I built a manor in the Middle Ages

Chapter 142 Irrigation System (Part )

It was a sunny day at the end of October, and it was still warm even at the end of autumn.

Hugo sat behind George, with packages and weapons hanging on both sides of his black travel horse. Luc stood beside him and handed the monk, who had changed into a brand new set of linen, about a pound of coins.

"It's not much, but it's enough to get us to Cluny. Don't refuse. You'll need money for food, drink, and lodging along the way."

"Lord Luc, you are the most special lord I have ever met. I will never forget your virtues. When I arrive in Cluny, I will spread your virtues and integrity, so that more people will know that there is a true believer in God here."

During the brief contact of a few months, Hugo took in Luc's every word and action, and the gift he received today further strengthened his opinion of Luc. After all, he was just a wandering monk, not an abbot with real power.

Hugo slowly left with other items such as white paper, pens, ink, and food.

After watching the other party leave, Luc turned around and officially started planning the manor for the winter!

The first is the outer fence of the Knight's Castle. Since the area needs to be expanded, the original fence must be demolished. However, Luc has no plans to relocate for the time being. The outer wall is no longer a simple combination of vines and wooden stakes, but a real wooden wall, about three people high. This is a big project, and the entire winter may be spent on the construction of the wall. In the short term, the fenced yard will still be useful.

Luc did not act in a hurry. He first measured the area around the Knight's Castle. While looking at the nearby buildings, he was glad that he had built them a little further away to avoid crowding.

Take the serf area next to it, for example, which is right on the edge of the future wooden wall location.

"Master, the area of ​​this expansion is very large!"

Ryan followed closely behind Luke, looking at the divided area with shining eyes. He said, "This open space will be able to accommodate a hundred people, not to mention forty, if we encounter danger in the future~"

Although Ryan became a squire, his main job was still to serve Luc. If old Eike was the steward of the entire manor, then Ryan was his personal assistant.

Little Charlie, with his two puppies, also circled around Luc's feet, rolling around happily.

“Either don’t expand it, or expand it a little to save yourself the hassle later.”

Avoiding Little Charlie's entanglement, Luc pointed to the northern part of the forest and said, "Don't follow me for now. Let's go check on the salt factory. With Gil and Paul here, Eugene can't escape, but I'm still worried. You will replace me from now on. Go twice a day to inspect the progress and identify any accidents."

Luc controls the progress of salt production very strictly. It cannot be too much or too little. It is enough to provide enough food for everyone while accumulating one or two pounds of surplus salt. In order to achieve this goal, Luc is trying to get another salt slave or pick a reliable person to volunteer to open the mountain. Of course, this requires giving the other party good treatment.

"Master, I have an idea." Ryan blinked and suddenly said, "Why don't we let little Charlie and the others follow Jill? With them around, Eugene won't be able to escape even if he sneaks away!"

"By the way, Master, you can make a horn. If we want to escape, let Jill blow it. Otherwise, lighting a signal fire would be a waste."

Luke stroked the lower half. Ryan's idea was good, but he only had a goat horn, and the horn he made would not be that durable.

“But it’s enough for now.”

He did it as soon as he thought of it. He asked Ryan to take little Charlie to the salt mountain. He kept the matter of the horn in mind. After measuring the location of the wooden wall, Luke went to inspect the cultivated land again, and then asked old Eike to gather everyone together. His main purpose today was actually to build an irrigation ditch!

Compared to the wall, the ditch only takes a month or so to complete, so the two can be carried out at the same time.

Mary went to herd cattle, and Paul to refine salt. Thanks to the continuous charcoal burning, the charcoal supply was sufficient for the time being, and the manpower was adequate. Luc observed the early irrigation ditches. They were called ditches, but in reality, they were just simple hollow wooden tubes, not very practical. Not only could they not irrigate the fields adequately, but without drainage pipes, they would inevitably cause problems.

No matter what, agricultural production has always been the top priority of the valley. Without food, no one can survive.

Among the factors that determine grain production, most of the difficulties have been solved, only irrigation is a troublesome issue.

Originally, Luc did want to dig a reservoir on the hillside, but after thinking about it, he came up with a new plan.

"Old Eike, take your men and dismantle the empty wooden barrels first. Irrigation will be difficult during this period. Let's use buckets to carry water."

"Okay sir."

Logically, the same principle as the wooden fence and wall should have delayed the removal of the old equipment, but there was no way around it because the new irrigation ditch just happened to coincide with the route of the empty wooden tubes.

While Old Eck was being dismantled, Luc beckoned over Little Maiman, Ryan's apprentice and the Knightsburg's new carpenter. He led the somewhat timid young man to the Agate River and observed a low bank upstream for a while. The river flowed smoothly, with no sharp bends and little silt, making it a suitable place for a water diversion. He then selected two or three similar locations, finally settling on a site beside the river facing the farmland. Without even looking up, he said, "Little Maiman, go to the mill. I'll give you one day to build an identical wooden gate."

"Okay," little Maiman answered with some stammering, and when he saw that Luke had nothing else to say, he hurried to the mill.

Luc didn't waste any words. If little Maiman wanted to successfully become the carpenter of the manor, he must be able to be independent in carpentry. The wooden gate was just a simple test.

After washing his beard with clean water, Luc saw Hans dismantling the empty wooden barrel and stood up and shouted, "Hans, come here!"

"Sir, is there anything I can help you with?" Hans walked over in a muffled voice. After losing his excellent job of supervising Eugene, this big guy became a perfect laborer, and Luc could use him with ease.

"Go cut a row of oaks. Remember to cut thick ones."

"Gerla, you go with Hans."

Gele is an old man who cuts wood and makes charcoal, and felling trees is also his profession.

"Robert, tell the old man who's fishing that you don't need to fish today. Go find some vines and weave some vine nets. You have experience, so I'll give you two days."

"Old Ek, after the demolition is complete, have everyone collect rubble and make clay. Don't ask how much, the more the better."

"And when Ryan comes back, let him go to Mu
The workshop is looking for me."

After quickly arranging everyone, Luc found a wooden stick and stuck it into the riverbed as a mark, then followed Hans to the lumberyard.

After a while, Ryan hurried over and gave a brief account of the salt factory's progress. He was slightly relieved to hear that another four or five pounds of salt had been mined this morning. He then pointed to the three trees that Hans, the humanoid brown bear, had chopped down and said with a smile, "Ryan, it looks like you'll have to go back to your old ways for a while."

Three days later, when all the supplies were placed by the riverbed, Luc officially began to build the water inlet.

(End of this chapter)