North America 1849, from Gold Rush to Warlord

Chapter 62 The Great Scale Divides the Gold
This last batch of gold, although the panning time was only ten days, five days shorter than usual.

But this is the deepest gold at the bottom of the lake, with the highest content and the largest gold particles.

Four of those five gold nuggets were found in the last ten days.

Therefore, everyone is looking forward to seeing just how much they will gain in this final haul.

This also determines how much they will ultimately reap during this year's gold rush season.

Ah Zu carefully examined the pointer on the large scale and read slowly in a calm tone.

Forty-two thousand six hundred and eleven ounces!

"boom……!"

The dozens of people squeezed into the small prefab house almost simultaneously let out a cheer that seemed to shatter the roof!
"We've struck it rich! We've all struck it rich this year!"

"Haha, if we work with the BOSS, we'll all become millionaires!"

"Yes, as long as we follow Ah Zu, we will all be rich!"

Everyone was overjoyed and cheered!
This is the result of three months of hard work.

This year's gold rush season may have come to an end, and it's time for everyone to reap the rewards.

Jason was also extremely excited, counting on his fingers: "The previous five batches of gold totaled more than 130,000 ounces. Adding this one, wouldn't that be... more than 170,000 ounces?"

“Yes!” Azu nodded calmly: “177,822 ounces!”

"A total value of around three million seven hundred thousand US dollars! That's all our haul from this year's gold rush!"

"How much... how much?"

"Three million seven hundred thousand dollars! What? Is that a lot?"

The only one in the room who could remain calm was Ah Zu!

"Too much! Oh my God! Li, we've really struck it rich! We're all millionaires now!"

Even Jason, that greasy, balding middle-aged man, was so excited that he hugged Ah Zu and danced in a circle!

Azu never expected that his harvest at this golden lake would be more than 20% higher than the three million dollars recorded in later documentaries.

Perhaps it was because their own ore washing machine was more scientific and rational than the equipment from decades later, in the 1890s, that the gold collection rate was higher.

Perhaps it was their own compensation scheme that made everyone more proactive and enthusiastic, allowing them to thoroughly and completely plunder Golden Lake.

Perhaps the figures recorded in later documentaries are not accurate enough.

Perhaps due to a combination of reasons, the facts are clear: $3.7 million worth of gold was pocketed in just three months!
It wasn't just Ah Zu's fanny pack, but everyone's fanny pack.

The same gold-mining team participated in the distribution of the gold. The Blackfoot tribe was paid in the form of food, wine, and firearms.

In terms of value, although what Azu gave to the Blackfoot tribe was quite a lot, it still didn't amount to much.

All the food, rum, guns, ammunition, and other supplies totaled no more than $300,000!

It should be noted that the Blackfoot tribe sent nearly two hundred people to participate in the gold panning and exploration.

In the last month, even the defense tasks around the camp were mostly handed over to the Blackfoot tribe!
If we really want to calculate it, Azu paid each Blackfoot tribesman a full $1,500.

This is absolutely right to do justice to them and the entire Blackfoot tribe!
But compared to the friendship with the Blackfoot tribe and the gold that was to be distributed, it was nothing!

Once everyone's excitement had subsided, Ah Zu spoke up, "Everyone, please be quiet!" The noisy sounds inside the temporary housing quickly quieted down.

Ah Zu's words at this moment are definitely more effective than an imperial edict!
"Now, it's time to fulfill my promise to everyone!"

"On the very first day of the gold rush, I promised everyone that for every two hundred ounces of gold panned out, each of you would receive one ounce!"

"Now, after the entire gold rush season, we've found over 177,000 ounces of gold, so each of us will receive 889 ounces of gold!"

"This, of course, includes the four brothers who have already died, as well as the several brothers who are still seriously injured and have not yet fully recovered!"

"So, brothers, are your bags of gold big enough?"

Ah Zu's words reignited everyone's excitement!
Next, the gold was distributed by the scales, and this small, golden mountain was shared among everyone.

After the work is done, the promise is fulfilled on the spot, and the gold is divided on the scale immediately. There is nothing more inspiring or stimulating to the senses than this!

This last batch of gold, more than 40,000 ounces, was almost completely divided up on the spot.

Jason's eyes twitched when he saw this!

Heartache!
My heart is bleeding!
So much gold was just distributed among these ordinary gold miners?
Where else, in any other place or company, could ordinary workers be given so much gold and so much money?
It’s unimaginable!
But he didn't understand that what he gave away was gold, but what he won over were people's hearts!

From then on, this group of people would only follow Ah Zu and Huamei Company wholeheartedly. Even if you tried to drive them away with sticks, they definitely wouldn't leave.

Having fulfilled my promise and packed everything up, it was time to embark on my journey home.

Blood Eagle led about two hundred Blackfoot tribesmen to help move everything onto the steam paddle steamer that was already waiting there.

Then, after bidding each other a reluctant farewell, the two hundred or so Blackfoot tribesmen rode off on their steeds, disappearing quickly into the mountains.

Only Blood Eagle stood there dejectedly, not leaving with his clansmen.

"Blood Eagle, why aren't you leaving yet?" Azu asked curiously.

"Elder Bearskin, he sent me a message, telling me to stay by your side and not to return to the tribe...!"

Blood Eagle, this muscular, bronze-skinned strong man, really seemed to have suffered a blow and looked sullen, which made Ah Zu very happy.

"Hehe!" Azu patted his shoulder: "What's wrong with following me? Plenty of wine, plenty of meat, you'll eat and drink the best food, and you'll even get to see the outside world. You definitely won't regret it!"

“Li, I know you won’t mistreat me! But…!” Blood Eagle hesitated, and Azu guessed what he was thinking.

"Monica? Right?"

"Huh?" Blood Eagle's dark face turned red when his thoughts were exposed, but being straightforward by nature, he was completely clueless and could only nod in shame.

"Don't worry! I had Elder Bearskin send Monica back to you last time so she could come back with us."

In fact, keeping Blood Eagle by their side was something that Azu and Elder Bearskin had already discussed long ago.

Having someone like this by your side allows you to stay in touch with the Blackfoot tribe at any time, and who knows, they might come in very useful in the future.

As they were talking, four Indian riders emerged from the woods, protecting a white-skinned beauty who looked out of place, dressed in a bison hide top, jeans, and black deerskin boots, riding a dappled horse.

Upon seeing this beauty, Blood Eagle was overjoyed and rushed forward without hesitation.

"Monica!"

(End of this chapter)