Chapter 9: Characteristics Beyond the Mouth

I have other factory planning and design blueprints here, and the price is not high. If you are willing, I can offer a discount.

These bandits, apart from not provoking the large colonization companies outside the city, are almost unafraid of anything else. Just after this year's spring pay, one of the leaders of a group of bandits from Qingshan was caught by the patrol team while soliciting a prostitute in Baotou and was imprisoned, awaiting execution. Over ten thousand bandits surrounded the city of Baotou, and in the end, that leader was released by the patrol team. The Baotou Chamber of Commerce settled the matter by compensating with ten thousand silver dollars and ten thousand dan of sorghum

If we recruit the starving people from within the borders to build the factory here, will those bandits come to rob us? Sima pondered for a moment and asked. If it really comes to that, we should first construct the buildings and then consider other matters. If necessary, I could also establish a militia here; otherwise, if someone breaks into the warehouse, it would be quite troublesome.

Moreover, although they appeared to number only a few dozen, a single colonization company's militia could gather over a thousand people. Those bandits could hardly consume anything on their own; if they banded together, the casualties would be too great. In the end, those companies could simply set fire to the granaries, rendering everything futile. Under such circumstances, naturally, no one would be willing to confront those colonization companies, thus avoiding tarnishing their own reputation. Although Gao Chuanliang privately looked down upon these colonization companies for clearing their own snow while some even took advantage of others' land, the fact remained that once one joined a company, there was no need to worry about bandits, which was indeed very appealing.

The Shougang Qinghua Tool Factory is a large military factory established in the 1950s in the Beidahuang region of our country, equipped with its own power plant, water plant, and worker dormitories, which perfectly meets your requirements. You can search online at m.hetushu.com for information and images of the Shougang Qinghua Tool Factory before making a decision. The other party clearly anticipated that Sima would ask this question, and as soon as Sima posed the inquiry, a response was provided. You can search online at m.hetushu.com for information and images of the Shougang Qinghua Tool Factory before making a decision. The other party clearly anticipated that Sima would ask this question, and as soon as Sima posed the inquiry, a response was provided.

Good! Then you go take care of it. If we can ensure our safety here, we can consider paying them protection fees, whether in food or money, similar to what was done in Kongjiazhuang. Sima contemplated for a moment and felt that for the time being, it was better to spend money to buy peace from those bandits. Moving forward, he would take it step by step. In this era, being unfamiliar with the surroundings, this was the only option available. As for establishing a local militia to protect the factory, while it was a feasible idea, given the lack of resources, spending money to buy safety was also a good choice.

In the late Qing Dynasty, revolutionary parties in Hebei gathered at the outskirts, where over 50,000 bandits and local tyrants planned to rise against the Qing Dynasty and established the Iron-Blood Army. However, without firing a single shot, the revolution was deemed a "success." President Yuan easily disbanded the Iron-Blood Army, which was primarily composed of bandits from the outskirts, citing reasons such as the non-revolutionary status of the outskirts.

Upon returning to modern society, Sima began to gather information on factory construction online. Thanks to the well-developed consulting services in contemporary society, there are numerous websites selling various factory layout designs and supporting blueprints. It is even possible to find websites that sell a wide range of drawings. After becoming a member of these websites, Sima used QQ to contact a seller offering complete sets of factory blueprints, following the contact information provided.

You are thinking too simply! Building a factory in a desolate area, as you suggested, involves more than just the factory building itself; you also need to consider power distribution equipment and water supply facilities. Additionally, you must divide the area into living quarters, working areas, and so on. For enterprises that operate in a social capacity, the planning methods used in our country during the early years after its founding, particularly for military industrial enterprises, are still applicable. If you want complete blueprints for factories in this regard, you can spend a few thousand yuan to purchase a set of blueprints for a third-line factory, which even includes plans for factory defense works, ensuring they meet your requirements. However, those factory buildings are typically constructed with brick and tile, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming.

