"Chief Ming, please take a look. This boat is made of the finest teak and oak. It is modeled after the dragon boats of the Sui Dynasty. It is ten meters high, six meters wide and thirty-five meters long. It has three floors. The top floor is a luxurious suite and a
A very large terrace; the middle floor has a total of six rooms, one of which is the cab, and the other five are currently vacant. You can modify it as you like; the bottom floor is the warehouse and wheel room.
Decoration and the rooms of the sailors..."
Li Qiang and Acheng listened to the introduction of Secretary Jiang, who was specially sent by Cao Yan to guide them. Under his leadership, they looked up and down the ridiculously large cruise ship, inside and out.
After reading it, both of them showed expressions of surprise and joy.
"Chief Ming, you have seen the basic conditions of this cruise ship. Are you satisfied?"
"Satisfied! Of course I am satisfied!" Li Qiang blurted out without thinking, "To be honest, if I had known it was such a ship, I would never have agreed to accept it, but now that the matter has come to this, then I will
I had no choice but to accept it and asked Secretary Jiang to thank Director Cao on my behalf when he returns!"
"Absolutely, Section Chief Ming, I will definitely bring you my humble post. If there is nothing else, I will leave my humble post first."
"Okay!" After saying that, Li Qiang winked at Acheng who was standing aside. The latter immediately understood and hurriedly stepped forward and respectfully said to the man: "I'll see you off, Secretary Jiang."
After sending Secretary Jiang away, Acheng returned to Jixian Pavilion and stared at the nearly three-story-high ship with Li Qiang in a daze.
"How's it going? Did you get any clue?" After an unknown amount of time, Li Qiang finally took the lead and broke the silence.
However, Acheng honestly shook his head and replied: "No, but I am sure of one thing. Such a big gift was given as a gift, and it is definitely not the handiwork of Cao."
"Of course. It seems that Wang Jingwei is serious this time and is determined to firmly control the East China Suppressant General in his hands."
"I'm afraid Fohai won't be able to sit still next week." Acheng said with a smile.
"That's for sure, but from our point of view, the more fierce the two of them fight, the better it will be for us! You will send him a report soon, adding more details about Jin Shenghuo and this ship.
Him, let’s see what his reaction is.”
"Okay!" Acheng responded quickly, then glanced at Li Qiang and asked tentatively, "Then this boat..."
"Since it's just a show, you have to make a complete show! I'll draw a picture at night, and tomorrow morning you can find someone to decorate the boat according to the drawing. Don't be afraid of spending money. It's best to make it so that people can see it.
I couldn't help but curse him as a 'prodigal'."
Just as he was talking, Cheng reminded him from the side: "Do we need to find a few more reliable servants to come back? We can't just work on such a big ship, right?"
"I have to look for it for sure. I'm just hesitating whether I should let the organization send a few comrades here or recruit a few ordinary people with clean backgrounds."
"This is simple. Can't we just take Axiang over? She has taken care of such a big Ming mansion in order. Just a cruise ship, isn't it a piece of cake?"
After hearing this, Li Qiang couldn't help but nodded in agreement: "Well, you're right, Axiang is indeed the best candidate, but..."
"But what?"
"I'm not worried about anything else. I'm just worried that my eldest brother won't let her come..."
"Don't worry, I will go back in person when I have arranged things here tomorrow. I don't believe I can't convince him!"
"That's... okay, but no matter what, we must respect Axiang's opinion. If she doesn't want to, forget it."
"I know!" At this point, Cheng said as if he suddenly remembered something, "Eh? That's not right! I've done all this work, what about you?"
"Of course I have more important things!"
"What's the important thing?" Cheng asked suspiciously.
However, Li Qiang smiled mysteriously and said, "It's a very important thing anyway. You'll know when the time comes! I have to go back to the office to draw pictures now. Don't wait for tomorrow. Start working now!"
After saying that, Li Qiang left the car with Acheng and walked towards the headquarters...
There was nothing to say all night. Early the next morning, after Li Qiang handed over the decoration design drawing he had drawn overnight to Ah Cheng, he took a rickshaw to the Datong Steamship Company near the port.
