Chapter 456: 4 rumors about Ming Dynasty showers

Chapter 456: 4 rumors about Ming Dynasty showers

Chapter 456: Rumors about Ming Dynasty Shower
As the sun rises, the temperature gets hotter and hotter.
The military tent was like a furnace; even if it was filled with ice, the temperature could not be reduced.

Since Lu Yunyi arrived, he has been hunched over the desk, looking at the documents in his hand one by one, writing quickly with a serious expression.

These days are the days for soldiers to rest. Although there is no training, there are still many military affairs to do.

Although the battle is over, the soldiers still have to eat, drink, defecate and urinate.
Regarding the rewards after the event and the treatment of the incoming wounded,

The replenishment of military equipment and food fodder are issues that the commander of an army needs to consider.

Moreover, only two hours had passed.

Lu Yunyi had already read no less than five documents regarding increasing the infrastructure in the military camp.

What he was holding in his hand now was the document stating that the water tank was insufficient due to the hot weather.

There are now 3,000 men in the barracks, and nearly 5,000 war horses.
The military quartermaster said frankly that it was not a big deal if people were injured by the heat, but it was a big deal if horses were injured by the heat, and the court would be held accountable.

Nowadays, the military camp uses a lot of water to cool down every day.

Not only were there not enough water tanks, there were not even enough wells.

Lu Yunyi knew that there were many places to get water in Puzikou City. There were wells on the ground and the Yingtianfu River outside. The water was almost endless.
But unfortunately, manpower and transportation capacity were limited, there were only so many water wheels and people, and the amount of water distributed to each military camp was even less.

Therefore, every summer, the smell in the military camp was extremely bad.
It’s not that the soldiers didn’t take a bath, but there was not enough water, and most of the water was used on the war horses.

Moreover, Lu Yunyi felt that the current bathing method was not good because it was too wasteful.

Once you scoop up a scoop of water and rinse yourself from top to bottom, the water will only stay on your body for a few breaths and will not have a good cooling effect.

"Since we can't increase the total amount, we can improve the utilization rate. It would be nice to have a shower."

Lu Yunyi's brows furrowed further and further. He threw away the document in his hand and began to think carefully.

The sprinkler head and water pipe are easy to make, but the difficult part is how to get the water from the ground to the top of the head.

Lu Yunyi grabbed the paper and wrote quickly. Soon, the outline of a water pump appeared on the paper.

But he soon encountered a problem that he had never been able to solve.

Lack of rubber, no seal.

If it cannot be sealed, water will leak or even flow back through the gap between the pump shaft and the pump casing, the gap between the impeller and the pump casing, etc., which will reduce the actual flow rate and head of the pump and fail to deliver water to the top of the head.

“Is there anything that can replace rubber seals?

Intestines? No. They are too durable. Fish bladders? No. They are too expensive.

Woven fabric? No. It's not airtight enough. Beeswax? No. It's too luxurious."

Lu Yunyi thought about it for a long time, but still couldn't find a good solution.

But soon, he realized that he was wrong.

"No, no, the barracks are not buildings, the water tank can be placed high up."

After realizing this, Lu Yunyi almost slapped himself, feeling that he was too stupid.

But soon, he faced a new problem:
"The water tank is placed high up and we have to lift the water upwards. Isn't that a waste of effort? It's better to just flush directly."

"How do we get water from the ground to higher places?"

A quarter of an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and Lu Yunyi still had no clue, so he decided to ask someone else.

"First, come in for a moment."

Gong Xianzhi walked in immediately after hearing this. It was a hot day and the soldiers on duty had to wear armor. At this moment, he was sweating profusely and his cheeks were flushed.

Seeing this, Lu Yunyi reminded: "Remind the brothers to drink more salt water, don't get heatstroke."

"Thank you, sir!"

"Well, go call Wang Shen over."

"Yes!"

Lu Yunyi now has a lot of experience in finding external aid.
If you don’t understand something, just ask an old farmer who is good at farming.

It’s still the same question. The two most important things that ancient dynasties needed to do well were fighting wars and farming.

