Chapter 10: Dou Sha Pass

Liu Dutu, upon hearing this, put down the bowl in his hand, gave Yun Zheng a pat on the head, and laughed, "Only you are so clever, damn it. A scholar should be like you. Hurry up and think of the most cost-effective way; this is extra work, and there is no payment from above. If you come up with a solution, I, old Liu, will reward you."

Having been at the construction site for a month, Liu Dutu had appeared a total of three times. Unexpectedly, he came again today to check on the workers' meals. He nodded in satisfaction, scooped a ladle of egg soup from the pot, tasted it, and his eyes lit up. He filled a large bowl for himself and sat at Yun Zheng's rickety table, drinking while saying: "After going around in circles, this place is the only one that looks like a decent place for a living. Kid, do you know how to measure earthworks? If you do, come with me to measure the earthworks. You won't be working for free; I'll pay you fifty wen a day."

Yun Zheng chuckled, "Are you planning to dig a trench again? The young man will certainly do it. Not only can he do it, but he also knows that you intend to dig a channel halfway up the mountain. The water accumulation in the fortress on the mountain cannot be drained out. It is winter now, and this little rain has already caused flooding. If we wait for the heavy rains in spring and summer, haha, there will be quite a spectacle on the mountain. Perhaps all the work we did in winter will be in vain, as it might all be washed away by the rain."

Mr. Yun Zheng, resembling a storyteller, tapped the table and said: "The water storage cellar, if a channel is to be dug, will not be less than 3 miles in total length. At the current pace, you will need at least a month to complete it. However, if you utilize the flood pool on the mountain, this concern will be alleviated, and it can be cleared in three to five days. During heavy rain, the rainwater will flow into the flood pool, so you need not worry about the rainwater washing into the fortress below."

Oh heavens, the Dou Sha Pass has guarded the five-foot path for over a thousand years, having witnessed the Qin and Han dynasties, the Three Kingdoms, the Two Jin dynasties, and the Tang dynasty. Zhuge Liang once stationed troops here; surely those renowned ministers and valiant generals knew how to utilize this mountain peak? The cliff inscription by the Tang scholar Yuan Zi is right by the roadside, clearly stating that there is a stone-built reservoir on this mountain, where he even washed his feet. I refuse to believe that after all these years, those stones would have turned to soil.

"Gathered around the fire pit, do you still wish to eat? Young master sees your plight and has prepared a feast for everyone today, including chicken. Drink a bit more to ward off the chill"

Yun Zheng unloaded a small basket of eggs from the ox cart and smiled at the woman, saying: "It's no trouble, these are all for people to eat. How can they get wet? If they get wet, won't they turn into double-steamed rice? Everyone is working hard, and if they don't eat enough, it could cost lives. A few days ago, there was a little leftover from the meals, so I bought some eggs to make a bit of soup for everyone to warm up."

The mountain dwellers are essentially fugitives; they hide in the mountains and do not come out, living off the land and cultivating it themselves. It may sound carefree and leisurely, but in reality, they are constantly teetering on the edge of life and death, battling against the mountains, wild beasts, and bandits in the hills. After a month of encounters at the foot of the mountain, Yun Zheng did not see a single elderly mountain dweller; they do not live beyond the age of thirty.

Yun Zheng let out a bitter laugh, unsure how those officials managed the supplies. The brown rice was scarce, yet the pickled vegetables were given in abundance, as if to the point of excess. He had no idea which year the pickled vegetables had been preserved; a large jar of dark, murky contents stood before him. The storekeeper even said that they were running low, so they could come and take more. Yun Zheng glanced at the seal, which bore the mark of the Wusheng Army, indicating that this had undoubtedly been discarded by the military.

There was no other way; Yun Zheng exchanged salted vegetables and mountain goods for brown rice and some lard at hetushu.com. For the mountain dwellers, having salt to eat was a significant blessing, so they had no reason to be picky. This allowed Yun Zheng to take advantage of the situation. The more than one hundred laborers under his charge were very satisfied with their meals, and it is no wonder; with rice and vegetables, no one could complain.

