"Ladies and gentlemen, today's regular meeting refers to the discussion of the general layout and future planning of the group's business activities in the next year, you can speak freely, then, let the second uncle, you first report on this year's financial situation." Zhang Ruoming retracted his gaze that fell on Shu Han, glanced at everyone present, and spoke, with a calm confidence in his tone, obviously this was only the second time he had presided over the annual meeting, but he seemed to be as skilled as having already seen everything.

The man surnamed Zhang, who was sitting in front of Shu Han, nodded, opened the folder in front of him, and began to say: "Yes, this year's financial situation has improved significantly compared with last year, mainly from smelting and mining area excavation, with a year-on-year increase of more than 200 percent, and the gross profit reached 1.6 million gold coins, and the sales of iron products should also be increased in response to the output, reaching 1.3 million, jewelry stores..."

The gold coins here are not real gold coins, after all, there are no gold mines around the Black Iron City, and a large number of gold coins are either the remnants of the pastoral era, or they are stored in the Yangcheng transaction, and the currency traded in the entire Black Iron City is actually copper coins, as for the paper money, the Black Iron City with a population of more than 200,000 people is still unable to support the operation of paper money.

But if it is calculated in copper coins, then the amount is too huge, and it is often difficult to count when trading bulk commodities, so when clearing the accounts, it will be calculated in gold coins, and finally after financial sorting, the net profit of Zhang's Group reached about 2 million profits this year, and many people present are smiling.

Zhang Ruoming is also very generous to say that this year's year-end bonus will be doubled, and Shu Han on the side is a little puzzled, just the mining area and smelting, the profit will reach 2.9 million, but the final profit is only 2 million, obviously, other industries are loss-making, and I don't know whether it has been losing money, or only now is the loss, but this at least proves that the main industry of Zhang's Group is still hitting the mineral development area.

Other industries are still weak.

"So for next year's development plan, managers, express your opinions, just start with Shu Han, you start first, you have given you a lot of surprises this year, your opinions, I am listening." Zhang Ruoming said.

Shu Han was named, a little at a loss, but then picked up the folder in his hand and said: "Don't dare, don't dare, in the lower district, in this year's time, the reason why the mining area can achieve such good results, one depends on the young master's wisdom and martial arts, and the other relies on the mining staff, everyone is dedicated to public service, and now the results, everything is a matter of course, I just caught up with a good time, not a surprise." “

"Okay, don't talk about it, hurry up and tell me what you have to say." Zhang Ruoming said with a smile, the atmosphere at the scene was very relaxed.

Shu Han pondered, his heart was firm, and said: "This is my view and suggestion on the future development of the mining area. Shu Han said, then took out three reports and proposals that had already been drafted from the folder and handed them to the finance, personnel and Zhang Ruoming, and he said:

"In view of the fact that the management system of the mining area is relatively backward in my opinion, I hope that the management system and personnel system can be more comprehensively improved."

Zhang Ruoming took the report and read it quickly, and the second uncle Zhang on the side read it faster, with his experience of working for more than 30 years, for these briefings, almost ten lines at a glance, and when he saw the abolition of slavery and the establishment of the miner system, Second Uncle Zhang immediately vetoed: "What to abolish slavery, Shu Han, is this what you wrote before you dreamed last night?" “

"No, in my opinion, the abolition of slavery in the mines will not bring any losses to the mines as a whole, but will bring great benefits." Shu Han said neither humbly nor arrogantly, when submitting this proposal, Shu Han was already ready to be sprayed, so naturally he would not have stage fright at this time.

"What does it mean to bring great benefits? There are more than 13,000 slaves in the entire mining area, and if all of them become regular employees, they must be paid, which is a big expense, and the mining area can finally make a profit, so it will only continue to lose money, I don't agree. “

Uncle Zhang took the lead in raising the banner of opposition, and other managers also echoed it, although Shu Han was valued by Zhang Ruoming, but in their eyes, he was still a fledgling stunned young man, not to mention that he had to release tens of thousands of slaves as soon as he came up, which was indeed too ridiculous, and everyone subconsciously followed Second Uncle Zhang and began to crusade against Shu Han.

Bao Erge didn't say anything, this matter, Shu Han mentioned it when he chatted with him before, at the beginning, Bao Erge did not approve, not that he must keep the slavery system, on the contrary, Bao Erge actually hopes to abolish the slavery system, don't look at his appearance is quite rough, but inside he has a sympathetic heart for others.

There were also slaves in the smelters, although not as many as in the mines, but there were many of them, and every time I saw them die on the side of the road for various reasons when they were less than twenty-five years old, they worked hard but did not get any salary, everything in life was decided by their masters, and they were used to death like tools, and some people did not eat a whole piece of meat in their lives even after becoming slaves.

You know, these slaves are not born slaves, they and slaves have almost grown up together, from the nursery together for fifteen years of spring, summer, autumn and winter, they have feelings, just because of genetic problems, and let some people become slaves, and you can only watch them suffer, like Bauerge, those old friends of the same generation as him, almost all of them who became slaves have passed away, this is a very inhumane thing.

Baulge was also unhappy with these slaves, but he also knew that the existence of slavery was a crucial cornerstone of the existence of slavery in the Black Iron City.

It is a good thing to turn slaves into people, but the land of Black Iron City cannot support so many people, this is a fact, this is the truth that Balg has seen clearly after decades, it is very cruel, but it cannot be denied, so he was also against Balge's opinion at first.

