After finishing the business of collecting commercial taxes, Li Zhi's position in Tianjin became more stable, and Li Zhi began to recruit new soldiers.
Before recruiting troops, Li Zhi first calculated the income and expenses of his businesses.
Nowadays, the profits of the industries under Li Zhi's name are extremely high. Among them, Li's fine steel sold three thousand kilograms a month in January, and the monthly profit reached more than four thousand taels, which is very impressive. And Li Zhi's glass mirror industry, after half a year of fermentation, the demand
It is even more prosperous. Nowadays, glass mirrors are sold all over the country. More than 1,000 yuan of large and small mirrors can be sold every month, and the monthly profit is as high as 21,000 taels.
Coupled with the huge increase in profits due to the increase in soap prices and the expansion of production, Li Zhi's monthly profit is now as high as 82,000 taels of silver.
And Li Zhi's expenses are equally huge. Li Zhi has 8,000 elite soldiers and 130 city defense artillerymen. The monthly salary and food for these soldiers is 36,500 taels. In addition, they train for target shooting every month.
He also spent a lot of saltpeter and gunpowder, about 2,000 taels of silver. Including the expenses of the rifle workshop, the dragon tail cart workshop, and various administrative staff, Li Zhi's monthly expenditure was as high as 42,000 taels.
One plus and one subtraction, Li Zhi has a monthly profit of 40,000 taels.
With the surplus of 40,000 taels in hand, Li Zhi decided to recruit another 4,000 new soldiers. A soldier's monthly salary plus food cost 4 taels and 5 taels. After recruiting 4,000 new soldiers, Li Zhi would spend an additional 18,000 taels a month.
With two taels of silver, we can still maintain a profit surplus at the level of 22,000 taels and maintain financial health.
Of course, soldiers also need to be equipped with clothing, water bottles, bedding and other items, but these items are durable goods and can be used for several years if purchased once. They are not included in the monthly turnover. Li Zhi has more than 300,000 taels of silver in savings, so he can purchase these items.
Material and financial resources are very easy.
The barracks had been prepared in advance as early as January, and Li Zhi began to post notices in the counties near Gyeonggi Province, stating that Fanjiazhuang was recruiting servants, with a monthly salary of three taels and meat for three meals.
It is well known that the soldiers in Fanjiazhuang are well treated. During the days of the physical examination and interview, there was a huge crowd outside the west gate of Fanjiazhuang. More than 40,000 people came to apply for servants.
Li Zhi took all the officers, big and small, to the battle, conducted careful physical examinations and interviews, and selected the best.
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Boss Wei is the most famous young man in the Wei family.
He is a native of the Wei family in Weizi, and his family has always had a high status in Weizi. In addition, he is tall, strong, and can do farm work very quickly, so he is even more respected by others. Moreover, he is a generous person, and his neighbors can help if they need anything.
When someone called him, he would wave his sleeves and come over to help, which made him very popular among his neighbors.
There were originally several people named Wei Boss in the circle, but in order to avoid conflict with his name, those people all changed their names.
However, Mr. Wei's family is poor, and his family of four rents 30 acres of dry land, and they can barely have enough to eat all year round. When the lean years come, they have to eat chaff and drink water like other farmers. Although he is respected, he has never been able to
They got married and are now twenty-one years old.
In the past few days, Boss Wei heard that Fanjiazhuang was recruiting a new batch of servants, so he went to Fanjiazhuang with a dozen young people in his neighborhood. Applicants for servants needed to bring their family's household stickers, and Boss Wei's father carefully
The household sticker was handed over to Mr. Wei, who took it into his arms. When he arrived at the west gate of Fanjiazhuang, he checked the household sticker. After many physical examinations and interviews, Mr. Wei passed all the tests. Thirteen people from one village applied for the job, but in the end there were only
Boss Wei was selected alone.
Boss Wei led the dejected young people from the same village back, joking and laughing all the way, but he could not rouse the interest of his disappointed companions.
The servants of Fanjiazhuang are paid three taels of silver a month, and they also include three meals a day, including meat. In several counties near Fanjiazhuang, how many people have become prosperous after being selected as servants, making their family members happy?
