The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 34

"Hmm, I'd like to get to know them too."

"Alright, I've stayed long enough here today, it's time for me to take my leave. As for what I said today, wait for my news."

"Yes, thank you, Brother Zheng."

"I'll take this draft of the 'Hundred Family Surnames' first. If this text is to be presented to the imperial court and to be taken seriously, it will need to be slightly modified."

The imperial surname should naturally be listed first, and the surnames of prominent families should also be arranged in the first two sentences as much as possible. This order is extremely important, and some clans value it highly.

"Ah, Brother Zheng, wouldn't this ruin the music?" Xu Tian said with some concern.

"Rest assured, I will take care of this matter. I will add some words at the beginning of this article to explain that surnames are not ranked according to social status, but only according to pronunciation."

Zheng Xie was indeed very thoughtful; neither Xu Tian nor Mr. Cui had considered these matters. There are quite a few old-fashioned people in this era who are very particular about these empty titles, even ranking surnames in order of rank and status.

"Yes, Brother Zheng is a top scholar with profound knowledge. I am relieved to hear you say that. Thank you for the correction, Brother Zheng."

After seeing off Zheng Zhuangyuan, Xu Tian was in a good mood. Two good things had happened at once, and if they both came true, it would be wonderful.

If the "Hundred Family Surnames" were to be favored by the emperor or the court, the fame and benefits would be readily apparent.

However, he valued the iron-smelting furnace more. If he could hire government craftsmen, although the technology might not be the most advanced of the time, the quality would certainly be guaranteed.

Early March is the busy season for farming and a good time for spring outings. But Xu Tian was not in a leisurely mood at this time, as the construction site was nearing completion.

The factory had two main gates, one in the front and one in the back, as well as a smaller gate. Next to the gates was the security room, much like the factory entrances of later generations.

Inside the main gate is a small plaza, and directly opposite the gate is the reception hall. Behind the reception hall are the kitchen and the dining hall. The dining hall is made of a shed and, according to the plan, can accommodate up to one hundred people at the same time.

To the left of the square is the living area for male workers, and to the right is the living area for female workers; each is an independent courtyard house.

This entire area is the living area, which has the most buildings in the entire factory. The living area has high requirements for housing and other facilities, and it is also the place that took the most time to build.

Beyond the residential area, continuing in, you reach the industrial area. The industrial area is also divided into three parts: the metalworking area in the front, the woodworking area in the back, and the assembly area in the middle. These are all separate areas, connected by a gate.

These areas are currently quite rough and simple, consisting mainly of their respective warehouses and open sheds, all of which are empty. The advantage of this is that they can be further subdivided as needed in the future.

There was no soap workshop area planned at the beginning, but it was added later, with a small courtyard added near the back gate.

In the past few days, Zhang Qi has helped interview the people who came to apply for the carpentry job, and after the final screening, five people were selected.

Two of them are considered veterans, while the others are novices who can be trained as apprentices. With the addition of Zhang Laozhong, the initial trial period is sufficient, and more can be recruited gradually later.