“Too outrageous!”

Without any regard for Marquis of Linjin Li Changfeng’s presence, Yang Yuanyan raised his foot and kicked the long table in front of him, sending it flying to crash against the hall’s stone pillar.

The superior sandalwood table snapped at waist level, showing how astonishingly powerful that kick was. The paperweights, ink, brushes, and stacks of documents upon it scattered across the floor in complete disarray.

Although Ruan Yan, Yin Peng, Zhao Zhen and others had anticipated Prince Xin would fly into a rage, they hadn’t expected him to erupt right in front of Marquis of Linjin Li Changfeng. They sat frozen behind their long tables looking at each other, hearts full of anxiety, at a loss, not knowing whether they should stand up to urge the Prince to calm his anger.

Li Changfeng’s face was also gloomy. He sat kneeling, looking at Yang Yuanyan with a sinister expression.

He of course knew that surrendering Shiliang was an extremely difficult condition for eastern Huai to accept calmly.

It wasn’t simply about the gain or loss of one county’s territory.

Shiliang County was located south of Hongze Lake and west of Fanliang Lake. Since the middle and late periods of the previous dynasty, only by bringing Shiliang County into its fold could the Huainan Military Commissioner’s Office (western Huai) equally share with the Guangling Military Commissioner’s Office (eastern Huai) the advantageous terrain of Hongze Lake and Fanliang Lake.

In the middle and late periods of the previous dynasty, whenever disputes arose between the Huainan and Guangling garrisons, about half occurred within Shiliang County territory. Tangyi in southern Shiliang County had for quite a long period been under the jurisdiction of the Sheng Prefecture Military Commissioner’s Office.

With Han Qian recovering Hao Prefecture and the southern regions of Shou and Huo Prefectures, and also bringing eastern Guang Prefecture into his fold, he had actually formed a military commissioner force rivaling eastern Huai. The gain or loss of Shiliang County became increasingly important.

Li Changfeng could understand Yang Yuanyan’s feelings, but Yang Yuanyan showing such unconstrained arrogance and throwing tantrums before him—he also wouldn’t appear too weak and be looked down upon. Pressing his hand on the long table, he said in a heavy voice: “Your Highness is enfeoffed in eastern Huai. When the Shou Prince’s army hadn’t retreated, Your Highness dispatched troops to Shiliang, observing Hao Prefecture’s Liang forces from the eastern flank—this was sharing Great Chu’s concerns. His Majesty and Premier Shen also remember Your Highness’s illustrious military achievements. But with great turmoil in Liang territory and Liang forces retreating in collapse, Shiliang County is surrounded on all sides by our Great Chu forces. Your Highness should rightfully lead eastern Huai forces to cross the Huai River and attack Liang forces, rather than unauthorized occupation of Shiliang to claim it as your own…”

“Nonsense! Han Qian conspired with Liang forces, using the great turmoil and bandit invasion as opportunity to allow Liang forces to barely survive and延catch their breath. Yet the court’s princes and ministers are all timid as mice, not daring to retaliate in kind and punish his crime of colluding with enemies. Instead they treat eastern Huai as a soft persimmon easily squeezed?” Yang Yuanyan glared with bloodshot eyes, furiously staring at Li Changfeng, wishing he could devour him alive.

“Li came today also to relay words on behalf of His Majesty and Premier Shen. If Prince Xin truly believes the court has been unfair, after returning to court Li will naturally report clearly to His Majesty and request His Majesty’s sacred judgment.” Without even beginning negotiations to reach this situation, Li Changfeng naturally wouldn’t remain to suffer insults. Rising and cupping his hands, he strode toward the hall exit.

“Marquis Li, please stay.” Ruan Yan hurriedly caught up, grasping Li Changfeng’s robe, saying.

“Minister Ruan, what is the meaning of this? Does eastern Huai intend to detain Li today?” Li Changfeng stared at the hand Ruan Yan used to grasp his robe sleeve, demanding sternly.

He had thought coming to eastern Huai he could sell some old face, never expecting to be cursed at like livestock by Prince Xin. How could he endure this?

“…Marquis Li speaks too seriously.” Ruan Yan quickly released his hand, saying with a bitter smile.

