Siheyuan: I am a trader in both worlds!

Chapter 438 Industry will inevitably compete with agriculture for population

"If you can really earn a little over a hundred yuan a month, that's not much money at all, and there's really no need to be frugal in this area. But... can Huairu really work at the lighter factory like Mom?"

"Of course, I'm not doubting you, Brother Lang. It's just that if Huairu can go too, then three people in our family will be working. It's a matter of policy."

Seeing that Jia Dongxu was still worried about this, he left with a comment.

"Looks like I really need to teach you a lesson!"

Next, class begins!
Even Bai Ling wasn't left out. Just like in real life, she took out her pen and notebook, and Ximen Lang's Little Classroom started right away.

"Ling'er, do you know why I attach so much importance to agricultural development and why I repeatedly suggest that you prioritize agricultural development, and specifically modern agriculture?"

"For no other reason than that once industry develops, it will inevitably compete with agriculture for labor! All these newly opened factories need a sufficient number of workers to operate!"

"There are only so many people in the city. Even if we include people like Qin Huairu and Aunt Jia, we can only barely meet a portion of their needs!"

"What if it's not enough? Are we left with no choice but to have our farmers put down their farm tools and go to the city or factories to get the tools they need? Think about it carefully, isn't that the right thing to do?"

It really is.

After all, the reality is right here: even the simplest lighter factory requires at least a million workers!

What about the nascent driver industry in Beijing?
This is another shortfall of at least a million!

There are still so many bridges and roads that need construction and maintenance.

In addition to the existing textile and heavy industries
Good heavens, just these few industries that Simon Lang can think of in a short time require at least tens of millions of workers!

With so many new job seekers, you have to arrange accommodation for them and give them a place to live, right?

This could inadvertently bring out the monster that is the real estate industry decades ahead of schedule.
Tens of millions of people wouldn't be enough to cramm them in! (A single building alone would house 5000 million people, and that's after the construction industry went through a downturn.)
But what about the total population of the entire city of Beijing?

It's only 6 million now!

Is that all there are?
Is that enough for anyone?!
"If we also remove the elderly, infants, students, a significant number of civil servants, and the indispensable military..."

"Goodness, if you calculate it like that, there's practically no one left! What do we do when there's no one left? Well, then we'll have no choice but to focus on the vast rural areas and compete with agriculture for people!"

"But after the farmers move to the city, they still need to find people to farm their land. After all, if they don't farm, no one will have anything to eat!"

"Therefore, large-scale, modern agriculture, and large-scale mechanized and even unmanned farms must be put on the agenda!"

Everywhere they need people, and the shortage is often hundreds of thousands, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of people, which made Bai Ling dizzy.

Even Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu, who only half understood what they were hearing, were still impressed but didn't quite grasp it, and unconsciously began to worry about where to find so many laborers.

As the group was worrying along with Ximen Lang, Jia Zhangshi suddenly realized something was wrong.

That's a top-secret matter; how could someone as insignificant as her possibly know or understand it?

Let alone getting involved!
Decades of experience had honed her keen intuition, which immediately alerted the shrewd Jia Zhangshi to the deadly danger.

They dared not let Ximen Lang's little classroom continue to operate.

They dared not even entertain the thought of digging deeper to find out why Ximen Lang knew so many secrets and possessed so much knowledge.

Jia Zhangshi, who only wanted to live a peaceful life and didn't want to know so many secrets, interrupted their worries before Ximen Lang could reveal more secrets.

"What nonsense are you all spouting? How many people do the work is none of my business! And you two, what does it have to do with you? Why are you listening so intently?!" "The two of you combined can't even earn 40, less than I do! Is this something you people who can't even afford to eat meat freely should be thinking about?!"

What appeared to be a reprimand was actually a reminder immediately made Jia Dongxu, who was connected to his mother, realize the seriousness of the problem.

Even Qin Huairu, who was still quite inexperienced, belatedly realized that something was wrong.

They weren't given a chance to speak again.

She tossed the basket, which was full of vegetables, meat, and eggs, into Qin Huairu's arms, immediately adopting the air of a matriarch.

"It's already noon, everyone else has already started eating! Where's our food?"

"I"

"Stop with the 'this and that' nonsense. Is it going to be cornbread, pickled vegetables, and corn porridge again? Didn't I tell you, we're not eating this anymore! Hurry up and make it again!"

After hearing what she said, Qin Huairu immediately turned her gaze to Jia Dongxu, who remained silent.

Remaining silent means tacit agreement.

Since the head of the household has no objections, she, as a daughter-in-law, naturally has no objections either.

Taking the basket of vegetables, Qin Huairu made a move to start a fire, preparing to cook another batch.

Coincidentally, at that very moment, He Yuzhu and Yi Zhonghai returned, each carrying a vegetable basket and chatting happily.

Jia Zhangshi, who had never properly eaten He Yuzhu's cooking before, had tasted his skills without any problems, but now she was really craving He Yuzhu's cooking more and more. As soon as she opened her mouth, she directly called out to Qin Huairu, who was about to start a fire to cook.

Under Qin Huairu's bewildered gaze, Jia Zhangshi directly shouted at He Yuzhu.

"Zhu Zi, don't cook at your house today, just come to our place! Look, all the vegetables and meat are ready, we're just waiting for your cooking skills!"

He Yuzhu is usually so poor, but he was surprised to see that Jia Zhangshi was being so generous today.

After greeting the Ximen Lang couple, good heavens, they started talking right away.

"Wow, look at all that preparation! I never thought someone like you could shed fur. The sun must have risen in the west today!"

This angered Jia Zhangshi so much that she replaced the pillar with a silly one and gave him a good scolding!

But that was exactly what He Yuzhu's bad temper was like.

Well, he then spent a while being quite sarcastic.

then
What's next?

Since we've finally had a lively time, let's eat together!
Even Yi Zhonghai was involved; one family would bring out a chicken, another a fish, and the three families would immediately start cooking with great enthusiasm.

Just as Ximen Lang was pondering how he should join in.

Madam Jia Zhang spoke.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and wash your hands and get ready to eat. Do you expect me to specially invite you?"

(End of this chapter)