Republic of China: Guandong Ginseng King

Chapter 374 Recruiting Foreigners
Qu Shaoyang thought his third brother’s suggestion was good, so after returning home, he went to discuss it with Fang Xingwen.

Recommended by Fang Xingwen, five young men were selected and the situation was explained to them.

There's more money to be made at the gold field, and watching the machines isn't a tiring job, so the guys are naturally happy about it.

In this way, several young men were assigned to the gold field.

There was no need to do anything else but follow those foreigners, help them, and learn how to install and operate the machines.

They accompanied the foreigners to the gold field during the day and came back at night. Several of the young men had to follow Fang Xingwen to learn.

Try to learn a few more words; they may be of great use in the future.

The people at the gold field overcame all difficulties, setting up scaffolding, building sheds, and building houses.

It just so happened that metalworkers came back one after another, and there were more and more people working, so the construction progress was not slow.

On the other hand, the weather gradually warmed up, the ice on the Yalu River became increasingly brittle, and water began to flow along the river bank, making it impossible for people to walk on the ice.

Liu Dongshan and others had to stop the project of blowing up the sentry post.

After a winter of construction blasting, most of the dangerous checkpoints in the Yalu River Basin where accidents often occurred have been razed to the ground.

Liu Dongshan plans to bring people to blow up the remaining outposts this winter.

"Guangzhi, talk to Anders and Eric. If they are willing to stay, Master Qu is willing to hire them with a high salary.

It would be even better if they could recruit a few more knowledgeable people.”

The project came to an end, and Liu Dongshan booked a restaurant in Andong to celebrate for everyone.

At the celebration banquet, Liu Dongshan said to Zhao Guangzhi.

Before leaving home after the Chinese New Year, Qu Shaoyang discussed this matter with Liu Dongshan.

Qu Shaoyang intends to recruit a group of people to research something useful.

Although Anders and Eric are not experts, they have been exposed to these things and understand the relevant operations.

Qu Shaoyang meant that if he wanted to keep them by offering high salaries, it would be best if he could poach a few people from different production sections from the explosives company.

If we study together like this, maybe we can get some results.

This is really the only solution, mainly because Qu Shaoyang doesn't have anyone suitable.

Those who studied relevant technology in China were either in the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau or the Tianjin Machinery Bureau. They were all people from the imperial court and Qu Shaoyang could not poach them.

The rest of the people don’t understand these things at all, let alone study them.

Although Anders and his team are not experts, at least they have the basics.

Qu Shaoyang gave the research direction, and they were responsible for the specific operations, and they might be able to figure out something.

Qu Shaoyang has always believed that there will always be brave men under a big reward, and as long as enough money is given, things can be done.

Anders and his friends are just ordinary workers in their own country, earning a pretty good salary.

But compared with the conditions offered by Qu Shaoyang, it is far worse. I don’t believe that they are really not tempted.

Sure enough, when Zhao Guangzhi told Anders and Eric about this, the two of them hesitated.

The conditions offered by Qu Shaoyang were really too tempting. Not only was there a generous salary, but also food, clothing, housing and transportation.

If your family members are coming, we can make proper arrangements for them.

The two discussed it for a while, and finally told Liu Dongshan that they would go back to their country first to discuss it with their families.

If the family members are willing to come, they will find a way to come together.

Liu Dongshan also understood that this matter cannot be rushed. As long as they agreed to consider it, there might be hope.

After the celebration banquet, Anders and Eric set off back to Yingkou.

Before leaving, Liu Dongshan not only gave them the agreed wages, but also a large sum of money. He said it was Qu Shaoyang's idea, and it was considered as the hard work fee for the two people to travel across the ocean.

When the two foreigners saw this, they were so moved that they repeatedly promised that they would try their best when they returned and, if possible, would help recruit another group of people.

Zhao Guangzhi worked for a foreign company. Logically, now that his job was over, he should go back to work for the company.

Qu Shaoyang and Liu Dongshan both admired Zhao Guangzhi very much. Liu Dongshan discussed with Zhao Guangzhi and offered very generous conditions in order to keep Zhao Guangzhi.

How much money can Zhao Guangzhi make in a month in a foreign company? Faced with the conditions offered by Qu Shaoyang and Liu Dongshan, he naturally couldn't refuse.

Zhao Guangzhi agreed to Liu Dongshan's proposal. This time he returned to Yingkou to resign from the foreign company, and then picked up his elderly mother and returned to Andong.

He will temporarily work in the Andong Wood Tax Office, and when Qu Shaoyang needs him, he will go to Maoer Mountain.

After everything was settled, Liu Dongshan hurried back to Maoer Mountain with his men.

By the time they got home, it was already the end of February.

By this time, the work at the mountain site had been stopped, and the woodcutters settled the accounts with the cashiers and divided the money.

Some went down the mountain to enjoy themselves, while others stayed to work in the drainage area and the water field.

On the other side of Shuangdianzi, Ermaozi and Yang Qionghua's elder brother Yang Guozheng sent people to Maoer Mountain to deliver a letter, asking what to do with the prisoners in the mountain.

There were about a hundred prisoners left in Shuangdianzi.

The work at the mountain site has stopped, and these people cannot be released. They must be given a place to go.

Qu Shaoyang immediately arranged for Zhou Chuanzhi and others to go to Shuangdianzi and join forces with the guard team there to bring all the prisoners back.

"Master, I plan to send the captured bearded men to the Sandaogou gold mine and let them work there.

Look at the performance of these people, and then pick out those who have committed minor crimes and are sincere in reforming, and arrange them to join the patrol team."

Liu Dongshan happened to come back, and Qu Shaoyang discussed the matter with him.

After those bearded men were captured and taken to the mountain area, the guards guarding them would use various means to interrogate them and make them confess their past events.

Those who have been in the group for a short time and have not done too many evil things will be recorded separately.

Based on their performance in the mountains this winter, a list was compiled, which served as the basis for Qu Shaoyang to deal with these bandits.

Those who have committed minor crimes and have reformed themselves and behaved well will not have to continue doing hard labor.

Get them to work in the patrol team, and leave someone to watch them secretly, so there is no need to worry about them running away or doing evil again.

As time went by, these people's lives became stable, and naturally they would no longer think about becoming bandits and causing trouble for others.

As for those who have committed serious crimes and are intent on running away, I'm sorry, you'd better continue working in the gold field.

"Okay, you can make the arrangements, but I think you shouldn't be too anxious.

This summer, let them work in the gold field to test them again.

This isn't a difficult thing to do. When the gold field opens, I'll go over and help you keep an eye on it. No matter how many tricks those bastards have, they can't fool me."

Liu Dongshan was very concerned about his apprentice's affairs. Since he had nothing to do now, he might as well go over and give his apprentice a hand.

"By the way, isn't your father at home with nothing to do? Let him go with me, so he doesn't have to sit at home and think about things all day long."

Liu Dongshan suddenly thought of Qu Laokouer and made a suggestion.

When Qu Shaoyang heard this, he thought it was indeed a good idea.

Nowadays, gold is mined with machines, and the amount of gold produced is quite large. The shaking table must be guarded by the most trusted person to prevent others from stealing the gold.

Qu Jiang has to take care of the entire gold field and cannot take care of it all. If Qu Laokouer could go over and just watch over the rocking cradle, there would be no need to worry about losing the gold.

(End of this chapter)