Chapter 25
Yao Chunnuan went to borrow tools from Chen Jin, "Well, we'd like to borrow saws, hammers and other tools." The work of digging and sifting river sand would probably take a while, so she wanted to make some related cheap equipment to make their work easier.
The tools she wanted were piled up next to his seat, and Chen Jin didn't make things difficult for her.
After getting the tools and some wood, they started working. Because they had practiced making furniture the night before, their cooperation was much smoother this time.
As the saying goes, sharpening the knife does not delay the chopping of wood. Xiao Jieming and Luo Suyi trusted Yao Chunnuan very much and believed that she would not do anything without a purpose, so they accompanied her throughout the process.
But they never started, and in the eyes of other prisoners, it seemed like they were not doing their job. They kept shaking their heads. At first they thought he was the king, but they were exposed in an instant and it was the white-clothed man.
Chen Jin slept with his eyes drooping, but he didn't care. He just wanted to see the final result!
Not long after, Yao Chunnuan and his team made a simple version of a wheelbarrow and a double-layer semi-automatic sand screening net.
"Come on, let's try it!"
"good."
They found a large tree nearby. At Yao Chunnuan's signal, Xiao Jieming threw a thick hemp rope onto the branch. The two ends of the rope hung down, and she and Luo Suyi each grabbed one end and tied it with a large bamboo sieve.
Directly below the large bamboo sieve, there is a net placed at a forty-five-degree angle. This net is a fine-meshed fishing net, now neatly embedded in a wooden frame.
After the installation, Yao Chunnuan checked it again. This double-layer semi-automatic sand screening net uses a bamboo sieve with slightly larger holes in the first layer for initial screening. The sand that passes the initial screening falls down with gravity and falls into the second layer of slanted fish net. The sand that can pass through this layer of slanted fish net is qualified fine sand.
Everything was ready, and Yao Chunnuan signaled Luo Suyi to pour the sand.
As soon as the sand was poured in, Yao Chunnuan stood up, holding both ends of the large bamboo sieve with both hands, shaking it regularly. The sand in the large sieve fell down and entered the second layer of inclined fish net, separating out qualified fine sand and a little coarse sand again.
Xiao Jieming and Luo Suyi's eyes lit up.
The rustling sound of sand made Chen Jin open his eyes.
Others were also paying attention to them from time to time. As soon as they moved, they were noticed, "Quick, look over there!"
Others began to look towards them.
"Sifting sand this way is really fast."
"It seems to be very labor-saving. Look at the pregnant woman. She didn't even use much strength. She just shook it and the sand just fell down."
Yao Chunnuan paused after shaking for a moment, glanced at the sifted sand, and touched the net. She wasn't entirely satisfied. If only she had used iron or steel wire to weave a sturdy, durable net, which would surely have significantly increased efficiency. But now, without the hassle and saving on manpower and resources, Yao Chunnuan felt it was fine.
Chen Jin was squatting on the ground, checking the fine sand she had sifted out. Yao Chunnuan asked him, "Is this fine sand up to standard?"
"Qualified."
"Is this the little gadget you three made?" Chen Jin asked.
Yao Chunnuan nodded. The wheelbarrow could transport sand, eliminating the need for manual labor. It was also small, easy to turn around, and very maneuverable. The double-layer semi-automatic sand screening machine freed up her waist and arms. As for digging the river sand, Xiao Jieming had to automate it manually; she couldn't figure out how to use an excavator. It wasn't a particularly sophisticated transformation; the prisoners simply worked very hard and rarely thought of ways to save time.
The prisoners under Chen Jin gradually gathered around, and a skinny old man asked in a low voice, "Can I try?"
"What's wrong with that?" Yao Chunnuan made way.
The skinny old man tried it and found that he only needed to pour the raw sand in and then brush it, and the fine sand came out. "It really saves time and effort."
Others echoed, "If we could use a tool like this, we wouldn't have to worry about not being able to sift through twenty baskets of sand in a day."
Someone else tried the wheelbarrow and found it incredibly convenient to transport sand. In his excitement, he even boasted, "I can carry sand back and forth twenty times by myself without getting tired!"
Chen Jin looked at the wheelbarrow again. "This basket of sand is just enough to fill up the entire wheelbarrow."
Yao Chunnuan nodded, "Yes, this is the limit we can bear. If there is more, I'm afraid the wheels won't be able to bear it."
All the prisoners looked at Chen Jin, "Sergeant..."
With these two tools to help them, they could also apply for tasks. If they could, who wouldn't want to leave work early and rest? Working in groups, busy all day long, there were limited opportunities to slack off. Just when they were about to stretch their backs, they might be whipped by a whip.
"What do you think? Can we make ten more sets of this wheelbarrow and double-layer semi-automatic sand screening net?" Chen Jin asked. He estimated that ten sets should be enough for their team.
"As long as there are enough materials, it's not difficult to do." Yao Chunnuan replied affirmatively.
She and Chen Jin were like a new employee and a new boss. Yao Chunnuan felt that as long as her new boss was not too bad, she would have to perform well and demonstrate her value so that she could gain the right to speak.
He asked this question, and the answer he wanted to hear was definitely not her humble words. So, I can do it, boss, you can rest assured and leave the work to me. I guarantee I can complete it.
