Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

The day the coal mine in Black Stone Mountain officially started operations was a bright and sunny day.

Before dawn, three hundred miners lined up at the foot of the mountain.

Most of these people were young and strong men, with a few robust middle-aged men as well.

They were dressed in matching coarse cloth short-sleeved shirts, with water bags and food sacks tied to their waists, and carrying picks and shovels in their hands. Their faces showed both anticipation and trepidation.

Coal mining is physically demanding and dangerous, but it pays well in work points.

Five work points a day, with extra bonuses for good performance.

This earns much more than farming or building city walls.

So many people applied, and in the end only the three hundred strongest and most capable people were selected.

Xiao Chen came to see him off in person.

He stood on a large rock, looking down at the dense crowd below.

"Today, the Heishishan Coal Mine officially commenced operations."

His voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear him clearly: "We're mining coal for Hanyuan. With coal, we won't be cold in winter, our workshops can operate, iron can be smelted, and caravans will have goods to sell. Only with coal can Hanyuan become prosperous."

The crowd was quiet, with only the sound of the wind blowing through the forest.

"But coal mining is dangerous."

Xiao Chen continued, "There's gas underground, which could explode. There's water seepage, which could flood. There's a landslide, which could bury us. So, safety comes first. Old Han has formulated safety regulations, which everyone must memorize and follow. Anyone who violates them will have their work points deducted. If someone has an accident, the whole team will be held accountable."

Sitting together.

These two words sent a chill down everyone's spine.

"Now divide into groups."

Xiao Chen said, "Three hundred people, divided into three shifts. One hundred people per shift, working four hours and resting for eight hours. A maximum of fifty people can be underground at the same time, while the others will be on the surface transporting coal and performing maintenance. The specific group assignments will be arranged by Old Man Han."

Han Lie stepped forward and began calling out names and dividing people into groups.

He hasn't been idle for the past month, leading several veteran miners to thoroughly understand the coal mine.

The map shows where the coal seam is thick, where the rock is stable, and where water is likely to be found.

They also designed a simple lifting device—a windlass made of wood and pulleys—that could lift coal up from the mine, saving a lot of effort.

After the groups were formed, Han Lie gave the order: "Let's get to work!"

Three hundred people swarmed into the mine like ants.

The mine shaft was already there—it was dug by the previous dynasty, and although part of it had collapsed, the main structure was still intact.

Han Lie and his men cleared away the rubble and reinforced the supports, making it barely usable.

It was very dark down in the well; even a torch could only illuminate a small area.

The air was murky and had a pungent sulfur smell. The ground was slippery, and the puddles were ankle-deep.

But no one complained.

Because of the high work points.

Five work points a day can be exchanged for five catties of grain.

If you work for a month, you'll gain 150 jin (75 kg).

If we're careful with what we have, it'll be enough for a family of three for two months. That's much better than farming.

"Ding-dong!"

The sound of picks striking the coal face echoed through the mine.

It was slow at first because I wasn't familiar with it.

But as I kept doing it, it became easier.

The coal face isn't very hard; one swing of the pickaxe can remove a large chunk.

Black coal chunks rolled down, glistening with oil under the torchlight.

"Quick! Pack them into baskets!"

Baskets of coal were loaded into rattan baskets and hoisted up using a windlass.

On the ground, someone was there to receive the coal, dump it into an oxcart, and transport it to the coal yard at the foot of the mountain.

By noon, more than thirty truckloads had been dug up.

"Take a break! Time to eat!"

Meals are served simultaneously both above and below the well.

Each person receives two mixed-grain steamed buns, a piece of pickled vegetable, and a bowl of hot soup. It's simple, but filling. After the meal, you can rest for half an hour.

Xiao Chen went down into the well to take a look.

The mine was deeper and larger than he had imagined. The previous dynasty had dug it very deep, with the main tunnel being over ten zhang (approximately 33 meters) deep, and the branch tunnels crisscrossing like a maze.

"Your Highness, please be careful." Han Lie led the way, holding a torch. "It's slippery here, and there's gas."

"Vasco?"

"Not much," Han Lie said. "The previous dynasty dug very deep and released most of the gas. But we still have to be careful; there can't be even a spark."

Xiao Chen nodded, walked to the coal wall, and touched it.

The coal is of excellent quality, jet black and shiny, and produces a clear, resonant sound when tapped. It is high-quality anthracite.

What is the estimated reserve size?

"It's hard to say," Han Lie shook his head, "but judging from the outcrops, this vein is quite large. If the records from the previous dynasty are correct, the coal reserves beneath Black Stone Mountain are enough for us to mine for a hundred years."

a hundred years.

Xiao Chen was certain.

With coal, the energy problem of Hanyuan will be solved. Coal can be used for heating, cooking, iron smelting, and kiln firing. In the future, coal may even be used to generate electricity—although this is not possible now, we can work towards that goal.

