"Captain, what's up?"
"What's the deal with calling us over?"
The inspectors chimed in, their voices a jumble of questions.
"In a few days, someone from above will come to inspect our mine!"
"I heard they're a big deal, so get yourselves in order and don't mess anything up."
After saying a couple of sentences, Li Gang waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave, his impatience clear as day.
The group was used to Li Gang's attitude by now. After all, with the inspection office's expansion, some were thrilled, while others, naturally, were less than pleased.
And Li Gang, without a doubt, was one of the displeased.
Chu Mu didn't pay it much mind. Among the dozen or so inspectors present, his record was likely the cleanest.
In his几十 days at the inspection office, aside from reading books and practicing martial arts, he hadn't done much else. Whoever came to inspect wouldn't find anything on him.
The only questionable thing was the one time he received double pay, but the odds of that being investigated were slim. Even if it was, it involved over a thousand officials in Qinghe County, top to bottom. He was far too insignificant in the grand scheme.
"Why the sudden inspection?"
"Has anything happened at our mine lately?"
"Didn't we have that mining accident a while back? Dozens of lives lost—isn't that something?"
"An accident? That's nothing. Which year doesn't our mine have one?"
"When have you ever seen the higher-ups come to check on us because of an accident?"
"All those lords up there care about is the mine itself."
"By the way, hasn't the Thousand Households been wandering around with his men these past few days, digging here, poking there?"
"Now there's all this wild talk that they found some treasure in our mine. Could that be related?"
The inspectors went back and forth, tossing ideas around. Chu Mu trailed behind quietly, not saying a word.
He'd heard the treasure rumors before, of course. But with everyone parroting the same story, who knew what was true? Hardly anyone, probably.
Still, there was no doubt they were looking for something, and it was right here in the mine.
Why else would the county lieutenant and the deputy Thousand Households—big shots like that—spend their days poking around a place like this?
Chu Mu wasn't too concerned about the so-called treasure. Even if it was real, it definitely wouldn't fall into his hands.
Strolling along, chatting idly, the inspectors eventually dispersed to their respective posts.
Chu Mu, as always, plopped down under a tree, a small campfire crackling in front of him for warmth. He picked up his book and read for a bit, but then something struck him, and he froze.
If he remembered correctly, the order to increase production at the mine came from the prefectural city, followed by an increase in corvée labor.
Right after that, the Thousand Households and his deputy started sniffing around the mine, searching for something.
And now, out of nowhere, a big shot was coming to inspect...
Could these things be connected?
In other words, was the push for more production and extra labor tied to whatever they were looking for? And was that why this big shot was coming to check on the mine?
Chu Mu mulled over the possibility. From what he knew, the Nanshan Iron Mine had been operating for years, with its annual quota set at the start of the year. Never once had they demanded a mid-year increase in production.
That alone seemed to line up with his theory.
Chu Mu glanced at the corvée laborers toiling nearby, his mind turning. What could be so important that they'd go to such lengths?
Unable to puzzle it out, Chu Mu decided not to waste his brainpower. His gaze shifted back to the book in his hands.
It wasn't the dog-eared primer he'd nearly worn out, nor the Nanshan Chronicles or that history book. This was a travelogue he'd picked up at a bookstore a while back.
It chronicled the journeys of a wealthy scholar, detailing his experiences across various places.
Most of it was descriptions of scenery, but the sheer breadth of his travels had broadened Chu Mu's horizons, sparing him from being completely clueless about the world beyond Nanshan Town.
From the travelogue, it seemed the Great Chu Empire was still worthy of the word "peaceful."
Places like Qinghe County were clearly an exception.
After all, not every place had a mine to dig.
And most importantly, the people lived by food.
Looking back at his previous life, spanning thousands of years, chaos usually erupted when, for one reason or another, the common folk could no longer survive. That was the root of rebellion.
But in this era, that problem seemed unlikely to arise.
After all, food was dirt cheap.
Just a few days ago, Chu Mu had learned that rice in this world was a drought-resistant crop. Plant it in any patch of land, tend to it a bit, and it would grow. More shocking was the yield—on average, a staggering thirty dan per mu, equivalent to three thousand jin in his previous world!
And it wasn't just rice. Other crops were the same—easy to grow, with yields high enough to boggle the mind.
With such abundant and cheap food, even with exploitation and oppression, going hungry wasn't much of a concern.
In an era like this, how many would risk their necks to rebel unless they were truly pushed to the brink?
With things as they were, how could the empire not be at peace?
This realization had only deepened Chu Mu's commitment to his martial arts training.
Somewhere along the way, his goal in practicing had shifted from mere self-defense to securing a future.
Chaos was terrifying, but wasn't it also an opportunity?
After all, with the empire so stable, the broader tide was unstoppable.
Even if Qinghe County descended into chaos, it would be fleeting. Against the empire's overwhelming stability, order would swiftly return.
The Nanshan Chronicles recorded three past uprisings, each making that point clear. The worst one had swept through Nanshan Town, but within a month, it was crushed with thunderous force.
If he honed his martial skills and wore the inspector's uniform, chaos might just be his chance...
Chu Mu's eyes glinted, a strange excitement flickering within him.
Ever since he'd immersed himself in the training array yesterday, his mindset had completely shifted.
He might even be looking forward to it?
Chu Mu pressed his lips together, suppressing the odd thrill in his chest. He stood slowly and began pacing the area.
As the saying goes, a fall teaches wisdom.
Having gone through three uprisings, Qinghe County had clearly learned its lesson three times over.
At the mine, the source of it all, the rules were strict in every way.
Each team of inspectors was assigned a specific area, further divided among individuals.
The corvée laborers were managed the same way, each tied to a specific area and inspector.
For Chu Mu's post, he oversaw six laborers.
Their job was simple: transporting ore.
The mine's ore was moved from one area to another, and his section was just one link in the chain.
This kind of management might slow down the mine's overall efficiency, but it was undeniably effective for controlling the laborers.
And Chu Mu knew full well that in the barracks by the mine's mess hall, nearly a hundred fully armed inspectors were on standby at all times.
Their purpose was crystal clear...
...
*End of Chapter)*