Time Smuggling Starting from the Year 2000

Ford rarely used his office, but today, he formally invited Huang Xuan to the office. The time was two hours later, and Huang Xuan proposed it himself.

Taking advantage of Ford's time to inspect other workshops, Huang Xuan bought more than 20 drawings and two pencils with the remaining 30 cents, found a roof and spread them out, while Lorraine complained and changed them into a complete design. I saw carbon foam flying in the air, as if they had agreed, they lined up and landed on the blueprint, and reproduced its content according to the information Lorraine found.

Due to the strong adsorption of carbon, as long as the landing point of each toner is controlled and arranged on the drawing according to the requirements of the data, a complete design drawing is completed. The principle is very similar to that of laser printing. More Energy consumption is still due to different planes.

For Lorraine, this kind of work consumes less than directly manipulating Huang Xuan's body. The weight alone varies widely, not to mention the efficiency issue.

Of course, more than 10 drawings are not even enough to show the engine structure, let alone used for production, but it is enough for negotiation.

Huang Xuan quickly rolled it up, raised his head, and walked towards Ford's office.

At this time, not only Edsel, but also several executives from the company gathered here. In the later period of the old Ford, they spent a lot of money to buy Ford's stock, thus turning Ford into a complete family business. Therefore, when Edsel wanted to make a decision, he only needed to ask his father for advice. —He also had to ask Dad for instructions.

Walking into this 200-square-meter office, Huang Xuan didn't speak, but spread the drawings in his hand on the round table in the middle. These were just some descriptive drawings, which were far from those that could actually be used for production.

There were 7 people present. After Huang Xuan sat down, everyone formed a circle and began to look at the drawings on the table. Everyone looked very serious.

Very good design. Kent, who is Ford's development director, spread his hands and said to Edsel, But we already have a similar design, so we don't need to spend money to buy it.

Huang Xuan pouted, same design? For the same design, Ford still needs to spend at least a year and a half. He leaned comfortably on the sofa, drinking coffee, and kept silent.

Edsel also did not speak. He knew better than anyone else the situation in his factory. Instead, others spoke and discussed. However, everyone knows that the real decision-maker is Old Ford. Henry has never delegated enough authority to his son when it comes to issues related to the company's major political direction.

Did you design it? Edsel asked half curiously.

Of course. Huang Xuan looked at him with unfaltering eyes.

At the beginning of the 20th century, it was quite common for one person to design an industrial product. Honda and Ford were born in this way, just like in the second half of the 20th century, a programmer completed a piece of software.

Edsel expressed his appreciation with his eyes. It is said that two people with similar thoughts call each other bosom friends, and the collision of the same thought in different planes may use the same title.

V8 may be the last legacy in Edsel's life.

Huang Xuan felt sorry for this, but this smart and wealthy gentleman died in an accident. According to His Excellency the Guardian, this kind of death is almost difficult to change, because there is too much energy in the buffer zone of the plane. way to correct such deviations. If the energy fluctuates too much, it is also possible for the sky to thunder down.

Several people sitting opposite Huang Xuan discussed in low voices, while Ford's sales director, Stephen, pretended to be intimate and asked Huang Xuan, Have you registered a patent? Don't let someone take away such a perfect design.

Huang Xuan smiled indifferently, and said, As long as you are willing to pay, you can take this design and register it however you like.

This statement surprised everyone, and Kent winked at Ford. For these gentlemen who have become accustomed to registering everything as a patent, Huang Xuan's way of doing things is too tempting - maybe it doesn't cost much at all, this is almost everyone's thinking except Huang Xuan up.

Huang Xuan also considered this. But what can be done, not to mention his own identity, the approval speed of the U.S. Patent Office alone is enough for him to go back and forth between two planes more than ten times. How much money did you get. This is 1931, in modern society, there are many ways to make money, more profitable than selling patents, and there are many faster ways.

Edsel was silent for a while, and said, Mr. Xuan, maybe we need to discuss...

Mr. Ford. Huang Xuan drank the coffee in his cup, stood up and said, Of course you can discuss it, but I can only wait for you for one day. Tomorrow night, I will go to New York.

It's impossible in one day. The sales director said in amazement: We need to verify and consider similar designs. Before we read your complete design information, we don't know how much we need to modify the production line. Similarly, We can't accurately judge the specific performance of your design, you know, this is one person's design after all, and there is still a lot of work to be done...

