Qingmang Mountain Mine

The next day.

Zhang Family's rear courtyard.

Zhang Ming picked three quick-witted servants from the household guards who had often followed him before. Dressed in plain clothes, they quietly left the Zhang Family.

"Young Master, where are we going?"

Lin De panted heavily as he looked at his young master, who had raced all the way since leaving the Zhang Family.

Now that they had left the city and rented several inferior horses, Zhang Ming was still spurring onward at full gallop.

"Little Dezi, don't ask what you shouldn't. Just follow me."

"It's not far. Our destination is Qingmang Mountain."

"Qingmang Mountain?"

"Young Master is going to Qingmang Mountain?"

The servants were greatly alarmed and hurriedly said,

"Young Master, Young Master, we're going to Qingmang Mountain with just the few of us?"

"Qingmang Mountain is full of ferocious beasts, with Mountain Bandits everywhere. Rumor has it that Demon Beasts appear there too. Just us..."

Up ahead.

Zhang Ming turned and smiled faintly.

"Don't worry. We won't be going deep into Qingmang Mountain, just taking a stroll around its outskirts."

"Oh, oh, oh, that's good, that's good. Young Master is precious; caution must come first in all things."

With that, Zhang Ming urged his horse into another swift gallop.

The Zhang Family had quite a few businesses, so naturally, these servants did not know all of the family's holdings.

And with Zhang Ming deliberately concealing the Qingmang Mountain Mine, it accounted for an extremely low percentage of the family's annual income.

Thus, it was even more obscure.

Even people from certain Merchant Guilds might not realize their own guild possessed such a large mine unless they paid close attention.

Only those with ulterior motives would notice it.

And among those people was a certain Martial Arts Hall.

At this moment.

Mighty Bull Martial Arts School.

Niu Kangshao, the martial arts school master's son and one of only two Warriors at the limit, was delighted when he heard his subordinate's report.

"Excellent. It's been over a month, and that bastard finally decided to come out."

"Hmph, did he think I wouldn't leave someone at the back gate? He still wanted to sneak out through the back?"

After saying that, Niu Kangshao looked at his subordinate and raised a hand.

"Go find several capable men from the Gang. They'll accompany me to take care of something later."

"Yes, Hall Master."

The subordinate left, and Niu Kangshao quickly rose to see his father.

A short while later.

"Father, Zhang Ming has come out. I'm preparing to deal with him."

Niu Kangsheng looked calm and composed as he rolled two jade beads in his hand.

"Go. Be careful in all things, and don't leave any traces."

"Hehe, Father, don't you trust me? Then I'm off."

"Good."

After taking his leave, several burly Gang and Martial Arts Hall experts carrying weapons soon appeared before Niu Kangshao.

"Let's go. Move out."

"Yes, Hall Master/Boss."

Qingmang Mountain stretched hundreds of li from north to south and covered an enormous area. It was filled with ferocious beasts and crawling with Mountain Bandits, making it the largest mountain range in Xinhe Commandery and the surrounding commanderies and counties.

At this moment.

At an open-air mountain mine on the edge of Qingmang Mountain.

The mine lay close to the depths of Qingmang Mountain, with no human habitation for dozens of li in any direction.

No one would have imagined that hidden within these mountains was a huge mine employing nearly a thousand people.

And it was not merely a mineral vein. To ensure the mine operated steadily, there were farmlands, vegetable plots, and basic metallurgical industry around it.

It could be said that this was a small world unto itself, operating independently and almost entirely self-sufficient without relying on the outside world.

And in such a closed little world, even though the mine's upper ranks knew who they worked for.

As time passed, however, the mine produced more and more Armor and Weapons through its metallurgical manufacturing. Coupled with the instigation of a few people and the enormous profits offered by certain interested parties purchasing Armor and Weapons.

Over time.

The upper ranks inevitably came under certain influences, imperceptibly and subtly.

After all, when your off-the-books income was dozens or even hundreds of times greater than your legitimate earnings.

Who could hold fast to their original heart?

At this moment.

Several mine stewards were in precisely such a situation.

That day.

After receiving a message by carrier pigeon, fear flashed through the eyes of Kong Yongxin, one of the mine stewards.

Thinking of the things he had done and the vast profits from those dealings, he gritted his teeth. The fear in his eyes instantly vanished, replaced by ferocity and bloodlust.

"Men."

A subordinate entered the room and bowed respectfully.

"My lord."

Kong Yongxin waved a hand.

"Go notify the other stewards. Tell them I have an important matter to discuss."

"Yes, my lord."

Only a short while later.

All the mine stewards summoned by Kong Yongxin arrived in the room.

Inside the room.

"Old Kong, why did you call us here in such a hurry? Are they buying Armor and Weapons again?"

