The most arrogant in history

Tang Xing breathed a sigh of relief and explained the management issues of the coal mine in detail.

According to Tang Xing, his and Zhang Tuo's management philosophies are completely different.

Tang Xing advocated gentleness and tolerance, and tried to influence these foreign laborers step by step; but Zhang Tuo advocated the use of force and strengthened supervision, and would beat them until they obeyed!

Ye Kun listened silently and frowned, "We have complete immigration labor regulations. Why don't we follow the regulations?"

Ye Kun was quite cautious about these foreign laborers and specially formulated protection regulations.

There are also strict limits on mortality and escape rates.

Tang Xing smiled bitterly and said, "Your Majesty, I have always advocated following the court regulations. But Governor Zhang Tuo thinks that there is no need to treat these foreigners too well..."

Zhang Tuo retorted: "If you treat foreign laborers too well, they will become arrogant. If you treat them more harshly, they will learn to be afraid."

"How about this, stop arguing, and let's go to the coal mine together tomorrow to take a look."

Ye Kun stopped the argument between Zhang Tuo and Tang Xing.

Sang Buyi said, "Your Majesty, it's almost the end of the year, we should return to Zhuo County as soon as possible. If Your Majesty doesn't spend the New Year in the capital, I'm afraid the people will have wild thoughts."

Ye Kun smiled bitterly: "Unless we hurry up, we won't be able to get back for the New Year. Lord Sang, this New Year, you and I will stay in the coal mine and spend it with everyone."

"No, the emperor must return to the capital for the New Year." Sang Buyi insisted on his opinion and said with a fist:

"I will stay here and find out about the coal mine, then go back and report to the emperor. The emperor will leave in two days, follow the Great Wall trail, and return to Zhuo County to celebrate the New Year. It will be in time."

This time, Ye Kun took a detour, bypassing Taiyuan and then heading north to Shuozhou.

If you go back directly from Shuozhou and walk along the Great Wall, it will be much closer.

Ye Kun had no choice but to say, "Okay, I'll go back for the New Year and leave in two days."

Sang Buzhi was relieved and arranged Ye Kun's return trip overnight.

The accompanying generals Huang Jian and Cheng Yulong also urged Ye Kun to leave as soon as possible.

Ye Kun insisted on going to the coal mine to take a look and remained unmoved.

Zhang Tuo, the governor of Shuozhou, came to see Ye Kun privately and clasped his fists and said:

"Your Majesty, Tang Xing is quite ambitious, so we must be on guard. He has always wanted to manage the coal mines alone. Once he succeeds, he will have 500,000 coal miners under his command. If each person has a shovel, forming an army, that would be 500,000 strong!

Shuozhou is only a few days away from Zhuojun. If Tang Xing uses the coal miners to cause chaos, it will shake the country!"

Ye Kun was very surprised and frowned, "Zhang Tuo, you are not throwing mud at Tang Xing just because of your political differences, right? Tang Xing was brought up by me, he is loyal and experienced, how could he rebel?"

Huang Jian and Cheng Yulong clasped their fists and said:

"Your Majesty, there is some truth in what Governor Zhang Tuo said. Five hundred thousand coal miners is a huge number. Even if each of them only has a stick, once they rebel, the destructive power will be huge!"

Zhang Tuo added: "Tang Xing still has more than 10,000 regular soldiers, fully equipped with swords, guns and armor. The tools used by coal miners are shovels and pickaxes, which are as powerful as swords and guns!"

Ye Kun didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and waved his hands:

"Alright, alright, I don't believe that 500,000 coal miners can rebel with shovels in hand. Because one-third of these 500,000 workers are our own people!"

Even if 500,000 workers rebelled together, Ye Kun would not be afraid.

Can unarmed workers withstand gunfire?

Tang Xing is a student of Tanbingtang, and was brought up personally by Ye Kun.

If Tang Xing hadn't been caught in a door, he would never rebel. Because Tang Xing knew that rebelling and becoming an enemy of Ye Kun would be like committing suicide!

Zhang Tuo sighed and said, "Your Majesty, we must be on guard against what happened in Daze Township in the previous dynasty!"

Ye Kun smiled and said, "During the Daze Township Uprising in the previous dynasty, people all over the country responded because they had no food to eat and no way to make a living. But now, people all over the world live and work in peace and contentment, with enough food and warm clothes. Would they still risk their lives to rebel? I think it's impossible!"

Zhang Tuo added: "Having said that, the emperor still needs to leave a large number of troops stationed in Taihang Mountain to prevent the coal miners from causing chaos!"

Ye Kun nodded: "I'll consider it."

After sending Zhang Tuo away, Ye Kun ordered someone to call Tang Xing.

Tang Xing arrived and clasped his fists and said, "The emperor has summoned me. What instructions do you have?"

Ye Kun smiled and said, "I plan to hand over the entire mining area to you for management. However, the civil and military officials in the court are worried that you have too many workers and they will rebel with shovels in hand. What do you think I should do?"

"Your Majesty, this is unjust!"

Tang Xing was shocked, his face turned pale, and he bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please remove me from my post, take me back to the capital, and conduct a thorough investigation. If I have the intention of rebelling, please kill all my clans!"

Ye Kun shook his head and said with a smile: "I believe you, so I decided to separate the management rights of the coal mine. From now on, you will be the general manager of the coal mine and will not be controlled by Zhang Tuo."

"But I am worried that the emperor may be deceived by slander..."

"I am not a tyrant, I will not be easily deceived."

Ye Kun chuckled: "I always trust people when I employ them, and I don't employ people if I don't trust them. Tang Xing, I'll hand over the coal mine to you, and you can manage it according to your own ideas. If you do a good job, I will also hand over the iron mine to you to manage."

"Your Majesty is so kind, how dare I not do my best?"

"We are all serving the country and paving the way for our descendants. You and I must do our best."

Ye Kun encouraged Tang Xing a few more words, asking him to do things boldly.

When inspecting the coal mine the next day, Ye Kun discovered that some of the foreign workers were indeed in a miserable state.

Without cotton clothes, my hands and feet are chapped.

Ye Kun asked Tang Xing: "I said that we must ensure that all workers are well fed and clothed. Why do I see some workers without shoes and cotton clothes? Is it because our logistical supplies are not in place?"

Tang Xing sighed: "A batch of the cotton-padded clothes and shoes we supplied were withheld by Zhang Tuo."

Ye Kun ordered Huang Ye: "Eunuch Huang, notify Zhang Tuo immediately to distribute all the cotton-padded clothes and shoes in the warehouse. If any workers freeze to death, he will be held responsible!"

Huang Ye received the order and rode away.

Tang Xing added: "The last time workers rioted, they took risks because they were starving and cold. Later, a group of people were killed to calm the situation, but it had a huge impact on production."

Ye Kun nodded and asked, "Does our coal mine have cultural education classes? Have these foreign laborers received our Han education?"

Tang Xing smiled bitterly: "The regulations on educating foreign laborers are useless. We only held a one-month cultural class, and then completely cancelled it. Master Zhang Tuo said that these foreign laborers are like animals, and they will all die in the end. It's useless to waste energy on them!"

Ye Kun was furious: "This Zhang Tuo is simply making trouble. He ignores the court's regulations!"