Chapter 79

To know the truth, if one really insists on chasing and beating, either one must be ruthless enough to kill, which is not a problem, or it easily leads to a chaotic situation where no one is killed, and the consequences are unpredictable.

Of course, they won’t lose. These twenty-odd people, when facing the elite border troops, might not necessarily be at a disadvantage, let alone a group of farmers armed with pitchforks and rakes.

At this moment, Liang Xing smiled sinisterly and said to the other side, “Now you’re at a disadvantage, right? You couldn’t talk things out properly and had to resort to pitchforks and rakes. You’re not good at fighting, and if we really get serious, what can you do? Now listen, send a few capable leaders over to discuss what you want to do.”

The other side was already in a panic. They hadn’t expected these people to be so capable. So many people had rushed over, and almost in the blink of an eye, they were all knocked down, now lying on the ground, bleeding and groaning. The families of the injured were already in a frenzy, and a few women and elders tried to push forward to help. Liang Xing gave an order, and Li Laibin commanded the long knives and spearmen to advance, almost knocking the women to the ground. At this moment, the mountain people realized that these people were serious, and if things went badly, many might die. They immediately became more obedient. After a quarter of an hour, three elders were chosen to come over. The ferocity on their faces had disappeared, and they now looked extremely nervous.

“Elders, come and speak.”

Zhang Han now had a calm and friendly expression, smiling warmly. Li Shenming curled his lips; Liang Xing and the others were all trained by Zhang Han, and they could use such methods, of course, because Zhang Han had trained them. Now he was playing the good guy.

“Commoners, we bow to the young master.”

The three old men, all with white hair, knelt down and paid their respects to Zhang Han. Zhang Han didn’t rush to have them stand up. Having them kneel while speaking could create some subtle psychological changes. He still didn’t know what the mountain people wanted, so it was better to be cautious.

“What are you causing such a commotion for?”

Zhang Han spoke kindly, but the three old men were in a panic again. After a while, one of them, who was more articulate, finally managed to explain the situation clearly.

“Our village originally had two furnaces, which have long been abandoned. However, we still have to pay over thirty taels of iron tax every year, with each household having to pay more than five mace. Isn’t this unfair? The people who abandoned the furnaces are long gone, and we can’t find them. We are at a loss. Now, the furnace is still in our village. If one day business is bad and you abandon the furnace and leave, the iron tax will still fall on our village, and we can’t afford to pay it. We thought, either we cause a commotion and make you set up the furnace elsewhere, or we get some silver in advance to divide among the families. Even if we have to pay the iron tax in the future, at least it won’t be too much of a burden…”

“I see,” Zhang Han nodded calmly, his tone slightly reproachful. “I am not an unreasonable person. Why did you have to cause such a commotion?”

Today, as soon as he arrived, he was blocked like this. It was clear that someone had been lying in wait, watching day and night, and as soon as someone who looked like the owner came, they caused a commotion. These mountain people were indeed interesting.

“Sir, it’s the same in every village. Some cause a commotion for silver, some get nothing. In the end, the more people there are, the more likely they are to get something…”

“Sigh, you are indeed pitiful.”

Those who came to open iron mines were not kind-hearted people. A family like the Hans would never compensate these mountain people. The Ming Dynasty’s bureaucracy was also corrupt and ridiculous. When the furnaces were first set up, the iron tax was levied, though the amount was not much—only about ten taels per year for a high furnace, which was laughably low compared to the profit. In the early Ming Dynasty, due to insufficient mineral development, the government encouraged mining, so the tax rate was very low. This was also related to the overall environment of the early Ming Dynasty, where commercial taxes in all industries were very low, in stark contrast to the detailed management and heavy commercial taxes of the Song Dynasty. However, every benefit has its drawbacks. The iron tax was not high, but once a furnace was set up, if it was abandoned, it required a lot of procedures to be scrapped. The officials didn’t want to deal with such matters, so the tax continued to be collected even if the furnace was abandoned. The clerks, constables, and local officials would not let you off.

In the entire Dongshan area, there were no fewer than a hundred abandoned furnaces over the past two hundred years. These iron taxes continued to be collected, which is why the mountain people immediately assumed a fighting stance when they heard that Zhang Han and his group were setting up a furnace here.

