Looking at this carpentry workshop with more than 100 people, Zhu Hongsan did not expect that the benefits would be so good. But he knew that this model developed very quickly in the early stage, but the bureaucrats unique to state-owned enterprises in the later stage would be severely rigid.

Zhu Hongsan thought about it and asked the Lu Foreman: "Foreman, how much money can you make when doing other work in this workshop?"

Foreman Lu said: "If it is all outside work, you can earn 100 taels of silver per month."

One hundred taels, a lot for a carpenter. Zhu Hongsan nodded and then asked, "Foreman, how about I give you this workshop?"

The Lu Foreman was stunned and didn't react. Tie Niu said beside him: "Prince, what did you say? Give him this workshop?"

Zhu Hongsan nodded and said, "This is called the contracting system. I give the workshop management rights to Foreman Lu. He decides what he produces himself. He pays us the contract fee every year, and it will belong to him in three years."

Only then did the foreman react and asked, "This noble man, how much is the contract fee you mentioned?"

Zhu Hongsan thought for a while and said, "How about three thousand taels in three years?"

The foreman thought that one hundred taels a month would be for nothing, which would be for him for three years, but he would become the boss of this factory in three years, so it would be worth it.

Foreman Lu continued to ask, "What should I do with other production tasks in that factory?"

Zhu Hongsan said: "Other tasks, such as this gun handle and ammunition box, will give you money. But remember that it is not only you. At that time, the factory will start a bidding meeting. Which wood factory will use the low-priced and good quality factory? How about it? Have you figured it out?"

The foreman lowered his head and thought about it. Although the competition would be fierce at that time, the temptation was too great to think that he could be a boss in three years. The foreman gritted his teeth and said, "Okay, this noble man, I have contracted this factory."

Zhu Hongsan smiled and said, "Don't have to go to the execution ground, you will thank me in a few years."

Zhu Hongsan deeply feels that he has too few people now and the stalls are too big to cover everything. It is better to outsource some unimportant departments, and while reducing costs, he can also form a large number of vested interest groups. This is Zhu Hongsan's main purpose. Only when most people stand on their side can their careers be successful.

These contractors may now be just small merchants and handicraftsmen, but as long as they are given time, they will definitely grow into towering trees.

In addition to this factory, Zhu Hongsan said to Tie Niu: "Tie Niu, you see it. Go back and contract out these unimportant departments as much as possible. For example, carpentry workshops, tailor workshops, rice mill workshops, textile workshops, etc. If you cannot contract out, just give it to the workshop foreman to take responsibility for their own profits and losses."

Tie Niu asked: "Is this how all workshops do?"

Zhu Hongsan shook his head and said, "Of course not. It can't be contracted, like artillery, musket workshop, steel mill, and gunpowder factory. This thing can only be in our hands."

Tieniu nodded and said that he would start processing when he went back.

The next thing I want to look at is the musket workshop. The musket workshop has now expanded its scale many times, with more than 5,000 workers. There are three production lines in the workshop.

Zhu Hongsan looked from the beginning and saw how an iron rod was drilled into an iron pipe. Then he installed the gun handle, finished processing, installed the shooting tool, trigger, and finally became a finished musket.

Yan Qingshan next to him saw this kind of musket making for the first time. In the past, he saw that musket manufacturing was one person responsible for all the processes, and it would be great to produce one in a month. Now, it only takes less than an hour for a musket to be produced from an iron rod to a finished product, which is really beyond his ability to understand.

Zhu Hongsan looked at Yan Qingshan, who was stunned and asked, "Father-in-law, look at how much can we sell this musket?"

Yan Qingshan said: "The official bird gun is 130 taels of silver per piece. Your workmanship is much more sophisticated than the bird gun. It costs 150 taels to 200 taels no matter what."

Zhu Hongsan smiled and said, "Tieniu, tell me about how much we can produce a handful of goods."

Tieniu heard that this was Zhu Hongsan's father-in-law, and he knew what Zhu Hongsan was. He had many wives and concubines at home, and many cheap father-in-laws, so he didn't take Yan Qingshan seriously. He smiled and said, "Listen, our musket costs five taels of silver."

Yan Qingshan was shocked. He picked up a musket, looked at the steel pipe, and then looked at the workmanship. It was only five taels of silver.