"Hello, sir, how can I help you?" As soon as Li Qiang walked into the lobby on the first floor, someone immediately came over and greeted him.
"Hello, my name is Ming Qiang, is your senior manager here?"
"Are you Section Chief Ming? Manager Gao is already waiting for you in the reception room. Please come this way."
In a short time, Li Qiang followed the man into a very spacious room.
"Manager, Chief Mingke is here." The man first reported respectfully to the man in the room, who looked to be about forty years old, and then left silently.
As soon as Manager Gao saw Li Qiang coming in, he immediately stood up and greeted: "Chief Ming, I know you are coming. Gao has been waiting here for a long time. Come on, come on, please take a seat!"
After sitting down, Li Qiang didn't stay in circles and said straight to the point: "Manager Gao, Mr. Lu must have explained my matter to you, right?"
"I've explained it, I've explained it." Manager Gao said as he handed the folder in front of him to Li Qiang. "The information files of the captains under Gao are all here. Everyone has rich experience. Please tell me, section chief.
Take a look."
After taking the folder, Li Qiang nodded with satisfaction before opening it and looking through it.
However, after looking at it for a long time, Li Qiang kept frowning because all the information in the files were foreigners!
This is not because Li Qiang has any prejudice against foreigners, but because strictly speaking, these people are not employees of Datong Steamship Company at all, but were sent by the Shipping Dealers Bureau. What the two parties signed was not a labor contract at all, but
dispatch contract.
In other words, even if the two parties reach an intention to cooperate, they still have to go through the ship dealer bureau. As long as the ship dealer bureau does not nod, the cooperation cannot be achieved, not to mention that the captain is a very lucrative job, and those foreigners
How can you give up so easily?
"Chief Ming, what are you..." Seeing Li Qiang's delay in responding, Manager Gao took the courage to ask.
And when he learned about Li Qiang's concerns, he couldn't help but frown as well.
"You are right, Chief Ming, this is really a troublesome matter, but don't worry, let me think about whether there is any other way..."
After a long moment of silence, an idea suddenly flashed in Manager Gao's mind, and he quickly said to Li Qiang: "Chief Ming, although our captains are all foreigners, the first mates on the ship are basically Chinese. Otherwise...
…”
Just as he was talking, there was a sudden commotion outside the door, and then a hurried voice rang out, "Uncle Hong! The manager is receiving a distinguished guest, you can't go in!"
Then a powerful voice also sounded, "Get out of the way, Secretary Fang! I have to meet the manager no matter what I say today! You are also Chinese, you can't just watch foreigners bully us, right?"
"Oh, Uncle Hong, why are you still so stubborn? How many times do foreigners bully us Chinese? There is no way, who allows people to have extraterritorial rights? Don't say you are looking for the manager, even those officials will see you
Don’t foreigners also have to nod and bow? Hey! Why am I telling you this? Uncle Hong, I really didn’t lie to you. The manager is really receiving the distinguished guests. Otherwise... why don’t you wait for that guest to leave?
Are you going in again?"
"No! I want to go in now, don't stop me!"
"Hey, I said you..."
Just when the two were in a stalemate, Manager Gao's voice came from inside, "Let him in, Secretary Fang!"
When Manager Gao spoke, the secretary naturally didn't dare not listen and quickly stepped aside. Uncle Hong didn't care and just pushed the door open and walked in.
"Manager, that guy Smith is really too much. He simply doesn't treat us Chinese as human beings. He bullies us in different ways all day long without saying anything. He also forces us to leave half of our salary with him for safekeeping! If we don't obey, we will be punished.
If he wants to be kicked off the boat, everyone is still using this money to buy rice to support their families! You must make the decision for us!"
As soon as he walked in, the dark-skinned, older man poured out bitter water to the senior manager like a bamboo tube pouring beans.
However, before he finished speaking, the high manager sank his face and said angrily: "Uncle Hong, I know you feel wronged, but you can't make such a fuss even if you feel wronged! What's more, it's still in front of us.
In front of the company’s distinguished customers, why don’t you quickly apologize to Section Chief Ming?”
As soon as these words came out, Uncle Hong was stunned, but he still bowed to Li Qiang with a slight apology.
