Chapter 586 - Bribery and Soliciting Bribes

Finally, at Li Luoyou's request, Liu San took them to the power workshop to let him see "the power of steam." Li Luoyou was startled by the boiler workers, who were black with soot all over, showing only the whites of their eyes as they continuously shoveled black coal into the raging furnaces. As for the large iron box called a "boiler," it emitted wisp after wisp of white steam everywhere.

Li Luoyou and Quark watched the movement of the steam engine's pistons, connecting rods, and flywheels for a long time, remaining silent. The shock embodied by such powerful "force" was simply too great.

If the Australians were to set up such a gun factory for the Great Ming... Li Luoyou immediately shook his head. How could that be possible! Not to mention that Wang Zunde could not afford this money at all, even if the Imperial Court were to undertake it, the appropriation alone would probably cause a huge uproar in the court.

This gun factory was worth at least a million taels of silver. Furthermore, where would so many master craftsmen come from? The craftsmen he hired in Foshan could at most melt iron and pour iron water; they didn't know how to operate machines.

Thinking of this, his interest had waned. It seemed this trip: buying guns was impossible, and setting up a gun factory was even more hopeless. The business deal reached with the Australians was certainly good, but he was already making plenty of money; earning an extra hundred thousand taels a year was just so-so.

Because his interest had waned, he simply had no interest in continuing the tour that day. Pleading illness, he returned to Runshitang.

After Liu San saw them back, he immediately went to the Executive Committee to report the whole situation, and also mentioned Li Luoyou's attempt to bribe him.

"He seemed to become very depressed looking at our arsenal."

"Probably he felt we could manipulate the power of ghosts and gods and was frightened quite a bit," Wen Desi said. "Looking at the intelligence department's data, this Boss Li has great potential as a Ming loyalist. After seeing the production process, he probably had a premonition that the Great Ming is doomed."

"Wouldn't that be asking for trouble? He might bring the Great Ming's army to suppress us right away."

"Suppress? Will he pay the military expenses and provisions?" Wu De scoffed. "Letting the government know a bit of our strength isn't bad; at least let them know this place isn't so easy to chew."

"I think you could totally accept his bribe," Wu Nanhai happened to be in the compound for business and joined the banter. "Say that after your efforts and maneuvering, you finally agreed to build a 'monkey model' gun factory. For this, you maneuvered the gentlemen of the Executive Committee and spent countless favors..."

"Alright, stop joking." Ma Qianzhu interrupted Wu Nanhai's idea of "disguised asset increase." "The impression we give now must be one of integrity and devotion to public duty. It's not worth blackening our names for this little thing."

"I feel the same way." Liu San thought that the ginseng was probably gone.

That night, Liu San visited Li Luoyou with a mysterious expression, telling him: The higher-ups said selling guns is not allowed, but they can sell him the equipment for a gun factory.

Li Luoyou was stunned. This was originally what he always wanted, the so-called "giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him to fish." But after seeing the foundry yesterday, he had completely dispelled such fantasies—he couldn't afford this kind of gun factory even if he bankrupted his family.

"Thank you, Master San, for your trouble and the good intentions of your superiors. As for this gun factory, this humble brother is probably powerless," Li Luoyou cupped his hands with a bitter smile. "Before coming to Lingao, this humble brother thought he was knowledgeable. After the viewing yesterday, I realized I was a frog in a well!"

Liu San was stunned. He thought the other party would be moved to tears of gratitude, but he didn't expect him to say these words. The implication was obviously that it was too expensive. Thinking again, the things seen yesterday were indeed too fierce; there was a misunderstanding.

"This is a simplified gun factory." Liu San gestured for a long time. He wasn't from an engineering background himself, and he was facing an indigenous person of this spacetime—Li Luoyou wasn't ignorant of science; in terms of algebra and geometry, he was probably wiser than Liu San who had returned all his high school math to his teachers, but he knew nothing about industrial production.

After painstakingly explaining for a long time, he finally made Li Luoyou understand his meaning: the Australians were willing to provide a set of simplified equipment suitable for the Great Ming's level. This set of equipment could completely produce cannons in Foshan, with higher production quality and efficiency than local methods.

"Are the cannons produced Australian cannons?"