But Schulg's words made Baulge suddenly brighten, he looked at Baulge and said: "Uncle Baulge, you are very right, but I think that turning slaves into citizens is not only good treatment, but more importantly, dignity, the dignity of making them stand up, which I myself think, is much better than more generous treatment." ”

"Zhang Cai, you can continue to look down, in my report, the salary of miners is set at 30 copper plates a month, this salary is not high, with the scale of 13,000 people, the total only needs to cost 390,000 copper plates, equivalent to 3,900 alloy coins.

Judging from the profitability of the mining area today, this money is completely negligible, but it can make the miners more motivated to work, and they will be more willing to dedicate their physical strength to the Zhang Group on the construction site. Thinking about it, Shu Han sighed that in the past three months, the bonuses and wages he received from the Zhang family have exceeded 5,000 gold coins, and the monthly salary of 13,000 people is not even as high as his own income in three months.

And even with such a small amount of money, the finance in front of him still disagreed, he looked at Shu Han with questioning eyes, and said: "Yes, but it also requires medical help for the slaves, as well as a reduction in their working hours, from the current fifteen-hour working system to twelve hours, which is a serious loss." ”

"No, Your Excellency, I think we can change the account, according to the statistics of my subordinates, the number of slaves who die due to work-related injuries every year is about 1,000, and the price of each slave is about fifteen gold coins, which is equivalent to the annual expenditure of fifteen thousand gold coins, which is a lot of money.

And if we can provide them with a suitable rest time and worry a little about their health, my team has come up with the data that the average annual injury loss can be controlled to about 100 people, which is undoubtedly appropriate for the profit of the mine.

We will not spend more than 10,000 gold per person on medical care and food, and what we get is more diligent work of the slaves.

As for the reduction in production caused by the reduction of working hours, it will not be much of a burden, and with the current profitability of the mines, it is entirely possible to hire another 3,000 miners to work in the mines, and we can promise them the status of freemen as long as they have worked for the mines for more than three years, and I believe that in this way, a large number of good slaves will come to work with us, which is a very good deal. ”

"But we shouldn't have had that expense." The financial manager obviously didn't intend to let Shu Han's suggestion pass like this, his attitude was very firm, Shu Han no longer ignored him, but looked at Zhang Ruoming, and used data to impress him, Shu Han said: "Yes, Your Excellency, you are not wrong, but we must consider one point, the load of slaves is limited, now our overseers are living better and better, and our slaves are still in dire straits, gentlemen, please imagine, we can't let the slaves live in poverty forever, they also want to live a good life."

There have been many slave riots in the mines today, I have reported them one by one, and I think the personnel managers should have read them, if the living and working conditions of the slaves are not improved, I think a large-scale riot, this is a matter of time, gentlemen, I hope you will think carefully, in the present day, we give them the status of free people, it is charity, they will be grateful to Dade, but if they wait until after the riot, they are giving, it is a compromise.

The other party will not be grateful, but will think that this is what they deserve, this is the benefit of the struggle, everyone, the mining area can have today's achievements, not only depends on me, and all of you here, but also the miners have been struggling to get the results, and in this process, we have tried the incentive policy, the effect is undoubtedly very significant.

If we can give them the status they deserve in advance, they will inevitably be more grateful to the Zhang Group, and the output can be guaranteed, I think this is the best policy, young master, this is my advice to the mining area. After Shu Han finished speaking, he glanced at everyone present with his eyes, and at this moment, their eyes revealed a trace of recognition, although they had not yet reached a positive attitude, but for Shu Han, this was undoubtedly an effective speech.

But the financial heart still did not approve, and he said: "Mr. Shuhan, what you say is very reasonable, but in that case, why not get the status of a freeman as a reward?" Wouldn't it be better if we could establish the way in which we could obtain freedmen in the form of regulations, and if the standards were met, they would be able to obtain the status of freemen? ”

"Sir, I don't think you have ever been exposed to the sufferings of the people, things are not so simple, rules and regulations can bind moral people, but they can't bind a group of slaves, this is not feasible, just imagine, if we use rules and regulations to decide who can become a free citizen, and who needs to continue to work hard, then some jobs will become very sought-after, and some jobs will be blamed on each other, and after obtaining the status of a free citizen?

When we reward freemen, then freemen are no longer an identity, but a tool, and how can we ensure the working attitude of those who have obtained the status of freemen? So I think we should specify the rules and regulations of the miners directly, so that they can work efficiently, rather than hovering between freemen and slaves. ”

As soon as Shu Han finished speaking, Finance immediately said: "This is an unreasonable quibble, Mr. Shu Han, I have to reasonably doubt that your motive for wanting the freedom of slaves, whether you, who used to be a slave, have sympathy in this matter, and whether empathy is seriously affecting your judgment, sir, I hope you remember that you are now an employee of the Zhang Group, not the savior of the slaves." ”

This has reached the point of personal attack, Shu Han couldn't help but want to argue, at this time Zhang Ruoming finally spoke: "I think this is a very meaningful thing, as Shu Han said, let slaves become free people, which will make them more willing to be loyal to Zhang, to a certain extent, it can also improve the efficiency of the mining area, and the achievements of the mining area are not unrelated to the efforts of the miners."

Zhang's creed is to reward merit and punish them if they have faults, which is a very reasonable thing, but the second uncle's concerns are also very meaningful, we will seriously consider it, Mr. Shu Han, do you have any other opinions? ”

Zhang Ruoming's speech ended the battle between Shu Han and the financial manager, and the others looked at Shu Han, and there was a trace of envy in their eyes, although Zhang Ruoming's speech just now seemed to be playing fifty boards each, and no one was standing on anyone's side, but his attitude was already obvious when he used miners instead of slaves to tell about those workers.