The Canal

After settling Anastasia in, Varro went to the canal construction site in the southern suburbs.

At this moment, construction on the canal has already begun.

Under the scorching sun and amidst the billowing dust, a makeshift track was laid on the burning sand, and a steam-powered excavator roared as it drove along it.

Upon reaching the designated location, the excavator stopped moving, the side-extended bucket slowly lowered, and the bucket, driven by chains, cut into the soil, filling with earth before beginning to rise...

Galileo improved this machine, which had more than thirty buckets mounted on an iron chain. The excavated soil was transported to the outer edge of the canal and piled up to form a long earthen embankment.

Currently, a steam excavator can dig 300 cubic meters of sand per day, which is equivalent to 500 tons.

If it's done manually, in the hot desert environment, a worker can dig 2 cubic meters a day, and is also responsible for loading and transporting. Very few people can actually achieve this target.

"A steam engine team consisted of two operators, two coal shovelers, and eleven support staff, totaling fifteen people, which was equivalent to the efficiency of one hundred and fifty laborers."

Varro did the math in his head: the initial investment in the excavator was quite large, costing two thousand gold coins, but it saved the wages and food of more than a hundred workers.

In the long run, using excavators is cheaper, faster, and the machines don't complain or accumulate debris.

The emperor had specifically reminded them of this point before they set off to rebel.

"After the steam engine was invented, the times really changed."

Not far away, the engineer in charge of the area ran over to Varro and reported the situation, "Your Excellency, the chairman is not here. He took his team south to survey the terrain of Lake Timsah and the nearby depressions. Later, we plan to divert seawater into these depressions to create natural saltwater lakes, saving us about 10-20% of the work."

The chain of command for the construction team is as follows: Board of Directors – Egypt Branch – Engineering Department – Engineers of each section – Construction Team – Laborers.

At the previous preparatory meeting, Varro was expected to become an engineer and direct multiple construction teams.

However, for various reasons, Joseph did not allow Varro to go to the front line of construction, and decided to keep him in the general management department to handle mechanical and logistical issues.

Waaah~

A hot wind swept in from the depths of the desert, and dust billowed into the sky. Varro and the engineer sought shelter in a nearby shed.

A construction schedule was posted on the wall.

The current task is to dig a shallow trench and introduce seawater to create a canal.

Subsequently, steam-powered dredgers will be used at the construction site to excavate the soil below the water surface.

Steam-powered dredgers are essentially like moving an excavator onto a ship; they can carry larger excavators and are more efficient.

The engineer explained to Varro, "In the future, multiple sections will operate simultaneously, with over a hundred land-based excavators and dredgers, equivalent to the efficiency of 20,000 local laborers. If all goes well, the project can be completed in 5 to 7 years."

"It's hard to say."

Varro had reviewed the exploration data and knew that the Sinai Desert was not an absolutely flat area. The northern section was relatively easier, but later on, they might encounter highlands and rocks, which would definitely delay the project's progress. They could only proceed one step at a time.

If this project were so easy to build, it wouldn't have dragged on until now, leaving the main fleet stuck in the Mediterranean Sea for over a hundred years.

August arrived in the blink of an eye, and Varro had adapted to the busy and tiring work at the construction site.

Sometimes, he felt like a quartermaster of a brigade, facing the needs of thousands of people the moment he opened his eyes each day.

Various matters occupied most of his energy, causing him to often talk in his sleep at night, which drew complaints from Anastasia.

"Go live with those excavators."

Varro didn't bother arguing with her, quickly finished his breakfast, grabbed his briefcase, and left.

Today's work was the same as usual.

In the morning, Varro worked on documents in the office building. At noon, he went home for a light meal, followed by a three-hour lunch break, avoiding the hottest part of the day.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, bodyguards escorted Varro to the construction site with umbrellas. The engineer was scolding an operator for carelessly damaging a machine.

"Sir, there are strangers to the north."

At the bodyguard's prompting, Varro picked up his binoculars and spotted a group of unfamiliar clergy. Judging from their attire, they belonged to the Western Church.

What are they doing here?

Varro, accompanied by a herd of camels, went to greet him.

Upon further inquiry, it was learned that the group were pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. Their steamship stopped in Pelusium, and they were visiting the canal project.

During the conversation, a young clergyman caught Varro's attention.

