Chapter 208 "The Way to Love Your Family"
The sanitary napkin production line of the sanitary products factory is actually an antique that was replaced by a manufacturer in Province G more than ten years ago and has been gathering dust in the warehouse.
The reason why we specifically look for this kind of antique...is not just to save money, but to take into account the raw material issue: the raw materials needed for upgraded sanitary napkins and diapers cannot be produced by the world itself. If we "import" all the raw materials from the earth, it would be better to just buy the finished products directly from 1688 instead of setting up a factory.
Even if Yang Qiu had worked hard to find an antique production line from more than ten years ago, non-woven fabrics and hot-melt adhesives still had to be "imported" from the earth... There was no other way. Westram had no industrial foundation at all, and the only raw material that could be self-sufficient was paper pulp.
But... although the future of the flagship product, sanitary napkins, is still uncertain, the additionally developed "side business" has already enabled the sanitary products factory to achieve self-sufficiency in profits and losses - of course, Ji Tang deliberately ignored this point and did not tell Tuttle.
While Tuttle, who was forced to do something he was not prepared for, was holding a sanitary napkin launch conference, the first four young townspeople who had "changed jobs" to become self-employed came with their families and drove a convoy of caravans pulled by a unicorn gray horse to the town of Kane, which was about 30 kilometers away from Westham in a straight line and nearly 50 kilometers away in actual distance.
The people of Kane seemed to have recognized this caravan led by four young men. When they saw them from afar, they waved their hats in a friendly manner and cheered to the neighbors: "The Westerm caravan is coming! The Westerm caravan is coming!"
The town of Kane is much larger than Westham. Not only does it have four main streets that can accommodate horse-drawn carriages (Westham only has two streets that can accommodate horse-drawn carriages) , its permanent population is also more than three times that of Westham. Upon hearing that the caravan was coming, housewives doing housework at home and pedestrians on the street all came out to greet them warmly.
Under the town gate, in the town square that had become bumpy due to years of trampling by oxen and horses and pedestrians, Westham's caravan had just stopped when it was surrounded by a large number of Kane town residents who swarmed in.
The four young men leading this mini caravan were already familiar with shuttling between towns to do business. Caroline, who had neat ponytails, and her second aunt and aunt deftly pulled down the caravan's floorboards and spread them on the ground, then piled the cargo that was stuffed into the car onto the floorboards.
Her companions Simon, Alan and Benjamin were also busy setting up their stalls.
"Toilet paper is on sale! Two rolls for one copper coin, only three carts left, and they'll be gone once they're sold out!"
"Come and see, this toilet paper is a hundred times more useful than bamboo sticks!"
"A plastic bowl that can't be broken, a stainless steel spoon that can't be bent by heat!"
"A thick and soft towel, and cotton socks that won't freeze your feet!"
"Those who need undead cloth, come here! There is only one cart of cloth this time, so hurry up if you want to buy it!"
After the undead cloth became less easy to sell out quickly, the four young men tried to increase the variety of goods. Since the town hall was unwilling to wholesale salt, a hard currency, to them, they turned their attention to the goods in the Ertong Supermarket.
Since they could not buy goods on credit nor return unsold goods, the four young people were extremely cautious in "product selection". They asked all the elders and neighbors around them and determined the types of goods that people would be willing to pay for. Only then did they expand their business scope.
This caution undoubtedly paid off, and the goods they brought sold quickly, including the toilet rolls that had just been launched by the sanitary products factory in the industrial zone.
After selling all the goods in the morning, on the way back, Caroline said to her three friends who were sitting in the same caravan with her, "My mother's suggestion was right, wasn't it? If there were cheap enough bamboo substitutes, the people in the town would definitely welcome it, especially the older people!"
"Yes, yes!" Benjamin, the youngest, smiled happily. "Many housewives are very picky when buying a pair of socks, but I just touched the toilet paper and paid for it without hesitation!"
"I should have had the courage to bring in two more carts of toilet paper," said Simon, the bravest of the bunch, with regret. "Even my stingy aunt was willing to spend money to buy this stuff, so why didn't we have the courage at the time?"
