Chapter Forty-Nine: The Eastern and Western Courts

In the blink of an eye, the preliminary construction of the east and west wings was fully completed, and the new Yang estate had expanded to more than five times its original size. At present, the two wings housed only the workshops and collective dormitories; there was no need to fuss over details yet. The plan was to commence official operations first, then gradually lay down paving stones, and separate the roads with flowerbeds and greenery, ensuring an environment no less pleasant than living in the original side rooms.

The staff assigned by Old Yang were already in place. After Yang Cheng gave a brief motivational speech, work began quietly.

The food factory in the east wing now employed as many as three hundred and fifty people. The backbone consisted of seasoned veterans or those who had contributed to the development of new products, reassembling them into twenty small teams. The original first to fourth groups, led by Aunt Bai and three others, now managed two hundred workers, still responsible for producing staple foods for their original clients, though each now specialized in different products. Besides dumplings, noodles, steamed buns, soy milk, and fried dough sticks, five new varieties had been added: glutinous rice balls, mooncakes, tofu pudding, wontons, and bread. Most were flour- and bean-based, easy to make.

The speckled beast meat and milk from Baixi Village had begun arriving daily. For the sake of simplicity in future product names, Yang Cheng unified them under the names beef and milk. Aunt Wang, formerly of the fifth group, led a hundred or so people in experimenting with dairy products, making various milk candies, cream, and cookies made with flour and milk. The cake that Yang Cheng had specifically mentioned seemed on the verge of success. Aunt Zhao from the sixth group had branched off with fifty people to specialize in beef jerky and other snacks of various flavors.

Apart from the staple foods, which could not be preserved and needed daily delivery, Yang Cheng’s future plans focused on products that kept well, given that this world lacked means for long-term food storage.

His attention was already shifting elsewhere. As for food, he had listed dozens of varieties and set up generous rewards; the rest was up to the factory workers’ ingenuity.

The last time he saw Hua Mingzhu copying cultivation techniques onto cloth, which was inconvenient, he was inspired to develop paper as soon as possible. Now, with sweets, biscuits, and jerky on the way, using burlap for packaging was too costly, forcing him to move his papermaking plans forward.

Yang Cheng chuckled to himself, thinking, who could have imagined that something as world-changing as papermaking would, in his case, be driven by the need for product packaging.

The woodworking factory in the west wing had now been renamed the furniture factory. Maozi led more than two hundred people in spirited labor, feeling extremely proud. The original workers had, through repeated practice, quickly become experienced hands. With over a hundred new recruits, they were rapidly producing what the young master called furniture.

According to Yang Cheng, if time was short, there must at least be one exquisitely finished sample of each type and style, ready for display when Yang Family Furniture opened its doors. Customers could then place orders, upon which more would be made.

Upon hearing that sales would begin next month and that they would finally generate returns for the young master, Maozi and the others were so excited that everyone spent even their breaks at the factory, completing twice their assigned quota. Only a few pieces were found wanting by the young master due to issues with seams and finishing.

Yang Cheng called in Su Yunxue and Old Yang to rework the plans for both wings. The workshops at the front of both wings were placed by the road for ease of shipping. Now, greenery would separate the collective dormitories, ensuring a good living environment. There was ample open space to build warehouses next to the workshops, and the rest would be expanded according to future business plans.

The area near the mountain was reserved for villa residences.

A stone-paved avenue led from the factory gates to the rear mountain, with flowerbeds filled with blooms to ensure flowers in every season. In the middle of the avenue, a stone-paved plaza allowed space for communal activities. Several smaller paths branched off, lined with three-story residences.

Inside, each house was designed to accommodate households of ten or more, with small plots front and back temporarily serving as lawns. In the future, families could plant flowers or vegetables as they wished.

To minimize land used for roads, four houses were set close together, aligned to the four cardinal directions, with low walls separating them. The plan allowed for over three hundred residences in the two wings. If fully occupied, and based on the average household size in Wuzhou City, this could house between fifteen hundred and two thousand people.

However, the underground sewage system needed to be well-designed. Yang Cheng quickly planned it so everything would flow into the city’s sewer system. Liuyun City, in his previous life, was a super metropolis, so sewage wouldn’t be a problem.

The three hundred or so temporary workers he had hired remained, with all subsequent housing construction now fully entrusted to Old Yang, who was fast becoming a seasoned foreman.

The private school at the foot of the rear mountain was nearly finished. According to Yang Cheng’s requirements, it would be divided into three age groups: four to six, seven to ten, and eleven to fourteen. Older students were unlikely, since most children here began working as soon as they were able, out of necessity.

In front of the school, a leveled ground had been set aside for play and activities. Behind, a sizable martial arts field had been built, which could be used for children with potential for cultivation. As for teachers, they could be chosen from among the family’s martial artists.

All the families were eager to send their children—such a good opportunity was rare for people like them. But Yang Cheng had been busy and hadn’t yet hired teachers. He had little experience in education and no time for detailed planning, so he decided to get the school running first, teach basic literacy, and then gradually refine the curriculum.

It seemed he would have to ask the franchisees for help this time. With the taverns spreading the word, news would travel quickly; Wuzhou City still had many impoverished scholars. Becoming a tutor at the private school would not disgrace a learned man.

At this thought, Yang Cheng immediately sent Xiao Wu to the supply point, where Da Niu was in charge, instructing him to inform every shop assistant who came to collect goods. They were to spread the word: any upright scholar with learning could come to the Yang Family of Nanqiu in the next few days for an interview.

Hundreds of business owners were naturally willing to help. Their businesses had revived thanks to Yang Family’s food, and they felt grateful. After hearing from their assistants, they passed on the hiring news to their contacts. In less than three days, news of the Yang Family’s recruitment of tutors was circulating in most of the taverns in Wuzhou.

Many down-on-their-luck scholars were eager to try. Though the Yang Family of Nanqiu was not well known, the salary offered was very generous, with monthly evaluations and rewards for outstanding teachers. Teaching was a respectable profession, and opportunities for such positions were rare in Wuzhou, where private schools were few and far between.