Chapter 10

The cold winter rain fell like a mournful lament, so persistent that it made one's blood boil. Clothes that had just been dried would soon be wringing wet again, clinging to the body and making every movement uncomfortable.

Yun Zheng jumped off the ox cart, led the ox to the shed, and used a burlap cloth to dry the ox first, not bothering to wipe the rain from his own head. It was only then that he realized a truth: the ox was more important than a person. A few women who were helping in the kitchen assisted Yun Zheng in unloading the coarse rice from the ox cart. One of the women, seeing that Yun Zheng was covered in mud and water, complained, "Why did you cover the coarse rice with a straw cloak? The rice will be eaten in a couple of days, so a little rain shouldn't matter."

Yun Zheng took a small basket of eggs from the ox cart and smiled at the woman, saying, "It's no problem. This is for people to eat, how can it get wet? If it gets wet, it will turn into double-steamed rice. Everyone is working hard, and if they don't eat enough, it could be fatal. A few days ago, there was a little leftover from the rations, so I bought some eggs to make some sleeve-shaking soup for everyone to warm up."

The woman chuckled and said, "You have your ways. In previous years, there wasn't even enough coarse rice for everyone, but you've managed to provide both rice and vegetables. Now you're even making soup. If this continues, life on the construction site will be like that of a county magistrate."

Yun Zheng smiled bitterly, not knowing how the officials managed the supplies. They provided very little coarse rice but an abundance of salted vegetables. He didn't know which year the salted vegetables were pickled, but they were in large, black jars, and the warehouse manager said to take as much as needed. Yun Zheng glanced at the seal, which bore the mark of the Wusheng Army, indicating that these were leftovers from the military.

With no other choice, Yun Zheng traded the salted vegetables with the mountain people for coarse rice and some lard. For the mountain people, having salt was a great blessing, so they didn't pick and choose. This allowed Yun Zheng to get a good deal. The over a hundred laborers under his charge were very satisfied with their meals, and it was no wonder, as who could complain when there was both rice and vegetables?

The mountain people were actually fugitives who hid in the mountains, living off the land. They seemed to live a carefree life, but in reality, they were always on the brink of death, fighting against the mountains, wild animals, and bandits. After a month of interaction, Yun Zheng hadn't seen a single mountain person over thirty years old.

After drinking a large bowl of sleeve-shaking soup, Yun Zheng felt a bit warmer. He had taught the women how to make this soup, which only required a handful of cassava flour and an egg to make a large pot. Adding a bit of chopped green vegetables made it look good and taste decent, though it had little nutritional value, just a way to satisfy the mouth.

The sound of the copper gong signaled the end of work. The laborers, like ghosts, emerged from the rain and huddled in the shed, unwilling to leave the fire pit. The woman in charge of the kitchen chased them away with a large ladle.

"Do you want to eat or not? The young master feels sorry for you and has prepared a good meal today, with eggs. Drink more to warm up."

The simple-minded Cang'er was almost pushed out of the shed. Yun Zheng pulled him to sit behind his broken table, where at least they could shelter from the wind. He gave Cang'er a large bowl of soup, not as a special favor, but with a bit more egg on top. There was plenty of soup, and Cang'er drank an extra bowl. His stomach, empty before, was now full of clear broth, and it made a clanging sound with every movement, like a large animal that had just drunk water. No one laughed, as they were all the same.

Yun Zheng never restricted the amount of coarse rice, and with two strips of salted vegetables, they could eat a large bowl. Since coming to this world, Yun Zheng found his appetite had increased significantly. He could easily eat two large bowls of coarse rice from a bowl as big as a person's head.

It had been a month since he arrived at the construction site, and Liu Dutou had only appeared three times. Unexpectedly, he came today, looked at the laborers' bowls, nodded in satisfaction, and tasted a spoonful of egg soup from the pot. His eyes lit up, and he filled a large bowl for himself, sitting at Yun Zheng's broken table and drinking while talking. "I've been around, and only your place looks like a place where people can live. Boy, do you know how to measure earth? If you do, come with me to measure the earth. I won't let you work for free, fifty coins a day."

Yun Zheng smiled and said, "You're planning to dig a new ditch. I know how to do it, and not only that, I know you're planning to dig a channel halfway up the mountain. The water from the fortress on the mountain can't drain, and in winter, a little rain causes flooding. If it's the summer or spring rains, the mountain will be in trouble. The work we do in winter might be washed away by the rain."

Liu Dutou put down his bowl, patted Yun Zheng's head, and laughed, "You're clever, damn it. Scholars should be like you. Quickly think of the cheapest way to solve this. This is extra work, and the higher-ups won't pay for it. If you come up with something, I'll reward you."

"Actually, there's no need to drain the water from the mountain. This hill on the north slope of Dousha Pass is steep and easy to defend but hard to attack, which is why the authorities want to build a fortress here to support Dousha Pass. However, the mountain lacks water, which means it can't be defended for long. If I were the enemy, I would surround the mountain with enough troops. It wouldn't take long, ten days at most, and the mountain would fall without a fight."

Liu Dutou lifted Yun Zheng's face and teased, "I didn't expect we had a military strategist here. Tell me, how do you solve this problem and teach me something."

Yun Zheng slapped the table and said, "Build a water storage cellar. If you dig a channel, it will be at least three miles long, and at the current rate, it will take you at least a month. If you use the existing pond on the mountain, you won't have this worry, and it will only take three to five days to clear it. During heavy rain, the water will flow into the pond, and you won't have to worry about it flooding the fortress below."

"Nonsense, there's no pond on the mountain. If we have to build a new pond, I might as well dig a channel. At least I won't have to chisel stones and lay the pond. I thought you had a good idea, but this one costs money. The commander of Dousha Pass hasn't said anything, so why should we worry? It's most important to do our own jobs well." Liu Dutou was a bit disappointed.

Yun Zheng fiercely hit his head on the table, making a loud thumping sound. Liu Dutou grabbed Yun Zheng by the collar and lifted him up, saying, "Speak properly, why are you getting angry?"

"Heaven, Dousha Pass has guarded the Five-Foot Road for over a thousand years, through the Qin, Han, Three Kingdoms, Jin, and Tang dynasties. Zhuge Liang once stationed his troops here. So many famous ministers and brave generals, did they not know how to use this mountain? The Tang dynasty's Yuan Zhi's cliff inscription is right by the road, clearly stating that there is a pond made of blue stone on this mountain. He even washed his feet here. I don't believe that over the years, those stones have turned to soil."