Chapter 56 Old Du, Put Some Effort Into It

"Bring me a blade!"

Qin Xuan said with some anticipation, instructing the guard nearby to draw his saber and hand it over.

"Your Highness, do you intend to use a saber to cleave this so-called cement?"

Zhuge Xuan asked curiously.

Qin Xuan smiled and did not reply.

Such a large block of poured cement could certainly not be split with a saber; Qin Xuan merely wanted to test its hardness.

"Swish..."

Qin Xuan calmed his breath, gripped the hilt with both hands, and brought the saber down in a fierce slash.

In an instant, sparks flew. Qin Xuan felt his thumb and forefinger go numb, almost losing his grip on the weapon.

He had put his full strength into this blow, yet looking down, he saw that only a shallow scratch had been left on the surface of the one-meter-square cement block.

Though he had anticipated this outcome, seeing it with his own eyes still surprised him.

As for Zhuge Xuan, Gao Xiong, and the others, they were struck with awe, looking upon the material as if it were a divine creation.

They had never witnessed stone of such immense hardness, and everyone could sense just how much force Qin Xuan had exerted in that strike.

"Not bad. It seems the mixture ratio is quite correct." Qin Xuan nodded with a smile, then raised the blade to strike the second block of cement.

This time, he again used all his strength, but the result was even more resistant to the blade than the first block.

Cement mixed with crushed stone and river sand was essentially self-prepared concrete, and its sturdiness could well be imagined.

"Very good."

Qin Xuan nodded in satisfaction. "From now on, use the formula of the first block for all ordinary masonry work. As for the second type, I will instruct you on its specific applications."

The first type of cement was standard mortar, suitable for building walls and similar structures.

The second type, however, was meant for paving roads or casting beams, pillars, and foundations, which required formwork manufacturing.

Fortunately, Beining City was not lacking in carpenters; once Qin Xuan explained the production method, it could easily be put into practice.

With cement, the construction speed of houses could be accelerated, and it could also be used to reinforce city walls.

As for concrete, Qin Xuan intended to use it for paving roads and constructing true military fortresses.

Yet these undertakings could not be accomplished overnight and would require some time, as even the raw materials needed to be mined and procured.

Over the next two days, right beside the temporary wooden shacks of the refugees, the first house built with cement officially commenced construction.

A large quantity of grey bricks was delivered to the site, and the masons followed the methods previously taught by Qin Xuan—applying the cement and laying the bricks in an interlocking pattern to erect new walls at an astonishing speed.

"Your Highness, I'd like to go to the Northern Wasteland to see the construction of the new houses."

Zhao Luoying had managed to steal a moment of leisure these past two days and pulled Qin Xuan along toward the Northern Wasteland.

Yesterday, she had heard Zhuge Xuan speak of the remarkable properties of cement and felt deeply curious, refusing to believe that anything so miraculous existed in the world.

In truth, however, what Zhuge Xuan had witnessed was merely the hardness of cement; its truly formidable aspect lay in its enhancement of construction efficiency.

Ordinarily, rammed earth or clay required a full day to settle after laying bricks, and the structural integrity was mediocre.

Yet cement could achieve the same effect in a mere two hours.

Cherishing Zhao Luoying dearly, Qin Xuan was more than willing to accompany her for a stroll. But as soon as they arrived in the Northern Wasteland, they found that Zhuge Xuan, Ning Yuanfeng, and even Qiu Xingzhi had brought their students along.

Such a grand spectacle inadvertently made the veteran masons rather nervous.

"Why is everyone here?"

Qin Xuan asked with a smile. The crowd hurriedly bowed, and Qiu Xingzhi stepped forward, grinning, "After hearing Master Zhuge recount Your Highness's marvelous invention yesterday, we all decided to come and take a look."

"Coincidentally, we have been reinforcing the river dikes recently. If this cement is truly as miraculous as claimed, the southern Shanyang County will henceforth be spared from flood disasters."

