Our family has been rebelling for generations, and you've become the top scholar in the imperia

"Not paying wages?"

Not only was Qin Feng stunned, but even some of the guards standing to the side looked at each other in disbelief.

Apart from corvée labor, what kind of work in the world is done without pay?

"Are they all like that?"

Qin Feng glanced at the miners who had gathered around and couldn't help but ask.

Seeing the others shaking their heads vigorously and denying this, he realized that...

He couldn't help but frown.

"Are you out of your minds? How could I not pay you? Sir, I always pay you in full, two taels of silver a month. Tell me, have I paid you or not?"

One of the overseers roared viciously.

Many miners looked terrified and took a step back before quickly lowering their heads to continue working.

"Sir, please rest assured, wages are paid on time and there will be no delays. I have already sent someone to inform the manager that the mine is a mess, so why don't you move to the restaurant? The manager has already made arrangements."

"The foreman said obsequiously."

Officials from the Ministry of Works have never been to this mining area before. Are they newly appointed officials from the Ministry of Works?

Could it be that they've come here to ask for money?

However, the entire mining area is almost entirely owned by Prince Yun, and is affiliated with Prince Yun's mansion. Not to mention the Ministry of Works, even government offices would not usually come here.

"No rush."

"Bring all these miners here; I have some questions for you."

Qin Feng sneered and ignored the supervisor.

The people who were originally from the Prince of Yun's fiefdom are now mining coal in the mining area, and there isn't even a work schedule.

Qin Feng thought about it for a moment and roughly figured out what had happened.

It's so dark!

too dark!

He had always thought that the bandits in their Daliu Village were already quite ruthless, but he never imagined that compared to these people from the imperial court, they were nothing but small fry, not even worthy of carrying his shoes.

Within his fiefdom, the Prince of Yun did indeed have the authority to have the people help the Prince of Yun's residence with some work, even without paying them wages.

After all, most of the land within the entire fiefdom belonged to the royal family, and the people were mostly farmers who cultivated the land for the royal family.

But to send people to mine coal without paying them any wages, only providing one meal a day, is something even capitalists wouldn't do.

He obtained mining rights from the Ministry of Works at a low price and sold them to merchants and managers at a high price, thus legally avoiding taxes and pocketing the tax money. However, Qin Feng did not expect that the miners were all provided by the Prince of Yun's Mansion. Would the merchants and managers not pay their wages?

Of course not!

The wages would inevitably end up in the hands of the Prince of Yun's mansion.

"I am the Director of the Agricultural Development Division of the Ministry of Works. From now on, I will be in charge of all matters in the mining area. In other words, from now on, I will have the final say in the entire mining area, and no one can interfere. Starting tomorrow, all mining operations will be suspended. You no longer need to come here to mine coal. Of course, if anyone wants to work, I will recruit workers at the foot of the mountain. The wages are three taels of silver per month. The mining area will provide accommodation and meals, three meals a day, with a meat dish at noon."

These words were spoken.

Many of the miners who gathered around looked shocked.

It wasn't because of the conscription.

But... they really won't be coming to mine coal anymore?

"Is what the master said true? We really don't need to come to dig coal tomorrow?"

in the crowd.

A young man gritted his teeth, raised his hand, and stood up to shout.

"It's true, of course. The Ministry of Industry needs to redivide the mining rights, and the mining area needs to be shut down for a few days."

Upon hearing this...

Several supervisors stared wide-eyed, all thinking that this Ministry of Works official had gone completely mad.

They dare to meddle in the business of the Prince of Yun's residence?

Is the mine shut down?

"May I ask which official from the Ministry of Works you are?"

Just then.

An elderly man dressed in brocade robes, surrounded by a group of people, walked up the mine. He glanced at the miners gathered together and couldn't help but angrily rebuke them:

"What are you all standing here for? Have you all forgotten what happens when you slack off? Get to work!"

Upon hearing this...

