I was a lord farming, how did I become an emperor?

Chapter 111 Winter Planning
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The sudden winds and rains of early spring dispelled the chill of autumn, and a fresh atmosphere quietly filled the air.

Rhodes pulled the animal skin blanket up to protect the tired girl from the cold.

Rhodes' movements were so slight, like a feather brushing the surface of water, yet they still startled the sleeping girl.

The girl turned over, her eyes still heavy with sleep, and gave him a clumsy morning kiss, her lips still tinged with sweet drowsiness.

"Are you getting up?"

Avril asked softly, her voice filled with longing.

"No, I want to sleep in a little longer today."

Rod gently stroked her hair, a slight smile playing on his lips, and kissed her again.

Eat the marrow to know the taste.

Rod, who usually starts working before dawn, slept in for the first time.

Of course, what Rhodes meant by "sleeping in late" was simply that the sun had just risen, right at breakfast time.

Avril was still lying in Rod's bed.

Leah and Martha, who delivered breakfast, both had sweet smiles on their faces.

Seeing that the two people they had been gossiping about for so long were finally together, they were even more excited than the two of them.

The others, seeing the lord's unusual behavior, all kept quiet and dared not ask any questions, only exchanging glances secretly behind his back.

As soon as Durant got up, he rushed to Rod to report on what had happened the night before.

There were no enemy attacks, just some public security issues.

"We caught three thieves who stole things, and six drunk people who caused trouble."

"There was also a woman inside who pulled down the pants of the man next to her and pinned him to the ground..."

"These are minor matters that don't warrant execution. You can decide what to do."

After listening, Rhodes waved his hand, "Nothing else, just send out the letter to Earl Falcon."

"Yes, Lord Baron!"

Durant nodded, then a smile appeared on his face.

"Congratulations, Your Excellency."

Durant heard the news as soon as he arrived in the morning, and his wish has come true.

These razor plains finally belong to the Baron.

His eyes were shining.

Rod smiled slightly and nodded. "Go and call Lawrence and Otto over. There are some things I need to tell them."

Rod was moved by how Avril looked when she caught a cold yesterday.

We still need to make more preparations for winter.

"Okay sir."

Durant quickly sent someone to summon Lawrence and Otto.

In this cold north, heating is crucial in winter.

A fireplace alone isn't enough to make the house very warm.

A stove alone cannot completely ward off the cold, so Rhodes plans to bring something else from his previous life into this world.

Rhodes looked at Lawrence and Otto who had entered the hall and said, "You two gather a hundred men for me immediately. I need to make a heated kang bed."

The heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed) was the most primitive and practical way to keep warm in northern China in the past.

This knowledge didn't come from the system; rather, it was carved into Rhodes's memory like a knife or axe.

"Sir, what is this heated kang you mentioned?"

Lawrence asked curiously.

"A more practical heating tool than your fireplaces."

Rod smiled and said, "You don't need to think about the specifics. Just do as I say, and you'll understand when you do it."

Lawrence nodded slightly.

The lord has made so many strange things, but none of them are impractical.

The principle of a kang (heated brick bed) is very simple: heat is stored in the flue, and the hot air flows through the inside of the kang to heat the brick and stone structure, and continues to release heat after the combustion stops.

In the past, the heated kang (a traditional heated platform bed) was mostly combined with a large stove, but here Rod intends to improve it by combining it directly with a fireplace.

The fireplace is lit, and the smoke is then allowed to travel along the kang (heated brick bed) channel, continuously heating it.

Of course, this isn't exactly an improvement; similar combinations existed in previous lives, though they weren't as simplistic. Since heating relies on smoke, sealing is crucial, and bricks are still the best material for building a heated kang (a traditional heated platform bed).

Rhodes assigned these 100 people mainly to make bricks.

The townspeople, who had thought they would finally have a break, were busy again. When they heard that it was Baron Rhodes who had personally ordered the making of things to keep warm in winter, they were all filled with excitement.

They have moved past the period of doubting their lord and entered a state of complete trust in him.

Clay is also a mineral resource, and Rhodes marked several places when he last inspected the eastern territories.

