Lin Tian was taken aback by Qin Zheng's words, not having expected such an idea from him. However, he understood that Qin Zheng's thought was entirely reasonable. Many areas in Great Qin lacked water, and the situation would be entirely different with canals. With canals, areas within several, or even tens, of li would not suffer from water shortages. Building a few more canals could ensure that the entire Great Qin would have ample water. This was an incredibly important matter for the people of Great Qin, even concerning their future. This was why Qin Zheng proposed such a request at this time. Lin Tian did not object.
Yet, he knew that Great Qin could not blindly excavate canals. Excavating canals carried certain risks. A mistake could affect water supply in other areas, leading to a loss greater than the gain. Under such circumstances, it was best to proceed according to local conditions. Therefore, Lin Tian would only build canals in suitable locations. However, this answer was sufficient for Qin Zheng. He only wanted canals built in appropriate places; he wouldn't agree otherwise. This also allowed Qin Zheng to quickly shift his focus.
"Then, when will our machines be ready?"
"Within five days!"
"Good, I shall summon more craftsmen to ensure this matter is handled with full effort!"
With Qin Zheng's strong support, excavators for digging land were indeed produced quickly. Compared to modern excavators, they were simpler, but also easier to operate. Many people could understand how to operate them after seeing them just once. Coupled with numerous horse-drawn carts to transport soil, everything became simple.
In front of Qin Zheng and his ministers, Lin Tian directly demonstrated the excavator's function. In just a few minutes, Lin Tian dug a large pit. The speed far exceeded Qin Zheng and the others' imagination, leaving them stunned.
"This… this machine is too incredible! It can dig so quickly?"
"Indeed, it's too fast. I've never encountered such a rapid machine before!"
"With such a fast machine, we might truly be able to dig a canal in a very short time!"
The appearance of the excavators gave everyone hope for rapid canal construction. However, digging a canal was not a simple matter; it required surveying the terrain, multi-party cooperation, and, more importantly, many excavators working simultaneously to ensure minimal losses. Because of this, many people became busy. A large number of excavators were manufactured. Numerous scholars were dispatched to survey various terrains. Many officials were sent near Lingnan to persuade the people there. Because Lin Tian pursued efficiency, all these actions proceeded concurrently.
Within a month, the terrain surveys were completed, blueprints were drawn, and a large number of excavators were transported. The construction of the canals officially began, drawing the attention of many people. The appearance of the excavators amazed countless citizens. Watching the excavators at work, their eyes widened.
"What is this thing? It can dig earth?"
"I don't know! But it's incredibly good at digging. I feel it can dig a large pit in no time!"
"So, is His Highness really going to build canals? With this, it seems much easier!"
The emergence of the excavators made many people feel incredulous. Especially when they saw the soil being dug up, they became excited. They knew a canal was truly going to be dug. This was a highly beneficial development for them. Many were already looking forward to the completion of the canal. Although they might not personally benefit from it, their descendants certainly would. Understanding this was enough for them.
Subsequently, they became curious about the construction time.
"Do you think it will take us long to finish our canal?"
"I think it will take about ten years. Ten years should be enough to finish this canal!"
"Ten years? Isn't that too short? How can a canal be finished in ten years?"
Even though these commoners had seen the excavators and watched them dig, they still judged the time required to build a canal based on their old understanding. When they learned of Lin Tian's estimated time, they were astonished.
"What? It can be completed in just a few months? That's impossible!"
"I also think it's impossible. How can a canal be built in only a few months?"
"His Highness must be joking! A few months seems completely impossible!"
Many people at this point considered it impossible. Based on their past experience, over ten years was normal, and it required mobilizing a large number of people. Although people weren't mobilized now, and these machines called excavators were used, it was still unbelievable that a ten-year project could be done in a few months. They had not yet fully grasped the convenience brought by machinery and thus could not understand what these machines could achieve that ordinary humans could not.
However, whether they understood or not, Lin Tian would proceed with his plans. More and more people paid attention to this endeavor. Many citizens acted like supervisors, watching the excavators work. Of course, they didn't watch constantly, only checking in the morning when they went out and again in the evening when they returned.
However, they soon discovered a significant difference between the scene they saw at sunrise and the scene upon their return in the evening. In just one day, the excavators had dug a substantial section of the canal. The length and depth astonished countless people. It was at this moment that they gradually realized that the existence of machinery was truly different from manual labor.