"What about iron ore?" he asked.

"It's to the west." Han Lie led him in another direction. "The previous dynasty mainly mined coal; they only opened a small iron ore mine. But I've been there; the vein is very shallow, and the iron content is high. It's just..."

"What is it?"

"It's just not easy to mine," Han Lie said with a wry smile. "Iron ore is hard; you can't dig it out with a pickaxe. You have to use a sledgehammer to smash it and a crowbar to pry it. It's inefficient and wastes tools."

Xiao Chen thought for a moment: "We can try burning it."

"Burning?"

"That's right," Xiao Chen said. "We set up a fire on the mine wall to heat the rocks, then pour cold water on them. The rocks will crack due to thermal expansion and contraction, making them easier to dig."

Han Lie's eyes lit up: "That's a great idea! How come I never thought of that!"

"I also learned it from a book," Xiao Chen said. "There was a book from the previous dynasty called 'Tiangong Kaiwu,' which recorded many methods of mining. Unfortunately, that book has been lost."

"Your Highness is very learned," Han Lie exclaimed sincerely.

As the two were talking, a commotion suddenly arose from the ground.

"Something's happened! Something's happened!"

A miner scrambled down the slope, his face ashen: "Your Highness! Old Man Han! Something's been found to the west...to the west!"

"What is it?"

"I...I don't know! It looks like...it's bone!"

bone?

Xiao Chen and Han Lie exchanged a glance and quickly walked towards the alley to the west.

To the west was a newly dug tunnel, only a dozen or so feet deep. At the end of the tunnel, several miners were gathered together, pointing and talking amongst themselves.

Upon seeing Xiao Chen arrive, they quickly made way.

The torch illuminated the end of the alley, revealing a white object on the rock wall.

It is indeed bone.

But it wasn't human bone; it was animal bone. It was very large and thick, like the leg bone of some large wild beast.

"Keep digging," Xiao Chen ordered.

Several miners stepped forward and carefully began to dig away the surrounding rocks.

More bones are exposed.

Ribs, spine, skull...

When the entire skeleton was fully revealed, everyone gasped.

This is the skeleton of a giant beast.

It was over three zhang long and about one zhang and five zhang tall. Its skull was enormous, and its mouth was filled with dagger-like teeth. Its limbs were thick and its claws sharp. Even though only bones remained, one could still imagine its former ferocity.

"What...what is this?" a miner asked in a trembling voice.

Han Lie crouched down, carefully examined the bones, and then looked at the surrounding rock strata. Suddenly, he said, "This is... an ancient beast."

"Ancient beast?"

"Yes." Han Lie stood up, his voice trembling slightly. "The Records of Strange Things from the previous dynasty states that deep in the mountains of the northern border, there are the remains of a giant beast buried a thousand feet underground, called the 'Earth Dragon.' It is several feet long, with teeth as sharp as knives, capable of piercing metal and stone. I never thought... it was true."

Earth dragon?

As Xiao Chen looked at the skeleton, a thought came to mind.

Coal is formed from ancient plants buried underground and formed over a long geological process. So, were these animal bones also ancient animals buried along with the plants, and then…?

He suddenly recalled what he had learned in his previous life—coal-bearing strata sometimes contain other minerals. For example, phosphate rock, sulfur rock, and even... oil and gas.

"Old Han," he asked, "have you smelled anything strange around here?"

"A strange smell?" Han Lie was taken aback, sniffed carefully, "It seems... a bit like... rotten eggs."

Hydrogen sulfide.

Xiao Chen's heart stirred.

"Keep digging," he said. "Be careful, dig along the skeleton. See what else is down there."

The miners continued digging.

The deeper they dug, the more bones they found. Not just one, but many. Big and small, in all shapes and sizes, piled together like a graveyard of ancient beasts.

What's even more shocking is that beneath the skeleton, black, glossy rock was exposed.

It's not coal; it's blacker and shinier than coal, gleaming with an oily sheen under the torchlight.

"What kind of stone is this?" Han Lie picked up a stone; it was heavy and had a pungent smell.

Xiao Chen took the stone, examined it carefully, and then tapped it; the sound was dull.

"This isn't stone," he said slowly. "It's... oil shale."

"Oil shale?"

"Yes." A glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. "It's a kind of flammable stone. When burned, it produces a strong flame with little smoke, and it burns even longer than coal. Moreover, oil can be extracted from it."

Oil!

Everyone was stunned.

Extracting oil from rocks? Unheard of!

"Your Highness, are you... are you telling the truth?" Han Lie's voice trembled.

"Really." Xiao Chen nodded. "However, refining oil requires a special furnace and a very high temperature. We can't do it now. But we can dig it up and store it. We can refine it when we have the conditions in the future."

He paused, then added, "Moreover, where there is oil shale, there is likely something else. For example... natural gas."

"natural gas?"

