Naturally, what Mingxi needs to do is cement.
Cement has three main raw materials, namely limestone, clay and iron powder.
In ancient times, both iron and salt were strictly controlled by the imperial court. Making iron without permission would cost you your head. However, the demand for iron powder in making cement was not large, so Mingxi collected some waste residue from the mines and it was enough. .
The main components of the scrap bricks, pottery fragments, and all kinds of garbage in Hu Tie's eyes were limestone and clay.
After all these things are ground into powder, they are then mixed with quicklime in a ratio of 3:1 to become the most basic soil cement.
Mingxi explained the proportioning method to Hu Tie very carefully, and then poured half a bag of sand into the mixed cement powder in front of him. While adding water, he mixed the cement and sand thoroughly.
It took a lot of effort to stir, and she felt sore shoulders after just two stirs. She immediately handed the shovel to Hu Tie, "You do it."
She pointed to a rectangular groove made of wooden boards next to her and said, "Mix it evenly and spread it in the mold on the steps. It doesn't need to be too thick, just a thin layer."
Stair mold?
Hu Tie frowned and looked at the groove made of wooden planks. It did look like a long step. It seemed that this woman was either talking nonsense when she said she wanted to build a road up the mountain, or she just didn't know whether her method would work.
Hu Tie shoveled up a pile of cement and threw it into the mold. With two shovels, it covered the bottom layer.
Mingxi continued to call them, "What's your name?... Oh, Agui, right? Agui, you put the crushed stones in, spread it evenly, and then Hu Tie poured a layer of cement, and then You lay down the stones and pour the cement again until the mold is completely covered without leaving any gaps, do you understand?”
Hu Tie and Agui began to work on adding a layer of cement and a layer of gravel. After alternating it twice, the mold was full, and then a layer of gravel was spread on the top.
"Pat it and smooth it out," Ming Xi directed, "otherwise your feet will be stung when you go up the mountain."
Agui held the shovel and patted it, and the gravel kept sinking into the cement.
Mingxi quickly said: "Okay, okay! Don't be too flat, otherwise your feet will slip easily when going up the mountain."
Agui: “…………”
He glanced at Hu Tie with resentment in his eyes. He used to have his eldest brother protecting him, but now he can't protect himself. What can Agui do? Oh, keep doing it!
Mingxi prepared five identical molds. After they filled two of them, the amount of cement was not enough.
Mingxi looked at the height of Yi'er Mountain and silently calculated in her mind that from the foot of the mountain to the height of the mountainside, it was roughly estimated that more than sixty steps would be needed... No, it should be one hundred and twenty steps, because the length of her mold was 2 meters, and the climbing stone steps she wants to build must be at least 4 meters wide. The two steps will be wide enough when put together, which will make it easier to transport building materials to the mountain in the future.
If we calculate at the current rate of doing two steps a day, wouldn't it take two months to complete the one hundred and twenty steps?
ah! too slow!
Mingxi couldn't accept it, and his face gradually became serious.
Hu Tie looked at her with an uneasy expression, frowned and asked, "What? Isn't this a good idea?"
"Huh?" Ming Xi came back to his senses and looked at him, "No, I just think the speed is a bit slow. At this speed, it will take two months to complete the climbing stone steps. It seems that one stone roller is not enough. I need to buy a few more. A stone grinder, and I have to find a way to buy a donkey..."
I'm afraid that the use of buying a donkey is limited. Mingxi couldn't help but sigh. In ancient times, there were no grinders. The efficiency of grinding only by human power was too low.
Mazi was knocking stones hard at the side, and when he heard her words, he couldn't help but raise his head, "Two months is too slow?!"
He really wanted to say that this was the stone steps for building a mountain! It’s not about repairing your home’s threshold! Two months has gone very quickly, okay!
"Let's do this. Don't grind these waste bricks and ceramic tiles after you finish grinding them." Mingxi said to Hu Tie, "Tomorrow I will bring you the ground cement for you to use. Follow the method I taught you today. Mix sand and water, then fill the mold with gravel. Do not touch the filled molds. Do not remove the boards after three days, remember?"
Hu Tie asked hesitantly: "In three days, they will become as impregnable as you said?"
"Yes." Ming Xi nodded, "If it doesn't solidify successfully, it means you didn't grind it fine enough. Anyway, my recipe must be fine."
Hu Tie's face became more and more ugly, and he became more and more suspicious that Ming Xi was playing a trick on him.
Mingxi didn't care what he thought, she exhaled, patted the dust on her body, called it a day and went home.
On the way back, Youyou said: [You can expand production capacity by increasing the number of stone mills and labor force, but using modern cement rashly may leave hidden dangers. 】
Mingxi sighed, "No way, I'm really in a hurry. I can take out a few bags of cement out of thin air and make up an excuse to fool them, but I can't make a house out of thin air. The house must be built by the craftsmen here, and the construction of the house must rely on the craftsmen here." The mountain road must be repaired before the house, and it is almost June now. We must build the house before winter, otherwise the thatched hut will freeze to death."
Youyou: [What you want will eventually come true, it’s just a matter of time now. 】
"Hey, thank you for your comfort!" Mingxi took a deep breath, stretched his arms, and said happily, "I am full of energy now, with a new life, a new house, and I will also have a garden and a fish pond. Who would have thought that? I still owe 30 years on my mortgage with the Commonwealth Bank! Fuck the loan! Hahahaha!"
Ming Xi rarely uttered a curse word with a sense of joy.
The artificial intelligence is as clear-headed and calm as ever, reminding: [Knowledge reserves will give you an advantage, but the flaws of the system in different eras cannot be changed. Before touching the interests of more powerful people, you may need to make more preparations in terms of force. , I'm afraid two guardians are far from enough. 】
"Don't worry, I know it well." Mingxi looked into the distance. The last ray of sunset fell on the rice fields, as if covered with a layer of golden mist. She squinted her eyes and said softly, "I will make this place a paradise." .”
Dreams are big, but they need to be realized step by step.
Just like the stone on the ground, it has to be chiseled and hammered before it can be turned into a size that Mingxi is satisfied with.
Mazi had been knocking stones for a whole day. After the sun set, he collapsed on the straw mat and couldn't get up. His back ached and he was so tired that he couldn't be bothered to catch mosquitoes as they buzzed over.
Ergou, Chaozi and Shuanzi, who were responsible for cleaning the stones, had a hard time. They had to dig up the soil and dig out all the obstructing stones inside and outside the soil. After a day of work, their waists were almost broken and their hands were all flaky. Got blisters.
Shuanzi lay on the edge of the bucket, weakly poured saliva into his mouth, and sighed: "I can't believe it, I have to live like this for another year... By the gods, I, Liu Shuanzi, will never dare to steal anything again. Already..."
Ergou sat aside and answered: "I still have three years."
Everyone was silent for a while, subconsciously looking at Hu Tie.
There is also a five-year sentence here.
Hu Tie lay on the straw mat and quietly looked at the dim sky above his head. After an unknown amount of time, he murmured: "Are there really gods in this world?"
"It must be there," said the youngest Shuanzi, "otherwise how can we explain that sound in the sky? It's like thunder, it's real! And there are those flashes of light!"
The dwarf echoed: "Yes, I also think it must be a manifestation of the gods! I have seen magicians in the county before, but they were not so good!"
Hu Tie looked at the sky and said in a muffled voice: "Ten years ago, the Qinghe River flooded and the sharks burst their banks. Why didn't the gods save us?"
