Siheyuan: I am a trader in both worlds!

Chapter 404 Advanced Productivity and Massive Unemployment
I felt it was such a small matter, really nothing to worry about.

Without even greeting Xia Yiyi, Ximen Lang, who didn't want to waste a moment, simply took out his phone and made a call to the professional team that hadn't appeared for a long time.

Then, the professional team, which hadn't had much work for half a month, was directly disappointed.

The reason is very simple.

What kind of jobs did they take before?

It's either various production lines or various specialized equipment.

But now?

They've even come up with honeycomb briquetting machines and coal stoves that were obsolete eight hundred years ago!

They are a professional team; before being recruited by Simon Lang, they were all industry elites!

The results of it?
They've actually sunk to the point of trading these things.

What else could this be but a fall from grace?
Of course, if it were just that, it wouldn't be a big deal.

After all, the boss is God, and the boss's demands are everything.

Even if it's just for the wages they'll receive, they will definitely fulfill everything that Simon Lang asks of them without fail.

But the problem is
"These things you're looking for are really hard to find these days, boss. If you need an automated honeycomb briquette production line, that's no problem. Even though the honeycomb briquette industry is quite niche now, we can still get the production line for you through acquisition or by placing an order with a leading company!"

“But you want the purely manual kind, which is really a bit difficult to handle. Because now, apart from some very remote mountain villages, where they may still use these things in small quantities for various reasons, they have long been phased out elsewhere! Many people have never even seen or heard of them! There is no demand for them, which is really a bit difficult to handle.”

Simon Lang certainly knew the benefits of an automated honeycomb briquette production line, and he also understood the difficulties his subordinates faced.

But what is the problem?
The problem is that advanced productivity inevitably comes with massive unemployment!
If you give them a purely manual honeycomb briquette briquetting machine, those workers who make a living from coal can still use the honeycomb briquette briquetting machine to support their families, so they won't lose their livelihood.

But what if we brought over a fully automated production line?
"What will happen to these people? What will happen to those who rely entirely on this industry and need this job to support their families? How will they make a living in the future?"

This isn't just a couple hundred people, but hundreds of thousands, or even millions!

This involves hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of families!
Just because of a fully automated production line, millions of families are about to lose their livelihoods!
"I can't do it, and I wouldn't dare to do it!"

Using a fully manual briquetting machine would inevitably lead to low efficiency.
Simon Lang stated.
"Compared to the jobs of millions of people and the livelihoods of millions of families, what's wrong with being a little less efficient? Is there anything wrong with that? Absolutely nothing wrong with it!"

Therefore, although Simon Lang knew the advantages of fully automated production lines and that it was more convenient to do so, he still firmly chose the old-fashioned manual briquetting machine.

This move will likely put his professional team in a difficult position.
"I'll give you more money! As long as you get this done and don't delay my work, your bonuses this month will be doubled, and your year-end bonus will increase by another 20%! Now, tell me, are there any more problems?!"

"No problem, boss! You can rest assured when we get things done! We'll figure something out right now and get this done as quickly as possible, without delaying your important business!"

Once the salary increase strategy was introduced, all the problems ceased to be problems.

Having received a confident guarantee from the professional team, Ximen Lang, in high spirits, hung up the phone and promptly started pretending with Bai Ling, Hao Pingchuan, and the others who were almost dumbfounded.

"See? Being a leader is sometimes that simple."

His smug look almost made Hao Pingchuan vomit.

I couldn't help but start muttering to myself.
"It's just a matter of paying more money, anyone can do that! If I had your qualifications, I could definitely do a better job than you!"

Upon hearing this, Ximen Lang's sharp gaze swept over him, and he began to question him expressionlessly. "What did you say?!"

Startled, Hao Pingchuan quickly shrank back, becoming a coward once again.

Having finally had his fill, Ximen Lang then explained to Bai Ling and the others why he insisted on having his subordinates purchase purely manual honeycomb briquetting machines instead of directly bringing over several production lines.

After the explanation, Bai Ling and Director Wang were filled with respect.

They couldn't help but sigh.
"Ah Lang, you've finally grown up."

Enraged, Ximen Lang glared back fiercely.

Explain the reasons clearly.

Then, combine this with Simon Lang's extremely insightful statement, "Advanced productivity is always accompanied by massive unemployment," a truth that resonates deeply.

Bai Ling once again brought up the question that had been buried deep in her heart, a question she had never been able to find an answer to.

"Ah Lang, I wholeheartedly agree with your statement that advanced productivity inevitably comes with massive unemployment. Especially after this incident, and comparing the fully automated production line with the manual honeycomb briquette press, I have a deeper understanding of the meaning of this statement."

"So here's the question: your country is so advanced and developed. I wouldn't say it's absolute, but at least a significant portion of jobs have already been replaced by machines, and even more will be replaced in the future!"

"Machines are doing all the work, what are people supposed to do? There are so many people in your area, how are you all going to make a living?"

Seeing that so much time had passed, Bai Ling was still agonizing over this issue.

Speechless. This time, Ximen Lang is truly speechless.

Completely unsure how to answer, and somewhat afraid to answer, Ximen Lang couldn't help but ask.

"Sister, this is such a professional question, one that so many experts can't answer. You're asking me, a complete novice who barely scraped by on a college diploma? Who am I supposed to ask? I'm not omnipotent. Why are you so fixated on this question?"

The resistant complaint made Bai Ling immediately retract the question and bury it deep in her heart once again.

As luck would have it, after queuing for so long, it was finally the turn of the aunties in the courtyard to receive their wages.

Seeing that the atmosphere was getting a bit awkward, the meticulous Director Wang decisively changed the subject, bringing the topic to the wages that the older women were about to receive, and led everyone to the older women.

It's amazing to see how much these middle-aged women, jokingly referred to as "birds" by netizens, have transformed themselves through their own efforts.

Feeling it was all worthwhile, and genuinely believing his trip to the Four Capitals World was truly worthwhile, Ximen Lang decisively integrated himself into the community.

One moment they're marveling at the amount of wages the older women receive, the next they're offering advice on how to squander that money as quickly as possible.

The older women all looked at him askance.

After they had enjoyed themselves, Ximen Lang asked Bai Ling, who was standing to the side.

"Didn't they say they'd prepared a guard battalion for me? Where are they? Where did they go?"

　This is a bit difficult to write; I hope it won't be reviewed.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)