Ning'an County's workshops could roughly be divided into two types.
The first were purely state-owned, belonging entirely to the Jing Kingdom Imperial House and Ning'an County.
The second were privately owned, including workshops built by aristocratic clans, wealthy families, or scholars of the Craftsmen School.
Aside from especially important workshops that could not be sold, most workshops would either close down or be put up for sale once they had trouble turning a profit.
The textile workshops where Fang Yun was located were all County-owned Workshops. Their sale required approval from the county yamen, then the prefectural yamen. Selling the largest workshops even required a decision from the Minister of Works.
The Jing Kingdom's national strength had declined in recent years. Craftsmen School members hoping for greater rewards had flocked to other nations, causing Jing Kingdom's talent to drain away continuously. To win back talent, Jing Kingdom offered outstanding workshop masters generous salaries and certain official statuses. If their workshops were poorly run, they were even allowed to purchase them.
"Tomorrow, I'll send over the blueprints for the Spinning Machine. Keep working." Fang Yun left with Ao Huang.
As soon as they stepped out of the tea room, they saw Fang Yun's private soldiers being stopped outside by the Northern Mang Army and Hall of Punishment personnel guarding the workshops. The private soldiers and aides stood silently, with several bailiffs behind them. Behind the bailiffs stood dismounted Demon Iron Cavalry, more than two thousand strong.
Fang Yun nodded and said, "Let them in."
"Yes!"
The guards let them through, but those people did not move. Fang Yun nodded again. "Begin!"
"Move!"
Led by Fang Yun's aides, the more than two thousand people split into over two hundred teams and charged toward more than two hundred workshops like wolves and tigers.