to hand it in to me. Remember, you're not here for me to learn! You're here to learn for yourselves!"

Hearing Bae Ji-soo's words, the female students who had been punished to copy the text ten times immediately looked dejected. Several wanted to step forward and recite it for Bae Ji-soo, but it was too late. Bae Ji-soo ignored them and began preparing to teach today's new material…