Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
If the grave were to be desecrated again, it would be a great disrespect. Zhu Ji realized he had spoken out of turn once more and quickly lowered his head, falling silent.
Afterward, he and Xiahou Xing jointly commanded their clansmen to gather all the bones from their home and present them to Yun Xiao Yi, totaling nearly six hundred pounds. Yun Xiao Yi took all these bones and processed them into Bone Meal, ultimately obtaining one hundred sixty portions. This should be more than sufficient for the initial experiments.
Once he had collected the necessary Bone Meal, Yun Xiao Yi planned to return to Zhao Family Village. Before leaving, he reminded Zhu Ji and Xiahou Xing not to casually discard any leftover bones and to pack as many as possible for him. The two agreed in unison.
The journey began with over twenty people, but on the return trip, only five remained: Yun Xiao Yi, Zhao Yun, Zhao Yu, and their Zhao Clan members, along with Xiahou Xing's son, Xiahou Lan. This individual is often overlooked in the annals of history. He was a fellow villager of Zhao Yun.
Xiahou Lan was known for his integrity and had served under Cao Cao in the past. He was later captured by Liu Bei's forces during the Battle of Bowang. Recognizing Xiahou Lan's talents, Zhao Yun strongly advocated for sparing his life; given Xiahou Lan's profound understanding of legal systems, he further recommended him to serve as Liu Bei's military law enforcer.
In his youth, Xiahou Lan was actually a friend of Zhao Yun. The two had known each other since they were ten years old and shared a close bond.
Although older than Zhao Yun by several years, Xiahou Lan had once experienced a back-and-forth rivalry with him, each claiming victories at different times. However, as Zhao Yun matured into his teenage years, the gap in their strengths gradually widened, and from that point on, Xiahou Lan could no longer win in their duels.
This time, Xiahou Lan accompanied a group to Zhao Family Village at the behest of his father, Xiahou Xing, and Zhu Ji. Their purpose was to request the artisans skilled in waterwheel construction from Zhao Family Village to come to Xinghua Village to assist in building similar facilities to improve water extraction efficiency.
The journey went smoothly, and within less than an hour, the five of them safely returned to Zhao Family Village. Upon learning that Yun Xiao Yi and the others had returned, Zhao An immediately rushed to the village entrance to greet them.
"Ah, it is the young master from Xiahou Manor. I wonder what brings you here today?" Zhao An inquired politely.
Xiahou Lan did not hold back in explaining his purpose: "The gods have blessed us with an abundance of water sources; however, relying solely on human strength to draw water is truly exhausting. Xinghua Village wishes to request Zhao Zhuang's assistance in establishing a few waterwheels. Additionally, the Chu Ji Clan Leader and my father have mentioned the ancient literature exchange with you and have agreed that you may send someone to our Xinghua Village for transcription."
Hearing these words, a look of joy immediately appeared on Zhao An's face. "You really shouldn't have come all this way; it would have sufficed to send someone with a message." He continued, "When you return later, I will arrange for my people to escort you."
"As for those waterwheels, they were invented by my eldest son, Zhao Feng. However, you should also be aware that while everything is ready at Zhao Zhuang Village, we are simply lacking manpower. My elder brother is currently extremely busy and may find it difficult to spare time to travel to your village for construction."
Zhao An's words seemed to imply a certain difficulty.
"Old fox!" Xiahou Lan silently scolded himself, fully understanding the other party's intentions.
Among the three families, only Zhao Zhuang possessed the capability to construct a waterwheel. Although the technology itself was not particularly sophisticated, they could ultimately complete the task on their own. However, if the drought in the fields was not addressed in time, it would lead to immeasurable losses.
Fortunately, before this visit, Zhu Ji and his father had informed him of the prerequisites for cooperation: the clan leader An Ran's reasoning was sound. Engaging Zhao Feng would indeed delay many matters. Therefore, we, Xinghua Village, have agreed with Yun Xiao Yi Fu that all necessary materials will be self-supplied, and upon completion, we will present Bai Shi with grain as a token of gratitude.
It is important to note that in that historical context, one stone roughly corresponded to a standard measurement unit of later times. In this situation, high-quality farmland had an average annual yield of about San Shi. This meant that one Bai Shi was equivalent to the harvest of over thirty acres of prime land in a year, sufficient to meet the needs of dozens of people for an entire year.
Zhao An promptly responded: saving the crops is of utmost importance; family matters are relatively minor. The Young Master need not worry; I will send my eldest son Zhao Feng back with you immediately to set up the waterwheel as soon as possible, ensuring irrigation is worry-free.
Listening to their conversation, Yun Xiao Yi pondered: Is the waterwheel being made by Zhao Feng? Upon seeing his nod of confirmation, Yun Xiao Yi thoughtfully remarked: I have heard that he has considerable insights into mechanical structures; he can even create those self-flowing water pipes you mentioned.
Indeed, he is a rare talent. It seems that bringing such a person into our fold for specialized training would be quite a fortunate endeavor. Although societal rules often defy common sense, it is precisely because of these orderly regulations that people can continuously explore their mysteries and apply them effectively.
Comment 0 Comment Count