Three Kingdoms: A Million Soldiers Grown from the Fields

Chapter 177 The Path

Spring arrives late in the Taihang Mountains. The biting cold wind has not yet completely subsided, but the ice in the mountain streams is already groaning under the weight of the cold.

Heishiling is the most dangerous bottleneck in the eastern section of the Jingxing Ancient Road.

This place is no longer the desolate scene of the past, with vines entwined and rocks blocking the way.

A grotesque passage, over two zhang wide and covered with fresh chisel marks, was forcibly torn out from the sheer cliff.

This is the shortest route discovered from the original official road. Once this route is opened up, the original detour of 100 li can be shortened to 20 li, which will greatly reduce the distance.

However, the repair work is also extremely difficult.

Below the passage was a bottomless abyss, and the roar of the Zhang River was reflected off the mountain walls, sounding muffled like thunder.

At this moment, at the end of the passage, the last section of thick rock wall, less than a hundred feet high, became the final obstacle between east and west.

Below the cliff, a cacophony of voices filled the air, and torches blazed brightly.

Lu Da, wrapped in a tattered leather coat stained with stone powder and sweat, his eyes bloodshot and his voice hoarse, still stood at the forefront, waving his arms and shouting at the top of his lungs to direct the final sprint.

"Fire! Add more firewood! Burn this stone thoroughly! Make it red-hot!" His roar was drowned out by the great noise, but the laborers and engineers around him understood.

Dozens of huge bonfires burned fiercely against the cold rock wall, the dry pine wood and oil-soaked cloth crackling and popping, the scorching air waves distorting the air and baking the rock surface until it was red-hot, even faintly glowing.

The air was filled with a mixture of burnt and sulfurous odors.

"Water! Quick! Pour water!" Seeing that the temperature of the stones had reached the expected level, Lu Da gave several more orders.

The laborers, who were already prepared, worked in groups of dozens, shouting slogans as they lifted huge wooden buckets and poured the icy mountain spring water hard onto the scorching hot rock face!
“Sizzle——!!!”

A deafening explosion! Like boiling oil being poured onto snow! The scorching hot rocks encountered the icy mountain spring, causing an instantaneous and violent reaction of thermal expansion and contraction!

The hard rock mass emitted a teeth-grinding cracking sound, and countless fine cracks spread out instantly like a spider web. Large chunks of the brittle rock surface crumbled away, revealing deeper and more stubborn rock layers inside.

"Pour water to speed up the cooling, steel chisel team, get in! Start chiseling!" Lu Da personally grabbed a sledgehammer and rushed towards the largest crack.

The elite mountain-opening battalion, who had been waiting for a long time, held specially made extended steel chisels and aimed them at the cracks in the rocks that had been burned and quenched by cold water. They used all their strength to wedge them in! The heavy iron hammers then rained down on the ends of the steel chisels, producing a dull and awe-inspiring thud.

"One! Two! Heave-ho!"

"One! Two! Heave-ho!"

The rough shouts echoed through the valley, converging into a single sound.

Each hammer blow, each plunge of the steel drill, was accompanied by the sound of cracking and breaking inside the rock.

"Foreman Lu! The crack has gotten even bigger! Look over there!" A foreman shouted excitedly, pointing to a crack that had suddenly widened above the rock face.

Lu Da looked up and saw that the crack, like a black lightning bolt, was rapidly extending downwards and branching out!
His eyes blazed with wild joy, and he abruptly threw down the hammer: "Back up! Back up!"

"Step back! Shields! Raise your shields!"

"Set up the ballistae! Fire continuously! Don't stop until the stone wall collapses!"

After being burned and irritated by water, the last section of the stone wall had become fragile. With the addition of man-made chisels, the stone wall was on the verge of collapse. At this point, manpower could no longer be used; only ballistae and specially designed square-headed crossbow bolts could be used to carry out the final chiseling work on the stone wall.

Ten sturdy ballistae were brought from the camp and then assembled one by one.

The crossbow bolts, about the thickness of a baby's forearm, are made entirely of iron, with a square shape where the arrowhead is narrower on the inside and wider on the outside. They were specifically used by the Mountain Opening Camp to break rocks.

As the ballistae were assembled one by one, groups of four or five people began to skillfully turn the winch and pull back the bowstring. The creaking sound of the winch indicated the powerful energy storage of these ballistae.

Lu Da stood to the side holding up a small blue flag.

"Lu Gongcao! The first set of strings is ready!"

"Second set of strings, all set!"

"Three groups."

"Group Four."

As the crossbow strings were loaded one after another, Lu Da suddenly waved the small blue flag in his hand!

"emission!"

Boom—

Boom—

Ten crossbows fired simultaneously, the strings ringing out with a dull thud.

Ten square-headed crossbow bolts struck the stone wall, and rubble rained down like a storm.

"Continue!" Lu Da continued to shout the order.

Behind the ballista, a group of laborers from the mountain-opening camp, along with civilians from Bing and Ji prefectures, were watching eagerly.

One crossbow bolt after another struck the stone wall.

With a sudden, massive collapse, smoke and dust billowed out.

