Alexander’s decision to drastically reduce his plans for the residential buildings was based on pure maths.
Something that Diaogosis seemed unable or unwilling to consider.
So he decided to show the man that wanting to continue with this project regardless was an exercise in futility.
“Diaogosis,” He gently called out, and in a fake understanding tone said, “I understand your passion for your work, But it is simply not possible to complete the constructions at the pace I imagined.” He said so shaking his head.
“Let us see why.” Alexander then raised his index finger dictatorially.
“According to what I have observed from being here with you, a worker can use up to 500 bricks or a ton of stone’s equivalent and close to a hundred fifty kilograms of cement a day.”
“So, with the men people under you, only you will need two and a half million bricks and seven hundred and fifty tons of cement per day.”
“And that’s only for you. Even that will take years to reach that capacity,” Alexander had a slightly fearful tone to his voice as he said these numbers.
He was not only fearful of the numbers but what these numbers meant in the grand scheme of things, nothing much really.
For example, just four (16m x 4m x 0.2m) walls and one (16m x 16m x 0.4) roof which made up the outside perimeter of the apartment blocks used up more than fifty thousand (50,000) bricks and fifteen tons (15 tons) of cement and it represented just a hundred workers’ output for one day.
Thus Alexander dreaded to think the kind of numbers that would have been needed to keep up the infrastructure projects in his previous life that employed tens of thousands of workers.
Alexander’s analysis dampened Diaogosis’s resistance to the cuts, but he was still unresolved to lose much of his power, knowing, though Alexander had not explicitly mentioned the cutbacks, they were bound to be drastic.
And so, suddenly remembering a bit of something else, he quickly piped up, “My lord, didn’t you say we would be having more than a hundred thousand men (100,000) soon? What about them? They can work!”
Diaogosis had a huge grin as if saying he had found the magic formula.
“Men, women, and children. That’s what I said,” Alexander gently chided, feeling a bit frustrated he was having to waste so much time on the man.
So in a bit of a display of anger, Alexander stated brushing his arms, “As we discussed a majority of them will be employed in farming. And even much of the rest will be needed in other projects. They cannot be given sorely to you.”
And besides, Alexander’s main issue was not the manpower shortage but the raw material deficit.
“I understand what you are saying, my lord,” Diaogosis at last bowed to reality, though the unwillingness in his voice could not be missed.
And then as a side note let Alexander know, “But please know that if we wait too long, the wood and ropes that’s been used to mark the plots and make the outlines of the pillars will rot and we will have to start over again.”
“Mnnn, I understand,” Alexander could only helplessly see those things get wasted.
“Your Grace, then what about all the homes? Where will all the people live?” Diaogosis did not forget to remind Alexander about his promise to the people, a promise it seemed Alexander would be unlikely to keep.
And then further said, “And sire, without the northern district cleared, we will also not be able to make the commercial district too. What about that?”
“…” Alexander had little answer to this problem as he put on a thoughtful or more aptly, confused face.
He was thinking about how he was gonna sell it to the people.
‘Fuck.’ Alexander cursed himself for getting over-eager and over-promising to the public.
This decision not only would damage the fragile reputation he had managed to build up within the short time, it would also hamper one of his critical strategies:
A god who promises something and then is unable to deliver on it was no god.
pǎпdǎ Й?νê1,сòМ But he soon forced himself out of such a self-deprecating state.
Mistakes were made but what had to be done, had to be done.
And as the leader, he knew he should always appear confident and confident in front of his subordinates.
So regaining his hawk his azure eyes, Alexander spoke, “As far as I recall, you have ten thousand (10,000) men under you, right?”
Diaogosis knew this question was the preclude to Alexander relocating his men elsewhere.
And though he thought about hiding some of it for a split second, he quickly understood that that would be a very bad idea and in the end answered truthfully.
“Yes, my lord, Half in the quarries and half in the constructions. Though most are now making the plows you wanted for farming,”
*Sigh*, if these 10,000 men could work at full capacity, even assuming each floor with all the individual flats, rooms, and stairs used a total of six times the materials, which came to around three thousand thousand bricks and close to a hundred tons (100 tons) of cement, they could have built four four-storied buildings each day.’ Alexander could not help but let out copious amounts of sighs as he ruminated over what could have been. 𝒷𝒹𝓸𝓿𝓁.𝒸ℴ𝓶
But Alexander quickly returned his attention to address the man currently in front of him.
“The issue about the houses can wait,” Alexander began, stating, “We will continue with the demolitions of the northern districts as planned and move the people to the western district.”
“The military has been ordered to clear the eastern district and move there, so many of the barracks and noble houses will be made available soon.”
“My lord, that will still take some time. And won’t the military setting up all those buildings also use up bricks and cement?” Diaogosis was very quick to point out that Alexander was basically suggesting that the army get more construction materials than him.
“No,” But Alexander rebutted, “The army will get cement much later. For the time being, they will live in the various inns and houses in the eastern district. And once the winter is over, they will demolish the district and live in tents.”
“And it is unlikely the men will get any significant amount of concrete next year. Only the year after,” Alexander added.
Then he soothed Diaogosis’s further grievances, “And though it is certainly unfortunate that we will not be able to finish the houses in time, we will compensate the people by building huge bonfires as heating spots so no one suffers from the cold.”
“And that’s what the people really want don’t they – To not suffer from the cold? It’s not like they really want the house!” Alexander reasoned.
“I suppose the lord is right,” Diaogosis finally accepted his fate.
But what did Alexander mean by people didn’t want houses?
Well, the people of this time lived in their houses very differently as compared to people in the 21st century.
Modern humans tended to see their apartments as permanent residences to live in, places where one cooked, dined, slept, and relaxed.
It was their abode, their sanctuary, and as Winston Churchill put it, “Their castle.”
But for the people of this time, houses were not like that at all.
For them, especially those who lived in cities, they basically lived outside.
They had a lodging of some kind, like a small shack, hut, or a loft atop the family’s workshop or shop, which was small and very minimal, with almost no furniture.
There might be a chest or two there which was used to place valuables and stored clothes, several pegs where to hang clothes in use, winter capes, and other things, probably a couple of stools, maybe a bed (those who can’t fit on the bed can sleep on a mat or mattress on the floor), and a brazier that would be used to heat the room in winter and to warm up or even cook food.
Even the rich lived similar lives.
They had their differences of course.
For example, they lived in multi-room homes which were reserved exclusively for the rich.
This was also why Alexander’s plans, which promised even the peasants such houses had garnered such attention.
But other than the size, the layout was very similar.
People, both poor and rich tended not to cook inside their houses, but would rather use a large community stove that usually belonged to a baker or an affluent member of the society.
This was because owning and running an earthen stove was expensive.
And since cooking for a great number of people and running a hot stove for a long time was economically cheaper, in addition to the fact that a baker’s oven would sit idle after he had finished baking all the needed bread by morning, the people naturally gravitated to that option.
In this way, the people cooked outside, worked outside and because there was no artificial lighting and candles were expensive, tended to socialize outside, meeting up, in small inns, shops, or other public places, like gardens or even on the terrace, drinking, chatting and even playing small games like dice and other board games.
So, the people of this time lived in their city just like modern people did in their homes, eating, playing, and partying, while only returning to their houses at night to sleep, essentially treating them as their bedrooms.
Thus Alexander was confident that as soon as their night’s were comfortable, the people would not too much bemoan the delay of the houses.