In the Three Kingdoms period, the opening scene features the killing of Huang Gai, shocking Zhou Yu!

"Your subject requests the Prime Minister to grant you two thousand acres of wasteland in the northern suburbs, a number of skilled craftsmen, blacksmiths, bricklayers, and other talents, as well as a thousand kinds of materials such as iron ore and lime."

"I propose building factories on-site to produce cement, iron, and steel! This will ensure the success of the Tongquetai project!"

Cao Cao was alarmed.

When did Ding Yi become so savvy?

Instead of responding, they're trying to seize land?

Isn't this exactly the result I wanted? To bring Zhao Yu's industrial system right under my nose!

This was exactly what Cao Cao wanted.

"Cough cough."

Cao Cao put down his fishing rod, concealing his inner elation.

"Zhengli, you are a young man I've watched grow up. I trust you to get things done."

"That piece of land in the northern suburbs is indeed just lying idle, and letting it grow weeds is a waste."

"Is two thousand acres enough? Since we're going to do this, let's go big. At least three thousand acres, right?"

"I've given it all to you!"

Ding Yi was overjoyed. Three thousand mu! How many kilns could that build?

"Thank you, Prime Minister!"

"but……"

"I have a request. As you know, the imperial court is not wealthy right now. With so much land and so many people, you must produce within ten days."

Ding Yi immediately understood.

Let alone ten days, if we have enough materials, five days is fine.

"The Prime Minister is brilliant! Forty percent achieved!"

Seeing that he had secured the land and the policy, Ding Yi decided to strike while the iron was hot and launch the most shocking "GG" (a political move).

"It will take time to build this factory; the first batch will be produced in about ten days."

"But in order for the Prime Minister to see the wonders of cement as soon as possible, and also to prove that what I said is true."

"I intend to use these ten cartloads of cement samples I brought to build a road for the Prime Minister."

"Road repair? Where?"

"The construction will start right from the entrance of the Prime Minister's residence and continue all the way to the Bronze Sparrow Terrace construction site!"

"It will only take a day! I want the Prime Minister to be able to inspect the area without getting his feet muddy or his horse jolting! Let the Prime Minister experience what it means to walk on flat ground!"

Cao Cao's eyes lit up.

I didn't expect there would be fragments falling?

He had long heard that Zhao Yu had built a "sacred road" in the mountains, where carriages could travel at great speeds.

"Granted!"

"Go ahead and do it! Anyone who dares to stop you, I'll allow you to arrest them directly."

……

So it started that afternoon.

The road from the entrance of the Prime Minister's residence to the entrance of Tongque Square was completely destroyed.

Because of a madman.

Or rather, a madman wearing a strange yellow rattan hat (a safety helmet given by Zhao Yu) and waving a megaphone.

"Stop them! Stop them all! Set up a cordon!"

"Construction site! No unauthorized personnel allowed! Whether you're in a sedan chair or on horseback, please take a detour."

"That young man, the one who sells steamed buns!"

It's you! Step back a little!

And then!

If you dare drop even a sesame seed into my concrete, I'll flip your stall over!

Ding Yi stood on a mound of earth.

He was holding a large megaphone made of rolled-up sheet metal.

He roared at the top of his lungs.

At this moment, where was the trace of his former "Jian'an Talented Scholar" demeanor?

His face was streaked with black and white.

Those eyes, which were already slightly asymmetrical (one eye was slightly larger than the other), were now bloodshot from staying up all night, making them appear even more... wild and unrestrained.

Under his command,

A dozen or so skilled workers from Bingjing Pavilion (the rest had gone to the northern suburbs to build a factory) were leading several hundred bewildered laborers from Ye City.

They were doing something that the entire city thought was "outrageous"—destroying roads.

The perfectly good, rammed earth road has been completely dug up.

They were piled up to one side.

Then, they poured truckloads of dusty powder (cement clinker) into large wooden troughs by the roadside, adding water, sand, and gravel.

Stir vigorously.

In the end, it turned into puddles of disgusting mud, which were then poured directly onto the road!

This represents the highest level of Ice Crystal Pavilion technology.

However, in a place like Ye City, where powerful and wealthy people gathered, scholars were looked down upon for doing manual labor.

"Oh? Isn't this Ding Zhengli?"

A sarcastic voice came from outside the police cordon.

look up,

They were several young noblemen on horseback.

He was looking at him.

Leading the group was the son of the Commandant of the Guards, dressed in an extremely flamboyant purple robe. He was fond of cockfighting and dog racing, and considered himself a romantic figure.

This time, he finally got his chance.

The simple-minded boy pointed his whip at Ding Yi, who was covered in mud.

"Everyone, come and see!"

"Why is our talented son playing in the mud?"

"I heard you went to the mountains for further studies? Is this the result of your studies? Becoming a lowly bricklayer?"

The henchmen nearby also joined in the commotion:

"Brother Ding, are you writing poetry with mud? It's so wet, so wet."

"This grayish blob, could it be the auspicious omen you brought back for the Prime Minister? It must be disgusting to the Prime Minister, hahaha!"

Ding Yi adjusted her helmet and looked at them coldly.

In the past, the fragile and sensitive scholar Ding Yi might have been filled with shame and indignation, and might have written a poem, "Ode to Mud," to retaliate.

But now, I feel completely unmoved, and even feel a little like laughing.

These poor people,

How can a sparrow know the ambition of a swan?

Playing in the mud?

I'm paving the red carpet to the pinnacle of power in the Han Dynasty!

Every inch of road laid now is a cornerstone for changing this era.

It's destined to leave its mark; I don't want you to not even know my name.

You guys don't know anything!

"Get out of the way."

Ding Yi didn't want to pay attention to them.

"This is a construction site. For the sake of knowing you, no unauthorized personnel are allowed in. If you damage my road, you won't be able to pay for it even if you sell yourselves."

"Hey! You're asking for it!"

The simpleton felt offended.

You've been sent by the Prime Minister to repair the road, what are you still pretending for?

As he spoke, he prepared to spur his horse onto the freshly laid wet cement.

*Smack!*

A crisp crack of a whip,

The horse beneath Hanhan was startled and neighed, almost throwing him off balance.

"Who! Who's blind...?"

A carriage bearing the insignia of the Prime Minister's residence had stopped by the roadside at some point.

The carriage curtain was lifted.

It was Cao Qing.

"Let's see who dares to step on my side of the road!"

"And who is it that dares to laugh at my man?"

When the young master saw who it was, he was so frightened he almost lost his soul.

Her previous arrogance instantly vanished, replaced by a meek groan: "Miss Cao... Miss Cao Qing?"

The woman who arrived was Cao Cao's beloved daughter, and the woman Ding Yi had successfully won over after returning from Jiangdong, though she had not yet gained Cao Cao's recognition.

Cao Qing and Cao Jie are considered the two top officials of the Prime Minister's residence.

Cao Qing's personality is more like her father's than Cao Jie's, and she is known as the "little devil" in the circle of young masters in Ye City.

Cao Qing jumped off the carriage, walked a few steps to Ding Yi, and stood in front of him like a mother tiger protecting her cubs.

"Third Brother Wei, what did you just say?"

"You mean Zhengli is a bricklayer?"

"Then what am I? A bricklayer's wife?"

"Or perhaps you'd like to go to my father's place with your father for tea and discuss parenting issues?"