Chapter 21
The city gate seems to have been repaired. Although traces of chopping and burning can still be seen, it still gives people a sense of security. Perhaps this is why more people are willing to live in cities.
When Wen Yi and his group got off the carriage, someone was already waiting for Yao Wenjun, and it seemed that there was something important to say.
"...General... please come over."
After hearing this, Yao Wenjun apologized to everyone, gave the soldiers a few words of advice, and then headed towards the city center. Wen Yi and the others, led by the playful soldier, headed towards their current residence.
Yuwan lay in Amu's arms, tilting his head to look at the chattering soldiers. His ears twitched, his paws tucked under his feet.
Originally, Wen Yi was a little hesitant about whether to bring it over, but it seemed that Yuwan was very adaptable and did not run around. Others could tell that it was their cat when they saw the porcelain fish hanging around its neck.
The soldier had been surprised before, and now he pointed to the narrow road ahead that seemed to be guarded by someone:
"We live there now. I heard it was originally the residence of a wealthy family. Although a lot of it was destroyed, it's still a very good place after some repairs. It's also convenient for us to go to the fields outside the city to farm."
Building a city wall was a huge expense, and most of the land was outside the city. If anyone attacked, they would just run back inside, leaving the crops in the fields to their fate. Therefore, some people did not attack the city, but simply took away the crops they had cultivated for half a year and then left.
This is also why a siege can cause a city to run out of food and surrender. The city only has places for living and can no longer grow food to provide food.
After the city was captured last year, the crops that were originally planted outside the city were no longer taken care of. Some dried up, some were picked, and weeds grew in the original fields.
It takes some effort to reclaim the abandoned fields. Fortunately, my young master got some models from somewhere and asked a few carpenters to make them quickly for them to use, which saved some effort.
Otherwise, he would not have had the time to go out with Yao Wenjun. He would have been detained and forced to do labor. After all, there were not many oxen for plowing, so he had to rely on human labor.
They helped with the farming every year when they were in Yudi, and were very familiar with the process. This year, they had more powerful tools, which made them even more powerful.
They are different from those who perform labor service on time every year. Strictly speaking, they are the prince's property, similar to private soldiers. Even when the old king was alive, they would only listen to Yao Wenjun, let alone now.
Compared to them, those disunited guys were naturally nothing to worry about. If they hadn't been cultivating and supporting them, those guys who just stood there and made sarcastic remarks would have long since turned into a pile of yellow earth and no one would have noticed them, and they wouldn't have been constantly bothering them.
When Yao Wenjun rushed over, he saw the general, who was originally energetic but a little pale, lying on the mat with rapid breathing.
There were a few fence-sitters standing nearby, wavering between her and the general. They were talking to the general with concern, and no one knew what their intentions were.
The doctor was muttering something, and after a while he shook his head at the anxious soldier, indicating that he was powerless.
Yao Wenjun walked over in three or two steps, raised his hand to test, and found that his forehead had become hot.
"Go get a wet cloth and wipe the general as quickly as possible," she ordered.
The only young man nearby who was not just watching the fun quickly turned around and ran out. After a while, he brought in linen and water and wiped the places where heat could be dissipated according to Yao Wenjun's instructions.
"I can't think of any other way. If you don't want the general to become a fool, you should wipe him alternately. You have to lower the temperature."
Living in the mountains and forests, minor illnesses and disasters are inevitable. In addition to Shan's medical treatment, more often than not, Wen Yi would mutter something they couldn't understand for a while, and then use all kinds of strange and weird ways.
Although some of it seemed nonsensical, the disease was cured in the end. Yao Wenjun later memorized the knowledge she said, which came in handy.
It came in handy right away. As the young man wiped it, the general's frown relaxed a little, which surprised the young man greatly.
*
Although soldiers brought Wen Yi and the others here, the inspectors still carefully checked everything to make sure that there was nothing that was not allowed to be brought in. They only let them pass after carving many incomprehensible symbols on the wood.
After walking through a short narrow alley, the view suddenly opens up.
What caught my eye was a carpenter busy at work, bending wood over a fire. Although it was early spring, his forehead was covered in sweat and his clothes were soaked.
It had been a long time since he had seen so many people, and even Wen Yi felt a little uncomfortable. However, after packing all his things into the thatched hut arranged by Yao Wenjun, he gradually integrated into this group of people who looked very energetic.
Qingping greeted them and went to help. She had plenty of experience in making these things. Wen Yi had also explained many things to her in detail, and she could also learn a thing or two from their experience. It was most appropriate for her to help with the carpentry at this time.
Shan and Shu planned to take their three children to tidy up their living place first, while Wen Yi planned to follow the soldier to walk around and see the situation here.
The soldiers were naturally very enthusiastic:
"Our current conditions aren't very good, but if you need anything, please feel free to ask and we'll do our best to satisfy you."
He took Wen Yi on a tour of the neighborhood, of course, just the residential area, and explained what everyone had been busy with recently. He glossed over some relatively confidential matters, and Wen Yi didn't hesitate to ask.
"They're making farm tools here, but those plowshares were shipped from the ironworks east of the city."
"Did you see that guy lying on the ground? He was caught stealing food and is being punished now."
