After making a wish, financial freedom

Chapter 273 Don't Want Banyan Tree Bridge

Li Zhuo couldn't help asking:
"Did you catch them then?"

"No, the level of the Indian police is beyond praise. Up to now, they are still at a loss as to where the steel is being sold."

Well, it is really unreliable to count on Fobole.

Li Zhuo couldn't help but asked again:

"The iron bridge was stolen. I express my regret. The thief is very cunning and his modus operandi is very novel. It is hard to prevent. In addition, I express my sympathy for the villagers who became victims, but I would like to ask, what does this have to do with your wish?" ? Could it be that you like the villagers, so you want to benefit them?"

There was another mental wave coming from the banyan tree:
"Hehe, think too much. I'm not that noble. You don't know the Khasi people here. It would be fine if they have iron bridges. If they don't, they will make banyan tree bridges."

Banyan Bridge?What is this?
Before Li Zhuo raised any questions, Banyan knew that he didn't understand, so he explained:

"How is this kind of bridge designed? It takes advantage of the many fibrous roots that grow on the branches of our banyan trees. Our fibrous roots are continuous throughout the year, and can grow several centimeters every day.

The Khasi people take advantage of this. They use bamboo tubes to enclose our fibrous roots, and then let them grow along the bamboo tubes towards the opposite bank of the river. After they grow to the opposite bank, they will repeatedly bind and fix these root systems together. "

"As time goes by, the fibrous roots continue to grow and spread towards the opposite bank, and after many times the wooden boards are placed in the fibrous roots and entangled, the root system together with the wooden boards will eventually form a bridge. This bridge is strong enough to allow several people at the same time. When crossing the river, the tree bridge formed by the older banyan trees has a stronger bearing capacity, and the most can carry 50 people across the river at the same time."

Li Zhuo praised:

"Sounds good. The Khasi people are really smart and built a bridge of life."

Banyan tree seemed a little unhappy when he heard this:
"However, this is not a good thing for the banyan tree. For example, I am a victim. Since they don't have an iron bridge, they plan to use my roots to slowly build a banyan tree bridge. You don't understand the process of building a bridge. For me It was painful and long.”

"It took several years to pull my roots to the opposite side, and then weaving the roots, which took several years, and finally laying the boards until they could be used. This process will take at least 10, 20 years. It was a long torture process for me.”

"I will become deformed from the body to the roots because of carrying heavy responsibilities that should not be carried, and because of this, I will not be able to grow taller and stronger, and my vitality will also be weakened."

"So, I reject this kind of fate that is arbitrarily arranged by human beings. I want to live freely and be a big and useless oak tree as Zhuangzi said, so that I can live for a long time."

After hearing this, Li Zhuo admired this tree, and he has a wide range of knowledge.

Zhuangzi did talk about the useless oak tree. Although it is tall, the craftsmen ignore it and do not want to look at it, because if it is used as a boat, it will sink, if it is used as a coffin, it will quickly rot, and if it is used as furniture, it will break down and be useless. That's why I can live for so long.

And those melon and fruit trees, those trees with good materials, are often targeted by humans.

This banyan tree is quite transparent.

Li Zhuo asked:

"I see what you mean, so what is your wish?"

There was another mental wave coming from the banyan tree, saying:
"I know that you are also rich among human beings. Can you help build another bridge at the original bridge? As long as the Khasi people in the mountains have a bridge, they will definitely not want to spend 20 years to toss me. I was spared the pain of being a bridge tree."

Li Zhuo guessed that it would make such a request, so he was not surprised. He nodded and said:

"I can help you build such a bridge, but I want to ask, what can you give me in return?"

The banyan tree replied:
"Don't worry, I know an item that is more valuable to you humans. It used to belong to a prince. If you don't dislike it, I will point it out to you."

What Li Zhuo wanted was what it said, so he readily agreed.

He suspended the mental conversation with the banyan tree, then pretended to be attracted by the opposite mountain scenery, and said to the guide behind him:

"The scenery on the opposite side is so charming. I want to see it. Can we go there?"

The guide trotted to the river to observe, and then chatted with the mahout.

The mahout kept shaking his head, and the guide could only come and reply:
"Mr. Li, there is no bridge here. If we want to cross it, we have to take a long detour, and the opposite is a high mountain, so detours may not be feasible; but the mahout does not agree to let the elephant cross the river dangerously. He does not know the nature of the river. The depth, the landform in the river, worry about problems."

Li Zhuo deliberately said:

"What's going on here? Can't a bridge be built here? What is the government doing?"

The guide sneered and said:
"India's government is extremely inefficient and cannot be counted on."

They returned to the previous village, and then asked the guide why there was no bridge leading to the mountain.

The villagers were very excited and talked about how they were tricked by a group of swindlers into taking away the bridge.

After listening to the guide's report, Li Zhuo immediately said:

"This group of people is too disgusting, and it also delays me from crossing the river to see the scenery. Is there a way to build a bridge in the shortest time, preferably without delaying my travel."

After hearing this, the villagers said that such a bridge can be built, and it can be built in a short period of time, but it needs a lot of money.

After relaying, Li Zhuo learned that if the same iron bridge as before was built, the speed would be very fast.

Because the construction is very simple.

Li Zhuo didn't bother to find someone to bid for the bridge, it would be too slow.

He then promised the villagers that he was willing to contribute 600 million Indian rubles, or about 50 RMB, to build the bridge.

This amount of money is actually not enough, but this is not a domestic country. If it is a domestic country, Li Zhuo will definitely build a bridge with high standards and pay in full.

But this is India, what does he do with so much money, just complete the task.

The villagers did their calculations, and there was still a lot of money left, but this bridge was built for them, and they were basically using it. Naturally, they also had to contribute money and efforts, so all the villagers up and down the mountain contributed money.

Eventually they pooled the rest of the money together.

They also don't count on the local government. Although the government promised to build a bridge, with their efficiency, the bridge can be used within 10 years.

After that, the villagers themselves invited construction teams to purchase relatively cheap low-alloy plate steel, and the whole village, young and old, mobilized to repair the bridge together.

The way they built the bridge was also an eye-opener for Li Zhuo.

There was no need for surveying, surveying, or bridge expert design. All relying on hand feeling, the construction team directly drove a few steel pillars into the bottom of the river, and then laid a few large steel plates on them, and then directly and roughly Weld them together.

In order to give people a grip, ropes were also pulled on both sides of the bank as handrails.

And so a bridge of unadorned evil was built, brutally and swiftly.

It is much more efficient than building a bridge in China.

Li Zhuo was dumbfounded, and couldn't help reminding:
"Isn't the bridge built in this way unsafe?"

Older villagers have experience. They replied that the bridge was built in this way before, and the second-hand steel was used, which was of lower quality. It turned out that it was still good after 30 years of use, and it could continue to be used if it hadn’t been stolen.

They are confident that the bridge will last for 40 years.

Li Zhuo had nothing to say after hearing this. He felt that there was a potential safety hazard, but the villagers didn't think so.

On the day the bridge was built, the villagers sang and danced, and killed the lamb and chickens in the family to entertain Li Zhuo to express their gratitude.

There were even a few Khasi girls who asked Li Zhuo if they could be her husband.

Li Zhuo was really not interested in these dark-skinned Khasi girls, and being their husband meant getting married and not owning property.

All his money can only belong to his wife and future daughter.

This was worse than going out without leaving the house. Although he drank some wine, Li Zhuo resolutely refused with a clear head.

The bridge was repaired, Li Zhuo fulfilled his promise to the banyan tree, and rushed to see the banyan tree early the next morning.

……

(End of this chapter)