"Yeah, Old Kong. Didn't the last transaction only happen a few days ago? It isn't time yet."

Kong Yongxin looked at the others, his fellow partners in dividing the spoils. He said nothing, merely closed his eyes to rest, his expression extremely grim.

In an instant.

The others were no fools. Seeing the expression on Kong Yongxin's face, they knew things were not as they had imagined.

Their expressions turned solemn.

"Old Kong, what happened? We're grasshoppers tied to the same rope. If something happens, none of us can run."

"That's right, Old Kong. We're all in the same boat."

After a long silence, amid their anxious waiting, Kong Yongxin finally spoke slowly.

"I have received word that Zhang Family's eldest son, Zhang Ming, is coming to the mine."

In an instant.

The air seemed to freeze, and all around was deathly silent.

The people in the room could even hear the breathing and heartbeats of those beside them.

They looked at one another, utterly at a loss.

After a long silence, they turned their eyes once more toward Kong Yongxin, their leader.

"Old Kong, what are you planning to do?"

"You were the one who led us to fortune back then. You can't abandon us now."

"That's right, Old Kong, you can't abandon us. Over the past half year, among us brothers, you've taken the most."

Facing their accusations, Kong Yongxin said nothing. He merely stared fixedly at them.

"Of course I won't abandon you. It's just..."

His eyes narrowed slightly, and brutality flashed within them.

"It depends on whether you dare."

"Whether we dare?"

The men looked at each other, their expressions varying.

"Could it be... could it be you want to..."

"That's right. Either he dies, or we perish!"

"But, but... Zhang Family has close ties with the Government Office. If something happens to Zhang Ming, what if it brings a Government Office siege upon us?"

"This is improper, this—"

Splat—

No one knew when Kong Yongxin had suddenly appeared behind the man.

A dagger pierced through the man's chest. Blood gushed out like a fountain, spraying before the others.

Several blossoms of blood splattered across their faces, dotting their cheeks.

"Now, does anyone still object?"

With someone already made an example of, the remaining men were all terrified out of their wits. They shrank back and dared not say another word.

"Good. Since no one has objections, gather your confidants and make preparations."

"Old sir, how much does this Qingmang Mountain Mine pay its miners each month?"

"Pay? Little fellow, aren't you thinking too much? The mine provides food and lodging, and you still want money?"

"Oh, I see. Old sir is right."

"And, old sir, I heard being a miner is rather dangerous. If something happens, does the mine provide compensation?"

"Little fellow, no one is forcing you to go. If something happens to you, how can you blame them?"

"Old sir is right, Old sir is right. I was overthinking it. Then I won't disturb you further."

After watching the old man leave, the smile on Zhang Ming's face gradually vanished.

The several 'fellow villagers' behind him also wore indignant expressions.

"Young Master, these mine stewards are outrageously bold. Young Master, you clearly said that workers at the mine were to receive between 100 and 300 copper coins each month depending on their duties."

"(1 tael of gold = 10 taels of silver = copper coins; 1 tael of silver = 1,000 copper coins = a family of three's ordinary yearly expenses)"

"And you also said that if anything happened at the mine, five taels of silver would be paid as a bereavement allowance."

"Yet these stewards have embezzled it all!"

On the way here, Zhang Ming had casually told the people around him about the mine.

Now that what they had learned differed so greatly from what Zhang Ming had said, the servants were furious.

"Young Master, these bastards deserve to die. Your goodwill has all gone into their pockets."

Zhang Ming's face remained expressionless. He raised a hand to stop Lin De's indignation.

"If it were only this, that would be fine."

An inscrutable gleam flowed through his eyes. Zhang Ming had already roughly guessed the mine's current situation.

"Young Master, what do you mean by that? Isn't this serious enough?"

Zhang Ming sighed softly.

"There is something even more serious: those people have been privately selling the mine's output!"

If it were an ordinary mine's output—merely ore, iron ore, coal, and the like.

Privately selling some of it on the market would not draw too much attention.

But this Qingmang Mountain Mine under Zhang Ming, which had originally been intended to become a coal-and-iron complex, was different.

Not only could it mine and refine ore, it even had the ability to produce a small amount of Armor and Weapons.

And in a feudal era, selling Armor and Weapons, Armor and Weapons appearing on the market, or who would purchase Armor and Weapons?

Which of these was not a heaven-shaking matter?

Even though Great Zhou's administration was now corrupt and civil unrest had erupted everywhere, selling Armor and Weapons was still a grave matter!!!

Let it not develop in the worst possible direction.

Gazing toward a spot deep in the distant mountains, Zhang Ming silently prayed.

Then he turned and looked at the people behind him.

"Let's go. Move out."