On Changzhou Island, people were crowded and hot, and there were constant jingling sounds. Factory buildings and furnace rooms rose from the ground. The ship docks first saw the scale, and several hydraulically powered cranes that could lift nearly 100 tons were slowly stretching their arms.

This is the island of the Pearl River. Looking north at Huangpu Port, the river water is surging, and the sea and sky are the same in the distance.

The largest Canton Shipyard in the Far East represents the world's most advanced technology level will be located here.

Walking on this busy island with countless figures, Ye Zhao took a deep breath and finally got a little nervous.

Behind Ye Zhao, there were a vast group of people, including white men with high noses and Qing officials in official uniforms. In addition to a red-top official, there were two foreigners with curly hair and curly hair in their forties called Martin, and the Chinese in their early thirties were called Liu Qi. They were the chief executives of the Cantonese Shipyard. At the beginning of their business, Martin from the British shipyard was naturally the master. Although Liu Qi was the leader of Chinese businessmen, he naturally had to take the attitude of learning as his deputy.

Although this shipyard is state-owned, Ye Zhao did not set up a government office like the Shipbuilding Bureau to manage it, nor did he put a red head on Liu Qi. The failure of the Westernization Movement is a lesson learned from the past, and enterprises must follow the corporate route.

Shipyards have to bear their own profits and losses, not just ship trades. Even the Guangdong navy must settle them clearly whether they purchase ships or repair and renovate ships. Of course, in the past few years, the shipyard naturally had to allocate silver subsidies to it, but the amount of financial allocations must be clearly defined, which is two concepts of relying on state support.

In terms of employment, it is even more different from the Westernization Movement. The foreign technicians hired during the Westernization Movement are all just a slut. These administrative personnel are almost all outsiders. Such capable ministers, such as Zuo Zongtang, are also nepotism. They hire foreigners who have close contact with them, rather than professional management talents.

Most of these foreigners are not worthy of money in the local area, but earn huge salaries in China. After more than ten years, they all become rich.

Ye Zhao is still very satisfied with the administrative talents and technicians recruited by Wells and Sheng and Bank in the UK. Just say Martin, he has experience as an executive at the Royal Liverpool Shipyard. Although he came to the Qing Dynasty for a high salary, Ye Zhao felt that he should be worth the money.

As for the senior technicians and low-level technicians, the salary is reasonable.

In the Westernization Movement, taking the Mawei Shipyard as an example, it took ten years to localize the technicians and dismiss all Western technicians. Ye Zhao hoped to achieve this goal within five years. In fact, this is a conservative number. After all, unlike the Westernization Movement, Guangdong is gradually forming a national-level basic industrial chain, while the Westernization Movement has never achieved this. For example, when setting up a shipyard and the ordnance factory, it set up a small iron factory in the shipyard ordnance factory. It will build whatever is needed. What has changed is that the small world of the Ordnance Bureau of the Shipyard did not rely on the several major enterprises in the Westernization Movement to drive the development of national industries. After all, it was a deformed development. During that period, the Qing Dynasty industry could not even be discussed.

The yamen-style factories are even more redundant. The leaders of all departments are counting on promotion and wealth, and they can make money from it to make money. This kind of enterprise will only become a bottomless pit and be supported by the government's white money and water.

"Okay, prince, the official can see that the prince is really a big idea. This Western steamer is just around the corner!" The red-topped official next to Ye Zhao sighed with admiration.

He was the governor of Huguang, a native of the Manchu White Banner. He was born with a good face and tall figure. In fact, he was a typical child of Manchu nobles. He was not familiar with political affairs and relied on the shogunate to help him make plans. At that time, people said that there were "three majors" in the governor of Huguang, namely, concubines, sects, and ***.

He has a strong sense of official literature and has always looked down on Han officials. He has a deep prejudice against the rising Han scholars like a rocket. Seeing these lowly Han scholars, farmers get up one by one to occupy a high position, they feel very uncomfortable and often scold important Han officials in the temple behind their backs.

Guan Wen and Zeng Guofan were even more intimate. Zeng Guofan was the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, but had a huge influence in Hunan and Hubei. Especially after Zeng Guoquan was appointed as the governor of Hubei, he almost became a powerful force with Guan Wen. In addition, the Guangdong army entered Jiangxi and the main battlefield of the Hunan Army was placed at the junction of Hubei, Jiangxi and Anhui, and fought fiercely with Shidakai's troops in Jiujiang.

