Chapter 149
Chapter 149
“Daughter, are these the things you called cement bricks?”
Jin Bao blinked her sparkling eyes and nodded. “That’s right! This is it. Houses built with these are really strong. The snow won’t crush them, and nobody will be cold again.”
Xiao Che crouched down, curious to pick up the dull gray object and see what was so special about it.
“Daddy, you can’t touch it yet. You have to wait until everything dries.”
Xiao Che quickly pulled his hand back.
“Do we dry these in the sun?”
The sun was blazing. He estimated they would dry in two or three days.
“No. They can’t see the sun yet. Leave them for three days first, then dry them.”
Several days later, after following Jin Bao’s method, they had their first real cement bricks.
The batch immediately drew a large crowd of onlookers.
Xiao Che and Xie Chengyan circled the bricks as they examined them.
“They look like ordinary gray stones. I don’t see anything special about them.”
“No, they’re much heavier than regular mud bricks.”
As the two men studied the bricks, Jin Bao squeezed her head through the gap between them.
“Daddy, Uncle, what are you doing?”
“Daughter, what makes these cement bricks different?”
That question stumped Jin Bao. How would she know?
All she knew was that they were very strong and could withstand the weight of accumulated snow.
After thinking for a moment, she pointed at the bricks. “They’re strong.”
Xiao Che drew his broadsaber on the spot and brought it down hard on a cement brick.
The blade left only a white mark. The brick did not split.
“This thing…”
Xiao Che’s mouth fell open, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Then he excitedly seized Xie Chengyan’s hand.
“Old Xie, did you see that?”
Xie Chengyan’s heart was already surging. How could he not have seen it?
A city built from these bricks would be impregnable and fireproof.
“This can give us a fortress as secure as a bastion of iron, Old Xiao. These bricks are priceless.”
Xiao Che scooped Jin Bao off the ground and tossed her into the air.
“It’s all thanks to my daughter!”
As Jin Bao rose and fell, her two little pigtails bounced with her. Her bright giggles drifted away on the breeze.
Xie Chengyan, Xie Yanhong, and Xiao Jingxing all watched her with indulgent smiles.
“Old Xiao, I think we should produce these cement bricks in large quantities. It will be faster than felling trees to build houses.”
Once his excitement subsided, Xiao Che held Jin Bao in his arms and nodded.
“Agreed. There’s no time to lose. We’ll start transporting supplies to Jintang Valley and relocate there gradually. Too much activity at once may attract unnecessary trouble.”
“Jintang Valley? Is that the name you just gave the place?”
Xie Chengyan had never heard of it before. But connecting the name to their conversation, he quickly guessed the answer.
“That’s right. With buildings made of cement brick and the steep terrain surrounding it, the place will be as secure as a bastion of iron. That is why I named it Jintang Valley.”
“A fine name. Jintang Valley it is.”
And just like that, their new military stronghold was born.
It might be desolate now, but before long, it would become the safest place in the entire Northern Frontier.
Xiao Che and Xie Chengyan were soon worked off their feet.
Left alone and bored, Jin Bao could only play with Xiao Jingxing.
He had recovered a little more over the past few days and could now leave the bed to move around for two hours each day.
“Eldest Brother, you still haven’t been to our new home. It’s so pretty! There’s no winter, so it never gets cold. There are streams with warm water and little fish inside. Baby loves catching fish with everyone. Baby also found a huge lake, and the fish in there are this big!”
Jin Bao spread her short arms wide, making an enormous circle.
Listening to her sweet, childish voice, Xiao Jingxing’s lips curved slightly upward.
Ever since her birthday, Jin Bao’s pronunciation had grown clearer and clearer.
Whenever she chatted with Xiao Jingxing now, he quietly listened to her stories about everything happening in the valley. Every so often, he added a comment or two, which only made Jin Bao speak with greater enthusiasm.
While Xiao Che and the others spent several days busy with the relocation, Jin Bao spent those same days in Xiao Jingxing’s room sharing all the latest gossip.
At last, Xiao Che returned from Jintang Valley with good news.
“Old Xie, the first kilns are finished. We also found the kind of rock Jin Bao discovered before, the grayish-white stone that can be burned into white lime. We’ve located all the other materials as well and are ready to begin making the first batch of cement bricks.”
Xie Chengyan had nearly finished his preparations too. Since he needed to supervise part of the construction, he would go there personally. Some Dragon Tiger Guards would remain at the estate, and Xie Yanhong could not leave for the time being. Once the inner city had taken shape, they would move the remaining Dragon Tiger Guards to Jintang Valley.
“By the way, what is happening with the draft cattle? How many more days before they arrive?”
The last time Xie Chengyan used an ox convoy to transport grain out of the valley, he had not known that Xiao Che would build a new military base. Afterward, he sent all the cattle back with the valley residents, ensuring they would always have enough carts available to transport grain.
Xie Chengyan’s greatest concern now was farming. So many people consumed a tremendous amount of food each day, and the military grain he had brought from Black Pine Valley would feed the army for only two months.
Nearly one month had already passed, leaving less than half the grain.
They had no land planted for the long winter ahead. Once heavy snow sealed the mountains, transporting grain with reindeer and Snow Mastiffs would be terribly inefficient.
On the very night he and Xie Chengyan discussed building the military base, Xiao Che had written a letter to Xiao Jingmo.
By his calculations, the convoy should arrive soon.
“Master, the cattle convoy sent by Young Master Xiao has arrived. They brought a great deal of grain too.”
A young servant happened to enter with the report at that moment.
Everyone went out to meet them.
Xiao Jingmo had sent thirty-one draft cattle, thirty cartloads of provisions, and another cart carrying forged plowshares and other important metal parts for farming tools. Several carpenters had come with the convoy as well.
In his letter, Xiao Che had requested a number of curved-shaft plows and farming tools. Seeing that Xiao Jingmo had sent only the components and brought carpenters with them, he instantly understood his son’s reasoning.
Completed curved-shaft plows and farming tools took up too much space.
By sending only the iron parts and several carpenters, Xiao Jingmo made it possible to craft the remaining wooden pieces on site. The space he saved could be used to carry more military grain.
Even Xie Chengyan praised him repeatedly.
“Mo’er is meticulous and remarkably capable. With him there, we needn’t worry about Black Pine Valley while we’re away. I’m sure he has handled everything beautifully.”
Old Han stepped forward to pay his respects. Hearing Xie Chengyan’s words, he immediately smiled.
“Our Second Young Master has barely had a moment to rest this past month.
“He’s grown much thinner.
“Several hundred children suddenly arrived in the valley.
“Second Young Master ordered a school built in New Life Village and another inside the valley.
“The old school was too crudely built. He said it had to be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up.
“He even designed the plans himself. I took a look, and the building is enormous. It can hold one or two hundred students at once.
“The Young Master said the valley will have more and more children in the future, so the schools should be built large enough for everyone to study and learn to read.”
Xie Chengyan nodded again and again. “That’s right. Mo’er is thinking far ahead.
“As it happens, we’ve recently obtained a new kind of cement brick. When you return, take some back and show them to Mo’er.
“Stay here for the next few days and learn how to make the bricks first. The valley schools can be built entirely from cement bricks. I believe they’ll stand for hundreds of years.”
Old Han was overjoyed. Such a treasure existed in this world? He could hardly wait to see it for himself.