New Trickster

  Watching the children eating greedily, Lv Shi and Zhao Da Hai drank wine and chatted while picking some wild vegetables to go with their drink. Of course, the topic of conversation also changed from being aimless to the current severe drought that made it impossible to farm.

  Once he started talking about the state of the world under this disaster, Zhang Laoshi was left with only a series of long sighs and short regrets, and no longer had any desire to drink.

  It's all because of the severe drought, and yet the sky is still clear and sunny without a hint of rain. The crops in the fields are almost gone, but these little tigers at home need to eat and drink. I really don't know what to do if this continues. If it goes on like this, I'm afraid even wild vegetables won't be enough. What's more, we still have to pay taxes to the government, or else we'll be in trouble with those cruel officials, and that would be a disaster for our family.

  Mentioning this topic, Zhao Dahai also lost his interest in drinking, and silently fed his goddaughter while eating, and also lost his heroic mood.

  Lü Shi felt a deep sorrow for the common people in this world, and since he had decided to stay and do something to repay the kindness of the Zhang family, he should do something to change all this. However, changing the Zhang family's situation was a difficult problem - could human power overcome heaven? So Lü Shi racked his brains, thinking about what he knew from past experiences, looking for something in his memories that could solve this pressing problem. After much bitter thought, he suddenly remembered a water conservancy tool, and his heart felt suddenly enlightened.

  That's not complicated, thinking about the details, it's something we can do ourselves. Thinking of this, Lü Shi put down his wine cup and smiled faintly: "Two brothers, this drought is indeed severe, but it's not like there's no rain at all. I think the water in the Sha Jia River in front of the village is still abundant, it's just that the fields are now above the riverbank, can't get irrigation, can't be cultivated and planted, is that right?"

  Zhang Laoshi saw that Lü Shiyue was right, and nodded helplessly: "Even if the master knows, the severe drought has caused the river water to drop, and the embankment is getting higher. Even a strong man carrying water to irrigate the land can only carry one or two buckets in a day, and it will dry up as soon as he pours it on the ground. Even if he works hard to plant it, he won't have the strength to water it again later, and it will wither and die. It's just a waste of seeds." After finishing speaking, he let out another long sigh.

  "Let alone a small household like mine, even if it were a large one like the Zhang family's, hiring long-term and short-term workers to drive away tenants would be futile. Even if they managed to plant something, the harvest wouldn't cover the expenses of those few days. They can only watch as their crops wither and die from drought. Farming households rely on their land for survival, but now everything is hopeless. My brothers are eating and drinking here, but soon we'll have to flee with our families and become refugees. It's either starvation or death at the hands of corrupt officials, just like in Yulin. Is there any other way out besides becoming refugees and dying in some unknown ditch?"

  After finishing speaking, he drank down the wine in his bowl with a gloomy face. The children didn't understand the difficulties and continued to grab meat dishes happily. At this time, a suppressed sob came from the inner room, it was Zhang's wife crying.

  "But don't worry, brother," said Lü Shizhong with a smile. "I have a way to make the river water flow up to the platform by itself, and irrigate this land day and night without any manual labor."

  As soon as this was said, Zhang's eyes lit up and he excitedly asked: "Brother, are you joking? Is there really a way to make the river water flow onto the high land of over ten zhang without using manpower? This would be a lifesaver for everyone." After finishing speaking, he thought for a moment, let out a sigh, and his expression turned gloomy. He shook his head and said: "Unless you're a god, who else could have such skills? Brother, you must be joking."

  "Brother, don't be skeptical. My method is actually simple, it just requires a few carpenters." Lü Shixin said with a full heart.

  Zhang Laoshi saw that Lü Shidao was serious and had hope, so he quickly added: "This carpenter is not difficult to find, I am a master craftsman, a carpenter among the masters. If there's something in this village that I say can't be done, I dare say no one else can do it either." At this point, his originally hunched back straightened up with pride.

  San'er jumped out and said loudly: "I know that Master Fu is a capable person, otherwise he wouldn't be able to make such good bows and arrows. He must have a way to make the river water rise to the platform by itself."

  The best to fool and the most worthy of worship are children. With a bow and arrow that surpasses modern times, Lv Shi becomes a god in San Er's heart. Of course, the premise is that San Er is an archer who knows the huge difference between them. If Lv Shi shows this bow to a cook, the cook will surely exclaim loudly - Good, good, good firewood.

  Blind worship is deadly. The three sons have become Lu Shi's die-hard fans, believing that whatever Lu Shi says will definitely come true.

  San Er told Zhao Da Hai about the longbow, and Zhao Da Hai, also from a military family, naturally knew the huge difference between this bow and modern bows and arrows. He looked at Zhang Lao Shi with an unbelieving gaze.