Spring was approaching, and when the snow melted, the river levels would inevitably rise. As the official currently in charge of state affairs, Qiu Xingzhi naturally held this close to his heart.

"Very well, since everyone is curious, why not roll up your sleeves and try it yourselves?"

A sudden impulse seized Qin Xuan. He summoned Gao Xiong, instructed him to arrange for some veteran masons, and personally began guiding his civil and military officials.

At first, the group thought Qin Xuan was merely joking, but when they saw him roll up his sleeves and dive right in, their smiles faded.

"Teacher, isn't this Prince of Qin acting a bit too childish?"

Wu Gui, the disciple who constantly followed Qiu Xingzhi, could not help muttering under his breath.

Qiu Xingzhi shook his head with a faint smile. "For the Prince of Qi to cast aside his status and walk among the common people—that is the breadth of mind a wise lord should possess."

"Moreover, this cement is a classified military secret. The fact that the Prince allows us to test it with our own hands is already a profound sign of trust."

Wu Gui nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, and the others felt a deep sense of resonance, quickly following the instructions of the veteran masons to learn the trade with proper posture.

When had those masons ever witnessed such a spectacle?

That was the Prince of Qi himself! Who could believe a prince would labor alongside the lowliest artisans, and do so with such dedication and ease?

"Ah, I actually managed to stick this brick down!"

At that moment, Zhao Luoying was no longer the imposing General Zhao, but merely an ordinary young girl.

Qin Xuan glanced over and saw that the wall Zhao Luoying had laid was crooked, but fortunately, the cement possessed sufficient adhesion; despite the misalignment, the wall was temporarily standing.

After experimenting for half an hour, the group finally ceased their efforts.

"Alright, since everyone has had a taste of the work, let's go observe the true craftsmanship of the master masons!"

Qin Xuan said with a smile.

As it turned out, while the nobles and officials were experimenting, the other masons had continued laying bricks nearby.

Comparing the two sides, the handiwork of Qiu Xingzhi and the scholars was utterly atrocious.

"With the walls this thin, are they truly sturdy?"

Zhao Luoying noticed that the masons had laid the bricks vertically to form a single-thickness wall, prompting her to voice her concern.

Qin Xuan smiled and instructed Du Manjiang, "Manjiang, go test it and see if you can push it over."

At these words, everyone looked astonished. Zhuge Xuan even tried to stop him, saying, "Your Highness, this wall has only been finished for half an hour. How could it possibly withstand a push from General Du?"

"How will we know unless we try?"

Qin Xuan glanced at Gao Xiong, and seeing the latter nod slightly, continued, "Besides, today is also meant to be a test of the cement. Go ahead and push."

"Your Highness, if I knock it down, you mustn't punish me later."

Du Manjiang grew eager; after all, everyone possessed a streak of curiosity.

Qin Xuan smiled. "Rest assured, if it falls, we'll simply rebuild it."

"Very well, then I won't hold back!"

Du Manjiang let out a roar, pressed both palms against the wall surface, channeled his full strength in a sudden burst, and shouted, "Fall!"

"Old Du, put some actual effort into it!"

Ning Yuanfeng urged from the side.

"I'm using every ounce of strength I have, dammit!" came Du Manjiang's teeth-gritting voice. Only then did the onlookers notice that his face had long since turned red from exertion, yet he could not budge the thin wall by even a fraction.

"General Du, you aren't pulling our leg, are you?"

Zhuge Xuan found it incomprehensible. How could a wall built a mere half-hour ago, and so thin at that, have already solidified and proven so sturdy?

"Military Advisor, why don't you come and try it yourself?"

Du Manjiang exhaled heavily and withdrew his hands in resignation. "This cement is truly uncanny. How can it solidify so firmly in such a short time?"

Zhuge Xuan hurriedly waved his hands; as a scholar, how could his physical strength compare to that of a seasoned military general?