From cute to empress

Chapter 188 Private Visit to the Iron Mine

Before Advisor Liu could finish his words, I interrupted him, "No, I can't wait that long. I want to meet these powerful people in person!"

Advisor Liu looked troubled. "Your Majesty, this is probably inappropriate. Those powerful people are so arrogant and unreasonable. What if..."

"Nothing will happen!" I said firmly. "I've made up my mind. I'll set off for the iron mine tomorrow!"

The next day, I arrived at the iron mine with a few guards and a small entourage. When the local powerful heard that the empress was visiting incognito, they dared not neglect her and gathered at the foot of the mountain early to welcome her.

I looked at these fat, big-eared, smiling tyrants in front of me and sneered in my heart. They were not so polite when they oppressed the people.

"Dear gentlemen, I came here today to learn about the operating conditions of the iron mine." I said straight to the point.

A powerful figure who looked like the leader stepped forward and said with a bow, "Your Majesty, this iron mine has always been jointly managed by several of us. We have paid taxes to the court on time every year without fail."

"Oh? Really?" I sneered. "Then why did I hear that you've been involved in numerous fights over the mines over the years, even injuring many innocent people?"

The powerful man was suddenly speechless, and the others also lowered their heads.

I continued, "I'm not here to hold you accountable, but to discuss a mutually beneficial solution with you."

I looked around at everyone and said slowly, "I intend to bring the iron mine under the unified management of the imperial court. But don't worry, the court will purchase your shares at the market price and guarantee that your interests will not be harmed."

As soon as these words were spoken, the powerful people were in an uproar. Some clamored to sell, while others began to bargain. I had anticipated this reaction and remained calm. I listened patiently to their opinions, explaining and reassuring them one by one.

After a fierce debate, most of the powerful people expressed their willingness to accept the court's conditions. Only a few powerful people remained stubborn and refused to compromise.

"Mr. Zhang, why are you unwilling to accept the court's conditions?" I looked at one of the powerful men and asked.

Mr. Zhang stiffened his neck and said, "Your Majesty, my ancestors have relied on this iron mine for their livelihood. Now Your Majesty wants to take it back to the court. Isn't this going to cut off my livelihood?"

I smiled faintly. "Mr. Zhang, you're wrong. The imperial court took over the iron mines to better manage and utilize the resources, not to destroy your livelihood. On the contrary, the court will provide more job opportunities so that the people can live a good life."

I paused and continued, "I know you still have concerns. How about this? I can agree to one condition. As long as you tell me, I will do my best to satisfy you."

Zhang Yuanwai's eyes flickered with hesitation when he heard this. He was silent for a moment, as if weighing the pros and cons. Finally, he raised his head, looked at me, and said, "Your Majesty, I dare to..."

"Your Majesty, I dare to..." Mr. Zhang hesitated, his eyes flickering as he tried to form his words. I waited patiently, knowing this was his last chance. After a moment, he seemed to have made up his mind, took a deep breath, and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to donate my shares to the court. I only ask that Your Majesty agree to one thing for me."

I was slightly moved. It seemed he was trying to trade his shares for other benefits. I gestured for him to continue. Mr. Zhang said cautiously, "I am the only son of my humble family. Although I am not talented, I have studied for a few years. I dare to ask him to enter the palace and serve Your Majesty."

I understood. So, he was trying to "save the country in a roundabout way." Just as I was about to speak, I heard hurried footsteps outside the palace. A guard hurried in, knelt down, and reported, "Your Majesty, urgent news from the border!"

My heart tightened. Could it be that the barbarians to the north were being unruly again? I took the secret letter from the guard and unfolded it. It was from Zhen Youcai. It detailed the border's war preparations and mentioned the iron mines. He believed that the court should take strong measures and quickly control the iron mines to ensure the army's supply of weapons.

After putting the letter down, I fell into deep thought. Zhen Youcai's suggestion made sense, but I was reluctant to resort to force. I knew that a war would inevitably result in bloodshed and the people would suffer. Furthermore, those powerful individuals had been operating in the area for years and were deeply entrenched. If we pushed them too far, they would likely unite and rebel, which would only lead to further trouble.

I rubbed my brows, suppressed the irritation in my heart, looked up at Mr. Zhang, and asked, "Mr. Zhang, do you know that the war on the border is getting tense right now, and the court needs a large amount of iron ore to forge weapons to defend the country?"

Mr. Zhang was stunned for a moment, obviously not expecting me to bring this up suddenly. He replied in a panic, "I, I don't know..."

I stood up, walked over to him, and said calmly, "I know your ancestors have relied on this iron mine for their livelihoods and have deep feelings for it. But now that the country is in danger, I hope you will prioritize the greater good and support the court's work."

I paused, then continued, "As for your son, I can promise you that as long as he is diligent and studious, he will achieve great things in the future."

Zhang Yuanwai raised his head and looked into my sincere eyes. The last trace of worry in his heart disappeared. He fell to his knees with a plop and said in a choked voice, "Your Majesty is very wise and righteous. I admire you! I am willing to donate all my shares to the court without hesitation!"

