Flowers in full bloom

Chapter 688 Everyone is busy

If it rained heavily at night, the examinees would rest in the dormitory, and the rain would drift in, and half of the quilt would be wet. The poorer ones didn't have quilts, and their clothes would also be soaked. So, they would continue to take the exam the next day wearing wet clothes. If this continued for several days, the result was predictable.

Therefore, the imperial examination can be said to be an extreme test of not eating well, not drinking well, and not sleeping well. In order to pass this exam, the physical fitness requirements are really very high.

Many people were helped out after the exam, which was considered good. Many others could not stand the exam and were carried out, some of them were already dead.

Those who could really make it to the end of the exam and walk out on their own were already one in a hundred. Therefore, after returning from visiting the Imperial Examination Hall, Xiao Yuan and Rong Jue's mental states had changed significantly.

Xiaoyuan paid more attention to physical exercise. Rongjue also changed his previous complaints about his schoolwork and worked harder.

On the second day of March, Xiao Yuan walked into the examination room with Rong Jue under the eager gaze of Hua Mancheng and his wife, and began the most important exam in his life.

When Xiaoyuan and Rongjue were busy with their exams, Hualei herself was also busy. Although Jinnian and Jinshi lived in the house behind and they could meet every day, Hualei found that she really didn't have time to accompany them.

Old Marquis Pei lived in Xichang for a while. After wandering around, he returned to Shangjing City at the time specified by the Ministry of War.

For military generals, even if they have retired from the army, the imperial court still has certain restrictions on the time limit for leaving the capital.

However, before leaving, Lord Pei reported a situation to Hua Lei, saying that when he visited various state capitals, the environment in many state capitals was very dirty and messy.

Not to mention the surrounding areas, people urinating and defecating everywhere can be seen. If there are fields below, when they stand up, they just use their feet to dig a few times, which is considered as fertilizing the crops.

However, in the inner city, there are people who turn around at any time and make a "sizzling" sound towards the corner, and even those who come to soak in it, the smell is very unpleasant.

There are also many mule carts and donkeys that pull and walk as they pass by. If you are not careful, you will step on the "donkey dung" behind you, and then there will be a trail of donkey dung footprints, which is really disgusting.

Urinating and defecating anywhere not only wastes compost materials, but is also very ungentle. I hope Hualei can manage this. In fact, Hualei has encountered this kind of thing many times.

When I went to the capital, this aspect was strictly controlled and special places were built for people to relieve themselves, so there would be no urination or defecation on the streets.

When in Mobei, although some people occasionally urinated and defecated anywhere, it was cold in Mobei and they would freeze after a while, so the smell was not obvious and they would not leave a trail of shitty footprints.

Later, when Minister Zhang wanted to make compost, he first sent people to pick up feces on the street. Later, he dug a big pit in a hidden corner of the street.

A large ceramic jar was placed, and a large movable wooden cover was added on top of it. Two-thirds of the wooden cover was fixed to the ceramic jar, and one-third was movable. When not in use, the cover was completely closed.

When you need to use it, you open the movable lid and relieve yourself. Afterwards, you can close the lid again. This way, it can be used to collect feces. In fact, it is a giant version of the hand-held toilet at home.

A conical roof was built with thatch to provide shelter. It was also stipulated that the manure from the cows, horses and mules on the road should be cleaned up on the spot by the horse and mule drivers.

After the notice was posted, the effect was quite good. The streets became cleaner. And within ten days, the big pottery jar was full, which was the best way to use it for composting.

However, the simple thatched hut built by Minister Zhang in Mobei was suitable for the cold Mobei, but it would definitely not work in Xichang.

Then, the weather in Xichang became hotter and hotter. If we refer to the construction of Minister Zhang's hut, the big pottery jar full of feces would be a paradise for flies and mosquitoes.

When I think of the dense green-headed flies in the pit, Hualei's scalp tingles. Flies and mosquitoes are most likely to carry bacteria. No, the problem of the toilet really needs to be solved.

Hualei wanted to build a public toilet in Xichang Prefecture like the one in her previous life, where people could get clean by pressing a button when they got up. However, the reality made her realize that it was impossible.

Water is in short supply in Xichang. Even if they build brick and tile huts like those in Shangjing City and assign people to clean them, it is not possible. After all, the people here still live in thatched houses.

So, Hua Lei consulted with Rong Jin and Wan Tongpan and decided to improve Minister Zhang's simple toilet.

Following the model of the early days of liberation in the previous life, a deep inclined ditch was dug, the bottom was paved with blue bricks, a large ceramic jar was placed at the deep end, covered with a wooden lid, leaving only a small opening connected to the bottom of the ditch.

The shallow end was used as a squatting position, with a basket of fine soil placed next to it. After the three urgent needs were solved, it was covered with fine soil, and then pushed with a wooden pusher, and all went into the large pottery jar at the back.

Minister Zhang used thatch to make the conical top, and Hualei changed it to using mud bricks to build the walls and thatch to cover the top, which is much cleaner. I tried to make one first, but the effect was not satisfactory. After all, it was not as clean as washing it with water every time.

However, there is no other way to deal with the water shortage in Western Xinjiang, so we can only solve it this way for now. At least there won’t be so many flies and mosquitoes.

After the toilet was renovated, Hua Lei found the hangers-on under the officials and asked them to help build the toilet.

After more than half a month, a mud-built hut was built at a certain distance in the inner city of the government office. Then fixed helpers were arranged in each area.

They were given a fixed salary and asked to patrol the streets more often, give advice more often, help with cleaning, and spread lime for disinfection.

He is specifically responsible for toilet hygiene matters, and as for other tasks such as running errands and finding people, they will be left to others.

In this way, Hualei quietly reduced the number of hangers-on. Although the effect is not obvious for the time being, the bloated hangers-on should also slowly lose weight.

Hua Lei discovered from recent events that many officials and yamen runners used the name of hangers-on to gain benefits for themselves. However, she had not caught any solid evidence, so Hua Lei did not expose those people.

I'll take action against them once I have solid evidence. By then, even if you've eaten it, you'll have to spit it all out, Hua Lei said calmly.

The streets gradually became cleaner, and there were fewer flies and mosquitoes. Hua Lei thought the effect was quite good, so he notified everyone of the notices and procedures for building simple toilets.