After drinking a large bowl of Shuaixiu soup, Yun Zheng finally felt a bit of warmth in his body. The Shuaixiu soup was something he had taught these women to make; it only required a handful of cassava flour and one egg to produce a large pot of soup. A sprinkle of vegetable bits added to its appearance, making it not only visually appealing but also quite tasty, though it lacked nutritional value and was merely a treat for the palate

The winter rain falls like weeping and lamenting, so lingering that it drives one to fury. The freshly dried clothes can be wrung out for water in no time, and the dampness clings to the body, making even the slightest movement uncomfortable

Here, Yun Zheng never restricts the brown rice; with two strips of pickled vegetables, they can consume a large bowl. Since arriving in this world, Yun Zheng has noticed a significant increase in his appetite, easily finishing two bowls from a large, head-sized coarse porcelain bowl.

Yun Zheng jumped down from the ox cart, leading the ox to the shed. He took a burlap sack and first wiped the ox dry, not rushing to wipe the rainwater off his own head. It was only here that he realized an important truth: the ox is more important than a person. Several women assisting in the kitchen helped Yun Zheng unload the brown rice from the ox cart. One of the women, seeing Yun Zheng covered in mud and water, complained, "How can you cover the brown rice with a raincoat? This rice will be consumed in a couple of days; a little rain won't matter." Several women assisting in the kitchen helped Yun Zheng unload the brown rice from the ox cart. One of the women, seeing Yun Zheng covered in mud and water, complained, "How can you cover the brown rice with a raincoat? This rice will be consumed in a couple of days; a little rain won't matter."

The simple-minded Cang Er was almost pushed out of the shed when Yun Zheng pulled him to sit behind his rickety table, which at least provided some shelter from the wind. He served him a large bowl of soup, claiming it was not a special treat, but the thin layer of egg drop on top was slightly more generous. There was plenty of soup, and Cang Er drank another bowl, filling his stomach with the clear broth since he had no food. Every time he moved, his belly made loud rumbling noises, much like a large livestock that had just finished drinking water, and no one laughed at him; they were all the same.

The gong signaling the end of work sounded, and the laborers, like ghosts, crawled out of the rain-soaked ground and into the shed, reluctant to leave as they gathered around the fire pit, swaying back and forth. The woman in charge of the cooking began to wield her large ladle to shoo them away.

The woman chuckled and said: "You really have a way with things. In previous years, just the brown rice was not enough for everyone, yet you managed to ensure that everyone had food and vegetables. Now you even want to make soup. If this continues, life on the construction site will become as good as that of the county magistrate."

Nonsense, where would a flood pool come from on the mountain? If we were to rebuild the flood pool, I might as well dig a canal; at least I wouldn't have to chisel stones to pave the pool. I thought you had come up with some good idea, but it turns out to be an expensive one. The commander at Dou Sha Pass hasn't even spoken, so why should we worry? The most important thing is to do our own work well.

In fact, there is no need to clear the accumulated water on the mountain. The northern slope of Dou Sha Pass is just this one peak, which is strategically important and easy to defend but difficult to attack. This is why the elders decided to establish a fortress here, forming a mutual support system with Dou Sha Pass. However, the mountain lacks water, which means that this peak cannot be held for long. If I were the enemy, I would surround this mountain, given sufficient troops. It wouldn't take long; ten days would be enough for this mountain to collapse without a fight.

Liu Dutu lifted Yun Zheng's face and said with a teasing tone: "I didn't realize that we have a master of military strategy here. Why don't you share your thoughts on how to solve this problem, so that I, Old Liu, can broaden my knowledge."

Yun Zheng forcefully slammed his head against the table, producing a loud thud. Liu Dutu grabbed Yun Zheng by the collar and lifted him up, saying: "Speak properly, why are you throwing a tantrum"