Three Kingdoms: From Hulaoguan to Global Hegemony

Chapter 75
When Liu Yu woke up in the morning, he saw that the ground in the backyard was wet. It didn't rain last night because there was no drainage system in the bathroom, and the waste water flowed directly into the yard.

The yard is low and if it rains heavily, there will be a lot of water. If we can build a few more sewers in the yard, we can solve this problem.

So Liu Yu turned around and went back to the room to draw a design sketch.

When he came to the front yard, he saw that Ma Chao had been working hard in the yard early, and Liu Yu stepped forward to praise him.

"Tu'er has a thorough understanding of the three pieces of cavalry equipment. If you think it's feasible, let's find a craftsman to make a set."

Hearing this, Ma Chao got up to meet him, and was overjoyed when Liu Yu agreed to make a sample, but then showed a hesitant expression.

"These three pieces of equipment involve a lot. If they are learned by outsiders, I'm afraid..."

Ma Chao thought about it for a while and proposed to build it by himself. As for the required craftsman skills, he can go to the blacksmith shop on the street and other places to learn.

Ma Chao's proposal made Liu Yu very surprised. It is really surprising that a super strong general intends to learn the craftsmanship of a craftsman.

However, combining brains with hands can speed up the upper limit of IQ.

In addition, most of the craftsmanship of craftsmen is passed down from generation to generation, but as long as they are willing to pay, I believe there will be many blacksmiths and carpenters who are willing to teach them all.

"I didn't expect Ma Chao's enthusiasm for invention and innovation to be so high. If so, let's hand over the construction of sewers!"

Thinking of this, Liu Yu handed over the blueprint to Ma Chao, and said, "This drawing is a set of drainage ditches. Find some craftsmen to instruct them to build it as soon as possible."

"The second one is a new type of water-flush toilet improved for the teacher. Aren't you going to learn the craft? Just use this thing to practice your hands!"

When Ma Chao heard that it was a toilet, he was a little reluctant to accept it, but after reading the markings on the drawings, he realized that the flush toilet was much more complicated and magical than imagined.

And the other set of drainage system spreads all over the small courtyard, which not only prevents the courtyard from accumulating water, but also connects to the bottom of the toilet, allowing the feces to be discharged outside the house through the underground waterway.

It was the first time he had seen such a meticulous design drawing, and he seemed to see the master's good intentions while being shocked.

"I understand that the master wants to use these two things to remind me that inventions come from life, and innovation can be seen everywhere. As long as you discover carefully, there are ideas for invention and creation everywhere around you."

Ma Chao was so excited as if he had found some kind of trick, and he admired the master's unique teaching method.

But in fact, Liu Yu built the toilet to avoid the unpleasant smell in the bedroom every day, and built the sewer to prevent mud from being stepped on when going out in rainy days.

It's just that as a teacher, of course he can't tell his true thoughts, so Liu Yu chuckled and praised: "The apprentice can immediately understand the good intentions of being a teacher. It's really something for a child to teach!"

After casually throwing the blueprint in his hand to Ma Chao to take full responsibility, Liu Yu went out of the house and went straight to Luoyang West Market.

Yesterday when Ma Chao was apprenticed to his teacher, he brought an invitation card. It was the former general Xu Rong who wanted to entertain Liu Yu this morning.

Xu Rong is a former general who is also responsible for guarding Luoyang city defense, and he controls [-] Xiliang elites.

He was Liu Yu's first recruitment target after he entered the city, as long as he was dealt with, Dong Zhuo's strength would be greatly weakened.

So Liu Yu must go to Xu Rong's banquet.

Since it's going to a banquet, it's not good to go empty-handed, and Xu Rong sent Ma Teng a generous gift the day before yesterday, so Liu Yu decided to go to the West Market to buy some rare things.

During the prosperous period, Luoyang West Market was also known as the paradise of the rich, because as long as you have money, you can buy all the luxuries in the world here.

