Chapter 79: Chapter 75: Windmill Planning
There are rarely calm, windless days on the Northern Wasteland.
The wind always whistles across the vast plains, weaving through jagged ridges, never ceasing.
As if it were the very breath of the wasteland itself.
Especially during the spring, autumn, and winter, the winds on the mountaintops are even fiercer.
Because of this, Luo De changed the original plan of a water mill to a windmill.
After all, streams freeze in winter, while the wind is stronger.
As for the space left over, it was just right for establishing an additional water-powered forging hammer.
The advantage of windmills is that they are stable and efficient, fifteen to twenty times more than ordinary manpower.
A slave can grind thirty to forty pounds of flour a day, while a windmill can easily reach six hundred pounds.
In places like the Northern Wasteland where the winds are stable, the output may even be higher, enough to meet the needs of the entire domain.
Of course, the difficulty of making windmills is also the highest that Luo De has encountered so far.
What Luo De wanted to make was a wooden post-type windmill.
According to the plan, the main beam would be chosen from some older and more regular oak trees, such sturdy and straight trunks can withstand immense pressure and torque.
The slaves would first steam and fumigate the timber to repel insects, then treat it for preservation, ensuring that these materials could withstand the ravages of time.
The braces were made from more easily acquired pine, finally forming an eight-meter-high tower base.
Of course, if you count the total length, it would exceed twelve meters, because more than three meters were buried underground.
This part would be the anchor point for the entire structure, needing to be embedded in solid rocks and compacted soil to ensure the windmill remains as steady as a rock in strong winds.
Next to the windmill tower would be the wooden mill house, where the millstones and flour collection equipment would be placed.
This was a colossal project, far more complex than a waterwheel, requiring the joint participation of carpenters, stone masons, and even blacksmiths.
The amount of lumber used was also enormous, so Luo De specially dispatched ten wildmen to cut trees.
These folks living in the mountains were skilled at tree felling, and with axe tools they worked no slower than other slaves.
They had a natural affinity for the forest and knew how to select the most suitable trees and how to fell trees in a safer direction.
Luo De also needed to do very detailed designs, considering every spindle and gear.
Now he was staying up late every night sketching out the plans, then explaining the details to the craftsmen the next afternoon, breaking his habit of waking up early.
Fortunately, the domain’s carpenters were already skilled in making gears and had begun developing their insights.
Old carpenter Waller could even propose some improvement suggestions, which made Luo De quite pleased.
—Whether it was right or not was secondary; what mattered was that Waller had begun thinking proactively.
The new carpenter, however, was full of doubts, whether about gears or the windmill.
"Brother Waller, are these windmills really as impressive as they say?"
The young carpenter, Rux, scratched his head, his eyes filled with doubt and curiosity.
"Rux, are you going blind with wood chips in your eyes?"
The old carpenter Waller glanced sideways at the newcomer.
This fellow wasn’t stupid, reacted quickly when learning things, but liked to ask some very foolish questions.
"Haven’t you seen a waterwheel before?"
Waller retorted, his plane never stopping, wood shavings flying about.
"But this is something completely different from a waterwheel..."
"It’s the same, if you ask me, it’s all about a wheel turning to make other things move."
He glanced up at the massive beams being assembled, unable to imagine what they would eventually become.
Waller’s gaze was steady, "More importantly, they’re all things the Lord has devised."
Waller had heard before that nobles spent their days hosting and attending banquets, indulging in drink and pleasure, only appearing with their knights during tax collection.
But Lord Rod was completely different.
Since he came to Frost Leaf Town, he had been busy almost every day and had been seen everywhere in Frost Leaf Town.
He guided planting in the fields, supervised excavation of irrigation canals, and even personally checked on the kitchen and rabbit pens.
More importantly, Lord Rod introduced him to a whole new kind of carpentry work that moves.
In the past, Waller only made stationary furniture and simple farming tools.
But now his creations could rotate, lift, hammer, as if infused with life.
Waller often pondered in secret, where exactly did this young lord learn these fantastic ideas?
Waller had also developed his own views on nobility because of this.
In his heart, Lord Rod had already set a new standard for nobles, and those who only knew how to indulge were but titled wastes.
"Here are the new design drawings, with some adjustments to the dimensions of the main axle, take a look at them both first."
Luo De’s voice suddenly came from behind, interrupting the two carpenters’ conversation.
"This should be the final version, and after you familiarize yourself with it, production can begin."
Luo De handed over the rolled-up drawings to Waller,
"Alright, my lord."
Waller received the drawings with both hands and responded respectfully.
After giving a few instructions, Luo De turned to leave.
He hadn’t walked far when a wildman transporting timber suddenly dropped the wood from his shoulder, knelt towards Luo De, and muttered something inarticulate.
Luo De frowned slightly but wasn’t surprised.
Because it wasn’t the first time one of the wildmen had done such a thing.
Ever since the "Master of the Holy Land" lie had spread, the wildmen would utter garbled salutations upon seeing Luo De.
And wildmen from the White Frost Tribe would directly kneel, as if in repentance, their gestures more devout than paying homage to an emperor.
Uss translated for Luo De, saying these wildmen were expressing thanks for the gifts from the Master of the Holy Land.
They were grateful for the delicious food, warm shelter, and sharp tools, among other things.
Luo De couldn’t help but feel curious and summoned the Prophet Bai Shuang to the hall upon returning to the manor.
...
...
"Exactly what kind of lie did you tell?"
"It’s a sacred land legend common to all the Wilderness Tribes."
Prophet Bai Shuang explained: "There are many details in the legend, with each tribe describing it differently.
But ultimately, they all point to a holy land rich in grain, free from lightning and snowstorms, eternally peaceful and warm."
"You dare to use a common legend to deceive your people and invoke the name of the ancestors?"
Luo De involuntarily raised his voice, his face filled with disbelief.
Prophet Bai Shuang, where is your faith?
"Without this lie, my people might already have perished on the wasteland; I don’t think the ancestors would blame me for it."
Prophet Bai Shuang explained with a bitter smile, "Moreover, I don’t see it as purely a lie."
"Hmm? Are you suggesting that the legendary sacred land is in Black Pine Ridge?"
Luo De asked.
"None of the legends specify the exact location of the holy land; it’s a kind of guidance.
Any place that meets the characteristics mentioned in the legend can be called a holy land."
Luo De understood.
In a nice way, the sacred land legend is the wildmen’s yearning for a better life.
Put bluntly, it’s just the wildmen’s daydream to console themselves.
In difficult times, people always look for some hope, to give themselves the reason to persevere.
Luo De smiled and said, "Then this title of Master of the Holy Land must not be changed anymore."