Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 66 Harvest (Please continue reading)

He handed the blueprints to Han Ji and instructed him to build the iron smelting furnace while constructing the connected kiln.

He tried his best to write the parameters of the blast furnace on the drawings in the terminology of the Han Dynasty, and he also used long annotations for some parameters that could not be written in vernacular Chinese.

Upon receiving the blueprints, Han Ji's expression didn't change much regarding the shape of the smelting furnace. Instead, he was extremely fond of the thick, snow-white A4 paper in his hand.

"My lord, why is this paper so white and strong? It is even more suitable for writing than the paper improved by Marquis Cai."

Han Ji stroked the white paper with great delight.

Zhang Xian chuckled: "You build the furnace first, and you'll know in a few days."

"only--."

Han Ji bowed and turned around to continue supervising the construction of the connected kiln.

Thousands upon thousands of blue bricks were neatly stacked in one place, and Han Ji was leading people there to level the land.

The glutinous rice paste and lime paste are also being prepared.

Zhang Xian glanced at it a few times and then left. He had told Han Ji that he would know the secrets of paper in a few days, and that was no empty talk.

He had been preparing for papermaking since he first conceived the idea of ​​building a primary school.

[Knowledge and Skills: Reverse Engineering 2: You can reverse engineer a manufacturing process using physical objects.]

He had already used the [Reverse 2] skill to reverse-engineer the production process of A4 paper. During the reverse process, every step of A4 paper production, from raw materials to finished paper, had been played in his mind hundreds of times like a video.

He was already very familiar with papermaking.

He has already fermented more than 2,000 jin of paper mulberry bark downstream of Taoyuan Creek, and it has been almost a month and a half. It should be ready to use now.

The stream babbled softly as Zhang Xian stood by the fermentation pond downstream, gazing at the paper mulberry bark that had been soaking for a month and a half. The more than two thousand kilograms of bark had softened in the murky water, emitting a faint herbal scent. He bent down, scooped up a piece, and with a gentle twist of his fingers, the tough bark crumbled like cotton wool.

"Xian-ge'er, can these tree barks really be used to make the kind of white paper you described?" Xiahou Lan's questioning voice came from behind.

Zhang Xian turned around, a confident smile playing on his lips: "Of course."

"Why did you come here?"

The image of modern papermaking, seen through his [Reverse 2] skill, flashed through his mind—huge cooking pots, precise sieves, and high-speed drying drums. Although Taoyuan didn't have those machines, the basic principles were the same. For the past month and a half, he had repeatedly simulated how to achieve a similar effect under Han Dynasty conditions, rehearsing each step in his mind hundreds of times.

Xiahou Lan: "Mr. Gongzhi doesn't have many requests of me, just to provide people and materials. I saw you hurrying this way, so I followed you."

Zhang Xian nodded, "That's perfect."

"Go and summon twenty quick-handed farmers, and prepare ten hardwood sticks and five stone mortars," Zhang Xian instructed. "Today we will begin making paper."

As the twilight sun slanted, Zhang Xian stood by the composting pit, guiding the villagers to scoop out the softened paper mulberry bark. After soaking for a long time, the outer rough bark had naturally peeled off, leaving behind the clean white inner bark fibers.

"First, lay these bark pieces on the stone slab and pound them." Zhang Xian picked up a hardwood stick to demonstrate. "You need to use force but evenly until the bark fibers are completely dispersed."

The dull thuds of wooden sticks striking tree bark echoed throughout the village. Zhang Xian moved among the villagers, occasionally correcting their technique: "Don't smash, pound! Make the fibers disperse, not break."

Sweat dripped down his forehead. This work was more physically demanding than he had imagined, but as he watched the rough bark gradually transform into fine fibrous clumps, his eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Master, is this fine enough?" a farmer asked, holding a ball of snow-white fibers.

Zhang Xian rubbed it between his fingers and shook his head, saying, "It's not enough. Put it in the mortar and continue pounding until you can pull out strands."

As the sun began to set, the first batch of qualified pulp was finally prepared. Zhang Xian placed the fiber clumps into a large wooden barrel, added water, and stirred. The milky white pulp swirled in the barrel like a miniature storm.

The next morning, Zhang Xian directed the villagers to build ten large earthenware pots by the stream, with wood-burning stoves underneath.

"This step is the most crucial." He carefully poured the pulp into the pot and added a small amount of lime water. "Steaming can further soften the fibers and also bleach them."

Flames licked at the bottom of the pot, and the liquid inside gradually boiled. Zhang Xian stirred it incessantly with a long wooden stick to prevent the fibers from clumping. Sweat soaked through his clothes, but he was oblivious, completely focused on the changes in the pot.

"My lord, why add lime?" Han Ji, with bamboo slips tucked under his arm, came running at the sound of the voice.

He was on his way to give a lecture, but when he heard that his lord had started making paper, he came over out of curiosity.

