noveltune Chapter 5491 A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire
Chapter 5491 A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire
Chapter 5491 A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire
The sun was high in the sky, and the river surface shimmered. The fleet of boats docked at a simple pier in a river bend. Lu Zhaolin jumped off the boat first, stepped onto the thick wooden planks, and looked around. Not far away, a gently sloping hill rose abruptly from the plain, which could be considered the high ground in the vicinity.
A rugged, muddy path extends from the dock to the hill.
The Hu people on duty at the dock were overjoyed to see the fleet arrive. After helping to tie the Lansheng to the huge wooden stakes that were lowered into the riverbed, they ran back to their camp to call for help.
Lu Zhaolin then went with him to visit the camp.
In early spring, the land in Liaodong transforms from frozen to solid. The snow and other water that were trapped in the soil evaporate and rise to the surface, a phenomenon known as "returning slurry." At this time, the roads are muddy, slippery, and difficult to walk on, with each step causing a "plop" of mud and water.
The task of cultivating and settling farmland in the barren Liaodong region was fraught with difficulties and obstacles.
The talented young master from a wealthy family, living a life of luxury, walked on the land of Liaodong. Under the vast sky and amidst the boundless wilderness, he was not discouraged by the harsh conditions. Instead, he was filled with a lofty ambition to change the world and strive for success.
What a magnificent achievement it would be to turn this barren land into fertile fields.
As you travel along the road, the roadside is full of low-lying swamps, and between the swamps are patches of meadows covered with withered grass that has not yet sprouted, and clumps of low shrubs grow haphazardly, creating an indescribable desolation.
The Hu man in front was probably excited and had already started jogging, so Lu Zhaolin quickened his pace as well.
Following the muddy road to a sunny hillside, the Hu man cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Supplies are here!"
Lu Zhaolin was immediately surprised. This Hu man had the hairstyle that was a symbol of the Khitans, but he spoke Chinese with a standard Chang'an accent.
With a shout from the Hu people, an even more astonishing scene unfolded before Lu Zhaolin.
From a distance, the hillside appeared unremarkable, but suddenly, one by one, two by two… hundreds of people emerged from the ground. Countless people seemed to appear out of thin air, densely packed on the hillside, and then let out a deafening cheer.
Lu Zhaolin's eyes widened. Where did these people come from?
As you get closer, you can see the rows of small mounds on the hillside, slightly higher than the ground...
Is this what they call a "diyinzi" (earth cellar)?
Someone ran up to them, excitedly exclaiming, "The supplies have really arrived?"
"Why are you so late? We've been without food for two months!"
"I'm about to throw up from eating wild yams and bracken roots, but even that's not enough to fill me up!"
Complaints arose everywhere.
Lu Zhaolin was astonished. To have no food for two consecutive months in this desolate wilderness and have to dig wild roots and stems from the frozen ground to fill one's stomach must have been incredibly difficult.
One only needs to look at these soldiers with their brittle beards and emaciated faces to understand the situation.
Some people also noticed Lu Zhaolin: "This young man is good-looking; he looks like he comes from a wealthy family!"
"Young man, listen to my advice: your delicate skin won't hold up here. You should go back as soon as possible!"
"Don't risk your life here for a little bit of merit."
"Being good at studying is useless; all those classical Chinese phrases don't help you farm!"
Lu Zhaolin looked around, straightened his back, and said loudly, "I am a disciple of Zhenguan Academy. I have volunteered to join the Liaodong reclamation army by order of the Grand Commandant. I will use the knowledge I have learned in the academy to cultivate the wilderness and use the blood in my body to fulfill the oath I made when I left the capital!"
"I will never return home until Liaodong has been developed into a granary!"
"Since you belong to the 'corps,' then you are all soldiers of the Empire. However, some soldiers fight on the frontier to protect their homeland, while we fight in the wilderness to change the world!"
"As soldiers, we must uphold our duties and prioritize orders!"
"Now everyone listen up! Send 100 people to the dock to move supplies, the rest of you stay put and rest!"
"Here!"
The response was thunderous, and soon a hundred strong soldiers stepped forward.
Although Confucianism has always represented supreme knowledge, in this desolate wilderness, scholars who only know classical Chinese are of no use whatsoever. However, the Zhenguan Academy, which teaches natural sciences, is like a god here.
Upon hearing that this fair-skinned scholar came from Zhenguan Academy and had been summoned by the Grand Commandant to leave the pass and join the reclamation army in the harsh land, I instantly felt boundless respect for him.
Soon, Lu Zhaolin led his men back to the dock, unloaded the supplies from the ship, and carried them to the Qiupo camp.
A local Hu person suggested: "We should build warehouses on high ground to store supplies. If we put them in underground cellars, they will probably all be destroyed."
Lu Zhaolin remained silent for a moment, then lowered his head and crawled into a dugout.
These underground dwellings are mostly located underground. Although their primary purpose is to solve the problem of not having a place to live, they also have their advantages. The underground temperature is relatively constant. Even when it is the dead of winter and snow is raging in Liaodong, the temperature can be maintained simply by closing the door and lighting a fire.
Otherwise, if a house were built on flat ground, without enough firewood for heating, people would freeze to death...
But that only applies in winter; the situation is completely reversed after spring arrives.
