Late Han Dynasty: Did the Yellow Emperor truly descend?

Li Sheng estimated that it was at least seventy acres.

The dam was built by ramming excavated soil, and it was more than ten feet wide, enough for people to walk side by side.

The outer side of the dam is protected by crushed stone, while the inner side is covered with a layer of pebbles dredged from the bottom of the stream, which can both prevent soil erosion and filter the incoming water.

The stream was blocked by a simple wooden and stone weir, and flowed into the pond through the newly opened diversion channel, before slowly flowing out through the spillway on the south side and returning to its original course.

But the significance of digging this pond goes far beyond water storage and irrigation.

The collective labor of these three or four hundred people was itself a practical training exercise.

Looking back on those first few days, the scene was chaotic.

Reality is not like a game, where you can just click the mouse and the project will proceed automatically.

The basic literacy of these people was not as high as it is in later generations, making them a troublesome group to manage.

Moreover, Li Sheng lacked experience in this area.

At first, hundreds of people crowded together, causing chaos and bumping into each other. After a whole morning, they had put in a lot of effort, but the progress was pitifully slow.

Someone was digging when their pickaxe flew out and almost hit someone nearby; the teams carrying soil and the teams returning with empty baskets got mixed up, and the dam was blocked; the stones for building the dam arrived, but no one knew where to put them, so they were piled up in the middle of the road, blocking everyone.

Li Sheng could only divide the people into five groups: the digging group, the transportation group, the ramming group, the crushing group, and the logistics group.

Each group has a leader who reports to Li Sheng, and the group members report to the leader.

He also set a rule: before the end of each workday, the five foremen would meet with him to report on the day's progress, problems encountered, and materials needed.

The next morning, he allocated manpower and supplies based on this information.

At first, some people were not used to it and found it troublesome, saying, "Why are there so many fuss over digging a pond?"

But three days later, no one complained anymore.

The chaos subsided, and hundreds of people, like wound-up springs, each performed their duties and remained in their positions.

Those digging the soil focused on digging, those transporting the soil focused on transporting the soil, and those ramming the soil focused on ramming the soil; everything was done in an orderly manner.

Liu Wu told him privately, "Brother Sheng, your method is even more efficient than my father's when he led troops in the army."

Li Sheng smiled but didn't say anything more.

But he knew in his heart that these hundreds of people were not just digging a pond, but also digging an invisible ditch, an organized ditch.

When these hundreds of people become accustomed to obeying orders, following rules, and performing their duties, they will be a level above a disorganized mob when the day comes that they need to take up arms.

Just as Li Sheng was gazing at the pond, Li Feng's voice came from behind him, carrying a hint of barely concealed excitement.

"Brother Sheng! I just walked around the irrigation canal, and the water level is even higher than yesterday. At this rate, the pond will be full in less than ten days!"

Li Sheng turned around and glanced at him.

His face was flushed, the sweat on his forehead was still wet, his trousers were rolled up above his knees, and his calves were covered in mud.

"Thanks for your hard work."

"What's so hard about it?"

Li Feng grinned.

"If it's really as you say, Brother Sheng, then this pond could save so many of our fellow villagers! And these past two weeks, everyone has been working alongside you, and they all feel clear-headed. Before, when we were doing corvée labor for the government, we worked ourselves to the bone without knowing who we were doing it for; but this time, when we dug the pond, every shovel stroke was for ourselves and for our fellow villagers, and no one complained."

Li Sheng didn't reply, but simply nodded slightly.

This was something he had foreseen long ago.

After all, the enthusiasm of the people for doing things for themselves is far greater than that of corvée labor.

……

"Brother Sheng! Brother Li Feng!"

Liu Wu's voice came from behind.

After spending these days together, Liu Wu had been won over by Li Sheng.

Li Sheng and his companion turned around and saw Liu Wu striding towards them, his face showing signs of fatigue and helplessness.

"Is training over?"

Li Sheng asked.

"it's over."

Liu Wu walked to the edge of the pond, put his hands on his hips, and looked at the big pit.

"Brother Sheng, there's something I need to discuss with you."

Li Feng looked at Liu Wu with a puzzled expression, while Li Sheng said calmly:

"What's wrong? Tell me."

"Brother Sheng, it's like this, in the past half month our village militia team has expanded to nearly a hundred people."

Liu Wu counted on his fingers.

"As you know, Brother Sheng, there are only about ten people who can actually take time off for training right now. The others are training every five days, which is already their limit. The village elders have come to me these past few days and said that if we keep training like this, the village's meager food reserves won't last much longer."

Li Sheng didn't respond, waiting for him to continue.

"That's what I think."

Liu Wu licked his slightly chapped lips.

"Right now, Magistrate Sun from the county has already led more than a thousand elite soldiers westward, saying he's going to Yingchuan to suppress the bandits. We haven't seen any bandits attacking here for over a month. How about... we change the training to once every two weeks? That way we can save some food and give the villagers more free time to do more farm work."

Li Sheng remained silent for a moment.

He used to think that leading troops into battle was nothing more than generals strategizing and soldiers bravely fighting the enemy.

But when it really happened to me, I finally understood the saying: "In war, logistics are the key."

Let alone a hundred people, even a dozen or so able-bodied men who have taken time off work, their daily food and the wear and tear on their equipment, all require money and supplies.

He was just a peasant boy, with neither the support of powerful figures nor the grain allocated by the government. He relied entirely on the villagers to chip in, one handful of rice here, another bundle of firewood there. The fact that he has managed to survive until now is a testament to the kindness and generosity of his fellow villagers.

"Then let's change it."

Li Sheng sighed.

"We train once every two weeks, but the dozen or so brothers who are on leave cannot be reduced. They are the backbone. If the backbone falls apart, the team will really fall apart."

Among these dozen or so brothers who took time off work were the six brothers that Li Sheng had high hopes for.

They had all fought against government troops and had seen blood, making them much stronger than the others.

"Then it's as you say, Brother Sheng. I'll go and talk to the villagers again."

Upon hearing this, Li Sheng patted him on the shoulder.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Liu Wu shook his head.

After saying all this, he seemed to want to say something more but then stopped.

Looking at his expression, Li Sheng asked in confusion:

"Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Liu Wu hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Li Sheng with something indescribable in his eyes.

"Brother Sheng, there's something I've been wanting to ask you about for several days now, and I'd like to ask you about it in person today."

"Go ahead and ask."

Liu Wu took a deep breath and lowered his voice.

"These days, everyone in and around the village is talking about something. They say that you, Brother Sheng... received divine revelation from Taiyi and went to the Yellow Heaven. They also say that you can see what will happen in the future, which is why you knew there would be a severe drought this year and mobilized everyone to dig ponds."

He paused, then looked directly into Li Sheng's eyes.

"Brother Sheng, is what you're saying true?"

Li Sheng did not answer immediately.

He turned around, facing the pond, looking at the pebbles and weeds at the bottom of the pit that had not yet been cleaned.

The sun was already setting in the west, and the sunlight slanted down, casting a long shadow over him.

"Liu Wu,"

Li Sheng suddenly spoke.

Do you believe in the Way of Peace?