"Brother Fugui, you're something else. Why did you jump into the water for no reason? Are you cold?"
In the Grand Governor's mansion of Donghai Commandery, Xiaoqing busied herself helping Zhou Fugui change clothes, chiding him.
Feiyun also helped Zhou Fugui remove his wet clothes and put on a dry cotton robe.
"I know, I know..." Feiyun, with wet clothes draped over her arm, looked at Zhou Fugui and chuckled, "Doesn't the general say 'practice in summer, practice in winter'? The general is so diligent... but why are your lips purple? And you're shivering uncontrollably, hee hee..."
As Feiyun spoke, she couldn't help but laugh.
Xiaoqu also couldn't help but smile.
"This... what cold is this? Feiyun, Xiaoqing, you may not know, but don't you? Compared to Xue Lin City, this is nothing. So for your husband, this bit of cold is no big deal!" Zhou Fugui insisted stubbornly.
It was late autumn now, and winter was approaching. Although late autumn in Donghai Commandery was nowhere near as cold as Xue Lin City, the lake water in Donghai Commandery in late autumn was still bone-chillingly cold. So whether Zhou Fugui was fully conscious or not, he had certainly been thoroughly chilled.
"General, have a bowl of ginger soup. Be careful not to catch a cold," Liuxia said, carefully carrying a bowl of ginger soup as she entered.
"Thank you..." Zhou Fugui took the ginger soup and drank a large gulp. He felt much warmer and thanked her with a smile.
"You honor this servant, General." Zhou Fugui suddenly thanked her, startling Liuxia, who almost fell to her knees.
"What happened?" Zhou Fugui asked in surprise.
"It's all your fault?" Feiyun pouted and said, "Where in this world does a master thank a servant? Look, you've scared my sister..."
Although Feiyun said this, she was actually quite pleased and happy in her heart, as were Xiaoqing and Liuxia.
They heard that Zhou Fugui had killed people outside again.
Zhou Fugui was iron-fisted outside, but kind to them inside. He rarely got angry or lost his temper, unlike some masters in this world who treated concubines, maids, and servants as goods, property, or even livestock, let alone as human beings.
To be able to serve him, even as a concubine, maid, or servant, was an incredibly fortunate thing for Xiaoqing, Liuxia, and Feiyun.
"Heh heh..." Zhou Fugui shook his head and chuckled, "People in this world come and go naked, so what is there to distinguish between high and low, noble and humble? High or low, big or small, honor or disgrace, strong or weak, rich or poor, left or right, up or down? It's just the ulterior motives of the foolish."
"Brother Fugui, though that may be true..." Xiaoqing walked to Zhou Fugui's side and smiled, "The Grand Governor's mansion should have a mistress."
Deep-rooted notions of hierarchy were not easily changed, including for Zhou Fugui.
Zhou Fugui always spoke of the equality of all beings, but he had to admit to himself that it was impossible to achieve completely, or rather, he also had ulterior motives...
Buddhism speaks of the equality of all beings, but could he achieve it?
Since it couldn't be changed, it could only be adapted to.
"Hmm? Qing'er, what do you mean by that?" Zhou Fugui looked at Xiaoqing with some puzzlement.
"Brother Fugui, the eldest daughter of the Huang clan is dignified and virtuous, intelligent and talented, in the prime of her youth, and she... she has feelings for Brother Fugui..." Xiaoqing replied.
"What are you trying to do? Are you going to propose on my behalf?" Zhou Fugui interrupted before Xiaoqing could finish.
Dignified and virtuous? Zhou Fugui almost burst out laughing at the words. She was merely the proud and spoiled eldest daughter of an influential Donghai family, with a rather unrefined air, how could she be described as dignified and virtuous? However, Huang Dàiméi was indeed clever and talented, and also quite beautiful...
"Brother Fugui, I..." Xiaoqing lowered her head, somewhat fearfully.
"Ah, Qing'er..." Zhou Fugui stretched out his arm like he was capturing a great general in battle... He pulled Xiaoqing over, placed her on his lap, and said, "What mistress? You're demeaning yourself again? You are the mistress, the mistress of the Grand Governor's mansion in Donghai Commandery. Don't overthink it, just focus on giving Master some sons..."
One could not have both fish and bear's paw, but Zhou Fugui had more than just one fish or bear's paw. Although he was unwilling and resentful, he actually had three women now, and he felt that was enough.
Human desires were endless, especially for men. Many men, if not all, desired what they couldn't have, always looking for more. Zhou Fugui was also a man, a virile man. He was not indifferent to the beautiful Huang Dàiméi, and of course, he had his desires.
However, whether it was a blessing or a curse for Xiaoqing, Liuxia, and Feiyun to follow Zhou Fugui was yet unknown. Therefore, Zhou Fugui was unwilling to burden any more women.
Sometimes Zhou Fugui even wondered if Murong Huiying's fate had also been made difficult because of him.
"Brother Fugui..." What Zhou Fugui had said earlier was earnest and moved Xiaoqing deeply, but the last sentence made her extremely shy. She wrapped her jade arms around Zhou Fugui and whispered.
"And me, and me..." Feiyun said, her exotic dual pupils looking at Zhou Fugui.