The other person wore a wide-brimmed sun hat, a black robe, and a silver bishop's cross around their neck. They were rather thin, with deep-set eyes, and clearly the type to be deep and thoughtful.

The bishop asked in Latin, "I read your newspaper; this canal requires thirty million Hyperpyron. You are truly wealthy. Also, are these machines the latest developments? What are their economic benefits? How long will it take to complete the canal?"

Varro: "That's a trade secret, I can't tell you."

The bishop forced a helpless smile, about to say something, when he suddenly heard a shout from afar, "Richelieu, the Cardinal is looking for you!"

Varro had never heard of the name before and didn't pay much attention to it.

After seeing off this group of uninvited visitors with unusual identities, he warned the security personnel, "Don't let outsiders near the construction site in the future, especially the maintenance workshop."

The steam excavator was a joint patent of the Royal Society and the Sushnitsyn Machinery Factory. The former provided the blueprints, while the latter was responsible for improvements and the production of the actual machine. Varro devoted a great deal of effort to this project and did not want outsiders to steal the secrets.

More than ten minutes later, he arrived at the repair area.

Here are two rows of tall sheds. The track extends from the construction site to this point, then branches out into several sections, eventually leading to each shed.

Each shed is six meters high and has an open structure, allowing excavators to drive inside.

At this moment, a broken-down excavator is being repaired. It is over 10 meters long, weighs over 30 tons, and is equipped with two...

Two steam engines: one provides power for digging, and the other provides power for movement.

"Steam engine connecting rod wear; main boiler moderately damaged."

The technician, with a pencil and repair slip, recorded the damage to the machine and then had the workers replace the parts with spares.

The disassembled parts are all sent back to the local area for repair by the Sushnitsyn Machinery Factory. Currently, the factory is overwhelmed with orders, so it is outsourcing orders to other companies in the industry for assistance.

Varro had anticipated this situation; his own machinery factory couldn't possibly handle all of the hundreds of machines of various types.

If he insists on keeping the orders in his own factory for his own selfish reasons, it will inevitably delay the overall progress of the project.

Then, the emperor and Prime Minister's wrath will descend!

Bang!

A loud bang came from the direction of the construction site, which Varro was used to.

Workers are using explosives to blast rocks. If the thickness and depth of the rock layers exceed expectations, the canal will choose to detour.

He found a shady spot to sit down and rest, picking up a newspaper to pass the time.

This time, the front page headline is related to war:

The northern Frontier Army achieved a victory, defeating a Ryazan army force of over ten thousand men.

However, the news report stated that the enemy was routed rather than annihilated; the enemy's losses were likely only a few thousand.

Ryazan has a large manpower reserve. As long as the army's organization is intact, they can conscript a group of serfs to fill the vacancies in the legion and restore its combat effectiveness within a few months.

Another advantage of Ryazan lies in its vast territory, which lacks railways and relies mainly on dirt roads, severely limiting the mobility of attacking forces.

The only route for the Eastern Roman Empire Army to penetrate into the heart of Ryazan was along the Don River.

Ryazan anticipated this and built numerous Trace Italienne on the upper and middle reaches of the Don River to prevent the Eastern Roman Empire steamships from traveling upstream.

If the front lines insist on attacking, they can only take down the Trace Italienne along the way, Eastern Roman Empire's current Finance situation, they cannot sustain this for so long.

Varro thought to himself, "In any case, the front line has finally been recaptured. The weather is cold now, and it will snow in the north in a little over two months. I guess we'll have to talk again."

On August 16, Varro arrived at the northern dock of the city to receive supplies transported from the mainland.

During unloading, the captain chatted with him and told him some news, "While we were adding coal in Crete, a naval fleet was docked in the port; they are about to head to Alexandria to collect grain."

Varro wondered if he had misheard, "As usual, the natives come to Egypt to collect grain in June. They've already done it once this year; is this an extra tax?"

After finishing a cigarette, his expression suddenly changed drastically.

The company is sending people to Alexander to purchase grain, with a projected purchase of 3,000 tons. Assuming the navy requisitions or buys back this grain, what will our construction team eat?

Malaka!

Varro handed over the port affairs to his subordinates, and then took a group of staff by train to Suez.

At 3 p. m., the train arrived at the port of Suez.

This place served as the gateway for the Eastern Roman Empire to purchase goods from the East. In recent years, the local demand for grain had been strong, and some grain from Abyssinia (Ethiopia) would be transported by sea from the Red Sea and then sold to the Eastern Roman Empire.

