"Yes!"
Although the order was a bit strange, seeing Han Mo's grim expression and the several mangled corpses on the ground, no one dared to talk back to Han Mo at this moment.
"Go fetch the account books for me, open the treasury, and distribute all the wages and grain that the artisans are owed!"
After the corpses were carried away, Han Mo said with a dark face.
"My lord, there is no surplus grain in the ironworks. The money and grain have already been transported to the Transfer Department..."
Upon hearing Han Mo's words, the petty officials kneeling beside him immediately kowtowed like pounding garlic.
With nearly a thousand people involved, they couldn't even come up with the grain and wages for so many without misappropriation!
"Fine, I will wait here. You can go to the Transfer Department with these corpses. If the grain and money do not return, then cut off your own heads and leave them there!"
After giving them a disdainful glance, Han Mo slowly spoke.
"Yes!"
Hearing him say this, the bailiffs felt as if they had been granted a great amnesty and hurried down the mountain.
"Elders, this is my fault, Han Mo. I apologize to you all. Rest assured, I will not go anywhere today. I will wait right here. I will not leave until they deliver the grain and wages in full!"
Looking at the emaciated miners, Han Mo stood up directly, climbed onto a large rock, and said in a loud voice.
"Thank you, my lord! Thank you for standing up for us!"
"Thank you for standing up for us!"
...
No one knew who shouted first in the crowd, and then thousands of miners immediately knelt on the ground and began to pay their respects to Han Mo.
"Old sir, I, Han Mo, am unworthy of your respect. Everyone, please get up! From now on, I guarantee that no one's wages will be in arrears here again. Not only that, but everyone's wages will be increased by thirty percent on the current basis!"
After he finished speaking, a cheer erupted from the crowd.
Not only would there be no more delayed wages, but they would also receive a thirty percent increase for each of them. If they worked hard, their children and elderly at home would at least be able to eat their fill!
"My lord, is what you say true?"
While everyone was cheering, Old Man Niu, trembling, came before Han Mo again and asked disbelievingly.
"Of course it's true. Furthermore, from now on, no matter how much grain is sold outside, when the mine distributes wages, they will be converted into silver based on the price of grain collected by the Granary!"
"My lord..."
As soon as Han Mo finished speaking, Old Man Niu had already knelt on the ground and burst into tears.
"Old sir, what are you doing? What are you doing?"
Seeing a man in his fifties crying so profusely in front of him, Han Mo was startled by the scene.
"My lord, you don't know, but last month, Old Man Niu's daughter-in-law, to fill the stomachs of the children at home, went up the mountain to dig for wild vegetables and fell from the mountain..."
Seeing him weeping uncontrollably, a miner standing next to him quickly said in a low voice.
After hearing his explanation, Han Mo also fell silent.
The officials and scholars in the imperial court were still feasting, but the common people in the countryside were already struggling on the brink of death due to hunger and cold.
If this situation were not to change, no matter how much money and grain he managed to procure, it would likely still be impossible to prevent history from repeating itself.
If the common people were not fed, killing one Fang La would soon lead to another Fang La, and countless more Fang La would emerge!
"Everyone, rest assured, as long as you are willing to work, from now on, no one will starve to death here again!"
After taking a deep breath, Han Mo patted his chest and gave them another guarantee.
"Thank you, my lord!"
"Thank you, my lord!"
...
An hour later, Cai Yunting finally received the news from his subordinates.
"What did you say? All six stewards of the Qingyang Ironworks were beaten to death?"
"Not only were they beaten to death, but their bodies were also sent to our doorstep! The Coastal Military Commissioner, Lord Han, is currently at the mine waiting for us to deliver the outstanding wages."
"The bodies are outside!"
Hearing him say this, Cai Yunting almost jumped out of his chair.
The ruthlessness of the man named Han was no longer a secret in the entire Liangzhe and Fujian circuits.
The Pu family's attitude was only slightly disrespectful, and they ended up with the entire family executed. Even with Cai Jing backing him, he did not dare to offend Han Mo at this moment!
The precarious position of Cai Jing was also no secret. If it weren't for the deep mark of the Cai family on him, he would have wanted to flee at this moment!
"Fine, do not concern yourself with anything else right now. Immediately send people to the treasury to count a batch of grain and copper coins and send them to the ironworks at once!"
After hesitating for a moment, Cai Yunting quickly said.
"But, my lord, what if he investigates the accounts later..."
"What are you afraid of? The war has just ended, hasn't it? The accounts of the entire Transfer Department are a mess. I don't believe he can find anything useful in these disorganized accounts!"
Reminded by his subordinate, Cai Yunting did hesitate for a moment.
However, it was only for a fleeting moment!
Since he took office, he did not know how the people of Quanzhou were doing, but he, the Quanzhou Transfer Commissioner, had indeed profited immensely.
Apart from the money given to Cai Jing as a token of respect, he himself had acquired nearly a thousand qing of land in his hometown.
"Yes!"
"Wait, have someone prepare a carriage for me. I'll go with you later!"
After taking a deep breath, Cai Yunting suddenly seemed to remember something and quickly said again.
"Yes!"
Although he didn't know what Cai Yunting intended to do, the minor official quickly responded and turned to make preparations.
It wasn't until after noon that Cai Yunting finally arrived at the Qingyang Ironworks with a long convoy of carts.
"Lord Cai, my lord is waiting for Lord Cai ahead to speak!"
Just as Cai Yunting was feigning to direct the officers to unload the carts, Jiang Yan walked over with a blank expression, pointed towards the direction of the smelting furnace, and said.
"Where is Lord Han?"
Looking at the direction Jiang Yan was pointing, Cai Yunting's heart sank. Could something be about to happen?