Li Luoyou hadn't seen Australian cannons fire, but he had heard a lot: they shot particularly accurately, shot very far—dozens of li in one shot and so on. And the production flow he saw in the foundry yesterday also gave him the feeling that these cannons were extraordinarily powerful—if it were just an Australian version of the Red Barbarian Cannon, they wouldn't need such precision work.

"This set of equipment is prepared specifically for manufacturing Red Barbarian Cannons," Liu San said. "What comes out is naturally still Red Barbarian Cannons, but they will be easier to use than the Red Hairs' ones."

"So that's how it is!" Li Luoyou felt slightly disappointed. But on second thought, setting up a foundry in Foshan was originally intended to build Red Barbarian Cannons. This trip could be considered worthwhile.

Subsequently, the Foreign Trade Department proposed a contract. It stipulated that Lingao would provide Li Luoyou with the complete equipment and production technology for a simplified gun factory, and be responsible for installation and worker training, while providing maintenance and spare parts service for one year. The total value of the contract was equivalent to fifty thousand Kuping taels.

Li Luoyou sucked in a breath of cold air when he saw the quote. This was even more expensive than the British gun factory equipment quoted by Quark! Quark estimated equipment plus shipping at four thousand Spanish pillar dollars. Master craftsmen were calculated separately: the highest was no more than two hundred twenty taels of silver a year. The lowest was one hundred taels a year. The total labor cost was less than two thousand a year.

This investment would probably not be earned back even if he built cannons for Wang Zunde for ten years. Let alone his investment in this project, just when the Guangdong Provincial Administration Commission would settle the full payment for the manufactured cannons was a problem.

Li Luoyou's loyalty to the sovereign and love for the country struggled with his merchant nature in his heart for a long time. He couldn't make up his mind.

"Can we really not buy cannons?" He still hoped to buy cannons directly. Fifty thousand taels could buy many cannons. The effect of Australian cannons brought back would definitely be more conspicuous than buying a set of equipment. Although he advanced most of the money, there was ultimately a meaning of "government-supervised, merchant-managed" in it. If he did things with great fanfare under the government's banner but the results were not apparent, the Provincial Administration Commission's expression would not look good. Many people around Wang Zunde were jealous of his assignment; complying with the request would become a huge handle against him.

"In principle, no." Liu San adopted a bureaucratic tone. Seeing Li Luoyou looking like he had eaten a bitter melon, it was obvious his heart ached for the silver.

"Allow Li to consider it again."

That evening, Liu San returned to his office in Runshitang. Just as he wanted to rest, take a bath, and have a happy time with Xuan Chun in the evening—their feelings were growing stronger day by day, and Xuan Chun had gradually let go a lot, becoming much more active than letting him manipulate her while lying down in the past. Just as he was thinking about what fresh tricks to play tonight, Fu Wuben suddenly came to report: Advisor Han was visiting.

"Advisor Han?" Liu San was strange. This person was Li Luoyou's accompanying advisor, his confidant. Why did he suddenly visit him?

"Quickly invite him in."

As they spoke, Advisor Han had already entered. This Advisor Han was about fifty years old, his eyelids always drooping, looking listless, only occasionally flashing brilliance when his eyelids lifted.

"Master San," Advisor Han bowed deeply. Very polite. "The student has come to disturb you!"

He spoke Mandarin, but his accent carried Minnan dialect. Two servants followed behind him, carrying food boxes.

"You are too kind, too kind." Liu San hurriedly returned the courtesy, inviting him to sit in the main room.

"My master brought some premium Wuyi tea, a tribute to the imperial court. The student saw that the tea here is not very good, so borrowed this flower to offer to Buddha, to taste with Master San."

As he spoke, the two servants were already busy, laying out the tea set and wind stove one by one. Liu San saw this was the so-called Kung Fu tea, only slightly different in form and daily usage.

The servants lit the wind stove and put on cold water. Advisor Han signaled them to withdraw.

The wind stove used premium Red Luo charcoal, and the cast iron kettle was not large; the water boiled slightly in a moment.

"There is no good spring water here, but Shopkeeper Yang's family is indeed an old family! They actually have rain water from the previous year!"

Fujian's Wuyi tea, exquisite utensils, brewed just right. Although Liu San didn't know his intention, holding the mindset of taking things as they come, he tasted the tea while appreciating the tea set, chatting idly with Advisor Han. Appearing extremely comfortable and casual. Advisor Han also deliberately avoided official business, only engaging in social niceties. Wanting to deepen their friendship in a short moment.

