Chapter 10 The Tenth Gold Mine

Chasing the last rays of dawn, the Jiang family's carriage finally arrived at the entrance of the nameless village.

Returning to this familiar place, the corpses that once littered the ground were gone, and people were now moving about in an orderly fashion. Lu Huantang didn't understand why Jiang Linzhi had brought him here. Afraid that Jiang Linzhi would be reminded of the unpleasant events of the past, he subtly pulled the carriage curtain tighter, deliberately diverting Jiang Linzhi's attention, and said, "What would you like to eat, Miss? I'll go and prepare it."

"No need, just eat whatever you like. The main thing is to take you to meet people; I'll leave this place to you in a few days." Jiang Linzhi seemed indifferent, warming his hands by the hand warmer and closing his eyes to rest.

Is this an offer to govern a village? What exactly is Jiang Linzhi planning?

As the carriage turned the corner, behind the simple village stretched a range of mountains, and the carriage continued along the flat mountain road.

Lu Huantang remembers that there was no such wide mountain road here at that time, only a narrow path trodden out by herb gatherers.

After traveling for a while, the carriage made a sharp turn, and the scene behind the mountains made Lu Huantang's jaw drop—a huge gold mining factory stood prominently among the mountains, and the surrounding barren hills had been transformed into orderly houses.

Behind such an unremarkable village, there was actually a gold mine!

This suddenly makes sense why the villagers kidnapped Jiang Linzhi. It's likely that Jiang Linzhi discovered the secret, and when negotiations failed, the villagers forcibly detained her to silence her.

With so many people and so many buildings, how could it be completed overnight? Even the all-powerful regent and his allies hadn't heard a word about this.

Is the Jiang family, and Jiang Linzhi, really just the second richest businessmen?

Lu Huantang was filled with doubt and unease, a layer of cold sweat breaking out on his back, as if a centipede was lurking in the shadows on his back.

Jiang Linzhi's "tethering" that day was probably just a pre-planned scheme. Even the way she "fell" just as he drew his sword was likely part of the plan.

The victim from a few months ago has now transformed into a beneficiary before his very eyes.

She even used the regent as a weapon to clear away all obstacles here.

His heart pounded in his chest, but Lu Huantang remained expressionless, calmly observing Jiang Linzhi's serene face. The girl seemed genuinely tired, leaning against the carriage wall in a light sleep, her mouth slightly open—a rather unsightly sight.

However, no matter how "unguarded" Jiang Linzhi appeared on the surface, Lu Huantang never dared to let his guard down again.

In the blink of an eye, the carriage arrived at its destination. Jiang Linzhi got out of the carriage, where a line of people was already waiting. Ignoring them, Jiang Linzhi said to Lu Huantang, "I'm handing over the gold mine to you. Do you like it?"

“I’m naturally happy to do things for Miss.” Lu Huantang withdrew his hand from helping her out of the car, but unusually did not let go.

Jiang Linzhi and Lu Huantang held her hand, raising an eyebrow. "I know you're capable; you can definitely manage the gold mine and keep the news of it secret, right?"

"Your subordinates have done their utmost."

Jiang Linzhi nodded in satisfaction. "It's easy to block the news, but it's hard to manage your own people. The people in the gold mine are all refugees. Managing them is not an easy task. Go to the second room on the east side of the fifth floor in a bit. The manager will come. Just listen to what he says." Jiang Linzhi stretched and walked into the room. "Miss, I want to take a nap. It's too cold."

Show him who he knows? We should let him handle it himself.

Manager Huo Fu and several other powerful men had already seen the two men clasping hands and assumed it was Jiang Linzhi's male favorite. They were surprised to find it was just a manager, but since they guessed he had risen to his position through his body, they didn't pay much attention. They handed over all the account books and rosters, meaning for Lu Huantang to look at them himself, and then casually mentioned some things about the gold mining factory.

Taking advantage of their misunderstanding, Lu Huantang asked him everything he wanted to know, except for the whereabouts of the gold.

Having clarified the matter of the gold, Lu Huantang immediately established a set of rules based on military regulations, including stipulations on the number of men and collective punishment.

Manager Huo Fu was nominated by the local chamber of commerce. He thought he could make some benefits from it and even put his whole family into the gold mine. Now, although their monthly salary is generous, there is no night grass, so it is not as comfortable as it was outside.

Seeing that Lu Huantang was shrewd and efficient, Huo Fu and the others abandoned their earlier disrespect and started thinking about how to trick him into leaving. Huo Fu wanted to send Lu Huantang away, since they had been driving the carriage for half a day and were indeed tired, so he said, "These trivial matters are not urgent. Manager Lu has come from afar, so he should rest first. He will have more energy to work for Miss, won't he?"

That's true. After the banquet, Huo Fu took Lu Huantang to his lodgings and left with an ambiguous look on his face.

Lu Huantang didn't notice Huo Fu's expression. He stepped into the inner room and before he could say anything, he saw the dress lying on the ground. The embroidery was so bright and the brocade so luxurious. Who else but Jiang Linzhi would dare to wear it?

It turned out that Huo Fu had directly sent Lu Huantang to Jiang Linzhi's room, causing this huge misunderstanding. Just as Lu Huantang was about to slip away quietly, Jiang Linzhi inside the tent suddenly spoke up warily, "Who's there?"

Now that he couldn't leave, Lu Huantang picked up Jiang Linzhi's clothes and hung them on the hanger, saying, "Manager Huo must have misunderstood and led me to Miss's room. I'll leave immediately."

The previously wary voice instantly turned languid, coming through the screen. "You just used me, and now you don't recognize me anymore?" Jiang Linzhi saw right through Lu Huantang's little scheme. Before Lu Huantang could say anything, she added, "Go take a bath, then come over."

