Everyone looked at Jing Yongli with expectant eyes. They all knew Yang Jian was always righteous and would make good arrangements for the brothers who followed him.
"Everyone, Brother Jian is currently on the run, living a life of hiding and dodging. However, he hasn't abandoned you. During your imprisonment, he provided your families with a monthly salary of five thousand yuan.
Now that you are out, he plans to give you some compensation. There are two options.
First, for those willing to work at the template factory and trading company, report to Yang Li Village at the end of this month. Your salary will be paid according to the standard of middle management, around fifteen hundred to two thousand yuan, with adjustments based on your abilities in the future.
Second, for those unwilling to work at the factory, there will be a one-time compensation of one hundred thousand yuan. If you wish to join the factory later, you will only be able to work as a regular employee.
You can choose either of these options. Brother Jian will have no objections, and we will remain good brothers."
As soon as Jing Yongli finished speaking, everyone started discussing, mainly consulting with their families.
It was clear that this choice was important, and it was about showing whether they were willing to continue following Yang Jian.
This choice was also quite difficult. After all, Yang Jian was still on the run with an uncertain future. If they chose to work in his factory, based on current standards, they wouldn't save a hundred thousand yuan in five years.
A hundred thousand yuan was not a small sum in those days. In the countryside, it could be used to build a three-story house. Receiving such a large sum at once was tempting, but it also meant severing ties with Yang Jian.
If Yang Jian never returned or was caught, then taking a hundred thousand yuan now would be more advantageous.
However, if Yang Jian returned safely within the next year or two, then this few tens of thousands of yuan would be insignificant, as he could bring his brothers far more income than that.
"Brother Liangliang, what's your choice?"
A few young men asked Liangliang, as they were all recruited by him.
Liangliang smiled and said, "Isn't that a stupid question? Brother Jian and I are brothers who have faced life and death together. Even if he gave me not a single cent, I would still go work at the factory. Not only would I have a salary, but I could also help maintain security for him, and the salary is not low either."
Actually, there was one thing he didn't say: he, Biao Biao, and San Pang were all shareholders in the trading company, so how could they not stick closely with Yang Jian?
"Then I'll follow you. From last October until now, Brother Jian has helped us earn tens of thousands of yuan, and our family's conditions have improved a lot. We don't lack this hundred thousand yuan. He is also going through his most difficult time now, so I can't take his money."
A young man named Luo Peng immediately stated his decision. He was from Luogang Town, only nineteen years old, and a high school graduate. His vision was a bit further than others.
Liangliang patted his shoulder without speaking.
The other two young men hesitated. Although they also wanted to follow Liangliang, their families had a strong need for this hundred thousand yuan.
On another table, a quarrel erupted. A young man named Li Chunlin was arguing heatedly with his father, Li Gui.
"I don't want this hundred thousand yuan, I just want to work in Brother Jian's factory."
After Jing Yongli presented the options, Li Chunlin made his choice without hesitation. He was twenty-three years old and had been hanging around in the town for several years before going to the casino. However, he was a lone wolf, a hired gun for others, and never followed a good boss.
After being introduced by Biao Biao, he joined Yang Jian's team, which gave him a strong sense of belonging. He believed Yang Jian was the boss he had been looking for, and following Yang Jian would surely lead to success.
Now, at Yang Jian's time of hardship, as the saying goes, adversity reveals true friendship. By choosing to continue following Yang Jian at this moment, once Yang Jian returned, he would be able to become a sworn brother like Biao Biao and Liangliang, entering the core circle of the team.
It was known that Biao Biao and Liangliang, by following Yang Jian for two years, had bought cars and houses and had assets of over a million yuan.
Li Chunlin was not a greenhorn fresh out of school. He had been in society since he was sixteen and had already experienced the ups and downs of the underworld. He wouldn't be so foolish as to give up an opportunity to completely turn his life around for a hundred thousand yuan in hand.
Li Gui was so angry he wanted to hit him. "You're over twenty years old, and you're still so muddle-headed. Don't you know our family's situation? Your brother is almost thirty and urgently needs to build a house and get married. Your mother is sick and needs surgery, requiring money. This hundred thousand yuan can save lives!"
"Don't give me that. The money Brother Jian gave before was enough to pay for Mom's medical treatment. What does your building a house and getting married have to do with me? Can't he earn it himself?"
"You're not young anymore either. Everyone your age in the village is married. Aren't you in a hurry? You could also use this hundred thousand yuan to build a house and get married yourself!"
"You don't need to worry about my business. No matter what you say, I'm going to work in Brother Jian's factory. Haven't you always advised me to take the right path? Working in a factory is the right path, isn't it?"
"You, you're deliberately trying to make me die of anger! Since you've made your choice, then don't come back! I have no son like you from now on!"
Li Gui finished speaking, got up, and left the hotel without looking back.
In the end, six people gave up receiving the hundred thousand yuan and went to work at the Yang Li Village factory. Besides Luo Peng, there was also Liangliang's cousin, Song Qiang.
The other three were Li Chunlin's close brothers, who had been together for many years and regarded Li Chunlin as their leader. However, Li Chunlin lacked the leadership skills and charisma, and always led his small team to wander around the town, acting as cannon fodder and thugs for others.
The remaining ten people chose to receive the hundred thousand yuan. However, this money would only be disbursed at the end of the month because Yang Jian and the other three's dividends from Phoenix Street would only be settled at the end of the month. The board factory had installed new equipment, so it couldn't come up with so much money immediately.
After dinner, Jing Yongli kept Luo Peng, Li Chunlin, and the other six aside. Liangliang also stayed.
"Yongli, you're in contact with Brother Jian, right? I want to say a few words to him?"
Liangliang saw that there were no outsiders around and was eager to know Yang Jian's situation.
Jing Yongli shook his head. "Brother Jian is not convenient at the moment. We'll talk in a couple of days. Liangliang, Brother Jian said that you have a wife and children, so you will stay at the factory with me to handle management."
"What do you mean? Does Brother Jian have other arrangements for them?"
Liangliang heard that there was more to it.
Jing Yongli did not answer his question but looked at Li Chunlin and the others. "Chunlin, since you have given up receiving the hundred thousand yuan, it means you consider Brother Jian a true brother, and you are worthy of Brother Jian's trust. Now there are two more options. Please consider them carefully."
"Brother Yongli, please tell us. We will absolutely follow Brother Jian's arrangements."
The important moment had arrived. Li Chunlin had a premonition that Yang Jian had other arrangements for them, which would definitely not be working in the factory. The previous two options were both to appease the brothers and a test.
The fact that Yang Jian could give his brothers, who had been in jail for several months, a compensation of one hundred thousand yuan was somewhat intriguing, as it was too much.
According to the current market conditions, even those who served three years in prison for their boss would not receive such high compensation from their boss upon release. Fifty thousand yuan would be the absolute maximum.
Therefore, Yang Jian doing this was, on one hand, to thank his brothers for not identifying him as the casino boss, and on the other hand, to screen out the trustworthy brothers.