Chapter 87

"Can this really be solved?" Jiang Xingchen’s words made everyone dumbfounded again. That vast expanse of wasteland must be at least several million square meters, possibly even tens of millions. How many people were there in Green Mountain Village? Could they really manage to cultivate it all?

"Does he have some strange and unusual idea again?" Everyone thought to themselves.

Although Jiang Xingchen had already demonstrated various wonders, the idea of cultivating such a large area of land with so few people still left everyone skeptical. After all, this task was more difficult than fishing.

Jiang Xingchen nodded with a smile, but he was also nervous inside. To cultivate such a large area of land, he needed to change from manual labor to ox-drawn plowing, and the farming tools would also need to be improved.

In his previous life, he was not familiar with farming, but he had learned from history books that ox-drawn plowing liberated productivity. As for the production relationship, there was no need to worry about it changing. After all, the feudal system of the Qiankun Empire was very different from Earth's, and land management was very strict, with no private land development allowed.

There were two key points: one was that the empire had no oxen for plowing, and wild oxen definitely wouldn't work! The other was the improvement of tools.

He could experiment with tool improvements through repeated trials, but the oxen were a bit of a problem, which was why he was nervous. However, to boost the villagers' enthusiasm, he still appeared very confident. After all, they would first need to build water conservancy facilities, and the land cultivation would have to wait until the expansion of the territory was granted, so there was no rush!

Shi Wazi and Grandpa Fu found it hard to believe, but seeing Jiang Xingchen so confident, they couldn't help but feel a spark of hope. If what the Duke said was true, then... they couldn't even imagine what it would be like.

"Kid, you talk so easily, but how are you going to dig this mountain? It's over a hundred meters high! Don't think of me, I don't have that kind of ability!" the old man said.

"I didn't say I was counting on you! Just get more people to help!" Jiang Xingchen glanced at the old man and said with a smile.

"Where are you going to get more people?"

"I helped the Seventh Legion so much, asking Commander Wu Tianfeng to lend me some people shouldn't be a problem! They are all resting in Hongyuan City... Besides, I can also ask Duke Dingshou for some city guards!"

"That's true! With a few hundred people, it wouldn't be hard to dig through this mountain ridge in a year or two! But the food and living expenses for so many people will cost you a lot!" the old man nodded.

"A year or two, that's too late! At least three thousand people, and I want it done in two months!" Jiang Xingchen pouted and said with a smug look.

"Wow~" Everyone's feet wobbled. Three thousand people, not to mention food, do you even have a place for them to live! Two months, that would cost you at least 500,000 yellow crystal coins.

"Kid, are you really feverish! Go back, let the ancestors treat you!" the old man grabbed Jiang Xingchen's hand and tried to lead him down the mountain.

"You're the one who's sick!" Jiang Xingchen shook off the old man's hand and said loudly, "Do you think I'm joking with you? I've already sent letters to Duke Dingshou and Commander Wu Tianfeng, asking them to prepare the people and supplies. I can afford 500,000 yellow crystal coins!"

As Jiang Xingchen spoke, his facial muscles twitched. He said he didn't care, but spending all his savings at once still made him feel incredibly painful. He kept sighing, "It comes quickly, and it goes quickly!"

"500,000 yellow crystal coins!" Shi Wazi and Grandpa Fu knew that Duke Jiang was rich, but hearing this number still made them feel a bit short of breath, their brains dizzy, unable to imagine how much money that was.

Looking at the still stunned crowd, Jiang Xingchen chuckled and said, "As for the living arrangements, I'll take care of it!"

This statement shocked everyone again. How could he possibly arrange for three thousand people to live? Everyone's curiosity was piqued, and they kept asking Jiang Xingchen!

At this moment, Jiang Xingchen looked like he was showing off. He said, "You'll see," and walked down the mountain ridge with his hands behind his back, his smug look making everyone want to scratch their heads...

In Hongyuan City, Duke Dingshou held Jiang Xingchen's letter, unsure whether to laugh or cry. He had only told the kid that the emperor had suppressed his contributions, and there was a possibility of getting the expansion of the territory in the future. Now, he wanted to start the land development. Where did he get such confidence, thinking this would definitely work?

"Three thousand people, digging a hole through the mountain ridge, this kid is really ambitious, and he doesn't hesitate to spend 500,000 yellow crystal coins... Haha, he's contributing to the prosperity of Hongyuan City again!"

Duke Dingshou smiled and walked out, heading straight for the Seventh Legion's headquarters, where Wu Tianfeng was also resting.

Hearing Duke Dingshou's purpose, Wu Tianfeng's eyes widened and asked, "Digging a mountain, what for?"

"Haha, I don't know why he's digging the mountain... Just say if you'll help or not!" Duke Dingshou didn't mention the expansion of the territory, as it was still uncertain.

