With the deed in hand, the auspicious day had arrived.
Da Zhuang led over ten villagers to the site of Li Yao's new home, ready to start digging the foundation.
The propitious moment had come.
After Li Yao dug the first spadeful, Da Zhuang led everyone to get busy.
For Li Yao's family to build such a big house, Wang Jiafu as the village chief would definitely come to take a look. Li Yao also had a lot that she needed the village chief's help with.
"I've already talked with the people firing the green bricks. In a few more days, they'll be able to start delivering them," said the village chief. "Since you need a lot, I got them to give you a discount, at two cents per brick. It'll save quite a bit when calculated."
"Thank you for going through the trouble."
This village chief really knew how to manage things.
"We're all one family, no need to stand on ceremony," said Wang Jiafu with a soft sigh as he looked at the dozens of busy villagers. "These dozen or so are lucky to be helping build your house. Your family is also providing meals, so they can earn a bit to buy food and provide for their families. But other families... Ah, I'm afraid they won't be able to make it through this winter. Don't even think about next year — they'll probably all have to flee the famine. Not many will be left in the village."
Seeing his worried expression, Li Yao silently shook her head.
It was said that those who live on a mountain live off the mountain.
The large mountain behind He Wan Village was filled with unknown resources. It was just that people's horizons were limited and they didn't know any better for now.
"Village Chief, it's not that difficult."
"Ah?"
Wang Jiafu's eyes widened.
With over a thousand villagers, they needed at least a few hundred catties of grain per day. How could this not be difficult?
The fields were cracked and seeds sown would be wasted. How could this not be difficult?
"I have a way for everyone to be able to plant grain."
"Really?" Wang Jiafu couldn't help his heart from racing. "What method do you have?"
"It still relies on digging wells."
The northern winters were dry enough. If each village dug a well, it would ensure there was water for sowing in early spring.
With He Wan Village backed by such a large mountain range, there definitely wouldn't be a lack of groundwater either. Using it to irrigate thousands of mu should be no problem.
"Village Chief, if you believe me, then gather the villagers. We can start work today. My family's Da Zhuang doesn't have time or manpower to spare, so I'll provide the funds to reinforce the well." Li Yao said, "If you don't believe me, then forget I mentioned it."
"I believe you!"
They had reached this point. Even if he didn't believe, he had to give it a try.
What if it did work?
So the village chief immediately returned home and climbed up the big tree in his yard. He cleared his throat and started yelling.
"Everyone listen up! Send someone to my home right away for an important discussion!"
"Every household must send someone!"
...
Before long, someone from every household had arrived.
But when they heard it was about digging a well and relying on well water to grow grain, not a single person believed it.
"A single well's worth of water is probably not even enough to water one mu of land."
"That's right, we can't exactly dig a well by every plot of land."
"This Li Yao must be struck with foolishness again to think of such a rotten idea."
"Who are you calling foolish?" Wang Xueshi immediately yelled when she heard this. "You're so smart, yet still poor enough to eat chaff!"
"Alright, stop arguing and listen to me!"
The village chief quieted everyone down and said, "Digging the well this time requires money if you have it, labor if you can provide it, but it is not mandatory. If you are willing to contribute either, come join. If not, that is fine too. However, after the well is dug, families who did not participate in digging the well cannot use the well water! Is that clear?"
As village chief, Wang Jiafu still held considerable prestige in He Wan Village.
With his statement, the previously disgruntled villagers all shut their mouths and stopped speaking.
"Our family agrees to dig the well."
At this time, Wang Yuancai stood up.
He was the village chief's eldest son. His family ran a stewed food stall and owed Li Yao a huge favor, so he had to be the first to stand up and support Auntie Li's and his father's decision.
"Our family will naturally participate," Wang Xueshi quickly followed, representing the Wang family ancestral home. This was the daughter-in-law's idea, so she had to show her support.
Fang Mingchuan soon also said, "The Fang family also agrees."
In He Wan Village, the Fang family was a large clan. As the patriarch, Fang Mingchuan also held significant sway.
With the Wang and the Fang families banding together, they now represented over half of He Wan Village.
The remaining were all lesser families and households who mostly followed the greater flow.
"Thankless work," Zhu Yougui said impatiently. "You all can do as you please. I certainly won't go!"
"Anyone else not participating?" Wang Jiafu asked.
The crowd glanced at each other, but no one else spoke up.
And so, only Zhu Yougui's family would not join the well digging effort.
Wang Jiafu had already expected this result and could not be bothered to deal with that lazy Zhu Yougui.
"Then it's decided. Everyone gather at my home this afternoon and we'll start work today."
...
Wang Jiafu called Li Yao over to personally select a location.
The well should not be too far from the fields, but also could not be too close to the river beach. So Li Yao selected an open spot not far from the village entrance.
"How wide should the well mouth be?"
"Best if it's 6 zhang." [1 zhang = 3.33 meters]
The two hundred some people simultaneously gasped.
A 20 meter wide well, how could that still be called a well?
No wonder it required the strength of the entire village. If only a few people or a few dozen worked on it, it would probably take them until next year to finish.
"Alright, let's get to work!"
With twenty to thirty people able to stand and freely move about in a space of 20 meters, and everyone determined to see this through, they made significant progress in just three short days. They started setting up supports outside the well to use a large lever to haul out earth and rocks.
On the fourth day in the evening, they reached the first layer of red stone. That night they reached the second layer, and there was already a lot of water.
They had assumed this would be enough, but Li Yao did not let them stop.
The well depth was not even 10 meters yet at this point, far from enough.
"Keep going."
If Li Yao said to keep going, then they would keep going.
After continuously working another two days and nights, they finally reached the sixth layer of red stone, and the depth exceeded 20 meters. Li Yao felt this was about right.
There was a huge amount of groundwater now that they could barely keep up with baling it out.
Plus without advanced machinery, it would be extremely difficult and dangerous to dig any deeper.
Next was reinforcing the well.
Ideally they should use large stone slabs for a well this big, but there was no time to obtain those. The green bricks Li Yao had ordered happened to arrive, so she had them brought directly to the well to be used first.
The village chief was knowledgeable about this and had prepared slaked lime, glutinous rice, and fine sand ahead of time to make thick mortar. They used the green bricks to line the well walls from the bottom up layer by layer.
To make it convenient for future access, they also built stairs into the well walls, allowing easy access to the well bottom at any time for drawing water or installing a water wheel.
Outside the well opening, they also built the walls over a meter high to prevent people or livestock from accidentally falling in.
After finishing reinforcing the well, they still needed to continuously bail out the well water to allow the walls to dry.
Of course Li Yao did not need to worry about these matters. She was with He Xiaoya, looking forward to the gosling hatching from its egg.