Chapter 290 - 289 Expansion
Jiang Yifan was rather concerned about the manpower of Qi Family Construction Business, although Qi Younian and his brother, together with Wong Qiao, were all craftsmen of exquisite skills, with Wong Qiao being even more outstanding. But to undertake large projects, relying solely on a few skilled craftsmen was definitely not enough. The Qi Family Construction Business had been in operation for too short a time, and it was feared they could not gather enough people.
If the manpower was insufficient, they would need to think of solutions early on, so as not to delay the construction period due to a lack of workers.
Qi Younian replied, "There’s no problem with the manpower. Since the start of the Dairy Products Store’s construction, I have employed several good craftsmen at high wages, and they all have permanent helpers under them. We’ve signed contracts for three years. After the Dairy Products Store closes, I inquired through middlemen about other construction businesses nearby and selected a few with good reputations. The plan is to temporarily bring them in and parcel out portions of the Sixth Master’s garden to them. We will provide the materials and construction plans, and their work will be overseen by Ah Qiao, who will lead the supervision. We will manage their food and lodging on a daily basis and settle the wages after the completion of the project."
Was it possible to do this with civilian projects? Jiang Yifan’s gaze flickered, and he subconsciously glanced at Ye Xinyan before saying, "That’s a good idea. Have you already talked to people?"
Because the project was enormous, the practice of gathering multiple construction businesses for completion typically took place with government office-initiated projects. Civilians usually undertook projects according to their capabilities and sought their craftsmen as needed. However, there wasn’t a practice as Qi Younian described where a small civilian construction business divided the project and subcontracted it to other construction businesses.
Qi Younian answered, "Some craftsmen went home to rest, and I’ve already hinted at some of my thoughts. I didn’t specify what kind of project, just that it was a large one that one firm couldn’t handle alone and wanted to subcontract in parts. Ye Zi said it’s best not to be too eager in asking about this; just leak the information to a few relevant people and let them come to us. That way, when it’s time to discuss, we can take the initiative."
Jinrong chuckled, "Our Ye Zi is indeed resourceful, turning even a trivial matter into several twists and turns. However, with so many construction businesses involved in the project, have you thought about how to manage and restrain them?"
Qi Younian gave a bow to Jinrong and said, "We truly do need Sixth Master’s help with this. Management and restraint are not troublesome matters. These days, Wong Qiao is sorting out the materials in sections, and Ye Zi is drafting the subcontracting terms. Once these things are ready, it will be fairly simple to restrain them according to the terms. The trouble lies in supervision and inspection. Our construction business has only been established for a short time and might not be taken seriously, which is why I would ask for Sixth Master’s support, to allow the two gentlemen who once managed the rail transport to come and inspect from time to time. Those gentlemen are thoroughly familiar with the court’s construction regulations and can deter the other construction businesses."
"Certainly, that’s easy," Jinrong readily agreed. "I still have some clerks from the Ministry of Works at my disposal; feel free to ask for them whenever needed. There are also officials from Yuyuan Prefecture’s Yamen in charge of engineering who can frequently come to inspect. They can all coordinate with you."
Jiang Yifan reminded, "Ninety percent of Sixth Master’s house in the capital can start construction, depending on whether the plans you provide match Sixth Master’s vision. Various powers are entrenched in the capital, and it might not be possible to operate the same way you do here. The elder will still need to cultivate his own team to make things more convenient."
Qi Younian nodded eagerly, "Thank you for the reminder, Lord Jiang. Our current manpower is indeed insufficient. I have already asked the middlemen to keep an eye out for skilled craftsmen of all sorts, to specifically recruit some at the work site when doing the Sixth Master’s courtyard project. After the completion of Sixth Master’s project, there should be no shortage here. As for the temporary laborers and assistants, they’re easy to hire."