Thank you! If you have the complete set of construction blueprints for a three-line factory layout, I am willing to purchase it. Additionally, I would like to buy the blueprints for a steel frame warehouse with an area of approximately 3000 square meters. Sima certainly knows that the cost of such brick-concrete factory structures is somewhat high, but in the year 1915, the appearance of a color steel frame factory on the desolate land outside the city is glaringly obvious. The Russian-style red brick factory buildings from the early years of the founding of the nation are more suitable for that location. However, in the year 1915, the appearance of a color steel frame factory on the desolate land outside the city is glaringly obvious. The Russian-style red brick factory buildings from the early years of the founding of the nation are more suitable for that location.

Young Master, most of the laborers recruited by these colonization companies are famished people from within the borders. The bandits outside, no matter how they are regarded, still claim to be heroes of the green forest. If they were to rob food from these starving individuals, it would tarnish their own reputation. Furthermore, each colonization area established by these companies has its own militia, ranging from dozens to hundreds of members. The livelihoods of these militia members and their families depend entirely on the provisions supplied by the company. If the colonization team were to be destroyed, their entire families would face starvation. Therefore, when encountering bandits, everyone fights with their lives on the line.

Sima felt a tingling sensation on his scalp as he listened to Gao Chuanliang's introduction. Although he was well aware of the rampant banditry, he never expected it to reach such an extent. The delineation of territories for collecting taxes and grain was not the behavior of mere bandits; it was essentially the existence of a covert government.

"Aren't the officials and soldiers coming to suppress the bandits?" Sima asked with a furrowed brow. If the officials and soldiers were to suppress the bandits, Sima wouldn't mind spending money to bribe the officers to send troops for the task. "Officials and soldiers? By the time they arrive, those horse bandits have long since fled to who knows where. The officials and soldiers can't stay here year-round; once they leave, those bandits will return. It’s useless for the officials to come and suppress them again." Gao Chuanliang recalled the previous instances when the officials and soldiers had come to suppress the bandits and had asked each household to contribute funds, which ignited a fire of anger within him. They only wanted money, but it never seemed to make any difference. By the time the officials and soldiers arrived, those horse bandits had long since fled to who knows where. The officials and soldiers can't stay here year-round; once they leave, those bandits will return. It’s useless for the officials to come and suppress them again." Gao Chuanliang recalled the previous instances when the officials and soldiers had come to suppress the bandits and had asked each household to contribute funds, which ignited a fire of anger within him. They only wanted money, but it never seemed to make any difference.

Moreover, such individuals absolutely do not speak of principles or laws; as long as there are sufficient benefits, that is all that matters. If watches are produced here, it is likely that they are essentially manufacturing watches for this group, effectively displaying a sign for them to come and seize the opportunity. However, if a factory is not established here, it becomes difficult to conceal the suspicion surrounding the independent construction of a warehouse. If the temporal anomaly point is discovered by others, it would raise even greater concerns. Sima felt a wave of headache at the thought of this. Yet, if a factory is not built here, it becomes challenging to mask the suspicion of independently constructing a warehouse, and if the temporal anomaly point is discovered by others, it would indeed be more worrisome. Sima felt a wave of headache at the thought of this.

So it is. After listening to Gao Chuanliang's explanation, Sima couldn't help but look down on these bandits. They were merely a group that bullied the weak and feared the strong; as long as someone was stronger than them, they would not dare to provoke, or if the cost of provocation was too high, they would likely only surround Zhangjiakou and Baotou without attacking, causing the people inside the cities to panic and agree to their demands. They were nothing more than a bunch of bandits. Yet, Sima had to admit a fact: he was indeed afraid of them, because they had guns and men, while he had nothing at all. They would likely only surround Zhangjiakou and Baotou without attacking, causing the people inside the cities to panic and agree to their demands. They were nothing more than a bunch of bandits. Yet, Sima had to admit a fact: he was indeed afraid of them, because they had guns and men, while he had nothing at all

Even the government tries to avoid provoking trouble, let alone ordinary citizens! "Hmm? Why don't those bandits target those colonization companies?" Sima quickly asked. Logically speaking, these colonization companies are mostly composed of outsiders, and it would make sense for them to be seen as prime targets by the bandits. So why is it that they do not touch these colonization companies? There must be some underlying reason.