A group of miners seemed even more afraid of the old man who had come, and hurriedly pushed their wheelbarrows into the mine.

"I am Qin Feng, the Director of the Agricultural Reclamation Department of the Ministry of Works. You are...?"

Qin Feng narrowed his eyes and looked the old man up and down.

Especially the clothes the other person is wearing.

This is not something ordinary people can wear; it's all made of the finest brocade.

"The Director of the Land Reclamation Department? Didn't the Ministry of Works tell you whose business the mining area is? Hurry up and go back to find out more. Is the mining area a place you can just come to?"

The old man didn't even bother to look at the other person.

He's just a doctor.

Although the Ministry of Works is in charge of the mines, it has a vice minister and a minister above it. The Prince of Yun's Mansion directly negotiates with the minister of the Ministry of Works on the mining business. When did even a doctor get involved?

"Oh? May I ask who the old man is...?"

"I am the steward of the Prince's mansion."

The old man puffed out his chest, looking quite arrogant.

Who is Yun Wang?

The current emperor's uncle, and the youngest prince whom the late emperor loved most; otherwise, it would have been impossible to grant Prince Yun a fiefdom dozens of miles from the capital.

"Oh, so you're the steward of the Prince of Yun's residence. That means you have neither official rank nor academic achievement!"

Qin Feng glanced at Cao Liang.

"I thought you were an official, but you're nothing but a piece of trash. You don't even kneel before me? Do you not respect me? My position as a physician was bestowed upon me by the Emperor himself. If you don't even respect the Emperor, you're asking for trouble. Take him down!"

He let out a low growl.

Cao Liang, standing to the side, decisively stepped forward and kicked the butler in the knee, forcing him to kneel on the ground.

He didn't care whether he was the steward of the Prince of Yun's mansion or anything like that.

As long as Lord Qin gives the order, we will carry it out even if it means beheading the old steward on the spot.

They can just fabricate a charge later.

"what……"

The old steward, in pain, knelt on the ground and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"You've gone too far! How dare you lay a hand on me, a mere official in the Ministry of Works? I am the steward of the Prince's mansion. You're dead! The Prince will never let you get away with this!"

"So noisy!"

Qin Feng snorted coldly.

"Cao Liang!"

"Your humble servant is here!"

"Take men and take back all the mining rights from the merchants and managers. I don't care what methods you use, I want to see all the mining documents tonight, clear out all the miners, and not allow a single worker to appear in the mining area tomorrow."

"yes!"

Cao Liang bowed and accepted the order, then immediately left with dozens of guards.

"As for the old butler!"

Qin Feng smiled and helped the old butler, who was kneeling on the ground, to his feet.

"It was truly an accident. However, I will trouble the steward to go back and report to His Highness that, as the Director of the Land Reclamation Department, the Ministry of Works will reclaim the mining rights in the future, and the Ministry of Works will be responsible for mining itself. Someone, escort the old steward of the Prince's residence back."

……

That evening.

The King of Fortune was about the same age as Zhou Zhengde.

He was kneeling in the Imperial Study at that moment.

She cried and complained, tears streaming down her face.

"Your Majesty, please make a decision! I took over the mining rights from the Ministry of Works for the sake of the court's silver reserves. Now that the Ministry of Works is acting this way, what are we supposed to do?"

"I simply cannot afford to live like this, Your Majesty. I am fine with starving to death, but I cannot delay the court's collection of silver from the mines. If the Ministry of Works continues like this, where will the workers come from? Do the officials of the Ministry of Works even know how to go down into the mines?"

"This is utterly outrageous! The Emperor must severely punish Qin Feng. He's completely lawless! He led dozens of imperial guards to reclaim the mining rights, and some managers had their legs broken by them!"

Upon hearing this...

Zhou Zhengde frowned deeply.

He let out a long sigh.

He immediately gave the order:

"Summon Qin Feng to the palace. Uncle, please get up. I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly and give the Prince Yun's mansion a satisfactory explanation."