“Lime can remove impurities and make paper whiter.” Zhang Xian wiped his sweat. “If Lord Cai had had this method back then, the paper he produced would have been of even higher quality.”

The steaming process lasted all day. By the time the last batch of pulp turned pure white, the setting sun had already dyed the stream red. Zhang Xian was exhausted, but looking at the snow-white pulp, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

On the third day, Zhang Xian took out the prepared bamboo frame and the curtain woven from dry grass.

This was a simplified version of the modern papermaking equipment he saw in the [Reverse 2] skill. The method was very simple, so he had the women and elders of Taoyuan rush to make many overnight.

Of course, it was the kind where you pay money. Not counting the bamboo frames, twenty straw mats, each half a meter long and wide, cost one qian. The old woman from Taoyuan made him pay a thousand coins in one night.

“This is a papermaking screen.” He picked up the bamboo frame and fastened it to the straw screen: “Spread the pulp evenly on it, and the moisture will flow away through the gaps, leaving the outer layer.”

He approached the pulp vat, looked at the settled pulp liquid inside, and turned to look at a farmer.

"What about the elm bark juice that was boiled down?"

"It's cooked, Master, I'll go get it." The farmer ran off to a certain place.

Papermaking and sizing are also key, making the paper more durable.

After the farmer brought over the boiled elm bark gum, Zhang Xian poured it into the pulp vat and then quickly stirred it back and forth.

Once the mixture was almost ready, he immersed the bamboo screen in the slurry until it sank to the bottom, shook it a few times, and then lifted it up steadily.

The water cascaded down, forming a thin, translucent layer of paper floss on the curtain.

"Wonderful!" Han Ji exclaimed in surprise.

He came here by detour while on his way to give lectures.

Zhang Xian smiled without saying a word, simply taking the straw curtain off the bamboo frame and placing it aside, then repeating this several times.

"You've memorized it all?" he asked.

"We've got it, Master," the villagers replied.

"Alright, you can begin now."

"promise!"

A dozen or so farmers took turns operating the equipment, while Zhang Xian watched from the sidelines, occasionally stepping forward to offer reminders.

"Keep your hands steady."

"You also need to pay attention to the amount of paper lint; too much will make the paper uneven!"

"Good, keep it up."

One afternoon, more than 10,000 straw mats were neatly laid out diagonally on simple wooden frames to dry.

With all the pulp used up and only a few straw mats left, he decided to let the farmers who had come with him to make paper rest.

As the moisture on the straw mat gradually evaporated, the shape of the paper appeared on the straw mat.

The paper is bleached with lime, so its color is only slightly gray.

It has a colloid thickening agent, and the paper's toughness looks quite good.

"It'll be done once it's dry." Having taken off his long gown and put on a short-sleeved shirt that was considered indecent, Zhang Xian paced back and forth on the paper drying rack, occasionally squatting down to check the quality of the paper.

He wandered around until dusk, and the papers on the drying rack were almost completely dry. Only then did he call someone to collect all the papers.

The stack of 20,000 sheets of grayish-white paper, each half a meter long and wide, would reach a height of two meters. The paper was tough and suitable for writing, and weighed over 100 kilograms.

Although he was already very familiar with the process of making paper for the first time, the quality of the finished paper still excited him for quite some time.

"It's done."

"My lord is truly talented!" Han Ji, who came upon hearing the news, was even more excited than Zhang Xian.

He has been holding that A4 paper and pondering it for three days, imagining what it would be like to write on it every day.

In just three days, our lord has produced so many. Although they don't feel quite as good as the one our lord gave him, they are enough for writing.

"The Duke has arrived! Look, these papers only need to be cut a little bit before they can be bound into a book."

"With this, how can we worry about the decline of literature and art in Peach Blossom Spring!"

"Yes, yes, yes."

Han Ji touched the papers as if he were caressing a young girl's skin, his eyes filled with affection.

"My lord, I would like to request some blank paper to reward the students who achieve excellent results, so as to inspire their ambition."

"Please feel free to take it, but these papers still need to be trimmed, as this corner is really unsightly."

Zhang Xian readily agreed, for paper was made for writing, and rewarding students was certainly acceptable.

However, when the topic turned to the students, he asked Han Ji, "You have been teaching for more than five days now. How are the students of this Peach Blossom Spring?"

Upon hearing his lord's question, Han Ji gave a wry smile: "There are some who are good at advancing, but not many; the rest are just scoundrels."

“Your mindset hasn’t changed yet; young children are often playful. You’ll have to put in a lot of effort.” Zhang Xian shook his head slightly and said to the villagers, “Send the paper to the warehouse.”

Amidst a chorus of "yes," the two men each carried a stack of papers and headed towards the residence.

"I dare not shirk my duty and give my all."

"Recently, I have also been thinking about how to improve the students' motivation. I think that managing a school is like managing an army, and clear rewards and punishments are the best approach."

“That makes sense,” Zhang Xian nodded. “You can also pick some interesting principles from the teachings of the sages and turn them into stories. Children are mostly interested in the word ‘interesting’.”

