Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 309 Opportunity
Li Maocai squatted in front of a stack of neatly arranged wooden planks, his eyes slightly narrowed, his gaze wandering inch by inch along the grain of the planks, his fingers gently rubbing the surface of the planks, feeling the undulations of each grain, secretly pondering the unique nature of these woods, considering which texture and quality would best suit the style of furniture he envisioned.

Those patterns, whether delicate or rough, seemed to whisper to him as they slid across his fingertips, telling him how they would become exquisite tables and chairs, and beautiful wardrobes.

A worker from the Shixing Timber Factory, dressed in coarse linen clothes with a stained and oily apron tied around his waist, stood listlessly behind Li Maocai.

He would occasionally tiptoe, his gaze passing over Li Maocai's shoulder to look at the gradually bustling street outside the shed, inwardly grumbling about how he had ended up with such a dawdling fellow, wasting precious morning light.

He crossed his arms and tapped the ground lightly with his right foot, each tap seeming to ask when this long wait would finally end.

"Brother!" Li Maocai finally stood up. He first vigorously clapped the sawdust off his hands, then forced a simple smile and asked the shop assistant, "Could you talk to your manager if I buy a lot, could I get a discount of a few cents?"

His eyes held a hint of expectation, yet also a touch of caution; after all, compared to this government-run factory, he was nothing more than an insignificant craftsman.

"Hey, why are you haggling with our lumber mill?" Upon hearing this, the worker was taken aback for a moment, then, as if he had heard the funniest joke, he grinned and said, "Let me tell you, all our timber has a fixed price. From cutting it down from the forest to processing it into boards, it takes a lot of work. The price is set by the higher-ups, and there's no way to get a discount."

"You know, the timber here is mostly supplied to big clients like shipyards, machinery factories, and furniture factories. They often buy tens of thousands of planks at a time. I've really never seen many customers like you who have been looking around for a long time and still haven't decided how much to buy."

As he spoke, the waiter glanced at Li Maocai out of the corner of his eye, his eyes full of disdain.

“Hehe…” Li Maocai scratched his head. Although he was looked down upon by this fellow, he did not take it to heart.

He understood that government-run factories naturally possessed such arrogance and haughtiness, and it was understandable that they looked down on his small, insignificant business.

"Alright, give me twenty cedar planks, thirty red pine planks, and um, twenty spruce planks as well." Li Maocai took a deep breath and finally made up his mind.

He pointed to several stacks of planks inside the shed, deciding to stop trying to bargain and prepare to buy some.

At this moment, he could already picture these pieces of wood gradually transforming in his small workshop under his sawing, planing, and chiseling—a vision and dedication belonging to a craftsman.

"That's all?..." The waiter's lips curled down slightly, revealing a mocking smile.

This piece of timber, which adds up to only a few silver dollars, has kept him serving for hours. From being full of energy in the morning to being starving near noon, it's truly frustrating.

Judging from Li Maocai's appearance, it seems he is preparing to make his own furniture.

But as an individual, he bought a little too much wood. Ordinary people don't need that much wood.
Could it be that he's planning to open his own woodworking shop?

Li Maocai ignored the shop assistant's attitude. He took out a slightly worn money bag from his pocket, carefully untied the rope, and began to count the silver coins one by one.

His fingers were rough, a mark left by years of working with wood, but he counted money with exceptional seriousness. The sound of each coin seemed to be the prelude to his upcoming "entrepreneurial journey".

After paying, Li Maocai hired a horse-drawn carriage and loaded the purchased timber onto it.

He sat by the carriage, his hand resting lightly on the wood, dreaming of a better future.

The carriage moved slowly forward, passing through the bustling streets. The sounds of vendors hawking their wares and children chasing and playing filled the air, but Li Maocai was completely absorbed in his own world.

He thought that after the timber was transported back, it would first need to be air-dried in the workshop for a few days to remove excess moisture and make the timber's properties more stable.

Cedar board is lightweight and has a beautiful texture, making it perfect for making wardrobe doors. Its delicate texture will become more and more lustrous with future wiping and maintenance.

Red pine boards are tough and durable, and can be used as the framework for tables, chairs, and bookcases, bearing the test of time.

Spruce boards have an elegant color, making them ideal for desks and bookshelves. They would look perfect for displaying books and art albums.

Before coming to Xinhua, he was a very famous carpenter in Sanshui County, Guangzhou Prefecture.

