Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 125 Spring Planting Season (Extra Chapter Due to a Workday!)
Finally, they arrived at the crafts camp.

A wave of heat hit him, and the furnace fire illuminated Tong Bo's face, which was covered in sweat and charcoal ash. He was personally hammering and forging a huge horse-slaying sword blank.

Yes, it's a horse-chopping sword blank, designed by Zhang Xian specifically for use against charging cavalry.

It can be used for chopping, stabbing, and hacking.

The blade is 90mm long, and the short handle is 30mm long. However, a screw thread is specially provided at the back of the handle, which can be used to connect a longer handle.

The weapon can reach a length of 1.7 meters, the same height as a person. It has a single blade with a sharp tip. When the handle is short, the knife weighs four jin (approximately 2 catties). When the long handle is attached for counterweight, the whole knife weighs five jin and five liang (approximately 2.5 kg). Regardless of whether the handle is long or short, it is a two-handed weapon.

When the army is in formation, the front row is staffed with shield bearers, and the second row is staffed with horse-slaying soldiers. When facing charging cavalry, they can cut through the enemy lines and kill both men and horses!

Zhang Xian originally wanted to create a double-edged Mo Dao army, but after much thought, he ultimately decided to use the Zhanma.

Short-handled swords can cut off a horse's legs, while long-handled swords can slay both men and horses with fear!

"Master Tong!" Zhang Xian called out loudly.

Tong Bo stopped upon hearing the sound, wiped his sweat, and jogged over: "My lord!"

"How is the progress? The heavy armor and horse-slaying swords of the Mountain Battalion are of utmost importance."

Tong Bo patted his chest, the iron armor clanging loudly: "My lord, rest assured! The water forge is operating at full capacity, day and night. We have already forged enough heavy armor plates to reach four hundred sets, and in another month we will be able to replenish the six hundred."

The handles of the horse-slaying swords are finished, and thirty blades can be produced daily! However… the consumption of refined iron is enormous, especially in Iron Official Town…”

"No need to worry about the iron, I have my own plans." Zhang Xian interrupted him; the 70,000 catties of pig iron in Tieguan Town were prepared for this purpose. "You've all worked hard, so double your food and increase your wages by 30%. Make sure the Mountain Battalion's equipment is ready before training begins!"

"Thank you, my lord! We will fight to the death!" Tong Bo and the surrounding craftsmen were all excited upon hearing this.

As the sun set, it cast long, enormous shadows of the armored camp. Wisps of smoke began to rise from various parts of the camp, and the aroma of food gradually overwhelmed other smells.

After a long day's work, the laborers and new recruits sat around the campfire, holding steaming bowls of millet rice and meat soup, talking about what they had seen and heard that day and about the clumsiness of the new recruits.

Zhang Xian ascended the nascent central watchtower.

A biting wind blew, ruffling the cloak behind him. Looking out, the rammed earth camp walls resembled a winding dragon in the twilight, with countless tents like the dragon's scales.

The fires in the workshops, the torches of the patrolling soldiers, and the bonfires in the soldiers' camps, scattered like stars in the sky, settled in the evening breeze, transforming into a heavy, powerful silence.

He stroked the cold wooden railing, feeling its rough texture against his fingertips.

This camp, named "Jiaqi," is the sharpest sword he has forged, and also the future shield of Bingzhou. Five thousand seven hundred new blood will soon be injected into it. They will be forged into steel here, and then point north to sweep away the dust of the barbarians.

"It's time for a change in Bingzhou." Zhang Xian's voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable firmness, dissipating into the rising twilight and campfires. The camp beneath his feet resembled a giant beast awakening, but his goal extended far beyond the northern desert!
"My lord, it is late and cold. Please come down first."

Xi Zhong, draped in a thick fur coat, shouted from below the watchtower.

Zhang Xian glanced down and laughed, "They're here!"
-
Time passes day by day.

In the blink of an eye, it's already the beginning of spring.

In late February, farmers in Lüchi began preparing to cultivate the fields.

Yes, Zhang Xian originally thought that spring sowing in Lüchi might not be until April, after all, it was in the north, but to his surprise, spring sowing here was also in late February or early March.

This may be because although the Eastern Han Dynasty was also entering the Little Ice Age, the overall temperature was still higher than in later periods.

However, the area north of Yanmen aligned with Zhang Xian's understanding, as spring sowing there typically didn't begin until mid-March.

In late February, the chill of the north had not yet completely faded, and the thin frost of the morning still covered the withered grass stems. But the wind had already quietly carried a hint of warmth that was not easily detected, and it no longer felt like a knife cutting into your face.

The fields, dormant all winter, begin to awaken, and the burgeoning life deep within the soil urges the farmers on.

