Chapter 95

In the afternoon, Liang Xing and Yang Qiu ran together to Zhang Han's room.

Zhang Han was lying on the bed in his room, with quilts and pillows propped up behind him, holding a book in his hand.

The moment the two entered the room, Zhang Han noticed them. He looked at them and asked, "How is it? Did that old Han Liuhua make his move?"

"Indeed," Liang Xing replied with a smile, "He really did bribe someone. It's despicable. He's a gambling addict who has sold his wife and daughter, and now has nothing left to sell. He has been in the mine for many years. This time, because he knew a lot about the furnace, he was involved in many things, and we relied on him. Who would have thought that he would be as useless as a dead dog. Han Liuhua only paid him fifty taels of silver, and this bastard betrayed us."

Zhang Han laughed, "These gamblers, when they get desperate, will even sell their own daughters. What are we to them?"

Yang Qiu then added, "Sir, the time is right. Can we make our move now?"

Zhang Han closed his eyes and silently calculated the time. Liang Xing and Yang Qiu remained silent, waiting quietly.

After a moment, Zhang Han opened his eyes and said, "Actually, the timing is still a bit tight. It would be better to take it slowly and make sure every link is solid. Now, this approach is a bit hasty. Even if they don't know at the time, they will certainly figure out it was us. But... what do we have to fear?"

Liang Xing grinned and said, "The boss is right, what do we have to fear?"

The current matter was indeed a minor one, just a bit troublesome for Zhang Han. He stayed at the ironworks mainly to ensure the production and many management details. Some things were still beyond Cai Jiu's capabilities. Now that everything at the ironworks was running smoothly and the Han family's trouble was resolved, he could return to Xinping Fort with peace of mind.

He shifted his body to a more comfortable position, picked up the monthly report from Shahu Fort, and began to study it carefully.

...

"Old Han Liuhua, Yang Yingming, what are you two doing?"

After dark, Han Liuhua received a notification and invited the gambling addict Yang Yingming. They did not bring any personal items, only the silver coins they had saved over the past few days, and they sneaked out of the ironworks.

The ironworks had strict rules, which Zhang Han and Cai Jiu had been enforcing. For example, no one could leave their post without permission, and they needed a leave slip to leave the ironworks. They also needed a clear reason for going out. Many of these rules were not just Zhang Han's ideas but were also agreed upon by the miners. Some old rules that seemed reasonable were retained. To maintain order, in addition to the security guards Zhang Han brought, they started selecting some brave and loyal miners to serve as guards. The guard team had about thirty members. Besides their regular work, they would take turns on duty after their shifts, and they received extra pay for their service.

Just as Han Liuhua and Yang Yingming stepped out of the ironworks gate, a loud voice shouted from behind. They turned around to see a thin, dark man holding a lantern rushing over.

Han Liuhua smiled, "Sun Heizi, Yang and I are going down the mountain to gamble. We're not on duty tomorrow, so don't worry about it."

These two were indeed a pair of gambling addicts, and Sun Yao had no reason to doubt them. He instinctively said, "We don't prohibit gambling in the mine, but the game must end before the first watch. Why go all the way down the mountain?"

Sun Yao and Han Liuhua were referring to a small town at the foot of the mountain, which had several gambling dens. These dens were run by city officials and clerks, making a profit from the miners' hard-earned money.

Han Liuhua said, "According to the third rule of the ironworks, gambling at night must not be noisy, and the game must end before the first watch. Those on duty the next day cannot participate, and the maximum bet is two taels... Sun Heizi, did I remember it all correctly?"

Sun Yao replied, "Every word."

"Word has it that the boss originally wanted to set the limit at one tael, but many people opposed it, so it was changed to two taels. Heizi, we gamble for fun. Money comes and goes, and it's all about spontaneity. If there's a limit on how much you can lose, what's the point of gambling? Just as we get excited, the first watch comes, and we have to stop. We can't even make noise. It's really frustrating..."

Han Liuhua was so excited that he was spitting as he spoke.

Sun Yao looked at him with disdain. Gambling was a compromise between Zhang Han and the miners. With over a thousand people in the mine, dozens more came to sign up every day from the Dongshan Association. After verification, those who qualified stayed, and some were recorded. When new furnaces and houses were built, they could be called to work. The wages were high, and the food and lodging were good. It was a rare good place. Sun Yao used to gamble, but now that life had a purpose, he no longer gambled much. However, many miners still had the habit. Sun Yao knew that Zhang Han had tried to limit gambling as much as possible, and with various restrictions, fewer and fewer people were gambling. The ironworks had also bought many chess sets and invited storytellers and puppeteers to entertain the miners. Sun Yao was very satisfied with his current life and looked down on gambling addicts like Han Liuhua and Yang Yingming.

