Chapter 146
Chapter 146
Xiao Che had Ye Qi and the Shadow Guards assemble all the miners in the open.
The miners had no idea what was happening. They were still wondering what their new owner planned to do with them when the Shadow Guards gathered them amid the ruins of the old camp.
After so many years commanding troops, Xiao Che naturally preferred military methods of organization.
In his eyes, these miners were his soldiers now.
Xiao Che found a raised spot where everyone could see him and took his place.
“I have several announcements to make. After spending the past few days with me, I’m sure all of you know that I, Xiao Che, keep my word. Since I made certain promises when we first met, I will now honor every one of them.
“First, you will be paid. Every miner will receive thirty copper coins for each day’s work. Your previous employers have nothing to do with me, so the past accounts will be wiped clean. Starting with the last two days, each of you will receive sixty copper coins.
“Second, you will receive clothing. We brought nine hundred sets of summer clothes this time. Each person may collect one set.
“Third, beginning today, you will be divided into two shifts. One will rest during the day and work at night, while the other will work during the day and rest at night. Each shift will be further divided into four teams, for a total of eight, and every team will choose a captain.
“Beginning today, your work will be assessed. A designated clerk will record every team’s daily output. At the same time, the position of overseer will be abolished. No one will ever stand behind you with a whip again, beating you and forcing you to work.
“From now on, you must treat this as proper work. Over the next month, we will gradually build houses and streets here, and bring a large number of women to settle in the town. Your team will be assessed once a month. The most diligent teams will have first choice, as well as the greatest discounts when buying homes. Once you settle here, you can have a wife, children, and a warm bed waiting for you at home. You will have stable work that provides meals and a monthly income of one tael of silver.
“We will help you reclaim wasteland and plant high-yield potatoes everywhere. None of you will ever go hungry again. Your wives and children will not starve either.”
The crowd fell utterly silent after Xiao Che’s long speech. A moment later, excited voices erupted everywhere.
“What did the Valley Master just say? I wasn’t hearing things, was I?”
“I heard it too, so you must not be imagining it.”
“Something this good can happen to people like us? A shower of red feathers would be more common!”
“Don’t you see who is standing before us? He’s the Star Maiden’s own father. Of course he’s different from those monsters who used to own us. Our suffering is finally over!”
“Mother! Father! Your unfilial son never let you share in any happiness. But our family line finally won’t end with me! I’ll work hard, earn the right to choose a wife, and give our family descendants!”
Many men broke down sobbing. Their eyes were red, their faces flushed with emotion.
They clasped one another’s withered hands. Their long-numb eyes now shone with new life. At last, they had a reason to live and a goal worth striving toward.
Something seemed to break through the soil of their hearts.
Its name was hope.
As Xiao Che looked over face after flushed face, an indescribable emotion stirred in his chest.
These were the common people whose lives hung in the balance.
Even the Dragon Tiger Guards maintaining order at the side were deeply moved.
They had always known that their master was the Star Maiden and the Princess of this nation.
One day, she would inherit the throne and unite the Nine Provinces.
How fortunate they were to follow such a master in their own lifetimes, pacify the realm, and win extraordinary merit.
Their young mistress was also filled with boundless compassion. She cared about the people’s suffering and was beloved by all. Heaven’s timing, the land’s advantage, and the people’s support were all on her side.
Under Xiao Che’s direction, the miners were quickly divided into eight teams.
The miners already had their own circles of friends. Those familiar with one another could form teams together, which would give each team greater cohesion.
They also elected their own captains. Each captain was a man of high standing within his team, so letting them manage the others would work far better than appointing someone at random.
The next task was registration.
The eight teams were numbered from one through eight.
For the first month, Teams One through Four would work the day shift, while Teams Five through Eight worked the night shift.
This arrangement would cut the number of tents and cooks they needed in half.
While the miners registered, Xiao Che, Long Xia, and Ye Qi personally handed out their wages.
As sixty copper coins dropped into pair after pair of gaunt hands, Xiao Che could feel each man’s fingers trembling.
The crisp clink of copper coins had never sounded so sweet.
Xiao Che remained at the camp for several more days. He watched the tents go up and the miners change into new summer clothes, smiles appearing on every face. Only after everything began running smoothly did he finally relax.
Jin Bao had not been idle either. She busily grew potatoes.
Only after filling five entire granaries with potatoes did she clap the dirt from her hands and skip away behind Xiao Che.
The miners came to see them off of their own accord. They did not know whether they would ever see the Star Maiden again in their lifetimes. Silently, they all knelt and kowtowed, knowing that everything they had received came from her protection and grace.
After descending the mountain, Xiao Che did not return to the Xie Family estate. Instead, he took Long Xia and Ye Qi to inspect possible sites for new houses.
He needed to choose a location.
One question had occupied his thoughts for days.
The Xie Family was ultimately only there to support him. If he wanted to unify the Northern Frontier quickly, he could not keep hiding in Black Pine Valley.
Black Pine Valley could serve as his refuge, but he could not remain shut away there forever.
He needed territory of his own in the vast Northern Frontier.
The place the outside world called Jinshi Town was a natural military base.
Mountains enclosed it on all sides, and there was only one road in or out.
At the foot of the mountains, however, lay more than a dozen long, narrow stretches of level ground.
These valleys were interconnected. He could transform the area into an impregnable military stronghold, with a gold mine at its back and a fortified pass guarding its front. A river ran through the region, and the soil was fertile. The natural conditions were exceptional. This was rare and precious land.
Xiao Che immediately climbed a peak to survey the terrain of the entire valley.
The vast basin resembled a gigantic, slightly cupped hand. Several valleys reached inward from every direction and met at a broad stretch of open ground.
A river entered through the northern mouth. It wound through several valleys, then split and flowed out through different passages at the far end, gleaming beneath the sun like ribbons of silver.
The scenery had also captured Jin Bao’s attention. Nestled in Xiao Che’s arms, she pointed at the valley below and said with a grin, “Daddy, doesn’t this place look like Baby’s pocket? It’s high on every side. If someone comes down from above, they’ll fall right into the pocket, and we can tuck them all inside!”
Her words reminded Xiao Che that they needed watchtowers on the surrounding peaks, each able to signal the others.
The moment anything unusual happened, the guards could light signal fires. They would detect the danger and respond swiftly.
The gold mine was also close behind them. Once the miners settled here, they could return home each day after descending the mountain and start families of their own. Within a few years, the place would become a prosperous town and a foothold for them in the Northern Frontier. Then Xiao Che could send word to the Xiao Family Army and have its soldiers secretly make their way north.
Building such an enormous town, however, would cost a considerable sum.
Xiao Che could not help frowning.
At that moment, an image suddenly appeared before Jin Bao’s eyes.
Someone was making a simple form of concrete.
Jin Bao watched the entire process with fascination, then suddenly smacked her little forehead.
Cement bricks!
Baby knew how to make houses that snow couldn’t crush!