Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 370: Sit-on Toilet, Sales Secrets [Please Subscribe]

When Huang Runfa, the manager of the ceramic factory, learned that Liu Kuan had arrived, he immediately brought several deacons and kiln managers from the factory out to greet him. Liu Kuan did not come here on a whim, but had sent his servants to notify him in advance. Therefore, the ceramic factory did not start work today, waiting for him to come and inspect.

"My Lord, your Majesty is safe!"

Huang Runfa and his companions may have rehearsed in advance. When they saw Liu Kuan, they bowed together to greet him, and their movements were very coordinated.

"Thank you for your courtesy, everyone." Liu Kuan also bowed in return.

Huang Runfa and his companions didn't know Liu Kuan well enough, and when they saw how polite Liu Kuan treated his subordinates, they felt flattered for a moment.

Seeing Huang Runfa about to speak, Liu Kuan said, "No need for polite words, let's go around the factory and take a look."

Huang Runfa had originally thought of a set of compliments and flattery, but now he could only hold it in his stomach and replied obediently: "Yes."

The Liu's Ceramic Factory complex covers an area of ​​dozens of acres and is quite large, so there is currently no wall built. Only earth walls or fences have been built in some places, and then there is a wooden gate.

After entering the factory through the main gate, Liu Kuan said, "Let's go to the staff dormitory area first."

"Yes."

Huang Runfa responded, but was thinking in his heart, why doesn't the Marquis of Jiangning follow the usual routine?

Fortunately, he always completed the tasks assigned by Liu Kuan meticulously, and did not dare to delay or fool around. Otherwise, he might not be able to satisfy Liu Kuan today.

After walking a few steps, they arrived at the dormitory area. They saw several rows of two-story brick and cement buildings standing there. There were clotheslines on the corridors on the first and second floors of the first three rows, and there were many clothes hanging out to dry, indicating that the employees had already moved in.

Liu Kuan walked around the dormitory area and even went into a few dormitory rooms to take a look. He was quite satisfied.

The area outside the dormitory was very clean, even the toilets were clean - the factory knew he was coming today and would definitely organize cleaning, so it was not surprising that it was so clean.

But the several dormitory rooms he entered were also quite clean, which was quite rare.

Even if Huang Runfa organized the factory workers to clean and tidy up in advance, it would not be easy to achieve this.

One of Liu Kuan's purposes in acquiring this ceramic factory was to set an example for private factory owners in certain aspects, such as the treatment of employees, factory hygiene, etc.

Perhaps in a few years, the Ming Dynasty court will allow private citizens to purchase and use steam engines. At that time, factories similar to those in modern times will inevitably spring up like mushrooms after rain, and it will be impossible not to regulate them.

Of course, since Liu Kuan had never opened a factory before he traveled through time, and he lacked sufficient understanding of the lower-class people of the Ming Dynasty after he traveled through time, this ceramic factory also had an experimental meaning in it - a social experiment conducted privately by Liu Kuan.

Although this ceramic factory currently has only five kilns, it has more than one hundred employees. In the future, more pottery kilns and porcelain kilns will be added, and the number of employees will also increase, which is enough to support a simple social experiment.

Coming out of the dormitory area, Liu Kuan nodded under Huang Runfa's expectant yet anxious gaze and said, "The hygiene is good. I'll try to maintain it in the future, but there's no need to pursue it too much."

"Workers should still focus on production. If production is delayed for these matters of face, then the priority is reversed."

Huang Runfa nodded quickly and said, "My Lord is right. I will definitely keep it in mind. Production is the priority, but we cannot neglect the factory environment and sanitation."

Huang Runfa was specially found by Liu Kuan. Although he likes to scheme for personal gain, he is also capable of handling affairs and getting things done, making him a very suitable person to be the "factory director of a private enterprise".

Liu Kuan smiled and said, "Let's go to the cafeteria and take a look."

Next, Liu Kuan inspected the canteen, material preparation area, kiln area and other places in succession, and toured all over the small ceramic factory. Only then did he ask Huang Runfa to take him to the warehouse to check out the flush toilets developed in the factory.

"My Lord, please look, this is the flush toilet our factory developed based on your instructions."

In front of the warehouse, Huang Runfa signaled two employees to move out a "white porcelain" from inside.

This thing is oval in front and square in the back. It is snow-white and finely made, and it glows in the morning sun.

