Love Lock

Chapter 292 The Last Lazy Person

"Hey! Do you think those rich people in the city know how hard it is for us to transport coal?" a young team member suddenly asked.

Mengzi laughed heartily: "Who cares if they know or not! This winter, we're using honeycomb briquettes at home too. Lying on the heated kang bed at night, that's what I call a peaceful night's sleep!"

At the mine, Han Lei, Zhao Zun, and others, all wearing fleece-lined sweatshirts, stood on a high place, accompanied by Tang Xiaotong and Yang Haibo's family.

Tang Xiaotong and Yang Haibo were in charge of the trade between Yong'an City and Ling'an City in Beiguan. Therefore, Han Lei accompanied them to Beiguan to give them a look around and introduce them to the situation there.

Han Lei watched the departing convoy and the miners still working, and nodded in satisfaction.

She turned to the clerk beside her and said, "Make a note of this: today's coal output is 10% higher than yesterday's. Notify the kitchen to add more dishes tonight, and give each person an extra steamed bun."

"Yes, sir." The clerk quickly made a note, then hesitated for a moment before asking, "Your Highness, these miners have indeed performed quite well. Should we consider promoting a few of the outstanding ones to permanent positions ahead of schedule?"

Han Lei pondered for a moment: "Observe them for another half month. Transforming people is not something that can be done overnight; we must make sure that they have truly reformed."

As soon as Han Lei finished speaking, Zhao Zun's slender finger suddenly pointed to the southeast corner of the mine, his dark sleeves swaying slightly in the wind: "Girl, look over there."

Han Lei was looking down at the coal production record in the clerk's hand when she heard this. She raised her small face, and a wisp of hair by her temple was blown up by the mountain wind.

Han Lei looked in the direction Zhao Zun was pointing and saw a tall, thin miner leaning crookedly against the wooden handle of a shovel in front of a coal pile in the distance, looking like a wilted bean sprout.

The shovel bounced up and down with the rhythm of his leg shaking, giving him a nonchalant and carefree look.

The man's beady eyes darted around as if he were observing something. After a long while, he finally shoveled up a shovelful of coal and put it into a bamboo basket next to him. Then he rested for a long time, leaning on the shovel. Even a blind man could tell he was dawdling.

While other miners were working hard to earn recognition and eagerly await their return to civilian life, this guy was blatantly slacking off.

"Hey! Caught a slacker." Han Lei's eyes lit up. She pulled out her binoculars from her waist and took a closer look. She couldn't help but chuckle, "Isn't this an old acquaintance?"

The lazy person was none other than Feng San, the local thug Han Lei encountered a few months ago when she led the refugees back to Cangzhou and stayed in Mianning County, Jingzhou. He was the first person she later threw into the Yinshan Coal Mine for labor reform.

Han Lei became interested and dragged Zhao Zun toward Feng San, with Tang Xiaotong and the others quickly following.

As expected, Feng San, who was far away, was a seasoned swindler. He was yawning and stretching when he suddenly noticed someone walking towards him. He grabbed an iron shovel and began shoveling coal into his bamboo basket with exaggerated movements, as if he were trying to empty the entire coal mountain. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was working incredibly hard!
Feng San caught a glimpse of the group approaching and increased his coal shoveling speed by 30%, the coal chunks slamming against the bamboo basket with muffled "bang" sounds.

"Feng San'er~" Han Lei drawled, walking around to face him with her hands behind her back. "How many baskets did you fill today?"

Feng San's hand trembled, and the shovel fell onto the coal pile.

He wiped his face, instantly turning into a smeared mess. When he realized it was Han Lei, he immediately knew he was in trouble. After what happened in Mianning County, he knew that Han Lei was not someone to be trifled with.

"Miss Han! What brings you here?"

Han Lei didn't answer him, but continued to press, "How many baskets did you fill today?"

"This...that..." His eyes darted around, his fingers unconsciously clutching the dirty hem of his clothes, "Probably...about..."

"Hmm?" Han Lei narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, her cheeks puffing out slightly. Despite her delicate and pretty appearance, she made Feng San's legs tremble.

Just then, a patrol of soldiers happened to pass by, and Han Lei suddenly raised her voice. "Captain Wang! Please leave one of your brothers to 'serve' this young master Feng personally every day."

She emphasized the words "serving him personally," saying, "He was given extra work every day, and if he didn't finish it, he wasn't allowed to eat."

"Ah?" Upon hearing this, Feng San almost knelt down: "Miss Han, spare me! This...this pile is as high as a small mountain, I..."

He pointed to the mountain of coal behind him, his voice trembling with tears.

Han Lei suddenly tiptoed closer to him, a snowflake landed on her curled eyelashes, and a sweet smile still lingered on her lips, but the words she spoke carried a clear threat.

