I’m the Farmgirl You Can’t Mess With
Chapter 828 - Chapter 828 Tempted

Chapter 828: Tempted Chapter 828: Tempted Editor: Atlas Studios When Second Master Qin heard that they were going into the mountains, he was also kind of happy.

If Qi Haoran brought him away now, he really wouldn’t be able to escape.

He didn’t know who the mine in the mountains belonged to, but as long as Qi Haoran stayed here, he had a chance of escaping.

But Second Master Qin overestimated the people in the mountains.

Qi Haoran led his men to eat some dry rations and slept until midnight.

After setting things up, he quietly surrounded the mine and took down the place without much effort.

Qi Haoran kicked down the fence set up in the mine tunnel and kicked away the seized knives on the ground.

Then, he walked to a steward and asked in the West Xia language, “How many people are in the mine?” The steward could tell that Qi Haoran was a Han Chinese and was bewildered.

He asked in West Xia language, “You’re not from West Xia.

Are you from Great Qi?” Fei Bai reached out and slapped him, then said in West Xia language, “Cut the crap.

Just answer the question that you were asked.

Hurry up and tell us how many mine workers and guards there are in your mine!” The steward’s expression was ugly, but seeing that the guards guarding the mine entrance were all well-trained soldiers, he knew that he couldn’t escape.

Even if he refused to answer, the other party would be able to count the number of people themselves.

So, he gritted his teeth and answered accordingly.

It turned out that this mine was not owned by the West Xia Imperial Court.

Instead, it was privately owned by a noble in West Xia.

Because they were doing this behind the Imperial Court’s back, the mine was not big; there were only about 800 mine workers and only 300 guards.

Qi Haoran looked at the mine workers.

Most of them were Han Chinese, and a small number of them were from other ethnic groups.

The steward told them that they were all slaves who had been abducted.

Qi Haoran pitied their misfortune, but condemned the fact that the 800 of them couldn’t escape with only 300 guards keeping watch over them.

Qi Haoran got his men to separate those people and detain them before entering the mine with a dark expression.

Because the steward had said that the mine wasn’t big, Qi Haoran didn’t think that there would be much gold inside.

However, when a personal guard stepped forward and opened an entrance, Qi Haoran’s eyes widened at the sight of the pile of gold and gold bricks inside.

The personal guard walking in front stared blankly and completely froze on the spot.

Qi Haoran closed his mouth and glanced at him calmly.

“Wipe the saliva from the corner of your mouth.” The guard subconsciously raised his hand to wipe his mouth.

Only then did he realize that he had lost his composure and hurriedly stood at attention.

Qi Haoran went in to take a piece of gold and weighed it in his hand.

Then, he turned around and said to Fei Bai, “Guard this place personally with your men.

Allow no one to enter.” Fei Bai agreed.

Qi Haoran brought the steward over and asked, “You call this small?” The steward cried and said, “General, there’s a reason for this.

Because this place is too far from the city, it’s difficult to transport gold on the road.

In order not to attract attention, our gold is only transported every half a year.

This gold is transported once every year after the snow melts at the end of March and before the snow falls in September.

However, who knew that there would be so much activity at the border of West Xia this year and that other armies would come?

In order not to be discovered, our master asked us to delay the transportation of the gold.

The gold in the mine was mined over the course of six months.” Qi Haoran narrowed his eyes and stepped on his chest.

“Tell me, what else are you hiding?” The steward cried out loudly, indicating that there was nothing else.

A personal guard asked softly, “How many years has it been since your mine went into operation?

How many more years will it take to finish mining?” Just as the steward stopped crying, Qi Haoran stomped his foot hard.

The steward immediately shouted, “Ten years.

At our current speed, we can continue mining it for at least another ten years.” Qi Haoran’s eyes lit up.

This gold mine was not small!

The personal guards who had the same thoughts as Qi Haoran looked at each other.

Someone suggested in a low voice, “General, let’s seize this gold mine.” Qi Haoran glanced at them and said, “Do you think this mountain is made of gold pieces?

Do you have the ability to move the entire mountain?” “Then we’ll seize this piece of land.

After all, this used to be our territoryaEUR|” Everyone glanced at the guard and did not speak.

This piece of land had been lost by the Great Zhou Dynasty for more than 20 years.

Not to mention the question of whether they could snatch it back, the key was whether snatching it would cause a war between the two countries.

Otherwise, the gold mine they seized in the end would not be enough to pay for the rations needed for the resultant war.

Qi Haoran rubbed his chin and thought for a long time.

In the end, he felt that this matter was too important for him to make a decision alone.

He had to go back and ask for everyone’s opinion.

However, there were three things he was sure of.

First, they had to move the existing gold.

Second, they had to save the mine workers in the mine.

Great Qi was short of people and these mine workers were most likely Han Chinese, so he could bring them back to settle down and let them farm.

Third, they had to guard this mine for the time being.

Hence, Qi Haoran made a prompt decision to leave behind 700 men and half of the mine workers.

He brought his remaining 300 men and escorted Second Master Qin and 400 mine workers back first.

Before leaving, Qi Haoran secretly executed the steward and the leaders of the guards.

Then, he imprisoned the mine guards separately.

After that, each of his men carried a few pieces of gold and retreated to the border of Great Qi.

Though they’d chased Second Master Qin and the others deep into West Xia, it’d only taken them half a day.

Although they were slower with 400 mine workers now, they still managed to return to the guardhouse before dark.

When Liu Dahei saw them, his ashen expression finally improved.

He hurriedly ran over and said, “General, where did you go?

I thought you’d died in West Xia.

I wiped out the two garrisons near West Xia because I was afraid that they’d inform the West Xia army, but I didn’t know how long I could keep the matter under wraps for.

If you didn’t come back tonight, I’d have to report this to His MajestyaEUR|” “Alright.” Qi Haoran patted his shoulder as he walked and said, “You did very well.

By wiping out the two garrisons, you have cut off the channel of news transmission and aided us in moving the gold.” “Wait a minute.

What gold are you talking about?” Liu Dahei realized that he didn’t seem to understand what the general was saying.

Qi Haoran pulled him into the tent and took out the gold nugget he was carrying.

He stuffed it into his arms and said, “Hurry up and get the other 1,000 bodyguards to bury the pot and make rice.

Then, get them to prepare the carriages and mule carts.

I want you to lead them there to transport the gold when it’s dark, and return tomorrow before dark falls.

Leave the border to me.

I won’t let anyone discover you guys.” Liu Dahei held the gold in a daze, then asked in a lowered voice, “How much gold is there?” “No idea, I didn’t weigh them.

But they should be worth tens of thousands of taels.

So, you have to be fast.

Bring those mine workers back with you and bring signal fireworks.

If there’s any danger, inform me immediately.

I’ll bring people to save you.” While Liu Dahei led his men to the valley under the lead of a few personal guards, Qi Haoran narrowed his eyes and opened the map to check the border.

After he drew a few circles on the map, he snorted.

“Don’t they like to harass our borders and plunder?

This time, I’ll let them have a taste of their own medicine.

Inform the guardhouses that tomorrow at 5 p.m., all the guards will use the same method to go to West Xia’s territory to rob whatever they see.

Don’t hurt women and children, and don’t kill civilians.

When you encounter the West Xia soldiers, just do as the West Xia soldiers did previously.

Don’t escalate the matter, but don’t be a wimp either.

Do you understand?”