Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

Two days later, at the Pujitang Logistics Park on the outskirts of the city.

As soon as it got light, the construction site was already bustling with activity.

Porters carried timber back and forth, their shouts echoing from the direction of the dock.

The shipyard site has been set up.

Lu Qinghe was efficient and completed the construction of the wall and main shed in just eighteen days.

The recruitment notice for craftsmen has also been issued.

However, out of a shortage of three hundred craftsmen, only eleven were recruited.

Moreover, seven of these eleven were migrants from other places.

They have no roots or connections in Beijing, and the Cui family's influence is currently out of their reach.

There are four local artisans left. Three came yesterday, but only one is left this morning.

Lu Qinghe handed over a termination notice, the handwriting on it was crooked and the ink was still wet.

"This morning, Carpenter Wang sent his wife with a message saying that his father had suddenly fallen ill and he couldn't continue the work."

Gu Mingyue took the note and glanced at it.

Wang the carpenter's father was selling tofu in the East Market just last month when he suddenly fell ill.

It was nothing more than someone coming to "remind" me.

Pei Yu stomped her feet in anger.

"Those bastards! It's clearly those lackeys of the Cui family going door-to-door scaring people!"

"Yesterday I saw a man in black loitering outside the construction site; he's probably there to keep watch!"

Gu Mingyue wasn't in a hurry.

After all, Future Headlines said that the Cui family would take action to obstruct it.

As expected.

"What about the iron?" she asked.

Lu Qinghe took half a step forward and lowered his voice:

"The three ironworks in the south of the city sent someone to deliver a message again this morning."

They said the imperial court hadn't approved the quota yet, and we should wait a little longer.

Pei Yu followed behind, punching himself in the palm of his hand.

"The Cui family is trying to strangle us from the root! They're not supplying us with iron, the craftsmen don't dare to come, and even the carpenters and coppersmiths are cowering."

"They're trying to drain our resources before our ship is even built!"

Pei Yu's face flushed red; this was the first time in her life she had ever been so humiliated!

"If all else fails, shall we go north and recruit people? The Cui family can't interfere there!"

Gu Mingyue shook her head.

"The north is far away; a round trip would take at least a month. We can't afford to waste that time."

"Boss!"

A servant boy ran up to announce, "Prince Qi has arrived!"

Gu Mingyue turned her head to look.

Xiao Jue was dressed in a black casual outfit today, with only a piece of mutton fat jade pendant hanging at his waist, and two attendants who looked like guards following behind him.

He dismounted and strode quickly into the work shed.

"Master Gu".

Gu Mingyue stood up and nodded slightly.

"Your Highness."

Xiao Jue waved his hand, gesturing for her to sit down.

He pulled up a chair and sat down at the table.

He glanced at the termination notice on the table but didn't ask any further questions.

"I've heard about the job openings."

Gu Mingyue nodded without explaining further.

He naturally knows what he needs to know.

The Kyoto city is full of eyes and ears of the Censorate.

She poured Xiao Jue a cup of tea.

Xiao Jue didn't stand on ceremony and picked up his teacup to take a sip.

"The boss is a sensible person, let's get straight to the point."

"Does the owner know who's behind the Ministry of Works?"

Gu Mingyue didn't speak, and Xiao Jue didn't intend to wait for her reply.

He gave his own answer.

"It is the Cui family of Lingbo, one of the four great clans of the Great Yong Dynasty."

"The reason they were able to monopolize salt and iron since the time of the late emperor was because all the iron smelting workshops under the Ministry of Works were craftsmen from the Cui family."

"They monopolized the iron-making process, and the craftsmen were all indentured servants of the Cui family."

"Over the years, the imperial court has tried to bypass the Cui family to develop iron smelting, and has attempted it no less than three times, but they have all thwarted it by their interference."

Gu Mingyue listened quietly without interrupting.

Xiao Jue took a sip of tea and continued:

"However, His Majesty was prepared for this long ago. Three years ago, he began secretly selecting skilled ironsmiths from various places and training them in batches in the Xishan Camp. Now, he has gathered more than three hundred people."

"My skills may not be as good as those of the master craftsmen in the Cui family, but my basic skills are solid enough."

He looked at Gu Mingyue.

