Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 162 Return home
"A brilliant idea."

Li Xian praised it, but then his gaze swept over the canal bank, which looked particularly high due to the drop in water level, and he pondered, "But as you just saw, this year the water is dry, and the water level in the Yellow Canal has dropped by four or five feet. Many places that used to be rapids have become calm."

"If your water-powered spinning wheel is built by the water, wouldn't you also be at the mercy of the weather?"
"If there is a severe drought and the water runs dry, or if it freezes over in winter, wouldn't this thing become useless?"

Liu Jianjun's excitement subsided slightly, and he nodded: "Xianzi, you've hit the nail on the head. The stability of the water source is indeed a big problem, which is why I want to find a place like Dayi Valley where the water flow is fast enough and deep enough. Even during the dry season, such places can usually maintain a certain flow."

"and……"

He paused for a moment: "We don't necessarily have to build the factory by the water. We can dig a water diversion canal to bring water from a more stable place upstream, or we can even build a dam to store water, artificially creating a drop and controlling the water flow."

"This way, even during the dry season, the factory can still operate."

"Dig canals? Build dams?" Li Xian took a slight breath. "This is no small project; the manpower and resources required will be considerable."

This goes far beyond the scope of a workshop; it's almost a water conservancy project.

“That’s right, so the cotton mill I’m planning isn’t just a workshop, it should be called a cotton eco-park!”

Liu Jianjun's eyes were full of enthusiasm. Li Xian was a little reluctant to interrupt him, but still asked, "If we follow your plan... will we have the money?"

"Have you forgotten about the cotton seeds that were distributed this year? When the cotton is grown, we'll buy it, make it into cotton cloth, and sell it. We'll definitely make enough money. Once we have enough money, hiring workers will be easy."

"Next year will definitely be a severe drought. Many people will lose their harvest and go hungry. We can take advantage of their misfortune and hire them to work for us, thus paying for their relief efforts."

Li Xian was taken aback.

Then he laughed and said, "If everyone who takes advantage of a disaster does it like you, the people would probably be eager for more to come."

At the same time, I was amazed to myself that Liu Jianjun had unknowingly planned so many things.

……

We arrived at Dayi Valley soon.

The terrain here is indeed quite unique.

Here, the Huangqu River is tightly squeezed between the cliffs on both sides, forming a narrow gap.

The river, as if enraged, roared and surged from upstream, squeezing through the narrow passage and crashing against the jagged rocks, splashing up white foam and filling the air with a cool, earthy smell.

Even during this dry season when the water level is low, the water flow in Dayi Valley is still rapid and powerful, indicating that its riverbed is deep and its basic flow is considerable.

"Good place!"

Liu Jianjun jumped off his horse, his eyes shining. Ignoring the damp mud on the bank, he rushed to the water's edge in a few steps, looking this way and that way.

Li Xian shouted, "Be careful not to fall into the water," and then dismounted as well.

"Look there."

Liu Jianjun showed no fear of the river. Pointing to a relatively wide bend downstream, he said, "If we build a low dam there to raise the water level, and then dig a canal to divert the water to that gentle slope, the force of the water flowing against the waterwheel will be absolutely powerful!"

He then pointed to the other side: "The factory can be built over there, where the terrain is high, so there's no need to worry about flooding. The water from the irrigation canal can drive the waterwheel and then be diverted back to the downstream river channel, or used to irrigate nearby fields, so it won't be wasted."

Following his gaze, Li Xian gradually formed a picture in his mind:
The dam, the irrigation canal, and the towering waterwheel slowly turned under the impact of the water, continuously sending power to the distant workshops through the drive shaft... This far exceeded the scale of an ordinary handicraft workshop. "An ecological park..." Li Xian murmured, repeating Liu Jianjun's description.

But then, Liu Jianjun leaped over the boulders and ran back towards them, saying, "Alright, Xianzi, let's go back!"

Li Xian was stunned.

"Now that we've chosen a location, what are we still doing here?" Liu Jianjun mounted his horse.

Li Xian was instantly left speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

This man is so efficient at everything he does. In such a large cotton factory, he jumped off his horse, looked around for less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, pointed to two places, and made a decision.
But Liu Jianjun had already started, so Li Xian had no choice but to follow suit, saying irritably, "Is site selection really this hasty?"

Liu Jianjun said matter-of-factly, "Isn't it enough that we found the right spot? The water here is fast enough, there's a drop in elevation, and there's flat land on both banks where we can build a factory. What more do you want? Are we supposed to measure it inch by inch with a ruler? We didn't bring any craftsmen with us."

Liu Jianjun always has his fallacies.

……

Nothing happened on the way back. Liu Jianjun arrogantly challenged Li Xian to a horse race, but Li Xian only squeezed the belly of Jinghong's horse twice, and Liu Jianjun shouted "Unfair, rematch!" from a few feet behind.

Li Xian wanted to laugh to himself. Liu Jianjun's equestrian skills were at best among the best of the average person, but compared to someone like himself who had been in contact with horses since childhood, he still needed at least five more years of training.

This is no longer a difference in skill; it's a connection between man and horse, a kind of mystical unity between them.

Liu Jianjun, however, is still only at the level of riding horses.

Back at the Prince's residence, Li Xian was somewhat surprised to find that Wang Bo and the others were still fast asleep in the pavilion. The three of them had only drunk half a jin of wine, which was diluted with water, yet they had slept all morning.

Liu Jianjun, unfazed, laid Wu Youji down on the ground and then dragged him towards Wang Bo and Xue Zhongzhang—Wu Youji had somehow ended up lying on Liu Jianjun's recliner, his neck resting on the armrest, his head drooping naturally, his face flushed, and he was panting heavily.

Li Xian had no doubt that if Wu Youji's neck had remained there any longer, he would have died by hanging.

Having regained possession of the recliner, Liu Jianjun lay down on it and lazily asked, "Xianzi, have you thought about how you're going to treat Wu Youji in the future?"

Li Xian was stunned.

"He is ultimately surnamed Wu," Liu Jianjun pointed out.

Li Xian was momentarily at a loss.

He turned around and looked at Wu Youji. Wu Youji seemed to have recovered his normal complexion because his breathing had become much smoother. He was still smacking his lips, as if he was dreaming about something.

Wu Youji didn't have the hateful look of a spoiled brat at all; instead, he had more of the honesty of a young man.

Well, although he was a few years older than Liu Jianjun, in Li Xian's eyes, he was still just that chubby boy who used to hold the reins for him.

Li Xian thought for a moment and asked, "But he's also my cousin, isn't he?"

……

(End of this chapter)