"It's okay, just go in a little more next time." Caroline said cheerfully, "Next time we go a little further, to Horseshoe Town, what do you think?"
"Sure, sure!" Simon nodded repeatedly. "Horseshoe Town is bigger than Kane Town. We need to import at least five truckloads of toilet paper to sell!"
Benjamin said with some regret: "It's a pity that the roll of paper is too big. There are not many rolls that can be loaded into a car. It would be better if it was smaller."
"If it doesn't look big enough, it won't be easy to sell out!" Caroline said mockingly, "It's because the toilet paper roll looks so big that most people are willing to pay for it. One copper coin can buy two large rolls!"
Alan, the oldest of the four, kept his mouth shut.
Alan knew the truth about the popularity of toilet paper, but he didn't want to tell his friends...especially with a girl named Caroline present.
People who reach a certain age will have some problems with their buttocks. Based on Alan's own experience, he knows that many people over middle age regard going to the toilet as a torture... (Due to the physiological structure of human beings, many people will develop hemorrhoids after a certain age, and a small number of people with poor work and rest habits will develop hemorrhoids in their twenties)
It was already dark when the caravan returned to Westham.
They asked the relatives and friends who came to help to go home first, and the four young men went to the carriage and horse company to return the carriage and horses.
The iron-shell carriages of the Coach and Horse Company were not rented out to the public, but caravans and gray unicorn horses could be rented, and at a much cheaper price than the original rental company on Martin Street. Since the Coach and Horse Company opened its rental business, the rental company that belonged to a noble young master went bankrupt not long after it opened.
It was already dark when Caroline returned home after returning the car. She was exhausted after a hard day's work. As soon as she entered the door, she acted coquettishly to her mother: "I'm so tired, Mom. Is there anything to eat?"
Ms. Winnie brought her hot milk with a grumble: "You said you didn't want to get married and become a housewife, and you wanted to work hard on your own, but now you're acting like a spoiled child. Drink this first, and see how dark you have become... Look at how dry your lips are, really, can't you remember to drink more water?"
Caroline chuckled and happily listened to her mother talking while holding the hot milk.
Ms. Winnie prepared a midnight snack for her daughter who missed dinner, while she kept saying, "By the way, Caroline, have you seen the new Lord Tuttle?"
"I saw him once yesterday when I went to the town hall to pick up some goods," Caroline said. "Mr. Tuttle doesn't look as friendly as Mr. Rex. I didn't dare get close to him."
"Don't say that. Mr. Tuttle must be a good man." Ms. Winnie's attitude became serious. "Trust your mother's judgment. She is right. Mr. Tuttle just looks difficult to get close to. He is the heir personally selected by Mr. Rex. Even if your mother is wrong about him, Mr. Rex will not be wrong."
Caroline: “???”
Caroline knew very well how resentful and uneasy her mother Winnie was after Mr. Rex went to the city to become the lord and no longer took care of Westham.
When the town hall announced that Tuttle Joe would be the new Lord of Westham, Ms. Winnie was unhappy for several days.
After thinking for a while, Caroline guessed, "Mom, what happened in town today?"
This really opened up Ms. Winnie's mouth, and she immediately started to talk excitedly...
After listening to a few words, Caroline was so shocked that she almost jumped out of her chair: "Oh my God, Mom, why would you say that--"
As she said this, the girl looked around nervously with her cheeks flushed, and was secretly relieved that the men in the family were not in the living room.
Ms. Winnie said with disdain: "Look at how unbecoming you are. The Lord has no scruples about talking about this matter openly, and you are making a fuss about nothing!"
Caroline was extremely embarrassed: "No...I'm...Mom!"
Seeing her daughter was really anxious, Ms. Winnie couldn't help laughing: "Okay, okay, we're the only ones here. I bought yours and your aunt's as well. I put yours in your closet. Go get it when you need it."
Caroline nodded quickly... She was not used to talking about "that kind of thing" in public, but she would definitely be willing to use it if there was a better alternative; in fact, she had already hidden two rolls of toilet paper in her cupboard. Although this kind of toilet paper was not very convenient, it was definitely better than the cloth tape her mother sewed for her.
