Yuanshan County, Hongyuanfu City.

As the southernmost of the four prefectures in Yuanshan County, the situation of Hongyuan Mansion is very ordinary. Although the area is comparable to that of Yuyang Province in Songjiang County, due to the perennial chaos and unfavorable government control, this province only has a population of 750,000. If it weren't for the light of the trade of the Chamber of Commerce that came out of Daqing Pass, I am afraid that the population would be even smaller.

It is conceivable what will happen to the economic conditions and people's livelihood of such a prefecture.

However, this is the way to go about the officialdom in Harasan County. There was a hint of this almost 20 years ago, but now officials are becoming more and more lazy and inactive, and have no interest in curbing the bandits and horse bandits scattered all over the country. The main energy is all put on making money.

Among them, Wang Qian, the city guard of Hongyuan Mansion, is undoubtedly the most enthusiastic one. In particular, he seems to have discovered a treasure mountain recently!

That's the single county under his rule!

As early as more than a month ago, Wang Qian had already heard sporadic news from Shanxian County, saying that an iron mine had been found on the side of Crooked Mountain. In this regard, Wang Qian scoffed, everyone knew that there were no minerals in Yuanshan County, and secondly, the land was not fertile, and there was nothing. What's more, Shanxian County is more than 200 miles away from Hongyuanfu City, and at such a long distance, even if there is any news, most of them will be distorted.

However, a week ago, one of Wang Qian's henchmen went to Shanxian to run errands and unexpectedly witnessed this.

Large trucks, loaded with fine iron ore, were pulled from the direction of Crooked Head Mountain in Shanxian County. didn't even enter the county seat of Shanxian County, so he went directly south to Daqingguan!

"Are you sure it's iron ore?"

Wang Qian's heart was itchy, that is, he couldn't believe it, but he hoped that it was true.

"It's true!"

The subordinate swore: "Although the carts are covered with tarpaulins, the ruts are so deep that you can tell at a glance that they are full of heavy goods." I curiously followed a few steps and picked up a few stones that had fallen from the cart, all of which were good iron ore. ”

Wang Qian could not believe the sporadic rumors in other places, but what he saw with his own eyes had to make him believe it.

If this is true......

On the side of Hongyuan Mansion, relying on the local taxes, there is not much money at all. Although the business tax of the Chamber of Commerce is very attractive, the real big chambers of commerce are all hands and eyes, and they often have connections in the county town or even the center. The Songjiang army in the south could ignore it, but he, the city guard, did not dare to go too far.

What's more, the officialdom system of Yuanshan County is placed here. Even if he makes a profit, counting the profit sharing to his subordinates and the bribes from his superiors, it would be good to have half of the rest.

Compared to these, the benefits of an iron mine are much greater.

After confirming the news from his confidants, Wang Qian moved his mind and personally sent a group of people to rush to Crooked Head Mountain in Shanxian County in the name of official business. Although the defense over there is quite tight, it can't stand the two convoys driving out every week. After several spying, Wang Qian still got a lot of news.

"It is said that the iron ore is in the saddle of the mountain west of the Crooked Head Mountain, and it was a local baron surnamed Huang who first discovered and mined it."

"According to the people who mine inside, a lot of the iron ore in Crooked Head Mountain is open-pit, or it is also shallow, and it is easy to mine. It is estimated that this could be a large mine with large reserves! ”

"The person in charge of purchasing iron ore seems to be a small chamber of commerce called Ankang Chamber of Commerce in Songjiang County."

Three pieces of news made Wang Qian overjoyed.

A good large-scale iron mine is worth enough to make a big family tempted. What's more, it was only a baron who took up the iron ore and secretly mined it. According to the laws of the empire, the mining of iron ore had to be reported to the government, and permission from a higher government was obtained, and it was also reported to the central government. None of these formalities were there, and the baron was undoubtedly illegal.

If the other party's background is bigger, Wang Qian may have to take care of one or two, just a little baron, and if he doesn't do it, he is simply sorry for this God-given opportunity.

As for the Ankang Chamber of Commerce, which purchased this iron mine, may be inextricably linked with the Songjiang Army, Wang Qian doesn't care about it at all. In his opinion, all Songjiang Jun wanted was iron ore, and as long as the supply could be guaranteed, it didn't matter who bought it from. After forcibly occupying this iron mine, he can continue to trade with the Ankang Chamber of Commerce and the Songjiang Army behind him.

Taking a step back, even if this move may stimulate the Songjiang army, is it possible that this group of rebels will dare to fight over?

It was not easy for them to recruit An, and they relied on Daqingguan to protect themselves. If it weren't for this natural danger, let alone the empire's million-strong army, with the two city guard divisions stationed in Yuanshan County, it would be enough to annihilate the entire Songjiang. You know, this is the world-famous strong army of the empire!

After a round of calculation, Wang Qian consciously had no last resort and made up his mind.

Ten days later, the city defense battalion of Hongyuan Mansion left the city with 500 infantry troops and 60 cavalry in the name of cleaning up horse bandits. There are similar routine bandits a few times a year, but the effect can only be hehe. No one doubted the actions of the Hongyuan Mansion City Defense Battalion.

As a result, the 500 officers and soldiers rushed to the county seat of Shanxian County along the official road that was not much better than Tiannan County.

