Setting Out for Blackstone Mine

At three quarters past dawn, the sky was only just beginning to lighten.

Zhou Qi pushed open the door. More than ten attendants were already standing in the courtyard, loading supplies onto the carriages.

Zhou Fu and Chunlan were among them. The former carried two large bundles over his shoulders, while the latter held several oil-paper packages, both moving in haste.

Seeing Zhou Qi come out, the two stopped and bowed.

"Elder Zhou!" Laifu jogged over from the courtyard gate, his face wreathed in smiles. "Master asks you to go to the main hall. Fifth Elder has already arrived."

Zhou Qi nodded and followed him toward the front courtyard.

As they passed through the middle courtyard, he saw several servants loading items onto a carriage.

There were several large wooden crates, sealed tight; several bundles of long objects wrapped in oilcloth that looked like weapons; and several jars of wine, their mouths covered with red cloth.

"Are those also supplies for the mine?" Zhou Qi asked casually.

Laifu nodded. "Yes, a shipment is sent every month. Since it happens to coincide with Elder Zhou taking office, Master said to prepare some extra."

Zhou Qi did not ask further.

In the main hall, Yang Zhenshan sat in the seat of honor, holding a teacup.

Yang Jinshan stood in the middle of the hall, his voice booming like thunder:

"Second Brother, don't worry! If those bastards dare step out of line, I'll knock them all flat, one punch each! Wang Family or Zhao Family, once they reach the mine, I'll beat them into submission!"

Yang Zhenshan frowned slightly and set down his teacup. "Sit before you speak."

Yang Jinshan sat down reluctantly, still muttering under his breath.

Yang Zhenshan ignored him and looked toward the door. "Zhou Qi is here. Come in."

Zhou Qi stepped into the main hall and cupped his fists in salute.

Yang Zhenshan nodded and gestured for him to sit.

Yang Jinshan shot him a glance, snorted coldly, and said nothing.

Yang Zhenshan got straight to the point. "Everything has been prepared. You will depart at the hour of the dragon. There are ten carriages and fifteen attendants. The journey should take about a day."

Zhou Qi asked, "How far is the mine from Lin'an City?"

"Not far." Yang Zhenshan raised his teacup and slowly took a sip. "Although Blackstone Mine falls under Blackstone City's jurisdiction, the mining area lies within Lin'an City's territory, eighty li north of the city. A fast horse can make it in half a day, while carriages take one day."

He paused, then continued, "You should have heard something of Blackstone Mine's origins?"

Zhou Qi nodded. "I heard it is an industry belonging to the Champion Marquis of Upper City. Since it is close to Lin'an, it was entrusted to Lin'an's four great families for excavation."

"Correct." Yang Zhenshan set down his teacup. "All mining operations within five thousand li of Blackstone City belong to the Champion Marquis, and the Black Iron Mine produced by Blackstone Mine is the primary material for forging weapons."

"Black Iron Mine becomes black iron with only slight refinement, while high-quality black iron can forge mortal-grade weapons. Mixed with a small amount of refined iron, it can forge Yellow-rank weapons."

"Half of Lin'an City's four great families' weapons business depends on this mine."

Zhou Qi's heart stirred.

To this day, he had yet to obtain a ranked weapon.

"The Black Iron Mine produced at the mine must send seventy percent to Upper City every month, while the remaining thirty percent is divided among the four families according to their shares." Yang Zhenshan's tone sank. "But those are merely the rules on the surface. Behind the scenes, it is commonplace for one family to mine a little extra or report a little less."

Zhou Qi caught the hidden meaning. "Master means for me to keep an eye on this?"

Yang Zhenshan glanced at him, satisfaction in his eyes. "Smart. Wang Family and Zhao Family lost twenty percent of their shares. They would not dare make trouble openly, but they will certainly throw stumbling blocks in secret. After you arrive, first, reclaim the mine pits that should be reclaimed. Second, keep a close watch on their output. Do not let them secretly mine and stash ore away."

He paused, his tone growing heavier. "As for the Li Family... leave them alone for now, but do not let them fall in with Wang and Zhao Families either."

Zhou Qi nodded. "Understood."

Yang Zhenshan looked at Yang Jinshan. "Jinshan, go with Zhou Qi as deputy manager. Listen to him more when matters arise. Do not act rashly on your own."

Yang Jinshan looked thoroughly unwilling, but he did not dare talk back. He muttered, "Understood."

Yang Zhenshan rose and walked into the rear hall. A moment later, he returned with a saber in hand.

The blade was long and slender, its sheath lacquer-black, with a dark-red gemstone set into the guard.

He walked before Zhou Qi and handed him the saber. "Take this with you."

Zhou Qi accepted it and drew it from its sheath.

The blade gleamed like snow, its edge carrying a faint chill. Fine cloud patterns could vaguely be seen across its surface.

Zhou Qi gripped the hilt. An icy sensation flowed from his palm, and his spirits immediately lifted.