Everyone else thought this thing was strange and novel, but Liu Kuan found it very familiar because it was quite similar to the image of toilets in later generations.

Two employees placed it on a low, pre-built pool and then stepped aside. Huang Runfa personally connected a ceramic water pipe to it. After some manipulation, Liu Kuan could hear the water gurgling into the toilet—a bit slowly.

Huang Runfa explained, "My Lord, the water pressure in this pipe we prepared is relatively low, so the water is flowing in a bit slowly."

Liu Kuan nodded, not surprised by the word "water pressure" from Huang Runfa's mouth.

One of the reasons why he chose Huang Runfa as the factory director was that Huang Runfa had subscribed to the journal "Natural Science" for several years and had a certain understanding of the scientific theories and technologies that had emerged in the Ming Dynasty. He was a management talent who understood some technology.

Liu Kuan waited patiently for a while. When the toilet tank was filled with water, he saw Huang Runfa pick up a large lump of mud from the basin next to him and throw it into the toilet pit. He washed his hands in the sink and then pressed a button on the water tank.

Wow~!

The powerful stream of water rushed out and washed away the mud in the pit in an instant, without getting any stain on it.

At the same time, the water tank was gurgling with water, and after a while it stopped.

Liu Kuan personally went forward to operate it. Seeing that the function was no different from an ordinary toilet in later generations, he nodded with satisfaction and said, "Well done."

Huang Runfa, the other accompanying deacons, kiln managers and other employees were all delighted to receive Liu Kuan's recognition.

Liu Kuan then asked, "If the factory officially produces this kind of toilet, how much will it cost?"

Huang Runfa said, "My Lord, if we don't count the ceramic water pipes and sewers, the cost of this toilet alone is about twenty strings of cash."

Twenty strings of cash may sound like a small amount, but a few years ago, ordinary people in the capital might not be able to save this much money in a year.

Considering the current prices of various commodities in Ming Dynasty, this cost is actually quite high.

But good porcelain is expensive, and toilets are large items with relatively "complex" internal structures. Considering the yield rate of porcelain, the cost of twenty guan is reasonable.

Liu Kuan looked at the ceramic water pipe, then thought about the difficulty of building sewers in residential houses and connecting them to outdoor toilets. He estimated that a set would probably cost around fifty strings of cash.

He was not disappointed - for quite some time, this kind of porcelain toilet was a product that only wealthy people could afford.

If we want to allow every household to install a sit-down toilet like in later generations, it would probably take decades before this happens, even in the capital.

Huang Runfa was a little nervous when he saw Liu Kuan remained silent for a while.

Fortunately, Liu Kuan nodded quickly and said with a slight smile, "Next, the factory can start producing toilets. In addition, we need to continue researching how to optimize production."

"There are two main areas of optimization: one is to reduce production costs as much as possible without affecting its basic functions; the other is to produce a toilet that is more beautiful and has better functions."

"For example, this one is considered an ordinary model. We can make the porcelain even better, decorate it with beautiful flowers, birds, fish, insects, etc. like a vase, and call it a premium model. It's not a problem to double the price."

"Another example is decorating the toilet with gold trim, gemstones, a fine fleece mat, or even glass. This could be called a luxury model, reserved for the rich and powerful, and the price could easily be ten or a hundred times higher."

Many followers and employees of the ceramic factory could not help but be shocked when they heard what Liu Kuan said next. Some even secretly suspected that Liu Kuan was mentally ill, otherwise why would he make a "urinal" so luxurious?

But Huang Runfa's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he praised sincerely, "My Lord, this is a brilliant idea. Why didn't I think of it?"

"With these three levels, whether they're ordinary wealthy families or the powerful and wealthy, they'll definitely want to install one or more sit-down toilets to show off their status and wealth. In the future, our factory will probably make a lot of money just from these toilets!"

Liu Kuan now knew how Lao Zhu felt when he was flattered, so he smiled and said, "Since you understand what I mean, just do your best to get things done. When the factory makes money in the future, you and the employees will definitely get bonuses."

Upon hearing this, all the factory employees, regardless of whether they understood Liu Kuan's idea or not, immediately followed Huang Runfa in bowing, "Thank you, Lord! We will definitely work hard!"

　Second update.

　　Good night~
　　
　　
　
(End of this chapter)