It's just that Luoyang City is currently in a period of food shortage, so not many people should come here to spend a lot of money.

When he arrived in West City, Liu Yu realized that he was wrong. He saw a lot of butler-like figures in ordinary clothes but walking with their heads up, constantly going in and out of various shops.

Liu Yu knew that these people looked ordinary, but they were actually housekeepers and nursing homes in high-ranking officials' mansions. They must have come here to search for treasures for their masters.

Liu Yudun was surprised by such a lively scene, and thought that the West Market did not seem to be affected much by the food price problem.

Compared with the depressed East City, this is really a world of difference.

"Could it be that the lack of food in Luoyang is just a superficial phenomenon, and it doesn't have much impact on the powerful princes, ministers and merchants!"

Just as Liu Yu was thinking about this question, Cui Di walked over from a jade shop.

"My lord, you are here. I have selected a few high-quality jade articles, and please have a look at them!"

This jade shop is owned by Cui Di, he invited Liu Yu to the inner room and brought a bag of jade which is more popular nowadays.

Liu Yu glanced at it briefly and asked him to pack it.

"By the way, how much food reserves do you and Zhou Fang have?"

Cui Di didn't dare to hide it, and replied: "There is a farm outside Zhou's city, even if it supplies the guards of the Habayashi Army, it can last for a month. As for my family's food storage, if I don't change it for ten days, I'm afraid I won't be able to solve the problem."

Liu Yu was even more puzzled when he heard the words. Since rich households like the Cui family have reached such a point, why is the West Market still so prosperous?And looking at the customers in this jade shop, it can be regarded as an endless stream.

After listening to Cui Di's explanation, Liu Yu realized that this seemingly prosperous scene was an illusion.

The real situation is that the mysterious wealthy businessman who drove up the price of grain especially liked antique jade wares. He asked the middleman to say that it is best to use rare and valuable antique jade wares instead of copper coins in future grain transactions.

Therefore, many rich families who are short of food want to find middlemen to buy food, they have to go to the West Market to find some rare treasures as bargaining chips.

Copper coins depreciate and are heavy and difficult to transport. They are changed to expensive antiques. One can be worth tens of thousands of copper coins, and there are rich people who love antiques in the world.

It seems that this mysterious rich businessman is really a very wise man.

Later, Liu Yu also learned that Cui's family will go to a middleman to order food with several wealthy households in five days.

The so-called middlemen are actually just the porters of the mysterious rich businessman, but Liu Yu feels that if he wants to find out who is behind the scenes, he still has to start with these middlemen.

Just when Liu Yu wanted to ask more about the middlemen, he heard a few people scolding from outside.

"Why is the emerald horse I ordered yesterday gone? Quickly call your boss!"

There is only a chain between the inside and the outside, and Liu Yu heard the man's yelling clearly, and it happened that there was a jade horse in the package that Cui Di gave him.

"Since someone ordered it, I won't take this jade horse."

Although Liu Yu didn't mean to blame him, Cui Di hurriedly explained.

He said that the person who ordered the emerald horse was the steward of Situ's mansion.

Liu Yu asked curiously: "Could it be that Situ's mansion is also short of food and wants to exchange some jade wares to trade food?"

Cui Di shook his head, and replied: "The expenses in Situ's mansion are directly distributed by the palace. How can there be a shortage of food? It's just because Situ Wangyun likes jadeite very much, so he sends people to the West City every day to find goods!"

Wang Yun is regarded as the leader of the royalist faction, and he often talks about the sufferings of the people on weekdays, but when Luoyang is short of food, he still does not forget his luxury and hobbies, which makes Liu Yu's opinion of him plummet.

And Wang Yun in history also used tricks to get rid of Dong Zhuo and became supercilious, and he wanted to imitate Dong Zhuo and coerce the emperor to command the princes.

So it seems that there are no real loyal ministers in the court at the end of Han Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)