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He said regretfully, "We have plenty of ordinary carpentry skills at home, but we lack the expertise needed for something as complex as waterwheel construction."
Xiahou Xing responded, "Perhaps in the end, we still cannot avoid relying on the Zhao Family's assistance."
Zhu Ji chuckled lightly and said, "Xiahou Family Head, does this matter not bring you joy?"
This question initially puzzled Xiahou Xing, but soon he fell into deep thought: how could he view this situation as an opportunity?
In truth, Xiahou Xing's mindset was still rooted in the traditional values of his family, which emphasized solving problems internally and avoiding external help whenever possible. To him, while it was convenient to have outsiders assist, it inevitably came at a cost—money or even more precious favors.
Faced with this situation, Zhu Ji gently shook his head. "Xiahou Family Head, there are always wise individuals residing in Zhao Family Village. Each time we seek their help, could we perhaps take the opportunity to visit this wise person?"
He added that even if they could not serve the wise person directly, it would be beneficial to at least become familiar with their presence.
This was also why Yun Xiao Yi had limited the number of Infinite Water Source tiles deployed in the Hutuo River; unless they could completely cover the river's length with these tiles, any additional tiles would only affect a localized area.
When they saw the water flowing from the Infinite Water Source like a peculiar barrier of mist, both Zhu Ji and Xiahou Xing immediately understood the purpose of the waterwheel set up by the Zhao Family: while manual water lifting was possible, it was extremely labor-intensive; the efficiency of a waterwheel was dozens of times greater than manual labor.
Thinking along these lines, Xiahou Xing turned to Zhu Ji beside him and asked, "Chu Clan Leader, does anyone in your Chu Family excel in mechanical arts?"
Zhu Ji understood immediately and replied, "Xiahou Family Head, are you planning to build a waterwheel as well?"
Xiahou Xing nodded. "That's right. The output of just one waterwheel can surpass that of several laborers. If we could install more than ten like Zhao Family Village did, then with just a small number of workers, we could draw enough water from the Infinite Water Source for irrigation of our fields and apricot orchards."
Zhu Ji wholeheartedly agreed and spread his hands in resignation. "If we're talking about basic carpentry skills, we certainly have many here. However, for such specialized devices at this level, we do not have anyone proficient."
To this, Xiahou Xing sighed and said, "It seems we must once again seek assistance from the Zhao Family."
However, Zhu Ji quietly offered a different perspective. "Xiahou Family Head, this cannot be a problem."
Hearing this, Xiahou Xing was somewhat puzzled. "Why do you see this as a problem?"
In reality, Xiahou Xing still maintained an attitude that prioritized self-sufficiency within the family and aimed to resolve all issues internally. While he acknowledged that external help might be necessary at times, he always believed that doing so not only consumed resources but also accumulated debts of gratitude to others.
At that moment, after hearing Zhu Ji's perspective, Xiahou Xing felt enlightened. "Yes, why didn't I think of that! Chu Ji Clan Leader, your considerations are indeed more thorough. From now on, we should increase our interactions and exchanges with the Zhao Family." The two exchanged smiles, clearly pleased.
Without the waterwheel, people would have to rely on carrying water by hand. To quickly restore the health of the land and fruit trees, Zhu Ji and Xiahou Xing selected a few elderly, weak, and women to undertake this temporary task, transporting water drawn from the Infinite Water Source in batches to various channels. Of course, this was just a short-term emergency measure. Once the village's able-bodied men returned, all the water-fetching work would be taken over by the more vigorous Qing Ren.
After arranging for the water collection, Zhu Ji sent someone to prepare a horse-drawn cart. Although the horses were weak and exhausted during this period when even human food was scarce, let alone horses that required daily rations equivalent to ten people's meals. Nevertheless, families capable of caring for horses in this area were quite prominent.
Zhu Ji then bowed slightly to Dian Wei, who stood to one side. "Dian Wei, please bear with us; our conditions here are limited." Dian Wei returned the gesture in understanding. "Chu Ji Clan Leader, I am deeply grateful for your consideration."
Zhu Ji nodded gently and turned to Chu Yan beside him. "Yan'er, go prepare some dry rations and set off immediately; don't waste time on the road." Chu Yan patted his chest and assured him, "Father, don't worry; I will take care of everything."
Meanwhile, Zhu Ji silently murmured in his heart: This is exactly why I worry about your reliability. He then turned to Dian Wei and instructed, "Please take good care of my son along the way."
Dian Wei stood tall and replied confidently, "Chu Ji Clan Leader, you can rest assured; as long as I am here, no one will harm a hair on your son's head." Thinking of Dian Wei's strength, Zhu Ji finally felt relieved. Soon after, Chu Yan returned with enough food to sustain them for two months and loaded it onto the cart.
Everyone bid farewell to each other, and Chu Yan drove away with Dian Wei towards the south.
Once Dian Wei had left, Zhu Ji and Xiahou Xing got up and began to busy themselves. As the heads of the family, they naturally needed to set an example while most of the able-bodied men were away.
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