"I have a few here. Listen to this one first, 'The Man Who Covered His Ears While Stealing a Bell.' Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a man in the State of Jin..."
There are also the examples of "marking the boat to find the sword," "adding legs to a snake," and "waiting for a rabbit to run into a tree stump."

On the way back, Zhang Xian told several fables in one go, without stopping.

"My lord is truly talented." Han Ji praised him again, then exclaimed, "No wonder the people of Peach Blossom Spring love listening to you tell stories in their spare time. These few short stories contain many profound truths and are quite interesting."

“It’s all about learning through entertainment.” Zhang Xian chuckled. “How about the conjoined kiln?” He turned to look at Han Ji.

"It's already at the top of the arch. This kiln can not only be used for smoldering charcoal, but also for firing porcelain, pottery, and bricks."

"You have worked so hard, you have not had a single day of rest since you came to this paradise."

"Ji also enjoys it, and it is a great honor for Ji to be able to demonstrate the techniques in the book one by one."

At the gate of the small courtyard, Han Ji bowed to Zhang Xian.

"Our lord's ambitions are already somewhat clear. If we can contribute our meager strength to our lord's great cause, then our family's legacy will not be wasted."

Zhang Xian's eyes flashed as he looked at the man's eyes with surprise and asked, "Are you willing to pass on your family's legacy to Peach Blossom Spring?"

"Our lord treats us as national heroes, so we must not fail him."

"The earliest military treatise of this family was passed down from the royal family of the State of Han during the Spring and Autumn Period. As you, my lord, must know, my ancestor was King Xin of Han. He was enfeoffed as a king of a different surname for his meritorious service in the founding of the State by Emperor Gaozu. It is a pity that my ancestor surrendered to the Xiongnu during the Siege of Baima. Otherwise, my Han lineage would not have fallen to such a state."

Han Ji chuckled self-deprecatingly.

Zhang Xian didn't know what to say. People could talk about their ancestors because they were legitimate descendants. If he, an outsider, were to chime in, it would be seen as mocking someone else's ancestors.

Seeing the changes on his lord's face, Han Ji realized what was going on: "I apologize for making you laugh, my lord. I will go and memorize the military treatise now."

"You've gone to so much trouble, sir." Zhang Xian bowed slightly.
-
Taoyuan remains vibrant and energetic, with shouts echoing daily from the martial arts training ground.

The sound of hammers striking metal echoed continuously along the stream.

The schoolchildren swayed their heads and recited, "Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe was vast and boundless..."

Papermaking from paper mulberry bark was feasible, and the paper mulberry and elm trees in Changshan suffered greatly. Migrants seeking work outside Taoyuan scattered and cut down paper mulberry and elm trees whenever they saw them.

Fortunately, Zhang Xian went to the township office to pay a firewood tax, otherwise the various village heads would have had something to do.

This noisy scene came to an abrupt end in mid-June.

The training ground was deserted that day; the water-forging hammer stopped swinging; the voices of schoolchildren were gone; and the refugees were nowhere to be seen.

Where have people gone?

field!

It's time to harvest!

Thousands of people cheered in the fields, swinging their sickles with great vigor.

Large stalks of sorghum fell.

The bean stalks were cut, and the millet ears, hanging down, bent low, were golden yellow.

The pumpkins were huge.

Within a few days, the crops were harvested one after another, and the Taoyuan warehouse was filled with wet grains. The drill ground was requisitioned and soybeans were dried. After a day or two of exposure to the sun, the farmers began to beat and collect the soybeans.

Then came millet and sorghum.

In the past few days, the slaughtering of pigs, chickens, and ducks in Taoyuan has been nonstop.

Apart from Zhang Xian's own [Homestead Series] which remained untouched, all other meat products have been supplied in the past few days.

A bountiful harvest during the busy farming season is gratifying, but it's also incredibly tiring.

This was Zhang Xian's first time participating in a large-scale harvest season, and he personally took to the field. Not only him, but the people of Taoyuan also put aside their training and joined the harvesting team.

The eight or nine hundred acres of farmland were quickly harvested thanks to the concerted efforts of thousands of people. If it weren't for the fact that the crops matured at different times, it probably wouldn't have taken half a day to harvest all of them.

However, it's a good thing that there's a harvest in the fields. Taoyuan no longer relies entirely on purchasing; it can produce its own produce.

After the grain was dried, Xiahou Lan weighed and tallied its weight immediately.

The sorghum field covered 770 mu and yielded 100,000 jin of sorghum rice, with an average yield of 120-130 jin per mu.

The soybean and millet fields yielded 25,000 catties of soybeans and 21,000 catties of millet.

Nine mu of pumpkin fields yielded 40,000 jin of pumpkins, with an average yield of 4,250 jin per mu.

From barren land to newly cultivated fields, such a harvest is worthy of a poem.

Harvest!
(End of this chapter)