Chapter 1738: Chapter 1740: Thankless Task
Huang Fu Flawless did bring the graphene, and as for the grain, Feng Jun had indeed prepared quite a bit. Apart from what was at the White Pebble Beach, there was also some at Mount Zhige, enough together to pay for this time’s goods.
However, the remaining grain wasn’t much, so Feng Jun planned to get another batch of grain in the near future.
So after the transaction, he simply took Zhang Caixin and the other two back to the Luohua Manor.
They stayed there long enough this time that the three girls’ hair had grown significantly, forcing them to quietly tidy up their hairstyles first — this disguise had become a habitual action, and wouldn’t be mentioned separately in the future.
Afterward, Feng Jun brought up the topic of introducing initial industrialization to the Kunhao Plane.
Zhang Caixin stated that she couldn’t entirely understand this kind of operation, "Initial industrialization... is there a need for this? I think focusing on cultivation is the right path for us, isn’t state affairs something we shouldn’t worry about?"
Feng Jun shook his head with a wry smile, "Focusing on cultivation is certainly correct, but if we have the ability, why not help our compatriots? Eliminating obsolete production capacities and moving forward unburdened isn’t good?"
Zhang Caixin, being an art student, wasn’t very knowledgeable about economic issues, but she still expressed, "I understand eliminating obsolete production capacities, but won’t it lead to deindustrialization? Like the situation in Mai Nation... where industries have hollowed out?"
"That’s a good question, but in fact, eliminating obsolete production capacities doesn’t mean deindustrialization," Feng Jun replied solemnly, "Once we grasp the technology for product iteration, we can naturally abandon the previously held technologies."
"The shortcomings of outdated technology are numerous: high energy consumption, heavy pollution, large occupation of human resources, low production efficiency..."
At this point, Zhang Caixin already found it hard to follow up, but Sister Hong raised another question.
"Low-value-added production outsourcing, that’s exactly what Mai Nation does. They keep high-value-added core technologies for themselves, but in the end, they’ve made their industries hollow. Now they can hardly develop manufacturing there."
She paused and then directly asked, "How can you guarantee that the Mai Nation’s tragedy won’t repeat in Huaxia?"
"The Mai Nation’s tragedy isn’t closely related to outsourcing primary products," Feng Jun shrugged helplessly, this issue was really too broad, he didn’t want to explain too much, "The key is that they can print money and spend it. Why would they bother to produce laboriously?"
"That’s an incorrect answer," Sister Hong sparred with him, "You can’t attribute all problems to Mai Nation being able to print Mai Dollars. The former Soviet Union’s industrial system was also malformed. Once it broke up, they could hardly produce any light industrial products."
"Is that surprising?" Feng Jun shook his head with a wry smile, "There were many Warsaw Pact countries back then, and those countries could produce light industrial products. Heavy industry... it’s more reassuring to keep it at home, isn’t it?"
"But back then, the Soviet Union could also print Rubles," Sister Hong argued earnestly, not backing down, "Moreover, you can’t deny that Huaxia is now eliminating backward production capacities and rising labor costs... leading to some factories relocating to Southeast Asia."
"Over time, it’s also possible for issues to arise in Huaxia’s manufacturing, even though we have the only complete industrial system globally."
"Having a complete system doesn’t mean we can’t outsource," Feng Jun shook his head wearily, "Forget it, I don’t want to say much more. You all should understand Huaxia’s industrial capabilities. Why curb production? Because it can’t be sold."
"So the current urgent task is to find a place to dump it. On Earth... I think it’s hard to find. The economic crisis in capitalism, as you should all know, is due to overcapacity."
"Now the Kunhao Plane can serve as a dumping ground, but if they are utterly impoverished and have nothing, what’s the point of dumping? At least ensure they have some purchasing power, right?"
After a long silence, finally, Feng Jing spoke, "I think what Feng Jun is saying is... somewhat interesting. Huaxia doesn’t have colonies, having such a big market is pretty good, and he himself is the customs. The level of industrialization over there isn’t important."
The Zhang Family Sisters suddenly realized, leaving aside other factors, "Feng Jun himself being the customs," this reason was indeed compelling.
Sister Hong nodded but still gave a suggestion, "Even if you’re the customs, it’s necessary to control the pace of industrialization over there."
"Don’t worry," Feng Jun said with a wave of his hand, "I understand the importance of this."
He said to himself: I just want to find a dumping ground, not cultivate an opponent for the Earth Realm.
However, Sister Hong’s eyes twinkled as she smiled, "I know you understand, but industry... can a liberal arts student like you understand it?"
Uh, Feng Jun was instantly defeated, not by the question itself, but by the other party’s attitude. Eventually, he still stated, "I know I don’t understand, but... I can find people who do to solve the problem."