These two places are also where technology is most concentrated.
The first place where any new thing must be used is the army, and then the fields.

Soon, hurried footsteps were heard outside the tent, and a figure appeared at the entrance of the tent.

Lu Yunyi looked in the direction of the sound and was stunned.

Wang Shen was really dressed like an old farmer. He was thin, dark-skinned, quite old, and his face was full of wrinkles.

More importantly, he was still wearing a sweatshirt for working in the fields, straw sandals on his feet, and a yellowed towel on his shoulders.
There would not be the slightest sense of incongruity if he were thrown among the group of porters and farmers.

"Sir, are you looking for me?" Wang Shen walked in with a nod and a bow. When he smiled, the wrinkles on his face deepened.

"Why are you dressed like this?" Lu Yunyi asked helplessly.

"My lord, it's hot, and it's time for a day off, so I'm not wearing armor. Wearing this, I'll be cool!"

"Where did you get this dress?"

Wang Shen laughed again after hearing this:
"Sir, you may not know this, but this is what I bought ten years ago. It is very sturdy and I have been wearing it all the time."

Lu Yunyi held his forehead with one hand and closed his eyes helplessly:
"Didn't the army give you any reward? I remember the exploration team gave out the most reward?"

"It's sent." Wang Shen nodded repeatedly, took two steps forward, and lowered his voice:

"Sir, I have more than 200 taels!"

Lu Yunyi's eyes suddenly widened:
"Then why are you still wearing these tattered clothes? Change them for me now!"

"Sir, this shirt is very good, please take a look." Wang Shen pretended to pull half of the shirt over and pulled it hard.
"Swish." A crack spread from the lower part, and a few drops of sweat dripped.

The military tent suddenly fell into silence.

Lu Yunyi felt his scalp itchy and there seemed to be a fire burning in his chest.
"You are an officer now, you have a lot of money, don't suffer for nothing.
After two years of fighting hard, we are still living the same hard life as before. Isn't it a waste of war?"

"Hehehehe." Wang Shen didn't say anything, just laughed.

Seeing that he didn't listen to his advice, Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"Okay, okay, I called you here to ask you if there is anything in the field that can carry water to higher places."

"High up?" Wang Shen looked confused. "Sir, how high is it?"

Lu Yunyi thought for a moment and said, "Probably about ten feet high."

Wang Shen thought for a moment and replied:
"Sir, the scoop, the lever, and the keel waterwheel can all draw water from the river and deliver it directly to the fields."

Lu Yunyi suddenly laughed, as expected.

“Which one is convenient, fast and sustainable?”

"The keel waterwheel. In the past, when we needed to irrigate the fields, we would use the keel waterwheel from the government office. It was very convenient and could be moved around at will."

"Can you still move?"

Wang Shen nodded repeatedly and said with a smile:
"Sir, when watering the land, you can't just water one spot, you have to move it around."

"How do you get water? Is it hydraulic or human power?"

"It's all right. People can step on it, or if the water is flowing fast, you can just flush it.

I was so busy that I sometimes had to borrow a mule to pull the millstone. It was just like pulling a millstone. "

After hearing this, Lu Yunyi once again confirmed in his heart that the wisdom of the ancients should not be underestimated.

"Okay, I understand. Let's go down."

"Yes!" Wang Shen smiled, turned around and walked out.

Lu Yunyi looked at his back and reminded him, "Buy some clothes and go out for a walk."

"I understand, sir."

After he left, Lu Yunyi shook his head.

Nowadays soldiers are particularly simple and honest. They are reluctant to eat or spend the money they earn, and always save it as if they will not get paid tomorrow.

Speaking of this, Lu Yunyi suddenly remembered that he had been in the army for so many years, but it seemed that he had not received any salary since the war started.

Lu Yunyi quickly put this thought behind him and shouted:

"First, call Wang Xue over."

"Yes, my lord!"

Soon, quartermaster Wang Xue arrived.

