Production Target

"Wu Que went out for the entire night and only came back in the morning?"

The middle-aged man pondered briefly, his gaze turning sharp.

"Constable Yang, how did you know Wu Que had been out all night?"

Yang Ling thought for a moment. "I was a little happy that night and couldn't sleep. I stayed awake until dawn.

In the morning, I heard Supervisor Wu returning."

"Why couldn't you sleep?"

the middle-aged man pressed.

Yang Ling smiled. "Constable Lin agreed to let me fill a vacancy at the Green Mountain City yamen that day."

The middle-aged man seemed to understand, then said politely,

"Constable Yang, don't blame me for asking so much. Wu Que's case is serious this time. Even the sect master may personally look into it."

"Little Yang, you may not know yet, but something major has happened at our mine. The inventory is short by a full three thousand jin of Fire Crystal Rock. We'll likely need your help to find Wu Que's whereabouts."

Steward Niu said gravely.

Yang Ling gave a bitter smile. "I'm just a minor constable. A matter this big probably won't fall to me."

"Constable Yang, Wu Que's excuse for taking you out back then was a mining contest. That is quite strange. Why don't you come back to the Mountains and Rivers Sect with me? I'm afraid I won't know how to answer if the sect master asks."

The middle-aged man spoke again.

Yang Ling felt somewhat helpless.

He knew the other man feared being held responsible and wanted to find someone to divert his superiors' attention.

"Deacon Li, Yang Ling may not have time to go to the Mountains and Rivers Sect."

Xu Qing walked into the main hall with a faint smile.

"Xu Qing?"

The middle-aged man was slightly startled.

"Senior Brother Xu."

Steward Niu stepped forward to pay his respects.

Xu Qing looked at the middle-aged man.

"Deacon Li, I have long suspected that Wu Que not only stole Fire Crystal Rock, but may also have raised a group of mine thieves to run wild.

Steward Niu was the informant I placed by his side. Over these past few years, I have known Wu Que's every move."

"What!?"

The middle-aged man stared blankly at Steward Niu.

Yang Ling suddenly understood.

"It was just that I lacked sufficient evidence, and Wu Que was also someone my eldest senior brother thought highly of, so it wasn't convenient for me to expose the matter."

Xu Qing pondered. "This time, Wu Que discovered that he could not make up for his deficit, while the sect was about to audit the accounts. Naturally, his only choice was to flee.

As for Yang Ling, I plan to appoint him as the supervisor of the Red Gold Ore mine. He is one of my men as well.

If you think there is a problem with him, then there is a problem with me."

"Junior Brother Xu, the sect has already handed the Red Gold Ore mine over to you?"

Deacon Li's expression was strange.

"Correct."

Xu Qing nodded slightly.

Deacon Li's scalp tingled.

So this struggle had already reached its conclusion.

He had not received even the slightest word of it and had nearly caused a disaster!

If he carelessly dragged Xu Qing into this matter now, he likely would not be able to remain in the Mountains and Rivers Sect in the future.

"Junior Brother Xu, it seems Wu Que was lining his own pockets and fled out of fear of punishment. Should we leave this matter to Green Mountain City to handle?"

Deacon Li asked respectfully with clasped hands.

"It would only bring shame if this got out."

"As one of the mining gangs, if people learned that a mere supervisor under the Mountains and Rivers Sect could embezzle a full three thousand jin of Fire Crystal Rock, we would become a laughingstock."

Xu Qing shook his head. "I will report this matter to the sect master and let the sect handle it internally."

"I understand."

Deacon Li nodded.

"Steward Niu, someone needs to remain here to keep watch and prevent any trouble. You will temporarily serve as supervisor."

Xu Qing instructed.

Steward Niu's expression turned solemn. He clasped his fists and bowed.

"Yes!"

Deacon Li secretly marveled at Xu Qing's methods.

In the blink of an eye, Xu Qing had not only taken control of a Red Gold Ore mine, but this Fire Crystal Ore mine, which should have belonged to that man, might also fall into his hands...

"Deacon Li, please make a trip back and report the situation here truthfully."

"I need to stop by the Red Gold Ore mine on the way, lest something similar happens there as well."

Xu Qing said.

"Rest assured, Junior Brother Xu. I will set out at once."

Deacon Li nodded decisively, immediately gathered the accounts from this place, and set off back to the Mountains and Rivers Sect.

After he left, Xu Qing looked thoughtfully at Yang Ling.

