The city gate of Luogu Pass slowly opened, and the convoy that came overnight entered the city and walked along the deserted stone road. The large carriage was piled with cement. The driver did not bother to drive the pack horse. He had a big cake in one hand and water in the other.
After eating and walking all night, I was tired and hungry, and I couldn't bear it anymore.
"Da da da!"
The sound of horse hooves stepping on the bluestone broke the tranquility of this pass. Countless people on both sides of the street opened their windows and stuck their heads out. Some people shouted curiously: "What are you doing so early in the morning?"
"Road builders," someone replied.
"Oh, that's a great feeling, thank you for your hard work!"
The carriage continued to move forward, passed through the pass, and headed straight for the Heihe River.
Niu Dali, the general guarding the gate, stood up in a hurry after hearing the report. He shouted to the guards waiting outside: "This road has been built really hard. You came here so early. How are the iron bars made?"
"Sir, everyone has been busy all night, making some, but I don't know if it will be enough."
"No one complained?"
"No, who would complain when you have money to make?"
Niu Dali was happy when he heard this, and said with a smile: "That's right. Mr. Qin works openly and gives you enough money. No wonder those pulling carts are willing to come over overnight, and they probably make a lot of money."
The guard smiled and said: "No, when the brothers heard about the envy, they wished they could put down their swords and pave the road."
Niu Dali put on his battle armor and came out, cursing: "Don't worry, let's go and let you know, and the iron bars will be transported to the river immediately. Be quick, I'll just go over and take a look. Maybe you've already passed by."
"Here!" the other party agreed and hurried away.
Niu Dali hurried out of the house, and several guards followed him. Suddenly something occurred to him. Niu Dali looked at the person behind him and asked: "Have the arrangements for purchasing iron materials been arranged?"
"The message has been sent out, and we should be preparing materials for departure at this moment." The other party said quickly.
"No, you go for a ride on horseback and ask them to speed up. Don't delay on the way. Look at those convoys, driving all night from Yang County without any complaints. It shows that Mr. Qin is in a hurry. We can't hold back, otherwise I will be embarrassed.
Mr. Qin." Niu Dali warned, waiting for the other party to agree to leave and continue on his way.
Not long after, Niu Dali hurried out of the pass and came to the Black River. He saw that the convoy was unloading. On the river bank, a shadow stood with hands behind his back. His posture was tall and tall, giving people an inexplicable sense of trust and security. Hurry up.
He bowed in front of him and said, "I have met Mr. Qin."
"General Niu is here." Qin Huaidao said with a smile.
"I'm late, sir. Please forgive me."
"That's a big mistake. I'm too late. Where is the iron bar?" Qin Huaidao asked with a smile.
"Sir, we have already built some. The iron materials are also being transported. We will try to arrive today and make sure they are all finished early tomorrow morning." Niu Dali said quickly.
Qin Huaidao nodded and said nothing more.
After waiting for a while, the convoy transporting iron bars came over and was unloaded next to the pit under the command of Qin Huaidao. Tying iron bar cages was a technical job. Qin Huaidao asked the guards to help deliver the iron bars and went down to do it himself. Niu Dali was shocked and wanted to go down.
Asked for help, Qin Huaidao refused: "The place is not big enough, and there are too many people to do it."
Niu Dali saw that the iron bars were not short and it would be a drag to go down, but he did not dare to idle away. He drove the guards away and handed the iron bars himself. Qin Huaidao no longer refused, took the iron bars and put them down flat on the rocks in the big pit.
Elevate it a little, with one layer horizontally and vertically, and then tie it tightly with thin wire.
After that, it is placed vertically, hooked at the bottom, and tied tightly. Four poles are enclosed and fixed every one meter in height, and they are also tied tightly to form a rectangular parallelepiped. Then they are divided diagonally from the middle toward the river to form a triangle.
After everything was tied up, the five hundred people from yesterday came again and the planks were delivered.
Qin Huaidao directed everyone to stir the mortar and fix it with wooden boards around the iron bars to form a trough. After the mortar was mixed, pour it in and pour it. A cement pier was ready and was just waiting for it to solidify. Qin Huaidao took the people and ran to the other side of the river to continue to tie the iron.
A cage.
With more people and greater strength, another concrete pillar was poured at noon.
Niu Dali looked at Dunzi with some curiosity. When Qin Huaidao was resting, he couldn't help but ask: "Master Qin, I'm a stupid official. The one on this side doesn't look like a bridge. What are you going to do next?"
"Put another layer on top to connect the two sides of the bank. You will know when you look back. Stop talking nonsense. Go and make arrangements and ask people to bring food. The cost will be settled later." Qin Huaidao urged, sitting on the ground to rest, not caring.
