Chapter 80

The only thing limiting further production increase is the number of miners. Recruiting with generous rewards can solve this, but the speed of mining and washing the iron ore is not so easy to resolve. It might be necessary to buy higher purity iron ore from elsewhere; otherwise, the iron smelting rate would be too fast, and the ore supply would be insufficient, which would be a major problem.

In any case, we will take it one step at a time. After a year, millions of pounds of refined iron could flow continuously from the blast furnaces here, then be forged and sold continuously, eventually turning into large sums of silver.

The surroundings are far from picturesque, just a series of barren hills and pitted mine shafts. In the distance, it seems that miners from other mines are busy, like a swarm of ants carrying heavy loads. These iron mines have caused severe damage to the environment, but Zhang Han felt no sadness or regret... The vegetation in Shaanxi and Shanxi has been largely destroyed. Shaanxi was once a lush and river-rich place, where the Yellow River-based Chinese civilization was nurtured over a thousand years of development. Now, it is a thousand miles of yellow earth, with soil erosion, and the yield per acre is among the lowest in the entire Ming Dynasty. The situation in Shanxi is only slightly better. Lamenting the passing of spring and autumn is not as useful as finding ways to increase the grain yield for the people. As for improving the environment, that can wait for a few hundred years.

Zhang Han's thoughts were somewhat irresponsible, even exacerbating the already poor environment, but deep down, he still considered himself a small person.

Yes, a small person who wants to be the richest man in the Ming Dynasty...

"Let's go."

With a hint of reluctance in his eyes, Zhang Han still mounted his horse and, along with Li Shenming and others, returned to Lingqiu City.

...

As Zhang Han arrived in Lingqiu, a small convoy also reached the north gate of Xinping Fort.

The convoy came from southern Shanxi and took a small detour to enter the fort through the north gate. There were two large carts loaded with goods, two two-wheeled mule carts for passengers, and some people riding mules or donkeys. Before entering the fort, someone on the cart lifted the curtain to look at the appearance of Xinping Fort and its surroundings.

After all, it was a military fort, and the outer defenses were very strict. There was an enemy platform every mile or so, towering high, built with stone and blue bricks, with soldiers guarding them. Small moats were dug on the south and north sides, about ten feet wide, not very deep, but for defending against Mongol cavalry, the presence of these moats made a significant difference.

There were also outer walls and obstacles like chevaux-de-frise at the base of the walls of Xinping Fort. Everywhere, there were marks left by gunfire and arrows, with gun holes and arrow holes densely packed.

From the establishment of this military fort to the mid-Ming Dynasty, countless wars had taken place here, from the encampment of hundreds of thousands of troops to battles involving thousands or hundreds of people. It had probably never stopped.

"After Jiajing, there have been few wars here."

Entering the east gate, a middle-aged man with a refined appearance dismounted first. He wore a gray homespun robe, a pure yang cap on his head, and black cloth shoes on his feet. If not for his long beard and being around forty years old, he would have looked like a handsome young gentleman. Looking at the fort walls behind him and the prosperous scene in front, the middle-aged man seemed quite moved.

Another person dismounted behind the middle-aged man, of similar build and age, but with a completely different demeanor. The latter had a short beard, wore a neat and tidy robe, had slightly smaller eyes, but they were sharp and alert.

After looking around for a while, he bluntly said to the first man, "Brother, you're getting sentimental again. Why don't you quickly find out where Heyusheng is?"

"What's the rush? Let Chang Wei go and find out."

"Alright, Chang Wei, go and find out where Heyusheng is."

The middle-aged man who got off the cart called out, and a young boy in a brocade robe, about fourteen or fifteen years old, who was still growing and somewhat thin, with a very handsome face and lively eyes, got off the cart with a smile. "Brother Zhang's letter already said that from the north gate, just look for the largest business. The largest one is definitely it."

As he spoke, Chang Wei's eyes darted around, looking everywhere.

Actually, he didn't need to look much. On both sides of the street at the north gate, almost everything was occupied by Heyusheng.

"Heyusheng Mule and Horse Trading, my goodness, such a large entrance, I can't see the end inside. How many mules and carts must there be? There must be hundreds of people, right?"

"Is this a warehouse? Is this a silver vault?"

"Are these people with swords and knives Heyusheng's guards? And there's a watchtower over there, with Heyusheng's guards on top?"

