EBE Chapter 122 Desert Control
Chapter 122 Desert Control
Ideal is full, the reality is very skinny.
In fact, according to the evaporation rate of the desert, these floods should have evaporated quickly, but it rained for about ten days afterwards.
Fortunately, people from the Western Regions sent them some supplies, otherwise they would have starved to death.
It was a month later when the floodwaters receded and the land was exposed.
Wei Yu and his men were divided into three groups, and the people in charge of planting at the Dasang Agricultural Division helped the local people to restore and manage the farmland.
Wei Jianjie took several subordinates to the foot of the snow-capped mountains to monitor the water source, and at the same time monitored the riverbed and water level along the way.
Loulan brought several local people to find Wei Yu. It was said that they were the desert control team he formed. Wei Yu went with them to the edge of the oasis.
At the edge of the oasis, they had planted a circle of trees, but the trees had been almost completely destroyed by the flood and the previous sandstorms and hail, with even the roots uprooted.
They had already expected this, but they couldn't help but feel disappointed when they saw the mess before them.
"Let's replant the fallen trees first."
After Loulan finished speaking, she bent down to pick up the fallen tree.
When the members of the team saw that their king had personally taken part in the work, they didn't care about whether they were disappointed or not, and hurried over to plant trees with Loulan.
Wei Yu picked up a handful of yellow sand.
Although it has experienced floods, the land here is still very loose. Not only trees but even grass can hardly survive.
First, it cannot retain water, and the plants planted will quickly wither due to lack of water. Second, the roots of the plants cannot hold on to such loose sand, and they will all fall down when a strong wind comes.
What they need to do first is to fix the sand, and only on this basis can they plant plants, which can further fix the sand and further realize the desertification of soil.
Water source is also a problem. Diverting water is feasible, but the cost is very high.
Moreover, once the water is diverted, it is likely to cause irreversible impacts on the downstream rivers.
We need to ask the opinion of Wei Jianjie, a professional.
In addition, there are some very important considerations when planting trees and what trees to plant.
Wei Yu had an idea. She remembered watching a documentary before.
There is a Chinese medicine called Cistanche deserticola. It grows in the desert and seems to grow on the roots of Haloxylon ammodendron trees. Can they also artificially cultivate Cistanche deserticola through Haloxylon ammodendron trees? This will not only help control the desert but also make money, killing two birds with one stone?
Wei Yu described the appearance of Cistanche deserticola and Haloxylon ammodendron to Loulan, but Loulan shook his head, indicating that he had never heard of them.
However, an older man passing by said, "I've seen this thing before."
Wei Yu's eyes lit up, "Where have you seen it? Tell me in detail."
"In the deep desert southeast of the Loulan City Oasis. However, there are a lot of shifting sand dunes over there, so I don't know if they are still there."
"Big brother, can you take me to see it?"
Loulan objected, "No, the heart of the desert is too dangerous."
Wei Yu was about to retort when Lou Lan said, "Unless you take me with you."
"Okay, okay, good friends, let's go together."
Before leaving, Wei Yu also talked to Wei Jianjie about the subsequent issues of sand fixation and water diversion.
She asked the people of Loulan to help collect some dry grass during the slack season, preferably the kind that was fifty or sixty centimeters tall. She also asked Wei Jianjie to write to Si Muqin to see if they could send people to transport a large amount of dry straw.
Rice straw can be used as a sand-fixing tool, and the "straw grid" is one of the greatest "inventions" for sand control.
Wei Yu told the members of the desertification control team how to make the "grass grids". During their absence, the remaining members of the team first made the grass grids.
After arranging everything, Wei Yu set out fully armed to look for Haloxylon ammodendron and Cistanche deserticola.
Wei Yu wrapped himself up tightly, leaving only a pair of eyes exposed. "Let's go."
A camel caravan of more than a dozen people set off.
The temperature difference between day and night in the desert is very large, 40 to 50 degrees during the day and minus 20 to 30 degrees at night.
After experiencing four seasons in one day, Wei Yu felt that his body temperature was about to be out of balance.
They walked like this for about ten days.
The sky was full of yellow sand, and they even experienced a sandstorm in the middle.
At that time, Wei Yu thought he was going to return to the modern era.
Fortunately, the people in Loulan City all had unique skills, and they successfully avoided the risk of sandstorms.
On the eleventh day, they finally found Haloxylon ammodendron and Cistanche deserticola.
Wei Yu almost cried to death while hugging the Haloxylon ammodendron tree.
After a short rest, everyone set up camp on the spot.
Those who want to dig roots start digging roots, and those who want to look for Haloxylon ammodendron seeds start looking for seeds.
On the premise of ensuring that there is enough water for people and animals to drink, they began to cultivate Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings.