"Good, good, you are all mistresses, the First Mistress, Second Mistress, and Third Mistress of the Grand Governor of Donghai Commandery in the Great Yan Kingdom..." Zhou Fugui stretched out his arms and embraced all three women, saying with a laugh.
"Heh heh... Brother Fugui... General..." The three women were nestled in Zhou Fugui's arms, blushing shyly.
"I said First Mistress, Second Mistress, Third Mistress..." With the three soft bodies radiating heat, Zhou Fugui raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Don't I need to tell you what we should be doing?"
"Brother Fugui..." Xiaoqing coquettishly chided him.
The matters within the room were extremely wild and unrestrained. Xiaoqing was unaccustomed and found it unbearable, but she was gentle and obedient, yielding to Zhou Fugui's every whim. Moreover, Xiaoqing had been from the Summer Palace and had seen or at least heard of all sorts of outrageous things.
Liuxia was a more reserved woman, perhaps due to her past experiences. Whatever the master said, went. She never dared to resist or talk back, simply accepting her fate.
Feiyun, with her exotic dual pupils, looked at Zhou Fugui and laughed, "Bring it on, are you afraid of me? Don't be a weakling then..."
"Hahaha..." Zhou Fugui roared with laughter. "This great general has roamed the battlefields for years, what haven't I seen? What have I feared? Would I fear you, little girl? Today, we shall have a battle of three hundred rounds, to the death! Are you brave enough to drink...?"
"..."
This was the difference between Dengling Yaoyao and the three women, Xiaoqing and the others. Zhou Fugui was incredibly relaxed and at ease when he was with Xiaoqing and the other two women, but when he was with Dengling Yaoyao, though the time was short, he felt extremely repressed and heavy.
That night, Zhou Fugui, the Marquis of Pingliang of the Great Yan Kingdom, the Grand Governor of Donghai, and the Prefect of Donghai Commandery, drank and frolicked with his concubines, enjoying a rare evening of relaxation.
...
Maling Mountain Mine, Donghai Commandery.
Maling Mountain, also known as Ling Mountain or Ma Ling Mountain, was named so because its undulating peaks resembled galloping horses. Located in the northeast of Donghai Commandery, it stretched across several counties, finally ending at Luoma Lake within Suqian. The entire mountain range was continuous and undulating, over two hundred li long. The main prominent peaks of Maling Mountain were located northeast of Donghai Commandery's city.
Maling Mountain was a strategically important place in ancient times. The Battle of Maling Mountain between Qi and Wei during the Warring States period, where Sun Bin ambushed and defeated Pang Juan, took place here. Heroes like Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Lu Bu in the Three Kingdoms era had also trained their troops here.
Maling Mountain was not only a strategically important place in ancient times but also rich in mineral resources, including iron ore, coal, diamonds, and barite. The largest of these was iron ore, and the importance of iron ore was self-evident; it could be used to forge weapons, armor, and so on, and of course, it could be sold for money.
"Hie yo... Hie yo... Hie yo..."
Chipping away at rocks, excavating tunnels, and entering underground through vertical shafts, inclined shafts, and horizontal tunnels was underground mining. Open-pit mining generally involved the method of land reclamation, where the land containing minerals was tilled, and the minerals were exposed to the surface.
Tens of thousands of people worked sweatily in the Maling Mountain mine, including famine victims, refugees, and prisoners, such as captured Donghai pirates or members of other factions.
Work-relief programs were not a new concept; they had existed since ancient times, where labor was directly exchanged for disaster relief food or remuneration, indirectly exchanging for disaster relief food. In this way, it could achieve the effects of relief, disaster mitigation, disaster prevention, and cost savings simultaneously.
Frequent wars, great disasters, and epidemics had left people destitute. Relief alone could not solve the current predicament of Donghai Commandery, and the meager funds and grain in Zhou Fugui's hands were far from enough. Therefore, Zhou Fugui had to find another way and explore other methods. Work-relief was one of them. He ordered the famine victims and refugees to mine, providing them with some remuneration, which not only filled their stomachs but also generated revenue for Donghai Commandery, and allowed the Xuepi Army to obtain military supplies. Why wouldn't Zhou Fugui do it?
In addition to mining, work-relief also included land reclamation, bridge and road construction, and water conservancy projects.
The famine victims and refugees received remuneration, as did the prisoners, although it was exceptionally little, just enough to be considered. Even so, the prisoners were overjoyed for two reasons. First, in this world, who would give prisoners remuneration? Not starving to death, not working to death, not being tortured to death was already a blessing from heaven; second, Zhou Fugui had made them a promise: if they served for three years, they would regain their freedom.
Therefore, most of the prisoners worked conscientiously, waiting for that day three years later. Most of them did not resist or rebel. As for those who resisted or rebelled, the Xuepi Army had cruel punishments or brutal methods.
"Greetings, Grand Governor!" On this day, Zhou Fugui arrived at the Maling Mountain mine with a group of personal guards. Ma Liwo, the flag general guarding the Maling Mountain mine, and Li Song, the recording official, along with others, paid their respects.
"You are dismissed!" Zhou Fugui dismounted, handed his whip to Pi E, and said coldly, "Ma Liwo, Li Song, you two have done well!"
Ma Liwo and Li Song were greatly shocked and exchanged glances.