A large crowd gathered in front of the bulletin board of the Lüchi County government office, with literate people reading aloud the newly posted spring plowing notice:
"...The spring sowing in Lüsi County this year will begin on the 25th of the second month and end on the 15th of the third month. The county government will open the granaries, and all registered households can receive five dou of millet seeds, three dou of wheat seeds, and two dou of bean seeds by presenting their household registration card. Those who have newly reclaimed wasteland will receive an additional one dou of sorghum seeds!"
Furthermore, the Lüchi Ironworks will manufacture new curved-shaft plows, seed drills, hoes, sickles, and other agricultural tools, which will be rented interest-free by household and adult male! The county government will allocate 1,000 official oxen, with each village head coordinating the use, one ox for every ten households, to be used in rotation…”

Below the proclamation, the bright red seal of "Zhang, the Envoy to the Xiongnu" stood like a reassuring stone.

"Good heavens! Did they really mean they'd give us grain seeds? And so many?" An old farmer with a deeply lined face asked, his voice trembling. "Five bushels of millet seeds... In previous years, even tightening my belt wouldn't save me two bushels!"

A burly man next to him rubbed his hands excitedly: "There are new plows too! I saw the new plows in Tieguanfang when I was working in Yingpan. The plowshare was so shiny! It's a hundred times better than our family's old wooden block! It saves effort and plows deeper!"

"Official oxen! One in ten households will have an ox to work with!" The crowd erupted in a buzz of excited chatter: "Zhang Zhonglang... Magistrate Zhang is a saint reincarnated! Our three acres of hillside land used to be so hard that we had to carry everything by hand, and the whole family was exhausted. Last year, we were allocated more than ten acres. With oxen... with oxen, life will be much easier!"

"I heard that pumpkin seeds are also a divine object brought by the magistrate? A pumpkin the size of a fist can grow into a millstone? Is it true?" Some people were skeptical.

"Who cares if it's real or fake! If the magistrate gave it to us, we'll plant it! Would the magistrate ever cheat us?"

……

“Wang Shuan! Your family has five members, two able-bodied men, so you are entitled to four large hoes and three sickles!” The clerk of Tieguanfang said in a loud voice, checking the roster.

Old man Wang Shuan, whose name was called, took the brand-new farm tool with his son, his hands trembling, almost reverently.

"Thank you... Thank you, Your Excellency! Thank you, Your Excellency!" Wang Shuan's voice choked with emotion as he pulled his son to kneel down.

"Hey, old man, get up quickly!" The clerk hurriedly helped him up. "The magistrate has ordered you to take the farm tools. I appreciate your gratitude, but there's no need to kneel. Taking good care of the fields and producing plenty of grain is the best way to repay the magistrate!"

"Yes! Yes! Definitely! Definitely!" Wang Shuan nodded repeatedly, his wrinkled face beaming like a blooming chrysanthemum, as if he were carrying the heavy hopes of his entire family. His son, meanwhile, clutched the hoe and sickle tightly, his eyes shining with an astonishing light.

From time to time, similar exclamations and expressions of gratitude erupted from the queues nearby. The brand-new ironware gleamed in the still chilly early spring sunlight, reflecting on faces filled with excitement, anticipation, and even a touch of apprehension.

For farmers who have worked the land for generations, the first time they touched such fine tools that "belonged" to them felt like a dream.

……

North of Luqi City, a vast field near the Hutuo River has now become a bustling sea of ​​voices. The soil here is relatively fertile and close to the water source, so it has been selected as a demonstration site for the centralized use of government cattle.

Six hundred robust yellow and black oxen, gathered from various places, with red ribbons symbolizing government property tied to their horns, were dispersed to designated areas by experienced herdsmen dispatched by the county government. The farmers, who had been waiting there, were divided into groups of ten according to the village head's arrangement, and they watched eagerly as the oxen, representing "divine power," were brought into the fields.

"By the grace of the magistrate! The official ox is here! Ten households per round, one hour per household! Hurry up!" The village head shouted to maintain order, his face beaming with pride.

When it was the man's turn to drive the ox, amidst the envious gazes of the crowd, he excitedly rubbed his hands together and carefully took the reins from the cowherd. The docile ox seemed to sense the difference today, snorted, and swayed its thick neck slightly.

"Giddy up!" The man, imitating a cowherd, shouted somewhat awkwardly and gave the reins a slight tug.

Jianniu strode forward with steady steps, pulling the brand-new curved plow. The sharp plowshare, as if slicing tofu, plunged deep into the brown soil that had hardened all winter with a "whoosh" sound! The moist, fertile black soil was immediately turned over, forming a straight, deep, and even wave of mud, exuding the unique, reassuring scent of the earth.

"Great! Great plow! Great ox!" The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.

Those who weren't using the oxen spontaneously helped by holding the plow handle or using the rakes and hoes they brought to break up and level the large clods of earth.