"His Majesty issued a secret decree yesterday, allocating those three hundred blacksmiths, along with a high-quality iron mine in the western suburbs, to your brother. Once he successfully completes the first batch of steelmaking, the workshop will be officially in place."

Gu Mingyue nodded, feeling somewhat relieved.

The emperor helped resolve the problems related to iron ore and iron smelting craftsmen.

However, the shortage of skilled workers at the shipyard remains a critical problem.

The Cui family strangled the independent blacksmiths, and the carpenters and coppersmiths who built ships also cowered in fear.

No one dared to take on the work for Pujitang.

Not to mention ordinary people, even a well-known shop owner would be afraid of the Cui family's ruthless hand that kills without blinking an eye.

Xiao Jue pressed further, "Regarding shipbuilding... does the owner have any other plans?"

Gu Mingyue stood up and walked to the entrance of the workers' shed.

His gaze fell on the shipyard construction site in the distance where piles were being driven.

Xiao Jue slowly followed him to the door.

There was no urging; he simply turned to the side and leaned lazily against the door frame.

His gaze fell on Gu Mingyue's profile, waiting for an answer.

There was silence for a moment.

Gu Mingyue turned around and looked at Xiao Jue.

"Your Highness."

"Um?"

"This time, I'll have to borrow your name again."

Xiao Jue, puzzled, raised one eyebrow and smiled at Gu Mingyue.

"My title is worthless. Why don't you tell me how you want to borrow it, sir?"

Gu Mingyue did not answer him directly, but turned to Lu Qinghe first.

"Mr. Lu, let me ask you a question. How different is the craftsmanship between the keel of a ship and the main beam of a house?"

Lu Qinghe was taken aback, then thought for a moment and said:

"The underlying principles are the same. The only differences are in the dimensions, the type of wood, and the required precision."

"If I draw up the blueprints for the keel, specifying the dimensions and wood specifications, could an experienced carpenter who makes furniture make it?"

Lu Qinghe's eyelids twitched.

"...I can do it."

Gu Mingyue turned around and looked at Xiao Jue.

"Shipbuilding recruitment has been changed to project contracting."

"Project outsourcing?"

The three people inside the room stared wide-eyed at each other in disbelief.

They had never heard of the term, let alone understood it.

Gu Mingyue walked back to the table, picked up a charcoal pencil, and started drawing and talking on the paper.

"The shipyard project was broken down into twenty-six modules."

She drew the outline of a boat on paper, and then used lines to cut it into pieces.

"The keel is one package, the deck laying is one package, the mast making is one package, the iron forging is one package, the rope weaving is one package, and so on."

"In the name of the Qi Prince's Mansion, a project contracting notice was issued to the capital and five surrounding prefectures."

"No limit on workshop size or artisan background. As long as you can deliver the goods according to our drawings and specifications, the payment will be settled on the spot."

She put down her charcoal pencil and looked at Xiao Jue.

Xiao Jue stared at the ship that had been torn to pieces on the paper, and the light in his eyes gradually brightened.

He suddenly laughed and couldn't help but clap his hands.

"Wonderful! Wonderful!"

He looked at the paper.

"This is breaking down the project and distributing it among the people."

"The Cui family wanted to block it, but they couldn't find a way. They couldn't possibly close all the carpentry and blacksmith shops in the capital and the surrounding counties."

Lu Qinghe finally realized what was happening and gasped.

"Does the employer mean they don't want to hire people directly from our factory?"

"Let them do it in their own workshop, and then send it here for us to assemble?"

"Yes." Gu Mingyue nodded.

The beauty of this move lies in...

The Cui family was keeping an eye on who dared to come to Pujitang to apply for work.

But what if these craftsmen aren't even on the Pujitang roster?

They simply took on a processing order in their own shop.

Make a mortise and tenon joint, braid a rope, and hammer in a few iron nails.

Who knew this thing would eventually be pieced together into a boat?

--------

(✪ω✪) Fun fact: Do you know what a project outsourcing is?

For example, the manufacturing of large aircraft in China is a project that is outsourced.

Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAC), Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group (XAC), and Hong Kong Aircraft Industry Group (HKAC) were responsible for manufacturing the nose, fuselage, and wings, respectively.

More than 200 material companies are responsible for supplying composite materials such as titanium alloys and aluminum-lithium alloys.

Finally, the contracting party reassembles these components to produce the finished large aircraft.