Chapter 172: Metallurgical Testing
Li Tang hadn't expected Xiao Yongyue to resolve the funding issue so quickly or to sign the new partnership agreement with such ease.
As for Gaolu Potash Chemical's request to assign financial personnel to Gongcun Gold Company, Li Tang agreed without hesitation.
It was a perfectly reasonable request.
Until now, Gongcun Gold Company hadn't had any official employees. Accounting had been handled on the side by He Runqi, who wasn't a professional in that field. The financial statements were a mess—at best, they tracked every transaction clearly enough to ensure no funds were missing.
Now that trained staff were coming in to manage the books and oversee spending, Li Tang had no objections. He had nothing to hide, and transparency didn't scare him.
However, the finance personnel Gaolu Potash sent turned out to be a young woman. When she met Li Tang, she was visibly nervous, blushing, and barely able to speak coherently.
"She's Lin Xiaoshu, my niece," Xiao Yongyue said, patting Li Tang on the shoulder and giving him a knowing wink—one of those looks only men understand. "She'll be working with you now. I hope you'll take good care of her and make sure no one gives her a hard time."
After his brief instructions, he got in his car and headed back toward the provincial capital—likely to meet with Nobu and discuss business.
Lin Xiaoshu wore her long hair in a ponytail. Her skin, untouched by makeup, had a healthy tan from the sun, and her features were fresh and youthful. She had that clean, natural beauty of a girl unspoiled by urban trends.
She stole a glance at Li Tang, then quickly looked down again, her posture stiff and her feet together.
Behind her was another young woman, clearly just as out of place and nervous.
"I thought Xiao Yongyue would send over two experienced accountants," Li Tang muttered, surprised. "Didn't expect two young girls. Out here in Duide County, it'll be hard to give you both good living conditions."
He looked at them and asked, "What are your respective roles?"
"I'm the accountant," Lin Xiaoshu said softly. She glanced at Li Tang and quickly looked away again, then pointed to the other girl. "She's the cashier."
"Did Xiao give you any special instructions before you came?" Li Tang noticed the strange atmosphere. "Did he ask you to do anything in particular?"
"No…" Lin Xiaoshu murmured, barely audible.
"Xiao already gave me a heads-up. It's no big deal. You can just tell me directly—no need to be scared." Li Tang guessed Xiao had probably told her to keep a close eye on how the 20 million was spent, maybe even to jot down any suspicious expenses.
"He told you?" Lin Xiaoshu finally dared to look at him.
"He did." Li Tang grinned. "Why don't you tell me what he said, and we'll see if our stories match?"
"He said… he wants me to… date you…"
Her voice trailed off into a whisper, barely distinguishable from a mosquito's hum. Her face turned beet red, and her head dropped again.
"What?" Li Tang blinked, surprised.
He had assumed Xiao sent these girls just to monitor finances. Who would've thought the guy had gone so far as to offer up his niece as a romantic gesture—to 'watch' over the 20 million?
Li Tang wasn't naive about relationships.
But once you've lived a certain amount of life, you develop a resistance to these things.
He wasn't uninterested in women—no man is. But he also understood the consequences. The two girls in front of him weren't flings. A single misstep could mean a lifetime of responsibility.
Brief pleasure wasn't worth a long entanglement.
He glanced at the two girls again, his thoughts calm and detached. Then he turned and noticed He Runqi and the others watching with wolfish eyes—their mouths practically watering.
If he left the girls here unattended, something was bound to happen. If everyone involved was happy, that was one thing. But if someone backed out later? That kind of mess wasn't easily cleaned up.
"He Runqi!" he called out.
"Yes?"
"Go rent a two-bedroom apartment near Geological Team Six's family housing area. Renovate and furnish it properly. Take care of their living arrangements."
"Got it! I'll make sure it's done right!" He Runqi grinned. This was a task he was more than happy to handle.
Li Tang turned to the girls. "Conditions here aren't great. I hope you can adapt. Once you're settled, coordinate with He Runqi on the financial handover."
Lin Xiaoshu felt both relieved and slightly disappointed. She had expected… something different.
Now that the funding was in place, the project ramped up to full speed again.
Every day, there were reports of new drill holes hitting thick ore layers—100 meters or more. Li Tang had become desensitized to the news. He didn't celebrate. He didn't get carried away.
As the boss, as the captain of the ship, he had to think long-term.
So he picked up the phone and called Chen Jinhe.
"Li Tang! How's the project going?" Chen was delighted to hear from him.
"Smooth. We're drilling steadily," Li Tang said, then asked, "How's the acquisition of Jinyin Cave Gold Mine?"
"Ran into a bit of trouble."
"What happened?"
"The purchase price was over 100 million yuan. Some media outlets started spreading rumors that we had insider deals with the local authorities—claiming we were buying the mine dirt cheap. When we entered the site, local workers even tried to block us and demand answers."
