Chapter 829
Beating
Chapter 829 Beating
Since it's a cooperative relationship, and Pan Yun has already come, it's natural that he should meet with the people from the various mines in Yinshan.
Pan Yun didn't even need to ask; the foremen from each mine came to him on their own.
Whether they were martial arts alliances, wandering heroes, or private merchant organizations, they all went to the Taoist temple halfway up the mountain to see Pan Yun.
They didn't come empty-handed; they would bring a chicken, a fish, or even just a bunch of vegetables as a gift.
Pan Jun was very satisfied with the gifts they brought, so she wouldn't have to worry about ingredients for cooking dinner that night.
Japan is still poor in resources.
In the Ming Dynasty, although ordinary people were poor, it was not difficult to buy chickens, ducks, pork, mutton, fish and meat; every household would raise some.
Not to mention vegetables; as long as it's not a year of famine, there's always enough vegetables.
But it's different in Japan. The portions here are small, and they grow and raise very few things.
People initially bought ingredients, but due to the sudden influx of people and the fact that mining required a lot of strength and consumed a lot of meat, the place was briefly sold out for a period of time, and there was nothing left to buy.
As a result, prices in the Omori area have skyrocketed.
But this did not deter the clever and hardworking Han people. Some of them saw a business opportunity and immediately stopped mining. Instead, they organized a group of people to go to the countryside of neighboring small countries to buy agricultural products and bring them back. This back-and-forth process earned them more money than mining.
Other miners simply find arable land in the mountains, plant vegetables, and raise a flock of chickens...
After more than half a year, not only have the vegetables been harvested several times, but the chickens have laid eggs, and even the pigs are ready for market.
The villagers at the foot of the mountain went from welcoming them, to rejecting them, and then back to welcoming them again.
The small village that once sat quietly at the foot of the mountain has now developed into a large market. Two-thirds of the shortcut from Omori Township to Onsenzu Town has been built. Not only have the villages along the way been connected, but the land along the way has also been divided up by landowners who have heard about it and built tea houses and inns...
Wang Cong also acquired several plots of land with the help of the Yitian family, but he was not in a hurry to build houses because his manpower and funds were currently focused on maritime trade.
Everyone was very busy, so the Taoist priests at the Celestial Master's Mansion were the most relaxed.
The Taoist priests don't go into the mines; they just explore suitable mining sites for people to make money. This includes, but is not limited to, designing mine entrances and exits, safety exits, the orientation and feng shui of houses, and even providing medical treatment and medicine.
Of course, these are all fragments.
As Taoist priests, they had two main tasks in staying here: one was to spread the Tao!
The Taoist temple halfway up the mountain was the first one built, and the imperial army used it as a cover for their activities.
The second purpose was to help people design and manufacture workshops for silver refining.
To put it bluntly, they are skilled workers.
However, because Japan was far from the Ming Dynasty, the Taoist priests who were left there had little interest in making achievements there.
Preaching, huh?
Buddhist monks are more enthusiastic about it, while Taoists value fate more, so they are not enthusiastic about it.
Anyway, the gate is always open every day, whether you come in or not is up to you, they never go down the mountain to preach.
Even when kind people come to burn incense, they often ignore them if they don't find them agreeable.
For example, at this moment, Zhang Weiliang casually lifted his eyelids and glanced at the Japanese man who was bowing at a ninety-degree angle in front of him. He said in Japanese with a calm expression, "The good man's request is too great. This humble Taoist has limited ability. Please find someone more capable."
"You are too modest, sir. I know you are a highly respected Taoist priest of the Ming Dynasty. You must know the solution. I have heard that there is an extremely powerful Taoist priest in this temple named Pan..."
Zhang Weiliang blatantly lied: "Since you've found out, you should know that she's back in China and not here."
As he said this, Pan Yun drifted past them from behind.
Upon hearing this, she turned her head and glanced at the Japanese man. She saw that he was entangled in karma and his aura was very unpleasant.
She looked away, drifting past as if she hadn't noticed.
Once in the backyard, she rolled up her sleeves, grabbed a chicken that flew towards her, and handed it to her senior brother who had caught up with her. She then squatted down by the basin and began washing vegetables.
The guests who brought ingredients to visit were also very considerate; regardless of their background, they all squatted in the courtyard and cooked together.
Soon, when Zhang Weiliang returned after dealing with the Japanese man, the pot had already been washed, oil had been added, and they started frying.
Pan Yun sat on a small stool, bending one leg as she spoke to the mine owners.
Zhang Weiliang walked over with a sullen face, dragged a stool over and sat down next to her, remaining silent.
Pan Yun turned to look at him and asked, "Who is that person? How come he has so many karmic debts?"
"The people from the Ouchi clan probably wanted to make peace with us, so they came to give money to the Taoist temple every now and then. Of course, they also wanted to see you, but they didn't even recognize you when you walked right past them."
