My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

The next day, in the study of the prefect's residence.

The fire burned quietly, dispelling the chill that seeped in from outside the window.

Ji Xuanyuan, dressed in a thick fur coat, was bent over his desk examining a new batch of salt production ledgers sent by Tian Feng. His pale fingertips traced the numbers on the bamboo slips, occasionally picking up his pen to make annotations.

Guo Jia sat at the lower end of the table, with several documents laid out in front of him awaiting processing. However, he seemed somewhat absent-minded, his eyes occasionally drifting to the empty wine gourd on the small table by the window.

The study was so quiet that only the faint crackling of the charcoal fire and Ji Xuanyuan's occasional cough could be heard.

"Fengxiao," Ji Xuanyuan suddenly spoke, without looking up, his voice calm and unwavering.

"Ah? What are your orders, Senior Brother?" Guo Jia was startled and quickly sat up straight.

Ji Xuanyuan slowly put down his pen, looked up at him, and a faint, ambiguous smile appeared on his lips: "Yesterday... I heard that you went to investigate the people's conditions?"

Guo Jia's heart skipped a beat, and his usual carefree smile froze: "Yes...yes, yesterday Jia did indeed...go deep into the city and observe the people's conditions."

"Oh?"

Ji Xuanyuan leaned back in his chair with a leisurely air, his hands tucked into his sleeves: "Then tell me, what have you observed? What is the state of the people? What are their hardships? Are there any areas for improvement in customs and education?"

A series of questions, asked in a gentle tone, yet made Guo Jia's forehead bead with sweat.

He knew his senior brother too well; this behavior meant he already knew the inside story, and it was just a matter of how he would "explain".

Seeing that he couldn't hide it any longer, Guo Jia had no choice but to put on a bitter face and tell the whole story of how he had sneaked out of the mansion in frustration the day before, how he had "accidentally" entered Zuifang Courtyard, how Zhen Mi had "found" him, and how he had finally fled in a sorry state.

Naturally, he had to defend himself, emphasizing that Zhen Mi went along on her own, that he had no intention of taking her there, and that he realized his mistake in time and quickly left.

"Fengxiao, Fengxiao..." Ji Xuanyuan was not angry after hearing this, but just sighed and shook his head.

How could he not know Guo Jia's temperament?

He was carefree and unrestrained, loved drinking and indulged in his passions. Sometimes, when he got into a good time drinking at a restaurant, he would forget to bring his money and have to ask his senior brother to send someone to settle the bill. This happened more than once or twice.

Ji Xuanyuan mostly indulged this, even feeling that this "true nature" was rare among strategists.

But this time is different.

"I know your temperament, and I do not demand that you be as dignified as Yuan Hao and Gong Yu at all times."

Ji Xuanyuan's voice turned deep: "However, do you still remember that Zhen Mi is nominally being taught by you? Even if the formal apprenticeship ceremony has not been performed, since you have agreed to this, you should act as a teacher in front of her. A teacher is one who imparts knowledge, teaches skills, and resolves doubts, and should also set an example in his own words and deeds. You were found by your student in front of a brothel while you were indulging in pleasure... Fengxiao, this is no small matter."

He paused, looking at Guo Jia who had lowered his head in embarrassment, and continued, "Zhen Mi is no ordinary child; she is very perceptive. What impression did this incident leave on her? Did she think that teachers and elders could act so casually, or that such a place also falls under the category of 'observing the people's sentiments'? How do you expect her to cope with this, and how do I explain it to Zhen Jia?"

Guo Jia blushed with embarrassment and stood up, bowing deeply: "Jia... knows his mistake. His actions were rash and improper. He has also failed to live up to his senior brother's trust and Miss Zhen's honor of addressing him as 'sir.' Please punish me, senior brother."

Seeing his sincere apology, Ji Xuanyuan's anger dissipated.

Guo Jia was exceptionally intelligent and quick to grasp concepts, but he was habitually carefree and needed constant guidance.

"That's enough."

Ji Xuanyuan waved his hand: "Since you know you're wrong, I'll punish you... You're not allowed to drink alcohol this year. I'll have people keep a close watch on the wine cellar in the mansion, and I'll also make arrangements with the taverns in the city."

"This...this year?!" Guo Jia was struck dumb, his face instantly falling over.

Although it is already the beginning of the twelfth lunar month, there is still a whole month until the new year. Making him unable to drink alcohol for a month is a punishment that is more painful than being beaten with military rods.

"Senior brother! This...this..."

"Hmm?" Ji Xuanyuan raised an eyebrow slightly.

"...Jia accepts the punishment." Guo Jia replied weakly, his face contorted with grief, as if his spine had been removed.

After the minor incident, Ji Xuanyuan refocused his energy on the governance and development of Zhuojun.

He specially summoned the most skilled craftsmen in Zhuojun.

These craftsmen, including blacksmiths, carpenters, and potters, were all outstanding in their respective fields.

Contrary to the general disdain for "craftsmen," in Zhuojun under Ji Xuanyuan's rule, craftsmen were highly respected.

Ji Xuanyuan deeply understood the importance of technology. Whether it was the salt industry in the past or future plans, they all depended on the hands of these skilled craftsmen to realize them.

He treated the craftsmen well, recognizing their value. The craftsmen were grateful to this young governor who cared for the people and respected their skills, and they worked extra hard and diligently.

At this moment, in the side hall of the prefect's mansion, the charcoal fire burned even brighter than in the study, and more than a dozen master craftsmen sat around a large wooden table, holding their breath and concentrating intently.

A large piece of silk was spread out on the table, on which was drawn a picture of an object they had never seen before, with dense annotations beside it.