Inevitably, the Hubei military and political affairs were increasingly criticized by Zeng Guofan, and even the appointment of the prefect of Wuchang Prefecture was interfered by Zeng Guofan. The officials recommended by the official documents were not elected, and the emperor changed the appointment of a Hunan Army camp as Wuchang Prefecture.

How could Guan Wen not feel so suffocating in this tone? There is no such a cowardly governor in the world, right?

Ye Zhao naturally knew a lot about his grudges with Zeng Guofan, and also knew that the official literature and political reputation were not good. The so-called "three major" jokes were mostly caused by the Hunan Army, which made everyone know about it. In fact, the official literature was not so stupid, but there were people with Manchu children who were very serious.

But when they talked with Ye Zhao about playing with birds and eagles, the two of them had a lot of fun and had a very similar smell.

For Ye Zhao, a yellow bandit and noble family, the official article is another way. He is intimate and flirting with each other. If he is a man from the Inlaid Blue Banner, he is afraid he can be called a slave.

Before the New Year, Guan Wen came to Guangzhou in person to meet with the two palaces of the Empress Dowagers, but after that year, he came to pay tribute to the Empress Dowagers of the Empress Dowagers of the Palaces. It is not without the contribution of the "confidant" of the Little Prince.

Today, I followed Ye Zhao to Changzhou Island, but everything was really fresh. I saw that the mud and sand raised by the huge crane were afraid that it would be 1,000 pounds, so my tongue could not be retracted.

After hearing Guan Wen's feelings, Ye Zhao smiled slightly and said, "What we built can't be called the Western Steamer. It's called the Qing Steamer. In a few years, we will build a ship, and carry two palaces of the Lady Buddha to sea for a walk. That's what's the majesty."

Guan Wen smiled and said, "That's good, who said that our flag soldiers are not good? Isn't the prince's soldiers just flag soldiers? Even steamships can be built, can they compare with them?"

After hearing his words, he turned to Zeng Guofan again. Ye Zhao was amused and nodded without saying a word.

While talking, I saw a tall and straight foreigner with a hook-nosed nose was admiring the stone lions on both sides of the factory.

These two vivid male and female stone lions are carved with Xin'an bluestone, which means to ward off evil spirits and protect the spirit beasts.

When Martin saw the hook-nosed foreigner in front of the stone lion, he hurriedly walked a few steps, whispered a few words with the hook-nosed foreigner, and led the hook-nosed foreigner over. Martin smiled and said to Ye Zhao: "Prince, he is the chief designer Cook. You have seen both Brooke and Cliff." This time, the Canton Shipyard hired a total of three chief designers, all of whom could lead the design team to complete the design of giant ships.

Ye Zhao smiled and stretched out his hand and said, "Hello, Mr. Cook, welcome to China. In a few days, I will personally invite you to welcome you to friends who have come from afar."

Seeing Ye Zhao reaching out and speaking to him in fluent English, Cook's proud face couldn't help but feel a little surprised. He reached out to hold Ye Zhao and said, "It turns out that the Prince is very good at speaking English. I have a lot to say to you, but Mr. Martin has been blocking me. Now, I hope we can have an open and honest communication!"

Ye Zhao smiled and said, "Mr. Cook just said it clearly."

Martin's face was a little anxious, but now he couldn't pull Kuk away.

Cook immediately shrugged with an exaggerated expression: "Prince, the conditions here are too difficult. My stomach feels very uncomfortable, as if I have dysentery. I heard that there will be too many mosquitoes in the future. If I had known the environment of your shipyard, I would not have come to China."

Ye Zhao smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Cook, I am a straightforward person. I also hope you can get straight to the point and be more straightforward. I don't know how to guess riddles."

Cook raised his head and smiled, "Your Prince is a big shot, so I won't waste your time. I hope you can increase our salary as appropriate. After all, the environment here is very different from what I had imagined before, and it's too difficult."

Martin shook his head and said it. Martin had repeatedly instructed Mr. Wells to do his best to help the Chinese prince build this shipyard. From his own perspective, coming to China, in addition to being a high salary and a high position, is also an opportunity to prove his ability. If he can make a name in the East, his value will double when he returns to China in the future. This is much more eye-catching than managing a shipyard in the British mainland. Moreover, in the British mainland, there is no such a huge shipyard that would hire him as the chief executive.

Ye Zhao glanced at Cook a few times and said calmly: "Although it's a little harder now, Mr. Cook should know that this problem will be solved soon."

But Cook shook his head and said, "Prince, if you cannot improve our treatment, I have to return to China."

Ye Zhao smiled and said, "Okay, then you please take care of yourself."

