dognovel Chapter 35 First, let's dig a lake.
Chapter 35 First, let's dig a lake.
Magistrate Yang Shaofeng had considered building a reservoir directly.
However, reservoirs are not something that can be dug and built just like that.
The first problem to face when building a reservoir is to choose a suitable location. If the location is not chosen correctly, building a reservoir will be a waste of manpower and resources.
For example, reservoirs should never be built on severely desertified land because they simply cannot retain water.
Areas with many rocks and shrubs are also unsuitable for building reservoirs, because the cost of building a reservoir in such places is too high, and the manpower required alone is beyond what Ningyang County can muster.
The best place to build a reservoir is at the outlet of a river, canyon, basin, or depression. This type of terrain, known as a "pocket-shaped area," is conducive to water collection, ensuring sufficient water supply, while requiring less engineering work, lower costs, and allowing for a large reservoir capacity.
Moreover, Magistrate Yang Shaofeng himself did not understand the construction standards and procedures for reservoirs, and could not find anyone knowledgeable about them in a short time.
However, it would be perfectly fine to build a large reservoir or a huge artificial lake that can store water and ensure irrigation during droughts.
Moreover, there is such a good location not too far to the west of Liumiao Village.
There were no shrubs or rocks, and the soil was not sandy soil that could not retain water but rather sticky yellow clay. As long as there were enough people, it would not take long to dig out a huge artificial lake.
……
Early the next morning, when three hundred able-bodied men from the eight communities and sixteen villages arrived at the county government office with their tools, Yang Shaofeng rode directly to them and said loudly, "I'm sure your community leaders and village chiefs have already told you about the possible drought this year."
"The reason I summoned you all to the county is to take you to dig out a lake."
"Like I said, even if it doesn't rain, we absolutely can't just wait to die of drought!"
"You don't need to worry about the land in your home."
"The imperial court has learned that our Ningyang County may suffer a severe drought. Yesterday, Prime Minister Xu and Chang Pingzhang sent another batch of cattle and horses. The heads of your respective communities and neighborhoods have already taken the cattle and horses back."
“The able-bodied men who remain in your communities and villages will use oxen and horses to clear wasteland and plow the land for you.”
"You don't need to worry about food and drink. I will have them delivered to the construction site. Just eat as much as you want, and there will be plenty to eat!"
After explaining the situation to the three hundred able-bodied men and reassuring them, Yang Shaofeng continued, "Let me be clear: I don't know when the drought will officially begin, so I can only give you one month. Within this month, you must dig out that lake for me!"
"Only by digging the lake and storing the water can you have a harvest in your fields, and your parents, wives and children will not go hungry!"
"I won't waste my breath on you."
"go!"
At Yang Shaofeng's command, the three hundred able-bodied men looked at each other, then suddenly someone gripped his shovel and shouted, "Let's go! Follow the master to dig a lake!"
The large crowd startled the women who stayed in the county town to take care of the children and cook, as well as the men who were preparing to go out of town to clear weeds and turn the soil.
"I heard that the master is going to dig a lake to store water?"
"Who has ever heard of such a good official as this magistrate? I don't recall ever hearing of one in those old plays!"
"I heard that if a drought really breaks out, the imperial court will provide relief grain?"
"The imperial court provides grain? Then let me ask you, how much grain can the imperial court provide?"
"How am I supposed to know how much grain the imperial court can provide? Even if they do provide grain, do you think they can let us all eat our fill? It'll probably just be watery rice porridge to fill our stomachs!"
"Then what's the point of the imperial court providing grain? The real business is to follow the master to dig a lake, store water, and protect our own harvest!"
However, not everyone in the crowd was optimistic; some were also worried.
"If we dig one or two lakes, will all the people in the eight communities and sixteen neighborhoods of Ningyang County be able to use them? What if people start fighting over the water?"
"It would be best if some rain came soon, so that we could all get through this year with good weather."
"I wonder if we can dig out a lake before the severe drought?"
"..."
Yang Shaofeng was unaware that the people of Ningyang County were talking about his plan to dig a lake to store water, and even if they did, he wouldn't care.
In fact, by this time, the drought of the first year of Hongwu's reign was almost a foregone conclusion, and no matter how much one hoped for divine intervention and rain, it was already impossible.
Rather than waiting for the drought to arrive and then waiting for the imperial court to allocate grain from Jiangnan, it would be better to dig a lake before the drought officially arrives.
As for the water storage channels that each village and community had dug themselves, they could only be put aside for the time being. Once the artificial lake for water storage was completed, the villages and communities could then expand and repair these channels.
Just as Yang Shaofeng, the county magistrate, was lost in thought, a group of people quickly arrived at a large wasteland three miles west of Liumiao Village.
This wasteland was no different from other places; it was also covered with dense weeds.
To excavate a huge artificial lake on this wasteland, the first thing to do is to assign tasks to three hundred able-bodied men.
The first group to emerge was a team of one hundred people, who were then divided into ten smaller teams, each led by one of the five constables under Limpy Five.
The main job of these 100 people is to weed.
There's no way around it. If it were autumn, these weeds would already be withered and yellow. All we need to do is create a firebreak and burn them all down.
Unfortunately, April and May are the peak growing season for these wild grasses. It's easy to dig up firebreaks, but it's difficult to burn them all down. The only option is to use the most primitive method: rely on manpower to cut them down.
The second group to be separated was a team of fifty men, led by five constables under Limpy Five.
Of these fifty people, twenty-five drove the livestock and twenty-five held the plow. Their main job was to drive the livestock to turn the land after the weeding team had finished cutting the grass.
The third group to be separated was a team of ten people, who were also led by a yamen runner. Their main task was to bundle up the weeds cut by the weeding team and carry them to the field.
The fourth group to be brought out was also a team of one hundred people. These one hundred people were also divided into ten teams, led by five constables under Limpy Five. Their main task was to clear the soil from the ground after the land was plowed and loosened.
The remaining forty men were led by a yamen runner, and their job was to use oxcarts to transport grass and soil elsewhere.
Once the three hundred able-bodied men understood what they were to do, Yang Shaofeng pointed to the wasteland by the roadside and said to them, "Begin!"
Watching the weeding team wielding sickles and rushing towards the wasteland, Limpy Five, standing next to Yang Shaofeng, couldn't help but give him a thumbs up: "Your Excellency is truly capable, managing three hundred men so smoothly."
Yang Shaofeng glanced at the lame man and said, "You think it's because I commanded things smoothly?"
Limpy Five was slightly taken aback and asked, "Isn't that right?"
Yang Shaofeng chuckled and said, "Of course not."