Chapter 22

The original building was built on a raised platform, and the building itself was not much taller than an ordinary house. The ground in the yard was paved with stone, and there was a small garden, but the dead branches had been cleared away and vegetables were planted.

The city was in dire need of materials, and the construction of various workshops had been delayed. However, there was no rush. During the spring plowing season, those militants rarely went on expeditions, after all, their own lands needed labor for cultivation.

The only people who can move around in the city now are our own people. We closed the city gates before sunset and left a few people on guard so we don't have to worry about anyone launching a sneak attack.

The daytime hours gradually get longer, and after eating we have time to get together and chat.

Wen Yi put down the things in his hand. It was inconvenient to do anything in the semi-darkness. In addition, many people were malnourished and had night blindness, so even if they were careful, they would be bumped into.

"Ayi, come here."

Shu beckoned Wen Yi to walk over there. When they got closer, they found that there were cakes being baked on the stove. They were the kind that had been made and dried in advance. They tasted good when chopped up and put in soup or baked.

The baked crust was crispy and not too hard to chew. A small group of people were squatting nearby, all munching on the pancakes in their hands.

"Are you still busy today?" Wen Yi asked Qing Ping beside her. She was really busy with carpentry work recently, and sometimes she had to rely on A Mu to bring her food. Today, she finally saw him.

Qingping sighed, "It's almost done. There's not much left to do, so there's no need to rush." ​​She had been busy with spring plowing and irrigation before, and now that the plowing was coming to an end, she didn't have to be so busy.

She originally thought that she could learn something from those craftsmen, but after she actually started, she found that everyone was equally rough in their rush work, and that group of guys were also forced to do it, and most of them did not make a living from this before.

This was understandable. Yao Wenjun's own safety was not guaranteed after escaping from Yu, so it would be even harder for those with less combat capabilities to escape. Furthermore, unlike the previous situation in Pingyi, most people who captured the city would loot, but they would still be able to keep most of their property. After a few years of tax increases, they would return to their previous lives.

This is also the reason why many people do not care too much about the ownership or change of ownership of the city.

"I saw some merchants passing by outside the city these days. Maybe we can get in touch with them." Shan held a bowl of hot porridge in his hand and looked at the group of people who were eating cakes while standing.

There were so many things missing here, and Shan had been helping to coordinate some of them these past few days. Seeing Yao Wenjun getting anxious and a bit irritable, he hid it well after returning home each day, never letting anyone else know.

Wen Yi nodded.

The things a group of people need in life are different from those of a few people living in the mountains. The lack of resources is one aspect, and many things can only be assigned to others. If they really have to do it themselves, it will take years to complete.

Dividing the tasks will lead to various problems. Cutting corners is only the easiest part to solve. There are also people who are good at replacing certain things on a whim, leading to various accidents. The key is that upon closer inspection, the person really has no bad intentions. Wen Yi deeply understands why Yao Wenjun gave a direct death order without any changes.

"I don't know when I can have some free time." Wen Yi sighed. He originally thought that living in the mountains was a difficult thing, but he didn't expect that after coming here, all those things were nothing compared to him.

Mental fatigue is far greater than physical exhaustion. If she could not hold the fish balls and stare blankly from time to time, she would have wanted to drop her work and run away.

*

"Mom, where is this?"

A girl with her hair tied with a straw rope was clinging to the edge of a basket, looking at the gray city wall in the distance with some curiosity.

The middle-aged woman carrying a wicker basket had grass scraps mixed in her hair, and was wrapped in only rags and straw. The long period of hunger made her feel dizzy and she staggered as she walked. When she heard the child's voice, her eyes became clearer and she looked forward.

When she saw the city looming in the distance, her original fatigue was suppressed.

"We... have arrived..."

There are temporary sheds outside the city wall, and the aroma of food can be smelled from a long distance away.

The two people who came over with dragging feet did not attract the attention of others. Most of the people who came over had already exhausted their strength. They held the worn-out pottery bowls and drank greedily, accumulating strength to move forward.

Disaster relief food is often cooked to be inedible, mixed with fishy smells or sand, and good food is repeatedly deducted, so that by the time it reaches those in need, it's less than 10% of what it was. This also reduces the likelihood that those who can barely make ends meet will seek free food.

However, the porridge was only diluted here, and the middle-aged woman and the girl drank it directly next to the shed. During the escape, everything that can be eaten must be swallowed immediately, otherwise it will be snatched away.

Fortunately, the porridge was not hot and did not cause burns.

After resting for half a day, the two followed a few other people and continued towards their destination without stopping here.

The little girl didn't quite understand, but she continued on her way with her mother. "Mom, why don't we stay here?" Her mother had always tried to find a way to stay in other cities she had encountered before, so why here...

Wen Yi stood on the city wall, watching the group of people gradually moving away, then turned around and carefully walked down the narrow steps.

The person waiting below was the one who was to take over the guard duty. Wen Yi nodded to him and then left.

The road under your feet is paved with bricks and stones, and there are stone ditches on the side of the road for drainage. Even if it rains, it won't be muddy when you walk on it.