During this period, Lu Yunyi had already listed the tools that would be used and the parts that might be used, filling up a whole sheet of paper!
But soon, he looked up at Wang Xue, his expression suddenly became strange.
"Why are you dressed like this?" Wang Xue also looked like a laborer.
He was wearing a sweatshirt, had muscular body, dark skin, and a white headscarf on his head.

"Sir, the weather is too hot. It's better to dress like this to keep cool."

"You don't have to stay in the camp all day. Yingtian City has a special ice room. If that doesn't work, you can go to the teahouse. It's much cooler there."

Wang Xue's face darkened: "Sir, the military accounts have not been settled yet."

Lu Yunyi was stunned, and then comforted:
"It's hot in the summer so it's good to sweat more. Remember to stay hydrated. Don't be stingy with the salt and sugar in the army. Mix it with water and drink as much as you want."

Wang Xue's face darkened: "Sir, there are too many accounts, and the Quartermaster Department is short of staff."

Lu Yunyi suddenly regretted asking him to come.

"Alright, alright. Overcome the difficulties first. When the follow-up fleet arrives, I will transfer some wounded soldiers to you."

"Sir, there are not many staff in the Quartermaster Department. We will be even busier if we transfer the wounded and take care of them!" Wang Xue was a little anxious.

"Don't worry, the wounded are being taken care of.
The wounded are still in good condition, and some are even disabled. We need to find a place for them to go.
Otherwise, if you stay in the military tent all day, you will have psychological problems sooner or later.

Well, let's settle this. I've asked you to come here today because I want you to do something."

Wang Xue spoke quietly:
"Sir, the army doesn't have enough water trucks, buckets, or even places to take a bath."

"Hey~ I came here to solve this matter.

We can talk about the water truck later. As for the problem of insufficient water buckets and bathing places, I will solve it for you before tomorrow. How about that?"

"Hmm?" Wang Xue's eyes suddenly lit up, "Sir, is it true?"

"Can I still lie to you?" Lu Yunyi handed over the document in his hand:

"Buy these things quickly according to the list above.
Then I ordered the craftsmen in the army to make the things according to the drawings I drew.

By the way, the drawings are just initial ideas.

See if the craftsmen have any new ideas.

As long as the water can be used and the soldiers have enough space to bathe, it can be changed. "

Wang Xue took the document, tilted his head and looked at it for a moment, with a look of doubt in his eyes.
What is this?
There is a large water tank on top, connected to several large pipes. There is a shower head at the back that sprays water downwards, and there are several people standing below.

Wang Xue flipped through the document and found a whole page of parts at the back, which made him confused.
"Sir, what is this?"

"Well, this is called a shower. It can maximize the use of water, and the brothers can wash more cleanly.

When the time comes, ask the groom if the water from people’s baths can be used by horses. If it can, build a pool downstairs to collect all the water.”

Wang Xue was stunned and quickly shook his head: "Sir, those horses eat better than us, so they should not be able to use it."

"Go buy it first, and then ask the craftsmen to make it. We can talk about it after the product is made."

"Yes!"

Although Wang Xue was a little hesitant, he still agreed.

There are too many things in the military today that he doesn't understand, but most of the shocking and useful things are invented by adults.

Today's shower is almost the same, he is familiar with it.

Wang Xue left quickly.

Solved a big problem.

Lu Yunyi also breathed a sigh of relief, took the document and started reading it again.
Time passed, and another hour passed. It was already around two o'clock in the afternoon, when the weather was at its hottest.
The sun shone directly on the military tent, and the ice inside the tent was no longer effective.
Lu Yunyi didn't care about his dignity and took off all his upper body clothes.

He sat back in his chair, as if glued to it.

This made Lu Yunyi miss the weather in Qingzhou very much. Although the winter was freezing, the summer was very cool.

At this time, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the military tent.
Before Lu Yunyi could look up, Zhang Yu, dressed in armor, rushed in:
"Sir, something happened. Feng Yunfang and his guards got into a fight with someone in Biyou Tower.
Someone from Jingzhao Prefecture is here, let's go and take a look."

"what?"

Lu Yunyi was confused for a moment, but soon his brows furrowed and he stood up suddenly!