"So much less effort! So much less effort!" The man holding the plow was so excited that his face was flushed. He shouted to his old father beside him, "Dad! Look! In previous years, the three of us would work ourselves to the bone for half a day and still not finish plowing one mu! With this ox pulling the new plow, I can probably plow two mu in an hour! And I don't even have to bend over!"

The old father squatted on the edge of the field, his cloudy eyes fixed on the ever-turning new soil. His mouth stretched from ear to ear as he nodded repeatedly, "Good...good! Magistrate Zhang...this is a life-saving ox and a divine plow brought to us farmers!" He grabbed a handful of the freshly turned, still damp soil with his rough hands, squeezed it tightly, and felt its rich, oily texture, as if he could already see the heavy ears of grain in autumn.

Children chased and played by the loosened soil, their clear laughter echoing across the fields.

Some daring children would sneak up to the oxen that had just been unloaded from the plow and were resting, and reach out their little hands to carefully touch the warm, wrinkled hide, which would elicit good-natured scolding and laughter from the adults.

The cow gently swished its tail and continued to graze on the tender grass that had just sprouted along the edge of the field.

"Long live the Lord!" Someone shouted excitedly amidst the boiling crowd. The sound was like a stone thrown into a lake, instantly creating an even greater echo.

"Long live the lord!"

"Grow more grain to repay the magistrate!"

The simple yet passionate shouts rose and fell, converging into a vibrant torrent that lingered over the early spring fields of Luchi.

That was the most instinctive desire for survival, and also a manifestation of the most straightforward and profound gratitude and support for the tangible hope that had been given to them.

……

On a sunny, gentle slope east of Luqi City, the atmosphere was filled with a sense of novelty and trepidation. This was the "pumpkin trial planting area" designated by the county government.

Dozens of farmers who were selected to try planting are carefully tending to the "pumpkin seedlings" they have never seen before, following the instructions of the minor officials sent by the county government.

The clerk held a huge, golden pumpkin in his hands—a real specimen that Zhang Xian had specially brought from his homestead as a demonstration.

The huge, plump melons and fruits, radiating an unusual luster, left the farmers who were watching speechless with amazement.

"Fellow elders, please look! This is a pumpkin! Auspicious grain brought by the magistrate!" The clerk pointed to the large pumpkin in his hand, his voice booming.

"This plant is drought-resistant and can be grown on any type of land, including slopes and sandy soil! The vines can climb, so it doesn't take up much space, but it produces a lot of fruit! Each fruit can weigh anywhere from ten to several tens of kilograms! It can be steamed or boiled, and it's very filling. The seeds are also delicious when roasted, and the tender leaves of the vines can be used as vegetables! What's even better is that it's easy to store! If stored properly, you can enjoy it from autumn to spring!"

As he spoke, he guided the farmers to dig shallow holes: "The holes don't need to be too deep, and the spacing should be wider. Plant two or three seeds in each hole, cover them with half an inch of soil, and water them thoroughly. After the seedlings emerge, select one strong seedling to keep..."

Village head Zhao Youtian squatted on the ground and, following the instructions of the minor official, solemnly placed three flat pumpkin seeds into the soft soil, as if burying a rare treasure.

The elderly farmers around him also followed his example, their movements cautious to the point of being clumsy.

"Zhao Lizheng, this...this golden nugget, can it really grow?" An old man looked at the few small, unremarkable seeds in his hand, and then at the millstone-sized object in the clerk's hand, still finding it hard to believe.

Zhao Youtian carefully covered the soil with fine earth, gently pressing it down, his cloudy eyes gleaming with an almost pious light.

“Brother, who is the magistrate? He’s a god of war who can lead a few hundred men to slaughter thousands of barbarian cavalry and build a mound of skulls from those damned barbarians! He’s also a saint who can open granaries to distribute grain, distribute divine plows and oxen, and let us poor people live a good life! What he takes out, can it be fake? If he says it can grow as big as a millstone, then it definitely can!”

He stood up, dusted off his hands, and surveyed the hillside where hope had just been sown. His tone was resolute.

“Take good care of them! These pumpkins are the life-saving food for us Luqi people in the future, and also our hope for repaying the kindness of the magistrate! Anyone who doesn’t take good care of them, let alone the magistrate, I, Zhao Youtian, will be the first to not forgive them!”

Everyone nodded, their eyes becoming extremely serious.

Those golden pumpkins, like a golden dream within reach, are deeply imprinted in the hearts of these simple farmers.

They began to imagine the vines climbing all over the slopes, the green leaves covering the ground, and the golden gourds hanging heavy on the ground. The heavy sense of harvest dispelled all doubts, leaving only a surge of enthusiasm.

After returning home, many families quietly sculpted a small pumpkin shape out of mud in an inconspicuous corner by the stove, as a way of worshipping this newly acquired god of hope.

