Before long, it's May. The political turmoil triggered by the Song case has indeed subsided slowly, just as Zhou Dan analyzed. Many people have even produced an illusion that peace has arrived, but only Wang Zhenyu does not think so, and he is still preparing for war.

  In the residential area, a small district was completed and after simple decoration, Chen Quzhen's Anjiang Management Bureau began to distribute houses according to units. Young male and female workers lived in such high-rise buildings for the first time, looking around, touching here and there, tossing and turning all night without sleep, and going to work with red eyes the next day. The factory manager was afraid of accidents, so he gave the workers a day off, and everyone cheered and shouted "Long live".

  The cement from Jingzhou Cement Plant has found a big buyer, a Danish firm in Shanghai, but the one who wants to buy it is an American, named Wellington, and he's also an old customer of Liu Hongsheng.

  Wellington is also practical, friendship is friendship, business is business. All requirements are clearly written in black and white on the contract.

  Cement 170 kilograms per barrel, each barrel price is $1 (so cheap?) equivalent to only 2.2 silver dollars. The annual demand is 5 million barrels, which is also $5 million. In addition, the waterway from Jingzhou to Shanghai must be managed by Xiangxi Development Company, after all, the current situation in China is very unstable, and foreigners are very clear about this, so they won't cooperate with you!

  Fortunately, this did not deter Wang Zhenyu, who had a large shipping company of his own, one of the top three on the Yangtze River. Moreover, the company flew the British flag, which meant that even Yuan Shikai would not dare to send troops to intercept the ship. So transportation was not a problem, and Wellington also expressed willingness to pay for this part of the freight.

  This is almost 850,000 tons of cement, the remaining part can be sold domestically, and Luoyang factory can basically get started. After all, there are still many places that need cement in the future, 2 million tons is not a big deal.

  However, when it came to settlement, Wang Zhenyu insisted on payment in US dollars. Wellington was also very happy because the international settlement currency at that time was still the British pound, and someone was willing to accept US dollars, which would save a lot of commission fees. For such a good supplier, Wellington signed a three-year contract with a wave of his hand, with payments made every three months. The Baota brand cement thus entered the international market, and Cheng Zufu bowed to the north and said, "Governor, you must be delighted in heaven." (Wang Zhenyu was sweating profusely, thinking to himself, "I'm selling cement, what does Zhang Zhidong's half-cent coin have to do with this?")

  Anjiang Spinning Factory had some problems, Rong Desheng personally came to find Ye Zuwen and Wang Zhenyu: "General, my brother sent a telegram, our current spinning factory with 1.5 million spindles is almost complete, can't expand anymore."

  "Wang Zhenyu asked in surprise: 'Why?'"

  Rong Desheng was not impatient, and he analyzed one by one: "Big brother said that the cotton he can receive can only guarantee this output, and now Nantong is also setting up a spinning factory. It's indeed difficult to expand the source of raw materials again. And if we blindly follow the original plan to expand to 480,000 spindles, once the raw material supply is not available, it will be tens of thousands of mouths waiting for food, and this matter cannot be taken lightly."

  Wang Zhenyu shook his head and said, "We'll still build the factory according to the original plan. The raw materials are indeed a big problem, but I've already entrusted Huabai Bank to procure cotton from overseas for us. Basically, this channel will be very stable in the next ten years."

  Rong Desheng was shocked: "General, it's not possible. If we continue with the plan, we'll have to go into full production by January next year at the latest. The imported cotton is not cheap, and when you add up the shipping costs and tariffs, the cost of producing one box will almost double to 130 yuan. But our selling price for one box of yarn on the market is only 156 yuan. This profit margin is easily problematic. And who's going to consume that much at that time? General, please think thrice."

  These businessmen only know how to calculate the small accounts in front of them, and when a war breaks out, won't my market emerge? Let alone 156 yuan per box, even 260 yuan per box can be sold, what's there to fear?

  However, for now, he still needs to convince this small merchant, otherwise the Rong brothers will think that they are just making a fuss and leaving. Wang Zhenyu can only patiently explain: "Don't worry, these goods will be sold in Europe, so don't worry about the sales route."

  After listening to this explanation, Rong Desheng was half-believing and half-doubting, but he didn't know how to persuade him again, so he could only sigh silently.

  Wang Zhenyu continued, "Old Rong, there's another issue. 4800 new machines and you're hiring 6000 workers? That's too stingy. Don't think I don't know that the treatment of your workers is only eight dollars a month, not even as good as my new soldiers. Since labor costs are so low, why not recruit more? It's just female workers, have them work in three shifts, and when it's time to stop, the machines won't stop. Every month, they'll stop for four days for maintenance, right? I want you to hire 10,000 people, or else raise this treatment to fifteen dollars."

  Rong Desheng was furious and stomped his feet: "Alright, General, you're the major shareholder, we'll listen to you. But do you know how many people are in Hongjiang? 30,000! My General, where am I supposed to go to recruit a full 10,000 people? Right now, we've only recruited 2,500."

  "Wang Zhenyu slapped his forehead: "Ah, I forgot to mention it to you. It's just next door, on the Snowy Peak Mountain side, in Baoqing Prefecture, there are plenty of laborers. Go and recruit them. With so many people and little land, if you provide food and accommodation, and pay eight silver dollars per month, I estimate they'll be fully recruited soon."

  Rong Desheng heard this and thought, "There's still a place like this?"

