The five people were drenched in sweat by the time they finally smashed the small pool.
It was hard to imagine that something so sturdy was actually built with ordinary green bricks and this special kind of concrete.
Several river engineers instantly thought far ahead.
"If this was used to build dams and dikes, how much more sturdy it would be?"
"Madame Li, your invented special concrete is an enormously great contribution!"
"If this could be used on the big rivers, how many people along the banks would avoid so many disasters! It could also be used to build bridges without worrying about collapse."
Li Yao of course knew the extensive uses of cement.
But reality was cruel.
Not to mention the large amount of money she spent to produce a little cement, the main problem was the difficulty in obtaining raw materials.
Just to buy a little iron slag, Wang Yuanguo had to travel very far.
Moreover, the manufacturing equipment was basically non-existent. Therefore, unless there was high-quality steel in the future, and the court took control of the big picture, it would be virtually impossible to build a large cement plant and mass produce cement.
Upon hearing it couldn't be mass produced, the river engineers couldn't help but sigh again and again.
That something so great actually couldn't benefit the world was really a pity.
"But it doesn't matter," the village head said, "I've already reported this to the Song county magistrate. If he petitions the court, maybe it will be mass produced in the future. Li Yao, you may also gain greater merit!"
He also reported it to the Song county magistrate?
Li Yao didn't expect that this old village head was even more enthusiastic than her.
To tell the truth, she didn't want any merit at all. She made some cement just so the dam could be safer.
But it wouldn't be bad if the court valued this.
"Masters," the village head continued, "now that we've verified this special concrete works very well, and the dam foundation is also dug, can we start construction now?"
"We can start officially today!"
Just as He Wan village was exerting all its strength to start building the dam for Li Yao’s reservoir, the Song county magistrate was researching the cement Wang Jiafu had sent over in the backyard of the government office.
According to Wang Jiafu, this seemingly unimpressive grey stuff could make ordinary brick walls extraordinarily sturdy. He had tested it himself, and it was even sturdier than he imagined.
Moreover, this stuff was also created by Li Yao.
He was no longer surprised by Li Yao's abilities now.
However, if this special concrete was really as good as described, it would absolutely be an even greater achievement than digging drought-resistant wells and discovering sweet potatoes!
The borderlands had long suffered from the ferocious barbarians!
The people of the world had long suffered from flooding rivers!
And Daling Country had long suffered from difficult roads!
If this concrete could be mass produced and popularized throughout the world, how could Daling not become prosperous and its people at peace?
Thinking thus, he immediately had people use wooden barrels to hold some, wrapped them in multiple layers of oiled paper to prevent moisture, then personally wrote the usage instructions, and solemnly explained the origin.
But where to send it needed careful consideration.
Yizhou Prefecture could no longer be trusted.
For the merit of a drought-resistant well, Prefect Hu dared to send people to secretly harm Li Yao. For the even greater achievement of cement, who knew what kind of deranged things he would do.
Therefore, this time, he decided to bypass the prefecture and send it directly to the capital city, and have his father find a way to deliver it into the palace.
But thinking of his father's temperament, and prejudices against him, the Song county magistrate also felt vaguely apprehensive.
He was afraid his father would be unwilling to help him do this in order to curry favor and ingratiate himself, so he also wrote a letter explaining the stakes, hoping his father could put aside his prejudices and put the people of the world first.
After seeing off the messenger, the Song county magistrate called over his wife and Zhang the county captain. He now had to make a trip to He Wan village.
...
"Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"
Hundreds of villagers were busily building Li Yao's dam under the guidance of the river engineers.
When the Song county magistrate arrived, he found that the people working here were all so hardworking, even the frail elderly women were unwilling to rest more.
That Li Yao could make everyone so united in effort was truly rare.
Moreover, this nearly 200 meter long enormous dam surprised him even more.
If this dam was completed, even without the drought-resistant wells, He Wan village wouldn't lack water to irrigate the fields even if heaven didn't drop a hint of rain.
If reservoirs like this could be built across the whole country...
The Song county magistrate shook his head. That would be too wishful thinking.
Since the county magistrate had come to see her family's dam, Li Yao naturally could not be negligent. The main reason the Song county magistrate came this time was to discuss the special concrete.
"The special concrete you invented is very good. I've already sent it to the capital city," the Song county magistrate said. "But...the situation in the capital is rather complicated. I don't dare make any guarantees to you."
"It's fine." Li Yao said. "By the way, I gave it a name, cement."
"Cement?" The Song county magistrate muttered it a few times, then smiled. "What a great name! This cement will definitely become a pivotal weapon for our Daling in the future!"
Just as the two were about to continue chatting, a young boy ran over in a fluster.
"Third brother Fang, hurry back! Sister-in-law Liu is giving birth!"
Fang San was the third son of Fang Shian.
His wife Liu had already given birth to a daughter two years ago. This was her second child.
Upon hearing third brother's wife was giving birth, the Fang family members immediately stopped what they were doing and rushed back.
This was the first time Li Yao had encountered someone giving birth since coming to He Wan village. For some reason, her heart felt a little nervous.
In ancient times, giving birth for a woman was like a tug-of-war with death. The slightest inattention could lead to both mother and child losing their lives.
Moreover, Li Yao had seen Liu before. Her belly was larger than a normal pregnant woman's, probably because the fetus was too well nourished. After all, it was natural for Fang San as the youngest son to be doted on.
So although this was Liu's second child, the level of danger would not decrease.
This made Li Yao vaguely uneasy.
Seeing her so anxious, the county magistrate's wife could only gently persuade her.
"Li Yao, there's nothing you can do about this matter," the county magistrate's wife said. "As women, these are thresholds we must pass. If we can't pass, then it's our fate."
"No, there are still methods."
"What methods?"
"Find the blacksmith!"
County magistrate's wife: ...
Song county magistrate: ...
Others: ...
Unable to give birth to a child, one could find a more capable midwife.
But for inability to give birth, going to find a blacksmith...what kind of logic was this?
Li Yao didn't have time to explain. She quickly drew a diagram on paper, then handed it to Wang San: "Hurry to town and have the blacksmith make this according to the diagram. Be quick!"
What she drew was obstetric forceps, a very simple yet extremely practical obstetric tool.
"Have Captain Zhang go instead," the Song county magistrate said. "He can get there and back faster on horseback."
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Holding the diagram, Zhang rode his horse directly to the market town.
He didn't know what was on the diagram, but he knew that trusting Li Yao was right.
After he left, Li Yao kept having Du Xiao Hui keep an eye on Liu's situation, while the Song county magistrate and his wife also remained at her home without leaving.
They wanted to see if Li Yao could turn the tide this time and save a difficult woman.