At that time, I had learned a craft from my father for more than ten years. Although I couldn't live a life of great wealth, I could still make sure I had enough to eat and wear.

His family's carpentry workshop was once quite well-known in the area. When neighbors needed furniture repairs or new furniture made, they would always think of him and his son first.

But who would have thought that the owner of "Sun's" lumber mill in the city, resentful that he had taken away his business, resorted to some underhanded tactics. First, he instigated the yamen runners and constables in the county government to constantly cause him trouble, finding all sorts of inexplicable excuses to come to his door to investigate taxes and impose levies, making him live in constant fear, and greatly affecting his workshop's business.

Later, he somehow found some thugs who smashed up his carpentry workshop, making it impossible for him to do business normally on the street.

To make matters worse, my father was conscripted by the Ministry of Works to do odd jobs in Guangzhou.

The work at the Municipal Council was arduous and chaotic. My father was already old and couldn't withstand such torment. In the end, he was exhausted and died in Guangzhou.

After arranging his father's funeral, he also squandered the family fortune in Sanshui in order to compensate for the workshop's losses and pay off debts. He was left to wander the streets of Guangzhou, looking for work everywhere.

However, a craftsman who has lost his roots will ultimately find it difficult to find a proper job in Guangzhou.

After being swindled several times, Li Maocai tragically became a refugee on the streets.

He had planned to beg for some food or receive some help, then return to his hometown of Sanshui, earn some money for himself with his skills, and live a stable life.

Who would have thought that in the autumn, he would fall seriously ill, collapse in the streets and alleys, and almost die.

If it weren't for the people from Xinhua's Guangzhou office who rescued him, he might have become an unidentified corpse in a mass grave outside Guangzhou.

Later, in order to repay the life-saving grace and to find a new way out, he boarded the immigrant ship of the new Chinese and traveled thousands of miles to the new continent.

A few years ago, he was assigned to work at Xinhua Wood Factory. He quickly gained importance because of his superb skills and was promoted from junior craftsman to senior master craftsman, becoming one of the best carpenters in the factory. The salary he earned allowed him to live a stable life and finally regain his confidence in life.

If things continue like this, even if I don't become extremely wealthy, it won't be difficult for me to live a life free from worries about food and clothing.

However, last year, the Xinhua government issued a policy to encourage the development of private industry and commerce and promote the rise of handicrafts. This policy was like a ray of dawn, instantly stirring up his long-dormant heartstrings.

According to the decree of the Xinhua government, any individual or organization can establish an independently operated business entity, and will receive a certain degree of government support in terms of policy and finance.

He tentatively inquired about this matter with the manager of the woodworking factory and received an affirmative answer.

Moreover, the manager also told him that in order to promote the development of industry and commerce in Xinhua, some government-controlled and dominant industries and workshops would be appropriately separated from the government and transferred to private capital.

For example, the woodworking factory where they work is considering some form of institutional reform, whereby the government will gradually transfer the shares it holds to individuals or groups, thereby achieving some kind of "market-oriented" operation.

Upon hearing this, Li Maocai immediately saw an opportunity: to establish his own woodworking workshop using his family's traditional carpentry skills.

With such a large number of immigrants every year, Xinhua's demand for all kinds of furniture and woodworking must be enormous!
When he nervously submitted his application to the Shixing City Administration for Industry and Commerce to establish a private workshop, he immediately received government approval and was even offered financial support.

However, out of caution, he politely declined many of the government's support measures, saying that his woodworking workshop was just an insignificant "small business" and not worth the government's great effort to get involved.

What a joke! If you agree to the government's funding, what if the workshop you founded grows big and ends up becoming government property?

At that time, I'm afraid I'd be crying my eyes out before I even had a chance to stop!

Of course, he didn't start a woodworking shop all by himself.

A fellow woodworker from Xinhua Wood Factory also had the idea of ​​starting his own business. After a brief discussion, the two hit it off immediately and reached a cooperation agreement.

After all, no matter how exquisite the craftsmanship, the entire process of making woodwork cannot be completed by one person alone.

Wood processing, manufacturing, painting, and assembly—each step is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and cannot be completed by one person alone.

Having a partner involved not only helps to share market risks, but also provides assistance in the production process, making things a little easier.

Now that the timber is ready, the workshop is about to begin a new chapter.

Li Maocai gazed at the receding city streets outside the car window, his heart filled with anticipation for the future.
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(End of this chapter)