The city gates, after Yang Jian's release from prison, experienced a brief period of calm. As he disappeared from public view, his influence waned, and the martial world once again became turbulent.
Far away in Xichuan, Yang Jian was oblivious to the profound impact he had on the city's martial landscape. He was still consumed by remorse over his grandfather's death, unable to forgive himself.
Yang Jian became taciturn, his personality undergoing a drastic change. To alleviate his inner pain and guilt, he threw himself entirely into project management and studies.
Project management involved guiding the construction for his carpentry team, specifically responsible for verifying drawings and laying out lines, essentially acting as the technical personnel for the carpentry team.
His studies were aimed at obtaining a Level 2 Construction Engineer qualification certificate, a suggestion made by Lu Feng's father, Lu Qian, years ago.
Lu Qian was the project's chief technical engineer at the time. Yang Jian's enthusiasm for studying engineering drawings led him to frequently seek out Lu Qian, learning from him how to read and interpret drawings.
Impressed by the ambition of this rural youth, Lu Qian regarded Yang Jian with high esteem and grew fond of the handsome, bright young man. He generously shared his knowledge, not only tutoring him in reading drawings but also teaching him how to use construction instruments such as levels, spirit levels, and hammer drills.
Had Yang Jian's ambition not been to become a construction boss, Lu Qian would have intended to train him as a site engineer.
Later, when the project concluded and Yang Jian was leaving, Lu Qian advised him to continue his studies and strive to obtain a Level 2 Construction Engineer certificate, which he could register with any construction company for an additional income of thirty to fifty thousand yuan annually.
As Lu Qian himself was a Level 1 Construction Engineer, his certificate was even more valuable. Registered with a top-tier construction enterprise, his annual income neared one hundred thousand yuan, without him having to go to the office, effectively earning two salaries.
Yang Jian was currently located in Nanyun County, in the central part of Xichuan. This region boasted rich coal resources, making it economically developed. The thermal power plant they were constructing was situated about three kilometers from a small coal mining town.
This town was named Baoping Town, and thus, the thermal power plant was named Baoping Thermal Power Plant.
The Baoping Power Plant was planned to install three million-kilowatt ultra-supercritical steam turbine generator units, with each unit having a rated capacity of 950,000 kilowatts and a maximum output of 1.05 million kilowatts. Upon completion, it would be the largest thermal power plant in Xichuan.
The power plant was scheduled for production within three years, with the infrastructure development alone requiring two years. Therefore, Yang Jian planned to stay there for two years, intending not to return unless there were pressing matters at home.
"Er Jian, not resting yet?"
Cousin Liu Yong, reeking of alcohol, entered Yang Jian's room. It had been over four months since they arrived at the power plant construction site. Yang Jian had been managing the daily construction operations of the carpentry team, leaving Liu Yong to be a hands-off supervisor. Apart from purchasing auxiliary materials like nails and wires, Liu Yong spent most of his time attending various social engagements with the project manager.
"Brother Yong, it's still early. You've been drinking again; you should take care of your health."
Yang Jian glanced at the time; it was only ten o'clock at night. He usually studied until around eleven-thirty.
This room served as the carpentry team's warehouse, storing nails, wires, screw rods, and reinforcing devices. To ensure a conducive environment for his studies, Yang Jian had moved in alone.
"It's fine, I didn't drink much today. I need to discuss something with you. Put your book down."
"Go ahead, I'm listening."
"The main structure of the power plant's office building is about to be topped out. Manager Chen just told me that the carpentry and electrical work for the staff dormitory buildings and apartment buildings, which are about to commence, will be contracted out on a 'double package' basis. What do you think, should we take it on?"
"Double package? That requires a huge investment. I've seen the drawings for the dormitory buildings; each building covers over a thousand square meters. If we construct two buildings simultaneously, preparing formwork, timber, and scaffolding for three floors, it would likely require an investment of over a million. Where would we get so much money?"
Yang Jian raised his concern. The "double package" for carpentry meant that the project department would contract out all materials and labor involved in the carpentry construction to the contractor. This model offered a higher price but could prevent material wastage and alleviate financial pressure.
Previously, the project department had implemented a "single package" system for carpentry, which required dedicated procurement personnel to purchase large quantities of formwork, timber, steel pipe scaffolding, and other materials and tools. It also necessitated specialized personnel for storage and security, incurring certain labor costs.
The most significant issue, however, was material wastage. During construction, carpenters would cut the nearly two-square-meter wooden formwork panels into various specifications to create models according to different designs. Then, rebar workers would tie rebar onto these models, and concrete workers would pour concrete. Seven days later, the models would be removed, marking the completion of the main structure for one floor.
During the process of cutting formwork, if the offcuts were not utilized rationally, or if care was not taken to protect the models during their removal, leading to forceful dismantling, it would result in substantial loss and waste.
In actual construction, without dedicated supervision, carpentry masters would not prioritize material savings for the project department. As most of them worked on a piece-rate basis, their primary goal was efficiency. They could earn two to three hundred yuan or even more in a day.
All construction companies struggled with material wastage. Various penalty systems proved ineffective. The carpenters working on a piece-rate basis were united; if penalties were too severe, they would cause trouble, even assaulting management personnel.
Furthermore, theft on construction sites was rampant. Not only would external thieves break in to steal steel pipes and couplers, but workers on-site would also steal iron couplers to sell for money.
Couplers are small connecting tools used to reinforce scaffolding, weighing about two pounds. They could be concealed in clothing and taken out. There were dedicated buyers outside who purchased them for three yuan each. Stealing over ten a day could earn them tens of yuan, covering their expenses for cigarettes and drinks.
Such losses were staggering. Consequently, many construction companies changed their model, contracting out the material portion to carpentry bosses, making them responsible for managing and dealing with these losses. Even if the price was slightly higher, it was considered worthwhile for the peace of mind and convenience.
Taking on "double package" work was indeed within Yang Jian's plans, but clearly not at this moment due to insufficient funds. He had experience working for "double package" carpentry bosses who were characterized by their substantial financial resources. They settled all material purchases in cash, without credit, as credit would significantly increase the prices.
Some "double package" carpentry bosses were even more financially robust than construction bosses. Yang Jian's long-term goal was to first become a "single package" boss, then a "double package" boss, and finally a general contractor, becoming a major construction magnate.
Liu Yong also clearly intended to leverage this project for growth. The Baoping Power Plant was a key project in Xichuan Province, funded by the state, ensuring financial security and virtually no risk of delayed payments. If they seized this opportunity effectively, the cousins could rapidly rise to prominence and become wealthy.