"Feng San'er, do you know what happened to the last person who slacked off?"

Feng San swallowed hard, and when he shook his head, his neck made a soft "crack" sound, as if a cool breeze was blowing into his neck.

“His ashes…” Han Lei lowered her voice, then suddenly reached out and patted Feng San’s shoulder, “They’ve been mixed into honeycomb briquettes! They’re probably crackling and burning in someone’s stove right now!”

"what?"

With a loud thud, Feng San sat down directly into the coal pile, his legs trembling like a leaf.

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiaotong, Yang Haibo, and the others standing nearby couldn't help but widen their eyes in surprise.

Han Lei, however, walked leisurely around Feng San with her hands behind her back, asking, "Do you want to know who that person is?"

Feng San shook his head, indicating that he did not want to know.

Han Lei insisted on letting him know, "It's Cao Xiong, the newly appointed Marshal of the Northern Pass by the imperial court!"

"what?"

Feng San's eyes were so wide they almost popped out of their sockets, and the hairs on his body stood on end.

The imperial marshal stationed at the pass, appointed by the court, was turned into honeycomb briquettes by this witch.

Looking at the pretty and sweet Han Lei, Feng San felt as if he had seen a demon woman crawling out of the underworld.

Zhao Zun suddenly turned his face away, pressing his fist to his lips to hide the barely suppressed smile. The silver crown that held his hair back gleamed, making his profile appear even more handsome.

Han Lei knew he was chuckling, so she glanced at him, then turned to Feng San with a stern face and said, "What are you still standing there for? Are you waiting for me to treat you to dinner? If you dare to slack off again, I'll turn you into a honeycomb briquette too."

Feng San let out a yell and jumped up, grabbing a shovel and frantically shoveling coal, as if a demon were chasing him. Coal chunks rained down into the bamboo basket, raising a cloud of black mist.

"That's more like it~" Han Lei patted non-existent dust off her hands, and as she turned around, the ends of her hair drew a playful arc in the air.

She tilted her head and smiled at Zhao Zun, then took his arm: "Come on, let's go check out the trade market."

At the foot of Yinshan Mountain, snowflakes fluttered, and the world was covered in white.

Near the Yinshan Coal Mine, in a sheltered spot, there was a vacant lot under construction. With trade with the Turks planned for the spring, Zhao Zun had already ordered the artisans who built the fortress in Yong'an City to lead soldiers to construct a trading market here in preparation for border trade.

The location here was chosen with great care—

Firstly, this location is only a few dozen miles from the Yong'an City bastion, backed by mountains forming a natural barrier. The outpost atop the slope offers a commanding view of the trade routes. Secondly, trading here facilitates management. It avoids the potential disturbances caused by the influx of Turkic caravans into Yong'an City, and in case of unforeseen circumstances, merchants from Dajing can quickly retreat back into the bastion.

Although it was the dead of winter, the construction site was bustling with activity, as oxcarts carrying stones left deep ruts in the snow.

The craftsmen, their breath steaming in the snow, built and solidified the foundation of the wall, while the soldiers, carrying M16 rifles, formed silhouettes against the snow, all creating an invisible safety barrier for the border trade to begin in the spring of the following year.

Although this border trade market under construction is only one story, it is large in scale, covering an area of ​​more than 2,000 square meters. In just over a month, it has already taken shape.

The market has a long, narrow layout with a bright and open interior. Rows of neat and uniform shops stand side by side, and its design is quite similar to a modern wholesale market, providing a standardized trading venue for merchants from both countries.

The market not only fulfills the core function of border trade, but also thoughtfully adds a number of supporting facilities.

On the east side is a public canteen that can accommodate 100 people and offers meals with both northern and southern flavors.

Further east, a neat accommodation area has been planned, providing a convenient place for business travelers to rest.

A few hundred meters away, a special cattle and horse management area has been set up, equipped with water troughs and hay barns, to properly solve the problem of livestock resettlement.

The addition of these supporting facilities has greatly enhanced the market's overall service capabilities. Once completed, it will be the most advanced and high-end trade market of our time.

To ensure the orderly operation of the market, a market management office will be set up, headed by Tang Xiaotong.

The management office will be responsible for shop leasing, order maintenance, cleaning, and dispute mediation.

All shops here are leased through open bidding, and both Turkic and Jing merchants can rent them on an equal footing.

The market is like a large, enclosed factory building. The shops are all located inside this large factory building, and the goods are displayed on shelves. The vendors no longer have to worry about their goods being exposed to the sun and rain. Even on snowy days, it is warm inside.

The management office emphasizes the principle of "fair trade" and strictly prohibits price gouging, market manipulation, and other similar behaviors. Anyone found to be in violation will have their trading privileges immediately revoked and will be blacklisted from all business dealings with the company.

