N-A-A Chapter 988 There are now many more ways to excavate!
Chapter 988 There are now many more ways to excavate!
He turned and walked towards the group of maids standing nearby, dressed simply but with sharp eyes. His gaze instantly turned cold and authoritative; his voice was not loud, but each word struck like a hammer blow to the heart of each maid:
"Take good care of them. Unless there is real danger, do not interfere with their play. But—" he changed his tone, his killing intent chilling, "if any prince or princess suffers the slightest harm due to your negligence... you will all be executed."
“Here!!!”
The maids knelt down in unison, their voices trembling uncontrollably, and beads of cold sweat instantly appeared on their foreheads. They had no doubt about the truth of Gao Yao's words. This regent was ruthless to his enemies, strict with his subordinates, and extremely protective of his children. He had spent a fortune and carefully selected them to care for these precious offspring, certainly not to let them come here to enjoy a life of luxury and sightseeing. Responsibility was directly linked to life and death, allowing no room for error.
Gao Yao wholeheartedly agreed. This is just like a nanny in later generations who receives a generous salary but causes a child to get injured due to her own negligence. If someone tries to excuse her by saying that being a nanny is difficult, it is simply ridiculous.
Having taken on this responsibility, one should fulfill it to the best of one's ability. The kind of behavior that uses the guise of weakness to gain sympathy and shirk accountability is something Gao Yao utterly despises. Fortunately, in this era, while the aristocratic class has its flaws, it rarely employs such shameless logic of "I am weak, therefore I am right." The authority of the law and the prestige of the class are sufficient to deter petty scoundrels.
Having settled his children's affairs, Gao Yao had no more worries. His eyes narrowed, and he waved for Duan Wei and a squad of elite personal guards. Carrying specially made instruments and weapons from the Ministry of Works for exploration and obstacle breaching, they steadily advanced into the depths of Mount Li, a dark and unknown region concealing ancient mysteries and potentially deadly dangers, along the route that had been repeatedly confirmed and marked by their spies, leading to the suspected tomb passage to the core of Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum.
When the group arrived once again at the entrance to the secret passage where Yi Xiaochuan and the Qingyi Society had disappeared, Gao Yao raised his hand, and the long line of men behind him, like a torrent pulled back by reins, suddenly came to a standstill. A solemn atmosphere, a mixture of earth, decaying leaves, and the unknown, filled the air.
He stood before the entrance, his gaze deep and unfathomable, as if trying to pierce the dark passageway and gaze upon the secrets hidden for two thousand years. This time, he was no longer the hastily searching, passively responding chef Gao Yao, but a pioneer with resources at his disposal and unwavering determination.
He showed no impatience, not even a fleeting glance at the deep cave entrance. Years of experience had taught him that in the face of the unknown, especially a place like the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum, a fusion of ancient wisdom and mystery, any rash action could lead to annihilation. His first order was not exploration, but construction.
“Duan Wei.” Gao Yao’s voice was steady, without the slightest ripple.
"Your subordinate is here!" The capable Duan Wei immediately stepped forward.
"According to the plan, the craftsmen will go first. Reinforce the passage and widen the entrance. I want everything to be foolproof, understand?" Gao Yao's gaze swept over the group of silent and fierce personal guards behind him, and further back, the craftsmen carrying all sorts of strange tools.
"Yes, sir!" Duan Wei clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around, and began to give efficient instructions.
In an instant, the once silent forest became bustling. Large numbers of laborers and craftsmen, like worker ants, carried shovels, picks, saws, and axes, pushing carts loaded with timber and ropes, and entered the secret passage in an orderly fashion. Gao Yao's purpose was very clear: to completely transform this semi-natural, treacherous passage into a safe and stable route.
The laborers, using modified iron picks, painstakingly chiseled away at the rocks on both sides and above, significantly widening the narrow passage that had previously only allowed one or two people to pass through. Following closely behind, the carpenters skillfully measured, cut, and assembled. Thick logs, treated with preservatives, were erected to form a sturdy supporting frame, holding up the top of the passage and key stress points to prevent collapse. The frame structure drew upon the principles of mine support from Gaoyao's hazy memories, making it far more scientific and reliable than the haphazard supports commonly used in this era.
The stonemasons were responsible for the details. They used chisels and hammers to carefully grind the uneven edges and corners to the right angles, eliminating potential stress concentration points and significantly improving the overall support of the cave. The clanging and hammering echoed in the secret passage, heralding the beginning of human transformation of nature.
Standing outside the entrance, Gao Yao felt a little relieved listening to the orderly construction sounds coming from inside. He knew that this primitive secret passage, having undergone two thousand years of geological changes, was extremely fragile, and he dared not gamble with everyone's lives. Only after it was thoroughly reinforced would he dare to step inside and face the legendary stone door.
With the aid of scientific organization and advanced tools provided by Gao Yao, hundreds of craftsmen worked with astonishing efficiency. In less than half a day, the project had steadily advanced nearly fifty meters. Recalling the predicament he faced when he first explored the site with Yi Xiaochuan, Gao Yao couldn't help but sigh.
Today, the industrial power he wields, though limited by the foundations of the times, has already surpassed the level of the present day, spanning nearly a thousand years. He possesses a diverse array of "weapons" to deal with these stubborn rocks.
First, there was a leap in materials and a breakthrough in smelting technology. The workshops that Gaoyao had painstakingly built were now capable of consistently casting high-purity wrought iron and even initially smelting low-carbon "primitive steel." Although precise instrumental testing was lacking, empirical estimates suggested that these materials had a hardness of approximately 220 to 260 Brinell hardness. This was vastly superior in strength, toughness, and wear resistance compared to the commonly used, brittle and hard cast iron or bronze tools of the time. Harder and more durable chisels, picks, and axes increased the efficiency of rock exponentially.
Secondly, there was the innovation of tools: specialized design. Gao Yao drew heavily on the experience of later generations, designing and manufacturing a variety of tools specifically for geotechnical work. In addition to conventional chisels and spades, there were various shapes of chisels to deal with different rock formations and excavation needs. He even created simple pulley systems and lever-and-crowd systems for moving huge rocks. Specialized tools for specialized tasks greatly improved work efficiency and reduced manpower consumption.
Although large-scale blasting was not permitted due to safety concerns and the structural stability of the underground palace, small amounts of black powder were used to create cracks in key rock formations or to blast apart particularly large obstacles. The dosage was strictly controlled and operated by designated personnel.
By burning sulfur, the artisans of Gaoyao unexpectedly obtained a sulfur oxide that dissolved in water to form an acidic mixture. Although far less potent than concentrated sulfuric acid, it was still quite corrosive. They applied this liquid to the crevices of rocks, especially those hard rock layers that were difficult to chisel directly, allowing it to slowly penetrate and corrode, weakening the rock's structure. Combined with hammering, this often yielded much better results.