Post by Bai T'seng on Jul 15, 2010 6:36:09 GMT
Rains had just swept through the area, and like any rains in these parts, they were usually torrential. Maybe that was because these were the part of the riverlands, maybe because Xin Ye was near the base of the mountains that rose to the sky just to the west. Maybe because fortune had a bone to pick with Bai T'seng. With the rains always came greenery, the life-giving liquid was sought after for by so many. Animals, plants especially, insects, you name it. But, with all the good, there always came some bad, Murphy's Law at work.
It turned out the irrigation system for the villages around Xin Ye was poor in construction, and some of the levies had given way when the river swell began pounding them. Of course, it didn't help the rains lasted for several days. The fields, though luckily the villages proper weren't, are completely inundated with water.
Peoples crops were wrecked, and they were angry. Rightly so too, it seemed they were going to go without harvest for this season. There was no doubt in any of their minds on what to do, rebuild the levies, get the water out of the fields, resume from square one. Though, like most peasants, although nice folk at heart, hard-working and honest, they weren't too bright.
Bai T'seng had come into town following the catastrophic route at Wan for the Han defenders. Although somehow Yuan Shu, the bumbling fool, had managed to turn back Scarves' advance at the walls of Wan. T'seng suspected this was because the Han had sent some timely reinforcements once they realized their pet would lose Wancheng. Whatever the case, he was long gone from there. Screw Yuan Shu, and screw the Han. Mismanagement and poor personnel selection seemed to be their watchwords, at least in the case of Wancheng anyway.
"Damn levies... it seems like its always a gamble whether they'll hold or not," one peasant said. Fortunately, the villages themselves weren't lacking in man power to repair the levies and pail the water back into the river. If they had been, their problems would have been multiplied. T'seng though, not a farmer, had taken to helping the people about the villages. As a mercenary captain and former military man they found his protection very nice, and he had proved to be a handy-man of sorts as well. Before the rains, he helped repair one farmer's plow. "How are we supposed to keep dealing with this? This is only the beginning of the rainy season," another exclaimed.
T'seng had a good idea though, and this was the perfect time to implement it. "Hmm, well guys. It seems," he started, smiling as peasants turned to him, "that your system is flawed. If it cant handle the rains now, it won't handle them later either. You ever wondered why you have to rebuild so often?" A few scratched their heads while others nodded. They didn't want to admit it. Hard-working, but only when it came to plow-work and harvest time.
T'seng pointed to one of the burliest villagers assembled, "Well my friend, just gather up your buddies, any and every man that can wield a shovel!" T'seng made a fist and pumped it skywards for comic effect, a few laughed light-heartedly. "And follow me," T'seng finished. After the villagers had assembled T'seng outlined a plan for them. They'd dig irrigation ditches that were more pronounced through the fields first, after pailing the water out and repairing the levies in the meantime. With so many assembled, getting the preliminary work done was fast, it seemed many were eager to see what Bai T'seng had in store.
The ditches were dug, then T'seng told them to funnel them towards one central ditch at the end of the fields and then dig a channel to a holding pond that they'd dig. Now came the hard work. Though when finished, it would keep flood water from destroying the crops immediately and give the people another source of water to use. For the better part of six hours the party dug like moles in the dirt, the work was hard, and muddy. But at the end of their toil, it seemed as though the plan would work. Yet the problem of the levies still remained. The levies would just have to be turned into earthen dams. All the excavated dirt would be moved up to reinforce the rebuilt levies, while other men were sent to cut wood to build actual dams.
A few were left scratching their heads though still, "T'seng, how do the fields get water now?" That part was simple, smaller irrigation channels off the river had to be dug. Though the work wouldn't be nearly as hard to do as the holding ponds. Fortunately, the rains had abated for the time being. It seemed the Heavens were allowing T'seng's plan to take effect. After two more days of work like this, all the levies and fields had been similarly set up.
"Thank you T'seng! It seems the levies will actually hold back the flood waters now! That, and our fields won't be damaged as bad during the rains! Thank you so much," one farmer said, wiping mud from his hands. T'seng laughed, you'd think they'd have figured it out sooner, having come to live in these parts. "Don't mention it, you'll just need to set me up with your daughter, and then..." T'seng trailed off, hoping the man would come back at him, "Hey, don't get any ideas!" Another man spoke up, "T'seng, is there anything we can do to repay you?" He shook his head at the peasants, "The smiles on your faces are enough. Go, tend to your fields. I hear famine is crushing the north, so make sure you produce now in case a drought starts here as well."
