Chapter 408

The village chief was squatting beside the village's largest well, overseeing the villagers lining up for water, when a bare-bottomed kid who had just escaped disaster came running over anxiously, shouting, "Third uncle~ my dad, my dad said a big official from Youzhou City has come to inspect the fields—yeah, to inspect the fields!"

Village Chief Fang was baffled, "A big official from Youzhou City coming to inspect the fields? What fields?"

"They went to my family's fields, oh, there are many big horses, many people~"

The village chief couldn't make sense of what the kid was saying, "Then why did you come to me? Did your father send you?"

"Ah! Right! My father told you to go to the fields at the base of North Mountain~"

Youzhou City has a big official come to look at the fields that are about to dry up and die?

Not only the village chief, but even the people in line followed running toward the northern foothills. A crowd of villagers also trailed behind the King's horse—such a small mountain village seeing so many outsiders is always big news.

At the King's command, soldiers rode out to inspect the nearby farmland, while he himself followed the villagers to the already-dried-up Little Willow River.

The King sat on his horse and observed a bit, discovering that the little river was surrounded by farmland; the fields were planted with corn, which wasn't growing well but hadn't died yet, and he took note.

That guy glanced at Lingyin, and Lingyin knew the performance was about to start.

Lingyin rode along the riverbank, walked a bit, and stopped at a flat stretch. Seeing this, the King followed over and pointed at the dry riverbed: 'Report, sir, I think the underground water source here is abundant; maybe there's a spring—why not dig here? If there is a spring, the nearby fields could be saved.'

Wei Shen: 'Huh? You can tell that already?' So hasty?!

The King didn't care, already waving at the following engineers: 'Dig!' It was swift and decisive.

Xie Tu and the others riding behind wore blank stares, and the villagers watching the spectacle were utterly bewildered.

They thought that such a grand entourage from Youzhou had come to inspect the drought situation, hoping they might lower their taxes or the like. Who knew these people would glance at the riverbed and immediately start digging a well?

They meant to dig a well, right?

When the village chief led the villagers over, they saw a crowd gathered around the dried-up Little Willow River; pushing through, they found a group of finely dressed young men standing inside, while the riverbed below was already buzzing with excavation.

"What are they doing?"

Upon seeing the village chief, the villagers said, 'Uncle, you've come—these Youzhou officials insist there's a spring there and have already started digging!'

The village chief was speechless: 'How could they tell? Besides, these people… didn't they ask the fortuneteller from the neighboring village? He said nowhere could water be found by digging!'

The villagers had no idea what madness possessed these officials, but they weren't allowed to dig. They would sometimes stare longingly at the officials' tall horses, sometimes drool over the tools the officials used to dig, and today they finally broadened their horizons right at their doorstep.

The engineers the King brought were hastily conscripted, but their tools were genuine quality—made by the Imperial Workshop according to book illustrations. He had copper and iron; though their weapons couldn't match John Pul's black tech, even an iron shovel was no problem!

So now a bunch of villagers who'd spent their lives working the land were drooling over the King's portable iron hoe and pickaxe. What a waste to use such fine gear for a futile effort. With the sky this parched, how long would they have to dig to strike water?

These officials are still too young; they really seem unreliable.

The sharp-witted King didn't notice their distrust, but he did see their longing for the tools, and kindly explained: 'This pointed one is a pickaxe, this flat one is a hoe; these tools are sold at the farm‑goods shops in Youzhou City!'

Xie Tu: …Even now he hasn't forgotten to plug his wares?

The King, ever multitasking, not just fixated on farm tools, amid the villagers' murmurs and curious gazes, saw the digging was nearly done, calmly opened his case, pulled out a full map of Youzhou, and began locating his position.

He quickly found where he stood, and as the soldiers dug a pit three meters square and half a meter deep, the King hauled a medium‑sized spring device from the warehouse and tossed it onto the spot marked on the map.

He was quite economical—since Youzhou's drought wasn't as severe as Bingzhou's, he only dropped a medium‑sized unit, wanting to conserve.

Hardly had he closed the map when the soldiers below shouted they'd struck wet soil!

Lingyin glanced at the King, meaning: 'So rushed? We've barely scraped some silt, haven't even dug out a few stones, and there's water already?'

The King solemnly said: 'As long as we've struck water, we still have to press on!' How long does digging take? Let's finish quickly!

The two were still discussing details nearby, while everyone else stood stunned—'Is this even possible? Can they really strike a spring?!'

The watching villagers exploded!

"Heaven has opened its eyes! The officials from Youzhou really have some skill!"

The looks the King's entourage gave Lingyin were beyond words—'I never expected you to be such a Ling commander!'

Wei Shen excitedly slapped Lingyin's arm: 'I never imagined—truly never imagined—Lingyin, great warrior! Not only is your swordsmanship peerless, you can also read the earth's veins!' What an all‑round talent!

Lingyin: ……

The village chief stumbled forward, tripping once before getting back up. As he fell before the pit and saw the damp soil, his mouth twitched.

"Water! Water! Really, really struck water!"

Villagers surged forward, the guards frightened and surrounded the King, the scene utterly chaotic.

Another strike of the iron hoe sent a thick arm‑sized column of water shooting out!

The King: 'Wow, medium‑sized… the flow is still strong!' Those five thousand taels were well spent!

"Water's out!"

"There really is a spring!"

"So much water! It's a great spring!" The crowd erupted.

Some villagers knelt by the river thanking heaven for opening its eyes, some bowed to the King, others wept with joy, shouting that this time their whole family was saved, they wouldn't starve next year; the myriad human scenes by the river let the King know his trip was meaningful, not in vain.

Confirming the spring was no trifle, the village chief rushed to the eldest‑looking person in the crowd, Lingyin, and offered a great bow; Lingyin quickly reached out to support him.

"Sir, you are our village's benefactor! May we know your name and title so we can erect a shrine in your honor?"

Lingyin cut short: 'No need!'

"We want it, we want it! You are our lifesaver!" The village chief led the villagers, amid the chaos, pulling him to kowtow.

Lingyin looked to the King for help, but the King glanced around, ignoring him, and once he spotted his horse he bolted……

Lingyin: ……Will we keep repeating this farce from now on?

He didn't want to be a tool‑person, thanks.