Chapter 1326 A Giant Step for Mankind

In the restaurant, Shopkeeper Qian agreed with Shopkeeper Chen's statement.

"Yes, the production line is the way to maximize the use of manpower and material resources."

Shopkeeper Qian believed that anyone who had seen the production of steam engines would think that the production line method was the best choice for the future.

Then the three of them talked about the steam engine production line together.

"So, in fact, the production method of the soap workshop is similar to the steam engine production line."

"By the way, Shopkeeper Zhao, do you think that antiques and calligraphy and paintings can be mass-produced using the production line method? Hahaha!"

Shopkeeper Chen suddenly thought of this question and asked Shopkeeper Zhao with a smile.

Shopkeeper Zhao was stunned when he heard it.

If antiques and calligraphy and paintings are mass-produced, how can he make money?

"Shopkeeper Chen, I think you are confused. If antiques and calligraphy and paintings are produced using the production line, how much money can they be sold for?"

"If that's really the case, I'll have to go to the northwest wind!"

After Shopkeeper Zhao finished speaking, Shopkeeper Chen and Shopkeeper Qian couldn't help laughing out loud.

"Haha, hahaha!"

"Manager Zhao is right, hahaha!"

Half an hour later, the three finished their drinks and returned home.

Manager Qian first wrote a letter to report the sales of this batch of steam engines to Bai Feng.

Just when Manager Qian was drinking with Manager Chen and Manager Zhao.

The merchants who hoarded steam engines in their hands could no longer sit still.

When they purchased steam engines from Yizhou, they had spent more than 500 taels of silver.

If they still sell the steam engines in their hands for more than 500 taels of silver, they can be sold, but they will definitely not be sold at a high price of more than 800 taels of silver.

Six hundred taels of silver may not be a problem.

This wave of merchants who hoarded steam engines and waited to sell them at a high price really hated the opening of steam engine shops.

But they had no means of counterattack.

Steam engines were as popular in Yecheng as in Yizhou. It was impossible to unite and boycott the sale of steam engines in Yecheng.

"If this steam engine shop opened later, I could still make a lot of money!"

"Now I can't make money, and I may even lose money."

"Now the steam engine shop has a condition that each person can only buy two steam engines at most, otherwise we can buy all the steam engines back, alas!"

The merchants who were discussing countermeasures were in a bad mood at this time.

"Otherwise, we should sell this batch of steam engines before the next batch of steam engines starts selling in Yecheng."

"Otherwise, when the next batch of steam engines arrives in Yecheng, I'm afraid we won't be able to sell the steam engines in our hands for even 600 taels."

A merchant who had eight steam engines in his hands said.

He bought these steam engines at a high price of 560 taels each.

Even so, he only bought eight steam engines from the Yizhou gentry. Most of the Yizhou gentry are still taking a wait-and-see attitude, hoping that the purchase price can rise again.

Selling at a price between 600 and 700 taels, this merchant just earned hard-earned money.

After hearing this, other merchants felt that this was their only choice.

If it was really as the nobleman said, the next time the steam engine shop sold another thirty or fifty steam engines, the steam engines in their hands would not be sold for more than six hundred taels.

Making some money is much better than losing money.

"Then let's make it like this!"

"The steam engines we sell must not be less than six hundred and fifty taels, so that everyone can still make money."

After discussion, they reached a consensus.

Shopkeeper Qian, who had a good sleep, learned from Shopkeeper Chen the next day that the second-hand dealers were selling their steam engines at a price of about six hundred and fifty taels.

"Hahaha, sell your steam engines quickly, there will only be this one store selling steam engines in Yecheng in the future!"

Happy shopkeeper Qian planned to have a drink tonight.

After solving the problem of the second-hand dealers, shopkeeper Qian no longer worried that the profits of the steam engine would be shared by others.

"By the way, this good news should also be told to the Marquis of Hanzhong as soon as possible."

Then Shopkeeper Qian wrote to Bai Feng again to explain the situation.

At this time, Bai Feng had not received Shopkeeper Qian's first letter about the sales of steam engines.

However, Bai Feng was not worried that the steam engine would not sell well in Yecheng.

First of all, steam engines are already in short supply in Yecheng.

Secondly, almost all the cloth shops in Yizhou have now replaced their water-powered looms with steam looms.

If the cloth shop merchants and gentry in Yecheng still use water-powered looms, then the share of the cloth market will only become smaller and smaller for them.

After arranging Shopkeeper Qian to go to Yecheng to sell steam engines, Bai Feng was not idle in Hanzhong.

Whether it is a mine, a research and development center or a nitroglycerin/oil explosive workshop, Bai Feng will take time to see the output and production situation.

After a period of time, the craftsmen who built the railway have mastered the skills.

Now the construction speed of railways between cities in Hanzhong has been significantly improved.

The railway that could be built one mile a day has now reached a distance of one and a half miles.

If all the cities in Hanzhong are connected by railway according to the current construction progress, it will take about half a year.

Bai Feng can accept this speed, and he will recruit another batch of craftsmen depending on the situation.

Of course, the premise is that the steel production of the mine can be increased again.

Since the use of steam trains to transport ore and smelted iron ingots, the mine has changed from blasting every ten days to blasting every six days.

Wei Boyang and his team are also constantly improving the way of blasting.

Now, the amount of ore produced by a blasting is 10% higher than at the beginning, and the amount of nitroglycerin/oil explosives used is 20% lower.

Bai Feng naturally praised the achievements of the nitroglycerin/oil explosives workshop. The alchemists who received generous rewards and rewards were also very motivated in their work.

After becoming familiar with the properties of nitroglycerin/oil, the frequency of explosions during experiments has become lower and lower.

Now Bai Feng has put the mass production of nitroglycerin/oil explosives on the schedule.

As long as the control measures for the use of nitroglycerin/explosives are well implemented, Bai Feng believes that the efficiency of the mine can be increased by another 20% on the current basis, and the mine can continue to recruit more miners.

"Although the steam locomotive can only play its role in the mine now, this is just the beginning."

In Bai Feng's eyes, this is a small step in industrialization, but it is a big step for all mankind!