Chapter 1135: Tong San Is Dead

The townsfolk gathered to discuss the Tong family matters were astounded: "An iron mine? Are you serious? You can’t just speak recklessly about such things, it’s beheading stuff!"

What is an iron mine? It’s as valuable as a gold mine, needed for the military, carriages, supplies, farmers’ tools, and cooking pots. Which of these doesn’t require iron?

Of the four major mines in the Great Chu, an iron mine ranks before a silver mine, worth more than silver and copper mines. After all, silver and copper can’t be turned into weapons, but iron can.

The person who spoke earlier said: "My grandmother’s granddaughter-in-law is Squad Leader Huang, and the news came from him. Lord Magistrate and General Zhang from the Prefecture garrison army have already taken people to Yan Mountain. It’s estimated that latest by tomorrow night, news will come back."

"What? You’re saying the Tong family’s iron mine is at Yan Mountain?" The crowd was shocked, surprised that the Tong family’s largest manor turned out to be an iron mine.

An elder who heard these words sighed aloud: "So Yan Mountain has an iron mine, no wonder when Tong Changxing fell into ruin at home years ago, he sold three shops and bought Yan Mountain amidst family reproach."

The crowd asked him: "Uncle Lin, do you know about the Tong family buying Yan Mountain?"

Uncle Lin, a night watchman, having just awakened in the afternoon stroll, heard the crowd discussing the Tong family and joined to hear, nodded, saying: "Yes, when the Tong family bought Yan Mountain years ago, many laughed at them, saying they were crazy for buying a barren mountain where even weeds barely grow. There’s little land for farming, and the stones there aren’t good, not even wanted by rich families for false mountains, nor by farmers for building houses."

"But Tong Changxing said he found an old scholar to inspect and was told that Yan Mountain’s feng shui is good, matching his birth chart. If he bought Yan Mountain, the Tong family would not only thrive again but be wealthy for three generations!"

"Reflecting now, Tong Changxing must’ve known about the iron mine early on, thus sold the last three family shops to buy this gold mountain and indeed became prosperous."

However...

"The Tong family isn’t a noble family nor an official’s house, just ordinary wealthy folk, and can’t own an iron mine in the Great Chu."

This iron mine is linked to weapons, so things related to weapons must be controlled by the court. Even if you find an iron mine on your land, mining it means death for your entire clan.

But Tong Changxing, born into a wealthy family, has always lived well. By his teenage years, due to his father’s incompetence, the Tong family quickly fell into decline, tasting hardship made him terribly afraid. By his twenties, as the family’s situation worsened, his fear grew. Upon discovering the iron mine, even knowing mining violated the Great Chu Criminal Law, he took the risk.

He thought, noble families and nobles have copper mines, why can’t his family have an iron mine? So long as he acted cautiously and secretly, mining Yan Mountain’s iron quickly for sale before the court discovered, his family would be safe.

But things didn’t go as he wished. Elder Tong became increasingly bold, from initially secretly selling pig iron pieces to now even daring to sell curved swords, this was suicidal behavior.

The crowd hearing Lin’s words grew fearful, asking: "Uncle Lin, with such serious matters for the Tong family, won’t the court send someone? Wouldn’t we Prefecture City people be implicated?"

The folk just want to live honestly and peacefully, most afraid of court intervention. If the court sends an imperial envoy, the entire Prefecture will be locked down, with the government conducting house-to-house inspections, ordering them not to go out needlessly, even work for livelihood would be restricted, so they’re very worried.

Having lived sixty years, Uncle Lin experienced everything and could only sigh hearing their words: "What’s there to be done, everyone should behave well, stock up on food, oil, salt, and avoid going out, behave wisely to avoid legal trouble."

After hearing, the crowd lost their interest in gossip, someone hurriedly said: "I must quickly collect some grain from the village outside the city to bring home, lest when the gates close, we’re stuck and have to buy expensive grain from the shop."

"Da Cong is right, let’s go, we’ll also leave the city to gather some food." Many left together aiming to collect grain from the villages outside.

But they were late, the gate had already shut, with soldiers using wooden sticks to knock the notice board, informing townspeople: "Folks, pay attention, the Prefecture City prohibits leaving these days, if there’s something concerning life and death needed outside, go explain at the Prefecture Government Office."

"What? How many days will the gates be closed? Why?" Some were displeased, speaking to the gate soldiers: "Military Officer, we’re farmers from Kulianshu Village outside the city, have sold out our produce, and need to hurry home for the wheat harvest. It’s already late June, delaying will ruin the crop."

Soldiers replied: "It’s an order from the Prefecture Government Office and government army camp together, we can’t help. You all stay in the city for a few days, just a few days."

The Tong family was caught red-handed, needing merely confirmation of an iron mine at Yan Mountain to establish the charge, so within five days, once soldiers arrested all Tong family members in town, they’d be free to leave.

"Staying in town costs silver. Country folks, where would we have money for inns? Military Officer, please be generous, secretly let us out, we’ll remember your great kindness."

The gate soldiers nearly laughed in anger, pointing at his head: "Do you think I’m tired of living? Sneakily letting you out, and then my whole family gets caught and executed?"

What kind of thinking leads to saying such things? Does my life mean nothing?

Listening, some who wanted to leave blushed, but they weren’t foolish; with gates closed and no passage, surely there’s trouble in town. Not wanting to be involved, they continued pleading to the soldiers: "Military Officer, please, just open a small crack on the door, let us out."

The gate soldier gave them a big white eye roll, tapping the ground fiercely with his stick, pushing back the crowd: "All retreat, retreat, those who make trouble, weapons and sticks are merciless!"

The crowd driven back by over ten soldiers dropped their baskets after retreating ten meters, squatting on-site, hoping for the gate to open.

But as they waited until dark, the soldiers still showed no intention to open, frustrating them to grumble while returning to town, finding rest places.

Soldiers seeing their departure sighed in relief: "Darn, finally gone, they really wasted time, thought they’d sleep overnight here."

After complaints, another Tong family gossip arose: "Hey, did you hear? Tong family’s Third Young Master died last night, crushed by despair from the family’s downfall, committed suicide by hitting a wall."