Traveling through the Republic of China, I married a dead person

"I don't quite understand what County Magistrate Cheng means. Can you explain it a little more clearly?" Su Bai asked.

Cheng Zifeng looked at Kong Man again.

Kong Man stood up and said, "You guys chat, I'll go out first."

Su Bai grabbed her. It was so hard for this young lady to be in a normal mood today. If he asked her to leave, who knew what would be in her mind?

"Manman, sit down!" Su Bai turned to Cheng Zifeng and said, "There's no need to hide it from Manman. County Magistrate Cheng, please go ahead."

Cheng Zifeng said that Kong Chen and Kong Li's iron mine was located about seven or eight miles south of Shili Peak in Xishan. After the iron mine was officially mined, due to good sales, Kong Chen and Kong Li planned to increase the number of mines and expand the scale of mining.

Unexpectedly, a dark hole was dug out when digging a new mine.

This dark cave is amazing. It is about seven or eight miles long and leads right to the area below Shili Peak.

Better quality iron ore was found at the other end of the dark cave.

"Tell me, in this world, good people don't get rewarded. Why are the Kong Chen brothers so lucky?"

Cheng Zifeng said that if there was no dark hole, with the manpower and resources of Kong Chen and Kong Li, they would not be able to dig so deep for the time being, let alone discover high-quality iron ore.

Even if this new iron mine is discovered, it would not be easy to dig a vertical shaft because it is too deep below Shili Peak.

The rock layer beneath Shili Peak is very hard. If this cave did not exist, it would probably take Kong Chen and Kong Li two to three years to dig a vertical shaft from the top of Shili Peak or an inclined shaft from the south of Shili Peak.

"Do you understand? This hole saved Kong Chen and Kong Li three years!"

Su Bai smiled. She felt that Cheng Zifeng was a little hysterical at this moment. He must be regretting that he had handed the iron mine to Kong Chen in order to save trouble.

"According to what you said, Shili Peak is up there, so there's no danger?"

After discovering this dark cave, we found that there was a winding passage that was wide enough for a person to pass by while crouching, and the exit was near Shili Peak.

According to Cheng Zifeng, it is unlikely to use this small hole to expand it into a vertical shaft, because it is too tortuous and there is not much that can be used. However, with a slight modification, it is still possible for people to go up and down here.

There was a group of bandits living above the iron mine. Kong Li and the provincial government would not allow it either.

"What does it have to do with the provincial government?" Su Bai asked.

This time, Cheng Zifeng smiled.

Since the higher-ups forbid us from intervening in the affairs of these Japanese, it means... maybe the provincial government wants to use the Japanese technology to cooperate in mining?

If this is true, then Kong Chen and Kong Li were happy for nothing.

"Don't worry, it won't be a big problem in a month or two, but you have to ask them to find a solution sooner rather than later. It's better for them to leave as soon as possible."

Su Bai knew that this mine would not fall into the hands of Kong Chen and Kong Li in the future, which was why she decided to give the mine to them from the beginning.

Once the Japanese occupied Shandong, how could they allow Kong Chen and Kong Li to mine the mines?

The provincial government's cooperation with the Japanese in mining is purely Cheng Zifeng's speculation, and it is impossible.

The two chatted about the defense of Longxing City. A battalion sent by the provincial government to assist in the defense was stationed at the south gate. This force was much more disciplined than Kong Li's army. They did not disturb the people and did not interfere in the affairs of the county.

They had only one mission, to defend Longxing and go into the mountains to suppress bandits when necessary.

Except for the day when the battalion commander came to the county government to say hello, they never met again, and they seemed to have no connection with the company guarding Longxing.

“So, Mrs. Kong, don’t worry. This unit is not involved in anything except fighting.”

"What do I have to worry about?" Su Bai said this, but he did feel more relieved. Kong Li's ragtag army was enough to bully people, and if the provincial government's camp was of similar character, life would be unbearable.

After coming out of the county government, Kong Man said to Su Bai not to tell Xu Laohei.

"why?"

Kong Man’s reason was very simple. The relationship between the Second Wife and Xu Laohei had brought disgrace to the Kong family. It would be better if Xu Laohei died.

Su Bai asked her and found out that she really didn't know about the relationship between Xu Laohei and the Second Madam before. It was only after the Second Madam fled secretly with the Second Miss that she began to have doubts.

It was not until last night that the second young lady told her the whole truth.

Su Bai seemed to understand. Could it be that Kong Man’s coldness towards him was also due to his relationship with Zhou Beiwang?

Does she also hope to remain a widow until she dies?

Can this preserve the Kong family and the reputation of her damn brother Kong Nankai?

"I will inform Xu Laohei to let him leave Shili Peak." After walking out of the county government compound, Su Bai said to Kong Man.

This time, it was Kong Man's turn to ask why.

"Because he is Chinese."

Kong Man was very surprised by Su Bai's words: "Who is not Chinese?"

"It won't take long for you to understand." Su Bai stopped talking here.

She explained to Kong Man that she had heard from Kong Dai that the second wife was engaged to Xu Laohei before she married into the Kong family, and it was the master who forcibly brought the second wife into the mansion.

Besides, Xu Laohei and the second wife are both old, what else can they do?

Even if we take a step back, we can still be friends, right?

It's my duty to help and deliver a message.

"Friend?" Kong Man only asked this question and said nothing else.

The backyard of the Confucius Mansion was quite lively. The ladies from other rooms had come to visit the Second Wife, as well as the Third Miss and the Fourth Miss.

Wan Qili told Su Bai that she advised these ladies to talk less to the second wife, but no one listened.

They actually said that the Second Wife had suffered so much that she needed someone to chat with her and keep her company.

"Okay, don't say you can't do anything about it. I can't do anything about it either. Let them be. How is the second wife doing?"

The morning's fluids have been completed and the condition is good.

"Call the second young lady over!" Su Bai returned to the main hall, and Kong Man followed him in.

The second young lady came over quickly: "What's the matter, sister-in-law? My mother just said a few words!"

"Tell the concubines that I said it. The Second Madam's affairs cannot be told to anyone else. If the Fourth Madam finds out, everyone in the Kong Mansion will be in trouble!"

"so serious?"

"Go quickly!" Kong Man answered for Su Bai.

Su Bai asked Wan Qili to bring some toffee to the third and fourth young ladies, and told her that if the ladies wanted to come to the main room to see him, she should say that she hardly slept last night because of the second wife's matter, and asked them not to disturb her.

"Then you take a rest," Kong Man stood up and said to Wan Qili, "Miss Wan, bring me some toffee too."

Taking the initiative to ask for candy is a sign of making complete reconciliation with yourself.

Su Bai also told Wan Qili that there were many fashionable items sold by Zi Yan Trading Company in the cabinets in her room, such as stockings and cosmetics, and she could take whatever the young lady liked.

"Thank you, sister-in-law!" Kong Man looked happy.

"If you have any problems in the future, just tell my sister-in-law. You are the person closest to me in the Kong Mansion. Don't you understand?" Su Bai said while the iron was hot.

"Well... okay." Kong Man hesitated.

Still need to hesitate?

Su Bai immediately realized that she was too optimistic. The reconciliation with Kong Man was only superficial and her knot in her heart was still not resolved.

She was hiding something from herself.