Chapter 1064: Chapter 1007: The Water Gate of Hotam County

The vessel sailed from the Nao’an River into a tributary, the water flow gradually slowing.

Led by the room leaders, each chamber’s occupants queued up to walk onto the deck under the supervision of ship discipline.

It’s not that the Ludwig Relief Association deliberately maltreated the refugees, but they had no other choice.

As the kinder priests put it, these refugees are "not yet adapted to the relatively detailed management regulations of the Holy Alliance."

With some more hot-tempered priests, they would simply curse "wild and hard to tame."

These refugees were indeed extremely difficult to manage.

The Holy Alliance has been quite meticulous in literacy and administrative management, treating civilized etiquette as a dogma for believers to follow.

After seven years, the quality of Thousand River Valley farmers is indeed higher than that of the refugees, not exaggerating about the Thousand River Valley People.

Therefore, relatively speaking, monks manage the civilians within the Holy Alliance with much ease.

Initially, the priests treated these refugees kindly, finding out it was of no use.

Not only was it useless, but they also took advantage, almost riding over their heads.

Helpless, they resorted to last-minute decisions, bringing in discipline, using cudgels to tell them "you must use the bathroom! Eat in the dining hall!"

The refugees, sitting long inside the cabin, stepped onto the deck, immediately shielding their eyes from the dazzling sunlight.

It’s already June, the summer season, with the incessant chirping of cicadas creating a noisy environment.

Once their eyes adjusted to the sunlight, the refugees all moved to the ship’s side, looking towards the shore.

Xie Li didn’t dare stray far from the Holy Cabinet inside the cabin, but couldn’t resist the curiosity to step forward and see if the Holy Alliance, known as progressing towards an Earthly Heaven, lives up to its reputation.

Standing at the bow, hills that appeared merely the size of a thumb could be seen in the distance.

The humid sunlight currently enveloped the river’s blue mirror-like waters and the gray-green river dam.

Taking a deep breath, an involuntary smile appeared on Xie Li’s face, as the air carried the scent of soil and wheat straw.

Beside him, the Military Chaplain Halifax couldn’t help but exclaim: "In winter, this river is only a dozen meters wide, but in summer it returns to tens of meters wide."

During winter drought, the river water levels drop, while in summer they rise, a natural principle.

Thus, in winter, the river often lies far from the dike, while in summer it’s just able to reach the dike.

However, to Xie Li, the river dike seemed slightly narrow, the water surface was even higher than the land behind the dam.

But this is normal; the Barbaric Lands of the Thousand River Valley can’t compare to the irrigation level of the Golden Plains in the Empire’s center.

Though surprised by the sight of the dike, Xie Li felt it was justifiable.

People on the shore were waving flags towards the ship, prompting Halifax to quickly summon people to respond and hastily leave.

In Xie Li’s eyes, the dike grew increasingly closer, the visible scenery becoming clearer.

"Hey?" Hunchback Wolin suddenly shouted, "Why is there a hole in that dam?"

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look in that direction, then began to exclaim in succession.

"There really is a hole."

"The river water is all rushing out through that hole."

"Oh no, we can’t disembark, there’s flooding behind the dam."

Upon hearing the wailing over here, the refugees on the other side immediately crowded over, wanting to join the commotion.

However, before discipline could intervene, Anselm, a wealthy farmer from Leia, acted first.

"Don’t panic, that’s not a hole; it’s a sluice gate!"

Just then, discipline drew out a rubber baton, approaching: "Who’s making noise? Don’t crowd on one side of the ship; move to the other."

Pressed against the ship’s side, Xie Li saw the so-called "hole" clearly.

Seven or eight meters away from the ship, it truly was a sluice gate.

The heavy gate had been lifted halfway, the dormant river waters breaking free, billowing out, carrying sunlight like specks of gold.

Like a runaway horse, the waters raced along a neatly stone-lined channel.

On both sides of the channel, farmers wearing broad-brimmed hats bent over to check the diversion gates, scooping out branches and water plants that might clog the channels.

Since the water level was higher than the ground, the waters flowed naturally through the channel, into rectangular paddy fields.

The dry soil greedily absorbed the flow, soon rippling with shimmering waves.

Farmers barefoot, waded into knee-deep waters, planting tender green seedlings into the soft furrows of the field.

Xie Li’s face grew warm, as he had seen such sluice gates on River Island and Windmill Lands.

Yet upon arriving in the Holy Alliance, prejudice took hold, immediately assuming the Holy Alliance was inferior.

Silently reciting a few passages from Miseria warning believers against arrogance, Xie Li regained his usual composure.

On the other side, an inland farmer with little knowledge asked Anselm: "Why install a sluice to release water? Is it to prevent the water from overflowing the dam?"

"How could it be?" Anselm shook his head, "Even if releasing water, it would be through the front channel, that dry flood discharge canal, not using this small opening for flooding."

"Wouldn’t this drown the fields?"

"You don’t understand; this is our River Island’s grassland irrigation method!"

Anselm explained the grassland irrigation method: first constructing dams near the river to store water, then building main and side channels.

Using gate control to manage water flow, letting river waters seep into the pasture, keeping it 2cm deep.

Due to the flood-resistant ryegrass, it absorbs sediments brought by the river, making the grass grow rapidly.

Once grown, the gate is closed, releasing cattle, horses, and sheep, whose manure naturally fertilizes the land before autumn sowing.

"This way ensures continuous wheat cultivation on all lands, even enabling livestock rearing." Anselm smiled proudly.

"I see." The artisans were puzzled, but many farmers nodded repeatedly.

The same plot, if not requiring cover crop rotations, effectively creates 50% more land.

No wonder River Island has a high grain yield!

"Really?" someone beside questioned, "Why are they planting now?"

Indeed, despite being far away, they could see farmers inserting seedlings into the paddy fields.

"That’s pasture!" Anselm insisted.

Again, someone questioned: "Does pasture need planting individually like this?"

"Who? Who’s speaking?" Anselm turned to look but saw no response; he adjusted his collar, "It’s pasture. Later, when we disembark, we can ask about it."

Provided no disturbances arise later, this will be their future home.

The Holy Alliance promised each person 30 to 50 acres of land.

Though in the empire’s distant regions, these lots weren’t worth much, they promised peace nonetheless.

As the saying goes, each land has its own practices. If wanting to settle in the Thousand River Valley, they must learn the methods here.

Amid the discussions, the fifteen vessels slowly moored at the dock.

Refugees were herded back into the cabins firstly; once the ships stabilized, they were led ashore by room leaders, mandated to report to discipline, acting as one chamber group.

Halifax hurriedly noted to everyone, "Remember to return to the ship before sunset; the vessel won’t wait!" and left.

Xie Li’s chamber, including Anselm, Tall Sani, Hunchback Wolin, and the Whaler opportunist Reginald, disembarked.

Xie Li initially intended to stay aboard but still decided, given prior sights and experiences, to tell his entourage and followed ashore.

He intended to use his eyes to measure this small town and the frontier nation, referred to as the "Empire’s graveyard" by the world.