Black Gold 1983

Renye nodded and mentally reviewed the numbers in the ledger.

"Uncle Dewang, I'll figure out how to cover the remaining shortfall. You just need to take care of the village's accounts."

Ma Dewang looked at him, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it back. He closed the ledger, put it in the drawer, and locked it.

"Jinye, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

"Please speak."

"I've heard about you going to Qinshui to investigate that woman," Ma Dewang said, his voice low but each word clear. "What does that woman's business have to do with your mining operations?"

Renye glanced at Ma Dewang but didn't rush to answer. In Ma Dewang's cloudy old eyes, there was no blame, no curiosity, only a calm that came from having seen the world.

"She is my friend's mother," Renye said. "I helped her find out the truth so that my friend could be at ease. Once he's at ease, he can focus on the mining business."

Ma Dewang nodded and did not ask any further questions.

After leaving Ma Dewang's house, Renye went to Ma Tiejun's house. Ma Tiejun was repairing a pickaxe in the yard, tightening the loose handle. Seeing Renye come in, he put down the pickaxe and wiped his hands on his trouser leg.

"No one found out about what happened last night, right?" Renye squatted down and asked in a low voice.

Ma Tiejun shook his head: "I went to check this morning. The tarpaulin at the wellhead hadn't been moved, and there were no new footprints in the surrounding soil. Nobody should know."

Renye was relieved.

"Is there any problem with the explosives on Tianfang's side?"

Ma Tiejun thought for a moment: "He's a tight-lipped man; he won't say what he shouldn't. But the transport team is missing a few tubes of explosives. What if they investigate—"

"We can't find it." Renye interrupted him. "Tianfang said that the warehouse inventory was done on April 1st and the accounts were balanced. Even if someone finds something missing later, we won't know when it went missing or who took it."

Ma Tiejun nodded and said nothing more.

After leaving Ma Tiejun's house, Ren Ye originally planned to go to the electromechanical department's warehouse to talk to Han Changhe about equipment. However, halfway there, he changed his mind and turned back to Han Tianfang's house.

The gate to Han Tianfang's house was closed. Renye knocked twice, but no one answered. He pushed it open; the gate wasn't locked.

The courtyard was empty. On the stone table sat the canvas tool bag, zipped open, empty. The explosives were gone, the detonators were gone, the fuse was gone. Only a few pieces of duct tape and a pair of scissors remained, lying quietly in the bag.

Renye stood in the yard and looked around. Several pieces of work clothes hung on the clothesline, swaying gently in the wind. The metal cabinet in the corner was locked; the lock was new, a brass-colored lock that gleamed in the sunlight.

He walked to the door and pushed it open. There was no one inside. The bed was neatly made, and on the table was a bowl of noodles that was half-eaten. Chopsticks were resting on the rim of the bowl, and the noodles had clumped together.

Renye stood inside the house for a while, then came out and closed the gate behind him.

He stood in the alley, wondering where Han Tianfang had gone. Perhaps he'd gone to the back mountain, perhaps to the mine, or perhaps he'd gone somewhere he didn't know. He didn't look for him; sometimes, a person needs to be alone, undisturbed.

When I got home, Ren Shouyi was already back. He was sitting in an old rattan chair, and on the coffee table in front of him was the hand-drawn map of the tunnels in the West Second Mining Area. There were a few red circles on the map, drawn with a ballpoint pen, crooked and messy, but the positions were very clear.

"Dad, who did you go to the mine to see?"

Ren Shouyi raised his head, took off his reading glasses, and glanced at Ren Ye.

"I'm looking for the mine manager."

Renye was stunned for a moment.

"Why do you want to see the mine manager?"

Ren Shouyi took the cigarette out of his mouth and stubbed it out in the ashtray.

"I talked to the mine manager about the West No. 2 mining area." His voice was calm, as if he were talking about something very ordinary. "I told him that my son wants to start a mine in West No. 2 and needs the mine's support. I talked to him about the equipment, the technology, and the mining rights."

Renye opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

"What did the mine manager say?" he asked.

Ren Shouyi did not answer immediately. He picked up the enamel mug, took a sip of water, put the mug down, and then slowly opened his mouth.

"He said he couldn't control policy matters; those were matters for higher authorities. But once the policy was implemented, he wouldn't stop small coal mines from being allocated any of the peripheral coal areas within the Hongxing Mine's jurisdiction."

Renye's heart was beating very fast.

"Where's the equipment?"

"Regarding the equipment, he told me to contact Han Changhe, saying that the mine could sell off the inventory of the electromechanical department at a discount. He also said that the mine could send technicians to small coal mines for guidance free of charge, which could be considered as state-owned mines supporting village and brigade mines."

Renye stared at Ren Shouyi for a long time, then suddenly laughed.

"Dad, did you manage to convince the mine manager?"

Ren Shouyi picked up the enamel mug and took another sip. He didn't say anything, but the slight smile on his lips was impossible to hide.

Renye looked at the slight smile on his father's lips and suddenly felt much more at ease. Ren Shouyi was a man who rarely spoke or smiled, but he never broke his word.

