Chapter 139 Why can't the cement road show some favoritism towards Liu Ji? ...
Songyang County has been lying low for long enough; Zhuge Liang believes it is time to take the initiative.
However, before taking any action, Django still needed to pay salaries. This salary payment was a routine and commonplace occurrence for everyone else.
The substitutes, Zhu Di and others, were replaced by Zheng He himself.
After all, receiving a salary can't be done for someone else; it's also for everyone's protection. You know, Blackie hasn't shown his face in a long time. Django almost didn't recognize him today.
The burly man in front of me…
Is it Heifu?
Jiang Ge had assumed that Hei Fu was living a miserable life under the First Emperor these past few days, but when he asked, he learned that Hei Fu was drinking fine wine with beautiful women, living in a large villa, and being served by three or five servants.
Those days were more than just comfortable; they were downright luxurious!
Qin Shi Huang was much more generous than the system. These historical figures in Songyang County worked incredibly hard, doing all sorts of jobs, and they all became grassroots cadres, yet they didn't earn much money.
While Zhuge Liang and the others were discussing taking the initiative to attack, Jiang Ge announced the payment of salaries.
Everyone's eyes lit up at the mention of receiving wages.
Especially Zhao Kuangyin—who told him it was his first time receiving a salary?
Having stayed in Songyang County for a long time, most of the people there had a good idea of what they needed to buy.
Hei Fu immediately bought the cement-making method, something Ying Zheng had been studying for a long time. Standardizing cart tracks and writing, cement roads would be much easier to travel on than paved roads.
Huo Qubing bought everything—high-yield seeds, novel fruit seeds, refined white sugar… he accepted everything, wishing he could empty the entire system's store.
Huo Qubing smiled and said, "The more the better. When we return to Chang'an, we can show His Majesty and my uncle some good stuff."
Those old ministers impeached him every day, to the point that electric scooters were almost subject to traffic control in Chang'an. These other good things also made the old guys drool.
Bai Qi originally intended to buy all the weapons, but King Zhaoxiang of Qin was eager for longevity and repeatedly urged him to save more money. Seeing this, Jiang Ge suggested that he buy some Anhuang Niugong Pills, saying that they had miraculous effects in strengthening the body and prolonging life, and could save lives in critical moments. He also recommended Yunnan Baiyao, which was very effective for external injuries.
Zhao Kuangyin purchased a large quantity of high-yield, drought-resistant seeds, having already planned ahead: grain was the foundation. With these, the people of the Song Dynasty would suffer less from famine.
These people all had their own plans. After all, they were all doing it for the sake of their respective dynasties' development.
Hei Fu had just returned to Qin when he met Prince Fusu.
Prince Fusu was gentle and polite, with a composed and elegant demeanor, and his speech revealed his refined manners. Hei Fu had a very good impression of him, feeling that not only was he of noble status, but more importantly, he had no trace of arrogance.
The setting sun shone through the eaves, casting golden light on the young man's shoulders, but he simply stood by the railing, gazing absently at the newly blossoming lotus flowers in the pond.
Even the sound of Heifu's approaching footsteps did not startle him.
"Young master."
Heifu bowed deeply.
Fusu then came to his senses and turned around with a gentle smile on his lips, but Heifu keenly caught a trace of melancholy between his brows that he hadn't had time to conceal.
"It's Hef,"
Fusu's voice was as gentle as ever, but it was less clear than usual, with a slightly heavy tone. "Is everything alright since your return?"
The two walked slowly along the corridor.
During the conversation, Fusu remained calm and composed, inquiring about the local customs and products of Songyang County with concern. His logic was clear, and his insights were as kind and wise as ever.
Only occasionally, in the gaps between conversations, his gaze would inadvertently drift toward the majestic eaves of the main hall of Xianyang Palace, his eyes suddenly becoming distant and silent, as if an invisible dark cloud had quietly swept by, dimming the warm radiance around him.
Although he tried his best to hide it, his unintentional absent-mindedness and the forced smile on his lips had already quietly revealed the troubles in his heart.
Hei Fu understood.
It is no secret in the court that His Majesty and the eldest son hold differing political views and have grown increasingly estranged.
