Chapter 509: Fishing
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Hu Cheng looked at Ding Yi. “Sigh! It seems that everyone has a hard life. I just wanted to find a job that could earn more money. Who knew that I would become like this year after year? I feel too ashamed to see anyone even if I marry someone.”
The black-faced man looked at the two of them and said proudly, “My cousins introduced me to a place to work. They said that there’s a lot of money there. In a year, I can build a big house at home. I plan to work there and earn the money for a big house. Then, I’ll go home and marry a wife and give birth to a fair and chubby son.”
“As if I would believe you. How can you scheme against us when it’s so easy to earn money?” Hu Cheng criticized silently and pretended to be envious. He leaned forward and said, “Brother, how can there be such a good thing? Tell me.”
Ding Yi stole a glance at Hu Cheng and looked up at him.
Seeing their envious looks, the black-faced man revealed a smug smile. “It’s on the mountain not far away. It’s a little more tiring to work than anywhere else, but you won’t be able to earn that much money in another place even if you slog for ten years! My cousins worked there for two years before buying land and repairing the house. They’re living a good life now!”
“I’m not afraid of being tired. It’s fine as long as I can earn money.” In his eagerness, Hu Cheng grabbed the black-faced man’s arm. “Big Brother, do they still want people? I’m willing to work hard.”
As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves again to show the dark-faced man his bulging muscles. “Big Brother, look, I’ve worked in a brick and tile kiln. I have a lot of strength in my hands.”
Ding Yi did not want to show weakness. He pulled the black-faced man’s collar and pointed at himself excitedly. He cried out twice and even patted his chest.
The black-faced man’s heart bloomed as he thought to himself that he caught two more poor people who want to take advantage of him. He could now obtain another sum of money.
He looked troubled. “Sigh! It’s not that I don’t want to help you, but I don’t know if they still want people..
Hu Cheng interrupted him and patted his chest as he promised, “Big Brother, as long as you promise to take us there, I’ll give you half of the silver for the first month.”
After saying that, Hu Cheng looked at the black-faced man and cursed in his heart, Hurry up, your grandfather can’t pretend anymore.
Ding Yi was unwilling to fall behind. He patted the black-faced man’s chest and gestured, indicating that he was also willing to give him half a month’s salary.
Only then was the black-faced man satisfied. He stood up and looked at the two of them. “Sigh! Who asked me to be so loyal! Brother, I’ll go all out. Let’s go together. We can take care of each other when we get there.”
Hu Cheng nodded with a smile, “Big Brother is such a good man!”
The two of them packed their luggage and followed the dark-faced man out of the county city. When they left the city, Ding Yi saw a naked cart pulled by a big green mule parked in front. Leaning against the cart were two tall men. Their eyes lit up as they watched the three of them walk out of the city gate.
Ding Yi thought to himself that these two might be there to pick up this black-faced man.
Sure enough, the black-faced man pointed at the mule cart and shouted,
“Look, the mule cart in front is here to pick me up.”
The two men leaning against the door of the carriage welcomed them and asked with a smile, “Did Third Brother ask you to come?”
“Yes, my cousin said that you would wait for me here,” the black-faced man said and bowed to the two of them again. “Big Brother, I brought two more brothers. What do you think?”
The two of them hesitated for a moment. Seeing Ding Yi and Hu Cheng’s nervous expressions, they pretended to be magnanimous and nodded. “Sigh! For Third Brother’s sake, I’ll accept you this time. Don’t bring outsiders here in the future. ”
“It won’t happen again.” The dark-faced man cupped his hands happily. “Thank you, Steward.”
Ding Yi and Hu Cheng cupped their hands and watched the three of them put on an act, thinking about how to deal with these scumbags when they returned.
After getting into the carriage, the two of them memorized the route.
After traveling for more than two hours, the mule cart entered a mountain path. The two of them drove around the rolling mountains.
When it was almost dark, they walked to the foot of a mountain and let the three of them out of the car.
The driver got out of the car and took out a few black cloth strips. He looked at
Ding Yi and Hu Cheng. “Those who go in to work have to cover their eyes. Otherwise, you can go back.”
Seeing Hu Cheng and Ding Yi hesitate, the black-faced man went forward readily. “Big Brother, I’ll go first. My cousin told me that I know the rules are like this.”
“It’s good that you know the rules.” After the black-faced man’s eyes were covered, Hu Cheng and Ding Yi also obediently covered their eyes.
A rope was tied around their wrists and they were led forward. After a few steps, they heard one less person’s footsteps.
The two of them pretended not to know. They made a mental note of how many steps they had taken to turn left and turn right up the mountain and down the slope.
When they stopped, they heard a sharp whistle, as if something had been lowered from above. Then the black cloth was removed from their eyes. They had reached the foot of a mountain.
There were two wicker baskets hanging on the stone wall. The dark-faced man let them in and watched as they were pulled up. The driver took four silver ingots out of the bag. “You’ve earned a lot of silver this year, kid.”
The black-faced man happily took the silver from the driver. “Who else would I lie to? They actually believe in such a good thing. They are crazy about getting rich.”
The driver instructed the black-faced man, “Old Black, there aren’t enough people in the mountains, and they want us to work harder. Hurry up and go back and bring more people in. I’ll wrap you up with a big red seal at the end of the year.”
The black-faced man frowned. “I also want to bring more people in. It’s not easy to find people these days. Everyone near Qingyue knows. I can only lie to them.”
“I’ll talk to the chief steward and ask them to find someone elsewhere. You can go back first.”
The black-faced man turned around and left. Ding Yi and Hu Cheng had already been pulled halfway up the mountain.
Just as he came out of the wicker basket, their bags were snatched away by two burly black-faced men.
Hu Cheng shouted, “My bag contains a change of clothes.”
“Leave everything here. I’ll return it to you when you leave.”
Hu Cheng was dumbfounded.
Before the two of them could even finish speaking, they were pulled into a cave. After the cave was completed, they went down more than a hundred stone steps and entered a deep valley that was as bright as day.
Only then did the two of them understand why the secret guards could not find evidence of the Cheng family privately mining iron ore.
In the valley, many people were digging up iron, sand, and iron stones that had piled up into a small mountain. They loaded the sand and stones into the wheelbarrow.
There were also people adding charcoal and charcoal to the wicker baskets. Those who were carrying iron sandstone had hands that were as callused as eagle claws. There was no emotion on their withered, dark, and thin faces. All of them walked numbly like wooden men.
The two of them stared blankly at everything in front of them. Hu Cheng shouted, “I want to go home.”
He was whipped by the tower-like guard. The fabric where Hu Cheng was whipped was instantly broken and mottled with blood.
Hu Cheng cried bitterly. The guard suddenly pushed the two of them into a cave and shouted sternly, “If you don’t want to die, sleep quickly. Get up and work later..”
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