Chapter 38: Commencement of Work

Chapter 38: Commencement of Work

"Changqing, thank you for your guidance, Uncle!"

Footsteps sounded from outside as Wei Fangyun's personal attendant returned. "Reporting to the General, the unloading is complete."

Wei Fangyun stood up. "It is getting late; I should be going as well."

"I will see you out."

Coming up from the underground tunnel, Wei Fangyun could immediately see a large number of people lined up in front of the kitchen.

"What are they doing?"

"They are having a meeting," Meng Changqing said. "Setting the rules for the guards."

"Let's go listen."

"...The shifts are divided into three: morning, afternoon, and night. Each shift works for four *shichen* (eight hours), and the three shifts rotate every six days. Make sure to note down which shift your group is assigned to.

Groups one through forty-five, raise your hands if you are in those groups."

Yang Zheng counted the raised hands before continuing, "You will take the morning shift first. Your working hours are from the beginning of the *Mao* hour to the end of the *Wu* hour. Groups forty-six through ninety, you will follow with the afternoon shift, from the beginning of the *Wei* hour to the end of the *Xu* hour. Groups ninety-one through one hundred and fifteen—your shift currently has the fewest people—you will take the night shift, from the beginning of the *Hai* hour to the end of the *Yin* hour."

Wei Fangyun whispered from the side, "Why divide them into three shifts?"

Meng Changqing leaned closer and whispered back, "Uncle, human energy is limited."

Yang Zheng's voice continued, "Since the shifts differ, the meal times will also differ. One *shichen* before your shift begins, go to the kitchen to eat. Two *shichen* after your shift starts, it is the responsibility of your assigned guards to transport each group's food to the construction site. Half an hour after your shift ends, you may go to the kitchen for your third meal."

Wei Fangyun had another concern. "With this eating arrangement, will you have enough grain?"

Meng Changqing replied, "If I don't reach for it, and the soldiers below don't reach for it, then there will be enough to eat."

The imperial court had provided 250,000 *dan* of grain. The laborers could number up to 40,000, but if the grain fell short, Meng Changqing would absolutely write a second letter home.

Currently, one *dan* of grain weighed approximately 125 catties. Calculating for 32,000 people—including both laborers and guards—and without accounting for the initial shortage or the later increase in numbers, a rough division meant each person could receive nearly 1,000 catties of grain.

Averaged out, each person could get 16 catties of grain per day.

Even if they ate their fill, they wouldn't finish it all.

"You can guarantee you won't be greedy, but how can you guarantee your subordinates won't take some?" Wei Fangyun asked.

"I cannot guarantee that," Meng Changqing said. "But I can guarantee that whether they take a little or a lot, if they are caught, they will be killed."

The soldiers near Meng Changqing flinched.

"With matters of state at stake, tens of thousands of people are working day and night for a single purpose. If someone chooses to be greedy at such a critical juncture, they are undoubtedly a spy for the Yan Kingdom," Meng Changqing countered. "Uncle, wouldn't you agree?"

Wei Fangyun nodded. "Your understanding is not wrong."

"The guards in charge of the groups must maintain daily order and, more importantly, ensure no one dares to slack off. Patrols will check your groups at any time. If your management is negligent, it is the reputation of the Magistrate of Hongjia County that will be lost."

With that, Yang Zheng had finished his speech. His gaze fell upon Meng Changqing and Wei Fangyun standing nearby.

Meng Changqing walked to the front of the formation and spoke politely to the soldiers, "Brothers from Hongjia County, once the city walls are completed in the future, every one of you will have contributed. I will report your names to the Liangzhou Prefecture."

In Wei Fangyun's eyes, Meng Changqing's actions were simply inexplicable and chaotic.

Therefore, before leaving, Wei Fangyun said, "Changqing, I will give you ten days. During this time, I will not interfere with whatever you do. However, if the city walls have not reached the required mileage by then, you will hand over power after ten days, and I will send men to take over this matter."

"Understood."

After seeing Wei Fangyun off, Meng Changqing immediately washed up and went to sleep.

The next day, as soon as the *Yin* hour arrived and the sentries outside struck the first gong, Meng Changqing dressed and emerged from the tunnel.

The biting cold made one have to breathe with extra caution.

The guards responsible for the morning shift were shouting to wake people up at the tunnel entrance, "Get up, get up! It's time to eat! Come out and line up!"

Meng Changqing arrived at the kitchen even earlier than the laborers.

This morning, eighty-four pots across three kitchens were being fired simultaneously.

Upon entering the kitchen, she was instantly warmed by the rising steam.

Before entering, Meng Changqing had wrapped herself in a gray cotton padded jacket and covered her face with a scarf, but the people cooking inside weren't even wearing padded jackets.

Those responsible for cooking rose even earlier than the laborers. Although they were mostly just making millet porridge, they had to pound the rice before cooking, which was strenuous physical labor.

Thus, as soon as Meng Changqing entered, she expressed her appreciation for their hard work and asked, "Have you eaten yourselves?"

Those busy in the kitchen this morning included soldiers from Hongjia County, soldiers under Zhang Yuan, and those from Yang Zheng's group—about thirty people in total, responsible for the Left Head.

"Reporting to the official, we have eaten."

The Left Head stepped forward. "Official, shall I serve you a bowl?"

As soon as he spoke, someone else picked up a bowl to serve her.

"No, no need." Meng Changqing stopped the person's hand. "I don't have an appetite yet. The laborers will be here soon; I just came to see if the food is ready."

Meng Changqing checked each kitchen one by one to ensure that the forty-eight pots were filled to the brim with millet porridge.

She then verified with the Left Head how much grain had been requisitioned today and how much firewood and charcoal had been used.

The Left Head was meticulous; he answered all of Meng Changqing's questions fluently, and his answers matched the ledgers for the various supplies.

"Why are you the one managing the kitchen affairs?" Meng Changqing asked finally.

The Left Head lowered his voice. "Originally, my Captain wanted Captain Zhang to be in charge, but I heard in the camp..." He quickly stopped himself and changed his phrasing, "I looked at Captain Zhang's physiognomy, and he doesn't look like an honest official, so it's better that I handle this."

"I didn't realize you could read faces, Brother Left."

"Just trust me, Official."

"Of course I trust you. I'll trouble you to keep an eye on the kitchen, Brother Left. If there are any problems, come to me immediately."

While they were talking, three groups of people had already entered the kitchen.

Though it was not yet dawn, the people waiting outside were holding torches as usual. "Big Brother, are we eating now? Last night's meal was heavy; I'm not even hungry yet."

"Is it bad to have food?" The older brother leaned forward to look. "If you can't finish yours later, give it to me."

Despite saying he wasn't hungry, once the bowl of rice was in his hands, it went straight into his stomach.

After eating, they followed the guards to the construction site. Each group was stationed in different locations—some were digging soil, others were tamping the earth.

On the first official day of work, Meng Changqing watched from the side. Whenever a group was not being diligent, she would step forward and question the guards directly, forcing the guards to take their duties seriously.

With over two thousand people working simultaneously, the construction site became lively instantly. The height of the city walls slowly began to rise, and a trench was being dug where the soil was being extracted from the perimeter.

Inside the underground tunnel, Yu Xing asked her father, Yu Youcai, "Dad, is there no food before work starts?"

"There is porridge to drink," the person who answered her was the guard standing outside the tunnel in charge of their group. "You are on the night shift. You will have porridge in the morning and at noon. When it is your turn, I will come and call you."