"Sir, this net would be more useful if it were woven with iron or copper wire."
Yao Chunnuan couldn't help but make a request. She desperately wanted a wire mesh. Fishnets for sifting sand were out of the question. She didn't want steel wire. Steel, like refined iron, was a rare commodity in ancient times, so how could anyone afford to sharpen it? She was fine with either iron or copper wire; she wasn't picky.
"Okay, I'll get you some materials, and you just focus on these two things. Everyone else, continue working!"
He was not fighting for money, but for reputation. The prisoners he led had always been at the bottom of the class in terms of work. The leader saw that his group was old and weak, so he did not criticize him.
On the contrary, his personal guards of the same rank often laughed at him behind his back for being too soft-hearted, but they didn't think about how much they could squeeze out of these old, weak, and sick people even if they squeezed them hard. So let it be.
But who wouldn't want to perform well? Now he has the opportunity, and it doesn't seem difficult to do, so he wants to give it a try.
The other prisoners nodded in agreement, "Yes, yes, just focus on it. As long as you get the wheelbarrow and the double-layer semi-automatic sand screening net out, we'll take care of the task for you three!"
The skinny old man suddenly clapped his hands together and said, "We already have the tools for sifting and transporting sand. Can you make something else that will make it easier for us to dig sand from the river?"
His words made the male prisoners who needed to go down to the river to dig sand look at him eagerly.
Yao Chunnuan was sweating. This was too much of a compliment to her. She shook her head hard and said no.
Chen Jin left for a while, and soon they had the materials they needed. What Yao Chunnuan didn't expect was that he actually brought back a roll of wire for her.
As soon as the materials arrived, Yao Chunnuan and the other two started working without saying a word.
While they were making tools, the other prisoners volunteered to dig sand from the river. The wheelbarrow and double-layer semi-automatic sand screening net they had made earlier were requisitioned. Every subsequent item they made was put into use.
On this day, the prisoners pushed wheelbarrows and transported the screened fine sand from the river to the sand field to complete their tasks.
The prisoners who were carrying two baskets of river sand stared at the strange cart in amazement. They watched the old and thin prisoner pushing the cart quickly past them. They suddenly felt so stupid and their shoulders hurt badly.
"Old Luo, what are you pushing? It can even carry sand. You're moving pretty fast, like you're walking at the speed of light."
The skinny old prisoner waved his hand and said, "We are old and weak. We don't have the strength of you young people to carry the sand. We can only push the bucket cart to transport the river sand here again and again."
"But it looks so much easier. It's much easier than carrying a load on our shoulders."
Another old man came up pushing a wheelbarrow loaded with sand and said casually, "No, we can't compare to you. You carry the load for one trip, but we have to push the wheelbarrow twice."
The middle-aged man carrying the load watched the two old men walk away, cursing in his heart, "Damn it, what's the big deal about making two more trips? Is pushing a cart as hard as carrying a load? These people are so annoying!"
In the sand field, ten areas were marked out, on which were piles of stones or river sand, indicating that ten teams of prisoners were working today. There was a recorder making records on each area.
The area assigned to Chen Jin to store river sand gradually became fuller and higher as bucket trucks poured in loads of river sand, protruding higher than the other nine areas.
Lunch was provided by the military settlement. Everyone was waiting with their own bowls and chopsticks before the cook came to distribute the food.
Yao Chunnuan found the atmosphere before dinner very lively and was a little confused as to why.
"Daughter, come here!"
A slightly plump aunt called her over, and Yao Chunnuan sat next to her.
"Why are you all so happy?" Yao Chunnuan asked curiously.
The aunt's surname was Yun, so Yao Chunnuan asked her to call her Aunt Yun. "Our team completed the mission well today, so we can get first-class meals. Everyone is secretly looking forward to it. I wonder if there will be meat in it?"
At this time, an old man named Luo came over and said, "Yeah, thanks to you today, otherwise lunch would definitely be multi-grain steamed buns and vegetable steamed buns again!" The key is that the quantity is too small and it is not enough to fill you up.
Yao Chunnuan recognized that the old man surnamed Luo was the one who had asked her to get another sand-dredging tool.
She joined in the conversation for a few words and then understood why everyone was so happy.
It turns out that the military settlement implemented a reward and punishment system in management. For example, if there were ten teams working today, lunch would be divided into four levels: first-class food for one person, second-class food for two to five people, third-class food for six to nine people, and fourth-class food for the last.
Chen Jin's group of prisoners had never received first-class food. Because of their poor performance, they received the least food, often only receiving one or two steamed buns. But compared to the heavy workload, the withheld rations seemed less unacceptable. After all, these prisoners were physically unable to handle such heavy work.
The food was first-class, and Yao Chunnuan sighed that competition was everywhere.
As everyone was waiting, the kitchen staff came over with basins and buckets, and the aroma of the food could be smelled from afar.
They lined up and each received a bowl of mixed grain rice and two spoonfuls of vegetables. The rice didn't taste stale, the vegetables looked oily, and some people even got a piece or two of minced meat. It was indeed a good meal!
Everyone was beaming. Old Man Luo said with a chuckle, "Thanks to you, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to have this meal."
Aunt Yun, who was munching away on her rice, echoed, "In five or six months, I'll deliver your baby myself."
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