Ji Xuanyuan pointed to the blueprints, his voice clear and steady: "Masters, I call this the 'Curved Plow.' It was recently inspired by my thoughts on the upcoming spring plowing season and the hardships of farming. While reading ancient books, I was inspired to create this design, taking into account the shortcomings of current plows."

He explained in detail.

The curved-shaft plow was an advanced type of plow that matured in the Tang Dynasty. Its ingenious construction far surpassed that of the long, straight-shaft plow commonly used in the Han Dynasty. The complete plow set mainly consisted of eleven parts: the plowshare (plowhead, for breaking the soil), the plowshare (plow mirror, for turning the soil), the plow bed (plow seat, for stabilization), the hoe, the plow tip, the plow shaft, the plow tip, the plowshare frame, the plowshare handle, and the plow disc.

Its most distinctive feature is that the original long and heavy plowshare was replaced with a short and curved one.

Ji Xuanyuan, referring to the blueprints, pointed out the key point: "Please look, everyone. The front end of this curved shaft is connected to the plowshare, which can rotate flexibly, and the rear end is connected to the plow tip. This modification has many advantages."

"Firstly, it is easy and flexible to operate."

He gestured to the famous plow: "Straight-shaft plows are difficult to turn around, especially when turning around at the edge of the field. They require the combined efforts of animal and human power, which is quite troublesome. But this curved-shaft plow has a shorter and curved shaft, and the center of gravity is shifted to the rear, making it extremely convenient to turn. One person and one ox can operate it easily, saving manpower and animal power."

Secondly, it allows for adjustment of tillage depth.

He emphasized the "plowshare" and "plow arrow" sections: "This section is designed with a 'plowshare' (similar to a wedge) and a 'plow arrow' (a scale rod). Pushing the plowshare in will press the plow arrow down, causing the plowshare to penetrate deeper into the soil; pulling the plowshare out will raise the plow arrow, resulting in shallower plowing. Farmers can freely adjust the depth of plowing according to soil conditions and crop needs, without having to change different plows or exert effort to control them."

Thirdly, turning over and breaking up the soil is more effective.

He pointed to the curvature of the plowshare: "The curved surface of this plowshare (plow mirror) is specially designed to work with the plowshare to better cut through the soil, turn it over, break it up, cover it with weeds, and help retain moisture and increase fertilizer."

The craftsmen's eyes grew brighter as they listened to Ji Xuanyuan's explanation.

They were all experienced masters, and they immediately understood the innovative technology involved.

Old carpenter Master Wang, his hands trembling, gently stroked the curved lines of the axle on the blueprint, murmuring, "Wonderful...wonderful! Changing a straight axle to a curved one seems like a simple change, but it actually affects the whole system! Shifting the center of gravity saves more than half the effort! The design of the plowshare and plowshare arrows is even more ingenious!"

Blacksmith Master Li stared at the design and requirements of the plowshare and plowshare: "The angle of this plowshare crown, the curvature of the plowshare... it can only be achieved through repeated forging and meticulous polishing of refined iron! If it can be made, turning over soil will be as easy as slicing tofu!"

Seeing that everyone understood and became excited, Ji Xuanyuan felt reassured and solemnly said, "Masters, this thing is related to next year's spring planting, and to the food and clothing of the people of Zhuojun and even more people in the future. It is of great importance. I have explained the blueprints and principles in detail, but 'knowledge gained from books is ultimately superficial.' To truly turn this thing from blueprints into a real object, and to mass-produce it reliably and durablely, we still need to rely on your skillful hands and experience to continuously test, debug, and improve it."

He glanced at the crowd: "I need you to form a working group to work together on this project. Carpentry, metalwork, assembly, and debugging all need to be done in close coordination. Before spring, I need to see at least three fully functional curved plow prototypes and develop a replicable manufacturing process. Is that possible?"

The craftsmen looked at each other, their eyes burning with intense passion.

To be so highly regarded by the governor and entrusted with such an important task of reform is a great honor and a great trust.

On behalf of everyone, Master Wang solemnly clasped his hands in a fist and bow: "General, rest assured! We will do our utmost, working day and night to research and debug this 'curved plow' and ensure it is completed before spring, so as not to delay the farming season!"

"good!"

Ji Xuanyuan nodded: "Just ask for the materials and money you need. The manor will provide full support. This matter must be carried out in secrecy, and the blueprints must not be leaked."

"Yes, sir!"

The craftsmen carefully rolled up the blueprints, and with great enthusiasm and a sense of mission, they hurriedly left to devote themselves to the research and development and trial production work.

They knew that this was not just a new farming tool, but more likely a "magic weapon" that could change the way countless people farm and increase yields.

Although there are blueprints, material selection, dimensional fine-tuning, component break-in, force testing... each step requires repeated practice, making it a challenging process.

Watching the craftsmen's departing figures, Ji Xuanyuan coughed a few times, a trace of fatigue showing on his pale face, but hope shone in his eyes.

Technological innovation is an important step in consolidating the foundation.

Salt production brings wealth, the curved plow enhances agricultural productivity, and the Zhuojun Academy cultivates talent... These seemingly trivial efforts are gradually weaving the future vision in his mind.

Outside the window, the sky was gradually darkening, and another snowfall seemed to be brewing.

In another part of the mansion, Guo Jia, who had been forbidden from drinking, leaned listlessly against the couch, feeling as if his mouth was tasteless and life had lost its color.

Little Zhen Mi sat quietly by the window in her room, looking at the book in her hands in the last light of day. Occasionally, she would look up and gaze in the direction of the study, lost in thought.

The winter days in Zhuojun passed slowly amidst the comings and goings of salt carts, the hammering of craftsmen, the construction of schools, and the lament of a certain drunkard.

Beneath the calm surface, the seeds of change are quietly sprouting.