"Sir, I've bought them. They cost 3 coins per catty."
Lu Tu was delighted upon hearing this: "That's really cheap! Mr. Xiao, please have someone grind all the plaster into powder. We'll have to stay up all night to grind it up, as we need it urgently tomorrow!"
"Yes, I'll get on it right away!" Xiao Zhong, as expected of a successor of the Xuanpin Society, was very enthusiastic when he heard that Lü Tu could improve the saline-alkali land and enable more people to have enough to eat.
Lu Tu looked at the most experienced carpenter: "What is your name, sir?"
The middle-aged man quickly bowed and said, "Sir, you don't need to be so polite. Just call me Zhu Zhao."
"Zhu Zhao, from today onwards you will be my carpenter. You no longer need to go logging with them. You will lead all the carpenters and continue doing your old trade. You will be paid 2 catties of millet every day. How does that sound?"
Zhu Zhao said with delight, "Thank you, sir! We will definitely work hard and live up to your trust!"
Lu Tu waved his hand: "Come, let me tell you..."
Afterwards, Lü Tu explained the general structure of the toilet to them. At the end of the explanation, Zhu Zhao asked a crucial question: "Sir, why are the toilets separated for men and women?"
That's a good question; it stumped Lü Tu.
Lu Tu said in a deep voice, "Look at our mixed-gender living situation. If the latrine is also in one place, it's easy for some hot-blooded young men to have all sorts of wild thoughts."
Zhu Zhao nodded repeatedly upon hearing this: "Your Excellency has profound foresight, I understand!"
"I'll give you another task."
"Please speak, sir."
"After you finish building this big latrine, you stay here and guard it for one night."
Zhu Zhao's face turned green, and he waved his hands repeatedly: "No, sir, wouldn't that make me a lecher? Even though my wife is dead, I can't do such a thing."
Lu Tu explained, "I'm having you stay here overnight to see if it's crowded and if we need to add more, so that we can plan ahead when we build latrines in other places in the future."
Zhu Zhao breathed a sigh of relief: "Understood, I will count them without blinking!"
"Okay, you guys keep going, I'll be going now."
It was already dark by the time I finished giving the instructions. Wuchuan is located in the north, and its higher latitude means it gets dark much earlier than the south.
The villagers and migrants who had been working gradually returned home. Although everyone looked tired, they were all chatting and laughing. When they passed the large outhouse, they couldn't help but tease each other with curiosity.
Seeing this, Lü Tu nodded in agreement. This spirit was correct; at least it was moving in the direction Lü Tu had in mind.
After returning home, Lü Tu stopped drinking well water directly. The well water used to be clean because there were only about 100 people in the village, so the groundwater was naturally clean as well.
Fortunately, after being reminded by Lü Tu, Song Yuxi had developed the habit of boiling water. In addition, there was enough coal in the house, so the stove was always kept burning and there was always hot water on it.
Nangong Huiyu brought over a basin of hot water and a handkerchief with concern: "Husband, let me wipe your body and apply the medicine."
"You've worked hard, Xiaoyu. You're becoming less and less like a demonic witch."
Nangong Huiyu chuckled upon hearing this: "Then does my husband prefer the former vixen, or the current Xiaoyu?"
Lu Tu lay on the bed, his hand naturally grasping Nangong Huiyu's delicate and smooth calf: "I like them both."
"Husband, you're injured and still not behaving yourself!" Nangong Huiyu said, deliberately applying a little more force and touching the wound on Lü Tu's back.
'Hiss!' Lu Tu couldn't help but gasp.
"Hehe, my husband, don't forget, I am still a demoness from the Demonic Sect."
Lu Tu chuckled: "You vixen, I'm going to subdue you and vanquish evil to uphold justice!"
"Ah, husband, no!"
Just as the two were flirting, Song Yuxi walked in with a worried look on her face. Seeing the two playfully fighting, she exclaimed happily, "Husband, are you alright now?"
Lu Tu nodded: "Almost done. Yu Xi, why do you look so worried? You must be exhausted."
Song Yuxi handed over an official letter: "No, my lord, take a look at this."
Lu Tu unfolded it curiously, frowning as he asked, "Where did you get this?"
“When Sun Kuang and Sun Meng went to the Commandant’s office to report for duty today, the Commandant asked them to give it to you. I couldn’t resist taking a look out of curiosity.”
Nangong Huiyu tilted her head and leaned closer. After looking at it, she said angrily, "Why is he cutting military spending? He even made you, my husband, bear the cost of your soldiers' food and pay."
Lu Tu shook his head: "It seems that the war is getting intense in other parts of the Great Yu Dynasty."
Nangong Huiyu said indignantly, "The most ferocious Wuhuan people have been blocked in the north by the Six Garrisons of the Border. The others are just some rebel armies. If this can't be resolved, I think the Great Yu Dynasty is about to be finished!"
Lu Tu looked at Song Yuxi and asked, "Yuxi, what do you think?"
Song Yuxi poured herself a glass of water, drank it, wiped her mouth, and said, "Husband, I think the more tense things are elsewhere, the more we should conserve our strength."
Lu Tu laughed: "Just as I thought. Tomorrow I'll send someone to other villages to inquire and see if everyone is responsible for their own military pay. If so, that's fine. If not, I'll go and ask Yun Tian myself for an explanation."
Song Yuxi sat down next to Lü Tu: "Husband, I think this matter is very likely to be true. Think about it, the number of refugees has been increasing recently, which means that the south is in complete chaos."
Lu Tu nodded: "So we should stay here more steadily and continue to cultivate the land for spring planting."
Nangong Huiyu asked curiously, "Husband, why don't we take the initiative? I still have some prestige in the White Lotus Sect. If we lead our troops south, we can easily call for reinforcements and many people will join us."
Lu Tu touched her face: "I didn't realize Xiao Yu had such a big reputation."
"My husband, you're making fun of me."
Lu Tu chuckled: "Rebel armies that jump out at times like this will ultimately fail."
"Why?"
"These rebel armies may have a lot of momentum and a large number of followers, and they may look very powerful, but in reality they are useless. No matter how corrupt the Great Yu government army is, it is not something that a group of rebels who can't even get enough to eat can contend with."
"Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse, let alone these rebels who have no experience or insight. Perhaps they can win a city or a town, but often what destroys them is not the government troops, but their internal conflicts. These people who have gathered together for interests are naturally unable to resist the temptation of interests. Throughout history, how many rebel armies have been able to achieve final victory just because they were the first to rise up?"
Nangong Huiyu looked at Lü Tu thoughtfully: "Husband, you are so wise. I find you even more handsome than usual, and even your skin seems a bit fairer."
Lu Tu laughed and said, "So our motto is: build high walls, store up plenty of grain, and delay declaring ourselves king!"
"Does my husband also want to be a king?"
Lu Tu pulled the two into the bed, a wicked smile on his face: "Tonight, let's change our address. Call me Your Majesty!"
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