Biyoulou is a teahouse located on Honggu Street in the central city of Yingtian, with cheap prices.

Because it is close to the Imperial College and the Small Parade Ground, many scholars and soldiers come here to escape the summer heat.

At this moment, the sun shines obliquely on the bluestone pavement of Honggu Street, steaming with heat.

Today, Biyou Tower was in a state of chaos contrary to its usual behavior. Even the entrance was crowded with over a hundred people watching the fun.

Inside the teahouse, the originally orderly layout was gone.

The exquisite carved wooden chairs were roughly overturned, and tables, chairs, and benches were scattered all over the floor, with some fruits and vegetables mixed in.

The air was filled with the aroma of tea and a subtle hint of tension.

A team of personal guards headed by Feng Yunfang, dressed in black and agile, controlled the situation firmly like a group of cheetahs.

Their eyes are sharp like eagles, their faces are stern,

More than a dozen people were pinned to the ground, unable to move.

These people's faces showed either fear or anger, but without exception they had lost their former arrogance.

Not far away, the yamen runners of Jingzhao Prefecture formed a circle, hesitating to step forward to interfere.

Their faces were filled with fear. It was obvious that these people were from the military.
How dare these yamen runners step forward?

Outside, diners huddled together, all looking out to get a glimpse of what was going on.

Their faces were filled with curiosity and surprise, and they were talking to each other in low voices.

The originally cool room suddenly felt hot and restless.

Feng Yunfang's face was as cold as ice, and his eyes were flashing with coldness.

Like an angry lion, it grabbed the neck of a burly man and lifted him up easily.

"Tell me, where did the rumor come from? Whose orders are you following?"

The big man's feet left the ground, kicking helplessly in the air.
His hands instinctively grabbed Feng Yunfang's arms like iron clamps, trying to break free.

But Feng Yunfang had no intention of letting him go, and he exerted even more force in his palms!

The big man's face quickly turned from red to purple, his eyes widened, and his eyeballs were full of bloodshot.
A low, hoarse "gurgling" sound came from his throat and breathing became extremely difficult.

The surrounding people and yamen runners were frightened by this sudden change and retreated one after another, with horror written all over their faces.

The people covered their mouths with their hands, fearing that any noise they made would bring them trouble.

The bailiffs looked at each other, at a loss as to what to do. It was obvious that they had never encountered such a difficult situation before.

A yamen runner looked at Captain Xing beside him:

"Sir, should we take care of it?"

"Who cares? These are all military personnel. If you don't want to die, then go ahead!"

At this time, Li Fu, the owner of Biyoulou, came out from behind the counter trembling.

The fat body trembled slightly with fear.
With a flattering smile on his face, he said to Feng Yunfang:
"Sir, Sir, our shop is supposed to be a stable business. With all the chaos today, please don't implicate me."

Feng Yunfang pretended not to hear it, and he increased the strength in his hands.

The big man's eyes began to become unfocused, and the whites of his eyes gradually rolled up.

He looked at Li Fu and said, "Boss, I will compensate you for today's loss.
But I also want to know, Biyoulou just allows them to slander the imperial officials, is the Ming Dynasty law just a decoration?"

Li Fu was about to cry, and quickly lowered his voice:
"Sir, this man is the third in command of the Blazing Fire Gang.

With the support of Jingzhao Prefecture behind him, he has always been rampant and unscrupulous. How dare I control him? "

At this moment, the noise created by the crowd outside the door almost stopped in an instant, as if the pause button was pressed.

Everyone in the room cast their eyes over there.
I saw the crowd at the door spreading to both sides.

Some yamen runners armed with long knives rushed over and blocked the flow of people.

A middle-aged man in his forties wearing a blue official robe,
He walked in with the gait of a dragon or a tiger, his face was calm, and his brows revealed an aura of majesty without even being angry.

The egret pattern on his official robe appeared faintly in the light, swaying with his steps, adding a touch of solemnity.

"I am Kong Rui, the magistrate of Yingtian Prefecture. Who is causing the chaos?"

(End of this chapter)