"Zhang Kui, mountain spring water may be good, but when it rains or something happens, the water gets muddy and carries in a lot of sand and silt.
"There are also poisonous bugs, mosquitoes, and such mixed into it. Drinking too much of that water will make people sick.
"So when the water in the first pool flows downstream into the second, some of the sand and silt will settle at the bottom of the first pool.
"More will settle in the second pool. That way, after passing through three or four pools, the water will be much clearer and cleaner.
"We've left pipe openings in these pools. All we need to do is connect the pipes.
"Once the water reaches the camp, we'll first supply the latrines, bathing tents, and kitchen. We also need to build a few laundry pools..." Tang Wen said.
I'll also have to add disinfectant and such. This should count as the simplest possible water purification system, he thought.
Of course, once he had more people, he would definitely have to build a waterworks.
For now, his funds would not allow it, and he had no electricity. It was only a pipe dream.
Next, they began installing the large pipes.
These were simple to install. Even these people from ancient times picked it up quickly.
Many hands made light work. With over a hundred people working, Tang Wen ran up and down, directing the work on-site.
The septic tank had already been built, and the faucets, laundry troughs, and washbasins had been connected.
The latrines were sheds assembled from plastic-steel panels. This prefabricated structure only needed screws to hold it together, making it simple and easy to learn.
This made cleaning convenient and kept everything looking clean. Tang Wen had brought the squat toilets and other fixtures directly across worlds.
They finished installing everything in three days. On the fourth day, they dammed the stream with sandbags.
Before long, water gushed from the faucets into the laundry troughs, leaving everyone staring with their jaws hanging open.
Even the adults could not resist running over to turn the faucets on and off and rinse their hands.
People even queued outside the latrines, all wanting to try the squat toilets.
The shower rooms were ready too. The showerheads had these people from ancient times exclaiming in wonder, and everyone got another taste of washing under running water.
"They work well, really well!" Zhan Dongwen lavished praise on them after taking a shower.
"So comfortable, really comfortable. They wash you so clean, and sprinkling on floral water leaves you smelling lovely too." Zhan Junru was just as full of praise.
Gu Hanyan showed no particular reaction, but Tang Wen could tell she was quite curious too.
Of course, with these facilities available, Tang Wen installed self-contained, simple bathrooms separately in his bedroom, his office, and his mother's quarters.
By the time all this was done, he had used up almost all of his thousand-plus tons of cement.
"The master is practically an immortal," Ge Ziyun said to Gu Hanyan in a corner.
"Yes, he's produced all sorts of strange things," Gu Hanyan said with a nod.
"You haven't been to my training ground yet, have you? There are quite a few iron horses there.
"There are also bottles that shoot fire. They're incredibly miraculous and very convenient to use.
"With the help of Marrow-Washing Pills and Foundation-Nourishing Pills, I got over twenty fellows into the tenth-rank realm in just two months. A few have even entered the ninth grade realm," Qiao Xiao said, his face full of admiration.
"Yes, I understand him less and less. The master is too clever. He might have been a master of mechanisms before," Ge Ziyun said admiringly.
"And we've lived so happily during these two months with him. We eat our fill every day and have warm clothes to wear. The master truly is an extraordinary man," Qiao Xiao said.
"Don't you find it strange? Those odd iron horses that crush stone, crush sand, and flatten roads.
"Oh, and that huge thing can actually dig up rocks and earth. It's so fast. One scoop brings up a great heap.
"And where did he bring back that stuff called cement from? Have you ever seen him transport it?" Gu Hanyan asked.
"That's called an excavator. It drinks a black, foul-smelling liquid, and it's another kind of iron horse. Strange indeed. Could the master know magic?" Ge Ziyun said with a nod.
"The master said those are all things from the Western Lands," Qiao Xiao said.
"We saw things from the Western Lands in West Lake City before. They must have come from the Western Lands, of course, but the Western Lands are so far from here. How did he bring them over?" Gu Hanyan asked.
"Yes, the things in the warehouse seem inexhaustible," Ge Ziyun said with a nod.
"Could the master know the legendary Mountain-Moving Art?" Qiao Xiao asked.
