Free Web NovelIn the early morning at Dawn Harbor, the mist had not yet dispersed, but the air was already filled with the shouts of artisans and laborers.
"Heave-ho—heave-ho—" freёwebnovel.com
What they were building was destined to be the largest and most important port in the Northern Territory.
Within the construction site, several strangely shaped machines roared.
White steam from the valves continuously churned in the air, and heavy iron hammers, propelled by steam, rose and then slammed down, making the mud on the ground bubble.
These steam pile drivers were the latest product of Red Tide Territory's steam artisan group.
At Lord Louis's suggestion, a sliding rail and counterweight were added above the steam hammer frame.
Therefore, they were more accurate and faster than manual labor, with almost no deviation.
Several young workers stood by the furnace adding fuel, others helped position the piles, and some shouted chants to ensure synchronized movements.
Meanwhile, Elliot, the supervisor of Dawn Harbor, was carrying prepared pile logs with several laborers towards the steam engine.
He was one of the first knights to follow Lord Louis to the Northern Territory, and he was extremely loyal and reliable, which was why Lord Louis sent him to Dawn Harbor as a supervisor. freёwebnovel.com
Under Lord Louis's personal guidance, Elliot made sure to lead by example in everything he did after arriving at Dawn Harbor. Thus, no laborer dared to complain, no matter how hard or tiring the work was.
On the other side, Russell, the technical director of Dawn Harbor, was squatting in the mud, discussing with the artisans who had come with him to the Northern Territory how to build a port in this muddy flat.
But they were indeed somewhat pessimistic, as the port's location was a muddy tidal flat, where tides repeatedly scoured the land, making pile foundations prone to sinking or tilting.
Traditional construction methods would require several years and a large amount of stone infill to stabilize.
Someone whispered, "This mud flat could probably swallow a house—no matter how deep the piles are driven, I wonder if they can hold."
Although Russell said nothing, his brows were tightly furrowed.
Just then, a young knight ran through the mud and whispered to the two chief officials of Dawn Harbor, "Lord Louis is on his way and will arrive within two days."
Upon hearing this news, Elliot immediately broke into a relaxed smile.
Although he was highly valued by Lord Louis, this was his first time independently supervising such a large territory, and Lord Louis had also told him that this was Red Tide Territory's most important project for the next few years, which put immense pressure on him.
Sometimes he couldn't sleep at night, worrying if he could bear such a heavy responsibility and live up to Lord Louis's trust.
Now, hearing that Lord Louis was coming, a huge weight was lifted from his heart.
In Elliot's mind, Lord Louis was omnipotent; as long as he came, this matter was sure to succeed.
But Russell, standing beside him, was somewhat dazed.
He had only arrived in the Northern Territory last autumn and had met Lord Louis a few times, but they had only had two truly effective conversations.
One was when they first arrived in Red Tide City, where the young lord warmly entertained them.
The other was before they set off for Dawn Harbor, when Lord Louis summoned them privately, offered words of encouragement, and highlighted a few key points.
It was then that Russell realized Lord Louis did indeed understand something about port construction, being a young master from the Calvin Family after all.
He was a nobleman of extraordinary bearing, but his appearance was too young; judging by his looks alone, he wasn't even twenty.
However, hearing that Lord Louis was coming now, a sense of unease still welled up inside him.
After all, he had built ports for many nobles, and some projects were ruined by the self-important guidance of those in power.
If this young man was just coming to observe, it would be fine, but if he genuinely believed he had some skill and came to instruct them, the professionals, it could very likely cause problems.
Moreover, in Russell's opinion, this place was not suitable for building a port.
The worry in his heart lingered for a long time.
After resolving the crisis left behind by the Despair Witch, Lord Louis immediately rushed to Dawn Harbor without stopping.
He dismounted, his shoes sinking into the semi-wet sand, and his gaze swept across the entire construction site.
The outer fences had already been erected, and several rows of temporary shelters emitted cooking smoke, separated from the laborers' and artisans' houses, appearing quite orderly.
These houses were not considered crude in the Northern Territory, but in Red Tide Territory, they would only be temporary accommodations.
Looking further into the distance, the port's rudimentary form was just beginning to take shape. Pile drivers roared, artisans drew lines in the mud, and laborers, drenched in sweat, carried wooden piles forward.
"Lord Louis."
Elliot and Russell almost simultaneously came forward, stopping two steps in front of him.
They reported their respective progress one after another:
The temporary shelters and camp had been set up, and the artisans were settled.