Caroline thought the matter was over until the next day when she got up and went out to discuss the next round of business with her friends... and saw the advertisement posted on the street across the street.
Advertising posters posted on street walls are not common in Westham, but can be seen everywhere in Innadri.
After all, the consumption capacity of small town residents cannot be compared with that of urban residents. There are many middle-class families in the city who are willing to spend money to eat in high-end restaurants, but there are no such families in the town.
The first advertisement to appear in a small town like Westham featured a portrait of the new lord, Tuttle Joe.
In the painting, the lord, dressed in gorgeous formal attire and with a stern face, is holding a small piece of what looks like a slice of white bread in his hand and showing it to passers-by.
There were two rows of bold black printed words above Mr. Lord’s head. The content of the words was very… simple and crude:
"Love your family, remember to buy sanitary pads for your wife, your daughter, your mother, your sister every month."
Caroline: “…”
Caroline turned her neck stiffly and pretended not to see it.
When Caroline walked through the streets covered with Lord's advertisements to the meeting place agreed with her friends, Benjamin, who arrived earlier, saw her and asked curiously: "Caroline, what is a sanitary napkin? Why are there advertisements everywhere on the street asking people to buy sanitary napkins for their families?"
Caroline put her hand to her forehead.
So... every time a new lord comes, Westram will go crazy for a while, right?
Caroline used a tough attitude to fool Benjamin, who was eager for knowledge. Before she could recover, Simon and Alan, who arrived a step later, gave her another severe blow.
Simon was still talking to Alan in surprise when he pushed open the door of the party place. When he saw Caroline, he came over curiously and said, "Caroline, the Lord published a manifesto called "The Way to Love Your Family" in the newspaper. He said that girls have to endure pain once a month since childhood, and he needs to prepare sanitary napkins for you to get through the difficult times. Is that right?"
"No wonder my sister always looks bad and has a bad temper at the end of the month. It's actually like this. My mother never told me about it." Alan said with curiosity.
Caroline: “…”
At the same time, in the town hall.
Tattle Joe stared for a long time with his mouth crooked and his eyes squinting, at the huge color photo of himself that was so prominent on the front page of the newly published Innadri Weekly.
"...You look photogenic." Ji Tang held it in for a long time before finally saying something that he didn't know if it could be considered consolation or not, "An old-fashioned film camera can take such a handsome picture, saving the effort of photo editing."
Tuttle adjusted his facial features with great effort and stared at Ji Tang gloomily: "...yesterday's interview was on the front page today. Is Innadeli Weekly such an efficient newspaper?"
"Well... the sanitary products factory exchanged this front-page position for printing paper that it had been supplying at a long-term low price." Ji Tang hesitated for about 0.2 seconds and decided to tell the truth. Tuttle would find out sooner or later anyway.
Tuttle: “…”
The sanitary products factory can not only produce sanitary napkins, but also the pulp workshop located downstream of the water source outside the town can produce toilet paper and paper.
In a place like Westram, which is full of mountains, hills and undeveloped wilderness, it is easy for the pulp mill to obtain raw materials...
After hesitating for a while on the dangerous idea of whether to kill the undead mayor to gain some peace of mind, Tattle took a deep breath and tried hard to press back the blue veins on his forehead.
Whatever, Hal and Pansy are taking a large group of prisoners to build roads. They won't be back for a year or so. So let them embarrass themselves in front of strangers!
Tattle had just calmed himself down when he saw... the undead mayor took out a loud speaker and handed it to him.
"Most local people are illiterate, so the effects of newspaper propaganda and posted advertisements are not obvious enough. You should work harder today and do some street propaganda and read the article 'Ways to Love Your Family' aloud several times." Ji Tang said in a very natural manner.
Tuttle: “…”
Undead! You are playing with fire!
On the verge of being hacked to death, Ji Tang arranged for Tattle Joe, a native tool man, and he was not idle either. He communicated with the "online" Lord Yang through the "mayor's authority mode", and then ran to the teleportation array for living people under the town hall to wait for people.