The Great Inner Clan and Pan Yun were mortal enemies. After all, she not only seized their territory, but the clan chief also died because of her.
She thought they would fight her to the death.
Surprisingly, they adjusted very quickly. When the Ouchi clan was not allowed to enter Qiwei Port, they allowed their smaller families to enter, spreading connections everywhere and trying to build a good relationship with Wang Cong.
Knowing that Dasen Township was Pan Yun's base camp, they sent people over, who were not only humble and gentle but also generous, spending large sums of money on the Taoist temple.
"In their words, they want to let bygones be bygones." Zhang Weiliang said with a stern face, "It sounds very magnanimous, but in my opinion, for such a deep grudge to be so humble, they must have something bigger in mind. I'm afraid they're hiding their malice in their hearts and will take revenge as soon as they get the chance."
Pan Yun looked at him with satisfaction: "You've grown up!"
Zhang Weiliang said irritably, "I'm not stupid. A subject dies for his lord's honor. Besides, we killed their clan chief and that damned holy maiden. How could they possibly forget? Do you think we can forget the humiliation they caused by massacring our village?"
“That’s right!” someone next to him said, “Although we who are in the martial world should be broad-minded and not hold grudges, after all, revenge only leads to more revenge, if we forget the hatred of slaughtering a village and killing innocent people, we are not even as good as animals.”
"Even wolves hold grudges and protect their packs, so how much more should we humans?"
"Alright, alright, can you guys stop nitpicking? Anyway, the main thing is to be careful of these imperial family members. But isn't the main problem now that the court wants to confiscate our mines?" He said, "If the mines are confiscated, forget about the imperial family members, they won't care about us anymore. Everyone will have to pack up and go home."
"Pack your bags? Hmph, you can pack up, but your miners won't leave. The imperial court will take them in."
"Damn it, why should we leave all the skilled fighters we've trained with so much money to the imperial court?"
"You can't cut off someone's source of income."
"Five taels of silver a month, what kind of way is that?"
Pan Yun exclaimed, "What a chivalrous man! He doesn't even care about a monthly wage of five taels."
The crowd fell silent.
Pan Yun patted his bottom and stood up: "Everyone, let's go back after we finish eating."
"Master Pan, are you abandoning us?"
Pan Yun spread his hands: "I am just a lowly Taoist priest, how could I possibly have the ability to manage everyone?"
"You are the most capable among us, and it was you who discovered this silver mountain and presented it to His Majesty..."
"Stop!" Pan Jun asked him with a smile, "Who did you just say I presented the silver mountain to?" The other party paused, but still said, "To His Majesty."
“Since it has been presented to His Majesty, then this mountain of silver belongs to His Majesty,” Pan Jun’s smile faded slightly. “Gentlemen, what we are doing now is undermining the Emperor’s authority and invoking the laws of the Ming Dynasty, which is a capital offense!”
Everyone remained silent, and the courtyard was completely quiet. Even the movements of stir-frying the vegetables were made much quieter, as if afraid that the sound of stirring would disturb others.
Seeing that everyone's faces were not good, Pan Yun's expression softened, and he said gently, "It's just the beginning of all industries. His Majesty also remembers the hatred of the Japanese pirates who massacred the village when they landed. So he turned a blind eye and considered it a kind of compensation to the people of the southeast coast."
But there's always a time limit for compensation—whether it's one year, two years, or many more years—it all depends on the Emperor's word.
Pan Yun said slowly, "Gentlemen, I am a loyal and law-abiding citizen."
Many people in the courtyard had drastic changes in expression, their chests heaving, feeling resentful but unable to utter a rebuttal.
They couldn't very well tell Pan Yun, "Stop being a good citizen, what's the point of being loyal to the emperor? Making money is the priority..."
There are some things that can be done and said in private, but not openly and honestly.
Moreover, it wasn't that no one present genuinely agreed with Pan Yun's words.
In the world of martial arts, loyalty and righteousness are paramount. If you lose loyalty, who knows when you'll lose righteousness?
Who would dare to be with someone like that?
But... they were unwilling to give up their fledgling business.
All things considered, they haven't even been mining in Japan for a year yet, and they've only made a little money.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard, and someone called out, "Supervisor Jia and Lord Kuang have arrived!"
"Where is everyone? There's no one here."
"The Taoist priests in this temple are so unprofessional, slacking off in broad daylight..."
Zhang Weiliang jumped up in anger. He was a spoiled brat, and it was one thing for him to be bullied by Pan Yun, but how could a eunuch and a minor official dare to boss him around?
Does he expect them to eat?
Without even glancing at Pan Yun, he slammed the courtyard gate open and smashed it against the wall, then stormed out, shouting, "Who's making such a ruckus in the Taoist temple, disturbing the gods? Let's see who's going to suffer!"
Pan Yun touched his nose, and a moment later, Zhang Weiliang, with a pale face, led the group in.
