Accidentally dressed as an empress

Chapter 222: Sending troops to quell the rebellion

At the dawn of spring, Screaming Owl Mountain was shrouded in chaos and fear. Half of the mine entrance had collapsed, and the tracks used to transport ore had been smashed by boulders. The ore was scattered across the ground, and mining tools had been discarded, leaving the entire place in a state of devastation.

The ragged miners, armed with crude weapons and with anger and determination in their eyes, confronted the whip-wielding supervisors, their roars and curses intertwined.

"You supervisors don't care about our lives and keep squeezing us. We can't live like this anymore!" a miner shouted.

"Hmph! You bunch of unruly people, if you don't work you won't have anything to eat. This is the imperial mine, you can't do whatever you want!" The supervisor responded viciously.

As the riots intensified, iron ore mining came to a complete standstill.

The supervisors panicked and gathered together to discuss.

"What should we do? If this continues, we will all lose our heads!" said a young supervisor anxiously.

"We must quickly request the imperial court to send troops to suppress the rebellion, otherwise this situation will be out of control!" The supervisor gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

So the chief supervisor hurriedly wrote a memorial and sent his confidant to deliver it to the court at full speed. The memorial earnestly requested the court to quickly send troops to suppress the riot, so as to save the iron ore mining crisis and restore order in Mingxiao Mountain.

The urgent report sped all the way and soon arrived in the capital.

In the court, the ministers circulated the report and immediately began to discuss it.

"Your Majesty, the miners' riot in Mingxiao Mountain is by no means a trivial matter. If it is not suppressed in time, it may affect the iron ore supply of our dynasty and even shake the foundation!" An old minister in court robes said worriedly.

Yun Se sat on the dragon throne, his face gloomy, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrests. After a moment of silence, he asked, "What good advice do you have?"

At this time, the young garrison commander Lin Nan stepped forward and clasped his fists, saying, "Your Majesty, I am willing to lead our elite troops to Mingxiao Mountain. We will surely be able to quickly quell this riot and resume iron mining."

However, before Yun Se could respond, Xu Ling objected, "Your Majesty, we must not rashly resort to force in this matter. The miners of Mingxiao Mountain are revolting, presumably because they have suffered many injustices in their daily lives. Simply suppressing them could provoke even greater unrest. I believe we should send a capable official to appease the miners first, investigate the cause of the incident, and then make a final decision."

After hearing this, Yun Se nodded slightly, thinking that what Xu Ling said made sense.

Yun Se looked around the court, and her eyes finally fell on Gu Zezhi.

In this matter, the Supervisory Department will first secretly investigate the actual situation before deciding whether to send troops to suppress it.

"My dear Minister Gu, I order you to go to Mingxiao Mountain immediately and investigate this matter thoroughly. Make sure to resolve it properly. Don't let the iron mine issue affect the overall situation of our dynasty." Yun Se said majestically.

Gu Zezhi accepted the order and quickly prepared to go to Mingxiao Mountain. He knew that this mission was difficult, not only related to the mining of iron ore, but also to the delicate balance between the court and the people.

After some simple preparations, Gu Zezhi, along with a few close followers, rode at full speed towards Mingxiao Mountain.

Meanwhile, on Screaming Owl Mountain, the standoff between the miners and the supervisors continued. The air was filled with tension, as if a bigger storm was about to come...

Gu Ze's group traveled day and night, finally arriving at the foot of Mingxiao Mountain. The situation on the mountain was nearly out of control. The miners' anger, driven by hunger and oppression, surged like a raging tide, threatening to overturn any dam of order at any moment. The overseers, like ants on a hot pot, frantically tested the edge of violence, attempting to maintain their shaky authority with a final act of intimidation.

Gu Zezhi looked at the smoke filling the mountain and knew that the most urgent task was to stabilize the emotions of both sides and avoid further escalation of bloody conflict.

He decided not to reveal his identity for the time being and only took one close follower up the mountain to find out the full picture.

The road on the mountain was rugged and full of traces of the riot. Broken tools, dried blood and messy footprints all told the intensity of the conflict.

As we reached the mountainside, we heard a commotion. A group of miners were surrounding an overseer, demanding an explanation. The overseer huddled in a corner in fear, his usual arrogance gone.

Gu Zezhi stepped forward quickly and shouted loudly: "Dear fellow villagers, stop it for now! I am a traveler passing by here. I heard that something happened on the mountain, so I came to take a look. Maybe I can help you with some ideas." The miners looked at him suspiciously, but their long-term oppressed situation made them hold a glimmer of hope for any possible turnaround, so they gradually quieted down and listened to him.