Li Qiang waved his hand and asked: "Manager Gao, who is this?"
Before Manager Gao could say anything, Uncle Hong jumped in front of him and introduced himself: "My surname is Hong, and my family is from the seventh generation, so my friends all call me Hong Qi."
However, before he finished speaking, the senior manager on the side immediately added: "Uncle Hong is the first mate of the Smith. He has been on the ship for more than 20 years and has rich navigation experience."
Hearing this, no matter how stupid Li Qiang was, he could see what Manager Gao meant, so he smiled and said to Uncle Hong: "Uncle Hong, listening to what you just said, it seems that your relationship with your captain is not harmonious.
!”
"It's not just a lack of harmony, it's simply terrible, okay? When that boy Smith took over the Smith from his father, I taught him step by step how to sail the ship and how to manage it. Now it's better, I taught the apprentice to starve to death.
, and that’s not all, that guy also deliberately makes things difficult and threatens me from time to time. After all, doesn’t he dislike me for being too old?”
"Uncle Hong, I have to advise you. As the saying goes, the dead man is moved alive. Why do you insist on hanging him on this tree?"
"You think I think so? There are many ships in the company, but I get along well with the first mates on those ships. I can't compete with them for jobs, right? As for other companies, people as old as me
I’m afraid I won’t even take a look! What do you think I can do?”
Unexpectedly, Li Qiang listened and said with a smile: "You want me to say it? It's not difficult. It just so happens that I have a boat with a captain. I wonder if you are interested, Uncle Hong?"
"You...you want to ask me to be the captain? Are you really or not? Are you...not kidding?"
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
After hearing this, Uncle Hong couldn't help but look at Manager Gao beside him. After seeing him nodding, he finally believed Li Qiang's words.
"Dare...dare I ask Section Chief Ming, is your ship carrying cargo or passengers?"
"It's neither freight nor passenger transport. To be honest, what I want you to manage is a cruise ship anchored on the West Lake, which is also my residence."
"That's it..." Hearing this, Uncle Hong was obviously a little disappointed, but after thinking for a moment, he nodded and said, "Although it's just a cruise ship, if the salary is suitable... it's not impossible!"
"Don't worry, as long as you are qualified for this job, the undergraduate director will never treat you badly." Having said this, Li Qiang paused for a moment, and then said as if he suddenly remembered something, "Ah, by the way, go back.
Then ask your friends who were bullied by foreigners like you if they want to earn this money with you. After all, you are also a captain, so you must have a few people under you!"
"Really? That's great!" Having said this, Uncle Hong couldn't help but hesitate for a moment, and then asked cautiously, "Then... I'd like to ask Section Chief Ming, how many more people do you need there?"
"It doesn't take too much, just ten people first!"
As soon as these words came out, Uncle Hung's eyes widened and he said in disbelief: "Ten...ten? Did I hear it correctly?"
"You heard me right, that's ten. If it's not enough, you can just recruit more later."
Uncle Hong didn't say anything, but he murmured in his heart: It's just a cruise ship, does it need to recruit so many people at once? The Smith, where he has worked for more than 20 years, only has about 20 people on board.
But the Mingke in front of him recruited ten of them in one breath! How big of a ship must that be?
However, even with some mental preparation, when he followed Li Qiang to Jixian Pavilion and saw the exaggeratedly large cruise ship with his own eyes, he was just like Li Qiang before, and he was stunned in place.
, his mouth opened in disbelief...
I don't know how long it took before Hong Bo finally came to his senses and followed Li Qiang onto the deck of the cruise ship.
"How's it going? Uncle Hong, this kind of boat should be no problem for you, right?"
"Ask...it's not a big problem, but this ship...is too big?"
Li Qiang shrugged, "I can't help it, after all, it's my wish! Since there's no problem, let's find a way to make it move first!"
Not to mention that Uncle Hong was really quick. After listening to Li Qiang's words, he immediately entered the state and led the people to get busy. After a while, with the rumble of the wheels, the giant cruise ship actually turned out to be real.
Start slowly.
However, the next moment the cruise ship started to move, with the sound of "plop" falling into the water, people shouted in panic on the deck, "It's not good! It's not good! Chief Ming... Chief Ming"