"What?" Cook was stunned, unable to believe his ears, and Martin also looked at Ye Zhao in surprise.

"Aren't you going back to China? I will send someone to Hong Kong tomorrow morning. The food and accommodation from Guangzhou to Hong Kong will be handled by the shipyard. But after arriving in Hong Kong, Mr. Cook has nothing to do with the Canton Shipyard." Ye Zhao said, as if calculating the number, "Well, two pieces of silver are enough to pay all Mr. Cook's fees."

Cook stayed for a while, his face turned red and he said, "But, but we have a contract."

Ye Zhao said lightly: "Why, do you know that there is still a labor contract between us? Mr. Cook, your country's Deputy Minister of Finance is only more than 1,000 pounds an annual salary. Do you think your position is more important than your country's Minister of Finance? Do you know why the shipyard signed a one-year contract with you three chief engineers? Survival of the fittest and competition. After a year, the shipyard will only retain one chief engineer. Of course, this is just my idea. If the three perform well, it can make the shipyard management feel that everyone is indispensable, then there is nothing left for the three."

"Don't say that you are leaving now, even if all three of you resign, that's nothing. In London, my friends have been helping me find the right talents. Mr. Cook, if you choose a company, the company will also choose you. This is a two-way choice. Could it be that Mr. Cook thought that if I left you, I would not be able to handle the shipyard?"

"According to the contract, you will not get a penny of money when you quit your job now. Not only now, if your future performance cannot satisfy the shipyard management, you can also fire you. You just need to make up for your salary for two months. Of course, we Chinese people are concerned about face and hospitality, and never care about interests coldly, but if Mr. Cook is good at calculating, then we must learn from Mr. Cook."

Cook was a little confused. First of all, this Chinese prince was very familiar with London's salary structure. Another thing is, the contract? It turns out that this is how a one-year contract came about? I originally thought that the Chinese signed three chief engineers in one go, which was always extravagant and wasteful. It turned out that it turned out to be a competition mechanism. As for the terms of the contract, Cook did not study it carefully, because he had heard of the Chinese government agencies, contracts and other contracts were just in form, and the British consultant of Shanghai Jiang Customs was like the Supreme Emperor.

But, why? It seems that I am still trapped in a contract trap? According to this, I can fire us chief engineers at any time? The contract trap of Chinese people, isn’t this too funny?

Cook wanted to run back and read his contract carefully, and then wanted to speak softly and beg for mercy. Indeed, he could earn the salary of the Deputy Minister of Finance. This salary was not easy to find in the UK.

Ye Zhao glanced at him and said, "I hope Mr. Cook will consider it clearly before deciding where to go."

"Okay, okay." Cook sweated slightly on his forehead. He watched Ye Zhao walk forward and the team passed by. He suddenly leaned against the stone lion like a ball that was deflated.

Following Ye Zhao, Martin's eyes changed a little when he looked at Ye Zhao again. How could this be the Chinese prince? This style is even more provocative than the big capitalists in China. It looks gentle and calm, but if you really mess with him, you will immediately know how huge mistake you made.

When Ye Zhao spoke to him warmly again, Martin became more and more respectful.

Hiring three chief workers is indeed a considerable expense. The three of them earn tens of thousands of taels of silver a year, but they can make up for the prince’s salary. However, Ye Zhao felt that he should do this and introduce competition so that he would not do anything to fool things in China. He would just copy some British ship sketches and just pass the exam.

Although it is inevitable that the shipyard will imitate it in the early stages, Ye Zhao still hopes that the Chinese technicians who have learned can learn some real skills.

Moreover, Ye Zhao just made them feel a sense of crisis. When the Shipbuilding School was launched, the contract stated that the three chief engineers and all kinds of technicians would have to teach part-time classes. At that time, they would do their best. The more technicians they hired were just to prepare for the Shipbuilding School.

Thinking about it, Ye Zhao also felt like a bad boss, but everyone got what they wanted. Is it understandable that the Chinese people’s money so easy to make?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I slept until five o'clock this time, and I updated it first. I continued to write. It was probably five o'clock and six o'clock, and it was ten o'clock tomorrow.

I saw a friend confused how many words I wrote. Sweat, there is a time difference now. Home visits are on No. 4. Now this chapter, including the chapter at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning, is on No. 5. So I am afraid that it will take until No. 9 to truly adjust the time.

Finally, it’s the top ten. Thank you very much. I also read everyone’s enthusiastic comments. Thank you!

There are still friends who are good at supporting me and strive to maintain my advantage!
Chapter completed!