Before the great turmoil in Liang, eastern Huai’s attitude both openly and secretly could have been much firmer. Currently, after nearly two years of rest and recuperation, eastern Huai’s internal situation was much better than when the Chu Prefecture and northern Yang-Tai land reclamation system was destroyed by Liang forces. But the problem was that Liang forces at this time couldn’t look after themselves—Xu Mingzhen in the middle Huai River was powerless to contain the Tangyi army. Who knew whether Han Qian had conspired with Prince Shou’s mansion, instigating the court to again plot the abolition of eastern Huai?

Perhaps the Shiliang County attribution dispute was merely a pretext Han Qian had instigated the court to throw out.

At this time with Prince Xin’s anger surging, Ruan Yan also didn’t want to touch this bad luck right now, but also didn’t want Li Changfeng to depart in anger like this. He could only signal with his eyes for others to appease Prince Xin’s fury, while he chased Li Changfeng out of the princely mansion, requesting he first lodge at the courier station. He would temporarily represent Prince Xin to fulfill local courtesy and host Li Changfeng’s welcome banquet.

Watching Prince Xin surrounded by Zhao Zhen and other officers and officials walking angrily toward the mansion’s inner residence, Yin Peng stood within the great hall hesitating a while. Not wanting to get in Prince Xin’s way at this time seeking discomfort, he left the princely mansion, bringing two attendants to rush to Wang Wenqian’s residence in Chu Prefecture.

Wang Wenqian these days had contracted a slight cold and was bedridden, also conveniently avoiding today’s awkward situation.

After being announced, Yin Peng walked to the inner residence, seeing Wang Wenqian sitting under a pavilion, playing chess with Lady Xu for enjoyment.

Although medicinal plaster still adhered to his forehead, and a bowl of medicine with strong medicinal odor sat on the pavilion’s stone table, seeing Wang Wenqian’s spirit glowing as he stared at the chess board—where was the appearance of serious illness unable to leave bed?

Only then did Yin Peng realize that three days ago after hearing news of Xuzhou troops dispatching into Chen Prefecture to pursue bandits, Wang Wenqian had anticipated how events would evolve—that Han Qian would seize the opportunity to scheme for Shiliang—and simply took to bed feigning illness.

Lady Xu stood up, having Yin Peng sit beside Wang Wenqian.

“Li Changfeng indeed came to scheme for Shiliang County on Tangyi’s behalf. But as soon as he mentioned this matter, His Highness flew into a rage and everyone parted on bad terms. Currently the National Counselor is chasing Li Changfeng to the courier station, while His Highness is furious with absolutely no intention of yielding.” Yin Peng sat down. Seeing Wang Wenqian’s temples had completely turned frosty white these two years, he told him about events that had occurred in the princely mansion hall this afternoon.

Wang Wenqian continued arranging chess pieces on the board as if not hearing Yin Peng’s words.

Yin Peng continued: “Currently hearing rumors, besides forcing the Chen Prefecture tribal battalion to join the Right Vermillion Bird Army organization and not be allowed to garrison at Xuzhou’s side, the Marquis of Qianyang mainly demands obtaining Shiliang County. When Shen Yang left East Lake, Zheng Chang stayed an extra day and night at East Lake—who knows what conditions the Marquis of Qianyang secretly agreed with the Zheng clan. Sir, do you think it’s possible the Marquis of Qianyang conspired with Prince Shou’s mansion and the Zheng clan to instigate the court to again raise the matter of feudal abolition?”

“This possibility isn’t great. This Liang internal chaos—Tangyi obtained the greatest benefits, already becoming militarily strong and powerful. Even Xuzhou troops entering Chen Prefecture to suppress bandits, Shen Yang could only steel himself to drag Zheng Chang over to dissuade, precisely to prevent Han Qian from having opportunity to opportunistically annex the four Ruan River prefectures. How would they sit and watch Tangyi continue growing through division?” Wang Wenqian shook his head saying. “Of course, Han Qian insists to the death that Shiliang isn’t within eastern Huai’s enfeoffed territory and should rightfully return to Chu Prefecture. The matter of bandits plundering Xuzhou also truly occurred—Xuzhou seized evidence. The court is weak, lacking威威authority to intimidate Tangyi, yet must untangle these two deadlocks. I think—if matters become僵deadlocked, the final outcome may be that the Han court will simply and decisively cut off eastern Huai’s relief grain, then give Tangyi justification to independently recover Shiliang…”

Yin Peng thought a while, thinking that if stalemate continued, the situation would truly develop in this direction. At that time having Tangyi and eastern Huai mutually slaughter each other would perhaps be what court officials most wished to see. Worriedly furrowing his brow, he asked: “Should I go speak with the National Counselor?”