I helped him up, feeling a sense of relief. I knew that solving the problem at the iron ore mine required more than force; wisdom and patience were needed.

"Your Majesty is wise!" Advisor Liu, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up. "I have some ideas that may help Your Majesty better solve this problem..."

"Oh? What do you think, Lord Liu? Tell me about it." I motioned for Advisor Liu to stand up and asked with interest.

Advisor Liu adjusted his sleeves slowly and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the treasury is now empty. It is inevitable that relying solely on the power of the court to integrate resources will be insufficient. It would be better to free up resources and utilize private capital and technology. Perhaps we can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"Private capital and technology?" I frowned slightly. This is a fresh idea.

"Exactly," Advisor Liu, seeing I was intrigued, began to chatter. "Take the iron ore mines, for example. The court could encourage private mining and provide technical support, with the profits split proportionally between the court and the private sector. This way, we could rapidly increase iron ore production while reducing the court's financial burden – killing two birds with one stone."

I pondered for a moment. This was indeed a good idea, but it also carried risks. I looked at the silent Wang Jianguan and asked, "Lord Wang, what do you think?"

Official Wang, known for his integrity and outspokenness, was known as the "iron-faced censor." He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Liu's words are not without reason, but I believe that this matter requires caution. Private capital is highly profit-driven, and if supervision is inadequate, chaos could ensue."

"Lord Wang, you are absolutely right," I nodded in agreement. "I have made up my mind. I will proceed as Lord Liu suggests. Lord Wang, you will be fully responsible for overseeing this matter. You must ensure fairness and transparency in the resource integration process, and do not allow the interests of the people to be harmed."

"I obey your order!" Wang Jianguan accepted the order.

"Your Majesty is wise!" A hint of joy flashed in Advisor Liu's eyes, and he added, "I also suggest that we emulate the imperial examination system and recruit talented people from the public, regardless of their background. This will surely attract more outstanding talents for the court."

My eyes lit up. This is a great idea. For a long time, most court officials came from aristocratic families, making it incredibly difficult for children from humble backgrounds to rise to prominence. If we could break this monopoly and allow more talented people the opportunity to serve the country, it would undoubtedly inject new vitality into the nation.

"Alright! Let's do as Lord Liu says!" I slammed the table and decided, "Pass on my decree. From now on, we will recruit talented people nationwide. Anyone with a skill can sign up for the assessment..."

"Your Majesty..." Mr. Zhang, who had been standing aside, suddenly stopped talking.

"What else does Mr. Zhang want to say?" I asked.

He took a deep breath, as if he had made some important decision, and said with a firm look in his eyes, "Your Majesty, I have another favor to ask..."

Zhang Yuanwai took a step forward, and behind him, Zhao Bairen and Sun Gongjian also knelt down and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I dare to share your worries!"

I was slightly startled, then I noticed the silent Zhao Baixing and Sun Gongjiang. Zhao Baixing was a renowned farmer, while Sun Gongjiang was a renowned craftsman, both highly respected among the people. I gestured for them to stand and asked, "What do you want to say? Feel free to speak."

The common people of Zhao said excitedly, "Your Majesty, I heard that the imperial court is consolidating resources and encouraging private iron mining. I have lived near the iron mine for generations and know the surrounding mountains and rivers like the back of my hand. Perhaps I can do my bit to help the imperial court."

Craftsman Sun also echoed, "Your Majesty, although I am not talented, I do have some experience in crafting tools. If the court needs me, I am willing to lead a group of fellow craftsmen to contribute to the mining of iron ore!"

My heart warmed. This was exactly what the people wanted! I glanced around at the ministers in the court and said aloud, "Excellent! I will make an exception today and appoint Zhao people as 'People's Inspectors', responsible for inspecting the resource integration situation in various places and reporting to the court in a timely manner. I will also appoint Sun the craftsman as 'Skilled Craftsman Commander', responsible for coordinating the folk artisans and providing technical support for resource integration!"

"We, the common people, thank Your Majesty for your grace!" The common people of Zhao and the craftsman Sun bowed to express their gratitude to the emperor, their faces filled with excitement and joy.

Over the next few months, Zhao and Sun actively engaged with the people, offering advice on resource integration. Zhao visited various locations, understanding the needs of the people and promptly reporting this to the court, effectively avoiding numerous conflicts and disputes. Sun, in turn, led his craftsmen, working day and night on the front lines of mining, overcoming one technical challenge after another and significantly increasing iron ore production.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the imperial court and the people, resource integration efforts achieved remarkable results. Mineral resources across the country were effectively developed and utilized, agricultural production efficiency was significantly improved, and national fiscal revenue grew steadily, laying a solid foundation for the implementation of the national development strategy.

I stood in the Imperial Garden, gazing at the towering palace in the distance, my heart filled with hope and anticipation. Then, behind me came the sound of familiar footsteps...