Earnestly Begging for the Method

Wild grasses grow lush and green.

The valley wind scattered the profusely growing dandelions, and countless tiny umbrellas spun in the wind, most of them falling onto the water's surface.

The clerks took out the ore, compared its purity one by one, weighed it, counted it, and registered it.

With each piece I handled, the feeling of disbelief in my heart grew stronger.

"One square zhang!"

"It's missing a little bit."

"There are at least two more abbots who haven't been appointed yet..."

"How could there be so much all at once? Didn't we just settle the accounts last month? There wasn't even a penny then."

"I heard that Lord Liang has contracted this mine."

"Lord Liang, which Lord Liang?"

"Who else, Lord Liang who slew the snake! Didn't you go to the Water God Temple this morning?"

"Didn't they say the Li Family would keep it for themselves?"

The Mine Supervisor leading the inventory scanned the area, his brow furrowed. "A dry vein recorded in the inventory? Why have so many Medium Grade ore been mined in just half a month? Did the Li Family cover it up?"

Li Family, who was accompanying him, lowered his head slightly and said, "We dare not deceive His Majesty. The ' Broken Silver ' in the 317 Mine Vein have been mined for more than two years. You have seen them with your own eyes before. Besides, if we were really going to conceal this, why would we have brought you here today to count them?"

"That's true."

"Should we inform Eunuch Li?"

The Mine Supervisor shook his head. "If there's no follow-up for a Medium Grade ore of two or three cubic meters, there's no need to trouble him."

"The aftermath..."

Li Family turned around upon hearing this.

On the riverbank, dandelion seeds accumulated as the tide receded, resembling a Minor Snow.

Liang Qu stood beneath the Fu ship, waiting for the clerks to finish their cleanup so he could take his share of the bloodstone.

"How exactly did Lord Liang manage to do that? Could you reveal even a little bit so that I, Li, may know?"

Li Xiaoheng gazed at the distant, hill-like Bloodstone Mine, bowed deeply, and humbly sought its guidance.

It was clearly an abandoned, dry mine, but those martial Martial Master took a chance dug for two years. There were some things left behind, but not many.

Why was Liang Qu able to dig up so many Medium Grade Bloodstone Mine in just half a month?

At first, when Liang Qu wanted an abandoned mine, Li Xiaoheng only thought that outsiders were curious about bloodstone. He never expected that so many prospectors and diggers in his Lineage could not compare to a young man who was not even twenty years old!

While the Medium Grade at the Three Abbots' Residence was not abundant during the heyday of bloodstone mining, the information it revealed was particularly important. Could it be that a new vein had been discovered? Liang Qu laughed and said, "Is Family Head Li thinking that I might have unearthed a new ore vein?"

"I have a slight guess."

"That's wrong. I didn't find a new vein; I just used a slightly unusual method."

"An unusual method?" Li Xiaoheng asked, puzzled.

Liang Qu did not answer. He stretched out his right hand, spread his five fingers, and a blood-red gem that shone with a bright red light came into view.

Li Xiaoheng's pupils constricted sharply. "Top Grade Bloodstone? Lord Liang, this..."

"More than."

"More than?"

Liang Qu glanced at the Mine Supervisor and then rummaged through his pocket.

Let's elaborate further.

The red light grew even brighter.

Two more Blood Gemstone!

Three in total! That's right.

The Fist found more than one top-grade Blood Gemstone! When it ran out of the cave earlier, the giant pincers were already holding the third one they had dug up!

Li Xiaoheng's breath hitched, and his heart pounded.

Even an inexhaustible Bloodstone Mine might not yield a single Top Grade Bloodstone in a year.

The entire Li Family had not seen a new top-grade Blood Gemstone for three whole years.

How could this be...?

Seeing Li Xiaoheng's rapid breathing and slightly flushed face, Liang Qu was very pleased, but also couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

He asked, "Is the imperial court's management and registration of Bloodstone Mine so lax? Are you only coming to make a record now that I'm leaving?"

Having heard that the imperial court wanted most of it, Liang Qu thought the review would be very strict, but he didn't expect it to happen so late.

Li Xiaoheng, unaware of Liang Qu's purpose in asking the question, felt a jolt in his heart, glanced at the Mine Supervisor in the distance, and whispered.

