When Zhang Heng was looking at Dai Jiwusi, Dai Jiwusi was also sneaking a glance at Zhang Heng.
He had already read Zhang Heng's letter of appointment, and he knew that the oriental man in front of him was a newly appointed consultant from Commodore, and he came here to deal with the unfavorable construction schedule of the bronze statue.
Decius wiped off his cold sweat and said, "Actually, there is no problem with the craftsman. We have already cast the model. We just need to pour the bronze solution into it, and then wait for the solution to cool before putting a layer on the outside." It would be fine to break it up, but the Binota Mine, which has been supplying us with copper ore, recently had an accident. The mine tunnel collapsed and buried about 20 slaves. The remaining slaves are still cleaning the mine tunnel. We I don’t know when they will be able to resume work, and we didn’t proceed without ore.”
"What about another mine, do you have alternatives?" Zhang Heng asked.
"Yes, there are four mines on the outskirts of Rome, and Binota is just a small mine. We have also signed an agreement with another mine. If Binota can't satisfy us, the other mine will deliver copper ore. Stone to us, but..." Decius hesitated to speak.
"but what?"
"But recently, His Majesty the Emperor is minting new copper coins, and the ores produced by other mines are given priority to that side, and they have no extra ores to give us." Dai Jiwusi spread his hands.
"What about the copper mines produced in other cities?"
"In addition to the transportation cost, the price is nearly twice as expensive, and it will take time to transport it. I'm afraid it's too late for the construction period." Decius also seemed very helpless. He was not a legitimate son and could not inherit his father's seat in the Senate. , so his father managed to get him this job in order to prevent him from starving to death. Originally, he thought that if he worked hard, he would be appreciated by Commodus and get a stable job in the future.
The result is that this job that can't be done no matter how you look at it, now it seems that he is about to do it. Decius was also quite aggrieved. He didn't get kickbacks, and he didn't treat the people below harshly. He was always trembling, but somehow he capsized. It can only be said that his luck was a bit too bad.
However, the new consultant in front of him didn't seem to think so. Zhang Heng asked Decius after hearing that the delivery of the bronze statue could not be overdue, "You said that there was an accident in the Binota mine, and you witnessed Did you see that?"
"Ah?" Decius was a little dumbfounded when he heard the words, "Do I still need to look at this matter? According to the contract between us, if we fail to deliver the goods within the time limit, we will have to pay a fine."
"How many?"
"Well, it's about 20 Olis per day. It's not a small amount. After so many days, I'm afraid they won't have any profit this time. If it drags on, the mine will probably lose a lot of money." money."
"20 Olis a day, even if the mine can't afford it, there are people in this city who can afford it." Zhang Heng said indifferently, but he didn't go any further. The open and secret struggle between Commodus and the Senate Apparently not a small character of the level of Decius can know, Zhang Heng just said, "You know where the Binotta Mine is, let's go together."
"Now?" Decius was a little embarrassed when he heard the words, "But it's not time to call it a day yet."
"Are you working now?"
"No... no." Decius said truthfully.
"Then prepare the carriage." Zhang Heng finally said.
"..."
Although Dai Jiwusi did not understand why Zhang Heng had to go to the mine, she still dutifully introduced Zhang Heng to the Binota mine and the owner behind it, from the information provided by Dai Jiwusi The owner of the Binotta mine is a big landowner named Cobb.
His background was very ordinary, just a powerless commoner, but he fell in love with a girl named Manya by accident. The latter's father was very rich and owned a large field and two mines. Ta is one of them. Manya's father looked down on Cobb and always opposed his daughter's association with this poor boy. However, before he could choose a satisfactory son-in-law, he died of illness.
After that, Manya married Cobb as she wished, and her father had no other children. Cobb became the new owner of this large field and two mines, and he also got a lucky Cobb. Cloth's nickname.
"I have known Lucky Cobb for a while." Decius said, "I bought a batch of grain from him before for my family. He doesn't talk much, but he is quite reliable. I don't think he would lie about a mine accident, and it wouldn't do him any good either."
Zhang Heng was noncommittal when he heard the words, but continued to ask, "Then do you know who he usually has more contacts with, or who is his biggest buyer?"
"Well, Cobb basically spends most of his time patrolling the farmland, or wandering around the two mines. Although he is not bad, he is not the kind of person who likes to make friends. As for his biggest buyer, I heard that he sold all the wheat he planted to Patriarch Divobraille, who owns more than half of the grain stores in Rome."
"who?"
"Why, Divobraye, do you know him?"
Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows. He didn't expect to hear the name of an acquaintance. Divobraye was the one the Jewish Gang and Golden Crown asked him to deal with. It was precisely because Zhang Heng agreed to this request that he got the patrol team. In the southeast city's development rights, the three major forces in the southeast city even helped him pass the assessment perfectly.
However, Zhang Heng does not know for the time being whether this incident is related to Divo Braye, and if so, how deeply Divo Braye is involved, but Zhang Heng's intuition told him immediately that he might It is also possible to use this incident to drag Divo Braye into the water.
On the other side, Decius was still envious. Zhang Heng was simply his idol. He was born as a gladiator, but he climbed all the way to the position of advisor, and he seemed to have met many important people in the short time he entered the political arena. Although Vaubraye is not as influential as Dior in the Senate, it should not be underestimated, and the old fox Divobraye will not choose sides unless he has to, so he doesn't offend people very much. I have many friends.
Decius is thinking about how to get Zhang Heng to introduce him to Divobraye, so that he can have a way out after his job is ruined, so that he won't be as miserable as a commoner.
But before he had time to speak, the carriage had already driven out of the path in the woods, and ahead was the destination of their trip, the Binotta Mine.