Zhu Hongsan looked at the old hat and said, "Let's go and see the artillery workshop. You'll be even more surprised after seeing that one."

Tieniu led everyone to the artillery workshop. This place was managed by Liu Dali. Liu Dali came forward to introduce it, from the production of steel models, to the casting of molten steel, and then to the final polishing.

Yan Qingshan watched a cannon transform from steel into a murder weapon that emits green light. He said, "Son-in-law, your cannon cannot be too powerful, its caliber is small, how many steps can it take?"

Liu Dali said: "Today there are ten new guns to be tested. Please go to the shooting range outside to see it."

Five miles away from the artillery workshop is a small hill, which is the artillery shooting range.

When Zhu Hongsan and his party arrived, the workers were ready for the test shot. Zhu Hongsan ordered the test shot to begin.

The workers first fired three times with the maximum charge, then cooled and fired five times in a row with normal charge. If the gun body has no cracks, it would be considered qualified. Finally, the testers and the manufacturing personnel of each gun engraved names on the gun, in case the gun accident will be held accountable in the future.

Yan Qingshan didn't expect that this small cannon could actually shoot a range of five miles. You must know that five miles is the power of the imperial court's 10,000 kilograms of red barbarian cannon. The small cannon in front of him is less than one thousand kilograms, and it is so powerful.

Zhu Hongsan said: "The cost of this cannon is 100 taels of silver. My father-in-law, can you think of the scene of the fleet you will lead in the future, with 100 cannons on each ship, and the entire fleet of thousands of cannons fired volleys?"

Yan Qingshan's face was flushed by the scene described by Zhu Hongsan. His figure rolled in front of Zhu Hongsan with a floor tank, grabbed Zhu Hongsan's hand and said, "Son-in-law, when will I be equipped with such a big ship?"

Zhu Hongsan smiled and said, "My father-in-law, the boat is easy to work with. You have seen cannons and muskets, and the production is simple. It is mainly sailors. Your pirates with more than a thousand people can equip a ship."

Yan Qingshan said: "If it really doesn't work, go to the sea to catch it. Now there are some pirates in the Nanyang area. I still have a few people in Zheng Zhilong's place. If it doesn't work, let them bring people here."

Zhu Hongsan said: "We are not strong now, and we can't turn against Zheng Zhilong. Do you think this is OK if your father-in-law is like this? You have taken people along the estuary of the Pearl River in the past ten days to find a place that can build ships and be a port. When you see there are pirates there, the few people will eat them and expand the staff. I will solve the ship problem here."

Yan Qingshan nodded excitedly and suddenly said, "But it's hard to get a boat. Small boats cannot go abroad, and large boats are not easy to build."

Zhu Hongsan said: "Is the main difficult place for ships to get keels?"

Yan Qingshan nodded and said, "The keel of the boat is very important. It is best to grow spruce trees for a hundred years. It must be dried naturally for half a year before making keels. As for the boat boards, it is easy to make, pine and oak. Other ash, tung oil, and hemp ropes must be prepared."

Zhu Hongsan nodded and said, "If you don't have one, go grab it. Don't forget that you are pirates. There must be many shipyards along the Pearl River Estuary. You can grab it under the banner of my King of Chu Mansion. If anyone dares to stop you, beat me. If something happens, I will take care of it."

Yan Qingshan laughed and said, "This relationship is good, so won't we become an official army?" After Yan Qingshan said goodbye, he took people to the coast of the Pearl River Estuary to check the terrain and rob the shipyard.

Seeing Yan Qingshan taking the people away, Zhu Hongsan said to Liu Dali: "Dali, go and see the ductile iron workshop."

The group saw a large number of knives and farm tools produced in the ductile iron workshop. Liu Dali said on the side: "Master, this cast iron has a very high hardness and the knives made are very sharp. It is just blunt. As long as you sharpen it with a whetstone, it will be as good as before. Now the caravan has been sold to the generation of Guizhou, Yunnan. I heard that the knives we produced also appeared in Nanzhili. However, this cast iron can only be used at one time. After melting again, it becomes very brittle and can be interrupted by stones."

Of course, Zhu Hongsan knew the characteristics of ductile iron, but he did not look at the production situation.
Chapter completed!