"In the past, the rules were strict. Each Mine Cave was guarded by a clerk with a dedicated person to record and search people. No one was allowed to steal ore. Hiding even a piece of Medium Grade ore the size of a finger would result in twenty strokes of the cane. In recent years, the rules have become more lenient."

On the one hand, mineral output is decreasing, making it unworthy to maintain such a large system. Mines need clerks, who need to be managed. Clerks and the management system need supervision, and there is inspection outside of supervision.

One link leads to another, and everyone from top to bottom needs to make a living. In the past, when bloodstone production was plentiful, it was affordable and not a burden. But with production decreasing, more than 80% of the resources have been cut.

On the other hand, the mining of Bloodstone Mine was under the Mining Bureau of Southern Zhili. The local governor of Fragrant Township County was an old eunuch in his eighties who was still rooted in the local government. He was a master craftsman who had been directly appointed from Southern Zhili to open up the Three Bridges.

In the past, he could often be seen personally presiding over the opening ceremony of the mine and conducting regular spot checks. Now, only a few mines are still being excavated on a large scale, and Eunuch Li no longer shows up. Following his example, the lower levels have become lax in their practices.

Lord Liang, could it be...?

Li Xiaoheng thought Liang Qu wanted to take it all for himself, and now was a great opportunity, known only to heaven, earth, you, and me.

etc.

If you want to keep it all for yourself, why let me know? Liang Qu shoved three Top Grade Bloodstone into Li Xiaoheng's hand.

"Family Head Li, go and record it. As for the rest, we'll split it in half."

"Huh?" Li Xiaoheng was taken aback. "Lord Liang serious?"

"Really."

Liang Qu remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he sighed with sorrow.

Making this decision was extremely difficult for him.

Hundreds of medium -Medium Grade Bloodstone Mine cannot be hidden away; they must be divided up, no doubt about it. But top-grade Blood Gemstone are only a tiny fraction of what you can get.

He went through a fierce Celestial Person struggle, and even hesitated when the Mine Supervisor arrived before finally making up his mind.

never mind.

Pay your taxes properly and live a peaceful life.

The Bloodstone harvest was largely thanks to Fist.

With it around, I'll come back often in the future, and whether I earn more or less, I won't cause myself any more trouble.

Entering the Wolf Smoke Realm with a clear State of Mind brings greater benefits than the two Blood Gemstone.

For the sake of his future! Liang Qu kept muttering to himself, forcing himself not to look or think about it.

Li Xiaoheng repeatedly confirmed that Liang Qu was really going to register and make a list, and that he was not joking. He was greatly shocked and ran to register and make a list in a daze.

The clerks were in an uproar.

The Mine Supervisor repeatedly confirmed the discovery and could hardly believe that three top-grade Blood Gemstone could be found in an abandoned mine vein.

In my excitement, I carefully made a record of it.

When Li Xiaoheng returned, only one of the three Blood Gemstone remained...

"As agreed, Family Head Li and I will split it fifty-fifty, and this Blood Gemstone will be one for each of us..."

Before Liang Qu could finish speaking, Li Xiaoheng clasped his hands above his head and bowed deeply.

"I, Li Xiaoheng, humbly request Lord Liang to grant me a prescription! From now on, all the bloodstone produced by my Li Family, regardless of size or quality, will be split equally with Lord Liang!"

Liang Qu helped Li Xiaoheng up. "There's no need for that. The prescription is very simple. Has Family Head Li ever heard of the Treasure Seeking Rat?"

"I've heard about it."

"I have one that is quite similar, which can be used to find mineral deposits."

What a divine beast!

A storm raged in Li Xiaoheng's heart.

After a while.

Li Xiaoheng sighed deeply.

"In that case, it is I, Li, who has taken what belongs to another."

Regardless of whether it's true or not, things have come to this point, and I can't get the prescription myself.

"However," Liang Qu changed the subject, "There is something I can tell Family Head Li."

"Lord Liang, please speak freely."

"What Family Head Li said earlier, that top-grade Blood Gemstone are like ginseng and have a spirit, and that they will run away when they hear a sound, is not unfounded."