You were made to farm, and now you're the emperor of an empire?

Chapter 60 What is the purpose of human life?

After obtaining a large amount of lime.

Roman's first action was to send everyone to repair the road.

Lime, gravel, crushed stone, clay, silt, and even large amounts of wheat straw and weeds are all dumped onto the road surface and mixed with water to form mortar.

This mortar is a very primitive form of concrete.

The main structure consists of sand, stone, soil, and grass.

Lime acts as a binder for various auxiliary materials, playing a role in solidification and shaping.

Then spread this thoroughly mixed mortar outwards.

While it doesn't perform as well as cement in many ways, it's adequate for road surfaces and is durable and readily available.

Roman demanded that the concrete be laid at least 8 centimeters thick—enough for an adult to insert their index finger completely.

This task was naturally quite arduous, with a long construction period and extremely laborious work, requiring the use of horse-drawn carriages and oxcarts to transport various building materials back and forth.

But this is something that must be done!
The salt mine is 40 kilometers away from Sige Town, and it usually takes more than two hours to get there.

The lunch prepared in Sig Town was cold by the time it was delivered there.

If the road is rugged and bumpy, then this time will be extended by half.

Poor road conditions also cause severe wear and tear on vehicles and wheels.

Moreover, Sige Town is located in the southeast corner of the basin, while the salt mine is located in the northwest.

In other words, this road actually leads to more than just the salt mine.

More importantly, it pierced the heart of this basin.

Sige Town is practically right on my doorstep, but I have absolutely no idea what resources it has.

As long as he wants to develop this vast basin, he cannot do without a solid and durable road.

According to Roman's orders, not counting the two hundred people at the salt mine, there are more than four hundred people in Sig Town who will begin road repair work tomorrow.

Roman's expectations of them were not low.

Without the supervision of guards, he needed to set clear targets, ordering these people to lay at least 500 meters of track every day.

If the cost is divided among everyone, each person would need to repair a section of the original concrete road that is more than 1 meter long and 4 meters wide.

It was only because of the division of labor and cooperation that some people had to continue burning lime, some had to collect sand and gravel, and others had to lead the large animals back and forth to transport various things.

Only about a hundred people were actually involved in the laying work.

The specific work schedule is arranged by the town officials in Sige.

Roman provides three meals a day.

Everyone needs to be present when dawn breaks on the horizon.

All laborers eat a breakfast that is 80% full before 6 a.m., and then work for six hours.

Have a hearty lunch, and then rest for half an hour afterward.

I have to work for five hours in the afternoon, and then have my third meal.

If the daily targets are not met, Roman will kill 10 of the most inefficient and useless people in his eyes.

Those useless people who can't work don't deserve to eat three meals a day!

During lunch, Roman told everyone about it.

He stood on higher ground, looking down at the farmers who were talking amongst themselves. If anyone dared to object, he would immediately chop off their head.

There can only be one voice in Sig Town.

But these farmers were also quite perceptive and did not question Roman's decision.

"My lord, are there really three meals a day?"

It was unclear who in the crowd was asking the question.

Roman didn't arrange any shills. These idiots weren't worth his tricks, and it was impossible for him to give them a passionate speech. They were all practically dropouts from prenatal education, so if you talked to them about the future or development, they wouldn't understand a word.

But his announcements were unprecedented for them.

Farmers in this era could only eat two meals a day.

The first meal was not enough to fill me up. The second meal was also not enough to fill me up.

In their memory, the only time they could have two full meals was during the planting season a little over a month ago, when there was even meat in their bowls. During the road paving period, Roman only provided them with one meal.

Even now, thinking back on it, many farmers still secretly swallow their saliva.

"Yes, it's the same standard as your daily lunch."

“But if you bunch of idiots don’t meet my demands, I’ll kill ten of you. If you think you can’t do it, then do something else. I won’t show you any mercy.”

"What if it rains?" another voice asked.

"Then postpone it!" Roman said impatiently.

He glanced around for a moment, his expression cold, his red eyes deep and focused, as he saw the dark mass of people before him.

At this moment, a problem was placed before them all.

What is the purpose of human life?
It's not a belief!

It's not money!

It's not about status!

It's not even for the future!

It's so that we can have enough to eat!

They just want to have enough to eat!
Farming is just a means to ensure they have enough to eat!

But the lord in front of them can feed them three meals a day!
Three whole meals!
The third meal they had never imagined since they were born!
Even if we fail to achieve our goal and kill ten people, there's nothing to be afraid of.

Why should someone with nothing to lose be afraid of someone with shoes? There are about four hundred of them; they can make the gentlemen fight until their hands are sore.

And as long as you work hard, you definitely won't get killed.

After all, even if that lord were to make an example of someone, he would only choose a weakling who couldn't work; there was no reason for him to kill the monkey.

Roman nodded, raised his right hand, waved it gently, and said, "Take a break this afternoon, start work tomorrow. You can go now."

The huge crowd dispersed after he waved.

Roman walked down the hillside.

There were 130 people left here. In addition to the 80 peasant women who were originally in charge of lunch, Roman arranged for 50 female slaves to be brought in, otherwise the main kitchen would not be able to handle the workload.

"Your next task is very important, so I've increased your numbers. Do you have any objections?"

They looked at each other.

The lord wasn't asking; he was speaking.

His calm tone didn't suggest that he thought they would object.

Finally, a foolish peasant woman whispered, "Sir, I have a sheep and three chickens at home..."

She was a young woman, perhaps not yet having had children with her husband, but her family owned some property and raised some livestock.

In the past, she could only cook one lunch a day and feed the livestock, but she's afraid she won't have that time anymore. She can only go home in the evenings, and she's worried that the livestock will lose weight or get lost.

This is a huge loss.

Roman frowned slightly. He asked casually, and someone actually jumped out. "I'll buy them. I will buy all the livestock in Sigge Town at a reasonable price. You can't waste your time on this kind of thing in the future."

Faced with the wealthy and powerful lord, no one could utter a single word.

They discovered that their lives had been turned upside down since the lord took office, and many of their old habits had been shattered.

"Mohr," Roman called out as he turned around.

The agricultural manager next to him immediately wiped his sweat and stepped forward.

"Can I cover the acquisition costs?

"Yes! Yes! Right away! Right away!" Moore nodded repeatedly.

He can't come up with any money; buying so much grain has almost emptied his savings.

The price of a pig or a sheep may be insignificant, worth at most one or two silver coins, but the poor families in Sig Town all raise some livestock, and the scale of that livestock is quite terrifying.

(End of this chapter)