Rebirth in 1960, My Industrial Age

Chapter 87 Let’s do it together (Subscription Request)

"There are really a lot of things we can do in our village."

Zhou Fengnian thought about it and decided that rural industries could be called township factories in a nice way, or just handicraft workshops in a blunt way.

As long as you have the skills, gather some people and get some raw materials, you can start working using traditional methods.

The yield may be low, but it is also a way to increase income.

What's more, Zhou Fengnian also has a proficiency simulation system. As long as you keep repeating one thing, you can improve your skills.

As his skill level increases, the proficiency simulation system will instill more advanced techniques in him.

"Brick kiln factories and paper mills have low costs and require technology and manpower. They can be set up even without buying machines. Besides, the city of Beijing is in great need of bricks and tiles, so there will be no problem with the sales of these products."

Zhou Fengnian said to several people that several nearby communes had no collective industries, and if they developed one, they would be the first.

Moreover, red bricks and paper are daily consumables, so there is no need to worry about selling them once they are produced.

There are many women in the village, and they are all labor force. Not to mention how well they sell, even if they only make 100 yuan a month, they will make more than 1,000 yuan a year.

Each household received more than ten yuan.

There are more than 70 households in Hongjia Village. If each household can squeeze out one laborer, a lot of products can definitely be produced.

Even if you are making bricks, you can make thousands of bricks if you work hard all day.

Nowadays, red bricks cost two for one cent. If you produce thousands of red bricks every day, you can make five dollars.

However, it is impossible for rural brick kiln factories to burn bricks every day. Transporting mud and bricks takes time. It is good enough if they can burn more than 10,000 bricks a month.

Hong Changshan, Li Anhong and others were very excited when they heard this, but they calmed down after the excitement and said with some embarrassment:

"In a good year, our village doesn't have this skill. We can farm, but no one knows how to make paper and burn bricks."

"How about going to the city and hiring one? But I don't know where to find such a master."

Even if we find a master chef, we may not be sure whether he is willing to come. After all, this is a long-term job and he will have to live in Hongjia Village for half of the year.

Zhou Fengnian said: "Leave this to me for now. You don't have to find a master chef. All you need is the skills to make paper and burn bricks."

He has to send Zhou Yan back to Sijiu City tomorrow. He will go to the library to check. If the library doesn't have it, he will go to Tsinghua University to look for it.

If it really doesn't work, I can only find Luo Cheng or Professor Feng.

Once he finds a skill, he can increase his proficiency infinitely, and when the skill level reaches a high level, he will automatically be instilled with knowledge of the corresponding level.

Otherwise, it would be impossible for Zhou Fengnian to master the technology of CNC machine tools by himself. He simply raised his level and was instilled with knowledge by the proficiency simulation system.

Hong Changshan asked: "Fengnian, can you invite a technical master?"

"I have some connections in Sijiu City. I'll go ask tomorrow if there's any technology in this area. If I can't find any, I'll ask someone to ask the master chef."

Zhou Fengnian paused for a moment and said, "Uncle Changshan, Uncle Anhong, Uncle Dezheng, Uncle Dayong, I am also from Hongjia Village. I will definitely not refuse to help wherever I can."

"If the collective industry of the village brigade is developed, it will also benefit our family, so I will definitely contribute.

There is one thing I need to say in advance. Since it is a collective industry, every household will have to contribute money and effort, but the initial expenses should not be much."

Most of the materials can be obtained locally. Sanshui Commune seems to have clay suitable for making bricks. We can just send people to dig it back when the time comes.

All you need to spend is some materials, but not a lot.

Hong Changshan hesitated and said, "Will every household contribute? There are many poor households in our village."

Some families only earn a few dollars a year, and by the end of the year they have all been used to exchange for food. Asking them to pay money is like cutting off their own flesh.

“Every household has to contribute, otherwise it won’t count as collective property.”

Zhou Fengnian reiterated that collective industries require the participation of everyone, only then can they be called collective.

Otherwise, if something unexpected happens, it will be associated with the tail of capitalism, and if the idea was his, then he will be in bigger trouble.

Zhou Fengnian continued, "If you don't have money, you can borrow it first, whether it's from the production team or the wealthy families in the village, you can borrow it with an IOU, anyway, it won't cost much in the early stage."

Whether it is burning bricks or making paper, the raw materials needed are not very expensive, and a few dozen dollars are enough as start-up capital.

As long as the collective industry develops, the money can be distributed by the end of the year, and then it will be easy to deal with whether it is repayment or other matters.

Hong Changshan, Zhang Dezheng and others understood what Zhou Fengnian meant, and they all felt embarrassed. They came to his house and asked for advice and that kind of thing.

