Chapter 10: Yuwen Kai has already started making money...
Leaking foundation pits are no small matter and can easily lead to construction accidents. However, they are quite common on construction sites, and workers usually have various solutions. But encountering one is always a hassle.
"Boss Liu, it's groundwater seepage!"
When they rushed to the foundation pit, they saw that in a corner, groundwater carrying quicksand was constantly surging in. The original water-stopping barrier was already in danger and was soon broken by the water flow before their very eyes.
Foreman Liu swore, which is the most troublesome situation.
"Where's the senior engineer?" he asked the worker next to him.
Worker: "The senior engineer went out to lunch. He said he had something to do at noon and was going to treat someone to lunch. He hasn't... come back yet."
Under the death stare of Foreman Liu, his voice grew softer and softer.
Foreman Liu cursed again. This really happened all the time. This senior engineer is unreliable; he should eat at the construction site, why insist on eating outside!
“I’ve already called him, and Engineer Gao said he’ll be back soon, but his place is quite far, so it’ll probably take another half hour.” The worker hesitated for a moment, then said, “Boss Liu, why don’t we just fill this gap with cement? It’s not a difficult thing.”
Foreman Liu took a deep breath, turned around, and gave him a thorough dressing-down: "What if there are quicksand channels deep inside? Do you know that the last person who did this caused the entire foundation pit to collapse! They lost tens of millions! Can you afford to compensate them?"
For foundation pit leak sealing, an engineer must be present to provide a solution. This includes determining the type of leakage, monitoring data such as water volume and sediment content, and then selecting a technical solution. This is a mandatory requirement on construction sites.
Moreover, given the current water flow rate... Foreman Liu, being a man of considerable experience, immediately understood that the senior engineer alone probably couldn't handle it, and they would need to quickly prepare to invite a geotechnical engineer over.
Yuwen Kai had been silent until now, but he had been carefully observing the situation and listening to their discussion. Suddenly, he said, "Could we reduce the speed and flow of the water first?"
Foreman Liu was busy making a phone call, and the worker next to him nodded: "That's exactly how it should be, but it's hard to decide on a plan, and it's also hard to find a suitable location."
Yuwen Kai pondered for a moment: "Old... I do have a way to slow it down."
He didn't quite understand the current technology and technical terms, but he had encountered the problem of water seepage in the foundation pit several times when building Daxing City and the Imperial Palace. The area was next to the Longshou Canal, which would cause him trouble from time to time, so he had some experience with it.
Foreman Liu had just hung up the phone and looked at him hesitantly: "Master, do you have a solution?"
"There's definitely no solution, but we can slow down the flow of water to buy you some time," Yuwen Kai told frankly.
When Foreman Liu heard him say that, he breathed a sigh of relief. If this Master Yuwen had claimed that he could solve the problem, he would have thought that he was a complete fraud.
He glanced at the WeChat message from the senior engineer, who said he was already on his way. He then realized the other engineer he'd hired would also need time to arrive. He already had a solution in mind: seal the crack with quick-setting cement before they arrived, then remove it once the engineers were there. However, this plan also had risks. It's better to guide the flow than to block it; allowing the water to build up and create a greater impact would only cause more trouble.
It would be better to use a drain pipe...
Just then, Yuwen Kai's voice drifted over: "In this situation, why not try the fish-mouth water-dividing method to disperse the water flow and slow down the current..."
He became very talkative when he started talking about his profession. Although his appearance was a bit strange, he seemed to be shrouded in the aura of a professional, which made people quiet down and listen to him carefully.
The more Foreman Liu listened, the brighter his eyes became. This was indeed very similar to the idea he had just come up with.
It sounds quite reliable! Moreover, after chatting with Yuwen Kai just now, Foreman Liu was able to tell that this master architect is quite knowledgeable about architecture and has his own unique insights.
Why don't we let him give it a try?
He acted decisively, grabbing Yuwen Kai's hand: "Master, let's hurry!"
Without delay, Yuwen Kai didn't refuse. He had just come this far and saw the material storage area, so he immediately led his men there and used waterproof fabric, precast concrete blocks, and steel bars to build several boxes on-site. After they were finished, the workers used a crane to lift the boxes above the edge of the seepage point.
Yuwen Kai stood to the side, observing and watching the murky water and the surroundings below, and said in a deep voice, "Two inches to the left!"
A container was submerged in the water.
Almost visibly, the previously turbulent water flow immediately split into two thin streams, far smaller than before.
"It's stuck!" Foreman Liu exclaimed happily.
Under Yuwen Kai's command, the remaining two boxes were also sunk, precisely sealing the leak point. The water slowly seeped out from the gaps beside them, its flow significantly reduced.
"Not bad, not bad, use the sealant." Foreman Liu immediately took over the follow-up work.
With the sealant applied, the slurry that had been dispersed by the water flow gradually crystallized, and the situation was immediately reversed.
Foreman Liu breathed a long sigh of relief: "Alright, that should last for a while longer."
Yuwen Kai's originally serious face broke into a smile.
......
"Amazing!" Lu Xiaoqi exclaimed with admiration after hearing Yuwen Kai's story.
No wonder he's a big shot who deserves a place in history.
Yuwen Kai smiled faintly and said modestly, "When I was building Daxing City, I also used this method to manage the Wei River. However, the fish-mouth water-dividing method was originally created by Li Bing of the Qin State, and it is the wisdom of our ancestors."
"Even so, the old man is still very capable. You've only been here a few days and you've already managed to handle such a situation. We really admire you," said Sister-in-law Song with a smile.
Zhao Feiyan nodded silently.
When Lu Xiaoqi saw the expression on Yuwen Kai's face, it was completely different from his indifference when he first arrived, as if nothing concerned him and he didn't care what happened.
After bringing Yuwen Kai back, she carefully researched his life. Historians have mixed opinions about him. Some believe he was a pioneering architect who left a brilliant cultural legacy for China, while others believe he flattered Emperor Yang of Sui for his own official position and power, engaged in large-scale construction projects, and was extremely harsh on craftsmen and laborers.
She thought that perhaps the comment on the card, "Skillfully building the imperial city, lamenting the people's suffering," was a combination of both evaluations.
Regarding Yuwen Kai's death, historical records are not explicit. It only states that he advised Emperor Yang of Sui to abandon the campaign against Goguryeo, but to no avail. He then accompanied the army on its march and ultimately died en route. Some speculate that he actually died of depression.
Why do people become depressed?
Lu Xiaoqi also had some guesses: Did he witness too much suffering during the construction of the imperial city and various fortifications? Did he have to curry favor with imperial power in order to protect himself? Did he already foresee the imminent collapse of the Sui Dynasty?
In short, his appearance when he first arrived was very much in line with the description of someone who died in despair, but now he has a spirit and vitality.
On the other side, Yuwen Kai also had some feelings.
He was originally deeply proud of his skills and talents, even though these skills brought him not only satisfaction and joy, but also pain and constraints. But regardless, it was what he excelled at, what he relied on for a living, and it was very important.
Arriving in this era, Yuwen Kai felt somewhat apprehensive, especially after witnessing the machinery and technology on the construction site, the principles of which he couldn't comprehend at all. But through this experience, he regained some confidence; no matter how technology changes, the essence of things remains the same.
It's a new world, everything is so different, why dwell on the past?
Once you understand this, your mindset will naturally change.
He took out a red envelope from his pocket and handed it to Lu Xiaoqi: "Young friend Lu, this is the reward from Foreman Liu. I don't know how money is calculated in this era, and I guess I won't need it. Here you go."
Lu Xiaoqi accepted it with a shocked expression.
Is there any money left to be paid?!
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