Surveying was complete, and the harbor basin area had been marked.
The steam pile drivers were operating normally, and their effect exceeded expectations.
Some material consumption was slightly faster than estimated, requiring further shipments from the south.
Although Lord Louis had mostly learned about these situations from the Daily Intelligence System, he still listened quietly.
After listening, Lord Louis nodded and said, "I know there are many difficulties, your tidal currents, and some unknown enemies. These difficulties are destined to be encountered."
He paused, his tone firm: "It is right that some difficulties exist, but the port must be built. Because this is Red Tide's lifeline for establishing itself in the Empire; only by completing this port will there be an opportunity for development."
Elliot straightened his back, while Russell subconsciously swallowed his saliva.
Lord Louis turned and said, "Call all the foremen and technical personnel; we will have a meeting."
The meeting was held in a larger wooden house, with various maps and survey charts laid out on the table.
Even with the doors tightly shut, the sea breeze still seeped through the cracks, carrying a damp scent.
Lord Louis stood at the head of the table, a wooden board behind him. His gaze swept over every artisan and technician present, and he said, "Speak directly, don't beat around the bush. If there are any difficulties, state them plainly; concealment will only harm yourselves and others.
If you don't speak now, I will hold you accountable if problems arise later. This is not for the sake of deliberate punishment, but to ensure all responsibilities are assigned to those who should bear them. Understand?"
Silence fell in the wooden house; no one spoke [N O V E L I G H T] first.
Finally, Elliot, who was closest to Lord Louis, took the lead and said, "Lord Louis, there are strange fish-men nearby who often launch night raids. Several laborers have been attacked and are suffering greatly."
Lord Louis replied, "Set up concentrated fire and sentinel posts everywhere, with three layers of defense prioritizing personnel safety, and interconnected posts.
If the fish-men dare to come, they will inevitably be exposed in the light. Archers are to be on standby at all times; we will find an opportunity to deal with them all at once later."
Seeing this, Russell also mustered his courage and said, "The mud layers under the cofferdam vary in depth; driving piles to a uniform depth carries a risk of collapse."
Lord Louis pulled out a small black notebook from inside his cloak, evidently well-prepared: "We won't use a uniform depth; we'll explore first and then zone.
Soft areas will be driven deeper, even requiring grout injection to harden them; hard areas won't need wasted effort. Each section will have its own method, and only together will they be stable."
The artisans nodded frequently, their brows gradually relaxing, and even Russell was momentarily stunned.
This young lord not only understood his technical jargon but could also translate it into the most straightforward analogies, making it comprehensible even to the rough-handed stonemasons.
Although they didn't know the specific feasibility, seeing that the lord wasn't just giving random orders, everyone felt much more at ease.
Seeing this, others also raised their own questions one by one, and Lord Louis answered each in turn.
"My Lord, ropes are being consumed too quickly; the warehouse only has enough for five days. If they break, both the pile driver and the hoist will have to stop."
"First, disassemble old fishing nets and weave them into spare ropes. Delano, register the shortages and send someone immediately to Red Tide City to procure the second batch of materials."
"There's a shortage of long timber. The keel for the shipbuilding slipway requires oak, but the existing timber is mostly hill fir, which won't hold up."
"Use fir to erect a temporary ship frame first, and replace the main material when the oak arrives. Don't stop work; just get the framework up first."
Everyone threw out problems one after another: materials, working hours, technical parameters, night defense, medical logistics, disability pensions, dampness in workers' accommodation, slipway load-bearing, backup coal for steam engines. Those who could speak did so, and even the timid were encouraged to voice their hidden concerns.
Some problems could be solved, while others couldn't be resolved immediately and could only be noted down.
When all the problems were raised, everyone's mood was noticeably lighter.
Lord Louis said, "That's right. Only by raising problems can we solve them. If we keep them hidden, they will never be solved, and they will always drag on.
In the future, if you have other problems, you can report them to me or Elliot immediately. I cannot guarantee that every problem can be solved, but I will do my best."
Hearing Lord Louis's words, the artisans and technicians no longer looked dejected.
Especially those shipwrights and port artisans from the Southeast Province, who had initially believed that the nobles of the Northern Territory, as always, understood nothing about maritime affairs.
Now, however, they found this lord to be different, and much of their apprehension eased, feeling that building a port here might not be an impossible task after all.
Lord Louis closed his small notebook, his gaze once again falling upon everyone.
"Problems have been raised, so they must be specifically addressed. Without a plan, even the most skilled craftsmen and machinery are just wasted effort."