"Help! Jiang Xingchen's matters must be helped, and I'll take the responsibility if the higher-ups ask!" Wu Tianfeng immediately agreed. Although the military department didn't allow arbitrary troop movements, the Seventh Legion was currently in rest and rehabilitation, and moving a few thousand people under the guise of injured soldiers was not difficult. Besides, he still owed Jiang Xingchen a favor.

"Good! I'll prepare the supplies, and you prepare the people, send them to Green Mountain Village immediately!" Duke Dingshou said and turned to leave.

In the following days, large carts kept leaving the city gates, heading north...

In Green Mountain Village, Jiang Xingchen rested for two days. When the Seventh Legion returned the fishing nets, he took Mo Hongxian and the others to go fishing.

The result was obvious. When they saw the large number of fish being pulled out of the water, Mo Hongxian and Wan Rou were as excited as little girls, shouting and cheering.

During these two days, Zhao Danqing and the old man became the most默契 (默契 means默契, but in this context, it means 'in sync' or 'in harmony') chess partners, getting along well. However, during meals and chess games, they instantly became mortal enemies!

Jiang Xingchen, besides spending time with Mei'er, also discussed dance and music with Wan Rou.

Jiang Xingchen knew nothing about the dance and music of this world, only sharing his limited knowledge with Wan Rou. This included simple notation and staff notation.

He didn't understand scales, half steps, or how to represent beats, only knowing the basics! He only knew the lines and the little tadpoles with tails pointing up in staff notation. As for F and G keys, he had only heard of them. For the ancient pentatonic scale, he only knew the names, unable to explain them.

It didn't matter that he didn't understand. Wan Rou was an expert in dance and music. The appearance of simple notation and staff notation immediately caught her attention. Such a simple and clear way to represent notes, scales, and beats was definitely more practical than the current notation.

After that, Wan Rou didn't pay attention to Jiang Xingchen anymore, focusing on revising her music sheets, completely engrossed.

Jiang Xingchen couldn't help, so he left.

Just as he was about to leave, a flash of inspiration struck him. He turned back and repeatedly instructed Wan Rou not to leak the simple notation, as he had big plans for it.

Wan Rou didn't know Jiang Xingchen's intentions, but since he said it, there must be a reason. She immediately agreed without hesitation.

The following days were very peaceful. Mo Hongxian, Wan Rou, and Zhao Danqing didn't leave, all wanting to see how Jiang Xingchen would solve the housing problem for three thousand people...

By the end of December and early January, the soldiers and supplies from Hongyuan City arrived one after another. They finally saw how Jiang Xingchen arranged the soldiers' living quarters.

Under his command, large ice bricks were taken from the river, stacked in layers, and then water was poured over them to freeze the next layer. This process continued, layer by layer, until a small ice house that could accommodate three to five people was formed.

He had learned about the Inuit's ice houses in his previous life, curious and researching them online, but he had never built one himself. However, with the success of winter fishing, he was more confident in the effectiveness of the array.

"Wow~ Using ice to build houses, can you even live in them? Won't you freeze to death at night?" Zhao Danqing muttered and bent down to enter the ice house.

The moment he entered, Zhao Danqing was stunned. The ice house was extremely airtight, with no wind coming in. Although it wasn't as warm as a heated house, it was much better than the freezing cold outside. Laying down some grass, blankets, and animal skins, sleeping was no problem.

At this moment, Mo Hongxian, Wan Rou, the old man, Du Roshan, and Mei'er all entered the ice house, each emitting a sigh of amazement, even the old man.

Building houses with ice was something they never thought of, and even more surprising, the houses were actually livable, extremely airtight, and windproof.

The soldiers had already heard about Jiang Xingchen's wonders and were direct beneficiaries of the winter fishing, deeply grateful to him. Hearing that they were helping Duke Jiang, they came without hesitation. Now, seeing Jiang Xingchen's magic again, they were in awe. Some of the soldiers who had followed him during the winter fishing were itching to get started.

If Jiang Xingchen knew that these soldiers were still addicted, he might never have asked Wu Tianfeng for help.

In the freezing cold, with the ice on the river over a meter thick, there was plenty of ice. The soldiers quickly joined the construction of the ice houses, the scene bustling with activity.

On the hill, the villagers watched as ice houses lined the riverbank, all dumbfounded, thinking, "Duke Jiang can even think of such a method, he's... not human!"

The digging site was chosen by Jiang Xingchen, ensuring that the river would be higher than the other side of the mountain ridge.

However, once they started, they found the mountain ridge too hard. Without the old man's help, they couldn't even make a dent. But the old man was also a human, and even with all his strength, he couldn't dig much.

Finally, Jiang Xingchen came up with a solution: first, use fire to heat the rock, then pour cold water, and then dig.

Sure enough, this method made the rock much more brittle, and the digging progress began to advance normally.

Time flew by, and soon half a month passed. Just as the tunnel was being dug at a normal pace, the old man received a letter from Tang Chuxue, inviting Jiang Xingchen to visit the First Legion.