Chapter 188: Leaning against a big tree for shade

The villagers happily returned to the village carrying the New Year's goods they had exchanged with Shopkeeper Zhu.

County Magistrate Hu and Su Bucheng and several others were walking on the newly built road. The road surface was flat. After being compacted, it was paved with a layer of mortar mixed with clay, lime and sand, which was nearly half a foot thick. There was no dust when they walked on it.

There are curbs and gutters on the roadside, with water gurgling from bamboo pipes.

"Hey, you have paved this road with mortar?" County Magistrate Hu was surprised.

Others use mortar to plaster walls, but here they use it to pave roads, which is unheard of.

"Yes! This mortar can be applied to the ground to cover the soil and prevent dust from flying.

Secondly, it prevents mud and sand from being washed away by rainy days, which would otherwise cause potholes on the road surface after being trampled by vehicles, thus extending the service life of the road," Su Bucheng explained.

"Oh, this is a good idea. Who came up with it, Mr. Su Erlang?" County Magistrate Hu remembered that Mr. Su Lao Er came from the Ministry of Works.

"Your Excellency, this is what my daughter Su Ying thought of!" Su Bucheng replied.

Su Laoer naturally knew about the road shoulders and drainage ditches, but it was Su Ying who suggested laying mortar.

The ground in the capital was compacted, and because the terrain was high in the south and low in the north, whenever it rained heavily, the rain would often gather in the northwest direction.

As a result, the road became extremely muddy, making it inconvenient for many court officials to go to and from court, and they had to take a detour.

Residents of Chang'an County, west of the city, suffered greatly.

When Su Ying suggested laying mortar, Su Bucheng thought of his own three-acre land. If he had applied mortar and cleared the drainage ditch at that time, perhaps the people would not have to suffer.

"This is a clever idea. If we lay mortar, the road won't be muddy on rainy days." County Magistrate Hu also thought of the potholes and mud on the main road of the county town.

I want to replicate it, “Just lay down the mortar?”

"No, there are many requirements. You also need to stretch your muscles and bones, otherwise they won't be able to withstand the pressure of cars and horses." Su Bucheng shook his head.

"What else is there?" Magistrate Hu was more and more amazed as he listened. "Mr. Su, please tell me quickly."

"Second brother, come and tell the adults!" Su Bucheng called his second brother.

My second brother made the greatest contribution in opening up the mountains and building roads, so at least he can show his face in front of the county magistrate.

"Greetings, sir!" Su Lao Er bowed to County Magistrate Hu.

"Mr. Su Erlang, please tell me quickly, what are the special requirements for this mortar road?" County Magistrate Hu asked humbly.

“My Lord, before laying the mortar, we need to add reinforcement to the road surface, just like a person needs bones and muscles for flesh and blood to grow.

Mortar without bones is just a layer of powder, which will crumble after a few crushes." Su Laoer spoke at a steady pace.

"This metaphor is quite interesting!" Hu Dalang, who had been silent on the side, suddenly had his eyes light up and couldn't help but interrupt.

I thought it was just a simple mortar laying, but I didn't expect there were so many steps. It really is like a mountain between two different things.

"What are the bones and muscles made of?" Magistrate Hu asked again.

“We use local materials, splitting mature bamboo into strips, drying them in the sun, and soaking them in tung oil for several days.

The road surface is framed on both sides with wooden boards, and bamboo grids are built inside with bamboo strips at certain intervals.

After pouring mortar, compacting it, smoothing it, and letting it dry and solidify, the road surface becomes hard and clean, much easier to walk on than a dirt road."

Su Laoer gave a very detailed explanation.

"Why do we need to soak bamboo strips in tung oil?" Hu Dalang was puzzled.

"Soaking the bamboo strips in tung oil protects them from being eroded or decayed by mortar, making them durable and extending the life of the pavement."

"What do you think, Dalang? Can you learn these somewhere else?" County Magistrate Hu looked at his eldest son with a smile.