"It's possible. Some sorcerers, for example, command ghosts to move things," Ge Ziyun said.
"That might be it. The Corpse-Driving Art works much the same way, for instance," Gu Hanyan said with a nod.
"Heh, if only the master would teach me the Mountain-Moving Art someday," Qiao Xiao said enviously.
"Qiao Xiao, don't make such excessive demands of the master. We're servants, and servants must know their place," Gu Hanyan said sternly.
"Mistress, has the master been taking advantage of you?" Qiao Xiao asked.
"No. Although Junru, he, and I share a tent, the inside is partitioned with boards," Gu Hanyan said, shaking her head as her cheeks reddened slightly.
"If he dares take advantage of you, I'll fight him to the death," Qiao Xiao snorted.
"The master shouldn't be that sort of man. Otherwise, I'd fight him to the death too," Ge Ziyun said with a nod.
"By the way, Zi Yun, did the master put you in charge of the accounts?" Gu Hanyan asked.
"Yes, he handed the accounting work over to me a few days ago," Ge Ziyun replied.
"Do a good job. Look, the master has so many household servants and so much property, but he still needs a steward," Gu Hanyan said.
"I certainly won't get to be steward. Look how well the master treats Zhan Junru. He'll probably take her as a concubine someday. When that happens, the steward's position will go to Zhan Dongwen." Ge Ziyun sounded somewhat dejected, and he glanced at Gu Hanyan.
"What are you looking at me for? If he wants to take me as a concubine, he can forget it," Gu Hanyan snapped, glaring at him.
"I wouldn't dare. A young lady of your standing-even if the master is a baron, he isn't worthy of you," Ge Ziyun said.
"Haven't I told you not to call me young lady? There may be no outsiders here, but I'm afraid you'll let it slip sometime." Gu Hanyan's expression hardened.
"Understood." Ge Ziyun nodded.
"Yes, adviser. If the master learns of the mistress's identity, he might develop evil intentions. Then we'd be in trouble," Qiao Xiao said.
"Ah... what a pity he isn't worthy. Otherwise, it wouldn't be bad for the mistress to marry him," Ge Ziyun said with a nod.
"Stop imagining things. I'll never marry in this lifetime. The only reasons I've held on to life until now are to take revenge and look after my younger brothers and sisters," Gu Hanyan said.
"Of course. But, mistress, our enemy is too powerful. We must take our time with revenge. Otherwise, we'll bring utter ruin upon the Gu Family," Ge Ziyun said.
"Naturally. If this place weren't remote and a good place to hide, I would never have resigned myself to being his maidservant," Gu Hanyan snorted.
"Let's stay here for now. Once we have strength and money, we can buy our freedom. Please bear with it for now, mistress. This status as a maidservant is only temporary," Qiao Xiao said.
"Of course. He isn't worthy of being my master," Gu Hanyan said with a cold laugh.
"But the master's medical skills really are miraculous," Ge Ziyun said.
"There's a Gongsun Lineage in the martial world. Every ten years, that lineage produces a formidable master of mechanisms and a divine physician.
"They can make wooden horses that run, iron steeds, and such.
"The current King of Mechanisms, Gongsun Wuji, is a prime example.
"I've been wondering whether the master became a disciple of the Gongsun Lineage," Qiao Xiao said.
"That's possible too," Ge Ziyun said.
"If the master became Gongsun Wuji's heir, he would be worthy of the mistress," Qiao Xiao said.
"Enough of this. Let's disperse. Staying out too long will arouse suspicion." Gu Hanyan waved a hand, and the three quietly went their separate ways.
Ding-dong! Your popularity index has dropped by 3.
Just then, the wooden bracelet trembled, and a voice rang out.
"My popularity dropped? Why?" Tang Wen was taken aback and checked the Great Landlord Space. Sure enough, his popularity had fallen from 388 to 385.
What exactly caused this? Could three of the people I recruited have betrayed me?
However, the space did not answer Tang Wen's question.
Ding-dong! When your popularity index exceeds 600, the space will condense a tenth-rank popularity eye for you free of charge. When it exceeds 1,000, it will upgrade it to a ninth-rank popularity eye free of charge.
There were perks like this too?
Before you continue