CHAPTER 93: CHAPTER 91: IS THERE A COAL MINE IN THE RECEPTION CAMP?

As soon as Huo Zong heard this, he immediately laughed out loud: "Transporting charcoal isn’t easy, and clay coal is even harder. The nearest coal field is over a hundred miles away from here; if we fetch it, it will take quite some time, I..."

"No, isn’t it just near the reception camp?"

Ruan Mian feigned puzzlement in response, and sure enough, Huo Zong immediately stood up upon hearing this, exchanging a glance with Xie Huai’an.

"There’s a coal field in the reception camp?"

Ruan Mian followed up on this, speaking honestly: "The cellar where I live is a clay coal layer, and I often see some constables digging inside. How could this not be a coal field?"

"There’s only one coal field in all of Wuheng, managed by the court. How could there be a coal field in the reception camp?"

At this point, both Huo Zong and Xie Huai’an faintly sensed something amiss.

Ruan Mian immediately seized this opportunity and suggested, "Whether there’s one or not, why don’t I take you to see it at midnight tomorrow?"

"Didn’t Miss Ruan say this disease might be contagious? Can we leave the camp now?"

That Huo Zong looked like a fairly large individual, but his expression at times resembled a small hamster, with round, bulging eyes full of "wisdom."

Ruan Mian replied in line with this: "That’s why I chose midnight, to avoid contact with others. Moreover, this illness doesn’t seem like a plague; we’ve been here almost two days without any signs of transmission to others."

With her assurance, Huo Zong immediately agreed, his expression turning grim.

Afterwards, Huo Zong temporarily set the matter aside and instructed his subordinates, as well as some mildly symptomatic people, to follow Ruan Mian’s method in building a few fire beds with the remaining materials.

He had those who were ill lie on them for a good rest.

After all this fuss, Ruan Mian was also exhausted; she took a break after supper.

Until before midnight, she, along with Huo Zong, Xie Huai’an, and Vice Minister Dong, headed to the banks of the Linfen River.

The reception camp was not far from the banks of the Linfen River. Last time, hearing the conversation between those two constables, Ruan Mian confirmed there was an entrance at the riverside.

Moreover, the site of their private sales was right there.

Huo Zong, true to his general’s reputation, had impeccable timing and route planning.

Just before midnight, they arrived at the banks of the Linfen River, near the reception camp.

Upon arrival, they vaguely saw a few people ahead, along with four cargo-laden carriages following them.

The carriages were packed full of crates.

Huo Zong’s eyes darkened as he immediately rode his horse straight towards them.

Vice Minister Dong also accelerated the horse-drawn carriage’s pace.

The constables escorting the goods were few in number, only four of them.

Upon seeing Huo Zong, their faces lit up with joy, and they hurried over to greet him.

But as they got closer and recognized Huo Zong’s face, their complexions turned deathly pale!

"Ho... General Huo?!"

Before the four could react, Huo Zong suddenly drew his sword and, with one swift strike, slashed at the arms of two of them!

Exchanging a glance, the remaining two quickly drew their swords to battle Huo Zong, with Vice Minister Dong joining them without hesitation.

Ruan Mian lifted the curtain and watched as those men held their own, managing a few exchanges with Huo Zong and Vice Minister Dong.

Luckily, there was no need for her to step in, and before long, the four men were subdued.

With a cold expression, Huo Zong pried open the crates, finding them filled entirely with well-dried clay coal, enough to fill four carriages!

He knocked the four men unconscious, instructing Vice Minister Dong to bind them to the goods and take them away together.

At this moment, Ruan Mian also discovered an opening behind the carriage, which they hadn’t had time to seal; it was presumably from where the clay coal was transported through the passage.

After informing Huo Zong, he ventured into the tunnel, astounded by the abundant clay coal layers inside!

Simultaneously, his fury mounted.

"Illicit mining and sales, and trading with Lanqiang people!"

Holding a flint, Xie Huai’an slowly inspected the place, remarking meaningfully.

"Failing tonight’s private sale will surely agitate the people behind this, though they don’t know it was you, General, who caught them. How about... we lay in wait for them?"

Huo Zong had the same idea.

They found out about this thanks to Ruan Mian’s assistance, and for that, on the way back, Huo Zong promised to fulfill her one wish.

"Miss Ruan, rest assured, I won’t let the culprits in the reception camp get away. Once you’re out, I’ll arrange for your family to live in the small town behind the post station."

If it weren’t for the court’s orders, he would have long cared for the Ruan Family on behalf of Xie Huai’an.

But now he couldn’t be too blatant, needing to wait some time to act.

At this moment, Ruan Mian understood as well. With the court’s oversight on her family, she didn’t want to entangle others.

She simply said, "Thank you for your concern, General. We are just exiles and fear that receiving special attention might implicate others. Our family can rely on our hands to earn our way back to citizenship. As long as we perform well, we’ll surely reintegrate sooner or later."

Huo Zong admired her thinking, his eyes reflecting appreciation.

...

The following day, at the Governor Mansion.

The kneeling constables had their tongues cut out, and the man in the sable robe threw the account book at the quivering General beside him.

"Burn it."

The General quickly tucked the account book into his clothes, speaking softly.

"Governor, yesterday, the goods and men were both absent. Was it one of our own who discovered it, or did those Lanqiang Country people rob us and deliberately say they didn’t receive the goods?"

The man’s eyes were sinister as he pondered for a good while before pointing at him.

"In a few days, go test the General, see if Huo Zong is aware of this. Remember, no one must know of our relationship, and block all the passages recently, no more goods going out."

The man nodded repeatedly, taking the account book and leaving.

Meanwhile, with the meeting day of Ruan Mian and the Golden Sha child approaching, the camp’s illness had improved considerably, and over the days, Ruan Mian confirmed that the disease was not contagious.

It was time for her to leave.

After preparing a week’s follow-up prescriptions, she left with Xie Huai’an to return to the post station.

On the road, Xie Huai’an expressed concern for her: "That reception camp isn’t a good place, General Huo will soon arrange for you..."

"Thank you for your concern, Sir! In fact, I’ve gleaned General Huo’s intent today."

"The court is keeping an eye on our family right now, and even though General Huo is the highest officer in Wuheng, he can’t clearly favor us, or the court’s villains will get him."

"Moreover, our family’s doing well; nothing particularly arduous or exhausting, we’ll adapt. Instead, Sir Xie, your health isn’t well and you’ve been exiled to a remote place, with people attempting to harm you along the way. Now in Wuheng, you must take care too."

He, coming from a noble family, being falsely accused and exiled a thousand miles, surely must feel distressed.

Ruan Mian prepared a water pouch for him, filled with spiritual spring water, and advised him.

"This contains medicinal water with healing effects. Take a few sips every morning, it’ll strengthen your health. Please accept it with a smile, Sir."

Xie Huai’an smiled slightly, not being overly courteous.

But after taking the water pouch, he took out a few silver notes from the pouch hanging from his waist.

Nearly a hundred taels.