After changing the tea leaves once, Advisor Han finally said: "The student came here on my master's dispatch. Specifically for the matter of the gun factory."

Liu San nodded: As expected, he came to bargain. Theoretically, bargaining is expected for large transactions, but the debate on this issue within the Executive Committee and the Senate Standing Committee was very intense. Wu De's plan to sell equipment was only barely passed, so if the price of fifty thousand taels were to be discounted, it would probably become the best ammunition for the opponents.

Seeing Liu San reveal a difficult expression upon hearing his intention, Advisor Han became more certain of his calculations. He was indeed dispatched by Li Luoyou, but he also had another layer of purpose.

Advisor Han flattered Lingao as "people at peace and market prosperous," complimented them again, and then touched upon the request:

"Regarding the price of this gun factory, I wonder if a concession can be made?"

Liu San naturally shook his head. The Foreign Trade Department only gave him the authority to quote, not the authority to negotiate business.

Advisor Han then hinted: In any business deal, there is always a "hat" (markup/cushion) included. If Liu San could come forward to maneuver and lower the quote by ten or twenty percent, Li Luoyou would definitely have a generous gift—silver, women, anything was possible.

"I really can't help." Liu San continued to shake his head. "It's not that I'm being pretentious, it's really that the higher-ups have set a rule: not selling for less than fifty thousand taels." He said in a sentimental tone, "I beg brother to understand in all matters."

This was tantamount to shutting the door on the discussion. At this point, there was really nothing more to discuss. Liu San also couldn't be bothered to socialize with him anymore, speaking in circles with hypocrisy.

Unexpectedly, Advisor Han didn't leave but started speaking differently. "My master likes your group's machines very much. It's just that the price is too high, and he hasn't been able to make up his mind, always wavering. Honestly speaking, the success or failure of this matter lies in a single word or thought."

Liu San didn't understand what this meant; was it all empty talk? Thinking carefully again, he suddenly understood: This was Advisor Han making an offer.

The deal could be done, and at their quoted price, but Advisor Han personally had to be given a benefit.

First, he tried to bribe him to lower the price; when lowering the price failed, it turned into soliciting a bribe. This business was truly creative! Liu San thought that the transmigrator group absolutely prohibited accepting bribes, but giving bribes didn't matter—this was inherently a society where bribery was public practice; nothing could be done without bribery.

"I wonder how big a 'hat' Mr. Han wants to wear?" Liu San probed first.

"Hehe, Master San is truly straightforward." Advisor Han said, "The total price of four [sic - likely meant fifty] thousand has been quoted; a hat cannot be worn."

"How much kickback?"

"Ten percent." Advisor Han raised two fingers.

"Ten percent?" Liu San almost shouted. This was five thousand taels—definitely no go. Not to mention ten percent, even a thousand taels kickback was impossible. There were already many people opposing this matter; if a huge kickback was involved, wouldn't it become a ready-made target!

There was no need to even report it up—Liu San rejected it directly.

"Won't Master San think thrice?" Advisor Han narrowed his eyes, sipping tea in small mouthfuls.

"Truly powerless." Liu San shook his head.

Seeing his attitude was very firm with no room for discussion, Advisor Han sneered slightly:

"Australian machines are naturally beyond reproach, but after all, they are just iron tools."

Liu San was furious upon hearing this, thinking this Advisor Han truly turned his face faster than flipping a book. He also sneered: "Mirrors are made of sand, yet people rush to buy them with real gold and silver."

Advisor Han smiled unfathomably and took his leave. Liu San looked blank, not figuring out what Advisor Han meant until the end.

Li Luoyou received Advisor Han's report and knew that private maneuvering for a discount was hopeless. He then discussed with Advisor Han whether to buy the gun factory or not. Li Luoyou rarely discussed business matters with others usually, but this time he really couldn't make up his mind.

Advisor Han pondered for a moment and said: "The Australians' capability, Master has seen it all. The student need not say more. However, no one in the Great Ming knows how to use these machines; that is a difficult problem..."

"According to Master San, they will help train craftsmen to operate them."

"Australians have always been trustworthy; this point can be skipped." Advisor Han said, "But the Australian price is not low. Within a year is fine to say, but if after a year, what if the Australians 'hold the machine to enhance their own importance'?"