It was the first time that Wei Yu saw a plant sprout so quickly.
In less than three hours, the Haloxylon ammodendron seeds they found took root and sprouted.
They took the germinated seeds and dug up dozens of seedlings and set off on their return journey.
Unexpectedly, they encountered another storm on their way back to the city. The storm made them lose their way in the desert. They walked in the desert for five days before they found the right direction.
With two days' journey still to go, they had no more water left.
Wei Yu looked at the wilted Haloxylon ammodendron saplings and seemed to see them waving to her, "I have water on me, come and eat me."
Just when Wei Yu was about to stretch out his evil little hand, Wei Jianjie came with a few jars of water.
Wei Yu snatched the water from Wei Jianjie's waist and started drinking it.
"Alive~~"
Wei Jianjie turned the water bag upside down, and not a drop of water was left in the bag.
"Okay, okay, as long as you are happy."
Wei Jianjie sighed, holding his water bag pitifully, and went to queue up to fill it with water.
"Why are you here?" Wei Yu asked.
"You're three days behind schedule. The people in the city are very worried and said they'd come out to look for you. I saw that Ye Yongkong followed me here."
Wei Yu was moved.
"Thanks."
"As long as you're okay."
After returning to Loulan City, they began to plant trees without stopping.
They planted Haloxylon ammodendron seedlings in the center of each grass square.
In addition to Haloxylon ammodendron, they also planted some other desert tree species.
As for irrigation, they decided to dig an irrigation canal, a small one, just enough for irrigation.
Wei Jianjie suggested that soil and water conservation should also be carried out in the upper reaches of the river basin.
Wei Yu thought it was feasible.
Wei Yu thought it was feasible, and Loulan naturally had no objection.
Fortunately, the people of Loulan City responded very positively and would join them whenever they had time, providing them with a lot of human resources.
Time flies, and half a year has passed.
Loulan City welcomed several uninvited guests.
The self-disciplined A Yuan woke up on time from her nap and found that three men and one woman in strange costumes suddenly appeared in her home.
One of the men was holding a waterwheel toy that her second uncle had made for her.
She hid behind the door, her hand on the holster at her waist, which contained a children's water gun filled with pepper spray.
Wei Yu usually spends most of his time controlling desertification at the edge of the oasis. Worried that a four-year-old child would be unsafe at home alone, he specially made this pepper spray gun for her.
I also made a leather gun holster for A Yuan at her request, and it looked like the real thing.
After a man stepped into the room, A Yuan jumped out with a water gun and shot the man in the eyes.
The man covered his eyes and screamed wildly.
"Who attacked me?"
Ah Yuan immediately ran out of the room and towards the door, shouting for help as she ran, "Help, someone is killing someone, help..."
The short legs left afterimages.
When she was about to reach the door, her collar was grabbed from behind and she was lifted up with her feet in the air.
"Let me go, let me go, if you have the guts, put me down and let's fight one on one."
The tone of his voice was exactly like a young Wei Yu.
The man holding her looked dazed for a moment.
A Yuan found an opportunity, picked up the gun and shot it at the man's face.
The man's eyes were stung, so he had to put A Yuan down and quickly find water to wash his eyes.
A Yuan took the opportunity to run out immediately.
At the edge of the oasis, Wei Yu was discussing the issue of sand control with Wei Jianjie in Loulan.
A young man rushed over and said to Wei Yu, "Oh no, oh no... Master Wei, there's a thief in your house."
"Ah???" Wei Yu broke out in a cold sweat when she heard this. Her A Yuan was still at home.
Wei Yu didn't care and rode his horse towards the city.
Wei Jianjie followed closely behind.
In order to make things easier for her, Wei Yu gave herself an identity when she arrived in the Western Regions: the special instructor of the Dasangnongsi of Dati.
Because there was already a Lord Wei Jianjie in the team, everyone respectfully called her Little Lord Wei.
Lou Lan stopped the young man and asked sternly, "What's going on? Has the criminal been caught? A Yuan, is A Yuan okay?"
"Miss Yuan is fine and has been taken into protective custody. The criminals are several older women, three men and one woman."
Loulan suddenly had a guess in his mind, and quickly mounted his horse and rushed towards Loulan City.
The desert control workers surrounded the young man.
"What's wrong with you? Master Xiao Wei's house is not well guarded by you, and you actually let the thieves in? How can Master Xiao Wei and Master Wei rest in peace if you hold them back like this?"
"That's right, you guys are a bunch of pigs."
"Master Xiao Wei, if you feel that we are not safe here and want to leave, you will be sinners."
Amidst the scolding, the young man was so PUA-ed that he wanted to scold himself back.
The main reason was that he didn't expect that outsiders would come to Loulan City.
They certainly wouldn't do anything to Xiao Wei. I didn't expect that...