As temperatures rise, the moisture frozen in the soil during winter melts and seeps in, making the entire dugout extremely damp. Water seeps down the walls, and the dugout is filled with a strong musty smell.
If a person lives in such an environment for a long time, they will soon be affected by dampness and cold, and even if they don't die, they will be severely damaged...
The most important task in developing Liaodong was water management.
However, the most important task in flood control is to solve the problem of food and lodging for the "corps".
Because the waterways were open, there was a steady supply of food from overseas. However, without a comfortable living environment, the fighting capacity of these soldiers, who were a mix of Han and non-Han peoples, would be reduced by at least half.
Therefore, the most urgent task is to build houses.
He asked, "Are there any large forests nearby?"
“Of course there is!” A Hu man, speaking broken Chinese, revealed his large, yellowed teeth: “There is a forest about several dozen miles behind this hill, where wild animals roam and insects and snakes roam, making it very dangerous. That’s why we chose this place as our base last winter.”
The difficulties in developing Liaodong lie not only in its desolation, cold, and lack of roads, but also in the wild beasts that roam freely.
This camp not only avoids the forests where wild animals roam, but also provides shelter from the raging river during the rainy season.
It is very safe.
Lu Zhaolin waved his hand and said, "The order from the Liaodong Governor's Office is to begin the full-scale management of the Liao River in early April, including building dikes and dams and dredging the river. Before that, we have about a month to cut down trees, build kilns, make adobe bricks, and fire bricks!"
"Firing...firing bricks?"
"Who knows how to build a kiln?"
"Who knows how to make bricks?!"
Questions and criticisms arose one after another.
In such an era, any craft is passed down from generation to generation, and brick making is no exception.
Even the most basic task of building a kiln requires expert guidance; the intricacies involved are beyond the comprehension of outsiders.
Setting up a kiln haphazardly not only produces only waste bricks, but may even lead to a collapse...
Lu Zhaolin then laughed and pulled a thick book out of his pocket.
The other students in the academy burst into laughter.
Do you think we came here to voluntarily reclaim land simply because of our enthusiasm?
"We are far inferior to others in terms of land reclamation and farming, but we have knowledge to rely on!"
Lu Zhaolin flipped through a few pages of the book, looked up and asked, "Is there anyone here who can read?"
The soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment. A young soldier stepped forward and said, "I attended a private school for a few days when I was in the countryside. Later, my family fell into poverty, and I had no choice but to join the navy."
Lu Zhaolin and the others were filled with awe: "They're actually naval soldiers? My apologies for not recognizing them."
The Royal Navy had traversed the seven seas and was invincible, long becoming an "unbeatable force" in the Tang army's ranks. Moreover, since it was established by Fang Jun, its status in the eyes of the Tang people was far greater than that of the Sixteen Guards.
The soldier scratched his head and smiled憨厚ly: "Now the Royal Navy is invincible and the barbarians are subdued. There are fewer and fewer battles. The Grand Commandant called for disembarking, landing, and heading to Liaodong to shift the battlefield from the sea to Liaodong... This time, there are several thousand soldiers responding to the Grand Commandant's call."
Lu Zhaolin nodded repeatedly: "The Grand Commandant's foresight and wisdom are unparalleled in the world, and the Navy's loyalty and courage are invincible!"
He opened the book: "Look what this is?"
The soldier stepped closer and took a closer look: "The method of firing bricks... Young master, you actually prepared for this all along?"
"Ha ha!"
Lu Zhaolin and the other students burst into laughter.
"It's not just that we had a method for firing bricks prepared in advance! Take another look!"
Lu Zhaolin closed the book and then turned the pages one by one.
The soldier's eyes widened: "Soil improvement... early sowing in three to five days... surveying and planning... irrigation canals... brick-making methods... improved curved plows... Good heavens! Are these all the technologies needed to develop Liaodong?"
"Exactly!"
"This is the technology that the Grand Commandant gathered in Chang'an, selected from the artisans proficient in various crafts, that could potentially be applied to the development of Liaodong. With this book in hand, we can overcome all kinds of difficulties!"
Lu Zhaolin closed the book and showed him the cover.
The cover read "Solutions to the Difficulties of Land Reclamation in Liaodong," with a smaller line below stating "Technology is Productivity"...
A soldier nearby slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "It has to be the Grand Commandant! He understands our difficulties and is able to solve them!"
“In the past, when faced with difficulties, officials would only look for general principles in books, but the principles of sages are very general and do not have specific solutions!”
"With this book, we'll be even stronger!"
The soldiers were in high spirits.
Lu Zhaolin carefully put away his books, raised his arm and shouted: "Now listen to my orders, let's divide the work and cooperate. One group will climb over the hills and go into the mountains to cut down trees, one group will choose a site to build a brick kiln, and one group will dig clay to make adobe bricks... We will start firing the first batch of bricks in ten days!"
"Here!"
All the soldiers were greatly encouraged.
With ample supplies, a well-organized and morale-boosting military commander, and a book containing a wealth of scientific knowledge, the soldiers were in high spirits, feeling that even the most desolate wilderness could eventually be conquered.
At the same time, countless such settlements sprang up in great activity after the students of the academy joined.
A single spark can start a prairie fire.