"What else did the mine manager say?" Renye asked.

Ren Shouyi lit the cigarette, took a puff, and squinted as he thought.

He said that there was controversy when the mine in the West Second area was sealed off. Some people said that the coal underneath had not been completely mined, and it would be a pity to seal it off. But the mine did the math and felt that it was not worthwhile to invest more, so it was sealed off. Now, if someone is willing to continue mining, he would be happy to see it happen.

Renye nodded. This matched what he knew from his previous life. The West Second Mining Area wasn't out of coal; it was just not worth Hongxing Mine's continued investment. State-owned mines calculate the big picture: after factoring in equipment, labor, and management costs, the output from peripheral coalfields couldn't cover the expenses. But for small coal mines, this coal was a treasure.

"When do you plan to go talk to Han Changhe about the equipment?" Ren Shouyi asked.

Ren Ye remained silent for a while. He wondered how Han Changhe had been these past few days. The last time he saw him squatting on the threshold in Han Tianfang's yard, he looked ten years older. Later, Ren Shouyi said that he had come to the house, squatted by the wall for a long time, and said, "I'm sorry to Guihua, and I'm sorry to Tianfang," before leaving.

"Let's go this afternoon," Renye said. "The sooner we finalize the equipment, the more at ease Shigou Village will feel."

Lunch was made by Li Yue'e: stewed cabbage with glass noodles and a little tofu. Renye ate a big bowl, put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and went out.

On his way to the mechanical and electrical department's warehouse, he passed the mining department building and saw a crowd gathered at the entrance. It wasn't workers at work; it was the aunties and older women from the family compound, gathered in twos and threes, whispering amongst themselves. Renye paid no attention and continued walking, but stopped after a few steps because he heard a name—Xu Hongbing.

"Have you heard? Section Chief Xu from the Labor and Personnel Department has been suspended from his duties at the mine!"

"Really? Why?"

"It seems his son did something wrong in the transport team and got reported. The mine is investigating."

"Xu Dongsheng? That kid seems pretty honest."

"Honest? How can being honest allow you to make so much money in the transport team?"

Renye stood there, listening to every word of the gossip. He didn't turn around or go over to ask, he just stood there for a while, then continued walking towards the mechanical and electrical department's warehouse.

Xu Dongsheng was reported? Who reported him? What was reported? He knew about the kickbacks in the transportation team, of course. He knew it in his past life; the transportation team cheated on the weight of coal they transported—it was an open secret in the mine. But no one ever cared because too many people were involved, from the transportation team to the weighbridge operators to the security department; everyone on the line was involved.

Xu Dongsheng was reported, which meant someone was going to take him down. Who was it? Was it someone from the mine, or someone from outside? Renye didn't know, but he felt that this happened at just the right time, right when he was preparing to start mining.

The door to the electromechanical department's warehouse was open, and there was a clanging and banging sound inside; someone was repairing equipment. Renye went in and saw Han Changhe squatting next to an old fan, holding a wrench and tightening screws. His movements were slow, not as nimble as before; he would tighten a few screws, then stop, pause for a moment, and then continue tightening.

"Uncle Han," Renye called out.

Han Changhe looked up, saw it was him, his eyes flickered, he put down the wrench in his hand, stood up, and dusted off his knees. He looked at Ren Ye, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but then he swallowed it back.

"You're here?" he said, his voice hoarse, as if he hadn't had water for days.

Renye nodded, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and handed it to Han Changhe. Han Changhe took the cigarette, put it in his mouth, and fumbled for a while before finally finding the lighter. After a few tries, it lit up, the flame leaping up. He brought it to the end, took a puff, and coughed violently from the smoke.

"Uncle Han, my dad said the mine manager has spoken to you. The equipment needed for the West No. 2 mine will be supplied through your mine."

Han Changhe nodded, tucked the cigarette between his fingers, turned around, and walked towards the back of the warehouse. Ren Ye followed behind him, crossing the yard filled with old equipment, and arrived at the open space behind it. There were several old winches, several old water pumps, several old fans, and some scattered mine cars and tracks. The equipment was covered in dust, and in some places it was rusty, as if it had been piled up for a long time without being moved.

"Take any of these you think you can use," Han Changhe said, pointing to the pile of equipment. "The price is negotiable."

Renye squatted down and examined each machine one by one. The winch was manufactured in 1975, a bit old, but it looked alright; the motor hadn't burned out, and the gearbox wasn't leaking oil, so it should still be usable. The water pump body was a bit rusty, but the impeller could still turn; replacing the seals would solve the problem. The blower had a bigger problem; the blades were cracked, so it couldn't be used anymore, and they'd have to find another one.

"I'll take this winch and this water pump. The blower won't do; we'll have to find something else." Renye stood up, looking at Han Changhe. "Uncle Han, name your price."

Han Changhe finished the cigarette and stubbed it out in his palm. The heat made his lips twitch, but he didn't say anything.

"Three hundred for the winch, two hundred for the water pump. How many mine cars do you need?"

"Ten vehicles."

"Two hundred for one, two thousand for ten. The track is priced by the meter. How much do you want?"

