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

Xishan Coal Mine.

Down the mountain, Old Xu stood with his hands behind his back in front of truckloads of coal, looking at a group of laborers who were staring at him expectantly.

A smile played on his lips.

"Brother-in-law, these dozens of truckloads are loaded, and they're all willing to pay. Should we arrange for them to be sent away?"

Side view.

The brother-in-law said in a fawning voice.

Who would have thought that such immense wealth would fall into their laps? Minister Qin of the Ministry of Works appointed his brother-in-law to be in charge of transporting coal to the capital.

In the past, they also helped their brother-in-law transport coal.

Back then, all the work was hard labor. Unlike now, they don't have to do any work at all. They are responsible for transporting the coal, and they decide who hauls it and who doesn't.

The wages paid by the employer are quite generous.

This is more than double the previous wage.

Who would be willing to let these laborers earn money for nothing? Besides, this is how it's always been done in the mines. The foreman in charge of arranging transportation would also deduct some of the transportation fees.

Everyone is tacit.

"Okay, arrange for it to be shipped out. Hurry up with loading the rest; we're a bit slow today!"

Old Xu smiled and nodded, then gently waved his hand.

He gestured for the car to be towed away immediately.

At the current rate, they can make several taels of silver a day, which adds up to several hundred taels a month.

The point is, all of this is free.

The silver earned by my own transport team is still there, several hundred taels of which were all withdrawn. It won't be long before I can use this silver to expand the transport team.

Didn't Lord Qin say that once the wooden tracks are successfully laid, their family will still be responsible for transportation?

Although the Ministry of Works also takes a cut, in those days, who doesn't take a cut?

"Brother-in-law, I've booked a table at a restaurant tonight. A few coal merchants from the capital want to meet with you."

"What are you doing?"

Old Xu was taken aback and couldn't help but frown.

"Who gave you permission to contact the charcoal seller in the capital without authorization? Don't you know the rules here? The transport team is not allowed to associate with the seller."

"That's how it is."

The brother-in-law grinned and whispered:

"The shopkeepers want us to be a little more lenient and scatter a bit more along the way!"

Coal transportation, coupled with bumpy roads, often results in a significant amount of coal spilling along the way.

Some will continue to be picked up, while others will simply be left on the road.

therefore.

The amount of coal hauled from the mine will still be weighed when it arrives at the shops in the capital, and the final settlement will be calculated according to the shop's standards. This is called loss.

How could there be no loss in coal? Powder, broken pieces – all of these are losses.

"Did they send people to pick them up along the way?"

Old Xu narrowed his eyes slightly, and immediately understood what it meant.

Scatter a little more on the road, and the shop will pay less money in the end. Then send someone upstairs to pick up some along the way.

Anything you find is a freebie.

"Meeting tonight is fine...you can arrange it, but be discreet, don't let anyone know."

"clear!"

The brother-in-law nodded hurriedly.

If this deal goes through, he can earn a few more taels of silver a month.

"Take him down!"

Just then.

In the distance, Cao Liang led several imperial guards, who came running over angrily.

He pulled out a knife and slashed Old Xu with the back of the blade.

"Oh dear, Lord Cao, what are you doing?"

Old Xu fell to the ground with a thud.

He stared at the other person with a puzzled expression.

"What are you doing? I think you're tired of living. Hundreds of laborers came to the West Workshop begging the magistrate to make a decision, and you don't know anything about it? Old Xu, the magistrate entrusted this job to you, and you're supposed to earn every penny you're owed, but you've been secretly taking a cut. What do you take the magistrate for?"

These words were spoken.

Old Xu's face turned deathly pale, and he shakily got up from the ground.

"Lord Cao, please don't be angry. The silver wasn't delivered on time, but rest assured, the mine has everything it needs. Your share..."

"Snapped!"

Cao Liang slapped the guy across the face, his expression turning terrifyingly gloomy.

"It seems you have no idea who the master is. Take them all away, including these people here. If they resist, break their legs!"

Instantly.

Several guards rushed up, grabbed Lao Xu and his brother-in-law, and roughly shoved them into the carriage.

Seeing this situation.

The surrounding laborers looked at each other in bewilderment.

One of them spat violently onto the ground.

"Serves him right. That son of a bitch is no good. Lord Qin, who was in charge of this matter, didn't allow anyone to take a cut of the money. This Manager Xu was trying to find ways to skim off our freight fees. It's good that he got caught. Even the coal miners up there aren't allowed to take a single penny. I knew it! How could someone as good as Lord Qin possibly go against his conscience and skim off our freight fees?"

"..."

……

Inside the courtyard of Xifang.

Qin Feng's face was so gloomy it could drip water, and he stared at Old Xu, who was kneeling on the ground and kowtowing incessantly.

I really didn't expect that.

Human nature is completely susceptible to testing.

Back then, Lao Xu had someone specifically investigate his transportation team. The wages were reasonable, and the workers were treated well.

They have been diligent and conscientious in their business operations; otherwise, they wouldn't have grown to such a large scale.

result……

They've only been managing it for a few days, and this kind of thing has already happened.

"If each person takes ten coins, the Xishan Coal Mine must transport at least several thousand carts of coal to the capital every day. They can take several taels of silver a day. Old Xu, in addition to the profit of over a hundred taels of silver a month that I have promised you, you can still take several hundred taels of silver."

"My lord, I was wrong, please spare my life! I was blinded by greed, please spare my life!"

Just then.

The courtyard gate was pushed open.

Cao Liang pushed in several shopkeepers from coal-selling shops in the capital, all of them pale-faced and kneeling on the ground.

His whole body was trembling uncontrollably.

"You take wages from laborers, I can say you're short of money, but how do you explain colluding with several shopkeepers to spill coal on the way?"

You don't know unless you've done it yourself.

There are too many places where money can be skimmed off just in the coal transportation business.

Losses are a huge, invisible, and intangible expense.

Even Qin Feng hadn't expected there to be such a way to steal silver from inside.

It seems we need to speed up the progress of the wooden tracks; even with normal wear and tear, we're losing a lot of money every day.

"All the people were sent to the Jingzhao Prefecture government office, including the shop owners. Their shops were shut down, and they are no longer allowed to do coal business."

Qin Feng waved his hand, no longer in the mood to argue with these people.

Coal is big business.

The Emperor alone has to pay a lot of money every year, the Ministry of Works has to keep a portion, and everyone who follows him has to get a share of the profits.

If they keep stealing like this, this business will go bankrupt sooner or later.

Upon hearing this...

Old Xu and the others collapsed to the ground, desperately begging for mercy.

Once they entered the Jingzhao Prefecture government office, they were doomed.

Throughout the courtyard, including the entrance, hundreds of laborers knelt on the ground, repeatedly thanking Qin Feng.

They even dealt with several shopkeepers in the city.

Lord Qin is truly a good official.

"Go back to your work and get back to work. If anyone dares to take your wages again, come straight to me in the West Ward. Now, disperse!"

Arrange for everyone to leave.

Qin Feng pinched the bridge of his nose, pondering how to speed up the laying of the wooden tracks.

Outside.

Li Lang, accompanied by several constables, rushed in with grave expressions.

"Sir, over a dozen wild boar hides were beheaded at the market!"

"What?!"

Qin Feng's expression changed.