Image, from time to time care about the helpers around you.
Everyone saw that Qin Huaidao was very easy to talk to. Although communication was a little difficult due to the language, he somehow felt more cordial and trustful, with a smile on his face.
Not long after, Niu Dali led people to bring meat cakes and mutton soup, which were all arranged in advance. Everyone was already hungry, so they ate without any courtesy.
After eating and drinking, everyone continued to lay iron bars under Qin Huaidao's guidance.
The pier and the protruding triangular part of the iron bars protrude part of it to form a hook, which is the interface. The flat iron bars pass through the hook and are connected together. They are then tied tightly with iron wires, so that the upper and lower parts form one body.
After all the iron bars are laid flat in place, the bottom and both sides are also fixed with wooden boards to form a trough shape. A row of iron bars is erected on both sides, one meter per meter. They can be used for fixing when making railings in the future. After that, they are poured
Mortar pouring.
When it got dark, the bridge was finally poured.
Looking at the bridge across the two banks, everyone showed joy and pride.
Niu Dali looked at this scene and said with emotion: "Master Qin is such a talented person that he was able to build the bridge in one day. I admire him very much. I heard someone said that this bluestone bridge took a full month. I don't know how long this cement bridge will last."
Can it pass?"
"It can take at least three days, and people will be arranged to keep an eye on it. No one is allowed to go up within three days. Water should be sprinkled every hour, but no force should be applied."
"I obey," Niu Dali quickly agreed. He thought of something, and asked again with some embarrassment, "Sir, this is my first time seeing this kind of bridge. I'm really curious, can this bridge... work?"
"Are you worried that it's not strong enough?" Qin Huaidao asked back. Seeing Niu Dali smiling awkwardly, he was not angry. It is normal for new things to arouse doubts. He explained: "You will know in three days, and then you can chop with a knife."
, try hitting it with a sledgehammer, if it collapses it’s up to you.”
"real?"
Niu Dali said in surprise. Seeing Qin Huaidao's confident face, he immediately believed it and said immediately: "Let's not talk about the bridge for now. Let's go and eat. The official has already arranged it."
Qin Huaidao thought that Niu Dali was the guard here and would need his care for many things in the future. He did not refuse and followed him to a restaurant in the pass.
…
Early the next morning.
Qin Huaidao ate something and went to the bridge to inspect it. He did not miss any details. He saw no cracks or sand intrusion. He was convinced that there should be no problem with the bridge.
Not long after, five hundred people who helped build the bridge arrived. The leader stepped forward, saluted and asked in broken Tang dialect: "Sir, brothers are here, what do we need to do?"
"Don't worry, wait a moment." Qin Huaidao said and looked at Niu Dali, who was walking towards him.
Niu Dali trotted forward, with an embarrassed look on his face, and saluted, "Sir, I'm late again."
"It doesn't matter. How are the wooden boards made of the iron bars we mentioned during dinner last night?"
"The official went back and stared at it all night, and it was all finished."
"That's good. Find a car and help me transport the cement along with the cement to Zhouzhi County. I need to continue building another bridge." Qin Huaidao warned that the original target, iron bars and other materials were closer to Zhouzhi County.
, but the Zhouzhi County Magistrate has just taken office, and he probably hasn't figured out the situation in his jurisdiction yet, so he might as well not bother the two masters.
It was all agreed upon last night. Niu Dali hurriedly said: "The carriage was arranged last night. Let's arrange for loading. It can set off in half an hour at most."
"Now that you've got some work, I'll take one step ahead. You can arrange to follow." Qin Huaidao said, leading the 500 road builders to cross the Heihe River on the old bridge and head straight towards Zhouzhi.
There is some distance from Luogu Pass to Zhouzhi, and they need to pass through four stations. The group arrived at Zhouzhi County at dusk. The sudden appearance of a large number of people must have attracted attention. They were stopped at the gate of the city. Qin Huaidao's entourage stepped forward to reveal his identity, and the defenders hurriedly
Announcement of arrival in town.
Not long after, a middle-aged man hurriedly came with someone, wearing the uniform of a sixth-grade civil servant, and bowed respectfully: "Liu Rengui, the new magistrate of Zhouzhi County, has met Mr. Qin."
"Liu Rengui?"
When Qin Huaidao heard this name, he felt a little familiar. It seemed to be quite famous in history. The specific situation was not clear. People who can leave a name in history are not simple. He felt a little more fond of it and said with a smile: "Liu County Magistrate is polite."