"What new and interesting things did you bring back this time?" Fusu asked softly with a smile, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Almost everyone in the entire Qin Dynasty knew that today was the day Songyang County was distributing salaries. And every time Hei Fu returned from his travels, he would bring back something unexpected, stirring up trouble and quietly changing the landscape of the Qin Dynasty.
This time was no exception. A gentle breeze blew through the hall, as if the hall itself was holding its breath, awaiting Hei Fu's answer.
Hei Fu remained calm and composed, his voice steady yet clear:
"cement."
Fusu was slightly taken aback, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.
cement?
The name is unfamiliar, seemingly related to water and soil, yet it is something I have never heard of before.
Hei Fu seemed to sense his confusion, and with a slight smile, added in a steady voice:
"This is no ordinary mud. Once it solidifies, it is as hard as a rock. It can be used to build brick walls, pave roads and bridges. It is impervious to wind and rain and will not be destroyed for thousands of years."
Upon hearing this, Fusu's expression shifted. This was exactly what the Great Qin needed, and what his father, the Emperor, needed.
He repeated those two words in a low voice:
"cement……"
A smile instantly bloomed on her face. "Father will be very happy."
For thousands of years, this is what Father Emperor has been pursuing.
The Qin Dynasty is immortal, and Ying Zheng lives on forever.
Fusu knew perfectly well what his father was thinking, but what could he do as a son besides accept it?
“Hei Fu, let me go with you to see Father Emperor.”
Hei Fu would go to see Ying Zheng every time he got off work; it had become a habit. When Fu Su wanted to go with him, Hei Fu naturally agreed.
The two walked through layers of palaces, the setting sun casting long shadows on the eaves. Fusu walked with a leisurely pace, but Heifu quickened his pace involuntarily—he knew that His Majesty disliked waiting the most.
Upon entering the palace, Ying Zheng was indeed already seated at his desk. The candlelight flickered, illuminating his deep-set eyes.
Hearing footsteps, he slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing like a cold blade.
Heifu instinctively held his breath. Although he had met the emperor many times in recent days, every time he saw this emperor, the deep-seated awe would still instantly seize his heart.
Ying Zheng did not speak immediately, but simply watched them approach.
The air seemed to freeze at that moment, and Heifu could clearly hear his own heart pounding like a drum.
He quietly took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and bowed to Fusu together.
"Your subject Heifu/Your son Fusu pays respects to Your Majesty/Father."
Ying Zheng's gaze lingered on them for a moment, but he did not immediately call out. His fingertips tapped the table lightly and rhythmically, the rhythmic sounds particularly clear in the silent hall, each one striking a chord in Hei Fu's taut heartstrings.
After a long silence, he finally spoke slowly, his voice low and devoid of emotion: "Get up."
The two men thanked the emperor and rose. Fusu stood quietly with his head bowed below the steps. For a moment, only the faint crackling of burning candles could be heard in the hall.
Ying Zheng's gaze fell squarely on Hei Fu. Without exchanging pleasantries, he spoke directly, his deep voice echoing in the empty hall: "Hei Fu, have you found what I asked you to search for?"
Hei Fu immediately stepped forward, took out a book from his bosom, raised it above his head with both hands, and respectfully presented it: "Your Majesty, I have not failed in my mission. This thing is called the secret method of making cement, which has been recorded in detail in this book. I have also witnessed it with my own eyes, and it is indeed an extraordinary product."
A servant quietly stepped forward, took the book, and presented it to the emperor.
Ying Zheng did not immediately open the book; his slender fingers pressed on the page, his gaze still fixed on Hei Fu: "Speak."
"Yes, sir." Hei Fu took a deep breath and began to explain clearly, "This substance is made by mixing limestone, clay, and iron ore powder in a specific ratio, calcining it at high temperature in a kiln to produce clinker, and then grinding it into this gray powder. When using it, simply mix it with sand, stone, and water. Initially, it is a plastic slurry, but after it solidifies, it becomes harder than a rock, impervious to water and difficult to damage with knives and axes, far surpassing ordinary clay."
