"Alright, if that's the case, when are you free? I'll take you to see the iron mine. You'll believe it then," Wang Shicong said in a friendly tone.
In chaotic times, who would want to buy an iron mine unless they had great power? But if it were a great power, they might already have everything and wouldn't necessarily want to buy his iron mine, or might even seize it by force. Wang Shicong knew very well that finding a good buyer was not easy.
"It's inconvenient today, but how about tomorrow morning? We'll set off at 5 AM tomorrow," Wang Dapeng replied. Actually, he mainly needed to rent a smaller boat. His own boat was already full of goods, making it inconvenient and unsafe for travel. If they encountered robbers on the way, it would be a significant loss.
Wang Shicong nodded in agreement and took a big gulp of tea. Wang Dapeng then called for his staff to prepare a sumptuous meal, and also gifted two bottles of good Pear Blossom White wine to Wang Shicong. After drinking his fill and eating well, Wang Shicong was satisfied. They agreed to meet at the dock the next morning and then parted ways.
Wang Dapeng rented a smaller boat, and the next day, he and Young Master Wang headed to the iron mine he mentioned. Once on the boat, Wang Dapeng prepared food and drinks again. When Wang Shicong drank, he became talkative, saying that the iron mine was originally steep and high with inconvenient transportation. His family only mined a small amount after purchasing it, so the reserves had always been there. Wang Dapeng wanted to gather this information, so he accompanied him, chatting idly.
Under Wang Shicong's guidance, they smoothly arrived at the iron mine he mentioned. It originally took more than two hours to climb to the iron ore location. Now, due to the sudden rise in water levels, they only needed to climb twenty to thirty meters from the boat to reach the iron ore cave. After disembarking, they only climbed for a short while before seeing the dark, gaping entrance of the mine.
"My father said that although our family was in the maritime trade business, we needed to have multiple preparations, so he bought this mine. At the time, the seller guaranteed that it could be mined for 20 years without issue. I wasn't the one who negotiated the specifics; it was my father and that person," Wang Shicong said, his voice choked with emotion as if remembering his father.
As they got closer to the iron mine, Wang Dapeng and his group noticed iron ore rust-red everywhere, and the air was filled with a rusty smell akin to blood. The original mine shafts were preserved. Wang Dapeng held up a torch and went inside to take a look. Wang Dapeng made a decisive move and decided to buy it.
Seeing Wang Dapeng inquire about the price, Wang Shicong asked for five thousand taels of silver.
"Do you have the deed of ownership for the iron mine?" Wang Dapeng asked.
"Naturally, I do. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare to sell it," Wang Shicong solemnly took out a deed wrapped in oil paper from his embrace. Wang Dapeng took it and saw that it was indeed a formal government document. The reason for wanting the deed was that although the times were chaotic and the Great Zhou dynasty was faltering, formal government documents were still quite effective regarding property rights for resources like mines.
The ancients believed in the principle of not needing to raise one's voice to win an argument, of subduing the enemy without fighting. If they were to establish an iron mine here, there was no guarantee that various forces wouldn't covet it. If Phoenix Village possessed this government-recognized deed of ownership, they could openly defend themselves and protect the mine legitimately.
After some bargaining, the two parties finally reached an agreement and settled on three thousand taels of silver. In the current era, a mine that could be sold was a treasure, and one that couldn't was worthless. Otherwise, Wang Shicong wouldn't have sold it so cheaply. It was worth noting that his father had paid thirty thousand taels of silver for this iron mine.
Furthermore, Wang Shicong observed that although Wang Dapeng had some money, he wasn't immensely wealthy, and his speech and demeanor suggested he was a rough, unrefined man from the martial world. Young Master Wang figured he was a nouveau riche and wouldn't have too much ready cash. Since his iron mine had been on the market for so long without a buyer, under these multiple pressures, the final sale for three thousand taels of silver was a happy outcome for everyone.
The deed for the iron mine was transferred to Phoenix Village. Young Master Wang, holding a box of heavy silver, felt a sense of unreality.
"Young Master Wang, with this silver, you shouldn't drown your sorrows in alcohol anymore. Most of the people on our island have experienced the loss of loved ones. You should put away your grief, buy a house, find a wife, and continue your lineage to comfort your departed parents," Old Hu advised on the boat, seeing Young Master Wang still looking dejected.
Young Master Wang used to spend money like water; three thousand taels of silver might have been just his monthly expenditure before. But now, this three thousand taels of silver had become the foundation of his livelihood. Young Master Wang's eyes welled up with tears, and he nodded heavily.
Old Hu then seized the opportunity to say, "Young Master Wang, if you need to buy a house, leave it to me. I'll definitely find you a good house that's excellent value for money, with good feng shui and a good reputation, so you can rebuild your family business and your descendants can flourish."
Wang Dapeng, listening from the side, couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. This real estate agent Old Hu was truly a character; he always managed to make money no matter what. It seemed as if they were all being manipulated by Old Hu. Young Master Wang did not refuse and nodded for Old Hu to handle the matter. It seemed that after this great disaster, he had also sobered up. With this silver to start anew, he was transitioning from a frivolous and ostentatious youth to a steady young man.
Although he had spent three thousand taels of silver, Wang Dapeng was in high spirits. Young Master Gu had been desperately searching for iron ore, but to no avail. Solving this problem for him was a great joy. Therefore, Wang Dapeng left three crew members to station at the iron mine and provided them with enough water and food. The preserved meats they had brought with them were for long-term storage, such as cured meat and sausages. Wang Dapeng left sufficient preserved meats and rice, instructing them to stay put on the mountain and avoid conflict with outsiders before he set sail to leave.
The original iron mine had all the necessary living facilities, including thatched huts, cooking stoves, hearths, and beds. They only needed to clean them to move in. According to Young Master Wang, there was also a mountain stream nearby for drinking water, so Dapeng wasn't worried about their sustenance.
The iron mine had been purchased, and the mission was a complete success. Wang Dapeng decided to set sail back. Upon returning to Phoenix Village, Wang Dapeng reported to Gu Qingcheng immediately. Gu Qingcheng was surprised that Wang Dapeng was so capable. Not only had he bought shops and established a stable sales channel for their family's pharmaceutical factory, but he had also taken the search for iron ore to heart and accomplished a major task. Gu Qingcheng praised Dapeng profusely.
Gu Qingcheng immediately arranged for Xiao Peng to lead a hundred men to the iron mine to commence mining operations. They would then perform preliminary refining of the iron ore on the mountain before transporting the iron ingots back to Phoenix Village. Gu Qingcheng secretly rejoiced that with sufficient iron, her yacht could activate its self-repair function. This would make her luxury yacht an invincible entity.