"It's a kind of gas that can be burned, used for lighting lamps, and cooked. It's cleaner than coal and more convenient than firewood," Xiao Chen explained. "However, be careful. This gas is prone to exploding; even a tiny spark can start a huge fire."

Everyone was confused, but they all understood one thing—there was treasure hidden beneath this black rock mountain. Not just coal, not just iron, but many more unexpected things.

"What happened today is not to be spread outside," Xiao Chen said solemnly. "Anyone who leaks this information about oil shale and natural gas will be executed without mercy."

"Yes!" the crowd replied solemnly.

Xiao Chen had the animal bones carefully collected and transported back to the city. These were precious fossils with research value. Some samples of oil shale were also excavated and taken back for further study.

It was already dark when we got back to the ground.

The day's output has been tallied—five hundred truckloads of coal, equivalent to about fifty thousand catties. This far exceeds the expected "one thousand catties per day".

"Your Highness," the steward in charge of statistics said excitedly, "at this rate, we can harvest 150,000 catties a month! That's enough for Hanyuan to use for a year!"

Xiao Chen nodded, but was not satisfied.

"We need to increase production," he said. "We've only hired 300 people so far, which is too few. Once the first batch of coal is sold and we have the money, we'll hire even more people. Next spring, I want to produce 10,000 jin (5,000 kg) per day."

Ten thousand catties per day!

Everyone gasped, but their eyes blazed with fury.

The prince's ambition was greater than they had imagined.

"Also," Xiao Chen looked at Han Lie, "we need to speed things up at the iron ore mine. Try the method of using fire to heat water and see how efficient it is. If it works, then promote it. Tell me what tools you need and how many people you need, and I'll try my best to meet your needs."

"Yes!" Han Lie replied.

"Also," Xiao Chen paused, "starting tomorrow, miners will be paid on a piece-rate system."

"Piecework?"

"That's right," Xiao Chen explained. "Before, you'd get five work points for a day's work. Now it's changed to one work point for every cartload of coal you dig. The more you dig, the more you earn. The less you dig, the less you earn. It's fair and reasonable."

Everyone's eyes lit up.

Piece-rate pay! Doesn't that mean the more you do, the more you earn? Those who used to slack off and drag their feet have nothing to say now. If you want to earn more work points, you have to work more.

"However," Xiao Chen added, "safety regulations cannot be violated. Anyone who violates them will have double their work points deducted. In the event of an accident, the entire team will be held accountable. Understand?"

"clear!"

That evening, the news spread and caused a sensation throughout the city.

One cartload of coal, one work point! A diligent person can dig ten cartloads a day, that's ten work points! That can be exchanged for ten jin of grain! That's three hundred jin a month! Enough to feed a family of five for more than half a year!

"I want to sign up! I want to go down into the mine!"

"Me too!"

"Your Highness, please accept me! I'm very strong!"

Long queues formed at the registration desk.

Xiao Chen put Wang Dashan in charge of the screening; anyone who was physically fit and willing to follow the procedures should be accepted.

In just three days, the number of miners increased from three hundred to five hundred.

Coal production also increased from 500 truckloads per day to 800 truckloads per day.

On the iron ore side, they used a fire-and-water method, which increased efficiency by 30%. Although it's still slow, at least there's progress.

Everything is moving in a positive direction.

That evening, Xiao Chen was looking at the coal mine's accounts when Zhao Tie rushed in.

"Your Highness, news has arrived from the capital."

"explain."

"The Fourth Prince... has been granted the title of 'Prince Yong' and concurrently serves as the Vice Minister of War." Zhao Tie lowered his voice. "His Majesty has decreed that Prince Yong be in charge of the defense of the northern border and to supervise the training of the border troops in order to defend against Northern Yan."

Prince Yong.

Vice Minister of War.

Coordinate the defense of the northern border.

Xiao Chen put down the account book, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Fourth Brother, you've finally extended your reach to the northern border.

Moreover, it was extended over with a perfectly legitimate reason.

"Furthermore," Zhao Tie continued, "Prince Yong has already left the capital and will arrive at Dingbei Pass soon. Accompanying him are three thousand imperial guards."

Three thousand imperial guards.

Is he here to supervise the border troops, or... to supervise him?

Xiao Chen laughed, but it was a cold laugh.

"Good timing," he said. "I was just worried I wouldn't have a chance to see him."

"Your Highness," Zhao Tie said worriedly, "Prince Yong's visit this time is definitely not well-intentioned. We..."

"I'm not afraid." Xiao Chen stood up, walked to the window, and looked in the direction of Black Stone Mountain. "He has three thousand imperial guards, I have five thousand miners. He has the title of Vice Minister of War, I have the coal mines of Black Stone Mountain. He has the Emperor's trust, I have the hearts of the people of Hanyuan."

He turned around and looked at Zhao Tie: "Tell me, who wins this round?"

Zhao Tie opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

But he already had the answer in his heart.