Others thought they were bandits!
"Fengnian, this is something the production team owes your family. Whether it succeeds or not, the Hongjia Village Production Team will guarantee you."

"Yes, in a good year, it will be in the name of the brigade then."

After hearing these two sentences, Zhou Fengnian felt a little comforted. The village leaders were not the kind of people who would take advantage of others. They knew how to repay gratitude, and that was enough.

Their Zhou family is also in Hongjia Village. Now that the Zhou family is getting better step by step, it will definitely make people jealous.

Saving and frugal in the past few years to support a promising child is nothing. It can only be said that Zhou Fugui has a long-term vision and is decisive.

But this year, the Zhou family suddenly had four more city dwellers, all of whom had jobs.

Compared with other people in Hongjia Village, the Zhou family can eat meat for seven consecutive days during the New Year, while other households are lucky to be able to eat fine grains for seven days.

Although every penny earned by the Zhou family is very clean, jealousy doesn't care about that.

Zhou Fengnian was also thinking about his own family. If Hongjia Village became rich, then their family would be fine.

Or the whole family could move to the city to avoid the people from Hongjia Village, but Zhou Fengnian couldn't do that now.

Afterwards, Zhou Fengnian chatted with Hong Changshan and others for a while, talking about what could be done near Hongjia Village.

It is definitely possible to make bricks. When I was a child, workers from the brick kiln factories in the old city came here to dig soil and make bricks.

There is no problem with papermaking, and it can be sold to the commune or sold individually; paper is easy to deal with, as there are many places that collect paper, and the commune also uses it.

There is no proper place to buy bricks, but there are a lot of bricks in the city, so you can definitely sell them by running from street to street.

After chatting for a while, Zhou Fengnian talked about the morale of Hong Changshan, Li Anhong and others.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Fengnian stopped talking. If he continued talking, Hong Changshan might be planning to build the brick kiln factory before the New Year.

It was almost time, Hong Changshan and others also stood up to say goodbye: "Fugui, I'm sorry to bother you today. Fengnian, on behalf of Hongjia Village, I thank you."

Zhou Fengnian quickly said, "Uncle Changshan, you are too polite. I am also a member of Hongjia Village."

Zhou Fugui also stood up to see them off. When he sent several people out of the house, he gave each of them a cigarette and then turned back into the house.

When Zhou Fugui came in, Zhou's mother had already returned to the main house.

When several village leaders came, they looked solemn and talked for two or three hours. Zhou's mother in the next room was very worried. As soon as they left, she came over to ask what had happened.

After Zhou's father came back, he asked anxiously, "Third brother, can you do what you just said? If not, I will go and tell the secretary, and then you can scold me." "Dad, it's not that serious, it's really not a big problem."

Zhou Fengnian waved his hand and said that the two things he mentioned were really not difficult. As far as he could remember, many rural towns and villages had already started to engage in side businesses, but their area had not started yet.

But the sign has already appeared. When you are poor, you will try to change your ways. When you are poor to a certain extent, if you don’t start a side job, you will really starve to death.

"What I just said is not difficult. I will go to the city to look for it when I send Zhou Yan back tomorrow. I may be back later."

Zhou Fengnian thought to himself that Zhou Yan had been here for a few days already, if he didn't send her back, the Zhou family over there might get anxious.

"Okay, just keep it in mind and don't make it too hard on yourself."

Zhou Fugui felt relieved when he saw that his third son was not forcing himself.

This year, each person in the village is allowed to keep 340 kilograms of grain, with the amount varying for able-bodied laborers and children. However, based on work points, it should be enough for their family to eat next year.

The Zhou family has the support of four workers in the city, so they will definitely have enough to eat.

We have seventy or eighty kilograms more grain than the year before, but it is still not enough to have a good meal during the New Year, and we can't sell grain for meat.

"Our village is not doing very well, and the farming is pretty standard. We opened up dozens of acres of land last year, so I think we can harvest more next year."

Seeing that his two grandsons were not brought over, Zhou Fugui lit a cigarette, took a puff and continued
"Third brother, if you can start a collective industry and provide more meat to every household, the whole Hongjia Village will thank you."

Zhou Weitian said with a smile: "Dad, by then you can also be a village party secretary or village director."

"Why should I be that thing? I can't be that thing. I can't be that thing."

Father Zhou shook his head and said, "Didn't you see that when Secretary Changshan was scolded, he was scolded for collecting grain, scolded for distributing grain, and even those who didn't have enough to eat at home scolded him as the secretary.
If I were to become the Party Secretary, those people would turn around and scold me, so I can’t do that.”

"Dad, it's up to you, but it's better to be one, even if not the village party secretary, then anything else is fine."

Zhou Fengnian said that their Zhou family's life will definitely get better and better in the future. Even if Hongjia Village becomes rich, it will take a long time to catch up with the Zhou family.

