“Clouds look like cotton, but they are actually just masses of water vapour.”
Jin Feng answered casually.
“Clouds are masses of water vapour? How can water vapour float in the sky?”
Qing Mulan asked curiously, “And what is cotton?”
“Cotton…”
Only then did Jin Feng remember that cotton originated in India and the Arab regions. In his previous life, it only became widespread in the Central Plains during the Ming Dynasty.
The current Great Kang was still quite isolated. Almost no one in the Central Plains or Chuan Shu knew about cotton. People relied on silk, hemp, kapok, animal furs, and the like for warmth.
Wealthy families used quilts made of fur. Ordinary people stuffed their bedding with kapok, reed floss, and similar materials.
The poorer ones could only pile straw on their beds, with the whole family huddling together to share body heat for warmth.
Those without even a house had nowhere to pile straw and could only leave it to fate.
When Tang Dongdong first suggested building a textile factory, Jin Feng had thought of sending people to search for cotton.
But at that time he had not yet fully grown strong. His own survival and safety were not even secured. How could he have the capability to send people on such a long journey?
Later, with one thing after another keeping him busy and the textile factory developing very well, Jin Feng had simply forgotten about it.
Now, reminded by Qing Mulan, he remembered again.
“Cotton is similar to kapok, but it is whiter, softer, warmer, easier to grow, has higher yields, and is extremely suitable for spinning thread.” Jin Feng replied.
“If there is such a wonderful thing, it should be everywhere. I, Wei, have travelled north and south with trading fleets over the years. Why have I never heard of it?” Wei Datong asked.
“Because cotton grows in very distant western lands. Great Kang probably does not have it yet.”
“Very distant western lands? How far?”
“Further west than the Dangxiang and Tubo regions.”
“This…” Wei Datong sighed and said no more.
With Great Kang’s current national strength, sending people across Dangxiang and Tubo was simply a pipe dream.
That was also why Jin Feng had known where cotton was but had never sent anyone to find it.
“Sir, did a great expert tell you about this too?” Qing Mulan asked.
“Yes,” Jin Feng nodded. “By the way, Mulan, when we get back, remind me about this matter. Do not let me get busy and forget again.”
“Sir plans to go search for cotton?” Qing Mulan immediately understood Jin Feng’s intention.
“I do have that idea.”
“But did you not say it is separated by Dangxiang and Tubo?”
“We can at least try. If it works, great. If not, we can think again later.”
Jin Feng was indeed a little tempted. “If Great Kang had cotton, far fewer people would freeze to death.”
By now he was no longer the same person he had been when he first started the textile factory. He now had enough wealth and strength to support him. Things he could not do or dare not think about back then might now be possible.
At least he could consider attempting it.
After all, unlike potatoes, maize, or sweet potatoes, cotton did not require crossing the Pacific Ocean. It did not even require traversing the entire Eurasian continent. If they headed west towards the Xinjiang region, they might actually find it.
“If cotton really is as good as Sir says, this would be an immeasurable act of merit. Sir, if Qing girl forgets, I will remind you as well.”
Wei Datong also promised.
While they chatted, the hot air balloon had already risen to over three hundred zhang high.
“No wonder Sir is so confident. With this treasure, surveying terrain becomes far too convenient!”
Wei Datong looked outside and sighed in admiration.
Then he took a map from his bosom, compared it with the view below, and made marks with charcoal.
“What is Sir Wei doing?”
Jin Feng looked at the map in Wei Datong’s hand, then at the outside, somewhat puzzled by the meaning of his marks.
“These are places where the topographic map needs correction. These are places that cannot be seen clearly and require on-site observation.”
Wei Datong pointed to the marks and explained.
“This topographic map has already been revised by people I sent. For the unclear parts, use this.”
Jin Feng said as he took out a new map and handed over a single-tube telescope.
“What is this?”
Wei Datong took the telescope and asked.
“This is a telescope. It lets you see very far away.”
Qing Mulan eagerly moved closer and explained to Wei Datong how to use the telescope.
The telescope was simple to use. Wei Datong quickly learned.
He kept moving his eye away, then putting it back again, exclaiming in his mouth,
“My heavens, it is so clear! Sir truly is a divine man!”
Today Wei Datong had seen far too many unimaginable things.
A huge cloth bag that could carry people into the sky, and now a magical mirror that let him see clearly several li away…
“Just a little trick, nothing more.”
Jin Feng waved his hand casually. “Sir Wei, is this much faster?”
“Much faster, much faster!”
Wei Datong nodded repeatedly. “Standing high and looking far, everything is in full view. Half a shichen up here is clearer than half a month of running around down below.”
“That is good then.”
Hearing this, Jin Feng finally relaxed.
With the disaster growing more severe every day, the sooner the Dujiangyan project started, the sooner the common people would have work.
“Sir Wei, do you see that big tree? I plan to open the Bottle Neck right over there. Do you see that stony beach? I plan to place the Fish Mouth Diversion there…”
Jin Feng pointed downward and explained the three main components of Dujiangyan on the spot to Wei Datong.
Although Wei Datong was smooth and worldly, an old hand in official circles, he had considerable knowledge of water management and fully understood the importance of this project.
At this moment he did not dare show the slightest neglect. He listened seriously to Jin Feng’s explanation and compared it bit by bit with the map.
Whenever something was unclear, he actively asked.
Far from being impatient, Jin Feng felt even more reassured.
What astonished Jin Feng most about Dujiangyan was its ancient history and the primitive conditions under which it was built.
Li Bing and his son had no hot air balloons, not even detailed maps. To build Dujiangyan, the father and son had visited countless locals to figure out the terrain.
They had no other machinery either. Once the plan was confirmed, they could only lead the people to dig bit by bit with hoes.
It was said they did not even have steel chisels. They could only heat the rocks with fire first, then pour cold water on them so the rocks would crack.
Using such extremely primitive methods, Li Bing and his son led the people to forcefully cut through Yulei Mountain!
Dujiangyan embodied the sweat and wisdom of Li Bing, his son, and the local people.
Although Jin Feng also lacked large machinery like excavators, he had explosives.
When the time came, burying more detonators would save a great deal of effort.
That afternoon, Wei Datong and Jin Feng stayed in the hot air balloon until the fuel oil was almost used up before descending.
Wei Datong was familiar with waterways but not very familiar with mountain terrain. For this reason, Jin Feng also had Old Eagle go find local hunters and farmers who knew the mountains well.
“Sir, is it really a good idea to find hunters and farmers?”
While eating at night, Qing Mulan reminded him, “What if they leak the news?”
