The road construction plan was officially launched...
A large number of laborers stood ready. Soon after, vast quantities of concrete were transported from Gao Village, arriving alongside a large group of veteran workers already skilled at mixing, pouring, and paving with the material.
These old hands, upon reaching the county seat, immediately became foremen for the construction teams, each responsible for leading a large group in building the concrete road. Starting from scratch, they taught the new laborers how to work, step by step.
Simultaneously, the concrete formula was delivered into Magistrate Liang Shixian's hands.
He had wanted this formula for so long!
In his view, building bridges and repairing roads was a deed worthy of leaving one's name in history—the greatest benefit a local official could bring to his region, a boon that could last for centuries.
But he also knew that building over thirty li of concrete road would require an astronomical amount of material. It was impossible to ship it all from Gao Village. The Li Family giving him the formula was clearly a hint: Figure out how to make some yourself.
The county seat needed to immediately organize craftsmen to produce concrete according to the formula.
Magistrate Liang hurriedly took the formula to the official government workshops. However, the few remaining "Resident Craftsmen" there showed no interest in the document in his hand. They were listless, barely willing to give it a proper look.
They didn't want to learn this new thing! Nor did they need to. Their professions were "fixed by birth"—a father was a blacksmith, so his son was a blacksmith. A father was a carpenter, so his son was a carpenter. This new, baffling "concrete craftsman" business? Whoever wanted to do it could. But not them. Doing it wouldn't earn them extra pay anyway.
Watching this, Li Daoxuan couldn't help but shake his head inwardly. Right, I almost forgot. The craftsmen here in the county still live at the bottom rung of society, utterly devoid of motivation.
Seeing Magistrate Liang yelling alone while the craftsmen just rolled their eyes and gave the county magistrate the silent treatment, Li Daoxuan found it amusing. Giving you the concrete formula was precisely so you could experience the drawbacks of the Craftsmen Household system firsthand. Feeling it now, aren't you? Heh heh heh.
Half an hour later, a dejected, dust-covered Liang Shixian returned to the county office and slumped into his chair, his face full of frustration.
The Shaoxing advisor sidled over. "Master, what troubles you?"
Liang Shixian said gloomily, "The craftsmen households refuse to make concrete. They say they don't know how and won't learn. They even said their professions were set generations ago, work that isn't theirs they can't do. When I pressed them, they put on an act like, 'You might as well kill me then.'"
The advisor gave a bitter smile. "This..."
Liang Shixian asked, "In your opinion, how can this be resolved?"
The advisor shook his head. "This humble one's knowledge is shallow."
Just as they were talking, an underling reported: "Mr. Wang from the Book Bureau requests an audience."
Liang Shixian's spirits lifted. "Invite him in!"
Soon, Mr. Wang entered and offered a cupped-fist salute. "Your Honor, the second batch of concrete we transported from Gao Village has arrived. However... the third batch will be much smaller. Gao Village has a small population, and the manpower available for making concrete is limited. Even at full capacity, they can't produce much. So... we'll have to rely on Your Honor's side to produce more."
Hearing this, Liang Shixian's face fell. "This is terrible! This official's side cannot solve the concrete production problem for now. Our road construction work might well be suspended halfway."
Mr. Wang, having already learned this from the Tianzun, was just here to tease Liang Shixian. He pretended to be shocked. "What? If that's the case, won't our work relief plan be doomed?"
Liang Shixian sighed. "Alas! This official does not know what to do."
Mr. Wang pretended to think, though he was actually just reviewing the Tianzun's decree as relayed by Gao Yiye. Once clear, he chuckled. "If that's the situation, this humble one has a plan that might resolve the concrete predicament."
Liang Shixian was overjoyed. "What brilliant plan does the gentleman have?"
Mr. Wang said, "Our Li Family can provide the capital to build a Chengcheng Concrete Factory next to the county seat. Using this factory as the main body, we can openly hire concrete workers from the craftsmen households. As long as we pay them proper wages, why would the craftsmen refuse to go?"
Liang Shixian felt a little awkward. "There are almost no 'Rotating Craftsmen' left in Chengcheng County. Those remaining are all 'Resident Craftsmen,' required to be on duty and cannot leave at will. How could they possibly go work at a concrete factory?"
(Ming Context:) The Ming craftsmen system had two main types. "Rotating Craftsmen" served the state in the capital or other projects for fixed periods (e.g., every three years for three months). "Resident Craftsmen" were permanently attached to local government offices or workshops, required to be available for state work year-round. Both were hereditary and received minimal pay, essentially a form of coerced labor tax.
"Your Honor," Mr. Wang said with a smile, "you are the magistrate of the county. If you don't keep a close eye on the Resident Craftsmen, who will? Just turn a blind eye, pretend you don't see. To earn money and survive this famine, the Resident Craftsmen will definitely go work at the concrete factory. After all... the official workshops haven't had much work lately, have they? What's the use of keeping them idle there?"
These words struck a chord, leaving Liang Shixian embarrassed.
It was true! The official workshops had no projects. The Resident Craftsmen had recently been idling, waiting for death. It was better to turn a blind eye and let them find outside work. When it came down to it, the craftsmen household system itself was deeply flawed. Why be so rigid? If no concrete was made, the entire work relief plan would be affected.
"Good!" said Liang Shixian. "But who will run this concrete factory? This official cannot. The court's name isn't useful here either."
Mr. Wang replied, "Just find a local gentry with a decent reputation and have him be the public face, while we control things from behind the scenes."
Liang Shixian turned his gaze to his Shaoxing advisor.
The advisor immediately responded, "This humble one has someone in mind. A man named Teng Yifeng. Originally a labor contractor—if someone needed a pavilion, rockery, house, or tower built, they'd hire him, and he'd then hire the craftsmen. He has excellent relations with the craftsmen, and they trust him. Due to the prolonged drought, he's also lost his livelihood and is currently scrambling for a way out. Having him spearhead the opening of a concrete factory, with us manipulating from behind, could make it work."
(An early form of general contractor, a role that required significant social capital and trust to coordinate between clients and various skilled trades.)
Liang Shixian nodded. "Summon him. Since he has good relations with the craftsmen, let him be the one to open this... concrete factory."
The advisor hurried off to make arrangements.
Mr. Wang took his leave and exited the county office. Turning a corner onto another street, he found Gao Yiye already waiting for him.
"In this humble one's good fortune, I have not disgraced the mandate," Mr. Wang said with a low laugh. "The Tianzun's divine decree is accomplished."
Gao Yiye smiled. "The Tianzun has seen it."
Mr. Wang said, "Now we've brought a bit more of Gao Village's way of doing things here."
Gao Yiye smiled again. "Yes. The Tianzun, in His venerable wisdom, says that if we proceed like this, it won't be long before the county seat starts to resemble Gao Village. When Magistrate Liang finally draws his sword and looks around in all directions, only to find his county seat has become unrecognizable, he's sure to get a huge shock." (An internal riff on a famous, melancholic line by the first Han Emperor, Liu Bang.)
Mr. Wang laughed heartily. "I wonder when Magistrate Liang will finally notice the county seat has inexplicably changed. Ha ha ha ha!" (And thus, the economic and social reforms pioneered in the protagonist's base begin their stealthy metastasis into the heart of the "official" world, one pragmatic compromise at a time.)