"I don't dare. Your Majesty has decreed that your subordinates should cooperate fully with the construction of the bridge. If there is anything useful, just give me your instructions." Liu Rengui said, arching his hands towards the north.
"Then Magistrate Lao Liu will arrange for some tents to be sent to the river, and then prepare three meals for tomorrow and send them to the construction site. Once the expenses are met, I will arrange for someone to settle the bill."
"My lord Qin will take care of matters within my scope of duties." Liu Rengui asked for instructions.
Qin Huaidao led people into the city and saw that the main road was a bit narrow, but many shops had been built on both sides. The cost of demolition and expansion was too high, so he stopped and asked: "County Magistrate Liu, is there a wider road running through the city?"
?”
"No, the main street in front of us is the largest. The roads in the city are narrow, the houses are crowded, and the population is too large. It is really no choice. What do you mean, Lord Qin?" Liu Rengui asked rhetorically.
"The street is too narrow, and a large car can barely pass. It has to wipe the door to pass, and it is difficult for cars to pass by. If a naughty child rushes out, there is no time to stop, which is a safety hazard." Qin Huaidao looked at the main street and frowned slightly.
I didn't come last time and just walked along the Black River through the woods. I didn't know the situation here. Now it seems that things are a bit tricky.
Liu Rengui understood, and thought of the potential safety hazards in the future under his rule, he said with some embarrassment: "Master Qin has a heart for the people, and the subordinates admire him. But in this way, how should this road be?"
The compensation for demolition was too high, and it was easy to cause disputes. Even if it was repaired, there would still be safety risks in the future. Qin Huaidao pondered for a moment and led people out of the city. Everyone quickly followed, with faces full of curiosity, but no one asked.
Arriving outside the city again, Qin Huaidao observed the terrain. The official road passed through Zhouzhi County and then turned around and headed east. The terrain outside the county was flat. There were some vegetable gardens, but they were not large. There were also some fruits and vegetables. They should be private. Qin Huaidao was moved in his heart.
Pointing in one direction, he said: "Build a new road from here. The vegetable gardens and fruits and vegetables along the way will be used by County Magistrate Liu to coordinate. We will compensate you as much as you need. Don't let the people suffer."
"Build a new road from here instead of going into the city?" Liu Rengui was a little surprised.
"That's right, it's right here." Qin Huaidao said firmly, cutting a road diagonally across it, just like the hypotenuse of a right triangle. Not only is the distance short, but it also avoids the city. It saves a lot of trouble. If you really want to go inside the city, you have to solve it.
Regarding the issue of demolition, demolition means relocation, resettlement, etc. Not only is it a waste of money, but it also delays time.
Seeing Qin Huaidao's insistence, Liu Rengui didn't say anything else. Not going to the county government office in the city would save a lot of trouble. As he wished for it, he immediately agreed and arranged for someone to contact him about compensation.
Qin Huaidao led people directly there, through the vegetable garden, the grove and back to the official road. The distance was only about one thousand meters by visual inspection, and the amount of work was not large. He continued along the official road and soon arrived at the Black River.
The last time I came here, Qin Huaidao had observed here and was very familiar with the surrounding terrain. The water surface of this section of the river is very wide, but the water is very shallow and not large. Large rocks exposed on the river bed can be seen at any time, so materials can be taken from the spot.
The foundations on both sides of the original bridge were solid, but the bridge itself was old and looked like it would collapse in a few years. Qin Huaidao gave an order and a group of people began to demolish the bridge. Another group of people dug large pits on both sides of the bank to prepare the foundation. Most of the people
Then go pick up the stones in the river bed.
Qin Huaidao observed that there was some distance between the two banks of the river, and a pier in the middle would be stronger. Since the flow of water was small anyway, it was enough to just dig a hole instead of building a dam to block the water.
Not long after, food and tents were sent from the county town. Liu Rengui found an empty space and invited him: "Master Qin, it's already dark. Why don't you go into the city and let your subordinates fulfill their friendship as landlords?"
"Forget it about eating. Road construction is like fighting. I need to work with everyone. Next time, please ask County Magistrate Liu to coordinate the compensation as soon as possible. The road construction team will arrive in at most three days."
Liu Rengui hurriedly agreed: "Master Qin and the soldiers share joys and sorrows, and I admire you. I will go back and ask about the compensation and coordination. I will give an explanation to Master Qin tomorrow. If there is a need for my subordinates to build roads and bridges, just say it."
If you want to benefit one party, I will try my best to do it."
While they were talking, a convoy of iron bars, wooden boards and cement floors came over, and Niu Dali led his people to escort them personally.
