MLMD – Chapter 16 Beginning the Drilling

When Yue Yang said that he intended to organize a Militia (local militia), Wang Shoucheng and the others were first taken aback, then immediately burst into laughter. The current year was the fifth year of the Chongzhen reign, and the notion of “valuing civil pursuits and belittling the military” was still deeply ingrained. Hearing that Yue Yang—a proper xiucai—actually wanted to run a militia left them both astonished and contemptuous.

As for Yue Yang’s request that amounted to “self-destruction of status,” the three naturally had no objection. Wang Shoucheng was the first to speak: “Since Nephew Yue has such intentions, the few of us elders will certainly support you. As for the matter of the Military Preparedness Commissioner of Datong Prefecture, we can help smooth the way for you. It’s just this matter of digging canals and diverting water…”

Yue Yang smiled faintly. “Once the appointment from the Military Preparedness Commissioner and the fifteen hundred taels of gold arrive, Yue Yang will naturally agree to dig canals and divert water from the Sanggan River for you all.”

Wang Shoucheng was overjoyed and immediately pressed, “Is that truly so?”

“Absolutely true,” Yue Yang replied with great certainty.

“Good! Then we three will take full responsibility for this matter!”

What Yue Yang had originally thought would be difficult to negotiate was decided on the spot. Of course, Wang Shoucheng and the others were not afraid that Yue Yang would go back on his word afterward.

Before the modern era, whether in the Ming or Qing dynasties, merchants and gentry shared a common trait: they placed great importance on keeping their word. No matter how greedy or ruthless a merchant or gentryman might be, they all adhered to this shared code. Once someone lost his credibility, it meant he could no longer survive within that circle and would be despised by all his peers, for no one would associate with a person who had lost his integrity. As for why, with later social progress, this virtue—one that should have been preserved—was forgotten by most merchants, that was beyond what Yue Yang could know.

Seeing that Yue Yang and the three families had reached an agreement, Zheng Fakui finally let out a long breath. “Good. Since everyone has already settled matters, today’s business can be considered concluded. This official has also fulfilled Old Brother Wang’s request.”

As he spoke, Zheng Fakui lifted his teacup, though he did not drink. Instead, he lightly stirred the tea leaves with the lid. Yue Yang recognized this gesture—it was called “raising tea to see off guests,” meaning the host had nothing more to say and was politely telling you to leave.

Well, since he was being ushered out, Yue Yang naturally would not linger. He stood up again, cupped his hands toward Zheng Fakui, and said softly, “Very well. Since matters have been discussed, this junior will take his leave.” With that, Yue Yang turned and walked toward the main hall’s entrance.

“Safe travels. No need to see you off.”

Zheng Fakui said this indifferently without even raising his head. By this point, the slight goodwill he had once felt toward Yue Yang had completely vanished. In his view, Yue Yang—a xiucai who had finally earned scholarly credentials—actually lowering himself to run a militia was an utter disgrace to the scholarly world. In other words, Yue Yang’s life was effectively finished; he would never advance further in the imperial examinations. No examiner would ever promote such a student.

Yue Yang, however, knew nothing of this, nor did he care to know. He walked out of the prefectural yamen with light steps. Once outside the gate, he saw Shun Bao and Hu Laosan and the other household retainers anxiously waiting in a corner to the left.

As soon as Yue Yang appeared, Shun Bao hurried up and asked, “Young Master, you’re out! How did it go?”

Yue Yang did not answer immediately. He took the reins handed to him by Hu Laosan, clumsily mounted the horse, and said in a low voice, “Let’s go. We’ll talk after we’re back.”

“Hyah—”

With a squeeze of his legs, Yue Yang urged the horse forward, and it galloped off ahead…

After traveling for several more hours, by the time dusk fell, Yue Yang and his party finally returned to Yue Family Manor. Upon arriving, he immediately went to see the old matriarch and reported everything that had happened that day in detail.

The old matriarch closed her eyes slightly. After listening to Yue Yang’s report, she sighed softly and said with earnest gravity, “Grandson, since you’ve already made your decision, Grandma will no longer interfere. But remember this: every decision you make concerns the future of Yue Family Manor and even Five-Li Stronghold. From today onward, Grandma will no longer concern herself with the affairs of the manor. You are now the new head of the Yue family.”

“Grandma…”

Looking at the white-haired old matriarch, Yue Yang felt both his shoulders and his heart grow heavy. An invisible weight of pressure and responsibility descended upon him just like that…

Early the next morning, Yue Yang led Yue Laifu, Shun Bao and his father, along with over a dozen household retainers, to the courtyard on the western side of the manor. Pointing at a large pile of items lying in the grass, he said, “Steward Yue, immediately send people to move all these things outside the manor. Starting today, we’re officially getting to work.”

Looking at the strange pile of steel contraptions scattered in the grass, everyone was utterly baffled. Yue Laifu asked in shock, “Young Master… th-this… what is all this stuff? How did it get here?”

Yue Yang waved his hand decisively. “You don’t need to ask. Just do as I say.”

These things that lay on the ground like piles of junk were two sets of small positive-circulation drilling rigs and two tons of diesel fuel that Yue Yang had purchased from the modern era. The reason he had agreed to dig canals and divert water from the Sanggan River for Wang Chenglin and the others was precisely because he had these two sets of equipment. A couple of days earlier, just moving them through the gate between worlds had nearly exhausted him to the point of breaking his back.

“Yes!”

Faced with Yue Yang’s orders, Yue Laifu naturally had no choice but to obey. He called over dozens of household retainers and more than ten carts pulled by donkeys and oxen. Together, they pushed and dragged the several-ton machines and dozens of barrels of diesel out of the manor. Along the way, they attracted quite a bit of attention from the servants. By this time, the sky had grown dark, and Shun Bao had people light many torches, illuminating the surroundings brightly. Not only were there retainers at work, but many nearby tenant farmers had also gathered. Especially the naked little children, who surrounded the drilling rigs, hopping about and shouting joyfully. The scene was extremely lively.

The two small positive-circulation drilling rigs Yue Yang had brought were standard agricultural products. Since they were agricultural equipment, their characteristics were naturally simplicity and ease of use. Following the instruction manual, Yue Yang led everyone to assemble and fix one of the rigs beside a water channel, which took about half an hour. After installing the alloy drill bit and filling it with diesel, Yue Yang pressed the power switch. Instantly, a rumbling putt-putt echoed through the night.

The sudden roar shattered the surrounding silence and startled the shouting children, who scattered in fright. Some were even scared into crying.

Once the drilling rig began operating, Yue Yang adjusted its settings according to the manual. The rig then started drilling downward at a steady speed of about one meter per hour. As the drill bit bored deeper, piles of yellow earth were continuously expelled from the discharge outlet.

Listening to the roaring engine and watching the earth constantly being spewed out, Yue Laifu, Shun Bao, and the surrounding retainers were all stunned. Such a sight was something they had never seen in their entire lives.

Yue Laifu asked in a trembling voice, “Young Master, th-this… what on earth is this thing? How can it dig and drill so quickly?”

“These are just some little gadgets developed by the Western Folangji people. They’re only used for drilling wells. You’ll understand in time,” Yue Yang replied. Faced with the gazes filled with excitement, astonishment, and even fear, he could only repeatedly use the excuse he had long prepared to brush everyone off…