To avoid finally descending to armed conflict, Yin Peng thought of making Prince Xin understand in advance what the outcome of losing control would be. But at this time he also didn’t dare see the hot-tempered Prince burning with fury, thinking of first seeing Ruan Yan.

Wang Wenqian dejectedly shook his head, stopping Yin Peng saying: “If they can think of it, fine. If they can’t think of it, when Tangyi forces enter Shiliang County, there’s still room to negotiate. Why seek discomfort at this time?”

Yin Peng knew this was a compromising situation—this matter shouldn’t be directly raised by their side to Ruan Yan or Prince Xin. Otherwise, who knew whether others would suspect them of secretly assisting Tangyi. But thinking of truly dragging until Tangyi army suddenly entered Shiliang County, Yin Peng also felt fear, worried that at that time the room for both sides to maneuver would be even smaller.

“Will Sir really remain bedridden continuously?” Yin Peng asked again.

“Otherwise what can be done? Let others find us obstructive?” Wang Wenqian asked.

Yin Peng was at a loss for words. Yet who could have anticipated Tangyi would be able to expand to this extent in barely two years—expanding to aggressively press eastern Huai and make eastern Huai deeply feel threatened?

Otherwise, regardless of who proposed it, they wouldn’t have married Wang Jun to Tangyi!

“Is Jun’er doing well at East Lake?” Wang Wenqian gazed at the pond beside the pavilion for a while with melancholy, asking.

“Should be well, I suppose.” Yin Peng said uncertainly.

Last month when he and Ruan Yan rushed to Linhuai to see Han Qian, they hadn’t seen Wang Jun. To avoid suspicion, Wang Jun sent no family letters back, and he also had no correspondence with Wang Tao, Wang Yan, Wang Zhe and others.

However, Yin Peng knew Wang Yan served as Huangchuan County Magistrate, Wang Tao and Huo Xiao could enter Tangyi’s core, while Huo Li and Wang Zhe had some time ago been dispatched somewhere on official business. Since none of them were sitting on the cold bench at Tangyi, this all indicated Wang Jun’s circumstances wouldn’t be too poor.

Now timing had become even more sensitive. Yin Peng also didn’t mention dispatching people to contact Wang Yan and Wang Zhe, but also said with some worry: “The fear is that Yang Prefecture’s side—some people might be unable to restrain themselves from contacting the young lady…”

Yin Peng was originally a Wang family retainer who established merit, gained freedom from the Wang family and established his own household. But his family was a small household—brothers, nephews totaling only ten-some people. With a few words of caution, no problems would arise. But after the Wang and Huo families migrated north from Run Prefecture to Yang Prefecture, they remained powerful clans with nearly a thousand direct, concubine, and collateral descendants and dependents, commanding a thousand household servants, and owning a thousand qing of fertile fields.

Two years ago, the Wang and Huo families might still have viewed Wang Yan, Wang Tao, Wang Zhe, Huo Li, Huo Xiao and others who entered Tangyi following Wang Jun as discarded pieces. But in barely two years, Tangyi (including Xuzhou) commanded over thirty counties with 1.2-1.3 million military and civilians, actually already becoming Great Chu’s premier military commissioner force surpassing eastern Huai and Xiangbei.

If the Wang and Huo families had people unable to restrain themselves, frequently running from Yang Prefecture to Tangyi—Yin Peng could hardly imagine what associations this matter entering Prince Xin’s ears would trigger.

“I’ll write to Wenyong, admonishing again.” Wang Wenqian nodded, truly knowing some matters couldn’t be too careful or cautious. He also told his concubine Lady Xu: “I newly obtained an ancient inkstone that Imperial Consort Gu should like. Find an opportunity to send this ancient inkstone and the dozen newly obtained jade pieces into the inner palace…”

“If you hadn’t worked together to rescue her back then, how could Gu Mei’er have served beside His Highness? Are you still worried she won’t have opportunity to speak well of you?” Lady Xu said somewhat reluctantly.

“Favors are from the past—whether remembered depends on relations. Don’t begrudge small benefits,” Wang Wenqian said.

……

……

Who knew how Prince Xin swallowed this anger. Han Qian received news only that after Li Changfeng reached Chu Prefecture, he dispatched people traveling between Chu Prefecture and Jinling four or five times. What was finally placed before the Political Affairs Hall for separate discussion was eastern Huai demanding an additional one hundred thousand shi of relief grain over this year and next.