In a well-off life, if you are selected, it will be more affordable than being a scholar. If you are not selected, it is equivalent to failure. How can you make everyone happy?
Seeing that everyone really couldn't cheer up, Boss Wei stopped talking and played with the wooden soldier badge given to him by the interviewer. With that badge, Boss Wei was considered a servant of Fanjiazhuang and could receive monthly salary!
Boss Wei returned home and told his parents and sister the news. The whole family was indescribably happy. The forty-five-year-old father looked very old. After hearing the news, he was so excited that he shed tears and kept saying, "I am Wei."
The family has a new baby. The fourteen-year-old sister is also very happy. Boss Wei said that he would go to Fanjiazhuang to find him a good family, which made his sister beam with joy. Who among the families in Fanjiazhuang is not well-off and prosperous? Marry into Fanjiazhuang,
You won’t have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of your life!
After the new servant was selected, he would report to Fanjiazhuang in five days. Boss Wei pawned the cotton-padded clothes and quilts he used for winter, and new ones would be issued when he arrived at Fanjiazhuang. He borrowed two taels of silver from the patriarch and placed them at the door of his house.
There were three tables of flowing seats.
On the day when the wine was served, all the villagers in the surrounding area came. Everyone gathered at the door of Mr. Wei's house, stood waiting for their turn to be served, and talked about Mr. Wei's good luck.
"After joining Fanjiazhuang, you will live the life of a master."
"A relative of mine from Aicheng, Tianjin works as a weaver in Fanjiazhuang. He earns two or two months a month and eats meat for three meals. His wife weaves at home and gives birth to two sons and a daughter. She raises a large family and provides food for them.
There is still money left over for making clothes!”
"A relative of mine went to Fanjiazhuang to work as a servant. In one year, he saved more than forty taels of silver to help his two brothers get married."
"Boss Wei, the blessing he earned in his previous life, was recruited by Fanjiazhuang! My son also applied, but he didn't get recruited. They said my son is night blind!"
When someone came to the table, Mr. Wei brought rice wine brewed by the villagers to toast. Those people were envious of Mr. Wei, and even though they ate Mr. Wei's wine and meat, none of them were happy.
Boss Wei was a little strange and said with a smile: "Why are everyone so low energy?"
The villagers looked at Boss Wei and said, "Boss Wei, now that you are gone, you will become rich and powerful. We are missing a good person in our circle!"
“When we need help in farming in the future, we won’t be able to find anyone!”
“Building a house and repairing a barn requires good talents!”
Only then did Boss Wei realize that none of the neighbors in the circle wanted him to leave, for fear of missing a helper.
Boss Wei's father knew Boss Wei's temper, so he patted Boss Wei on the back and said, "It's okay, everyone will get used to it in a few days!"
Boss Wei did not agree. He stood up, holding the wine glass, and said emotionally: "Neighbors, don't be discouraged. After I go to Fanjiazhuang, I, Boss Wei, will still take care of the people in Weijiazhuang!"
After hearing Boss Wei's words, everyone raised their heads and listened carefully to what he had to say.
"In the future, any family that needs money for weddings or funerals should come to me, Mr. Wei, and I, Mr. Wei, will help as much as I can. If any family is bullied, I, Mr. Wei, will definitely help him seek justice when he returns to the village."
Everyone looked at each other a few times, and someone yelled a few times!
Boss Wei continued: "When I get to Fanjiazhuang, I will work hard and strive to become an officer. When I become an officer, I will recruit all the young people in the village to Fanjiazhuang and work as his soldiers for three taels a month!"
Hearing Mr. Wei's last words, the people in the village cheered in unison, and the scene suddenly exploded. Mr. Wei is tall and quick-witted. After being a servant for several years, he will definitely become an officer. If he returns to the village to recruit servants,
, all the children from poor families in the village wanted to follow the chickens and dogs to heaven, and even if there was no chance, they could follow Mr. Wei into Fanjiazhuang to work.
Although they didn't know whether Fanjiazhuang's system allowed Boss Wei to operate like this, everyone felt more thoughtful after listening to Boss Wei's words, and everyone was very happy.
Everyone started laughing and started eating and drinking at the wine table.