He paused slightly, and seeing that the First Emperor was listening attentively, he continued: "If used to build city walls, they can be guaranteed to last for ten thousand years; if used to pave roads, they will be unimpeded by wind and rain, and carriages and horses can travel at high speeds without any bumps; if used for water conservancy and river engineering, the dikes and sluice gates will be indestructible, and there will be no more worries about them collapsing."
Ying Zheng finally opened the book, his gaze quickly sweeping over the recorded technological processes and formula proportions, his eyes darkening. The hall was silent. Fusu couldn't help but slightly raise his eyes, watching his father's reaction.
After a long while, the First Emperor closed the book and tapped his knuckles lightly on the table.
"good."
After the imperial edict was issued, a work area was quickly designated outside Xianyang Palace. Several earthen kilns were soon erected, belching thick black smoke all day long. Hei Fu practically lived at the kiln site, personally overseeing the craftsmen mixing limestone, clay, and iron ore powder in the correct proportions, controlling the firing temperature, and then grinding the fired material into fine powder.
On the day the kiln was first opened, Ying Zheng himself came. Under his watchful gaze, the craftsmen nervously mixed cement with water and sand, poured it into the wooden mold, and smoothed it out.
What followed was a difficult waiting period, during which it rained, and everyone was worried that the dusty thing would get soaked and rot.
Ten days later, the wooden mold was dismantled.
The grayish-white cement block was revealed, and it felt hard and cold to the touch. Ying Zheng ordered a strongman to strike it with an iron hammer. With a clang, only one corner of the cement block chipped off, while the main body remained intact.
A look of satisfaction flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes, and he immediately ordered: "Use this to pave a road from Zhangtai Palace to Wangyi Palace."
The project began immediately.
The original dirt road was dug up, the base was laid with crushed stones and compacted, and then cement mortar was poured on top. The craftsmen were busy smoothing the mortar, and the supervisor reported the progress to the First Emperor every day.
Another half month passed, and the cement road was completely dry.
A smooth, clean, bluish-gray avenue appeared between the palaces, gleaming with a stone-like luster in the sunlight.
On the day the road opened, Ying Zheng's chariot was the first to drive onto the new road. The chariot, pulled by four fine horses, traveled with exceptional smoothness, without the usual bumps, and the wheels made only a steady friction sound as they rolled over the road.
The best part is that the road dries quickly after the rain and is no longer muddy.
Sitting in the carriage, feeling the unprecedented smoothness, Ying Zheng said to Hei Fu and Fu Su who were accompanying him, "From now on, there will be no more dust and mud on the roads to the palace."
The wonder of the cement road spread like wildfire throughout every corner of the Qin Dynasty. From the taverns and teahouses of Xianyang City to the fields and countryside, the people talked about it with great interest.
People say that His Majesty the Emperor is not only divinely ordained and favored by Heaven, but also frequently bestows divine gifts upon the world, benefiting all people.
This cement road, as hard as stone and as smooth as a mirror, is the latest proof.
Liu Bang had naturally heard about it, and unable to suppress his curiosity, he looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then quietly stepped onto it.
This step startled him.
The ground beneath his feet felt unusually solid, unlike any dirt road or stone slab he had ever been on before. He couldn't help but walk back and forth a few steps, even squatting down to touch the bluish-gray surface with his hand—smooth, flat, as if it had been polished from a single giant rock.
After the carriages and horses passed, not a single rut was left, and a gentle breeze stirred up no dust.
He stood up and gazed at the “divine path” that stretched straight out in the sunlight, seemingly reaching the sky, his expression complex.
An indescribable feeling welled up inside me.
This is indeed a good thing that benefits all people. The achievements of the First Emperor seem to be at their zenith and unshakable.
However, even amidst this admiration, a more hidden yet intense thought, like a vine, quietly coiled around his heart—
"Such a divine object...why did it fall into the hands of Ying Zheng?"
He looked up at the clear blue sky, as if seeking an answer from the silent heavens. A mixture of resentment, envy, and a vague ambition churned within him.
"Heavens... if you can favor one person, why can't you also show some favor to me, Liu Ji?"
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Author's Note: Updates will still be at 9 PM from now on [kissing emoji] I'm finally home!!!
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