Soon, twenty-four middle-aged and elderly (in fact, the average age was less than 40 years old) men and women with very simple temperaments, down-to-earth images, some of whom had physical disabilities, but with excellent mental outlooks, appeared in the magic circle.
Ji Tang cheerfully shook hands and greeted each of the Kamor students who were personally trained by a certain boss named Zhou, and happily led the reinforcements from Exile Town to the meeting room of the town hall.
Before these Camorians, who were leaving the Exile Town for the first time after being blessed by Lord Yang, could finish looking curiously at the Westram Town Hall, Ms. Sibel came over with another group of students who were also personally trained by a big boss named Jiang.
This group of students who received education in Westham... their appearance was very different from those from Exile Town. They were all young and beautiful men and women, but their temperament was almost the same as those from Exile Town. When the two sides met, they immediately knew that they were "family members" without any verbal communication.
People from both sides took their seats and chatted with each other curiously. Zhao Zhenzhen, who was assisting Rex in Innadli City, was also teleported over.
"We will all get to know each other soon, so let's not waste time on small talk." Political Commissar Zhao, who rushed to preside over the meeting, got to the point as soon as he sat down. "As December approaches, the local temperature drops. Except for some vegetable farmers, most farmers have been idle. Before the beginning of spring, there are about 60 to 70 days of idle time."
"Everyone has read the research report on the situation in the local villages of Westham and has a general impression of it."
"According to comrade Ji Tang's investigation, the winter farming off-season is the peak period for rural conflicts to erupt. Every winter, there will be major disputes in the villages of Westerme. The reason is not difficult to understand after reading the report. Farmers have no entertainment in the winter. Apart from gambling, drinking, beating wives and children, and attending weddings and funerals, there is nothing else to do."
"We cannot waste this time and must make good use of it. Now let's discuss how to carry out cultural literacy, spiritual civilization construction and agricultural skills training for local farmers more appropriately."
The students taught by the big boss were not able to adapt to Zhao Zhenzhen's work style. Those who had experience in rural life and had their own understanding and opinions on rural conditions spoke out...
It is not difficult for the national team to help local farmers get rid of poverty (according to the world's poverty alleviation standards).
The place of Innadeli Territory... In the eyes of people from other worlds, it is a barren land, but in the eyes of Chinese people, it is a land of fish and rice.
About 35% of the land is plains, and the proportion of arable land is only slightly lower than that of India. The altitude is not as high as that of India, and the climate is not as hot as that of India. The four seasons are relatively distinct. If the farmers in the southwest and southeast provinces of China see such good land, tears will flow from the corners of their mouths! (12% of the plains in China are plateaus, and many of these 12% of plains are plateaus)
Westram is said to be the most water-scarce place in the entire Innad Territory, but that is not because of the scarcity of natural water resources, but because except for the territories occupied by the nobles, there are basically no decent farmland irrigation systems in other places.
Furthermore, the rulers of this world have even lazier and more capricious agricultural policies than the Chinese feudal dynasties. Not to mention setting up agricultural officials to teach farmers how to farm like the Qin Dynasty, or finding ways to raise money for seeds for farmers like the Ming Dynasty (although this policy to help farmers has been ruined...), the nobles who directly manage the fiefdoms are considered merciful if they don't cause trouble for the farmers during the busy farming season!
By setting up an agricultural department, allocating personnel to teach farmers scientific planting, providing a certain amount of farm tools for rental, and organizing farmers to carry out basic water conservancy, the increase in farmers' income is obvious.
If we improve the town's non-staple food processing industry chain and solve the problem of agricultural product sales, it is entirely foreseeable that local farmers will be lifted out of poverty in large numbers - unless there are some natural disasters or man-made calamities, or Lord Yang, the unscientific magician, is defeated by even more unscientific magic.
However, this is not enough... No matter who comes out of the national team, they will not be satisfied with this result.
Even in Westram, the poorest and least fertile land in the eyes of the natives of this world, nearly 30% of the arable land belongs to the private property of the nobles. This is something the national team cannot tolerate.
Letting it go... uh, Yang Qiu, who was happy to see the national team act like this, of course could not tolerate it - the private land of the nobles was different from the fiefdom, and they did not have to pay a penny of tax!
