Even in the technologically advanced 21st century, textiles remain a labour-intensive industry, requiring a large workforce.
The more workers, the faster Jin Feng could earn money, so he had no reason to refuse the old clan head.
“I, Jin Feng, keep my word. The brothers and uncles have fulfilled their promises to me, and I will honour mine.”
Jin Feng turned and pointed to the textile workshop behind him, “Once this is set up, the village head can send dozens of girls over first.”
The new textile workshop could hold hundreds of spinning wheels. With day and night shifts, it could accommodate women from both Xihe Bay and Guanjia Bay.
However, the carpenters were too slow, and it would likely take time to produce so many spinning wheels.
“Thank you, son-in-law,” the old clan head, hearing Jin Feng’s words, finally felt at ease, “Rest assured, I’ll go back and deal with that scoundrel Zhuzi. How dare he cause trouble for you? I’ll break his legs if he tries.”
“No need to break his legs. Just make sure he doesn’t cause trouble at the workshop again.”
Jin Feng didn’t care whether Guan Zhuzi lived or died; he never took him seriously. But he knew Guan Xiaorou still cared about her family.
If the clan head really broke Guan Zhuzi’s legs, Guan Xiaorou would be heartbroken.
As his wife, her emotional fluctuations would greatly affect Jin Feng.
He was already so busy he barely had time to sleep and didn’t want unnecessary trouble over an insignificant Guan Zhuzi.
Satisfied with Jin Feng’s assurance, the old clan head left content.
“Dear, I’m sorry. My brother caused you trouble.”
As soon as the clan head left, Guan Xiaorou entered, her eyes red, clearly having just cried.
“It’s not a big deal. Alright, stop crying.”
Jin Feng closed the door, pulled Guan Xiaorou into his arms, and wiped her tears.
Guan Xiaorou was also annoyed at Guan Zhuzi’s actions, saying huffily, “I won’t send them anything anymore. Let’s see how smug he is then.”
“We can ignore your brother, but we can’t ignore your mother, can we?”
Jin Feng ruffled Guan Xiaorou’s hair, “Your mother raised you, which wasn’t easy. It’s only right to help her out, but don’t let your brother meddle in the workshop again. You know how important the spinning wheels are to us. He shouldn’t covet them, let alone threaten Dongdong.”
Blood ties aren’t easily severed.
Jin Feng didn’t mind Guan Xiaorou supporting Guan Zhuzi’s family; it wasn’t much money. He just hoped they wouldn’t cause him trouble.
“Dear, you’re so good to me.”
Guan Xiaorou sniffled, burying her face in Jin Feng’s chest.
This girl was getting clingier…
Jin Feng patted her back, “Is the food ready? I’ve been working in the workshop all morning, and I’m starving.”
“It’s ready. I’ll get it for you.”
Guan Xiaorou reluctantly let go and ran out to bring in a tray.
A bowl of rice, a fragrant bowl of rich chicken soup, and a small dish of vegetables.
“I need to find time to make a wok.”
Jin Feng sighed silently, pouring the chicken soup over the rice.
Da Kang’s cooking methods, like its smelting techniques, were backward. There were no woks like in his previous life, only various stewing pots, with meals mainly stewed.
Run Niang put effort into stewing soup for Jin Feng, simmering it for hours over low heat. Without many seasonings, the chicken soup was fragrant, rich, and tasted great.
But eating the same thing repeatedly gets tiresome, especially for someone like Jin Feng, who had tasted true delicacies. Eating soup dishes daily was wearing him down, and he’d long wanted to forge a wok.
Hand-forging an iron wok took effort, and Jin Feng, too busy lately, hadn’t found time.
The trouble caused by Guan Zhuzi was a minor hiccup, but the men from Guanjia Bay worked even harder, and the construction site changed daily.
In Jin Feng’s plan, Guanjia Bay’s people were also his workers. To ease tensions between the two villages, he deliberately mixed their men to work together.
The historical grudges between the villages were, frankly, trivial matters. With greater interests at stake and both village heads stressing no trouble, the men, after initial awkwardness, began to get along, their cooperation growing smoother.
Jin Feng, Man Cang, and Tang Dongdong worked together, quickly assembling over a hundred spinning wheels, filling two large rooms.
The textile workshop officially moved from Jin Feng’s courtyard to the new factory.
If all workshops were filled, they could hold hundreds of spinning wheels. Calling it a workshop was no longer fitting, so Jin Feng put up a sign at the factory entrance, writing “Xihe Bay Textile Factory” in bold brushstrokes.
“There aren’t even enough literate people in the village to count on one hand. Why put up a sign?”
Tang Dongdong asked curiously.
Jin Feng smiled without answering.
The sign, like the veterans chanting “one, two, one,” might not have much immediate effect, but over time, it would foster a sense of collective identity among workers.
With so many spinning wheels, even all of Xihe Bay’s women weren’t enough. Jin Feng kept his promise and summoned the Guanjia Bay clan head.
“Son-in-law, you called for me?”
The old clan head looked at Jin Feng expectantly.
Though supervising the construction site, he kept an eye on the textile factory’s progress.
Since the factory moved, he’d been waiting for Jin Feng to call.
“Third Grandpa, the textile factory has moved, and it’s time for me to keep my promise.”
Jin Feng poured the clan head a bowl of cooled boiled water, smiling, “Go back today and select fifty female workers. They can start tomorrow.”
“Fifty?”
The clan head’s face showed disappointment.
Guanjia Bay had a larger population than Xihe Bay, with hundreds of women able to work. Fifty wasn’t enough; the rest would still go hungry.
“Don’t worry, Third Grandpa. These fifty are just the first batch.”
Jin Feng smiled, “I’m still making spinning wheels, and we’ll definitely hire more later, not just women but men too.”
Hearing this, the clan head relaxed, “Then rest assured, son-in-law. I’ll bring them tomorrow.”
That evening, the clan head returned to Guanjia Bay and held a village meeting, selecting fifty women.
To show sincerity, he chose only young women aged sixteen to twenty-five, in their prime, with no elderly or infirm.
Tang Dongdong was very satisfied and assigned them all to the day shift.
After all, the textile factory had no dormitories yet, and these women had to return to Guanjia Bay to sleep.
Fortunately, dozens of Guanjia Bay men also worked in Xihe Bay, so they could travel together, saving Jin Feng from arranging escorts.