Hmm! This, this I am also not sure about. I think that even if they come, they will probably just need to spend some money to find an intermediary to negotiate a bit, and that should be about it! Gao Chuanliang himself was also unsure how to respond, after all, he had never dealt with these bandits. Although it is inevitable to handle some stolen goods in the pawnshop business, these bandits usually have their own fixed buyers.

Sima did not expect that as soon as he mentioned the layout and environment of his factory, the other party would respond with a barrage of words. If the other party were not certain that Sima had spent 500 GMB to become a registered member of the website, they might have really thought Sima was just joking with them. In today's society, most factories are constructed with steel structures; very few use brick and concrete structures. Such factories are not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also costly. Moreover, they are often located in areas without water or electricity. Investing in a factory in such places can only be described with two words: "crazy". In today's society, most factories are constructed with steel structures; very few use brick and concrete structures. Such factories are not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also costly. Moreover, they are often located in areas without water or electricity. Investing in a factory in such places can only be described with two words: "crazy".

Haha! It doesn't matter, as long as there is business to be done. I have the construction drawings for the factory layout of Shougang Qinghua Tool Factory, a complete set totaling 8,465 drawings stored on a CD. The warehouse drawings you mentioned, around 3,000 square meters, are also available. If you are willing, I can send the drawings to you for 6,500 yuan. I can also send them to you as files over the internet.

The government's betrayal has thoroughly enraged the bandits in the three provinces outside the borders. Just last year, the horse bandits outside the borders gathered troops three times to besiege Zhangjiakou, repeatedly repelling the Northern Army's attempts to suppress them. Additionally, the bandits active in the Taihang and Yanshan regions of Hebei have also relocated to the borders due to the Northern Army's crackdown, resulting in the number of bandits outside the borders surging to tens of thousands. These horse bandits have each delineated their territories, and apart from robbing merchants, they extort protection fees from various villages and towns, making a living this way. Their power has reached a point where government orders cannot be enforced outside the city.

Shougang Qinghua Tool Factory? Sima appeared very unfamiliar with this factory name and did not know what this factory was engaged in. Why did the other party emphasize this factory?

"So... is there really no one outside this area who fears the bandits?" Sima asked, unwilling to give up. After all, every person has their weaknesses. Sima truly could not believe that these bandits could be so rampant that no one could subdue them! Surely there must be someone capable of bringing them under control. Otherwise, this area would have long been dominated by these bandits.

Although the border areas in the early Republic of China were not as infested with bandits on every hill as they were after the great wars in the Central Plains, the presence of bandits has been a constant wherever there have been itinerant merchants for hundreds of years. Moreover, this region has long served as a trade route from the interior to Mongolia, naturally resulting in a significant number of bandits.

Hmm! Young Master, if that doesn't work, I will contact the Kong family. The grain that the Kong family delivers to the bandits every year is handled by them, so they should have some connections with the bandits. Gao Chuanliang thought for a moment and realized that apart from this, he had no other way to help. Common people only get involved with bandits when they are being robbed; otherwise, they try to avoid them, let alone establish any connections.

"Damn! It's an entire guerrilla war!" Upon hearing Gao Chuanliang's words, Sima recalled a saying from that historical figure known as the 'Great Man': "When the enemy advances, I retreat; when the enemy camps, I disrupt; when the enemy is weary, I strike; when the enemy retreats, I pursue." Moreover, those bandits are all mounted horsemen, making it extremely difficult for the regular troops to cope on this vast grassland. It seems this is a significant problem. Even if I were to hire troops to eliminate the bandits, the final outcome would likely be the same as it is now, or even worse.