Gu Zezhi turned to the supervisor and asked, "Why has it come to this?" The supervisor replied in a trembling voice, "Your Excellency, you don't know. The court has issued a death order to increase iron ore production. We are also forced to do so. We can only let the miners work day and night. This has caused their dissatisfaction." Upon hearing this, the miners were immediately outraged and recounted the supervisors' daily evil deeds: withholding wages, beating and scolding at will, and forcing people to go down the mine without regard for safety hazards... Gu Zezhi sighed in his heart that this contradiction did not arise overnight and it would not be easy to resolve.

After comforting the miners, Gu Zezhi continued walking towards the mine. Along the way, he carefully observed the mining situation in the mine and gradually formed an idea in his mind.

He knew that to truly solve the problem, he had to ensure that the miners received reasonable treatment and protection, while also ensuring that the mining of the iron ore could proceed smoothly to meet the needs of the court. This balance between the two required him to skillfully maneuver and plan...

Gu Zezhi went deep into the mine to check and found that the mining method in the cave was extremely rough, and there were even serious safety hazards in many places. The miners working in such an environment were threatened with their lives at any time. This was undoubtedly an important source of intensified conflicts.

The mineral veins on the cave walls are crisscrossed in a chaotic manner, and the supporting wooden pillars are crumbling due to years of disrepair.

Gu Zezhi ordered his followers to find several experienced miners and humbly ask them for more reasonable mining methods. Seeing his sincere attitude, the miners offered suggestions and put forward practical suggestions from the setting of ventilation holes to the angle of excavation.

After leaving the mine, Gu Zezhi went to check out the miners' quarters. It was a dilapidated hut, with cold winds blowing in from all directions. There were almost no decent daily necessities in the house, only worn bedding and simple cooking utensils, which showed the hardship of their lives.

Seeing this scene, Gu Zezhi felt bitter in his heart, and it also strengthened his determination to solve the problem fundamentally.

He gathered the supervisors and miners' representatives in a relatively open area and said, "I know you all have difficulties. The miners work hard for their livelihoods, but they don't get the rewards and protection they deserve. The supervisors are also under pressure to produce, and they have acted rashly. But now that the mines are shut down, it's not in anyone's interest.

I propose that we reorganize mining operations, improve methods, increase efficiency, and improve the treatment and working conditions of the miners, so that peace and order can be restored."

The overseers exchanged bewilderment. Though reluctant, they knew the situation was dire and only compromise would offer a chance of improvement. The miners, on the other hand, whispered to each other, their eyes filled with both suspicion and a hint of hope.

After pacifying the miners, the next step is to look for traces of the robbers in the mountains.

Gu Zezhi brought his entourage and carefully surveyed the tracks left by the mining trucks. The mountain path was rugged and uneven. He frowned and thought to himself: The tracks along the way are so messy, who could have done this?

When we arrived at a secluded valley, we saw the ground in a mess. Broken wooden boxes were scattered all over the ground, and the ore truck was tilted to the side. The ore on the truck had long disappeared. Only the bloodstains under the wheels were particularly glaring against the backdrop of the white snow.

"Sir, it seems there has been a fierce fight here." The attendant whispered.

Gu Zezhi's face was solemn. He squatted down and carefully examined the traces on the ground. "These footprints are disorganized. Obviously, they were not done by ordinary robbers. And judging from the fragments of weapons left behind, they are well-equipped, which is definitely not something ordinary bandits can match." He felt more and more uneasy, knowing that the difficulty of this matter was far beyond his imagination.

After further investigation, Gu Zezhi found some unique marks of prisoners. He suddenly realized and thought to himself: This must be the work of escaped prisoners. They robbed the mine trucks, obtained supplies and weapons, and then colluded with the miners in the mine, which made this riot continue despite repeated bans.

If this continues, iron ore mining will stagnate, affecting armaments manufacturing and stability.

Back at the camp, Gu Zezhi summoned Lin Nan and said with a firm look, "The situation is critical now. If we continue to negotiate with these rioters, we will only end up nurturing a tiger. They are ruthless and familiar with the mine's terrain. We can't delay any longer."

He thought that although suppression would result in casualties, it was the most helpless yet most effective method at the moment. Order must be restored as soon as possible to reduce greater losses.

"Sir, what do you think?" Lin Nan asked.

"Immediately reorganize the troops and prepare for a comprehensive crackdown on the mines. We must restore peace to Mingxiao Mountain as quickly as possible. We cannot let the mining of the iron ore be abandoned because of these rebels!" Gu Zezhi said firmly.

"To ensure that nothing goes wrong, I will ask His Majesty to transfer troops from Xiling to fight together with the garrison." Gu Zezhi said again.

"Yes!" The generals accepted the order in unison, and then quickly prepared to suppress the rebellion.