Chapter 116: The Sixteen Guards

At all times, the power of the government is supreme. Once the massive bureaucratic machine begins to turn, it can exert an extraordinary amount of force in the shortest possible time.

With a single decree from Li Shimin, carts of iron were hauled into Chang'an as if they were free of charge. Every blacksmith in the Guanzhong region was conscripted. Ordinary blacksmiths were assigned simple tasks, such as forging extension rods for well-drilling tools, while master craftsmen were tasked with casting the well-heads and down-well piping.

The most critical component—the soil-extraction tools for the wells—was entrusted to Mo Village. The Ministry of Works had discovered that the soil-extraction tools from Mo Village were exceptionally hard and sharp. The Ministry had attempted to manufacture these tools themselves, but tests revealed that their products would sustain damage the moment they struck rock underground, with serious cases rendering them completely useless on the spot.

Li Shimin waved his hand and assigned the production of these tools entirely to Mo Dun, leaving the Ministry of Works—which had long been coveting the secret smelting techniques of Mo Village—fuming in frustration.

To be honest, compared to the price offered by Li Shimin, Mo Village was barely breaking even on every tool produced. Because Mo Village utilized the formula provided by Mo Dun, the iron they produced was nearly steel; the process required several extra steps, causing costs to skyrocket.

Despite this, Mo Dun had no objections. Instead, he ordered Mo Village to halt all other business and operate at full capacity to manufacture the soil-extraction tools. Under a supply of unlimited materials, Mo Village displayed extraordinary manufacturing efficiency. Relying on various advanced tools, the village’s production capacity kept pace with the combined output of the majority of the blacksmiths under the Ministry of Works, sometimes even exceeding it.

With the completion of the first batch of well-drilling tools, Qin Qiong’s Left Martial Guard was the first to receive orders for disaster relief, deploying to the banks of the Jing River, where the drought was most severe.

"The imperial court has sent soldiers to fight the drought and save us!" The people of Gaoling cheered, waving their arms. Among all those affected by the drought, the people of Gaoling had suffered the most. The seeds planted in the fields had failed to sprout; if they could irrigate now, there was still a chance for the crops to grow.

"Heave!" Four soldiers gripped the handles and pressed down with all their might. A large amount of soil was hoisted up. Each time earth was pulled from the well, the surrounding villagers, who were packed in layer after layer, erupted in cheers. To them, this well was not merely a hole in the ground, but their hope for survival.

Amidst the anticipation, the soldiers felt their blood boil with passion, and they exerted even more strength into their work. Before long, the well was finished. The soldiers of the Left Martial Guard quickly packed up their tools and headed to the next location. They were responsible only for digging the wells; the work of cleaning the wells and watering the fields was left to the owners of the land.

"Water!"

Shortly after the four soldiers departed, cheers erupted from the wellhead and echoed across the fields. Not far away, Mo Dun and Qin Qiong could not help but smile with satisfaction. They had heard such cheers many times, yet they never grew tired of them.

Mo Dun’s visit this time was primarily to deliver a batch of tools to the Left Martial Guard and, incidentally, to complete the task of painting the portraits for the Lingyan Pavilion.

"Mo Dun, you might not believe this, but this is the most glorious day of my military career—more so than any battle I have won," Qin Qiong said, his face full of pride. Throughout his career, Qin Qiong had led troops to kill countless enemies, but he had never imagined that he would one day lead troops in disaster relief to save lives.

"The duty of soldiers is to protect the nation. Is fighting a drought and saving the people not also a form of protecting the nation?" Mo Dun remarked with a sigh.

"Well said!" Qin Qiong laughed heartily, clearly in high spirits.

By noon, the mess cooks had prepared the meals, and the soldiers of the Left Martial Guard ate in shifts. Nearby, villagers slaughtered the only chickens they had left to prepare fragrant meals, but the soldiers merely glanced at them and continued wolfing down their own rations.

"General, this is a token of our gratitude. You gentlemen are all exhausted; you should replenish your strength," an old man pleaded, following behind Qin Qiong.

"Old man! We cannot accept this. We have strict regulations," Qin Qiong replied with a smile, refusing the offer. He took a bowl of the same rations as his men and began to eat, refusing any special treatment.

"Truly an army of benevolence!" the old man murmured, his eyes filled with tears.

Mo Dun grabbed a steamed bun, found a corner to sit in, and ate it with gusto. Even though he was accustomed to the fine culinary arts of Master Yu, he found this meal incredibly sweet and satisfying.

"Thud!" Four mud-covered soldiers sat down beside Mo Dun, ignoring the grime on their bodies as they stuffed their faces with steamed buns.

"Qin Huaiyu!" It took Mo Dun three seconds to recognize that the fellow to his left was the usually fastidious and showy Qin Huaiyu. Mo Dun quickly looked at the other three men and realized they were indeed Cheng Chumuo, Yuchi Jinde, and that fellow Fang Jun.

"Why are you all in the Left Martial Guard?" Mo Dun asked in surprise.

"It’s not just us. Every scion of a military family in Chang'an over the age of fifteen has been conscripted for disaster relief," Qin Huaiyu said, his mouth full of bread. As for Fang Jun, although he was not from a military family, Li Shimin had praised him, saying it was a pity he wasn't a soldier, so he had been conscripted as well.

The three nodded vigorously. Because of their connection to Qin Huaiyu, the four of them had joined the first wave of the Left Martial Guard to go out for relief.

"I am a scion of a military family, too!" Mo Dun wondered, but then realized he likely hadn't been conscripted because he was overseeing the production of the well-drilling tools.

The four finished their meals quickly and returned to digging without looking back. Each pair of soldiers was assigned the same quota of wells. Although the four were strong, they lacked the raw power of the seasoned veterans of the Left Martial Guard and had fallen behind, so they had to hurry to catch up.

The other soldiers were the same. Once they finished eating, they immediately threw themselves back into the intense work of drilling. No one complained of fatigue, and no one slacked off, because everyone knew that the sooner a well was finished, the sooner the drought could be overcome.

The same scene was playing out on every patch of land in Guanzhong. Squads of soldiers set down their weapons, removed their armor, and worked selflessly to help the villagers dig wells. They did not take a single bite of the villagers' food, and at night, they slept on the ground wrapped in their marching blankets, refusing to occupy a single civilian home.

Apart from two units left behind for security, the soldiers of the Sixteen Guards were spread across every corner of the Guanzhong region. Wherever they went, deep wells were left behind.

A hundred wells. A thousand wells. Ten thousand wells.

Every wellhead represented the resolution of the drought crisis, and the situation in Guanzhong was soon brought under control. At the same time, Li Shimin was the one who gained the most from this relief effort; his prestige reached its absolute peak.

"An emperor for the ages!"

Every citizen in Guanzhong was filled with gratitude toward Li Shimin. Through the act of fighting the drought, a legendary ruler had been revealed.