"With the current gold market, 54 tons for a large-scale deposit—100 million is a fair price," Li Tang said. He didn't see anything shady about the deal. The mine's license had belonged to a state-run company, and partnering with Zise Mining to bring in capital was perfectly normal.
"It's resolved now. The acquisition is done. Next step is mine development."
Chen sounded upbeat and asked, "So what's the reason for your call? Need something?"
"Just a small favor—kind of awkward to ask," Li Tang said.
"Oh come on. Don't be a stranger. What do you need? As long as it's legal and reasonable, I'll do my best."
"Our Gongcun project is going well. I'd like to run some metallurgical tests. Your Zise Mining Research Institute is top-notch in this field. I was hoping you could help."
"That's it?"
"Yeah."
"I'll contact Director Hao right away and have him handle it for you!"
"What about the cost? Should I coordinate with him—?"
"Come on, it's just a metallurgical test. What's it going to cost? Forget about the money."
"But it's not just my project—"
"I'm hanging up now. I'll call Director Hao and have him prioritize your request."
Li Tang looked at his phone afterward, feeling both grateful and slightly embarrassed.
Chen hadn't hesitated at all—he truly valued their relationship.
Sure enough, not long after, Hao Zhengzhi, the director of Zise Mining Research Institute, called personally.
He could've sent a staffer to handle it, but upon learning it was Li Tang's project, he decided to come to Tubo Province in person.
He spent a few days in Duide County, collected ample ore samples, and then flew back to Jian'an Province.
Apparently, under Chen's instructions, they didn't even charge Li Tang for travel expenses—saying they'd cover it themselves.
Li Tang was moved. He personally drove Hao to the provincial capital airport.
Just as he was about to drive back, his phone rang—it was an unfamiliar number.
A reporter from the Nonferrous Metals News had somehow caught wind that a major deposit had been found at Gongcun. They were hoping to interview him.
The reporter had just landed nearby. Li Tang hesitated but ultimately agreed. He picked them up and drove them straight to the project site in Duide County.
When Damba heard they were coming, he rushed over. He was a little unsure how to handle the situation in front of a camera.
"Captain Damba, the reporter wants to learn about the project," Li Tang said, already trying to sneak away.
The cameras and mics were rolling. When they saw Li Tang trying to escape, the reporter quickly asked, "Li Tang, could I take your picture for the article? Last time I went to Huazhou Aluminum to cover the Yunshang Bauxite Mine, I hoped to interview you but missed you. It was a pity."
"No need for my photo," Li Tang said flatly. "No one cares what I look like."
The reporter was a bit disappointed. She watched as Li Tang climbed into his car, reclined the seat, pulled his hat over his face, and took a nap.
Left with no choice, she turned the mic to Damba. "We've seen foreign media reports claiming Gongcun has 500,000 tons of copper and 60 tons of gold, making it the largest gold mine in Tubo Province. Is that accurate?"
"Not accurate," Damba said. Then he asked, "Do you have the foreign newspaper?"
"Yes." The reporter pulled out a letter-filled paper, flipped to page two, and noticed a photo that looked remarkably like Damba. "Is that you?"
"Yeah, that's me," Damba grinned, thrilled. "Can I keep this paper?"
"Of course."
The reporter handed it over. "So the story about Gongcun being a large deposit—is it false?"
"It's true," Damba beamed as he looked at his photo. The recognition fired him up.
"But just now, you said it wasn't accurate?"
"Well, because we've recently updated our data. The copper reserve is now up to 800,000 tons, and the gold reserve has reached over 90 tons," Damba explained proudly. "We're confident we'll cross 100 tons soon. This is a super-large deposit."
"I see!" The reporter nodded.
"The exploration potential here is huge. We estimate the prospective gold reserve could reach 250 tons, and copper might reach 3 million tons!"
"250 tons of gold?" The reporter, clearly well-prepared, gasped. "There isn't a single known deposit in China right now with over 200 tons of gold. If Gongcun really reaches 250, that would be historic!"
"This one deposit has a huge reserve in a single ore body. I don't know how it compares nationally, but I've never seen anything like it in my career," Damba said, glowing with pride. "This is a breakthrough for gold exploration in Tubo Province."
"It's more than that—it's a breakthrough for the entire country!"
The reporter was visibly excited. This kind of scoop would cause a sensation in the nonferrous metals industry.
And that's exactly what the media want—headlines that spark debate and buzz.
They knew they'd missed out on the Qinglong story, scooped by outlets in Hong Kong.
But not this time.
"Of course, confirming 250 tons of gold won't happen overnight. It'll take years," Damba said, trying not to overhype. He pointed toward a nearby hillside. "But if you're interested, I can take you to the site. Some cores even show visible native gold."
"Absolutely!" the reporter said, practically jumping with excitement.
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