This meant nothing to Lu Huantang. He was known for his womanizing ways and it wasn't the first time he'd shared a bed with a woman. He never considered using women to achieve his goals to be anything shameful. On the contrary, he despised those who, upon hearing that women had gained money and power, assumed it was through their bodies, while simultaneously wanting to be their lovers.

Lu Huantang has always bowed down to power and desire, regardless of gender.

Before entering Jiang's residence, he had indeed thought of the fastest and most convenient way—to become one of Jiang Linzhi's male favorites, and then use her power to make his mark in the court.

But this day came too quickly. Lu Huantang hadn't yet understood Jiang Linzhi's weaknesses and needs. He had only become a plaything and couldn't gain Jiang Linzhi's trust or win her heart.

In his eyes, Jiang Linzhi is now like a thick-skinned glutinous rice ball. Before biting into it, no one knows what kind of filling she has. If you try to bite into it rashly, you will burn your mouth with the filling inside.

After taking a bath with a jumble of thoughts, Lu Huantang put on clean nightgown and lifted the curtain.

Jiang Linzhi seemed to have fallen asleep, wrapped up like a silkworm cocoon.

Lu Huantang quietly climbed onto the bed, intending to rest in one corner, but Jiang Linzhi suddenly reached out and pulled Lu Huantang into the quilt, wrapping her arms around his waist.

The blankets were still a bit cool, and Jiang Linzhi's hands and feet were also cold. Through the thin clothes, the coolness reached Lu Huantang's slightly hot skin.

Jiang Linzhi still carried the faint Xunling fragrance that Qi Lingjun had worn, as if it had seeped into his bones and blood and could not be erased. The fragrance on the tip of his nose and the coldness on his body gradually calmed him down.

Lu Huantang didn't understand what this meant, but adhering to his principle of never taking the initiative and his strategy of being respectful and polite to Jiang Linzhi, he simply put his arm around Jiang Linzhi.

Jiang Linzhi snuggled closer to him, and asked sleepily, "What scent do you have on you?"

Having been in Sui for two years, he had long since abandoned his former aloof habits. He now washes clothes with soap and some fragrant herbs, saying, "I don't need any fragrance."

The warm breath on Lu Huantang's chest felt like a pair of soft hands slipping inside his clothes, gently tickling him.

Normally, he would have used sweet words to seduce the girl until she couldn't resist and pounced on him. But faced with Jiang Linzhi's unpredictable behavior, he could only say, "Miss... are you implying that you want to take me as your male concubine?"

The breath she had just felt was replaced by a tangible presence. Jiang Linzhi's hand, like a snake, slipped into his collar and caressed his firm chest. But she kept her eyes closed, and as if unconsciously murmuring in a dream, she asked, "Do you want to?"

Words spoken in a dream are just sleep talk; actions taken in a dream are just a dream. Everything Jiang Linzhi said and did in his dream was illusory and unreal.

If Lu Huantang agrees, she will go along with it; if he doesn't, she won't feel awkward.

Lu Huantang couldn't help but admire Jiang Linzhi's skillful methods; no wonder she had countless male lovers. After a moment's thought, his hand moved to Jiang Linzhi's waist and gently untied her sash.

After all, getting involved with Jiang Linzhi is never a bad thing.

Inside the dimly lit tent, only the faint moonlight softly enveloped Jiang Linzhi's loosely draped, graceful body, making it appear as if draped in thin gauze, adding to its ethereal beauty. Although it wasn't the first time he'd seen her like this, he couldn't calm the pounding in his chest.

Jiang Linzhi stretched out her jade-like arm and hooked it around Lu Huantang's neck, then smiled and said, "Want to light a lamp?"

"Miss, would you like to light a lamp?" Few people would think of lighting a lamp.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to see my beauty," Jiang Linzhi teased boldly.

Lu Huantang leaned down and said softly, "Miss's appearance is already etched in my mind; I know it even without looking."

The two were intertwined like wind and snow, clouds and rain, inseparable and interdependent. The tent immediately became hot.

Just as Lu Huantang was about to get to the point, he touched the raised scar on Jiang Linzhi's neck, like a smooth brocade being torn by a knife and its threads broken.

The scar seemed to remind him—calm down, she knew you were going to kill her, this was all a test of you!

The passionate sweat suddenly cooled, and in the dimly lit room, only heavy breathing could be heard. Jiang Linzhi felt the sudden distance from the person on top of him and opened his eyes in confusion.

She couldn't see the expression on the person's face, but the light in their eyes flickered before her. Jiang Linzhi didn't urge him on; she simply tugged at his sleeve cautiously, adopting a posture of surrender.

Before long, Lu Huantang turned over and lay down on one side, embracing the moonlight, and said softly, "It was my rudeness."

With the human-shaped heater gone, Jiang Linzhi was somewhat surprised and asked with a slight smile, "If nothing happens between us, how can you so confidently use me as a backer?"

As expected, Jiang Linzhi knew that he wouldn't deny the "male concubine" matter today.

Lu Huantang immediately stood up, knelt down by the bed, and said, "It is my fault for tarnishing Miss's reputation. Please punish me, Miss."

Jiang Linzhi reached out and pulled him back, scoffing, "I knew you were just using someone else's power when you were brought in, but I don't care. The means don't matter, as long as the goal is achieved. You'll stay here tonight, and they'll naturally treat you politely tomorrow."

After hesitating for a long time, Lu Huantang finally reached out and gently stroked Jiang Linzhi's neck. The scar was abrupt and rough, and it was extremely prickly under his palm, causing a slight pain in his calloused palm. After a while, he said, "Miss can hit me to vent her anger."

This is tantamount to admitting his murderous intent at the time.

Once the words were spoken, there was no going back. Lu Huantang waited for Jiang Linzhi's reply, looking rather listless.