"We need 300 meters first."

"Fifteen yuan per meter, fifteen hundred yuan for three hundred meters. Cables, wires, lighting, switches, all these odds and ends, it'll be one thousand."

Renye mentally calculated the costs: 300 for the winch, 200 for the water pump, 2,000 for the mine car, 1,500 for the rails, and 1,000 for miscellaneous items, totaling 5,000. It was much cheaper than he had expected.

"Uncle Han, this price—"

"That's enough." Han Changhe interrupted him. "These things will just rust if they're piled up here. If we can sell them, we'll make a profit. The mine doesn't need money; it needs to make room."

Renye didn't refuse. He knew Han Changhe was telling the truth, and he also knew there was an element of personal favor involved. He didn't say thank you; some things don't need thanks, saying them would only make one seem distant.

"When can we take it away?"

"Come whenever you need it. I've already spoken to the security guard; you can find your own car."

Renye nodded, took out the fundraising ledger from his pocket, and wrote down the equipment and prices in the blank space. After writing the last word, he closed the ledger, looked up, and saw Han Changhe staring blankly into the distance, seemingly lost in thought.

"Uncle Han, have you heard about Xu Dongsheng's matter?" Renye asked tentatively.

Han Changhe snapped out of his daze, glanced at him, and nodded: "I've heard about it."

"What happened?"

Han Changhe hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice: "Someone slipped a letter of complaint into the mine manager's office, saying that Xu Dongsheng was embezzling coal from the transportation team and illegally selling it outside the mine, involving a considerable amount of money. The mine has already set up an investigation team and is investigating."

"Who reported it?"

Han Changhe shook his head: "I don't know. The letter was sent anonymously, but it was very detailed, specifying the year, month, truckload, tonnage, and who it was sold to. You couldn't write something like this without inside information."

Renye's heart skipped a beat. He thought of Han Tianfang. Han Tianfang had worked in the transport team for so many years and knew everything about it. If he wanted to report Xu Dongsheng, he had both the ability and the motive. Xu Dongsheng was Xu Hongbing's son, and Xu Hongbing was Han Changhe's rival, and Han Changhe—

Renye mentally went over the thread without saying a word.

After leaving the electromechanical department's warehouse, Renye didn't go home but went to the mining department building. He wanted to see how things had turned out for Xu Dongsheng.

There were even more people at the entrance of the mining department building than before. Not only were there aunties and grandmas from the family compound, but also miners from the transportation team, the coal mining team, and the labor and personnel department, all gathered in small groups, discussing the matter. Renye walked past the crowd and overheard someone saying, "Section Chief Xu is probably doomed this time," someone else saying, "That Xu Dongsheng looks honest, but I didn't expect him to be so bold," and yet another person saying, "This involves quite a few people; several from the transportation team have been called in for questioning."

Renye walked to the entrance of the mining headquarters building and saw a notice posted in the lobby. It was written in black and white and stamped with the official seal of the mining bureau. The notice was simple: Based on reports from the public, and after investigation by the mining bureau, an investigation has been launched into Xu Hongbing, head of the labor and personnel department of Hongxing Mine, and Xu Dongsheng, an employee of the transportation team, for suspected violations of discipline and law. During the investigation, Xu Hongbing is suspended from his position as head of the department, and Xu Dongsheng is suspended from his work in the transportation team to cooperate with the investigation.

Renye read the notice over and then turned and left the mining building.

On his way home, he recalled what Xu Dongsheng had said to him that night at the entrance of the family compound. "I don't care what you're planning. But the matter of the West Second Mining Area is not something you can handle alone." Xu Dongsheng's face was expressionless when he said this, but Renye remembered his eyes. There was a warning, a threat, and something else he couldn't quite understand in his eyes.

Now that Xu Dongsheng is suspended from his duties and under investigation, his warnings and threats are no longer important. But Ren Ye knows in his heart that this matter is not so simple. Xu Hongbing has worked in the mine for so many years, and his connections are deeply entrenched; he cannot be brought down by a single whistleblower letter. The investigation is ongoing, but whether it will ultimately be substantiated, and how it will be handled if it is, are all still unknown.

He needed a backup plan. A backup plan that could be put in place if Xu Hongbing didn't fall, if he fought back, or if he caused trouble for the mining project.

Renye held the unlit cigarette in his mouth as he walked, lost in thought. When he reached the entrance of the family compound, he saw Tian Sui'er.

She stood under the streetlamp at the entrance of the courtyard, wearing a navy blue cotton-padded jacket, her hair casually tied back, carrying a cloth bag in her hand, as if she had just returned from buying things at the supply and marketing cooperative. Seeing Renye walking over, she stopped and stood under the streetlamp looking at him.

Renye walked up to her and stopped.

"What did you buy?" he asked.

Tian Suier opened the cloth bag for him to see; inside were several books, a stack of letter paper, and several ballpoint pens.

"Why did you buy so many pens and paper?" Renye asked.

Tian Sui'er glanced at him, her lips curling up slightly, but she quickly pursed them back.

"Preparing for the exam," she said. "The college entrance exam."