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Elder Brother Li frowned and looked at Hanno. "Do you remember the filtration process at the water treatment plant? How about we set up a simple distillation device for these villagers?"
"Sure, I can order a hundred sets in modern times; it shouldn't cost much, but it will take some time," Hanno replied. "We can first teach them how to filter water; at least it won't be as troublesome as dealing with the town's water."
"Simple Filtration?" Elder Brother Li asked. "What kind of filtration method?"
"Using stones and sand arranged in a specific order to create the simplest Wastewater Treatment Device," Hanno explained. "I'm not entirely sure about the specifics, but let's follow these people to their village and guide them in making one."
"Alright." Elder Brother Li signaled for the other four to follow the villagers. Hearing that Hanno had a solution for their water issues, they were all filled with interest and curiosity.
The villagers carrying water were curious but not afraid of the few well-dressed individuals following them. Before the war, Enclosure had seen nobles visiting every year, so they were used to such company. Moreover, these nobles were reasonable; as long as they did not offend them, there would be no trouble—mainly because of the emperor's presence. No one dared to cause trouble under the emperor's watchful eye. If these nobles wanted to follow them, it was fine; it wouldn't hinder their work.
As a result, this group of nobles entered the village with them and asked to see the village chief, claiming they had a way to turn wastewater into clean water! Although the villagers were skeptical, they took it seriously. A young man around twenty immediately ran off to fetch the village chief. Hanno and his companions learned from others that this young man was the village chief's eldest grandson.
The village chief arrived quickly, and soon everyone from the village gathered. Despite their doubts about these young people, what if they were telling the truth? With a glimmer of hope, all the villagers gathered at the village entrance, eager to witness a miracle.
"Old Zhang Guang greets you, noble guests." The village chief was over fifty years old, with white hair and beard. His eyes reflected the wisdom and hardships of time; he was a wise elder. Just this alone earned Hanno and Elder Brother Li's respect.
"No need for formalities, Village Chief," Elder Brother Li said as he helped the elder up, noticing the distrust in his eyes towards them.
The Old Village Chief indeed harbored doubts about Elder Brother Li and his companions. When he heard from his grandson that someone could help solve their water problem, he was initially excited, thinking his grandson had encountered someone extraordinary. However, upon arriving at the village entrance and seeing only a few young men barely out of adolescence, that excitement faded away. What could such young people possibly know? Still holding onto a sliver of hope, the Old Village Chief politely greeted them, hoping only not to offend any noble guests.
Not only Elder Brother Li but also Mo Yan, the Princess, noticed the Old Village Chief's skepticism. The five of them turned their gazes toward Hanno in unison. Hanno smiled lightly; everything would be revealed through facts.
"Village Chief, could you please have someone bring over the largest wooden barrel?" Hanno requested of him.
Although the village chief did not believe it, he still had the villagers follow through with the plan. The village was not short of wooden barrels; there were plenty of them for fetching and storing water, and they were quite large. Zhang Da, the chief's eldest grandson, was the quickest to act, pulling together a few young men his age to quickly move a barrel that was taller than a person.
Hanno walked over to the barrel, bent down, and made a mark half a foot above the bottom. He said to Zhang Da, "Make a hole here."
Zhang Da looked back at his grandfather and, seeing him give a barely noticeable nod, immediately took out his tools and carved a hole in the barrel that was slightly larger than a coin at Hanno's designated spot. To facilitate water collection, Hanno instructed Zhang Da and the others to place stones under the west side of the barrel, raising it by more than half a foot.
Hanno then directed Zhang Da and his companions to fill the barrel with layers of stones, gravel, coarse sand, fine sand, and soil in different combinations, separating each layer with leaves and branches until they reached about a foot below the top of the barrel.
After circling the barrel twice and nodding in satisfaction, Hanno ordered Zhang Da, "Pour a bucket of water you just fetched from the river into the barrel, and hold another basin underneath the hole."
Zhang Da immediately complied, pouring a basin of murky river water into the barrel. Everyone, including Elder Brother Li and Yue Yunfei, focused intently on the outlet of the barrel. The vast village was silent except for the sounds of wind and birds; even the dogs sensed the tense atmosphere and refrained from barking. All eyes were fixed on the hole in the barrel, waiting for the water to flow out...
After about two minutes—though it felt much longer to all the villagers—water finally began to trickle out of the hole, slowly filling half of the basin.
"Clear water! It's clear water!" Zhang Da exclaimed excitedly as he lifted the basin.
