Celestial Master： I Have an Otherworld-Chapter 250 - 86: When the Whale Falls, All Things Thrive (Part 6)
Unexpected.
Unknowingly, I’ve already reached this point!
Fang Zheng sighed lightly in his heart and saw someone beside him handing over a thick booklet. When he opened it, it was filled with lands for sale.
Pick and choose as you like, all sold at thirty percent of the price.
No need to do anything else.
Just wait for ample rainfall next year, and a resale could double the profit, much easier than those struggling to earn a living.
After a long while.
Fang Zheng walked out of the County Government Office, stretched his limbs, and got on the carriage.
He lifted the curtain.
There were still refugees on the street, and more white bones lined the roadsides.
A woman held a skeletal infant and stared absentmindedly, while a man leaned against the wall, scooping dirt into his mouth with one hand...
Someone’s breath faded, and their soul dispersed, but those around them just stared blankly. The passing of kin couldn’t even bring them tears.
Numbness!
Despair!
Deathly silence!
Months of turmoil hadn’t improved their situation.
"Refugees!"
Shaking his head, Fang Zheng withdrew his gaze.
These refugees thought that by attacking the wealthy households and merchants in the city, they could divide the grain and lands and change their fate.
Little did they know...
Even without the Ren Family, there was still the Fang Family.
Someone would always be stepping on their heads.
When one wealthy household fell, another would take over, seize the land, and continue to thrive.
Trying to divide up the wealth of the rich...
They weren’t qualified!
Poor and suffering, endlessly poor and suffering.
While wealthy households spring up one after another, the poor have no prospects for a better future.
While they endure hunger and torment, the County Government Office remains indulgent and wasteful, dividing the assets of former wealthy households.
"Nothing will change."
Lowering the curtain, Fang Zheng’s eyes drooped:
"The world is just like this; no one can blame Fang."
*
*
*
Modern society.
Conference hall.
Secretary-General Qian Xiao handed out documents to everyone, while opening the projector to display tables on the screen.
"Ladies and gentlemen."
Mr. Zhao looked up, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, and said:
"Due to Fuhong’s restructuring, thousands of company employees have lost their source of income, and each of them supports a family."
"Thousands of families mean tens of thousands of people."
"Without work, there is no income, and for society, this is a destabilizing factor. In the past few months, Qu City has noticeably become more chaotic, which you should have sensed as well."
"Yes."
Someone laughed and said:
"Pai Street’s women have doubled, and some are respectable families, directly lowering the market for prostitutes."
"Haha..."
"Indeed, much cheaper."
Everyone laughed.
"Thud!"
Mr. Zhao’s face turned stern, lightly tapping the table:
"This is no laughing matter!"
"Ladies and gentlemen." Qian Xiao interjected timely:
"We are all local companies and people of Qu City. Seeing our fellow townsmen in such a plight, we ought to lend a hand, certainly not mock."
"Alright."
Mr. Zhao gestured with his hand, saying:
"There are still some assets under Fuhong’s name, and you have all gained numerous benefits from the restructuring process, so I won’t say more about that."
"But people, they must be taken care of!"
"Mr. Zhao." Someone straightened up and said:
"It’s not that we’re unwilling; there are tens of thousands of individuals. Which company can take on so many people?"
"Indeed!"
"My business can’t handle more than a few dozen people!"
"A minimum of three thousand per month per person, factoring in other subsidies, taxes, insurance, etc., the cost rises to four to five thousand, and annually it’s fifty thousand, which amounts to millions for dozens of employees. And that’s just the visible investment; the unseen costs are even higher. Small businesses can’t support so many people?"
"Three thousand?"
"You can’t even hire anyone for three thousand!"
The room filled with murmurs, although nothing was said openly, dissatisfaction was evident.
The purpose of business is to make money, not charity. Once hired, it becomes difficult to lay people off.
As for companies capable of accommodating tens of thousands...
How many such companies are there in Xia Country?
Only the Fuhong Group in Qu City could achieve that before.
"Boss He."
Mr. Zhao looked at someone beside him:
"Would you like to say a few words?"
"Hmm..." Boss He pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and said:
"My factory can take in a hundred people, half male and half female workers, preferably skilled. Salaries range from five to eight thousand."
"But, over at the factory site..."
"Don’t worry." Mr. Zhao interrupted:
"I’ll inform the district; no trouble will come your way."
"That’s good to know." Boss He smiled:
"I’ll have someone head to the market to recruit, and within three days, we’ll be at capacity."
"I can also take in a few dozen people." Another person spoke up:
"But our water treatment equipment won’t be in for another two months, so we can’t start operations yet due to potential pollution issues."
"Get started first." Mr. Zhao said:
"The pollution issue can be managed while running operations. We can’t let people go hungry because of environmental concerns. Rest assured."
"Yes."
"Mr. Zhao is right."
"Boss Fang?"
Mr. Zhao looked at Fang Zheng, his eyes full of hope:
"Is Square Porcelain still in need of people?"
"Square Porcelain doesn’t need more." Fang Zheng shook his head:
"Mr. Zhao knows our situation; Square Porcelain focuses on high-end, valuing quality over quantity. I’ve already planned to lay off unqualified workers."
Mr. Zhao’s face turned grim.
But unlike others, who can be subject to persuasion, Fang Zheng is unaffected by either approach, remaining aloof amongst businessmen while his assets visibly grow.
"However, I’m quite interested in this textile factory."
Fang Zheng pointed to a catalog in the document in his hand:
"Land and machinery are priced at 16 million, which isn’t expensive. If it drops to 10 million, I could accommodate three to five hundred workers."
"Ten million?" Mr. Zhao leafed through the document:
"That’s a bit low."
"There’s no lease left for seven years, and the machinery is outdated and needs replacing." Fang Zheng replied:
"Ten million isn’t low."
"Ha..." Mr. Zhao lifted his head, speaking slowly:
"Five hundred workers!"
Fang Zheng raised an eyebrow:
"Deal!"
Stepping out of the building, he glanced back.
A whale falls,
And all things arise!
It’s just a joke.
After Fuhong’s demise, it’s never the common folks who divide the assets, but businessmen like himself, each leaving with a mouthful of grease.
Ordinary workers...
Not even wanted, tossed into the market to fend for themselves.
The Ren Family was like this.
Fuhong was the same.
The two worlds fundamentally differ little; the underprivileged remain so, never qualifying to claim a dead whale.
"Ultimately, it’s slightly better than the Otherworld."