Documents from the Privy Council, Ministry of Finance and other offices were delivered to East Lake at the end of April, formally placing Shiliang County under the Tangyi Campaign Pacification Commission’s jurisdiction, clarifying that eastern Huai’s enfeoffed territory would equally share with the Tangyi Campaign Pacification Commission the advantageous terrain of Hongze Lake and Fanliang Lake.

Shiliang County had long been devastated by previous frequent warfare—the city was in ruins, with households numbering only four to five hundred.

However, when eastern Huai forces withdrew into Dongyang County territory, they also drove the over four hundred households—three thousand people—like livestock into Dongyang territory. Structures and village stockades within Shiliang County that could be burned were all reduced to ashes, as if plowed over again by military disaster.

“Small-minded is just small-minded! Years ago I predicted Yang Yuanyan wouldn’t amount to anything—he truly hasn’t disappointed me!” Han Qian reined in his horse, gazing at the wilderness where grass grew and orioles flew. Hearing Feng Xuan, who had earlier led forces to garrison, report on the situation of taking over Shiliang County, he said with emotion.

Feng Liao, Han Donghu, Han Chengmeng, Huo Li and other officers and officials also reined in their horses atop the grassy slope, gazing at Shiliang City which the Tangyi army had formally taken over only two months ago. Under the setting sun it appeared particularly ruined.

Whether the earlier Hejin Army or the later eastern Huai army, both constrained by provisions and difficulty in conscripting civilian laborers, neither had thoroughly repaired Shiliang’s remaining ruins.

At this time gazing from afar at the ruined city, they could see enormous gaps in the broken walls, merely sealed with palisade walls.

The post road passing through the city had long been abandoned. Although amid the sparse and thick wild grass one could barely make out its former appearance, continuous fine rain made it muddy and impassable for men and horses.

At this time in midsummer, since entering the rainy season, the Jianghuai region had experienced continuous heavy rains. Many construction projects were forced to halt—naturally military operations were out of the question.

Han Qian inspecting disaster conditions all along the way, reaching Shiliang County could see waterlogged areas everywhere. Obviously most of Shiliang County’s rivers and channels had long been severely silted, embankments abandoned, almost completely unable to fulfill drainage flood control functions.

Fortunately Shiliang County territory also had no populace, so there was no重responsibility for flood prevention and disaster relief.

However, fields within Shiliang County had been abandoned for quite long periods. Besides serious waterlogging, most areas also grew tangled root shrubs and could only be reclaimed as virgin land—the difficulty far exceeded fields abandoned for only two or three years.

“To reclaim these fields well requires transferring more oxen, horses and large livestock.” The rainy season would soon pass. After entering autumn was opportunity to greatly expand production. Han Qian turned back asking Feng Liao: “How many large livestock can the General Administration allocate to Chu Prefecture?”

“Currently we can allocate five hundred mules and oxen, five hundred warhorses to Chu Prefecture,” Feng Liao said.

“Too few, right? I made guarantees to people below that the Pacification Commission would definitely allocate us two thousand warhorses, two thousand mules and oxen. Chu Prefecture now is impoverished and broken with insufficient population of twenty thousand, but the tasks to do are far too many. Without animal power, then allocate me three thousand more able-bodied laborers…” Before Han Qian, Feng Xuan began bargaining with Feng Liao.

Tangyi these years had continuously supplemented animal power. The Wujin Ridge great victory directly seized over five thousand mules and horses from the Shouzhou army. But after merging the northern twelve counties’ over five hundred thousand population, the average animal power level within Tangyi territory was still far below the Jiangdong region.

Currently in the Jiangdong region one bull was worth over ten strings of cash. The Pacification Commission now needed money in too many places—this year could only squeeze out a small budget to purchase four to five thousand mules and horses. But places requesting livestock were even more numerous.

Feng Xuan opening his mouth to demand four thousand large livestock—if not for consideration of his face, Feng Liao at this time could spray him with spittle.

However, without large livestock as important supplement, purely using human labor to fell shrubs, reclaim new fields, dig channels, and repair cities and post roads would be far too slow.

Measuring by the current intensive cultivation standards of better-developed counties like East Lake, Tangyi, Wanshou, and Liyang—one able-bodied adult male not relying on animal power could cultivate eleven or twelve mu of irrigated and dry land annually at most before reaching the limit.