Chang Wei's mouth was agape, his face full of astonishment. Before coming to Xinping Fort, he and Zhang Han would exchange letters every month. Although Zhang Han had no particular affection for his cousin, he had a deep bond with the Chang family, and naturally treated his mother's relatives with special regard. He wrote letters to his uncle Chang Jinquan to inquire about his well-being and to his cousin Chang Wei to build some rapport, which was his duty as an older cousin.

However, letters are one thing, and Zhang Han didn't want to boast too much in his letters, so in the Chang family's mind, Heyusheng was somewhat larger, and the business was doing well. Before coming to Xinping Fort, Chang Jinquan had planned to give his nephew some advice on how to truly run a business and revitalize the family's fortunes.

"Alright, ahead is their main store, selling grain, cloth, and miscellaneous goods. I came here once before..." Chang Jinquan's face was already bitter, and his once bright eyes now held many complex emotions. Indeed, the Chang family had been in business for generations, and by Chang Jinquan's generation, they were already in their fourth generation, growing from small workshops and small businesses to a capital of over 100,000 taels. Although they couldn't compare to the truly great merchants, Chang Jinquan could still be proud.

Without a doubt, he was a successful businessman in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. By the time of the Kangxi era, the Chang family had made rapid progress, and by the Qianlong era, they could lend a million taels to the royal family, a level of commercial success that was truly luxurious. Unfortunately, now Chang Jinquan could only look up at the high sign and banner of Heyusheng, feeling a deep sense of sorrow.

As a businessman, Chang Jinquan could see at a glance that Heyusheng's scale far exceeded his own. Even a single branch of Heyusheng probably had a business far larger than the entire Chang family's assets. He was just curious how, in the past few years, after his brother-in-law's death and with no one in charge, Heyusheng could have developed to such a degree?

Had it been his sister's doing?

Thinking of this, Chang Jinquan shook his head slightly. His sister had learned some business skills at home, just to be able to speak up in her husband's family and avoid being looked down upon. The business atmosphere among the Shanxi merchants was getting stronger, and many scholar-gentry families who had traditionally passed down farming and reading were also starting to engage in business. One had to understand some business principles to avoid being looked down upon. But with the Chang family's abilities, maintaining Heyusheng's survival was already a feat. How could they have achieved such a level of success?

At this moment, the car window opened, and the curtain was lifted again.

A girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old showed her face, first with a head of black hair, then a beautiful face, her eyes shining with curiosity as she looked at the scene before her.

After looking at Heyusheng for a while, she then looked at her uncle Chang Jinquan, and with a smile, she didn't say anything, but playfully winked at Chang Wei, who was equally astonished.

Chang Wei didn't get angry, but smiled bitterly, "Sister, we were going to have our cousin Zhang help us set up here, but now it seems we are like frogs at the bottom of a well. I wonder if Brother Zhang will still care about us... He is so successful and rich now, if we come all this way for nothing, it would be truly a waste."

"Stop talking nonsense!" The girl gave her younger brother a stern look, with a playful but slightly scolding tone, "Are relatives just about profit? Who taught you this twisted logic? You should be given a good beating and a proper lesson."

Chang Wei knew his sister's temper. If he argued, he might be punished by his father. His sister, Chang Ning, was already exceptionally beautiful, and beneath her playful exterior, she was mature and steady. Both his father and uncle doted on her, and Chang Wei genuinely respected her.

At this moment, a servant from the Chang family entered Heyusheng's main store. After a short while, a manager in his fifties, wearing a five-fortune robe and a six-sided cool hat, came out to greet them. From a distance, he clasped his hands and smiled, "It's the Uncle Chang. I'm sorry for not welcoming you from afar. It's truly a sin."

"Old Zhou, it's been a long time."

The reserved look on Chang Jinquan's face was long gone. Seeing Zhou Fengji coming to greet him from afar, he felt a faint sense of emotion and excitement. He secretly scolded himself, Zhou Fengji was just a manager, and this business, no matter how large, belonged to his sister's family. Still, deep down, he felt a bit nervous. Zhou Fengji's politeness made Chang Jinquan feel a faint sense of emotion.

"Uncle, your timing is a bit off," Zhou Fengji asked about the journey, then continued, "The master left Xinping Fort many days ago to open an iron mine in Lingqiu. He sent word once to report his safety, but it will probably take some time before he returns to the fort."

"No rush," Chang Jinquan felt a bit disappointed but still smiled, "Since Zhang Han is not here, I will go see my sister."

"The mistress is in the back courtyard every day. I will have someone take you there."

"That's not necessary. I know the way," Chang Jinquan smiled, "You are busy, so I will go myself. My steward will call some porters to help move the things later."