  "That's true."

  One sentence, an honest man's one sentence established Lü Shi's position as a capable person in Zhao Dahu's heart.

  "Since brother has good skills and I have a good idea, the mountain is full of big trees, now the land can't be cultivated anyway, it's better to try it out according to my plan, no harm done if it doesn't work out, at least it's better than having no hope. Let's do it tomorrow, I'll help brother with the groundwork." Zhao Da Hai said confidently.

  Zhang Lao Shi smiled and said, "Well, brothers, tomorrow we'll try out Lv brother's method." This was also the tone of using a dead horse as if it were alive to avoid hurting Lv Shijie's heart.

  Actually, Lv Shi is now a well-planned and mature project. If you ask Lv Shi to launch the entire water pump system now, it's unrealistic, as it requires many supporting facilities to be in place. However, the windmill can be easily set up.

  Yes, in this era, there are human-powered water bicycles, where is the economic efficiency of Dutch windmills?

  Actually, there are two skills that have never appeared in China, but these two things play a very important role in promoting social development. One is the four-wheeled carriage.

  Four-wheeled carts have a greater advantage over two-wheeled carts, as the weight of the goods is all on the cart with four wheels, and the horse only plays the role of pulling. This saves the pressure on the horse's yoke, so four-wheeled carts are often about twice as powerful as two-wheeled carts (two-wheeled carts can carry 2-3 thousand catties). However, since ancient Chinese people did not solve the simple problem of front wheel steering, they were unable to develop. It wasn't until the late Qing dynasty that foreign envoys brought four-wheeled carts, and everyone was waiting to see a joke, thinking, "Let's see how you turn corners, or else you'll just fall into the ditch."

  Then there is another key technology, which is windmills represented by Holland.

  Due to the low-lying terrain, the Netherlands has always faced erosion from sea tides. The instinct for survival gave the Dutch people motivation, they built dikes and dams, reclaimed land from the sea, and created a 9-meter-high drainage windmill, creating a thriving home. In 1229, the Dutch invented the world's first windmill to provide power for human use.

  For a long time, people used primitive methods to process and grind grains, first by manual labor, then by horse-drawn treadmills and water-powered waterwheels, and later by wind-powered windmills. Because the Netherlands is flat and windy, windmills quickly became widespread. The rapid increase in demand also drove the transformation of windmill technology.

  The use of windmills was no longer limited to grinding grain, but developed into processing barley, sawing logs into planks and boards, manufacturing paper, extracting oil from various oily crops such as flaxseed and rapeseed, and grinding spices into mustard.

  "God created the earth, but the Dutch created Holland."

  Indeed, without these towering windmills, the Netherlands would not have been able to reclaim nearly a third of its land from the sea, and there would be no later cheese and tulip fragrance. So the windmill is a very important technology.

  Shaanxi is located on the edge of the Mongolian grasslands, where the wind is very strong, making it an ideal place to build windmills. So Lv Shi plans to build a windmill on the platform to pump water, and later may also develop other uses such as grinding grain, sawing logs into planks and boards, extracting oil from various oil crops, etc., to bring in some income for the Zhang family. However, thinking about it now, there's a bit of an impulsive tendency; having technology is one aspect, but human resources, materials, and environment are all conditions that allow technology to survive and develop. With just these few people, isn't it looking for trouble?

  Let's start with the windmill drawing water first.

  In fact, making a windmill is very simple. As long as you understand the principle, even the most clumsy carpenter can do it. Of course, this refers to small windmills. If it's a big one, then many people need to work together. But now Zhang Laoshi and his children have enough manpower.

  Imagining windmills stretching out their long arms to replace manpower, day and night tirelessly lifting river water onto the land, irrigating the cracked earth, making wheat grow strong and healthy, allowing the Zhang family to have no worries about food and clothing - what a thrilling prospect that is.

  Lv Shixian emotionally expressed his design and ideas, repeatedly explaining the key points. Zhao Dahan was at a loss, but Zhang Laoshi, as a carpenter, was already stunned, with not a single doubt about Lv Shi's proposal.

  A simple, labor-free machine can change the irrigation process of this land. Imagine that beautiful prospect, and in a room full of people, except for Lv Shi and the naive little maid, is there any other expression left but being stunned?

  Zhang Laoshi couldn't sit still any longer and hastily said: "Since Master has such a good thing, why don't we get started right away?"

  Honestly smiling and standing up: "Exactly, let's get started right away."

  Writing a new book makes me anxious about waiting for clicks and favorites again, haha. To alleviate my anxiety, please favorite and click, friends! Hehehe