  In the scorching summer of 1913, thousands and thousands of people from Baoqing set out in groups on foot to cross Xuefeng Mountain towards Anjiang in western Hunan to make a living, all because of Wang Zhenyu's casual remark.

  On June 1, International Children's Day had not arrived yet. However, looking at Ye Zhiwen's seven-month belly, Wang Zhenyu decided to take Ye Zhiwen together to the living area to attend the completion of Anjiang Cinema, which has ten three-story buildings and over 300 seats.

  Mother Chen did not want her daughter-in-law to have a bumpy ride, saying she was afraid of accidentally affecting the child. Wang Zhenyu smiled and said it was okay, I'm doing fetal education here.

  Fetal education? What's that all about? Chen was stunned for a moment, and then his son drove away with his daughter-in-law.

  Today's first film was a four-part short film "Xi Taihou", "Unfortunate Child", "Wa Pen Shen Yuan" and "Stealing Chicken" shot by the Asia Film Company. For Wang Zhenyu, who is used to watching big films in later generations, this is nothing, but Ye Ziyun and other military and political officials watched with relish, it seems that the cultural life of this era is indeed too poor.

  After returning home, Ye Ziweng was still talking about the fun of the movie with Chen Shi. Looking at his carefree wife, Wang Zhenyu's chest was filled with a happy feeling, and he also secretly made up his mind that no matter what the future held, he would work hard to protect this happy family, even if it meant sacrificing everything.

  On June 20, the Xiangxi Grand Auditorium was completed. This 20-meter-high Western-style auditorium is divided into three floors, with the first and second floors being the auditorium and the third floor being the conference hall. The Gothic architecture gives a very solemn and majestic feeling, and the first use was the graduation ceremony of the first batch of students from the Xiangxi Army Officer School.

  As the big boss of these officers, Wang Zhenyu personally came to the Xiangxi Grand Auditorium to give a speech: "Young officers, I am proud and honored to have students like you as my subordinates. From today on, you are qualified officers of the Xiangxi Garrison Brigade. Whether you can become excellent depends on your performance in service. I will continue to pay attention to your growth and progress, and I hope you will not waste the knowledge and opportunities given to you by this military school.

  Gentlemen, after the Republic of China was established, our country is still fragmented and unstable. In my opinion, if we want to become a rich and powerful nation, we must rely on young officers like you who have ideals, morals, and ambitions to fight for the future of our motherland. I believe that you will shoulder this historical mission entrusted to you, and I firmly believe that you will use your wisdom and courage to create a prosperous China for this country, this nation, this era, and your own destiny."

  The applause was endless, and the officers were all successfully stirred up. Wealth and status will always be the greatest driving force for people to move forward constantly. As for the glorious mission of liberating all humanity, it is left to those true revolutionaries.

  Throughout July, Wang Zhenyu visited each unit of the Xiangxi Defense Team to understand their problems and solve their difficulties. The newly established photography propaganda team recorded Wang Zhenyu's grassroots inspection tour in a realistic manner.

  Watching the commander, who was spoken of with utmost respect by the officers, being so approachable and having meals together with these low-ranking soldiers, even going out for a stroll, training together, the soldiers suddenly began to believe what those cadres from the Revival Society said: The commander's soldiers are the most glorious existence in this society.

  The first batch of 24 members of the Revival Society organized by Chen Shao, including his junior Li Buwei and Zeng Qi, entered various units of the Imperial Guard Brigade and the New Army Base to serve as instructors, brainwashing soldiers in class, spreading the legend of the Great Marshal among them.

  On July 1, Wang Zhenyu met with Li Buwei and Zeng Qi, two active members. Li Buwei is from Changsha, Hunan Province, 26 years old this year, originally planned to study in Japan, but was persuaded by Chen Shao's letter to stay in Anjiang and take the military school entrance exam.

  Zeng Qi is from Longchang, Sichuan. He is 20 years old this year. His arrival in Anjiang was unexpected because his wallet had been stolen. Originally planning to go to Shanghai, he could only stop in Anjiang. In order to make a living, he took the exam for military school, and it really was a strange fate.

  Li Buwei and Zeng Qi have been boasting about General Wang in front of the soldiers every day, so people who don't know the truth think they are familiar with General Wang. In fact, this is their first meeting. It's unknown how long it will take for them to realize the truth after being brainwashed for a long time, but it's true that they have successfully brainwashed themselves. When they saw Wang Zhenyu, they were so excited that they cried.

  Wang Zhenyu was sweating profusely, don't cry, I'm not a rich second generation, nor am I tear gas.

  Wang Zhenyu had a harmonious conversation with them about his own ideas, which were actually the same as national socialism, but with some of the more extreme elements removed. Wang Zhenyu called this "Great Nationalism" and said that it still needed to be improved.

  Next was Zeng Qi, and Li Buwei stood up to indicate that he would definitely struggle for this great nationalism for his lifetime. The reception had originally ended here, but Wang Zhenyu suddenly made a decision: "In that case, I plan to establish a Nationalism Research Association at the Military Academy, and Xiao Zeng and Xiao Li will return to the military school to cooperate with Chen Shao to get this research association started, and there must be results."

  This is also the inspiration, not long ago, Liu Guojun was in charge of becoming an industrial vocational school, but this name is not loud and cannot attract people with skills. Wang Zhenyu immediately approved the establishment of Xiangxi Industrial Research Institute, as a result, people like Hou Debang were poached from Shanghai. This matter also made Wang Zhenyu realize that the existence of title party still has some reason.