Nanming Engineer

Chapter 103 City of Forge
The next morning, Wang Huan rode on horseback with more than [-] guards and several guides to lead the way. They left Wanshou Valley and plunged into the stone pillar mountains.

All of them are dressed in bunts, light clothes and leggings to facilitate crossing mountains and ridges, with sharp knives hanging from their waists, bows and arrows on their backs, but holding a climbing stick in their hands, and several of them are carrying a large backpack, which is empty.

"Brother Huan, are you going to go hunting in the mountains?" Their appearance confused Xu Tiezhu who was seeing them off, and he couldn't figure out why Wang Huan was still interested in having such a pastime at this moment.

Wang Huan smiled slightly and did not explain, but carefully warned: "For the three thousand households who were allocated to other fields, carefully collect statistics and find out where they lived before coming to Wanshou Valley, and then break them up and reorganize them." For the new Baojia, every thousand households will form a battalion, which will be useful after I return.”

Xu Tiezhu blinked his eyes. He is a very clever person, and he is best at hearing signs from words. At this moment, his eyes rolled and he asked immediately, "Brother Huan, are you going to start mining again?"

Wang Huan laughed, and praised with admiration: "I can't hide anything from you. Yes, I went into the mountain this time to find new ore veins. After you organize the crowd, you have to reveal the news to them in advance. This time, as a miner, the salary remains the same, only the miner needs to go to the mountain to mine, and the family members can stay in Longevity City. Before the end of this year, my official office will guarantee daily meals, but starting next year, they will have to rely on their own labor to feed the whole family. Earn money to buy food."

Xu Goudan immediately lowered his head and thought about it, then raised his head and said, "It's no problem. Although they didn't get the land, they can only sell their labor for silver and free food. They will only be happy."

Wang Huan nodded: "Then hurry up, I will be back in half a month at the latest, and there will be a large number of miners entering the mountain immediately, so you can't make any mistakes."

These words were not only addressed to Xu Tiezhu, but also to all the civil servants standing behind Xu Tiezhu.

The civil servants headed by Zhou all bowed and said: "Yes!"

"The education of those orphans, as well as the training of the centurion recruits, I have arranged for specific people to carry out as usual every day. You have to keep an eye on it regularly. Don't slack off. I'm not here, you will act as the city lord, and go to the soil if you have something to do. Baozhai asked Ma Wannian to discuss with Zu Bian more, Ma Wannian is the son of Shi Zhu's consolation envoy, he is very prestigious among the local people, with him around, there will be no big trouble." Wang Huan finally looked far away, Looking at the endless mountains outside the valley, he said in a deep voice: "If everything goes well, this trip will not only solve the labor problems of tens of thousands of people, but also pave the way for the future development of my Longevity Valley."

Xu Tiezhu, Zhou Cheng and the others nodded solemnly, keeping Wang Huan's words in their hearts. At the same time, they also had great expectations for Wang Huan's trip. It would be great if he could find another vein of silver mine.

After explaining everything, Wang Huan reined in his horse and swung his whip. Facing the rising sun in the morning, he slammed onto the loess official road out of the valley. A group of guards followed closely. After a while, he disappeared among the green mountains and green waters.

After Wang Huan left, Xu Tiezhu led a group of scribes, and earnestly followed Wang Huan's request, while urging the construction of the city, while reorganizing the Baojia. He had clearly understood Wang Huan's intention to reorganize the Baojia. The habit of living in groups, especially in a strange place, will be based on the original living area, and it is easy to take care of things. For example, the Huguang Guild Hall and Sichuan Guild Hall that spread all over the country in later generations are concrete manifestations of it. Needless to say, there are Chinese Associations in almost every country in the world.

But this will bring about another kind of confusion for managers. Once a policy that is not conducive to refugees is introduced, or when the interests of some people must be damaged for the benefit of the whole, they will encounter great resistance. , the more people in the group, the greater the resistance. This is what Wang Huan does not want to see. In Wanshou City, there should no longer be geographical classifications such as people from Fengdu County, people from Kuizhou Prefecture, etc., but people from Wanshou City. Self-proclaimed, only in this way can the residents in the hands truly become their own people, and twist all the manpower into one rope for my use.

The reorganization of Baojia is the first step. The three thousand households who have been allocated fields have basically done it, and the remaining people have to do it step by step.

This job is not easy, and it will naturally provoke resistance, but Xu Tiezhu already has experience. Wang Huan's method of giving a candy with a stick has been tried and tested. Win over those who speak effectively, and then let them explain. If there are diehards who refuse to listen, the soldiers will come forward and throw them out of the valley.

Today's Sichuan is either Zhang Xianzhong's territory or the Nanming warlord's territory. There are endless wars on both sides, and there are smoldering fires everywhere. It is very difficult to live a stable and safe life after being driven out. Survival is a problem. The refugees cry when they look disobedient. Those who yelled to drag their families out of the Longevity Valley were sweating profusely on their backs, and no one dared to stand up and resist.

Ma Wannian in Tubao Village guards the silver mine, and Zubian watches the smelting plant without daring to relax. They have a heavy responsibility. First, they must prevent outside spies from sneaking into the silver mine to find out the details. The output of the silver mine is unprecedented. It is a big secret that no one except a few people on the top floor of Wanshou City can know.Second, we must guard against the miners stealing from themselves. After all, there are only a few people who secretly take a few pieces and hide them in secret places in the mines, and take them out with a sense of luck.

This unhealthy trend must be strongly suppressed, otherwise it will be out of control, and it will end like a Daming official mine.There are a lot of tricks for people who hide their secrets. Some hide silver in the interlayer of clothes, in the upper of shoes, in hair bundles, in their mouths, and even in secret places.

However, Zu Bian was born in the frontier army, and he governed the army with a stern and selfless face. Although Ma Wannian was young, he was a single-minded person. They must be searched, and they must be thoroughly searched. Under strict investigation, dozens of miners and silversmiths who dared to carry silver ore and silver nuggets were cleared out. For these people, the rules set by Wang Huan are as follows: cut off a hand, and their faces are blackened. The word "corruption" was stabbed, and the whole family was expelled from the valley.

The severed hands were stacked with salt and placed at the gate of the silver mine. Every worker could see them coming in and out. Nearly a hundred severed hands were neatly placed on wooden shelves. It was shocking to see. No matter how malicious people are, they have to weigh it, whether it is worthwhile to do so, so the trend of stealing stopped, and the atmosphere of silver mines became righteous.

The days passed day by day, and half a month passed in a blink of an eye. Under the careful management of several people, Longevity City became more and more prosperous, and the vigorous and upward vigor was surging on everyone's faces. Everyone felt that living here was better than anyone in Daming. Every place must be safe and fair.

There is no oppression, no excessive taxes, and no wolf-like servants. As long as you can work, you will have food to eat and money to make. Is there any better life than this?

Half a month later, Wang Huan came back in a hurry. His face was darkened, his body was stronger, full of the mountain people's sturdy breath, and the backs carried by the guards who followed him were full of ore.

(End of this chapter)