……

On the rammed earth city wall north of Lüsi City, Zhang Xian stood quietly, wearing a worn black cloak. Han Ji and several guards accompanied him.

Looking into the distance, the entire land of Lüchi resembles a vast scroll slowly unfolding, full of power and hope.

On the gentle slope to the east of the city, figures carefully tend to pumpkins. On the banks of the Hutuo River to the north, the outline of the Jiaqi Camp is faintly visible in the early spring mist. The camp walls are high, the banners flutter, and the commands and shouts of new recruits can be faintly heard, like the low growl of a lurking beast. In the wider field of vision, there are fields scattered like stars in all directions outside the city of Lüqi.

Countless farmers, like diligent worker ants, dot the newly awakened brown earth.

Nearby, a robust ox pulls a brand-new curved plow, which, under the farmer's skillful control, steadily and powerfully breaks through the dormant soil, plowing out straight, deep, and even black waves.

The man holding the plow straightened his back, his shouts revealing an unprecedented ease and energy. Those following behind the plow either swung iron rakes to break up and level large clods of earth, or used hoes to carefully clear the field ridges and ditches.

The air was filled with the unique, moist, and slightly fishy fragrance of freshly turned soil.

The atmosphere was so intense, so powerful, carrying the slightly salty scent of countless farmers' sweat, the hot breath of strong oxen, the metallic smell of iron rubbing against the soil, and that distant yet firm yearning for the future, surging up the city walls and assaulting everyone's senses.

Han Ji took a deep breath of the vibrant air, his face showing the weariness of days of hard work, but his eyes were bright as stars as he pointed into the distance.

"My lord, look! Seventeen thousand strong laborers and thirty-five thousand people—everyone in Lüchi who can move is devoted to this land! The farm tools in Tieguanfang have been rented out, except for a few for emergency replacements! A thousand government oxen are scattered in all directions, working in shifts day and night! And the grain seeds… not a single grain seed is left! The people's hearts are burning with fervor!"

Zhang Xian did not answer immediately. His deep gaze slowly swept across this bustling land, over the figures toiling in the soil, and over the children running and playing on the ridges of the fields.

A glance at the wisps of smoke rising from the distant camp reveals an elderly farmer with white hair and beard, leading his young grandson, using a newly acquired hoe to painstakingly cultivate a small patch of wasteland not far from the city.

The old man moved slowly but with unusual determination, while the child, holding a small wooden rake, clumsily but earnestly helped rake away the clods of earth.

The golden sunlight shone on them, outlining their warm yet resilient silhouettes.

After a long silence, Zhang Xiancai slowly spoke, his voice deep and powerful, like the solid earth beneath his feet: "The hearts of the people are like fire, and also like earth. Fire can burn away thorns and bring light and warmth; earth silently bears and nurtures the vitality of all things."

This fire is the hope we ignite, and this soil..." He bent down slightly, picked up a small handful of damp, brown soil from the gap in the city wall crenellations, and twirled it between his fingertips.

“This soil is the foundation.” He spread his palms, letting the tiny speck of soil be scattered by the wind, but his gaze became even more focused and sharp: “Give them tools, give them seeds, give them the strength of oxen.”

Give them a tangible hope, and the strength and spirit buried deep in the soil will naturally burst forth.

All they ask for is a full bowl of rice after a hard day's work, warm clothes to wear, a peaceful night's sleep, and a slightly better future for their descendants... nothing more.

He raised his head and looked again at the black earth in the distance, turned over by the new plow and shimmering with a glossy sheen in the setting sun. He seemed to see the heavy ears of millet and wheat bending the branches in the golden autumn, and the golden pumpkins hanging on the vines.

"Sow a seed in spring, reap ten thousand grains in autumn. This land is the most reliable and will never let down your hard work."

Zhang Xian's voice was not loud, but it carried a penetrating power: "The foundation of Bingzhou is not in the grand mansions of Jinyang, nor in the fortified granaries of powerful families, but in these fields soaked with the blood and sweat of farmers, and in the hopes of countless people for food and clothing! Only when we have grain in our hands can we be at ease."

"Only when the enemy's defenses are firmly in place can the armored battalion's blades be pointed directly where they need to go, without any worries!"

Han Ji bowed deeply, his heart surging with emotion: "My lord understands the fundamentals and benefits all people! With such a foundation, how can we not accomplish our great cause!"

Zhang Xian stood with his hands behind his back, and beneath his feet was the enormous heartbeat of the entire Lüchi people, striving for survival and hope.

A faint yet incredibly firm smile curved his lips.

With popular support and fertile ground to look forward to, the chess piece he placed on the Bingzhou chessboard, named "Lüsi," is taking deep root with its vigorous vitality, desperately absorbing nutrients, and quietly waiting to stir up the winds and clouds, break through the soil and reach the sky.

that moment!
　Please vote for me! Sending love!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)