Under his command, everyone didn't have to search at all; they went directly to the exact spot to dig, and then transported the waste back in truckloads.

Rod didn't draw any blueprints; he simply described the process to the carpenter, who then made dozens of simple molds out of wooden planks for later use.

Rhodes planned to set up a temporary brick kiln, so there was no need to make it in town; he could start making brick blanks directly in a flat open space where it was easy to get water.

Dry the clay for two or three days, then break it up, mix it with fine sand and water to form a mud ball, and then cut the straw into appropriate sizes and put it in to increase its strength.

Once the consistency is right, stuff the mud into the prepared wooden mold, press it down and smooth it out, then gently demold it to make brick blanks.

Finally, the brick blanks are placed in the sun to dry for a few days, and then turned over several times in between.

The process was very simple; even a savage could learn it after Rhodes performed it three times.

The slightly more difficult part is the brick-firing process, but there's no rush. We can start building once the bricks are dried.

We need to make more brick blanks, otherwise we won't be able to make them when the water freezes in winter.

During a break from Rhodes's busy work, Durant came to report: "Baron Bloom's men have brought the slaves, and Baron Bloom is preparing to leave."

Rhodes shook off the dirt, then returned to the manor to change into decent clothes to see Baron Bronn off.

Every lord is quite busy, and besides, the Rhodes Territory is full of all kinds of knowledge and skills, so it is often really inconvenient for them to entertain Baron Bronn.

"I hope we can get through this winter peacefully."

At the town's main gate, Baron Bronn said with a smile, "When summer comes, we'll wipe out those annoying alien races together."

Rhodes nodded emphatically.

Those alien races will be a threat sooner or later. Rhodes doesn't want them to suddenly appear one day; it would be best to nip them in the bud.

Of course, it will depend on the specific strength at that time.

"Thank you again for your hospitality."

Baron Bron mounted his horse. "Next time you visit me, I'll treat you to a meal."

"it is good."

Rhodes smiled and said goodbye, and Baron Bronn then led his men away.

Rhodes then went back to attend to his own business.

The heated kang (a traditional heated platform bed) not only requires stone bricks, but also flat stone slabs need to be laid on the kang channel for sealing and easy disassembly. Rod asked the stonemasons to prepare in advance.

The heated brick bed is very hard, and people cannot sleep directly on the loess soil; some soft, dry straw mats need to be laid on top.

The women were no strangers to straw mats; Rod made arrangements and randomly selected fifty women, all of whom could make them.

After the bricks dried, Rod personally led everyone to build a temporary brick kiln.

Dig a shallow rectangular pit, lay a layer of gravel and clay and compact it, build a fire pit underneath, and place the bricks on top in a "well" pattern.

One hundred people work day and night, producing thousands of bricks every day. Although the quality varies, the qualified ones are enough for use.

During the day, he would watch everyone fire bricks, and at night, Rod would begin drawing diagrams of the heated brick bed.

Having overcome the final obstacle, Avril moved directly into Rhodes's room, where she stayed up late at night in her pajamas, radiantly in the light.

She didn't say anything, just sat quietly to the side watching, occasionally pinching a piece of dried fruit and putting it into Rod's mouth. Then she massaged his shoulders.

"The materials are almost ready. We'll start construction tomorrow after the blueprints are finished."

Rod stretched and said, "Once the heated kang is built, the house won't be so cold this winter."

As a lord, Rhodes was naturally not satisfied with just a heated platform.

Rod plans to build a heated floor directly, just like he did with geothermal heating in his previous life.

Avril's face was full of sweet smiles, and she was also looking forward to the heated kang bed that Rod had mentioned.

After all, this was her first winter in the northern wilderness.

She remembered that the Northern Wilderness in March was already colder than winter in Griffin Castle, and wondered what winter would be like.

With Rod's assurance, she wasn't worried.

At Winterfell Manor in Rhodes, all was warm and peaceful, while Earl Falcon of Eagle Keep was in a fit of rage.

　I'm speechless. I just wrote something soft and tender, and it got blocked.

　　Is this automated review system crazy?
　　
　
(End of this chapter)