Suez has not yet received any news of grain requisition, and grain prices are stable.

Varro told his staff, "As I instructed on the train, you each need to find local grain merchants and purchase grain. Get this done before prices rise!"

After seeing everyone off, Varro strolled around the dock, observing the hundreds of merchant ships anchored in the harbor.

"Steamships account for only 20%, while traditional sailing ships make up 80%."

Coincidentally, a steamship was unloading grain at the dock. Varro walked over and grabbed a handful of red sorghum grains, plump and round, unlike last year's sorghum.

He immediately demanded to buy the entire batch of sorghum.

The ship owner readily agreed to this business opportunity, offering 24 Hyperpyron per ton.

Varro exclaimed, "So expensive? Are you sure you're not mistaken? You've got sorghum instead of wheat?"

Subsequently, this batch of sorghum will have to pay consumption tax and freight costs, resulting in a higher final selling price.

Varro recalled the retail price at the Constantinople grain store, where citizens could only buy thirty kilograms of the worst-tasting coarse grains for one Hyperpyron.

With grain prices so high, factory workers were used to eating a large lunch at noon so they could eat less when they got home in the evening.

Sensing the buyer's hesitation, the ship owner didn't lower the price, but deliberately feigned impatience. "This is the price, don't think it's too expensive. This grain was transported from the highlands to Massawa, and then from Massawa to Suez. If you insist on lowering the price, I can find other buyers."

The situation was urgent; news of the fleet's requisition of grain could arrive at any moment. Varro argued briefly with the opposing side, but ultimately agreed on a price of 24 per ton.

Hyperpyron bought the sorghum at the price offered.

When signing the contract, the ship owner was quite puzzled. "Your canal company has plenty of money, why are you buying the cheapest grain?"

Varro signed his name at the end, making up a flimsy excuse. "The workers want to drink tonight, so the company decided to buy some grain and brew our own wine to save costs."

The grain purchase continued into the second day, when news of grain requisitions came from the direction of Alexander, and the price of grain increased by 2 to 3 Hyperpyron per ton.

That didn't matter anymore; Varro had practically bought up all the food in the local market, including:

One thousand tons of sorghum, one thousand tons of Barley, six hundred tons of second-grade teff, two hundred tons of India Rice, and a small amount of wheat.

Based on current consumption levels, this batch of grain is enough to last the company until next summer.

"Saving several Hyperpyron per ton of grain, nearly three thousand tons of grain, saves almost ten thousand in funds. I am truly a conscientious and responsible director."

Varro whistled as he walked toward the company office, where he encountered Joseph was covered in dust.

Upon learning that this guy's actions had saved the company a significant amount of money, Joseph praised him, saying, "You did the right thing; every little bit helps. If all management were like you, I wouldn't have to worry about projects going over budget."

In the evening, the cook, as Joseph had requested, served sorghum as the staple food.

This was Varro's first time eating sorghum, and he finally understood why this grain was the cheapest.

The inherent characteristics of sorghum mean it cannot be used to make fluffy bread; it can only be used to make pancakes or porridge.

The chef imitated the Abyssinia method, adding a large amount of sorghum flour to a bowl of water, stirring until very thick, and then adding chili peppers, spices, and other seasonings.

After taking a few bites, Varro changed to a lighter dipping sauce and finished the whole bowl of porridge with a blank expression.

After all, Varro had served in the military, Joseph often worked on construction sites; they were both used to hardship and weren't so picky about their tastes.

Joseph put down the ceramic bowl and asked thoughtfully, "Is Angelo, who's with you, a relative of yours?"

"No. I owe someone a favor; I promised to take care of his nephew."

Angelo was the Eunuch's nephew. He was dark-skinned, thin, and short. He was of average work ability, had no major flaws, but also no major merits.

Given Angelo's unique background, Varro assigned him this sinecure.

After the canal was completed, Varro planned to recommend this man to stay with the canal company and continue to freeload.

The company was huge, and everyone was trying to place their own people there. Joseph had no choice but to change the subject, "Next week, you'll come with me to Cairo to report to the Governor on our recent work."

Varro always thought he was the emperor's man, Joseph was the Prime Minister's man, so there was no reason for them to report to the Governor.

Since Joseph insisted on going, Varro did not object.