Chapter 487 Since this is the case, how about calling this bridge Li Chunqiao?
Chapter 487
The group of people rushed to the east of Jiangyang City, not far away from the canal bank. It could be said that there was a lot of traffic and horse-drawn carriages.
Thousands of young people are busy working here, and pieces of heavy bluestone are being hammered and smoothed by the masons.
Under the scaffolding made of huge bamboos, there were ships passing by, looking up at the high vault with curiosity.
At this moment, a sturdy old man with gray beard and hair was communicating with the middle-aged man next to him with frosty hair on his temples.
On the side, there were many people listening to their discussion carefully. Here, there were many smart people sent by Yang Qian, who of course came here to learn how to build bridges.
"Master Craftsman, Governor Yang and the others are here." A young craftsman quickly ran up to him, breathing heavily and saying loudly.
Following the direction of the young craftsman's finger, Li Chun, who was nearly sixty years old, and Li Tong, who was also nearly fifty years old, both saw Yang Qian and others heading this way.
"I have met Governor Yang."
"You don't have to be polite, Master Craftsman, why are you here? It's such a cold day and your health is very important." Yang Qian quickly helped the best bridge expert at this time.
"I'm sorry, the governor is worried. I can't stay idle. It's almost time to lay the bridge deck today, so I have to come over and have a look."
"Although the length of this bridge is not as good as the one built by Lao Cao in Zhaozhou in the past, its height is much higher. If you don't come and see it, I really won't worry."
"Our Jiangdu County is able to prosper more and more precisely because we have dedicated practitioners like craftsmen."
Yang Qian chatted with a group of craftsmen and inquired in detail about the progress of the project.
The design of this bridge began last year, followed by a long preparation period, and since the start of construction at the end of autumn this year, it has been nearly completed for three months.
The most difficult thing for such a stone arch bridge is to prepare materials. Fortunately, Li Chun, Li Tong and the experienced craftsmen they brought with them.
In addition, Yang Qian also provided some help, hoping that they would design each stone arch bridge from the beginning.
Not only were they required to make prototypes, but they also had to make design drawings, although Li Tong, Li Chun and others were not comfortable with it at first.
But after the drawings were produced, they discovered that with the drawings, all material dimensions, and structural drawings, any flaws or errors could be corrected through the drawings.
This greatly reduces the workload, and at the same time, it also makes Li Chun and others who are less energetic as they get older feel a lot more relaxed.
After the group chatted for a while, Yang Qian, Li Chun and others slowly climbed onto the bridge. The main reason why the bridge was built here was the geographical location.
There are low hills at both ends of the canal, which naturally increases the height of the stone bridge.
The highest point of the bottom of the bridge arch is almost five feet above the water. At such a height, not to mention ordinary ships, even huge ships like dragon boats can easily pass through.
The width of the bridge deck reaches three feet, with stone piers in the middle to facilitate the smooth passage of pedestrians and vehicles on the bridge.
Since the beginning of last year, Yang Qian has been intensively discussing the traffic jam problem in Jiangdu County, and against all opinions, adopted the rule that all vehicles, horses and pedestrians must drive on the right side.
It's not strict outside the city, but in Jiangyang City and many towns in Jiangdu County, retired veterans have become traffic commanders.
Although the salary as a traffic conductor is not much, at least you can make a living and have someone to direct traffic.
Moreover, the adoption of such driving rules has made traffic throughout Jiangdu County smoother.
The road congestion problem is not as serious as before, and it has begun to become more orderly.
Even officials in some places in Jiangnan, suffering from traffic jams, began to follow suit.
Yang Qian and others continued to move forward, but this road was not just made of yellow mud. It was made by compacting the yellow mud first and then paving it with gravels of different sizes and repeatedly rolling them.
This kind of road surface is not easy to accumulate water, and it is not easy to deform. Although it is not permanently hardened, it is still much better than ordinary yellow mud roads.
Especially in rainy areas like Jiangnan, the emergence of such roads will make it easier for people to travel.
Even the yellow mud roads in Jiangyang City are all paved with gravel roads like this.
After walking for more than a hundred steps, the group finally arrived at the bridge, walking on the stone bridge that still had two layers of bluestone left to lay.
Looking at the north and south of the canal, Yang Qian couldn't help but feel a little high-spirited.
"If this stone bridge is completed, it will be able to connect the east and west of Jiangdu County. There will be no need for people, horses, vehicles and goods to be transferred by ship as in the past."
"This is exactly the reason. Just for Governor Yang, such a stone bridge will cost nearly ten thousand yuan. Are the others of the same scale?"
"Well, yes, at this scale, ten thousand wealth may seem like a lot, but in comparison.
Such a bridge, built by two masters and a group of famous craftsmen, will benefit more than two million people in Jiangdu and even carry the traffic of several or even dozens of generations."
"So, in Yang's opinion, it is not expensive at all." Yang Qian said this sincerely.
But these words reached the ears of cousins Li Chun and Li Yong, and they and a group of craftsmen quickly saluted Yang Qian, even saying they did not dare.
But anyone can see their inner pride and pride.
Yang Qian chuckled and raised his foot to lightly stamp on the solid bridge deck.
"In addition, this one, the one that will be near Gaoyou in the future, and the one further north have not yet been named."
"I wonder what you think this bridge should be called?"
"..." Changsun Wuji still had a house, and Du and other people who were familiar with Yang Qian suddenly turned pale.
Thinking of the shabby town names given by Governor Yang, everyone felt like they were about to doubt their life.
Sure enough, Li Chun was seen saluting Yang Qian.
"Going back to the Grand Administrator, we are all old men who are illiterate in the names of these bridges. It is more appropriate for the bridge names to be given by an expert like you, the Grand Administrator, whose talent is famous in the world."
It seems that this old comrade is really wise. What he said was so sincere that I couldn't even refute it.
"In this case, then this bridge is called Li Chun Bridge, named after the designer, Master Li."
Suddenly, Master Craftsman Li's legs went weak. "Prefect, Prefect Yang, you absolutely can't do it. I'm just a man who builds bridges and paves roads. How dare you use it in the name of this bridge."
"I also ask Governor Yang to take back his orders."
"Isn't this a good thing?" Yang Qian sincerely wants future generations to remember the designer and builder of Zhaozhou Bridge.
"Prefect, I feel that Master Li's concerns are reasonable. After all, we in China have never had the practice of naming bridges after human lives since ancient times."
"Brother Xuanling's words are very much in line with my wishes. I second my opinion..."
A number of officials jumped out one after another and expressed their opinions.
Yang Qian was unhappy on the spot.
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