Chapter 18 Encounter Again

Early the next morning, Dai Yun knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Qiu Shuzhi said after putting on her official robes.

Dai Yun entered the room, and her first glance went to the ambergris incense that had burned less than a third. Seeing that the incense had been extinguished, she asked, “Does the official not like burning incense?”

“I only love agarwood incense. I’m not used to the scent of ambergris,” Qiu Shuzhi said as she adjusted her collar.

Dai Yun’s eyes narrowed slightly as she smiled, “I see. It was my oversight.”

The servants behind her entered in a line, carrying a sumptuous breakfast. Qiu Shuzhi only ladled a bowl of plain congee and asked while eating it with some pickles, “Where is the silver mine located?”

“The silver mine is in a very remote rural area. Those mine thieves love to secretly open small silver furnaces in obscure corners. Often, by the time government officials arrive, they’ve already vanished without a trace.”

“Take me to see it in a while.”

Dai Yun frowned, “The official wants to personally go to the silver mine?”

The porcelain white spoon paused at her lips, and she smiled, “What? Am I not allowed to go to the silver mine?”

“Of course you can go. You certainly can go. This official will arrange for preparations right away.” Dai Yun gave a look to the person beside her, who immediately ran out.

After finishing breakfast, Dai Yun had already arranged for a carriage to be prepared. Qiu Shuzhi and Dai Yun rode in the same carriage, with An Dai and Ji Mei following on horseback. Behind them was a group of Dai Yun’s yamen runners. The grand procession set off towards the direction of the silver mine.

As they got closer to the mine, Qiu Shuzhi lifted the curtain and looked around.

It was early morning, the time when villagers should be working diligently in the fields. However, Qiu Shuzhi noticed that the fields here were overgrown with weeds, looking as if no one had tended to them. There wasn’t a single person to be seen on the field ridges.

Qiu Shuzhi grew suspicious.

It wasn’t until their procession gradually entered the village that they saw a few villagers, all gathered on the roads of the settlement.

A few old people sat on doorsteps smoking long-stemmed pipes, puffing out clouds of smoke. The remaining young people were gathered in groups of three or five, gambling with dice. Beside them, there were even a few flamboyantly dressed male courtesans singing to liven up the atmosphere. Despite being an unremarkable small village, it was incredibly extravagant.

When they saw the large official procession, they weren’t surprised. They simply tossed a few more silver coins onto the table and continued gambling, as if they were already accustomed to such sights.

Qiu Shuzhi saw the silver coins on their gambling table and immediately ordered the carriage to stop.

Dai Yun hurriedly followed her out.

She walked directly to the gambling table and picked up one of the silver coins they were using as stakes, asking, “You ladies seem to be quite wealthy. May I ask where you made your fortune?”

Seeing the official robes on Qiu Shuzhi and hearing her question, those young people not only didn’t seem alarmed, but their eyes even showed a hint of contempt.

“There are ways to make money. We’re not stealing or robbing. Why are you questioning us? Are you treating us like criminals?”

“Don’t be rude, this is the Zhizhong of Shuntianfu!” Dai Yun scolded from behind.

Upon seeing Dai Yun, the young people immediately greeted her with smiling faces: “Magistrate Dai, why didn’t you let us know in advance that you were coming to the village? We could have had the villagers welcome you!”

These people’s attitude towards Dai Yun was completely different from their attitude towards Qiu Shuzhi, excessively warm.

“I’m here to accompany Official Qiu to inspect the silver mine. Zhou Hu, have you seen any mine thieves around?” Dai Yun asked.

“You can rest assured, official. The silver mine is doing well!” The leader, named Zhou Hu, patted her chest and said with conviction.

She was extremely stout and sturdy, with skin tanned dark, thick arms and broad shoulders, a short thick neck, and a fierce air about her brow and eyes. She was even panting heavily as she spoke.

Dai Yun patted her shoulder approvingly, “It’s all thanks to you.”

She turned to Qiu Shuzhi and said, “Official, you may not know, but the silver mine is in a remote location with treacherous and rugged terrain. It’s impossible to arrange for yamen runners to guard it, so this official has assigned these young people who grew up around the silver mine to patrol it at all times.”

Qiu Shuzhi was silent for a moment, then resumed her usual gentle and graceful smile, “I see. Then please, Miss Zhou, lead us to see the silver mine.”

Zhou Hu didn’t answer her, but looked towards Dai Yun instead.

Only after Dai Yun nodded did she say, “Follow me then, but you’ll have to walk too.”

The silver mine was located behind a great mountain. The mountain range was majestic, with a river flowing through below. The vast water and misty clouds, behind a screen of fresh green willows, led to an exceptionally difficult mountain path. There was only a narrow trail wide enough for one person to pass, with steep mountains on one side and nothing but the rushing river below on the other. One misstep would send you tumbling into the water, to be swept away by the current.

Zhou Hu and Dai Yun led the way, with Qiu Shuzhi following behind them, and Ji Mei silently guarding her rear.

After an hour of difficult progress, they finally reached the silver mine. It was a mountaintop that had already been hollowed out with countless holes. The original greenery had been stripped away, leaving only a few lonely tree stumps.

Several mine shafts in the center of the mountain were particularly eye-catching, with workers constantly emerging from the tunnels carrying baskets of silver ore. Once mined, all of this silver ore was to be handed over to the government.

These, it seemed, must be the official mines.

“Where are the tunnels dug by those thieves?” she asked.

She had come to investigate just how many tunnels those mine thieves had dug, to estimate how much profit they had gained from it.

Zhou Hu couldn’t help but laugh out loud, pointing at all the mine shafts on the mountain, “Look, those are all tunnels dug by the thieves!”

“All of them?” Qiu Shuzhi frowned deeply, looking at the large and small tunnels scattered across the entire mountain. These were all silver mines discovered on Da Qi’s territory. Now, when the national treasury was empty, the young Emperor was racking her brains to raise funds, yet these people were so bold.

The entire mountain, the entire mine, had been nearly half hollowed out. How much profit had those people gained from this?

The scent of ambergris seemed to reach her nostrils, carried across the mountains and waters.