Therefore, although western Huai’s flat territories were quite vast, theoretically able to reclaim tens of millions of mu of grain fields, the Tangyi Pacification Commission governed one million population. Calculating women and children as equivalent to half an able-bodied laborer, being able to cultivate at high standards five to six million mu of irrigated and dry land was already the limit.

Under these circumstances, the vast majority of labor would be bound to the fields. Only during agricultural slack seasons could they be extracted in segments for road, city wall, and channel construction.

This was also the main factor why under traditional governance models, corvée and military service were limited to three to four month periods. If warfare or tense confrontation lasted prolonged periods, forcing large numbers of able-bodied laborers into excessive service had particularly great impact on farming.

This was also an enormous predicament difficult to escape in the agricultural era.

Farming enabled people to inhabit and reproduce in fixed dwellings, with rapid population growth. But even in prosperous peaceful times, people still needed to labor arduously day and night to meet basic survival needs.

Tangyi currently couldn’t divorce from agricultural production as foundation. But to ensure workshops obtained sufficient labor, Han Qian mainly limited land grant scale.

Even though western Huai had extensive land and sparse population—granting soldiers’ families over a hundred mu of fields per household would be more than sufficient—average initial grants per household were limited to only fifteen mu. Merit gained in battle could at most accumulate to thirty mu. At this point, if wanting to exchange military merit for more farmland, households must divide. But in principle this wasn’t supported for meritorious soldiers.

On the foundation of controlling land grant scale, intensive cultivation standards had to be continuously raised, maximizing high-yield paddy field planting area so actual grain output wouldn’t decrease much, ensuring ability to satisfy internal military and civilian needs.

Additionally, every means was used to supplement animal power, and water-powered machinery developed according to local conditions to undertake some heavy agricultural tasks like grain hulling and irrigation, further conserving labor to enable nearby transfer to industry and mining.

This model could more fully utilize surplus agricultural population or agricultural slack labor. But it also determined that once some craft manufacturing techniques were promoted, expanding production scale made strict secrecy impossible.

After all, craftsmen and families couldn’t all be concentrated together to form a closed group not easily penetrated externally.

Although the court hadn’t formally issued documents permitting it, Han Qian had already conducted new district adjustments for western Huai prefectures in June.

Currently Chu Prefecture City (Nanqiao County), Yongyang, Puyang, Tingshan, and Shiliang—six counties were placed under Chu Prefecture jurisdiction. Shiliang County with heavier military defense tasks was made the prefectural administrative seat. Feng Xuan commanded one brigade of elite troops garrisoning Chu Prefecture, concurrently serving as Chu Prefecture Prefect, with Han Chengmeng appointed as Prefectural Chief Administrator and Shiliang County Magistrate.

Although Puyang and Tingshan were among the earliest counties established together with East Lake and Wushou, before the Wujin Ridge great victory, the role of Puyang and Tingshan cities was mainly as core support for the Chu Prefecture defense line, guarding against Wen Bo’s forces garrisoning Chu Prefecture. They weren’t initial management priorities.

Currently bringing both Puyang and Tingshan counties in, Chu Prefecture’s five counties possessed only three thousand households—twenty thousand population.

Han Qian planned over three to five years to migrate another one hundred thousand population into Chu Prefecture from outside.

Of course, currently population migration was mainly internal adjustment within western Huai jurisdiction, not as urgent as before. Simultaneously the Pacification Commission could allocate limited money and grain to Chu Prefecture at one time—after all too many places needed money. Therefore even planning to migrate one hundred thousand population proceeded step by step.

Currently it was more just planning to transfer populations from Huangchuan and Le’an counties as well as central Huo and Shou Prefectures where flood disasters were particularly severe—houses and fields invaded by floodwaters—to Chu Prefecture and the two newly established counties north of Chao Lake.

Doing this had minimal resistance while also ensuring farmland in these regions not suffering flood disasters could continue producing grain, avoiding creating excessively enormous additional expenses for the Pacification Commission. As for households with damaged houses and flooded fields—suffering from nowhere to settle and enduring hunger—when the Pacification Commission intervened for disaster relief, migrating them elsewhere, what choice did they have?