"Go, go..." Sun Yao waved his hand. Although Han Liuhua didn't have a leave slip, Sun Yao knew he wasn't on duty the next day, and getting a slip later would be easy. There was no need to be too strict. As soon as he waved his hand, the two rushed to leave. Sun Yao had a sudden thought and shouted, "Stop! What's wrong with you, Old Yang? You're sweating in this weather and didn't say a word just now?"

"Quick, go!"

Han Liuhua knew they were in trouble. He wasn't too afraid because he had a plan. Yang Yingming, although easily bribed, had poor nerves and had just exposed himself.

He pushed Yang Yingming, and the two started running. Sun Yao drew his saber, which was made from the new iron, with fewer impurities than ordinary Shanxi iron, though not ideal for a saber. A good saber made from Min iron cost seven or eight taels of silver, which only the security guards could afford. Sun Yao didn't have such a good saber.

"Stop, or I'll recognize you, but this saber won't."

In the past, miners often stole and fled from the ironworks. Sun Yao thought these two gambling addicts had stolen something and were trying to escape. He shouted and started to chase them.

At that moment, several people rushed over from behind him. Sun Yao turned around, and in the dim light, he saw several figures running towards him. The leader was holding a saber and rushed over, swinging it at him. Sun Yao had to dodge, and although he avoided the vital areas, he was cut on the arm. The other two also attacked, and Sun Yao, realizing they were from the guard team, cursed and retreated, swinging his saber quickly. However, with three opponents, he was soon hit twice more. These cuts were deep, leaving long, bloody gashes. Blood gushed out, and Sun Yao felt weak, but he knew that if he fell, he would surely die. He gritted his teeth and held on. At the most critical moment, someone behind him shouted, "Old Five, Lin Guotai, they're here, come quickly!"

Old Five and Lin Guotai were security guards brought by Liang Xing, both experienced in fighting bandits. They were very skilled and could easily handle three or four miners at a time. Even though the miners were strong and brave, these guards were exceptional. When the attackers heard the guards were coming, they whistled and fled in the direction Han Liuhua and Yang Yingming had gone.

"Sun Heizi, are you okay?"

Seeing the attackers leave, Tang Wangzong from the ironworks rushed out with a lantern, still looking shaken.

"Where are they? Why didn't you chase them?"

Sun Yao was brave, and his robe was soaked with blood. He gritted his teeth and didn't cry out in pain. Seeing no one behind Tang Wangzong, he became anxious.

"I'm going to sound the alarm!" Tang Wangzong said as he rang the bell, "How could it be so coincidental that the guards were here? I just pretended to scare them."

"You're quick-witted, you dog..."

The crisis over, the bell rang continuously. Sun Yao relaxed, and the pain in his body intensified. He knew he would soon receive treatment. The boss had hired a doctor to treat external injuries at the ironworks. Injuries from rocks and burns could be treated immediately. Many bosses in the past had saved a few taels of silver by delaying treatment, resulting in many disabled miners. Just for this, Sun Yao felt his injury was worth it.

Soon, the ironworks was lit up, and everyone who wasn't on duty at the furnaces rushed over. Hundreds of people filled the ground, blocking the road. Some climbed the hillside to get a better view. Fortunately, over a hundred lanterns were lit, so they could see clearly and avoid falling.

When Zhang Han arrived, he saw the scene: the ironworks was packed, and the hillside was full of people. The crowd, seeing him, all looked at him.

"This is what happened..."

Cai Jiu, in his robe, looked a bit flustered but was generally calm. He explained the situation to Zhang Han. A doctor and an assistant were treating Sun Yao, who was tough and didn't make a sound, even though his wounds were very painful.

"Sun Heizi, right?" Zhang Han knew Sun Yao's nickname. He was a good man among the miners. After this incident, he could be promoted to Xinping Fort for training, setting an example among the miners.

Sun Yao nodded and tried to get up, but Zhang Han stopped him, saying, "We just found out that Han Liuhua and Yang Yingming were taken by people from the Han family. They not only kidnapped them but also tried to kill you to silence you. We can't let this go. Rest and recover, and I'll take care of the rest."