Chapter 355: Coal Miners
Chapter 355: Coal Miners
Seeing Feng Jun’s wide-eyed, flustered look, Thirty-Two chuckled to himself inwardly. That magistrate still didn’t know how vast the power of the Dao Xuan Deity was, and truly understood nothing of our Gaojia Village’s strength. Oh well, might as well play around with him a bit.
He shook his head at Feng Jun’s three extended fingers: “Of course it can’t be just three days. You’re really underestimating us.”
Feng Jun said: “Then… thirty days?”
Thirty-Two shook his head again: “More, more!”
Feng Jun asked: “Three months?”
Thirty-Two laughed: “Lord Feng, why do you always think so small? Can’t you be a bit bolder and aim higher?”
Feng Jun took a deep breath and tentatively inquired: “Could it be… three years?”
Thirty-Two roared with laughter: “[Three lifetimes and three generations].”
Feng Jun said: “!!!”
To be honest, he didn’t quite believe it.
Thirty-Two knew he wouldn’t buy it and smiled slightly: “Lord Feng, you really don’t need to worry so much. Heyang County already has the Four Sea Dragon Kings bringing rain now, and it’s just the right season for spring planting. The crops are already sown, so it definitely won’t take those three lifetimes and three generations. In just half a year, the food produced by Heyang County will support the common folk for survival. At that point, why would we from Gaojia Village need to keep giving you aid?”
Feng Jun nodded—this did make sense.
As they spoke, they arrived at Jinshuigou.
This place was truly close to the county town. With a bit of chatting and walking, they exited the town, climbed some small slopes, ducked into a little ravine, and were there in a short while.
As they approached the coal mine, the whole ravine turned black. The slopes on both sides were covered in black ore, and the official path beneath their feet, once yellow earth, had become darkly stained. This was likely coal dust from long-term coal transport along the path blackening it.
Up ahead appeared a cluster of straw huts, those crude shelters made of branches and dry grass. Beside them lay a huge open-pit coal mine, with a large group of coal-black men toiling inside.
The environment here wasn’t great, and Feng Jun glanced worriedly at the cart carrying Gao Yiye. He wondered: Would this master’s wife mind getting dirty?
Just as he thought this, he saw the cart’s curtain flip open. Gao Yiye sprang out all at once, not showing any hint of aversion but instead brimming with excitement as she ran toward the group of coal miners: “Wow? Is this what a coal mine looks like?”
To one of the soot-covered coal miners, she asked: “Uncle, how is coal made? Do you dig the black rocks out and then use some special craft on them?”
The coal miner, startled by a “wealthy woman” questioning him, didn’t know who she was but dared not offend her. He quickly replied respectfully: “Inform master’s wife, coal is coal once it’s dug from the ground—no special craft needed.”
“Ah? So simple? Then I can dig it too?”
She crouched down, picked up a big fist-sized piece of coal from the ground, played with it in her hands, and soon turned both palms black, staining her sleeves as well: “When I was little, I thought this stuff was so expensive, couldn’t afford it at all. Never imagined you could just dig it out and use it. Ha ha, I’ll dig a couple to take home for fun.”
The coal miner broke into a sweat: “Master’s wife… that piece you’re holding is one I dug out.”
“Got it, won’t steal yours.” Gao Yiye handed the coal back to him, glanced around, spotted an iron pickaxe lying unused to the side, and dashed over to grab it: “Whose is this? I’ll borrow it first.”
The pickaxe belonged to a resting coal miner. He didn’t dare refuse a wealthy person’s demand and just weakly replied: “Master’s wife, use it as you wish.”
Gao Yiye hopped into the pit with the pickaxe, swung hard at a large black stone, and heard a “ding.” The pickaxe bounced away, sending tremors up her arms. She landed on her buttocks with a plop, completely blackening her dress.
Rubbing her numb, tingling hands, she said: “Wow, digging this isn’t so easy after all.”
The coal miner grimaced: “Master’s wife, you just struck at something that wasn’t coal—it was a very hard black rock. Coal isn’t that tough.”
Gao Yiye said: “…”
The two secretaries, Qiu Ju and Dong Xue, rushed over instantly, helped Gao Yiye up, and dragged her toward the cart: “Master’s wife, you’ve gotten dirty—all dirtied! Hurry back to the cart so we can tidy you up.”
The three women vanished back into the cart in a flash.
Feng Jun gaped in amazement. What was going on? He’d never imagined this Li Family’s master’s wife, this Saint Lady, could be such a mischievous soul.
Thirty-Two coughed: “Lord Feng, no need to mind it. Our master’s wife is still just a young girl after all.”
Feng Jun coughed: “Indeed! A bit of energy in a young girl is quite nice too.”
Rushing with pride, he focused today’s purpose. He stepped forward to stand before the pit and boomed to all the coal miners: “Everyone, listen up! I hereby announce that from today on, the Jinshuigou Coal Mine will no longer be managed by the government but leased to the Li Family of Gaojia Village. That young lady just now was the Li Family’s master’s wife, and this man beside me is the Li Family’s manager Thirty-Two—not third in rank, but his surname is Three. From now on, obey their orders. Understood?”
The coal miners bowed in unison, their movements stiff and numb.
To them, it made no difference whether they mined coal for the government or some wealthy lord—they’d always be wretched. Who did the working matter? They’d suffer just the same.
Feng Jun said: “Right then, let Thirty-Two give you a few words.”
He stepped aside to yield the center position.
Thirty-Two grinned as he took Feng Jun’s former spot. Scanning the miners’ lifeless faces, he didn’t mind at all—years as an advisor had taught him precisely what mattered most in dealing with the common laboring folk.
Time to play the ultimate trump card!
Thirty-Two declared: “Working for my Li Family from now on makes you a part of the Li Family. We never mistreat workers, so I announce: from this month onward, your monthly wages will increase to three taels of silver.”
The moment those words left his mouth, all the coal miners froze simultaneously—as if struck instantly on pressure points, they couldn’t move.
Actually, not just them—even Feng Jun beside them froze. Three taels of silver? Was the Li Family mad? These coal miners were society’s lowest slaves, descendants of defeated soldiers forced into this labor from birth, stuck in hereditary low status. How could they suddenly earn a monthly wage matching that of commoners in rich southern counties?
Who’d have thought that wasn’t all?
Thirty-Two added: “Oh right, not just wages—we’ll cover your food too.”
It was then that the coal miners cried out: “Aaaaah!”