Okay. Huang Xuan was a little impatient, and said, Tonight, I will stay at the nearby Elis Hotel until noon tomorrow. If you really want this blueprint, bring it with you before noon tomorrow. Come and trade with me in cash. When the time comes, you will naturally see the detailed content and all the content you want. If you are not interested, I will find another company. You can bring bodyguards and bring as many as you want, but I want to see Cash, understand?

Edsel was a little dissatisfied, and said, We can't decide on the design and production of a model so simply...

That's your problem. The English learned for many days finally came in handy, Huang Xuan bit the back of his tongue and said, If you want, bring money. I want 100,000 US dollars, which is unimaginably small. no?

The US$100,000 in 1931 was as much as US$1 million today in terms of purchasing power. The current US President Hoover’s annual presidential salary is 75,000 yuan. It will not be until 18 years later, that is, the end of World War II, that Truman can Get $100,000. For ordinary Americans, a monthly salary of $200 is already a rare high salary, which usually needs to cover the consumption of a family of 10. As for the middle class—the favorite term for Chinese in this new century—it is only an embryonic class, and it is said with some authority that it was the appearance of the Ford Model T that gave birth to the middle class. If that's to be believed, a Model T, or similar sedan, one of the icons of the middle class, now costs $260. .

On the other hand, however, $100,000 is a lot of money. Not to mention that it is equivalent to the hard work of hundreds of workers for a year, just think about the American economy in the Great Depression, and you can understand how huge $100,000 was in the era when a sheep was only worth $1.

Of course, after all, the huge sums of money are relative to the poor. Ford's average annual profit is 30 million US dollars, and its loss from shutting down the entire production line for half a year during the development of the Model A car is also Well over $15 million. As for the direct funding for their own development of V8, it is far more than 3 million US dollars.

Therefore, $100,000 is still a very tempting figure for Edsel.

When Huang Xuan turned his head and left the office, there was an uproar in the room. Stephen, the sales director who had worked for 10 years, agreed to buy Huang Xuan's design. As long as it can complete 80% of the design requirements, he can spend money.

Kent immediately retorted: How can we see from the drawings whether it can complete 80% of the design requirements?

Stephen was immediately speechless. After all, his major is still not car manufacturing, and Bron next to him also objected: Without an appointment, it is troublesome to withdraw 100,000 in cash. Moreover, gentlemen who believe in cash transactions always have too many eccentricities. Here The eccentricity mentioned is of course derogatory, and he actually wanted to say the word robber but he didn't say it in the end.

Of course, in 1931, Americans' trust in banks had reached a freezing point, and two years later, in 1933, a large-scale bank run would bankrupt countless dignitaries on Wall Street. However, this distrust of banks has not yet spread to gentlemen with huge assets, because they need banks more than ordinary people. On the other hand, the claim of requiring cash payments is also considered a concern of the poor.

Edsel listened quietly. He was going to ask Old Ford for instructions at night, but before that, he needed to understand the views of both sides as much as possible.

However, from the bottom of his heart, Edsel is more inclined to buy a set of blueprints. Even during the Great Depression, the sales of Type A cars were still good, but the advantages brought by technology will soon be lost, and the Eastern Man's design happened to be in line with Ford's production, and production should be able to be organized without much modification. If there is no problem with the design itself, $100,000 is almost a free gift.

As the discussions faded, Edsel put down the coffee in his hand and said with a serious expression, Bron, find a way to withdraw 100,000 in cash, and notify the bank now, and you must get it before 9 o'clock tomorrow.

OK.

Mr Brown?

Yes. Brown was a rugged Westerner, with rough skin and bright eyes.

Edsel changed his posture, stroked the brim of his hat and said, The person who notified you is always ready.

After Brown nodded in agreement, he named Kent again and said, Find a few professional designers and bring some materials. Maybe we can see this gentleman's knowledge on the spot.

OK.

Edsel gave two more orders, finally relaxed, leaned back on the chair, and said, I'll think about it again, and I'll let you guys know the result tomorrow morning.

Everyone present knew that Edsel's so-called consultation was to ask his wife and father for instructions, but everyone had already taken it for granted, and only Bron once again expressed doubts: Mr. Ford, maybe they stole those blueprints? We could get a lawsuit over it.

Who cares about him? We bought it with money. Stephen scoffed. .