The villagers erupted in excitement, crowding around to peer into the basin. Zhang Da rushed to his grandfather's side and held out the basin before him. "Grandfather, look! This water is so clear; it's clearer than what we’ve been collecting from our well."
The Old Village Chief looked down and saw that while the water in the wooden basin wasn't as crystal clear as spring water he had seen elsewhere, it was already comparable to ordinary river water. Overcome with emotion, he couldn't help but shed tears. "Wonderful! Wonderful! After fifty-six years of life, I can finally drink clear river water!"
As he cried out, other villagers followed suit, tears streaming down their faces. The air above the village filled with cries—not of sorrow but of hope for life. Mo Yan, the Princess, and Yue Yunfei exchanged glances before being moved themselves into silence as they let the villagers express their emotions through tears.
Elder Brother Li leaned closer to Hanno's ear and whispered, "This method of yours is quite effective; where did you learn it?"
Hanno replied, "It seems to be from 'Nile Daughter.'"
Elder Brother Li was stunned. "What?"
Hanno explained, "It's a very old Mali Su comic that you haven't seen. It talks about a method for filtering sewage, which is recorded in Mesopotamian civilization."
Elder Brother Li asked, "Mesopotamian civilization?"
Hanno continued, "Yes, the Mesopotamian Civilization, which thrived in the plains of Mesopotamia. The Mesopotamian plain is located in the alluvial plain between the Tigris River and the Euphrates River, in present-day Iraq. It is one of the cradles of the four ancient civilizations and home to Ancient Babylon. This region is where culture first flourished, giving rise to the first form of writing—Cuneiform—building the first cities, codifying the first laws, inventing the potter's wheel, establishing the first seven-day week, and narrating myths about God creating the world in seven days and the great flood."
Elder Brother Li remarked, "Is it as ancient as Huaxia?"
Hanno nodded. "Actually, Huaxia also had records of turning sewage into clean water long ago; I just can't recall them clearly. However, I remember this method from Mesopotamia better because of the comic."
Elder Brother Li chuckled as he looked at his girlfriend. He recalled how her obsession with anime during high school had led to a drop in her grades and nearly prevented her from getting into college. According to her, after reading comics like 'Red River Bank,' she specifically studied Hittite civilization; after 'One Piece,' she wanted to join the navy; and after 'Detective Conan,' she considered applying to a police university...
Hanno shyly averted her gaze, wishing to forget those embarrassing moments from her middle school days.
After a long while, the villagers finally stopped crying. Led by the Old Village Chief, they approached Hanno and the others, kneeling down in unison and bowing their heads. "Thank you for guiding us to obtain clean water."
Hanno was startled and quickly helped the Old Village Chief up. "Old Village Chief, there's no need for this."
The Old Village Chief expressed immense gratitude. "Benefactor, the method you taught us has resolved our village's water scarcity issue that has persisted for decades. Bowing our heads is hardly enough to show our sincerity. But aside from bowing, we have nothing else to offer as thanks."
Hanno had no choice but to allow the Old Village Chief to lead the villagers in bowing to them. Once they finished, Hanno helped the Old Village Chief to his feet and instructed him on the maintenance of the simple filter: "You need to clean out the wooden barrel regularly. Don't let too much silt settle at the bottom, or it will reduce the filtering effectiveness..."
The Old Village Chief nodded repeatedly, diligently noting down Hanno's advice. Worried about his memory, he asked Zhang Da and a few young men to remember as well, assigning them the responsibility of maintaining and cleaning the simple filter.
The Old Village Chief invited Hanno and the others to rest at his home, hoping to gather resources from the entire village to treat them. However, Hanno and his companions declined. They mounted their horses and, despite the villagers' desperate pleas, rode away from the village.
"These villagers are so enthusiastic!" After they had traveled some distance, Yue Yunfei exhaled with lingering trepidation. "I thought they were going to pull my coat off!"
The others nodded in agreement. Mo Yan, the Princess, said, "But I actually feel quite happy. It's more comforting than having eaten a delicious meal. Why is that?"
Elder Brother Li replied, "It's because we helped others. Giving roses leaves a lingering fragrance in your hands. It's a beautiful feeling."
The ancient ones pondered this, while Elder Brother Li and Hanno smiled as they waited for their thoughts to settle.
After a while, Yue Yunfei said, "Wei Feng must be right."
Geng Shi'an added, "Just like when I healed a patient; their gratitude makes me feel equally joyful and comfortable."
Qi Xueru chimed in, "I love this feeling of helping others."
Mo Yan, the Princess, clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Let's do more good deeds to help others!"
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