Wen Yi took a look and saw that many people were gathered around to watch the fun, and the person who was caught didn't seem to care much about being laughed at.
"This is where we eat, but we don't have enough bowls right now. You can also bring your own food here. We don't charge for it."
But delicious food is definitely out of the question. In this era, being able to eat until 70% full is enough to make people work hard. Wen Yi decided that they should just eat together for the time being, with Yao Wenjun as the only one.
Most of the city had been cleared out, apparently planning a complete rebuild. There were many experienced craftsmen, but they were all being used to craft tools for daily use.
By the time Yao Wenjun finished his work and returned, it was already dark. A bonfire had been lit in the open field, and many people took advantage of this opportunity to wash their sweat-stained linen clothes and lay them aside to dry.
The soldiers were mostly young and strong, with some older ones also, some of whom were originally stationed in the outer strongholds. It was difficult for the elderly and children to break out. When they saw Amu and the others, they were extremely friendly, even deliberately making strange expressions to amuse them.
Yao Wenjun sat next to Wen Yi and handed the porridge to Wen Yi.
A few days ago, we found several granaries hidden in a hidden place by the wealthy families in the city. Finally, we can live a life with enough food. Otherwise, bringing them out would be like repaying kindness with enmity.
"What are your plans?" Wen Yi put the empty bowl aside and asked.
Yao Wenjun shook his head.
Wen Yi laughed, thinking that this man was using his kindness to help him out rather than express gratitude. He glanced at the leading soldier who was happily chatting with Amu, and some indescribable emotion overwhelmed his hesitation:
"If you're not afraid of me messing up, then give it a try."
*
I integrated the outline map of Pingyi's outer city wall that I had searched out in the past few days, and then went around a few times to modify the parts that had changed due to renovations on paper.
After Zhong Ji arrived, he took a few people to build a kiln outside the city. He also brought out the pottery bowls that he had made during his free time in winter but were not going to fire. He brushed glaze on the inner layer and fired them to make up for the shortcomings of the bowls and plates. Then he started to fire pottery pipes for the subsequent construction of drainage facilities.
There are relatively complete sewage pipes near the center of Pingyi, but there are no such pipes extending outward, including where they live now, and the original pipes need to be modified.
Pingyi is not a very big place according to the scale given by later generations. Wen Yi was a little nervous at first, but after confirming it, he felt somewhat confident.
Pingyi's outline was circular, with the central building remaining untouched, and the surrounding area divided into four sections. The city gate was located in the southern section. Wen Yi first drew the location of the main road on paper, and then planned the residential areas.
At that time, there was no special place for trading. Most people bartered with their neighbors or sent goods for collective purchase. Wen Yi just left the space empty for now and would deal with the rest later.
The first area to be renovated was naturally the southern area near the city gate. One side was reserved for martial arts training grounds, and the other side, where a stream flowed, was used to build various facilities and living quarters for the soldiers.
Originally, most of the houses in the city were adobe or thatched houses. Fortunately, the ground was solid enough for long-term living, so construction could be done on it after it was slightly leveled.
But the most important thing right now was spring plowing; everything else had to be put aside. Wen Yi gave Qing Ping the books containing the blueprints and went out with a few people to dig materials and make cement, preparing to reinforce and raise the city walls to prevent future looting.
Now that we have decided to stay here, safety is also very important.
The main body of the wall was made of stone and mud mixed with a binder, reinforced with cement mortar starting from the gate and then gradually extending along the two sides. Fortunately, I had a lot of craftsmen to help me, otherwise it would have taken quite a while just to bake the cement.
Yao Wenjun had recently been on patrol outside the city, trying to prevent refugees from rushing in and snatching their seeds and sharing them. The soup kitchens were useless, and they wouldn't bother with the idea of work-for-relief. All they remembered from their journey was the thought of robbery.
After a long period of extreme hunger, people will naturally develop a morbid possessiveness for everything they can eat.
Fortunately, there are finally edible wild vegetables or young leaves at this time of year, and the weather is getting warmer, making it easier to travel. I finally haven't encountered anyone waving sticks in the past few days.
Yao Wenjun then reassigned some of his men to farm and quarry limestone to reinforce the city walls. Many even took advantage of the guards' inattention to touch the reinforced walls, marveling at them. The walls were now one-third taller than before, and the rocks that had once provided leverage had been smoothed over with cement mortar, making climbing even more difficult.
The waterwheel that was quickly built reduced the pressure on irrigation, and new green shoots soon emerged. The original treasury was also repaired, and it was finally no longer in its previous dilapidated and deserted state.
“It’s really not easy.”
Yao Wenjun looked at the brick kiln which was still busy, and the people guarding it had been replaced.
Wen Yi nodded sleepily. He had lit a soybean oil lamp last night and stayed up late to design the internal structure of the oil press workshop. Now he smelled of soybean oil all over his body.
"Everything is here. If you don't understand anything, go find Ah Mu. She can understand it." Wen Yi yawned, "I'll go take a rest first."
He handed it along with the blueprints of the water mill and other buildings to Yao Wenjun, and asked her to find someone to build them. He then went to wash them with the soap he had made earlier, and went back to catch up on some sleep with the fish balls.
They now live with Yao Wenjun in the city center, which is more than enough space for so many people.
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