"This is the manager's barracks. According to regulations, outsiders are not allowed to enter. Have they all obtained permission from the branch office?" Although Zheng Ming stepped aside, he still asked.
"Hey, you said you are my friend, how can you be considered an outsider? Why, can't you trust Uncle Deng?"
"How could that be? But these guys look very nice, they don't look like people from the county."
"We are from out of town." The leader said, his accent did not sound like the local accent.
"Yes, yes... they are friends from out of town." Uncle Deng patted him on the shoulder, "Don't worry, they have obtained the permit, otherwise they will not be able to enter the mining area gate. There are guards guarding it."
"Can you show me the license?"
"They are all being kept at the guard post at the gate so as not to be lost. I told you, kid, stop asking around and go into the back room to pour tea for everyone. I bought a few good dishes today." Uncle Deng said half-voiced Suddenly he got high, "Wait a minute, where are you going to get dressed?"
"I'll go check it out at the sentry post. It's stipulated that you must carry this thing with you. I'll help you hold it so you won't lose it. Whether you're entering the mine or the barracks, you need permission—"
The voice of his colleagues stopped suddenly.
Huo Ying felt his blood rushing back. He saw a sharp knife coming out of Zheng Ming's back, the head of the knife reflecting the dim light of blood. The leader held him tightly to his chest, causing his whole body to twitch slightly, but he couldn't make a sound.
"Master Chai, this..."
"He was too long-winded and we were pressed for time."
"Oh, what a pity." Uncle Deng shook his head, turned around and walked towards the house, "Mr. Huo, are you still there?"
Huo Ying, a scholar who had never seen such a scene before, took two steps back and sat down on the ground, "You, you..."
It wasn't until everyone entered the house that he noticed that these people all had weapons on their waists.
"Don't panic, they are all our own people, sent by the imperial court." Uncle Deng stretched out his hand to pull him up and comforted him kindly, "You should know that Princess Guangping has rebelled, right?"
"I..." Huo Ying didn't know what to do for a moment. Taking over the government office of Baisha County and replacing it with the affairs branch was indeed suspected of treason, but everyone should accept it happily, right? At least none of the locals applauded.
He remembered that Uncle Deng also participated in the celebration.
"I heard Zheng Ming say that you are a scholar, right? Scholars naturally hate rebellion, but they don't dare to speak out about it." Uncle Deng took the key to the warehouse from the wall and threw it into his hand, "Me too I know you have great ambitions in your heart, and you are always shouting about serving the country and the people when you drink, and now the opportunity has come."
"What's the chance?" he said blankly.
"Crack down on rebellion and help the imperial court and the Privy Council. Isn't this the time to show that the country is for the people? Baisha Mine provides the iron materials needed for Jinxia City. If it can interrupt its production, it will be a great achievement." Deng Shudun After a pause, "Of course you don't need to be afraid of the retaliation of the rebels. After doing this, they will escort you and me out of Shenzhou and settle in Shangyuan City. If I become a rich man, you can also be appointed as an official in Gyeonggi Province." .”
"Really?" Huo Ying asked subconsciously.
"Of course, they have sent my whole family there. If you help Uncle Deng, they will also promise to treat you in this way."
While the two were talking, the dozen or so people in the room had neatly changed into uniforms, the style of which was exactly the same as that of Jinxia's army.
Obviously this group of people came prepared.
The panic gradually receded, and Huo Ying suddenly realized something. Uncle Deng was not the only one who decided to serve the court. For example, there are usually five to six gatekeepers at the gate. They can come in quietly, but they must have someone inside to respond.
Going to Gyeonggi to be an official... To be honest, this opportunity was infinitely important to him. If he hadn't been unable to pass the Jinshi examination, he would not have settled for the next best thing and chosen to apply for the job at the Secretariat. He originally thought that he could flex his muscles in the General Administration, but he didn't expect to be sent to Baisha County in the end. Huo Ying thought that leaving might be a good choice.
Besides, could he refuse
The tip of the knife that pierced Zheng Ming's back was still flashing in his mind.
"Are you done talking?" The middle-aged man known as Mr. Chai said expressionlessly, "We have to hurry up."
"Give me some time—he alone knows how to open the warehouse."
Huo Ying turned his head and looked at the other party, "Is what Uncle Deng said true? Can I go to Gyeonggi and become an official?"
The leader touched his arms and threw a bamboo tube to his chest.
He opened the lid of the cylinder. In addition to a roll of gold leaf stuffed inside, there was also an appointment and dismissal document - the official title and name columns were empty, but the seal had been stamped. "The specific official position depends on your contribution."
The answer is self-evident.
Huo Ying took a deep breath and put the bamboo tube into his arms, "What do you need from me?"
"Open the warehouse, we need to take out a few things."
"Only mining tools are stored there. Destroying them would have little impact on mine production."
"But there is gunpowder in these tools, isn't there?" Uncle Deng said with a grin.
…
The Baisha Mine was pitch black at night. In order to avoid being discovered by the guards, the group did not even hold up torches and relied on the dim moonlight to identify their direction.
The warehouse is just to the west of the yard. It is an old two-story brick building with no windows on all sides. The only entrance and exit is a huge sliding iron door.
As he was on his way, Uncle Deng's words kept lingering in Huo Ying's mind.
There was only one way to interrupt production in a mine using gunpowder - they wanted to blow up the mine and completely seal off the entrance to the mine.
It will be almost impossible to reopen these channels within more than ten years.
In terms of effect alone, this approach is indeed a one-and-done solution.
But they don't seem to have thought about it.
What should Baisha County do
This county was established because of the Baisha Mine. Many residents living in the county have been miners for generations. They have been tied to the mine for almost their entire lives. If the mine is gone, can Baisha County still survive independently
The answer is probably no.
As a result, more than 8,000 people had to leave their hometowns.
The question is, besides Jinxia City, who else is willing to take in so many refugees? What's more, if Princess Guangping fails and is killed, it will be a question whether Jinxia City can maintain the current practice.
The warehouse has arrived.
Huo Ying took out the key and hesitated for a moment, "Do we have to use gunpowder? If the mine is destroyed, what will the thousands of residents of Baisha Mine do?"
"What are you talking about? What you and I are doing now is to fight against rebellion! Without the stability of the country, there is no personal peace!" Uncle Deng frowned and said, "This matter will be recorded in the annals of history in the future. You Don’t you want to leave your name in the book?”
"We are all working for Daqi, and the people in the world will benefit in the end." Mr. Chai added in a deep voice from behind, "You should be able to distinguish between thousands and millions of people, which one is more important."
"I see."
Huo Ying inserted the key into the keyhole and turned it four times in sequence - this special secret lock requires four bolts to be opened continuously before the iron door can slide open to one side.
With a soft click, the iron door moved slowly, revealing a thin gap between it and the wall.
"Push it for me—this door is too heavy. I can't open it by myself."
Immediately, three or four people came close to the door and used their strength together.
At this moment, Huo Ying pushed Uncle Deng back violently, causing him to collide with Mr. Chai. He turned the key to the wrong angle and lowered the last bolt again.
Only a dull roar was heard, and the sliding iron door suddenly stopped.
At this time, the gap between the door and the wall was just enough for him to pass sideways.
Huo Ying clung to the wall and squeezed in with all his strength. The middle-aged man also opened Uncle Deng's hands, drew his sword and stabbed him.
With a numbness in his waist, he finally passed through the crack in the door and fell to the ground in the warehouse.