When the people in the courtyard saw Jia Cong and the Imperial Guards behind him, they all stood up, their eyes filled with resentment and hatred as they glared at them.
Jia Cong chuckled dismissively, and his gaze swept across the room, landing on Pan Yun, who was still sitting on a small stool with one leg bent.
Pan Yun just sat there watching him.
After looking at him for a while, he frowned and said, "You look quite young. Wasn't it said that Wang Zhen preferred Guo Jing to come to Japan to manage the silver mine? How did you manage to take his place?"
Jia Cong's smile vanished instantly. He stared at Pan Yun silently for a moment, then, sweat beading on his forehead, he looked away first, smiled, and said, "Our family was sent by Master Wang. Perhaps Master Pan has misheard the news."
Pan Jun rolled her eyes and said, "Wang Zhen said it himself, I'm not deaf."
She thought for a moment, then raised an eyebrow: "Hmm, could it be because the Mitsui Villa mass grave case exposed the fact that Prince Lu and Wang Zhen were collaborating to supply military equipment to the Northern Hu, so Guo Jing couldn't leave Datong for a while, and you ended up getting the benefit?"
Jia Cong's face paled slightly, and his voice became shrill: "Master Pan, don't talk nonsense."
Seeing Pan Yun's face darken instantly, his heart skipped a beat, and his tone immediately dropped, as he said somewhat guiltily, "What I mean is, these are all baseless rumors, and it's not good to spread false information..."
Pan Yun snorted, raised her chin, and asked directly, "What are you doing here? Burning incense? Drawing lots? Asking for divination?"
This person should not be underestimated; he underestimated him.
Indeed, what kind of simple person could be capable of dealing with Master Wang?
Jia Cong immediately changed his strategy, bowed slightly, and said respectfully, "Having heard that Master Pan is coming, my family has prepared some wine and dishes to welcome you. Please do us the honor of joining us."
"Does it really take you so much trouble to personally invite me to a meal?" Pan Yun shook his head and said, "Supervisor Jia, this won't do. Is it that Lord Kuang doesn't appreciate it, or are his Imperial Guards disobedient?"
Kuang Ping silently looked up at Pan Yun, his eyes full of accusation.
The Imperial Guards standing behind him were acquaintances of Pan Yun, and they all stood quietly.
Only a eunuch behind Jia Cong shrieked, "How dare you! Our master is an official supervisor, not a foreman..."
"Shut up!" Jia Cong yelled at the other person, then smiled at Pan Yun, "The people below are disobedient, please forgive me, Master Pan."
Pan Yun waved his hand dismissively, "There's no need for a meal. It's enough that Supervisor Jia has the thought. We've prepared a meal here, so why don't Supervisor Jia have a meal here?"
Pan Yun's mention reminded the person holding the spatula of the food in the pot, and they quickly began to scoop it up.
It's burnt—
The person who was shoveling the soil grinned at everyone, poured a ladle of water over it, and reassured them, "It's okay, it's okay, you can still eat it."
Pan Yun: ...
Everyone:...
Fortunately, they have more than just this one dish.
Jia Cong and his group ultimately stayed and ate with a group of martial arts practitioners.
Pan Yun pretended not to see Jia Cong's disgusted expression, picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of meat, and called out, "Everyone, eat!"
Seeing Pan Yun start eating, everyone followed suit.
The missing eunuch returned breathlessly carrying a jar of wine, saying it was wine Jia Cong had prepared to offer to Pan Yun.
Pan Yun readily agreed, opening the jar and pouring wine. He then called to the young eunuch, "Sit down and eat together. Zhang Weiliang, quickly give this child a seat."
The young eunuch was only about eleven or twelve years old, even younger than Pan Yun.
Zhang Weiliang picked up his bowl, casually added a small stool to the table next to him, then pressed the young eunuch down on the stool, served him a bowl of rice, and gave him a pair of chopsticks.
Jia Cong opened his mouth, wanting to ask the eunuch to serve him food so he could regain some of his composure.
Pan Yun poured him some wine and asked curiously, "Supervisor Jia, where are you from?"
Jia Cong: ...Who asks about their hometown as the first thing when catching up with a eunuch?
Jia Cong, still feeling aggrieved, replied, "From Hebei."
Pan Yun suddenly realized: "Wang Zhen, a fellow villager?"
Jia Cong nodded proudly.
Wang Zhen castrated himself to enter the palace. How did you enter the palace?
Pan Yun swallowed back the words she was about to say, ultimately deciding not to expose his shortcomings in public, and instead asked, "Is there anyone else at home?"
Jia Cong paused, his smile fading slightly: "He does have an older brother."
Pan Yun nodded: "It's good that there's a successor. No wonder the Ministry of Internal Affairs chose you to come to Japan."
Jia Cong's face paled even more, and his energy and spirit seemed to have diminished.
(End of this chapter)