Qin Huaidao introduced the two of them. Liu Rengui thought of something as soon as he saw the supplies. He said with some embarrassment: "Master Qin, some supplies can be obtained by Zhouzhi County, but General Laoniu. If you still need them, please be sure to give them to Master Qin."
Zhouzhi County."
After a few polite words, Liu Rengui took the county officials and government servants back, and Niu Dali also returned with his motorcade.
The tent had been set up, and the guards brought food to him. While Qin Huaidao was eating, he looked at the river bank and thought about how to build the bridge. Although it was simple, it should not be careless.
Not long after, a bonfire was lit on the river bank. Qin Huaidao was worried that everyone would cause trouble, so he simply asked everyone to start working overnight. Digging holes, demolishing bridges, and picking up stones were not technical tasks. There was no big problem with the bonfire for lighting.
By midnight, the big pit was dug, the old bridge was demolished, and a lot of stones were picked up. Everyone was so tired that they just washed themselves in the river and fell asleep.
Qin Huaidao also breathed a sigh of relief. There was no patrol department to guard him. If there was any trouble, it would be difficult for him to suppress it by himself. He was exhausted, so don't worry!
Early the next morning, Qin Huaidao began to build the iron cage. He was idle and felt more at ease.
When the county town brought food, Qin Huaidao had already built the piers on both sides of the river. After eating, he continued to build the pier in the middle of the river. This one was much deeper and wider, and was paved with a layer of large stones to prevent it from sinking over time.
At noon, all the iron cages were tied up, and everyone started to build the formwork. There was no need for triangles for support, and the formwork was faster and more convenient to build.
At dusk, the whole bridge was poured and the work began.
Liu Rengui brought people to eat. He was surprised to see the completed bridge. He rushed up to observe and praised: "Master Qin is a great talent. I admire him. I didn't expect it to be built in one day. This speed is incredible. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would have never seen it."
Believe it or not, I heard from the Holy One that this is called a cement bridge and it is extremely strong?"
"Mr. Liu doesn't believe it?" Qin Huaidao said with a smile. After the bridge was repaired, his mood improved.
Liu Rengui hurriedly said: "How can I not believe this? I have never heard of it, and I am curious. The pillars on both sides of the river look strong. There is a support in the middle, and it is also made into a triangle. This structure can reduce the impact of water when the water rises. It is an ingenious workmanship.
I'm looking forward to the moment when it passes. I wonder how long it will take before it can be used."
"If it doesn't rain, it will be passable in three days. Please ask County Magistrate Liu to issue a notice that no one is allowed to step on it within three days, including the roads built outside." Qin Huaidao warned.
"Your Majesty, please keep this in mind."
Qin Huaidao asked: "Can the compensation be coordinated?"
"We have already coordinated and we will just compensate you at the market price."
After chatting for a while, Qin Huaidao signaled the road builders to collect stones on a large scale for later use. He took a few followers back along the official road, went to the grove to observe for a while, selected a route, had people cut vines to use as ropes, and pulled out two lines.
The official road leading directly to the other end is separated by ten meters and fixed.
After finishing the work, Qin Huaidao pointed to the area separated by vines and said: "County Magistrate Liu, for the land acquisition in the area, the vegetable gardens, fruits, vegetables, and trees above will be compensated to whoever owns them. The county government will help make a list. I will arrange for the land to be requisitioned in three days."
The money will be sent here and will be distributed uniformly at that time. Is there any problem?"
"We don't have a lot of money, so the county government can advance it to prevent the people from worrying and causing trouble. What do you think, sir?" Liu Rengui suggested.
"That's fine, I'll help you, Magistrate Liu." Qin Huaidao agreed. He would not pay for the land requisition. If someone took the opportunity to cause trouble, it would be troublesome.
After chatting for a while, a group of cavalry came over, led by Yuchi Baolin. He stopped after approaching, handed the horse to his entourage, and hurriedly came up. Of course, we cannot treat each other like brothers when there are outsiders. Yuchi Baolin saluted and said, "I have met you, sir.
The stones have been laid to Luoguyi, everyone worked hard all night, and they will be laid here tomorrow. I came here to take a look, is there no problem?"
"It's just in time. Let's pave a new road from here to connect to the official road at the other end and transfer people over. This section is different from the official road. The ground needs to be cleared quickly, dug one meter deep, and laid with stones as a foundation." Qin Huaidao warned.
Yuchi Baolin looked at the city, then at the road, and asked curiously: "Don't you want to go inside the city?"
"The city is narrow and there are many inconveniences."
"Follow the order." Yuchi Baolin didn't say any more, and immediately called a follower to give some instructions. The other party agreed, got on his horse, and hurried back.