As soon as the smoke and dust cleared, everyone eagerly looked towards the stone wall.

A gap had been forcefully carved out of the massive crack! The shattered rock wall had finally been torn open, creating a sufficiently wide passage! Scrap stones filled the inside of the gap!

"Cleanup team! Follow me! Keep going! We're almost through!"

Lu Da took the lead and rushed forward to clear the rubble out of the passage.

Then came fire, water, steel rods, and crossbows firing in unison.

The same work continued for about seven days, day after day, in a repetitive cycle.

A beam of light shone down from the stone wall.

Lu Da's trembling hands finally steadied.

"It's connected."

"It's connected!!"

"It's open! It's really open!" After a brief silence, deafening cheers erupted like a tsunami!

The laborers, engineers, and officials, whether from Bingzhou or Jizhou, all put down their tools and embraced each other with tears streaming down their faces! With their own flesh and blood and their rudimentary tools, they had carved out a new path to survival!
Standing amidst the pervasive stone dust, Lu Da gazed at the suddenly open passage and the faintly visible mountain scenery on the other side. A surge of indescribable pride mixed with weariness welled up in his heart.

He exhaled a heavy breath of stale air, thick with the smell of stone dust, his voice hoarse yet full of power: "Clear the passage! Prepare... for traffic!"

"Oh!"

The opening of this last section of the road means that the people of Jizhou can now safely enter Bingzhou, and similarly, the grain supplies from Bingzhou can reach Jizhou more quickly!
Tumen Pass.

This strategic pass, guarding the eastern entrance of the Jingxing Pass, has now become the hub for trade between Zhang Xian and Lu Zhi.

Inside the pass, the atmosphere was both somber and bustling.

Squads of Bingzhou armored soldiers and Zhenbei soldiers, armed with sharp blades and looking vigilant, were deployed in a tight defense, their sharp eyes scanning both inside and outside the pass.

Above the gate wall, the Zhang-character banner and the Lu-character banner fluttered side by side.

On a vast training ground, two distinct areas were clearly defined.

To the east were Yellow Turban prisoners escorted by elite Northern Army troops sent by Lu Zhi.

Most of them were emaciated and had blank expressions, wearing simple wooden shackles or ropes that bound them together, like lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

His eyes held nothing but despair and a bewildered fear of his new fate.

The Northern Army captain escorting the prisoners had a cold expression, his hand on the hilt of his sword, and he sternly rebuked the prisoners for their occasional disturbances.

To the west was the Bingzhou grain transport team, personally led by Zhao Yun. Hundreds of heavy four-wheeled supply wagons were neatly arranged.

Each vehicle was piled high with bulging sacks, exuding the aroma of grain.

Beside the vehicle stood elite armored soldiers, their helmets gleaming, their eyes calm, radiating an invisible intimidating power.

Inside the council chamber of Guanlou, the atmosphere was relatively harmonious.

Lu Zhi's trusted advisor, a chief clerk surnamed Chen, was sitting opposite Gu Yu, the prison clerk in charge of the specific handover in Bingzhou.

A thick register was spread out in front of the two of them.

“Registrar Gu.” Lu Zhi’s chief secretary pointed to the lines of records on the register.

"This is the list of prisoners handed over this time, totaling 9,376 people. Their place of origin, age, physical characteristics, and the Yellow Turban tribes they belonged to before being captured have all been recorded in detail."

"This is a document personally signed by General Lu Zhonglang. Please examine it." He pushed a sheepskin document bearing the bright red seal of the commander to Gu Yu.

Gu Yu carefully examined the document and seals, and checked a few pages of the roster. After confirming that everything was correct, he picked up a pen and signed his name on another document of the same format, and affixed the seal of the Envoy to the Xiongnu General granted to him by Zhang Xian.

He handed the document and a grain ration voucher back to the other party.

"Chief Secretary Chen, these are our receipt documents and grain tokens. With these tokens, you may go to the grain convoy on the west side and collect 30,000 shi of millet as indicated on the tokens. This grain will help General Lu stabilize the morale of the army."

The sound of Grain Rain is calm yet powerful.

Lu Zhi's chief secretary took the documents and grain slips, and seeing the clear words "30,000 shi of millet" on them, a great weight was lifted from his heart.

He solemnly put it away and bowed deeply to Gu Yu: "Lord Zhang is so righteous! General Lu and the soldiers of the Northern Expedition are deeply grateful! This kindness will surely be repaid in the future!"

"You flatter me, Chief Secretary Chen." Gu Yu stood up and returned the greeting, glancing out the window at the drill ground.

"This is only the second batch of grain. My lord promised Lord Lu 60,000 shi of grain, and more can be delivered here later."

"Of course." Lu Zhi's chief secretary bowed respectfully.

The transaction was completed, and the two sides exchanged no further pleasantries.

Chief Secretary Chen hurriedly headed towards the grain convoy with the grain receipts, arranging for the Northern Army soldiers to load the life-saving grain.

Gu Yu, accompanied by several officials and soldiers of the armored army, headed towards the group of numb prisoners on the east side.