The peasants nodded and went about their business. One village had been set up with this system. Perhaps others might want it too, but T'seng decided, he'd charge them for it this time.
END.
It turned out the irrigation system for the villages around Xin Ye was poor in construction, and some of the levies had given way when the river swell began pounding them. Of course, it didn't help the rains lasted for several days. The fields, though luckily the villages proper weren't, are completely inundated with water.
Peoples crops were wrecked, and they were angry. Rightly so too, it seemed they were going to go without harvest for this season. There was no doubt in any of their minds on what to do, rebuild the levies, get the water out of the fields, resume from square one. Though, like most peasants, although nice folk at heart, hard-working and honest, they weren't too bright.
Bai T'seng had come into town following the catastrophic route at Wan for the Han defenders. Although somehow Yuan Shu, the bumbling fool, had managed to turn back Scarves' advance at the walls of Wan. T'seng suspected this was because the Han had sent some timely reinforcements once they realized their pet would lose Wancheng. Whatever the case, he was long gone from there. Screw Yuan Shu, and screw the Han. Mismanagement and poor personnel selection seemed to be their watchwords, at least in the case of Wancheng anyway.
"Damn levies... it seems like its always a gamble whether they'll hold or not," one peasant said. Fortunately, the villages themselves weren't lacking in man power to repair the levies and pail the water back into the river. If they had been, their problems would have been multiplied. T'seng though, not a farmer, had taken to helping the people about the villages. As a mercenary captain and former military man they found his protection very nice, and he had proved to be a handy-man of sorts as well. Before the rains, he helped repair one farmer's plow. "How are we supposed to keep dealing with this? This is only the beginning of the rainy season," another exclaimed.
T'seng had a good idea though, and this was the perfect time to implement it. "Hmm, well guys. It seems," he started, smiling as peasants turned to him, "that your system is flawed. If it cant handle the rains now, it won't handle them later either. You ever wondered why you have to rebuild so often?" A few scratched their heads while others nodded. They didn't want to admit it. Hard-working, but only when it came to plow-work and harvest time.
T'seng pointed to one of the burliest villagers assembled, "Well my friend, just gather up your buddies, any and every man that can wield a shovel!" T'seng made a fist and pumped it skywards for comic effect, a few laughed light-heartedly. "And follow me," T'seng finished. After the villagers had assembled T'seng outlined a plan for them. They'd dig irrigation ditches that were more pronounced through the fields first, after pailing the water out and repairing the levies in the meantime. With so many assembled, getting the preliminary work done was fast, it seemed many were eager to see what Bai T'seng had in store.
The ditches were dug, then T'seng told them to funnel them towards one central ditch at the end of the fields and then dig a channel to a holding pond that they'd dig. Now came the hard work. Though when finished, it would keep flood water from destroying the crops immediately and give the people another source of water to use. For the better part of six hours the party dug like moles in the dirt, the work was hard, and muddy. But at the end of their toil, it seemed as though the plan would work. Yet the problem of the levies still remained. The levies would just have to be turned into earthen dams. All the excavated dirt would be moved up to reinforce the rebuilt levies, while other men were sent to cut wood to build actual dams.
A few were left scratching their heads though still, "T'seng, how do the fields get water now?" That part was simple, smaller irrigation channels off the river had to be dug. Though the work wouldn't be nearly as hard to do as the holding ponds. Fortunately, the rains had abated for the time being. It seemed the Heavens were allowing T'seng's plan to take effect. After two more days of work like this, all the levies and fields had been similarly set up.
"Thank you T'seng! It seems the levies will actually hold back the flood waters now! That, and our fields won't be damaged as bad during the rains! Thank you so much," one farmer said, wiping mud from his hands. T'seng laughed, you'd think they'd have figured it out sooner, having come to live in these parts. "Don't mention it, you'll just need to set me up with your daughter, and then..." T'seng trailed off, hoping the man would come back at him, "Hey, don't get any ideas!" Another man spoke up, "T'seng, is there anything we can do to repay you?" He shook his head at the peasants, "The smiles on your faces are enough. Go, tend to your fields. I hear famine is crushing the north, so make sure you produce now in case a drought starts here as well."
The peasants nodded and went about their business. One village had been set up with this system. Perhaps others might want it too, but T'seng decided, he'd charge them for it this time.
END.
