The railway is very smooth here, but the mountain road is rugged and there is still a section of the road not being repaired. In such a foggy sky, the crowds of people were ragged in their hands to build the road. Chen Tianhua looked at it and frowned.

When Luo Erhu saw this, he hurriedly stepped forward and explained:

"General, these road construction people are not local people, but imprisoned prisoners in Wuchang Prefecture in Huguang. Many of them are death row prisoners, bandits and villains, etc. The prefect discussed with me and said that the current financial difficulties are in vain. Naturally, they have to let them do something to pay the bill. There are thousands of people here, and there are only a small number of people who are digging iron ore in the mountains for transportation, building mountain roads, digging trenches and canals."

"Oh!" Chen Tianhua suddenly realized this.

When I got closer, I saw some prisoners wearing shackles under the supervision of the security team, struggling to transport the prepared three-piece soil and stones.

"These are all death row prisoners, serious criminals!" Luo Erhu explained further.

As we walked along, the shackles clattered, and many people showed pain in their faces. Everyone's ankles were worn out by iron shackles, red, swollen, pus and inflammation, and their movements were slower, so the soldiers whipped it down with a whip.

Seeing Chen Tianhua's face showing a look of unbearable expression, Luo Erhu said again: "General, these prisoners used to be thieves, murderous murderers, very fierce, and it is not easy to take care of without shackles. Moreover, although we asked them to work, they still had enough food. When they were sick, there were also prison doctors who gave medicine. They started working last winter, but they had never seen a person die. They were treated many times better than starving to death in prison."

Chen Tianhua nodded, but of course he would not believe Luo Erhu's words. He said that he could have enough food for nothing, and that no one of thousands of people died. This is probably unrealistic.

But this is true in society today. There are tens of millions of ragged civilians throughout the Qing Dynasty, and the large number of refugees under natural disasters every year, trembling in the cold wind, but they still freeze to death and starve to death. There are bones on the roadside, not to mention that these people in front of them are prisoners who have been deprived of their citizenship!

When I think of this, my heart that was originally a little softened became harder again.

"Don't abuse them. They are also human beings. They have the right to live before they are sentenced to death, and they are all good laborers!" Chen Tianhua said.

"I understand!" Luo Erhu and a group of officials around him said in unison.

Seeing Chen Tianhua and others riding over, the soldiers drove away nervously, whipping the prisoners, and letting them kneel on both sides of the road in rows, with swords and guns in their hands, and were on guard.

Feige, Yu Yang and other guards also mentioned the spirit, for fear that some of these prisoners who were blinded by their eyes would suddenly jump up and cause trouble.

Chen Tianhua, who was riding his horse, looked at the rows of prisoners kneeling on the ground. Most of them lowered their heads. Occasionally, some people raised their heads, and their eyes were empty and confused, without any hope. Obviously, they had no hope for their future. One day they were counting as a day of survival.

Chen Tianhua pulled his horse and said to Luo Erhu: "Let's go. We walked slowly today. I'm afraid the mining district offices are waiting a little anxious!"

Everyone began to ride horses along the mountain road.

...

After walking for more than half an hour, everyone saw the gray iron mountain, with more than a dozen large winches lined up in the mountains, rumbling and starting.

There were hanging blue hangings on the iron ropes as thick as the wrist of the hoist. They were excavated from the mine and transported to the yard at the foot of the mountain. Tieshan Station was next to it. The loading and unloading coolies were throwing ore into the carriage on the yard.

The entire mining yard is dozens of kilometers in a radius, and the rumbling noise pollution is particularly serious, and it can be compared with the battlefield. People who first arrived here probably wouldn't be able to bear it at the beginning, and they would feel nausea, vomiting, and insomnia.

Ge Wei, the general office of Daye Iron Mine, who later became the general manager, was leading a group of officials at the end of the mountain road, waiting for Chen Tianhua and his group.

Ge Wei is a mining engineer who went home in Germany and has been in the General Office of Daye Iron Mine for more than a year. When Chen Tianhua met him earlier, he had not yet removed the sour smell of intellectuals' milk, but now he has the dignity of some superiors.

"Ge Wei has met the Governor General under his post. Thank you for your hard work!" Seeing Chen Tianhua, he bowed deeply, and then bowed to Luo Erhu, Huo Shan and other civil and military officials.

Chen Tianhua turned over and got off the horse, grabbed Ge Wei's hand, and greeted him warmly: "Mr. Ge, I've made you wait for a long time."

Ge Wei smiled and said, "It is right for you to wait for the Governor General. Should you take a break or inspect immediately?"

Chen Tianhua said without thinking: "What are you going to have a rest? Visit immediately. Lunch is like wrapping steamed buns and pickles. Fill in the road. After the inspection, we will have dinner and then return to Shiliyao Town overnight."

"I understand, Governor."

Next, under the guidance of Ge Wei and others, Chen Tianhua and his party mainly inspected the mining operation area, the miner's living area, etc. in the main mining area. He also went into the shed to ask the workers about their well-being and asked about a series of issues related to production capacity, safety, and life.

...

At around 8 o'clock in the evening, Chen Tianhua and his party finished their dinner in the canteen of the mining area. No one drank and prepared to return to Shiliyao Town.

"Mr. Ge, you don't have to send me off when you go to the barren mountains and ridges. Go back early to rest. There are still a lot of matters waiting for you tomorrow, so you don't have to worry about us."

Walking out of the canteen in the living area, Chen Tianhua smiled and said to Ge Wei.

If there was a Governor General, Ge Wei would definitely insist on sending him to the mountain road, but for Chen Tianhua, these stupid and humble greetings would be better off, and instead would make him unhappy.

It is both lucky and unfortunate to have such a master. Fortunately, as long as you do things well, you will not be afraid of losing credit or reward; unfortunately, this lord cannot rub the sand in his eyes.

"Yes, Governor, you'll be safe all the way!" Ge Wei stood at the gate of the living area, watching Chen Tianhua, Luo Erhu, Huo Shan and others leave.

There were more than a dozen torches along the way, and there was no connection on the way. Everyone was chatting and laughing and riding quickly. They arrived at the base of Shiliyao Town in just one and a half hours, and then they went to the separate heads and rested.

When I returned to the bedroom I had lived in before, the servants had prepared hot water and prepared to give Chen Tianhua a simple shower.

Sitting on the chair, Chen Tianhua took off his horse boots, soaked in sweat for a day, walked into the steaming big wooden barrel, and couldn't help but scream comfortably, squinted his eyes, and enjoyed the warm warmth of his whole body.

After taking a bath, Fei Ge helped dry his body, took out a pair of single shoes from his carry-on package and placed them on the carpet.

Chen Tianhua's sharp eyes were sharp, and he couldn't help but snorted: "Pigeon, this is not...who gave it to me..."
Chapter completed!