230: Chapter 230 The Astounding Hardness of Concrete!

The specific proportions of stone, sand, and cement vary depending on different uses and requirements.

A common mix ratio for concrete is 1:2:3:4, which means one part cement, two parts sand, three parts gravel, and four parts water.

When netizens talk about 'moving bricks,' they are usually just joking.

However, he had actually moved bricks on a construction site before.

He had also done quite a lot of work mixing cement.

Therefore, Zhao Fusu was quite skilled as he picked up a hoe and shovel to mix the cement.

Zhao Fusu used wooden boards to make a mold that was 30 centimeters thick, one meter long, and one meter wide.

After thoroughly mixing the cement, sand, gravel, and water, Zhao Fusu poured the concrete into the mold.

After compacting the concrete, he used a trowel to finish the surface.

Doing this familiar work, Zhao Fusu couldn't help but recall his life on construction sites during winter and summer vacations.

Because construction workers performed heavy physical labor for long periods, they were all strong and sturdy, making them favorites of wealthy older women.

He had a coworker who, in order to earn thirty thousand yuan for a night's work, had relations with seven wealthy women simultaneously.

In the end, he was outnumbered and overwhelmed, forced to his knees in surrender by the seven women.

Since the seven women had spent thirty thousand yuan to book him for the night and hadn't had their fill of fun yet, they were unwilling to let him go.

Driven to desperation and fearing for his life, that coworker had no choice but to call the police.

As a result, all eight of them were arrested by the police.

The matter was exposed and leaked out, becoming a laughingstock among their fellow workers.

Thinking about it now, Zhao Fusu still found it hilarious.

As the saying goes, only the ox gets worn out from plowing, not the field.

Dealing with one was difficult enough, yet he tried to handle seven at once; it was truly ridiculous.

The fact that he proactively called the police made it even funnier to him.

Each person was fined 2,000 yuan, providing a nice bit of revenue for the 'uncles in hats.'

The strength of concrete can reach about 40% within 3 days, around 65% at 7 days, and over 90% at 28 days.

Zhao Fusu set the concrete aside to cure.

He arranged for his soldiers to produce cement in large quantities.

At the same time, he handed the design blueprints for a steam-powered cement rotary kiln to the Great Qin Empire Academy of Sciences for them to develop.

After bagging the cement, he sent men to deliver it to the Qinglan Grassland, instructing Tian Ju and the others to use the cement as a binder for the stonework.

The ratio of cement to sand for laying city walls is generally 1:3.

Upon receiving the cement, Tian Ju did not hesitate. Following Zhao Fusu's instructions, he mixed the cement and sand in a 1:3 ratio, added water, and began stirring.

They began pouring cement into the foundations, then laid stone slabs on top, applying cement to the carved stones as they stacked them.

Since the purpose was only to stop the charge of the Fire Bulls, and considering a bull's limited jumping ability, Zhao Fusu designed the retaining wall to be three meters high and one meter wide.

After inspecting the construction site, Qing Ying frowned privately and found Lu Jia, saying, "Lord Lu, isn't this retaining wall a bit too thin?"

He had seen the city walls of the Qin people, and those walls could reach a thickness of over ten meters.

This wall of theirs was simply too thin!

Lu Jia replied, "Chief Qing Ying, first of all, we don't have enough time or materials to build a city wall over ten meters thick."

"Secondly, His Majesty the Head of State said that the bonding strength of cement is far beyond anything yellow clay can compare to."

"Don't be fooled by the fact that this wall is only one meter thick; its defensive capability is extremely high, enough to withstand the impact of the Fire Bull Array!"

"Is that so?"

Qing Ying remained skeptical.

He knew all too well that if the retaining wall failed to withstand the Fire Bulls' impact and allowed them to smash a breach, a million Fire Bulls charging through that gap would surely throw the Qinglan Grassland into utter chaos.

"Chief Qing Ying, rest assured."

Tian Ju said with a cold expression, "His Majesty the Head of State has plenty of ways to deal with this Fire Bull Array."

If the Hot Air Balloons hadn't scouted in advance that the Right Worthy King was driving a million cattle toward them, they truly might not have been able to hold the Qinglan Grassland if caught off guard by the million-strong Fire Bull Array.

But since their Paramount Leader had already learned of the enemy's plan, the enemy could forget about showing off their might with the Fire Bull Array.

By nightfall, Tian Ju and the others were still building the retaining wall.

The scouts they sent out were constantly monitoring the enemy's movements.

The enemy forces were drawing closer and closer to their position, forcing them to mobilize tens of thousands of laborers to work through the night to complete the wall.

The kerosene pressure lamps played a vital role in the pitch-black night.

A single kerosene pressure lamp could illuminate the surrounding twenty meters, greatly facilitating nighttime construction.

With construction continuing day and night, the retaining wall enclosed a vast area, sufficient to serve as a barrier for Great Qin's six thousand cavalry and the six Xiongnu Tribes.

Yangshan Pass

After a week of curing, Zhao Fusu estimated that the concrete slab he had poured had reached fifty to sixty percent of its full hardness.

He pressed the surface of the concrete with his finger; it was very hard.

He picked up a large sledgehammer and knocked away the wooden forms from around the concrete slab.

Meng Tian, Wang Xia, and even Gongshu Chou came over to watch the excitement.

Meng Tian was the most concerned about this concrete slab.

He was still worried that a retaining wall only one meter thick would be smashed open by the crazed Fire Bulls.

According to his estimations, a wall needed to be over five meters thick to withstand the collision of the Fire Bulls.

Zhao Fusu, however, had shaken his head and rejected that idea.

A five-meter-thick wall—how much more labor and material would that require!

The Qinglan Grassland didn't have that much manpower or material.

It was two to three hundred kilometers from Yangshan Pass to the Qinglan Grassland; it was impossible to transport stone from such a distance.

By stacking long stones in an interlocking pattern and bonding them with cement, the strength would be sufficient to withstand the impact of the Fire Bulls!

The Fire Bulls' tails were merely set on fire; it didn't mean they were stupid.

As long as they couldn't smash through the wall immediately, they would start to retreat.

They might even turn around and charge back toward the enemy army!

Was it possible to let Modun lift a stone only to drop it on his own feet?

Zhao Fusu's eyes were full of anticipation.

To ensure the Fire Bulls would turn around, he had specifically sent a batch of 'goodies' to the Qinglan Grassland.

"Lift it up for me."

After Zhao Fusu gave the instruction, Deputy General Pang had several men work together to stand the concrete slab upright.

"Eighty!"

"Eighty!"

"Eighty!"

Zhao Fusu gripped the sledgehammer with both hands and slammed it blow after blow against the concrete slab.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

...

As the dull thuds rang out one after another, Wang Xia couldn't help but cover her ears.

The eyes of Meng Tian and Gongshu Chou grew profound.

The hardness of this concrete slab was much greater than they had imagined!

As Zhao Fusu continued to hammer, debris fell from the slab, and the spot he was hitting gradually became indented.

Zhao Fusu finally put down the sledgehammer.

Even though the concrete's hardness was only at sixty percent, it was already rock hard, leaving his palms numb from the vibration.