"There are indeed many hidden talents here! No wonder my father said that reading ten thousand books is as good as traveling ten thousand miles!" Hu Dalang was convinced.

Road construction seems simple, but there is so much to say. I have studied for more than ten years in vain, but I know nothing about it. I am so ashamed!

"Are these water pipes used to cool the rocks?"

When County Magistrate Hu saw the endless bamboo water pipes stretching along the roadside, he was amazed at the hands-on skills of the people in Huanggou Village.

"Yes, this water pipe can be kept to provide drinking water for passers-by when they are thirsty, and it can also be used for irrigation in the future." Su Bucheng explained.

"You guys who came from Chang'an are smarter than others!" County Magistrate Hu laughed.

After walking seven or eight miles, the mortar road turned into a roadbed paved with stones. The soil had not been rammed yet, let alone bamboo reinforcements.

"This is the middle section, which will be repaired after the new year," Su Bucheng introduced.

There is a drop of nearly one foot at the intersection, making it difficult for a carriage to pass.

The villagers spontaneously brought stones and soil to fill the gap, and the carriage carefully lowered itself onto the roadbed.

At this moment, the carriage was no longer stable, but was shaking and bumping constantly.

Mrs. Hu got off the carriage without caring about being shy or polite.

The road paved with stones is difficult to walk on. It is uneven and makes you stumble and fall.

Mrs. Hu walked with difficulty, pretending to be calm and maintaining her composure.

A pair of hands reached out to support her, "Madam, be careful!"

Mrs. Hu turned her head and saw Su Ying, the only woman in the crowd. She smiled and said, "Thank you!"

"You're welcome, madam!" Su Ying smiled friendly and said no more.

"You people in Huanggou Village are really smart and willing to put in the effort! If this road were a corvée for the county government, I don't know how long it would take to build!" Mrs. Hu found a topic to talk about.

"There's no other way. Without roads, it's inconvenient to get in and out. A trip to town takes at least five hours, and it takes time and effort to carry things on your back or on your shoulders.

It's better to be ruthless and build a broad road to solve the problem once and for all!" Su Ying said with a smile.

"Thank you for helping our Hu family a lot!" After just a few words, Mrs. Hu fell in love with Su Ying and felt that their auras were very compatible.

"Madam, you are too polite. We should be thanking you! Without your support, we in Huanggou Village would still be carrying out vermicelli little by little.

How could there be so many people to help build it? If we really build this road ourselves, it will take at least three years to complete!" Su Ying praised Magistrate Hu.

"You are a different girl. Others are eager to take all the credit for themselves, but you are thinking about others!"

Mrs. Hu probably knew why Erlang and Su Ying hit it off so well.

"Madam, we are fugitives and small villagers. We are powerless to change the current situation.

But Lord Hu is different. He is the head of a county and has much more power than us.

The power of one person is limited, but when millions of people add up, the power is enormous!

When County Magistrate Hu raised his arm and called out, the people of the entire county responded, and things became much easier.

Everything we do is done with the strength of the entire village, and if Lord Hu magnifies it to the entire county, Wu County will undergo a huge transformation in a short period of time!"

Hearing the people under her rule praising and recognizing her husband so much, Mrs. Hu's eyes were filled with joy.

"It's rare to find a girl as knowledgeable as you!" Mrs. Hu said sincerely.

"It's rare to find such a capable lady! No wonder Mr. Hu is so knowledgeable and has such a good business sense. I guess he inherited the lady's teachings!"

Su Ying praised both Mrs. Hu and Hu Erlang.

"Haha, girl, your little mouth is as sweet as honey! If you do business, my Hu family will have nothing to do!" Mrs. Hu was amused.

"No! Madam, please make sure your business is prosperous and your money is rolling in! We in Huanggou Village are relying on the big trees to provide shade!

Without the Hu family, who would we sell these things to? The Hu family is praised by everyone in Wu County for their fair business practices!

"Hahaha! I'm grateful for your good wishes! I hope my Hu family's business will be prosperous and the wealth will roll in!" Mrs. Hu laughed.