The system panel appeared:

[Item: Cold-Iron Saber]

[Rank: Yellow-rank mid-grade]

[Effects: Sharpness +30%, Armor Penetration +25%, carries faint cold energy]

Zhou Qi's pupils contracted slightly.

Yellow-rank mid-grade!

He looked up at Yang Zhenshan, who said calmly, "The mine is not like the residence. That place is chaotic. Having a good saber at your side will make things safer."

Zhou Qi cupped his fists. "Thank you, Master."

Yang Zhenshan waved a hand. "Go. Do not miss the hour."

Zhou Qi and Yang Jinshan left the main hall.

Yang Jinshan glanced at the saber in Zhou Qi's hand. A trace of envy flashed in his eyes, but his words remained sharp. "A Yellow-rank mid-grade. Second Brother truly cannot tell who is close and who is distant. I am still using a Yellow-rank low-grade."

Zhou Qi did not respond and hung the saber at his waist.

At the courtyard gate, the convoy was already prepared to depart.

The ten carriages stood in a line, each pulled by two horses.

The carriages were packed with supplies: grain, cloth, tools, medicinal herbs, and several sealed wooden crates.

Fifteen attendants stood beside the carriages. Every one of them was sturdy and strong, with sabers or swords tucked at their waists.

Laifu ran over and pointed at the leading carriage. "Elder Zhou, Fifth Elder, this carriage was prepared for you two."

Yang Jinshan strode over, lifted the curtain, and looked inside. He nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. More spacious than I expected."

Zhou Qi got into the carriage and lowered the curtain.

The convoy slowly left Yang Residence, passed through Lin'an City's northern gate, and headed onto the official road.

The carriage jolted along. Zhou Qi closed his eyes to rest, yet his mind was calculating.

Yang Zhenshan's gift of a saber appeared to be concern, but in truth, it was a reminder.

The mine was dangerous. He needed to be careful.

But on a deeper level, it was also a gesture of goodwill.

A cultivation method, martial skills, the position of elder, and now a Yellow-rank mid-grade treasured saber.

This string of favors was telling him: as long as he worked well, the Yang Family would not treat him poorly.

Old fox, Zhou Qi thought.

But no matter what Yang Zhenshan had in mind, he truly needed this saber.

Yellow-rank mid-grade. The attributes "Sharpness +30%" and "Armor Penetration +25%" alone were enough to raise his combat strength by another level.

Not to mention the "carries faint cold energy" effect. In actual combat, it might produce an unexpected effect.

Weapons really are worth more than martial skills of the same rank, Zhou Qi thought.

Martial skills required cultivation, time, and proficiency. A weapon, however, could be used the moment it was in hand, directly increasing one's combat strength.

Yang Zhenshan's gift of the saber was both a gesture of goodwill and a way to let him take charge of matters at the mine more quickly.

No one spoke along the way.

After the carriage had traveled for two hours, Zhou Qi lifted the curtain and looked outside.

The farmland and villages along the official road had vanished, replaced by rolling hills and sparse woods.

After another two hours, the sky gradually darkened.

The convoy stopped before a relay station.

Yang Jinshan jumped down from the carriage and waved at Zhou Qi. "Come down and stretch. Once we go farther ahead, we will enter the mountains. We will reach the mine tonight."

Zhou Qi got down and stretched his limbs.

The relay station was small, with only a few shabby earthen houses. An old man stood at the entrance. Seeing their convoy stop, he hurried over.

"Honored sirs, are you stopping for a meal or staying the night?"

Yang Jinshan waved a hand. "Not staying. We are just resting our feet before leaving."

The old man answered and went to give water to the horses.

Zhou Qi walked to the entrance of the relay station and looked northward.

In the distance, mountain ranges stretched one after another. In the twilight, several points of lamplight could faintly be seen.

That should be where Blackstone Mine was located.

"That place is not peaceful." Yang Jinshan walked to his side, becoming serious for once. "All sorts of people gather at the mine. Some of those miners have backgrounds that are far from clean."

Zhou Qi glanced at him. "Fifth Elder has been there before?"

"I followed Second Brother there a few times when I was young." Yang Jinshan gazed at the distant lights, a touch of emotion in his voice. "Back then, the four families had not fallen out so badly. There were struggles even then, but they could still keep up appearances. Now..."

He shook his head and did not continue.

Zhou Qi said nothing.

After resting for half an hour, the convoy continued onward.

The mountain road was difficult to traverse, and the carriages jolted even more violently.

Zhou Qi leaned against the carriage wall, eyes closed, allowing his body to sway with the carriage.

After an unknown amount of time, Yang Jinshan's voice came from outside. "We're here."

Zhou Qi lifted the curtain.

Before him was a brightly lit camp. Dozens of wooden and stone houses stood scattered about, with an open clearing in the middle where several mine carts were parked.

A wooden fence encircled the camp. Every few dozen paces stood a watchtower, shadows moving atop them.

Farther away, several enormous mine tunnels had been carved into the mountainside. Their entrances were pitch-black, like gaping jaws.

"This is Blackstone Mine." Yang Jinshan jumped down from the carriage. "Come, let's go see Yang Hong first."