“I am determined to set up the furnace,” Zhang Han said to the three men. “I have already invested a lot, and the place is not large enough, so I won’t abandon it in the short term. However, I understand your concerns. It’s not right to give you silver for nothing. I need a lot of manpower to expand the place. Your able-bodied men can come to work, and I will pay them two mace of silver per day and provide three meals. The young boys can also come to do odd jobs, and the women can cook and prepare vegetables, earning one mace of silver per day, with meals provided. By the time my furnace is operational, each family will earn several taels of silver. This way, you pay for the work, and I get the labor, and both sides will be happy. If you want to take my silver for free, see if you can win a fight. I won’t give you any medicine, and if you go to the city to complain, the magistrate will beat and imprison you. Think it through.”

Zhang Han spoke quickly and clearly. The three old men, chosen not just for their age but also for their wisdom, were already prostrate on the ground, bowing, representing the village in agreement.

Next, the mountain people took the injured away. Zhang Han showed some benevolence, ordering some silver to be given to the injured to see a doctor and avoid infection. When the silver was handed over, the mountain people’s eyes lit up, and they almost pounced to grab it. Seeing their tattered clothes and emaciated faces, Zhang Han knew that the lives of the Lingqiu mountain people were very hard. It seemed that the mine had not enriched the local people, only a small group.

“Cai Jiu, for the next few days, expand the place, quarry the mountains, and plan for at least five high furnaces. The area needs to be expanded tenfold. The living area should still be built as it is now, but on a larger scale. Level the mountain paths where possible. I will send carts and horses over gradually. For manpower, find people from several villages. Don’t be afraid to spend money. The efficiency of a thousand people is different from that of a hundred, but the supervisor must be diligent. More people doesn’t necessarily mean higher efficiency. If the supervision is poor, more people just waste resources. How to supervise, as I told you last time, divide the tasks into levels and aspects, such as living, production, safety, and entertainment. Each aspect has its corresponding responsibilities. For example, entertainment and human relations may seem trivial, but if not handled well, the miners will fight and cause trouble with the mountain people. If handled well, everyone will be harmonious, and we will save a lot of trouble. Next, observe the people. People vary in ability and character. First impressions can be misleading. You need to build a record of their actions and words, and have a few assistants to help you. Observe from various aspects. Some are good at work, some are good at talking, some are meddlesome. You need to observe carefully. These principles are not just for you. I have explained them in detail to everyone who is in charge. I will compile them into a manual for study. Cai Jiu, listen carefully. How much you can digest and apply depends on you.”

Zhang Han spoke calmly, but each word required Cai Jiu to digest for a while. Zhang Han was intentionally guiding him. Cai Jiu was still young and energetic. If he could be trained, he could be a valuable asset in the future, at least for the Lingqiu iron mine.

Many people don’t understand that management is not a random matter. Why can some people manage well just by sitting and drinking tea, while others shout themselves hoarse and still end up in chaos? The same thousand people, managed by different people, can have completely different outcomes. Every day, there are dozens or hundreds of tasks to handle, and subordinates need to be categorized and assigned tasks based on their strengths to achieve the best results.

The art of using people, of course, could not be learned by Zhang Han in this era through reading books. It was the result of his years of experience in the business world, though he did learn some from books. However, the knowledge from books is shallow compared to what he learned through practical experience.

To Cai Jiu or Li Shenming and others, Zhang Han seemed to have a natural talent. Some things, even people who have been in the bureaucracy for years, might not be as astute as Zhang Han, who could explain the world so clearly.

“Alright, Brother Zunlu,” Zhang Han turned to Li Shenming and smiled. “Let’s go to the city and wait for news. Also, Liang Xing, post notices everywhere, even in neighboring counties. There are many miners in this area, not just in Lingqiu. Don’t be afraid to run around!”

“Men wander the streets, women lean on door frames, donkeys bray, and dogs run until their legs break…” Liang Xing laughed. “We’ll be like little dogs.”

Zhang Han laughed and scolded, “You talk too much.”

He couldn’t help but show a mix of excitement and pride on his face.

This place would become a significant base. Once the area was expanded to over a hundred acres, with dozens of rows of houses built, and over five thousand miners recruited, and five high furnaces set up, its importance would rival that of Xinping Fort.

If Zhang Han’s improvements were successful, this place would produce at least five million pounds of refined iron annually, along with several thousand pounds of steel. The quality of his refined iron would be far superior to ordinary Shanxi iron, not inferior to Fujian iron, and even better. In terms of production, it might account for one-quarter or one-fifth of the total output of the Ming Dynasty. This was indeed a significant achievement.