Thousands of bewildered eyes looked toward Guyu.

"Listen!" Gu Yu's gaze swept across the crowd, her voice clear.

"I am Gu Yu, the chief clerk of the prison in Bingzhou, and I have come here on the orders of Zhang Xian, the general of the Xiongnu!"

As soon as Zhang Xian and Zhang Zixu uttered those words, a subtle commotion arose among the prisoners.

The names of Changshan Divine Physician and Taoyuan Manor Owner were also widely known among the lower classes of Jizhou.

“Zhang Zhonglang is kind and knows that you are all pitiful people who have been coerced and forced! Therefore, he is willing to take you in as a form of work relief!” Gu Yu’s voice was calm and steady.

"After entering Bingzhou, we opened up mountains and built roads, constructed cities and fortresses, and cultivated land and reclaimed wasteland. We earned our food by our labor! One day of work meant one day of full meals! Those who did not work would not eat!"

If anyone dares to commit crimes, incite trouble, or cause disturbances—”

The weapons of the armored soldiers suddenly emitted a trembling hum.

"Skinning him and stuffing him with straw will result in certain execution!"

The chilling warning sent a shiver down the spines of all the prisoners, instantly silencing any slight disturbance.

"Now, form groups of one hundred and step forward to register! Receive your number tags! Receive half a day's rations! Then, follow the soldiers leading the way!"

Grain Rain waved goodbye.

The clerks, who were already prepared, immediately sat down behind the temporary desks and began loudly calling out to start registering and compiling records.

Baskets of still-steaming mixed grain cakes were carried up, emitting the most enticing aroma of grains.

The instinct of hunger overcame fear and confusion.

The prisoners lined up numbly, and when the rough but substantial flatbread was stuffed into their hands, many of them practically wolfed it down, not stopping even when they were choking and their eyes rolled back.

After registering and receiving their rations, the prisoners, escorted by the armored soldiers, silently walked out of the west gate of Tumen Pass and into the well passage.

Weize Pass.

Zhang Xian received a letter from Lu Da, who had sent someone from the rear, and couldn't hide his smile.

He immediately shouted towards the door, "Summon all the garrison officers of rank of captain or above to see me!"

"promise!"

A short, forceful reply rang out, and in no time, five officers of the rank of squad leader or higher arrived before Zhang Xian.

"Greetings, my lord!"

"No need for formalities, get up, everyone."

Zhang Xian waved his hand, his smile undiminished, and said in a loud voice, "Who among you holds the highest military rank?"

"My lord, this humble general Zhou Jie, the commander of the Fourth Battalion of the Fire Battalion, is now serving as Zhao Sima's deputy!"

One person stepped forward and said respectfully.

Zhang Xian nodded: "Alright, then I order you to lead the way and scout ahead, guarding Taoyuan Manor, and with your hundred men and three thousand refugees, return to Bingzhou first!"

"After returning to Bingzhou to hand over the reins, I need to immediately return. I need a group of people who know the new way."

“Yes, sir!” Zhou Jie immediately accepted the order.

An hour later.

A group of 3,100 young and strong men were the first to embark on the new road to Jingxing.

The new road is shorter and easier to travel than the old road. If nothing unexpected happens, this group of people will arrive at the Bingzhou receiving point in half a month.

This meant that the tens of thousands of refugees Zhang Xian had gathered around Weize Pass, as well as a large number of Yellow Turban prisoners, could now travel directly to Bingzhou.

The most difficult hurdle has been overcome; the next step is to take in a large number of refugees from Ji Province!
The advance scout team has already set off.

Zhang Xian's decisive and efficient nature also left him no room for leisure.

That very day, he began to summon the officials at the passes and start implementing his policies.

Firstly, Weize Pass is located in a strategic location with relatively spacious surroundings. This area should be established as a county in the future, named Weize County, and deployed in the Taihang Mountains.

Five hundred households were selected from among the refugees and settled in the area to be used for land reclamation.

The Taihang Mountains are not uninhabitable, but they lack convenient transportation. What Zhang Xian is doing now is improving transportation.

As long as he can develop new habitable areas near the Taihang Mountain trails, the foothills of the Taihang Mountains in both Ji and Bing prefectures can become his backyard.

The abundant mineral and timber resources within the Taihang Mountains will become advantageous resources for Zhang Xian in the future.

Therefore, it is imperative to cultivate land in the Taihang Mountains!

However, there are not many suitable places for settlement at present, and we need to arrange manpower to conduct a thorough exploration, giving priority to places with water and mountains.

It would be even better if the distribution of mineral resources could be directly determined, so that settlements could be planned in advance to prepare for subsequent mining.

After staying at Weize Pass for a few more days, Xiahou Lan sent a letter saying that the Yellow Turban prisoners were about to arrive at the gathering point outside Weize Pass, numbering as many as nine thousand.

Zhang Xian then got up and rushed over. Although these Yellow Turban prisoners were civilians before, they were no longer a stable force after experiencing bloodshed. At present, the gathering point was short-handed, and only he himself could keep them in check.

(End of this chapter)