In times of chaos and famine, I traded one pound of rice for two royal flushes.

"We don't lack stones, but we lack bricks that can withstand temperatures of over 1,000 degrees Celsius. I call these 'firebricks'."

"Refractory bricks?" This was the first time Wang Tiezhu and the others had heard this term.

"That's right." Qin Shaolang's gaze fell on a distant hillside. "Go there and dig up a kind of white, fine-textured soil. Also, send people to the stream to find more white, shiny stones and break them up. Mix these two materials with a certain proportion of sand, and then add some powder made from the broken bricks we burned before, to make brick blanks. Then, fire them again at the highest temperature we can reach."

What he described was the principle behind making simple refractory bricks.

The fine, white clay is kaolin. The shiny, crystalline stone is quartz. And the powder from burnt bricks is clinker. The combination of these three is enough to create primitive refractory bricks that can withstand temperatures of 1,300 degrees Celsius.

This theory is, in this era, no less than a book written in the heavens.

Wang Tiezhu and the others were completely confused, but they didn't ask why.

Every instruction Qin Shaolang gave was imbued with unquestionable authority. They simply had to execute it.

"I'll take men right away!" Wang Tiezhu immediately accepted the order, his eyes rekindling with hope.

Watching everyone get back to work, Qin Shaolang knew this was only the first step in a long journey. Finding the ore, mixing the ingredients, firing—every step was fraught with uncertainty. But he had no other choice; this was the only path.

As night fell, bonfires were lit in the valley.

The men, exhausted from a long day's work, huddled around the fire, gulping down hot porridge. Their faces were weary, but their eyes shone with a light. The women, on the other side, chatted quietly, mended clothes, and cared for their children.

Everything was in perfect order and full of vitality.

Qin Shaolang stood alone on a high rock, overlooking everything. He liked this feeling of being in control, as if he were in a command center in his previous life, directing thousands of troops through a screen.

A soft footstep came from behind.

He didn't turn around, but he knew who it was.

Su Jin carried a ceramic bowl and walked to his side. The bowl contained the thickest part of the mixed grain porridge for tonight, and on top were a few pieces of roasted sweet potato that she had gathered during the day.

"Eat something, you haven't eaten much all day." Her voice sounded soft in the night breeze.

Qin Shaolang didn't stand on ceremony, took the bowl, and drank a large mouthful from the rim. The warm rice porridge slid into his stomach, dispelling some of the chill.

"They all say you are a celestial being descended to earth to save us," Su Jin said softly, looking at the flickering firelight in the valley.

"Gods don't go hungry, nor are they afraid of being conscripted," Qin Shaolang said calmly after finishing a piece of potato.

Su Jin remained silent for a moment. She could sense the immense pressure this man carried. He seemed omnipotent, but behind this omnipotence lay unimaginable planning and hard work.

"Can wine really be exchanged for food?" she asked, voicing her deepest concern.

"Yes." Qin Shaolang's answer was only one word, but it was full of power. "In this world, the rich are never short of money. What they lack is fresher entertainment. Our wine is their entertainment."

He turned to look at Su Jin. She was still wearing that thin, coarse cloth dress, which made her look rather frail in the night wind of the valley.

"Once we get the money from the first batch of wine, we'll buy cotton and cloth. Before winter comes, everyone needs to put on winter clothes."

He didn't say a word of concern, but his arrangements were the most genuine form of care.

A warm feeling washed over Su Jin. She nodded, saying nothing more. This man was always like this, letting his actions speak louder than words.

Just then, a commotion broke out at the guard post at the entrance of the valley!

A man who was responsible for scouting the perimeter rushed in, stumbling and crawling. An arrow was stuck in his shoulder, and blood stained half of his body.

"Brother Qin... Brother Qin!" The man ran to the foot of the high ground and roared with his last bit of strength.

Qin Shaolang and Su Jin's expressions changed simultaneously!

Qin Shaolang flashed and leaped directly down from the rock several meters high, landing steadily on the ground. He rushed to the man and helped him up.

"What's going on!"

"Outside the mountain...there are soldiers! They're heading towards Black Wind Mountain! I'm too far away, and their scouts have spotted me...Quick...run..."

After saying this, the man's head lolled to the side and he fainted.

Officers and soldiers!

These two words, like two icebergs, instantly struck everyone's hearts!

The vibrant life in the valley was utterly shattered by a mournful roar.

"Soldiers!"

These two words seemed to carry a chilling coldness, instantly piercing everyone's eardrums and shattering the nascent warmth and hope.

Beside the campfire, the smiling face instantly turned deathly pale.

The women instinctively hugged their children tighter, while the men stood up abruptly, their faces filled with fear and bewilderment.

The memory of fleeing is etched into their bones; to these refugees, government officials and soldiers are no different from the Grim Reaper, the devil who brings death.

The riots spread rapidly, like a plague.

The entire valley erupted in a buzzing sound.

"Run!"

"If the government troops come, we'll all die!"

"My child, where is my child!"

Cries and shouts mingled together, and the fragile order that had just been established collapsed in an instant.

However, in the heart of this chaos, Qin Shaolang stood like a pillar of stability.

Without the slightest hesitation, he leaped down from the rock and steadily caught the fallen man.

A strong smell of blood wafted over.

On the man's shoulder blade, the fletching of an arrow was still trembling slightly. Blood had soaked through half of his coarse cloth clothes, dripping onto the dry soil.

"Shut up!"

Qin Shaolang's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a heavy hammer, striking everyone's heart hard.

His voice held no trace of panic, only an undeniable calmness that made those who were about to flee pause in their tracks.

He didn't look at the panicked crowd, nor did he ask another question about the officers and soldiers.

His entire attention was focused on the injured.

"Su Jin, go to my place and bring me that black oilcloth bag!"

"Wang Tiezhu, take some men and immediately boil a large pot of water, make sure it's boiling! Also, find as much clean, unused linen as possible!"

"Everyone else, stay where you are! Anyone who dares to shout or run around again, get out of the valley!"

A series of commands, clear, concise, and powerful.

The group, who had been completely lost, suddenly seemed to have found their leader.

Wang Tiezhu was stunned for a moment, then roared, "Whatever Mr. Qin says! Go boil some water!"

Su Jin reacted quickly, lifting her skirt and running towards the cave.

Qin Shaolang knelt on the ground and carefully tore open the clothes on the injured person's shoulder.

The skin around the wound had turned somewhat black, and the arrow was a standard military arrow with a barb.

If it is forcibly pulled out, it will inevitably cause a second tear, leading to massive bleeding, which would be beyond saving.