This standardized management model not only protects the legitimate rights and interests of both parties in the transaction, but also lays a solid foundation for the prosperity and development of border trade.

Zhao Zun and Han Lei led Tang Xiaotong and the others across the cement pavement in the market, visiting each of the shops.

“Xiao Tong, look here.” She pointed to the location marked in red on the map. “According to the plan, the caravan’s accommodation area should be within 300 steps of the warehouse, but not too close, to avoid the danger of fire.”

Tang Xiaotong leaned closer for a closer look, her brows furrowing slightly: "Your Highness, isn't this accommodation area too far from the market? It might be inconvenient for merchants to travel back and forth."

Han Lei smiled slightly and pulled out another blueprint from her sleeve: "You're right. That's why I designed a dedicated passageway and warehouse area here, paved with cement so it won't be muddy on rainy days. What do you think..."

Yang Haibo, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but interject: "This design is brilliant! The trading warehouses are all in one place, making it more convenient to pick up goods."

“That’s exactly what I’ve thought of.” Han Lei nodded and turned to Yang Haibo. “Haibo, you need to study this carefully. This is a pilot project. When you go to Ling’an City to establish a trade market with Ala and Meng Kingdom in the future, you will have a reference point.”

Yang Haibo nodded solemnly. His family would be settling down and working in Ling'an City, responsible for the city's foreign trade. However, Yong'an City was a pilot area, with Han Lei providing personal guidance, and Yang Haibo's family listened very attentively.

After all, Han Lei couldn't personally guide every step of the way. All she could give Yang Haibo was a blueprint and some rules; he had to figure everything else out himself.

Yang Xiaomei suddenly leaned over and asked, "Your Highness, has the accommodation area taken into consideration for female guests?"

"Good question, little sister." Han Lei took out a small notebook from her space. "Turkic women are not as reserved as the girls of Dajing. There must be some who go out to do business alone. Therefore, a women's accommodation area was planned in the southeast corner of the women's quarters. It is separated by a wall and older women are arranged to guard it."

Tang Xiaotong nodded and smiled, "Your Highness is truly thoughtful. No wonder the Prince always praises your meticulousness! Hehe..."

Zhao Zun, who had been silent, coughed lightly, his ears turning slightly red, but he pretended to be serious and said, "It's getting late, let's continue with the important matter."

Han Lei smiled and continued, "I've divided the goods into three areas: perishable, valuable, and ordinary. Each area has a designated person in charge, and entry and exit require registration and signature..."

The group chatted and laughed as they walked towards the eastern accommodation area. Just as they stepped out of the trading area, Zhao Zun suddenly raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop.

At the corner on the east side, a dozen or so Turkic merchants, covered in snow, were huddled together.

Several horse-drawn carriages and oxcarts loaded with goods were parked beside them, and various samples were displayed in front of them.

"These Turks are quite diligent," Tang Xiaotong chuckled softly. He grew up in Cangzhou and was no stranger to the Turks.

When the Turkic merchants saw the richly dressed people from Dajing coming over, they immediately got up and enthusiastically surrounded them, calling out in heavily accented Turkic.

"Top-quality leather!"

"Rare medicinal herbs!"

How is this going?

Zhao Zun frowned slightly and beckoned to the nearby construction workers to inquire.

A craftsman, his face covered in dust, wiped his face and reported, "Your Highness, the Turks heard that a trading market was being built here, and these Turkic caravans couldn't wait, so they brought their goods to try their luck."

Han Lei chuckled upon hearing this: "Since we'll have to trade sooner or later, why don't we take a look now?" She turned to Zhao Zun and said, "Let's see what we happen to need."

Zhao Zun hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Alright." He turned to his head and lowered his voice to instruct the people following behind him, "Remember, don't reveal your identities yet."

Tang Xiaotong understood and began chatting with the merchants in fluent Turkic.

The group looked along the stalls and saw that they were filled with dried herbs, bundles of cow and sheep hides, and large chunks of golden cheese...

"This fur is of good quality." Zhao Zun picked up a finished fox fur and examined it carefully. He said to Han Lei, "This would definitely look good as a scarf for you."

With that, Zhao Zun gestured for Tang Xiaotong to begin negotiating the price.

As Han Lei walked up to a stall, her eyes suddenly lit up.

She bent down, picked up a piece of cordyceps, sniffed it, and exclaimed with delight, "Zhao Zun, look! This is top-quality cordyceps!"

Zhao Zun leaned closer for a closer look: "What's so special about this thing? It looks like dried worms."

"This is a top-quality tonic, a rare find only on the grasslands." Han Lei was about to explain in detail when a pungent and unpleasant smell suddenly wafted over, like rotten eggs.

Han Lei's face changed drastically, and she felt a churning in her stomach. She leaned against a withered tree by the roadside and began to dry heave.

"Uh-uh--"