Qin Huaidao introduced Liu Rengui. When Liu Rengui heard about Yuchi Baolin's identity, he quickly saluted.
Yuchi Baolin felt that Qin Huaidao valued Liu Rengui, but he did not make excuses and returned the courtesy seriously, saying a few polite words.
Liu Rengui once again warmly invited the two of them to the city. Qin Huaidao agreed, thinking that the bridge had been repaired and everything was fine, and he would need to deal with Liu Rengui in the future.
A banquet where guests and hosts enjoy themselves.
After the meal, Qin Huaidao refused the inn arranged by Liu Rengui and insisted on returning to the Heihe River to join everyone. Yuchi Baolin also followed. The two came to the bridge and looked at the wide new bridge. Yuchi Baolin sighed with emotion: "I didn't expect cement to be so thick."
Miraculously, after the bridge is repaired, there will be smooth traffic along the way."
"It's a flat official road from Chang'an to Chang'an, but the journey is long and we have to speed up. Is there any problem?" Qin Huaidao also said casually.
Yuchi Baolin said nonchalantly: "Isn't it just digging stones to pave the road? No problem. Everyone is very motivated and works all night long. The speed is very fast. No one has made trouble these days. Don't worry. If you have other things to do, just go and do it. If it really happens,
If you can't solve it, let someone send you another message."
"It's okay to work all night long. I'm too tired to have the energy to make trouble, but I have to ensure everyone's health. In this way, I tell everyone that the wages will be increased by another 10%. In addition, an extra meal will be added in the evening. Once you leave the Qinling Mountains, there will be no place to hunt or pick wild fruits. What a lot more
Spend some money selling meat, eat well and eat well, and everyone will complain less and have more energy."
"Okay, remember." Yuchi Baolin agreed.
Qin Huaidao thought for a moment and felt that there was really no big problem. The most technically difficult bridge had been repaired. All that was left was to lay stones, pour cement mortar, and just lay it flat. It didn't have much technical content. He thought that someone in Chang'an City was secretly targeting him, so he thought more about it.
Sheng.
The night breeze was blowing and the woods were rustling.
Waves of unknown insect chirping came, quiet and peaceful.
The moon also poked its head out from the clouds, casting a clear light, covering the surrounding wilderness with a layer of silver. Qin Huaidao looked around silently, his mood calmed down, and he warned: "Brother Yuchi, someone is secretly targeting me, you must go back
, I’ll leave this to you and Brother Cheng.”
"Don't worry, I'll let you know whenever I find something useful. There's no ambiguity."
Qin Huaidao nodded and did not delve into the topic. He chatted for a few words and then found a tent to sleep.
Early the next morning.
A burst of chirping birds woke up Qin Huaidao, he got out of the tent, washed himself in the river, and ate some food brought by Liu Rengui himself. A team of two hundred people hurried over, and Qin Huaidao organized everyone to dig the road.
, fill the foundation with stones.
At noon, Qin Huaidao saw that everyone was doing a good job, so he went to Yuchi Baolin and told him: "Yuchi, just repair it like this. You must ensure the width. Use hard big stones as the base, and use gravel to compress the gaps. After paving,
Then lay a layer of gravel on top, just like the official road, and then build a cement road. Going from Zhouzhi to Chang'an requires passing through Hu County and some small towns. If the road is not wide enough, it will also be detoured and built according to this method."
"Remember, this width seems to be wider than the cement road." Yuchi Baolin expressed doubts.
"Yes, it is wider. In the future, there will be about an extra foot on both sides to facilitate the reinforcement of the foundation. If there is nothing else to do, leave first. No one can know whereabouts except Brother Cheng and Luo Zhang." Qin Huaidao warned.
"Don't worry, be careful!" Yuchi Baolin agreed.
Qin Huaidao nodded, found Bai Ti Wu and left quietly, heading straight for Chang'an.
I ran all the way and arrived at Huxian County at dusk. After entering the city, I came to the door of an inn. I suddenly felt someone was following me. I turned around and saw that there was nothing unusual in the street except for the vendors shouting and the people passing by.
"Does it feel wrong? It shouldn't be." Qin Huaidao has always believed in his intuition and looked around vigilantly. Although he came in secret, no one should know his whereabouts so quickly, but what if?
"Is there someone who is keeping an eye on my whereabouts and will fly a pigeon to send a message if I don't see you?"
"A long-established killer organization like Fengyulou has many methods and must be guarded against."
"The enemy came well prepared and traveled all night to disrupt the opponent's deployment, or..."
After some thought, Qin Huaidao, who was highly skilled and bold, decided to stay and find out who was behind the meeting.
The next moment, Qin Huaidao walked towards the inn without hesitation.