If Zhou's father had a position, he could also make those gossipy women in the village shut up. Before, the Zhou family was not afraid because they had many people in the family.

But now four out of the five brothers are in the city, and it is out of reach, so it would be better for Zhou's father to take up a position, even as the captain of the militia.

Father Zhou nodded and said, "I know what's going on."

After this incident, Zhou Weitian started bragging about his abilities again. He is now a little too arrogant.

After hearing that Zhou's father had caught two rabbits in the mountains, he immediately patted his chest and said that he would take his younger brother and sister-in-law to the mountains to hunt wild boars.

However, before he hit the wild boar, Zhou's father slapped him in the face, and before doing so he took away Zhou Weitian's unlit Daqianmen cigarette.

He was bragging too much, but Zhou's father didn't tolerate him and slapped Zhou Weitian away.

Then Zhou Jiaan smiled and went back to the house. Like his elder brother, he was busy in the city and seldom saw his son. This time he could spend the New Year with him enough.

But there were also benefits. In addition to food, Zhou Jiaan saved 90 yuan in the city, and gave it all to his wife when he came back this time.

At night, the Zhou family had a New Year's Eve dinner in advance. They all knew that Zhou Yan would go back the next day.

Zhou's mother also asked Zhou Weitian to run to the commune and exchange a fish before the market was over.

In the evening, Zhou Fengnian cooked himself and prepared a table full of delicious food.

There are eight dishes and four meat dishes, and egg soup is also considered a meat dish.

Father Zhou was so excited that he opened a bottle of wine, but after pouring a glass for everyone, he carefully put the bottle back.

As far as Zhou's father could remember, he had never seen such a sumptuous dinner. When he was a child, he was lucky to have an egg. He didn't expect that he would enjoy the feast that his father didn't have.

Fortunately, he has several good children. He used to feel uncomfortable because his third son looked down on them when he came to the city, but now it seems that the third son is the greatest help to the Zhou family.

The eldest and the second son are also filial, although not as outstanding as the third son, but he and Zhou's mother will definitely be guaranteed a secure old age with someone to accompany them.

"Let's raise our glasses. If you want to enjoy such a sumptuous meal next time, you have to wait until the third brother gets married."

Father Zhou raised his glass happily and said this. His words made Zhou Yan feel a little embarrassed, but she also raised her glass.

The days she spent at Zhou Fengnian's home were the most comfortable ones. Everyone treated her as a family member, and they were all sincere. Zhou Yan didn't notice anyone being insincere.

If she hadn't gotten married yet, Zhou Yan really didn't want to go back. Even if she shared a bed with Zhou Chunhua and Zhou Xiaomei, she would feel more comfortable sleeping than on the bed at home.

But Zhou Yan must go back, otherwise her biological mother might cause some trouble.

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The next morning, after breakfast, Zhou Fengnian rode his bike to take Zhou Yan back to Sijiu City.

After sending Zhou Yan back, he would go to the library or Tsinghua University to find some professional books on brick-making and papermaking.

Even if it is an ancient method, as long as Zhou Fengnian can get the basic skills, he can continue to read books to improve his proficiency.

Soon, Zhou Fengnian rode his bike to take Zhou Yan to the street entrance, but he was still a little worried and said, "I'll take you in, Zhou Yan."

"Forget it this time, Comrade Fengnian. I can handle it."

Zhou Yan was a little reluctant to let Zhou Fengnian meet her mother, so she shook her head and refused.

Moreover, Zhou Yan also knew that Zhou Fengnian had something else to do today. If she was trapped in his house, she might not be able to get away for a whole day.

"Then I'll go do some work first."

Zhou Fengnian originally wanted to follow in, but after hesitating for a moment he decided not to do so.

I have nothing to do now and I still have to go to the library. It won’t be too late to visit after I finish my business.

After saying goodbye, Zhou Fengnian rode his bicycle to the library.

Fortunately, the factory has just closed for the holiday, and places like the library will not close until tomorrow, so today is the last day.

After Zhou Fengnian deposited his work ID, he went in to look for information.

After a while, he found the books he was looking for, books about papermaking and brick-making, saving him from having to go to the university library again.

Borrowing books was a bit troublesome, but Zhou Fengnian still applied for a library card and borrowed two books to read when he got home.

While it was still early, just after noon, Zhou Fengnian went back to the Nanluoguxiang courtyard.

After knocking on the door and finding it was not locked, Zhou Fengnian pushed it open.

When he was about to enter the backyard, he suddenly ran into Aunt Li coming out of the backyard and asked in surprise: "Fengnian? Why are you back?"

Zhou Fengnian said, "I came back to borrow two books. Aunt Li, is Mr. Luo here?"

(End of this chapter)