"Phase one: Foundation stabilization and harbor basin. Cofferdam, drainage, test piling, preliminary breakwater; eliminate potential threats, such as fish-men,
pirates.
Phase two: Docks and embankments. Breakwater elevation, pile-and-pier docks, warehouse foundations.
Phase three: Shipbuilding and navigation safety. Shipyard, keel, lighthouse, port defense weapon positions."
Silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of a pen scratching on the wooden board.
After writing, Lord Louis paused, his gaze slowly sweeping over Elliot, Russell, and the other leadership: "This is the general direction, step by step, one stage after another.
And we must also set daily specific plans and goals. Everything must have a schedule and a person in charge, so it's clear who should do what, with no room for shirking responsibility.
Of course, what I've written are just examples; the true details still need to be formulated by you all, combining them with the on-site situation. And as long as we follow the sequence and move forward, even the most difficult engineering project can be completed."
When his words fell, there was a moment of silence in the shed.
With a clear direction, the management's eyes no longer held the previous despondency and confusion.
Elliot looked at the lines of text on the wooden board, a long-lost sense of reassurance welling up within him.
He had charged with his sword on countless battlefields, but it was only after becoming the supervisor of Dawn Harbor that he realized the difficulty of leading people to build a city was greater than facing an enemy head-on.
Lord Louis's words sounded simple, but they were far beyond what he could achieve.
"It turns out I still have a long way to go," Elliot thought, a profound respect for Lord Louis rising within him.
Everyone looked at the clear handwriting on the wooden board, and a spark seemed to reignite in their hearts.
The plan had been set, and after promotion by the foremen, the atmosphere on the construction site became somewhat more positive. Most of these laborers had pledged allegiance to Red Tide relatively late last year.
They had few complaints about Lord Louis sending them here to work; most felt grateful that Lord Louis could give them food and a place to live.
So, with shovels and hoes, they worked tirelessly, carrying and lifting, beginning to excavate the soft mud and gravel.
The center of the tidal flat gradually hollowed out, and a rudimentary channel slowly appeared, which would be the outline of the future harbor basin.
Elliot directed the workforce to build a wooden cofferdam on the outer edge to block the seawater.
Workers, braving the sea breeze, drove wooden planks into the mud, then filled the gaps with sandbags.
Just then, an excavation area suddenly collapsed.
Mud instantly poured down, trapping a dozen laborers, their cries piercing the din of the construction site.
However, there was no danger. Lord Louis, having been alerted by the Daily Intelligence System, had already dispatched additional support nearby.
Elliot led a team into the mud and water, pulling ropes and forcefully dragging the dozen laborers out. Fortunately, there were no casualties.
Lord Louis stood at the edge of the embankment line, raising his hand to point at the collapse area: "The construction site must be safe. Lay wooden planks on the muddy ground, and stabilize the outside with sandbags. Also, dig another diversion channel to disperse the accumulated water."
After Lord Louis's orders were given, wooden planks were brought and laid out to create simple pathways, allowing workers to walk steadily on the muddy ground.
Diversion channels were dug, and the accumulated water gradually receded. The inner working area was no longer swallowed by mud waves, and the construction site became much safer, with accidental incidents reduced by ninety percent.
As days passed, a deep trench was gradually dug out in the center of the tidal flat. Accumulated water was dispersed by diversion channels, and the cofferdam line stood firmly on the mud.
What was once just a muddy mess now revealed the outline of a circular waterway, with rows of pile logs along the edges, like a crude skeleton.
The rudimentary form of the harbor basin finally emerged.
The artisans stood in the mud, gazing at this sight, their expressions somewhat dazed.
Someone raised a hand to wipe the mud from his face, letting out a laugh: "It really was dug out—"
A companion next to him couldn't help but grin along: "The port—it really can be done."
Those who had harbored doubts now worked faster and with more vigor than before.
Of course, the construction site was not all smooth sailing, and external dangers gradually emerged.
Sentries guarding the embankment often heard a "plop" in the deep night.
When the torchlight shone, only a series of bubbles surged on the water, then silence.
A wooden pile at the edge of the cofferdam was also found with half a tooth mark, wood chips floating on the water.
But by the time the knights pursued with torches, the traces had been washed away by the tide.
Artisans working in the mud occasionally felt the mud under their feet vibrate slightly, as if something was lurking in the dark.
Elliot ordered increased vigilance; sentinel posts had to be lit every night. Those fish-men would show their fangs sooner or later.