"How did you become a constable?"

"Senior Brother Xu, I gave Constable Lin ten taels of silver."

"..."

Xu Qing said, "Constable Lin knew you were one of my men?"

Yang Ling nodded sheepishly.

"At first, he was unwilling to accept it, so I used Senior Brother Xu as my backing. Constable Lin's attitude immediately changed."

"That makes sense. If he did not know you were one of my men, he would not have dared accept your ten taels of silver. Even if he had accepted it, he would not have given you the position of constable."

Xu Qing nodded slightly. "It is good that you have become a constable. You may have a chance to enter the Iron Garment Division in the future.

That would be of considerable benefit to our Mountains and Rivers Sect."

Seeing Xu Qing's attitude, Yang Ling immediately felt relieved.

"Do you have any luggage? I plan to go to the Red Gold Ore mine now."

Xu Qing said.

Yang Ling's expression shifted. "Senior Brother Xu, I want to bring a few helpers."

"Are they trustworthy?"

"They are."

"Then call them over."

Inside the carriage, Chen Xu looked somewhat restrained. Chen Guoqing had more experience dealing with people, but he also knew that ranks in the Divine Realm were strict and unlike modern society, so he did not dare strike up a conversation with Xu Qing on the road.

"Yang Ling, you really do love mining."

Xu Qing sighed. "If I were you, after obtaining the status of a constable, I would surely enjoy myself in the city. Why would I still run to the mines?"

"Senior Brother Xu, mining makes money."

Yang Ling smiled. "Besides, if I don't work hard at my age, then when I'm old, I'll have no strength left even if I want to work hard."

"With your speed, you can indeed earn a little money. But even if you can mine ten jin of Fire Crystal Rock a day, you would only earn one tael."

Xu Qing smiled faintly. "This time, I am appointing you as the supervisor of the Red Gold Ore mine. Your monthly salary alone will be one hundred taels."

Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing secretly clicked their tongues in amazement.

One hundred taels of silver—at the prices here, one copper coin could buy a flatbread.

One hundred taels of silver could buy a hundred thousand flatbreads!

That was practically flatbread freedom!

"Thank you for your support, Senior Brother Xu!"

Yang Ling clasped his hands solemnly.

"It is not that simple."

Xu Qing waved his hand casually.

Yang Ling's expression shifted.

Xu Qing smiled faintly. "To tell you the truth, I have an eldest senior brother who has operated in the Mountains and Rivers Sect for many years and has an extremely broad network.

Inside and outside the sect, his people are everywhere.

The Red Gold Ore mine was previously under his control, so the stewards and miners there all listen closely to him."

"Unlike the Fire Crystal Mine, the Red Gold Ore mine is the most profitable industry of our Mountains and Rivers Sect. At the same time, Red Gold is one of the hardest minerals to mine."

"So there are over ten thousand miners there, along with more than a dozen stewards."

"Although the Red Gold Ore mine has fallen into my hands this time, for certain reasons, I can only appoint one supervisor."

"The stewards below were all transferred over by the sect. I do not know which of them are my eldest senior brother's people."

At this point, Xu Qing looked at Yang Ling and said seriously,

"The Red Gold Ore mine currently produces three thousand jin each month, but that has declined somewhat recently.

To gain control of the Red Gold Ore mine, I gave the sect a military pledge. I must increase production to at least three thousand five hundred jin per month.

If I cannot accomplish that within three months, the Red Gold Ore mine will no longer be under my management.

I chose you as supervisor because I value your passion for mining, and because I can be sure you are not one of my eldest senior brother's men.

You must help me complete this task. Otherwise, you will only be able to collect that monthly salary of one hundred taels for three months."

Yang Ling's expression was somewhat strange. It seemed his eldest senior brother's network was truly vast—so vast that Xu Qing did not dare seek manpower within the Mountains and Rivers Sect.

At the same time, he was almost certain that eldest senior brother was Wu Que's backer. He simply did not know whether that man knew Wu Que had been selling off Fire Crystal Mine ore.

Chen Xu and Chen Guoqing's attention was now focused on the production of the Red Gold Ore mine.

Chen Guoqing muttered to himself,

"Ten thousand miners producing three thousand jin a month means each miner can only mine one qian a day?"

Xu Qing was somewhat surprised. "You studied arithmetic?"

He smiled at Yang Ling. "You have a good eye. With helpers like this, perhaps we really can complete this task of increasing production."