For this matter, he planned to discuss it first with Yu Zhiyuan — Yang Yuxin was a more suitable candidate, but she was already responsible for too many things at Luohua. She should be given some time for cultivation, right?
He also didn’t want to go directly to Elder Yu San, so it seemed better to convey a message through Yu Qingzhu.
Upon seeing Yu Qingzhu, he was surprised to find out that she had already reached the ninth layer of shedding the mundane, "Advancing so fast?"
Yu Qingzhu glanced at Sister Hong and Teacher Mei behind him — both of them had reached the peak of shedding the mundane!
She knew they had some special opportunities, but there was no place to complain about it. She merely commented indifferently, "Not too bad, even Gu Jiahui has reached the peak of shedding the mundane, just like Sister Hong and Sister Mei... I still need to work hard."
At the current Luohua, there were already three people at the peak of shedding the mundane. Her level nine shedding was a bit insufficient, and she had long known that Gu Jiahui’s qualifications were much better than these two in front of her. She was surpassed once, but these two had caught up.
As for the reason behind this... is it even necessary to say? It can only be said that Feng Jun’s method of transforming people is too strong.
Feng Jun ignored her struggle. To have cultivated so quickly to the ninth level of shedding the mundane, even in the Kunhao Plane, would be considered a prodigy. Even Yan Yuxi might not be much stronger than her, right?
So he said to himself, "Let your father know to come to Luohua sometime, I have something to discuss with him... Oh, and tell him the next batch of graphene is on the horizon."
Hearing this, Yu Qingzhu felt even more upset — So you didn’t come specifically to find me?
To find my dad, you could just contact him directly, it’s not like you don’t have his phone number!
However, although she thought this in her heart, she nodded calmly, "Okay, can you roughly say what it’s about? He’s been in a lot of meetings recently and will definitely have to cancel some."
Feng Jun thought for a moment and felt there was nothing that couldn’t be said, "If... I’m just saying if, I want to aid a third-world country, help them develop a basic industrial infrastructure, what kind of outdated production capacity can we get from our country?"
"What?" Yu Qingzhu was prepared to hear some shocking news, but this news still made her somewhat incredulous — you’re already considering aiding third-world countries?
And it’s... about a basic industrial system?
Incidentally, she studied this stuff at university, so she instinctively asked, "How big of a country?"
"This..." Feng Jun hesitated for a moment, thinking he had oversimplified the issue, "How about this, set four levels, starting with a population of thirty million, then eighty million, two hundred million, and a billion... calculate them all."
"Isn’t that too broad?" Yu Qingzhu couldn’t help but roll her eyes, "If you’re just hypothesizing, there’s no need to have my father cancel his meetings. I can help you calculate... if you don’t trust me, I can find someone to help."
Feng Jun looked at her, "If it were easy to find someone to help, it would be a different story. This matter can’t be casually discussed."
Hearing this, Yu Qingzhu’s eyes suddenly brightened, "So... it’s possible that it’s true?"
You’re thinking too much, Feng Jun wanted to chastise her, but then again, apart from Feng Jing, she was the only one with spatial ability, and with her level of cultivation progress, surpassing Feng Jing was only a matter of time.
So in the future, when she brings people in and out of the mobile phone space, it’s an inevitable matter. Since she would find out eventually, scolding her now would be inappropriate. It would be prudent to prepare her in advance.
So he coughed lightly, "Some things are not for you to inquire about yet..."
Understood! How smart Yu Qingzhu was, and she was very happy that Elder Feng could speak like this, indicating that her position in his mind had improved!
From childhood to adulthood, she probably never cared much about others’ opinions of her. She didn’t even care much about her grandfather’s opinion — I am me, if grandpa wants to like me, let him like me, if not, so be it.
What is unattainable is always in commotion; what is favored is always fearlessly confident, truly said.
She didn’t notice that just a slight improvement in Feng Jun’s attitude towards her had changed her mood from cloudy to sunny, and she earnestly nodded, "Okay, I’ll definitely pass on the message."
When Yu Zhiyuan received this call, he was quite bewildered, he was currently discussing some foreign aid projects — Is this kid trying to snatch my business? "He didn’t say which country?"
"Probably just a hypothetical scenario," Yu Qingzhu answered casually.
She felt that she had already guessed the truth — There’s a high likelihood that this country exists, but whether it’s on Earth is another story. Feng Jun’s hair changes length, and recently Sister Hong and their hairstyles have also been changing constantly; then there’s the rapid increase in their cultivation levels.
Is this a coincidence? She didn’t think so, perhaps there’s a small world where time flows differently.
If it were back then, she wouldn’t have believed in such nonsense, but now she’s started cultivating, knows there are small worlds in Danxia heavens, and is aware that Tang Wenji can fly — with all this, what couldn’t she accept?
"Oh, got it," Yu Zhiyuan hung up the phone, mouth curled into a smirk, "A hypothetical scenario... really quite boring."