This sentence was like a bucket of ice water poured over Li Luoyou's head. Only Australians knew how to use the machines, and only they could manufacture them. If they broke, only they could repair them. This was a big problem!

"Master, the contract only covers repair and teaching for the first year!" Seeing his employer's face change greatly, Advisor Han knew his words had moved him. His implication was clear: if the Australians asked for sky-high prices in the second year, would he use it or not. Using it meant being exploited; not using it meant the machine bought with hard-earned money would become a pile of scrap iron!

"Master, Australian machines are indeed good, but this is not like local craftsmen where if Zhang San can't do it Li Si can, and if Li Si can't do it Wang Wu can—one or two capable ones can always be found. Besides, you are serving the Imperial Court. If you want someone to come and they don't, that's being unappreciative; a card from the government office can deal with them! Nor is it like the English mechanics Master Quark invited—once here they rely entirely on you, sir; out the door, they are blind. The Australians possess skills only they know, and they have a lair in Lingao. It seems the government can't do anything to them either. What if they put on airs and don't come to repair?"

"Australians have always been trustworthy; they wouldn't do such things." Li Luoyou's confidence had wavered.

"Master, let's leave that aside. Australians are ultimately people outside civilization. The Court won't ignore Lingao forever. When the time comes to send troops for a crusade, fighting for a few years, Australians can't come to the mainland, and the machines here can't be dismantled and sent to Lingao. Wouldn't that be a troublesome matter?"

"Very true!" This was a very worrying matter. "What is your opinion?"

"The student believes that to have no worries for the future, one must spare no expense to recruit a few mechanics from among the Australians to bring to the mainland for maintenance." He continued, "Nothing more than using heavy gold and women to bind their hearts."

Advisor Han didn't say not to buy, but proposed something fundamentally impossible to achieve.

"This matter is fundamentally unfeasible." Li Luoyou had calculated this long ago. Liu San refused completely, only agreeing to train craftsmen for him. As for privately connecting with Australian craftsmen, he was unfamiliar with the place and people here, and judging by the Australians' guarded appearance, it was impossible.

He couldn't help but sigh deeply.

"Making this kind of broken stuff is simply shameful." Several technicians surrounded a table in the Mechanical Factory office. Spread on the table were three-view drawings of several pieces of equipment. This was data just transferred from the Grand Library.

The so-called gun factory equipment consisted of only five items: power unit, gearbox, pulley block crane, blower, plus a cannon boring machine. The three-view drawings on the paper were all drawn according to actual equipment drawings from the 18th to 19th centuries. Absolutely time-tested old equipment.

After discussion, everyone thought wind power in Foshan was probably unreliable, so water power should be the main source. Factories in the early Industrial Revolution almost all used water power on a large scale. Water power was more reliable than wind power and could maintain continuous production. It was the most suitable large-scale power source before steam engines.

Hydraulic machines combined with gearboxes could output power to drive bellows much larger than manpower could, providing oxygen for multiple cupola furnaces at once, and cannon boring machines could also be powered by hydraulic power.

"Manufacturing this set of stuff will take a week," Zhan Wuya announced after watching for a while.

"I think it's quite boring. Although it consumes few resources and man-hours, I always feel it's inexplicable to make it," Xiao Gui commented. "Might as well sell cannons and matchlocks directly to that Boss Li; it'd be more satisfying, and at least let apprentices practice their hands."

"Selling guns and cannons is brain-dead!" Sun Li jumped up. "Selling equipment is madness! I see Wu De is a trans-traitor! I want to initiate an impeachment!"

"What is a trans-traitor?"

"Don't talk nonsense! I think Wu De selling equipment is not bad," Zhan Wuya said. "Create an industrial model, let the rich over there see that using machines for production improves efficiency and makes money. Everyone does it together, at least allowing Guangdong to slowly establish a primitive primary industry. This way we can import primary manufactured goods, instead of always buying raw materials to process ourselves. Besides, earning tens of thousands of taels for a few simple machines, this business is doable!"

(Note: Whether British equipment was worth this much money is unknown; written casually. Craftsmen's wages reference the wages of Portuguese soldiers hired to operate and teach firearms in the late Ming. At that time, the highest was one hundred twenty taels annually, with monthly food allowance of ten taels.)

(End of Chapter)