Many fruit trees have been transplanted on both sides of the road. Most of them were purchased from other places, and some were found in the mountains and forests. In addition to providing shade, they can also bear fruit for consumption in autumn.

Wen Yi was walking on the road, and occasionally someone passed by, but everyone was busy with their own things, so they nodded and continued on their way.

They have been here for over a year.

"Ouch?"

A black-haired cat was napping under a tree. It smelled a familiar scent, got up, rubbed against Wen Yi's legs, and then was picked up.

"I know you don't want to get wet, so I'll carry you back."

Wen Yi weighed the fish balls, which had become heavier, and continued forward with some difficulty.

She finally understood why cats were considered beasts of prey at that time. Putting aside their hunting abilities, their size alone was no joke.

When they reached the gate of the courtyard, Yuwan jumped out of Wen Yi's arms, jumped onto the courtyard wall in three or two steps, and then easily bypassed the obstacles on the wall.

The original city palace has been demolished and rebuilt into a three-courtyard style. The back is where Wen Yi and others live, and the front is where various affairs are handled, connected by a small door in the middle.

The room on the right side of the entrance is where everyone eats. After all, there are only a few hours of good light every day, and it would be a waste to go back and forth at noon, so everyone eats here.

It was already past dinner time, and perhaps because they knew she would be back in a while, the food was kept warm in the pot, so it wasn't too cold when they took it out.

Today's lunch was "pancakes", which means fried savory vegetables were sandwiched between coarse wheat pancakes. One of the bowls left in Wen Yi's usual porcelain bowl contained mushrooms, and the other seemed to contain shredded pork and vegetables. Both tasted pretty good.

After Wen Yi's explanation, Yao Wenjun and the others, though still somewhat puzzled, came to understand that current copper alloys contained many harmful substances and could lead to heavy metal poisoning if used long-term. Furthermore, porcelain had become stable, and the tableware had been replaced with porcelain.

The cost of this product wasn't too high, mainly coming from the glaze and the fuel used in the firing process. Wen Yi simply rented a shop on the main road in the city. Because there were no middlemen, the price was lower than that of ordinary pottery sold by street vendors.

After dinner, Wen Yi walked to the front hall, which was used to handle miscellaneous tasks. Several people were busy with something here, and they didn't look up when they heard the familiar footsteps.

There were really too many things to deal with, and they couldn't just leave them alone. If they finished early, they could go back and rest and clean up.

Wen Yi walked to a table on the side and picked up a thick stack of account books. After the papermaking workshop was established, the carrier of these things was also replaced with paper, which was lighter to carry and easier to archive.

Wen Yi also chose the tables and chairs. At first, everyone was a little uncomfortable, but after kneeling for a long time, even sitting on a scale would make their legs numb. After trying it, everyone quickly accepted it. After all, clothes are all made in the same workshop these days, so even if you sit on a chair, you won't be embarrassed by revealing anything you shouldn't be showing.

The stack of account books she held in her hands were from a recently returned caravan. Porcelain, soap, and other items were selling well.

This is the advantage of having your own people in the city. It’s not that no one has been bribed or threatened, but their home is here and they are reluctant to give up the increasingly better life here. Most of the caravans will return with money.

Over the past year, Yao Wenjun has followed the caravan several times and gathered some subordinates who had not surrendered to the new master, as well as the families of those who were willing to follow her back. The originally empty city has become more lively.

Most of the people in the workshop were injured soldiers. Wen Yi treated them very well, which gave courage to those who were originally a little timid and made them willing to contribute their strength to defending the city.

He compared the data recorded by the warehouse manager with the data from the caravan, treating the minor discrepancies as losses. Overall, there were no errors or omissions. Wen Yi put the two pieces of paper together, stamped them, and kept them aside, then continued to calculate the consumption of the past few days.

The weather is hot, and although making ice is impossible, cooling soups still need to be prepared in advance. There are only one or two apprentices in the newly established clinic in the city, and if a large number of people suffer from heatstroke, they will not be able to cope with it.

Wen Yi wrote down all the possible events, thought of possible countermeasures one by one, discussed with several people who helped with chores, formulated a charter, and finally implemented it.

Yao Wenjun doesn't care much about these things. He spends most of his time training his subordinates every day, and uses the rest of his time to discuss the next things with everyone. He is busy like a top every day, but he seems to enjoy it.

This time, the caravan brought back a lot of wool and other items. Warm clothing is cheap at this time of year. Despite our best efforts last year, only very few people were able to get warm clothing. This year, we're preparing it in advance, washing it with soap and storing it, and turning it into warm clothing during the slack season.

The people who were sent out to exchange their skills in building kangs and making farm tools for things also came back. These people did not treat these things as commodities, but promoted them at low prices. The surrounding forces had ways to increase food production and survive the winter, and those higher-value items were easier to sell and trade.

In this era where having a skill can make you live well, countless people are vying to be apprentices, even if they mean being exploited for a long time. Many masters are afraid of losing their jobs and hide the secrets.

If someone can teach them these skills directly, even the most stingy people will grit their teeth and give up the things they cherish, and naturally the things they get in return will be all kinds of strange.

There were foreign spices collected by a certain family, seeds cultivated for dozens of generations, and special minerals that were found. All of these things were shipped back.