The county magistrates of Shanxian County, including the old baron of the Huang family and the personnel stationed here from the Military Intelligence Department, did not think too much about the arrival of the Hongyuan Mansion City Defense Battalion. It wasn't until the 500 infantry troops and 60 cavalry took a day off and divided the 400 infantry troops out of the city and went straight to Crooked Head Mountain, Qin An, a partner of the Ankang Chamber of Commerce who stayed in the county seat, was also an agent of the Military Intelligence Department, and realized that the situation was wrong.

The next development of the situation was exactly the same as Qin An expected.

A day later, 400 officers and men of the city defense battalion arrived at the Crooked Head Mountain mining area, and immediately sealed up the mine, including several thousand catties of newly mined iron ore. Before the baron of the Huang family received the news and came to the door, Wang Buze, the commander of the city defense battalion, had already openly come to the door under the guise of his uncle Wang Qian.

"What does this mean, Commander Wang?"

Old Baron Huang, who knew that something was wrong, stood up with the support of his subordinates, and asked knowingly.

Wang Buze smiled and said domineeringly: "It's not interesting, I just came to inform you that your private iron ore mining has happened." The castle keeper has received a complaint from someone else, and has ordered me to come and investigate the matter, and to seal down the Crooked Head Mountain mine. ”

If it weren't for the fact that the other party had this title, he would have some privileges, and it was said that there was a little relationship with it, Wang Buze was afraid that he would be arrested on the spot.

"Privately mined iron ore?" The old baron was shocked and said, "Is there any misunderstanding in this?" ”

There was just the right amount of panic on his face, knowing that the Crooked Head Mountain Iron Mine was most likely being targeted by the city guard of Hongyuan Mansion, but his heart was not as uneasy as he had been.

For such a period of time, as a collaborator between the head snake and the Songjiang army, he is very clear about the output and importance of the Crooked Head Mountain iron mine. What's more critical is that Shanxian is very close to Daqingguan, only a few dozen miles, but it is more than two hundred miles away from Hongyuan Mansion. If someone wants to move this iron mine, the Songjiang Army will never sit idly by.

Compared with the governor who divided two counties, the city guard of just one province is not worth mentioning at all.

Although the baron is old, his vision and courage are higher than many people.

"The human and material evidence is conclusive, what misunderstanding can there be?" Wang Buze didn't take this baron seriously at all, and there was a city guard behind him, and his tone was very unkind.

Seeing that things seemed to be difficult to get better, the old baron also tore off his previous disguise and said lightly: "Can the Commander know that although this iron ore is nominally mined by my Huang family, it is actually led by the people of the Ankang Chamber of Commerce." Behind that, there is the instruction of the governor of Songjiang. I'm not afraid to tell the Commander, the first person to discover this iron ore was the people of the Songjiang Army! ”

"Don't use the tiger skin of Songjiang Army to scare people!"

Wang Buze didn't eat this, and sneered: "If this iron ore is in Songjiang, I will believe it." But in the territory of my Yuanshan County, how long has the governor of Songjiang been here, and I am afraid that I haven't searched all my territory, so how could I suddenly send someone to Shanxian County? It is clear that it was after your Huang family's selfish mining that attracted the people of the Songjiang Army to come to the door. Besides, even if he really has a relationship with Songjiang Army, so what? ”

The two city guard divisions are placed here, if Chen Wu, a yellow-mouthed boy, dares to transfer troops out of Daqing Pass, he Wang Buze will screw off his head and use it as a night pot!

"Well, the king has made up his mind, it is useless to talk too much, please do it."

Old Baron Huang waved his sleeves and walked back to the inner hall tremblingly.

Wang Buze looked at his back coldly, his lips moved, thinking about his uncle's advice before he came, but in the end he didn't take anyone directly. After all, if this matter is publicized, he will not be able to cover it as a city guard of Hongyuan Mansion, and he will have to give up the big head to the adults above. Maybe sooner or later this matter will be exposed, but before that day, it is obvious how long it can be suppressed.

One more day of monopoly, one more day of benefits!

"Keep it guarded for me, and no one will be allowed to enter or leave!"

After ordering people to put the Huang family under house arrest, Wang Buze got up and went to the county government office in Shanxian County. As long as this county magistrate is appeased, there will be no suspense about the ownership of the Crooked Mountain Iron Mine. As for the possible interference of the Matsue army, he didn't pay attention to it at all.

The governor who is said to be a god is said to have obtained the mandate of heaven, and there are some other things like a fish belly silk book, but he is just lucky, and he knows how to pretend to be a ghost.

However, what Wang Buze didn't know was that as early as half a day before the seizure of the Crooked Toushan Iron Mine, Qin An, the military intelligence department in Shanxian County, had already spread the news. There was a single fast horse and whip, and in just over an hour, the news was sent to Daqingguan. Subsequently, the news that the Crooked Mountain Iron Mine was seized by the local government was quickly sent to Yuyang Mansion, and then all the way to Dengzhou.

This news couldn't help but make Chen Wu, who was pondering the knife against Ninghai County, furious.

Although he was a little surprised that the information of the Crooked Head Mountain Iron Mine had reached Hongyuan Mansion faster than he expected, the incident had already happened, and the Songjiang Army naturally could not remain indifferent. After thinking about it for half a minute, Chen Wu made a decision and recruited Yan Dongxing, the brigade commander of the Independent Cavalry Brigade.

Before moving Ninghai County, we must first teach some bureaucrats who stretch their hands too long a lesson!