Currently speaking, Chu Prefecture’s population base was still too small. Even hiring workers couldn’t mobilize much labor. But Feng Xuan governing Chu Prefecture, besides commanding subsequent naval forces entering Hongze Lake and Fanliang Lake to jointly bear responsibility for northern and eastern-western defense, also had to prepare preliminary settlement work for subsequent population migration, conducting post road, channel, and city stockade repair across the entire prefecture. The burden on his shoulders was exceptionally heavy—naturally hoping to allocate several thousand more large livestock.

Feng Xuan knew private discussions with Feng Liao wouldn’t work, so could only争strive for more before Han Qian.

Before Han Qian could speak, Feng Liao first complained to Feng Xuan: “Excavating Yongyang Canal connecting Puyang River and Shiliang River, and the横cross canal connecting Shiliang River and Shitang River—if Chu Prefecture shoulders this alone, I can allocate two thousand more mules and horses. However, these two matters require enormous manpower and materials and are extremely urgent. Currently the General Administration hires several thousand able-bodied laborers from various counties to manage it—really unable to squeeze out more resources for Chu Prefecture…”

Feng Xuan tugged Han Chengmeng’s sleeve, both staring at Han Qian. Han Qian hurriedly begged off: “You discuss this matter with Feng Liao. If I speak carelessly, Feng Liao will fixate on me like a resentful woman—who can I reason with?”

“…A skilled woman cannot cook without rice—hence resentment,” Feng Liao said plaintively.

“While the sky hasn’t darkened, we can still make it to Mopan Valley now,” Han Donghu urged.

Shiliang County’s city stockade defenses had just been taken over. Only small numbers of forward camps were established at Shitang Wharf and Baiti Ridge to watch eastern Huai forces’ every move. Han Donghu didn’t want to march at night, wanting to enter Mopan Valley camp before the sky completely darkened.

Han Qian coming over this time, or previously not hesitating to tear off all pretenses to争争for Shiliang County, was actually because in the northern段segment of the Wujian Mountain range, on the side near Shiliang County among the peaks and ridges, they discovered very likely existing large shallow coal mines.

Previous topographic surveys of Wujian Mountain mainly emphasized military offense and defense. But in March this year when the Hao-Chu region experienced連continuous heavy rainstorms, intermittent black water surged from within Wujian Mountain.

When scouts discovered this phenomenon, Chen Jitang and others speculated the northern段segment peaks and ridges of Wujian Mountain very likely contained large-scale shallow coal stone veins.

In fact, the entire western Huai region didn’t lack coal. But considering drainage difficulties, even shallow coal in plain regions had extremely high extraction costs. To transport coal from deep within Huaiyang Mountain, transportation costs were too high.

If they could survey large shallow coal mines convenient for extraction among the northern段segment peaks and ridges of Wujian Mountain, the significance would be enormous, also making excavating channels to connect Puyang River, Shitang River, and Shiliang River have greater economic value.

From Han Qian managing Qiuhu Mountain onward, these years passing, using coal stone or carbon stone to replace firewood for cooking, producing quicklime and brick tiles, and smelting copper and iron had become extremely common in the capital region.

Currently the capital region alone consumed seven to eight hundred thousand dan of coal annually.

This was mainly still limited by the capital region’s limited shallow coal resources. Coal layers buried deeper—due to drainage, mine shaft maintenance, and mine shaft carbon gas that killed invisibly and was flammable and explosive—costs were still too high. This made coal prices in the capital region decline by only about half compared to ordinary charcoal.

If coal prices could be lowered by another half, Han Qian estimated the capital region’s coal consumption alone could increase at least two to three times more. Not to mention it could also be exported via waterways to prosperous cities along Taihu Lake shores like Run Prefecture.

Currently they had indeed discovered shallow coal in Wujian Mountain, but exactly how abundant the coal layer resources were, whether they merited large-scale development—people were currently dispatched into the mountains for further surveys. Han Qian inspecting disaster conditions this time also planned to personally see the northern段segment peaks and ridges of Wujian Mountain.

After all, truly large-scale development, including building post roads and dams to make water and land routes connect with Mopan Valley post roads and Puyang River and Shiliang River waterways, even building hardwood rail roads between mines and wharves—these were all enormously expensive projects in this era.

Only easily extracted large shallow mines capable of annual production of several hundred thousand dan of coal merited such unreserved investment.

Currently in Qingcang Mountain, Ruxu Mountain, and regions of Huaiyang Mountain near stream and river networks, developed coal mines produced a total of over two hundred thousand dan annually—already difficult to satisfy Tangyi’s subsequently日益expanding coal demands, let alone supplying the capital region.