Chapter Fifty-Three: Stand

On the 21st day of the twelfth lunar month, the renovation of the ancestral hall was finally completed, and Zhuohe Village was as lively as if it were celebrating the New Year in advance.

The newly renovated beams and pillars still exude the fresh scent of pine, and the old-fashioned carved window frames have been repainted in vermilion, giving them a serene and dignified new look under the sunlight.

At the entrance of the ancestral hall, the wooden archway that was originally a bit crooked has been straightened and reinforced.

The four large characters "敦亲睦族" (meaning "to foster kinship and harmony among clans") carved on the archway have been repainted in gold, making them appear particularly vigorous and powerful.

The newly carved auspicious cloud and mythical beast patterns, as well as pine and crane motifs, on the pillars of the archway are lifelike, symbolizing the continuation of the family line and good fortune and health.

The villagers, young and old, gathered around the ancestral hall, craning their necks to see, and a buzz of discussion rose and fell among them.

Wang Erhu had a loud voice and a strong voice. He squeezed to the front, touched the newly painted, smooth and shiny doorposts, and clicked his tongue: "Good heavens, look at these doorposts, look at the paint! They look brand new. The old doorposts were all in bad shape, badly infested with insects. They were a worry to look at. Now they're much better, stable and look very reassuring!"

Li Laosi's wife, who was holding a child beside him, chimed in, "That's right, Erhu! Look at the flowers and birds on the window frame, how exquisitely they're carved. Before, the paint had all peeled off, and it was all black and unrecognizable. Now that it's been repainted, hey, it looks so vibrant! It looks so festive!"

Her gaze swept over the pair of proudly raised unicorns on the archway, then landed on Zhang Liuji, who was talking to the clan elder beside him. Her voice rose a little: "Hey, did you see that? There are so many newly carved details on this archway. I heard that Liuji and his team did it all. Tsk tsk, that kid's skills are getting more and more exquisite. The mortise and tenon joints are so tight, and the carvings are so lifelike!"

“That’s right!” A man named Shuanzi’s father chimed in, his face full of admiration. “I saw Liu Ji working on it in that corner yesterday. He was so skilled with the chisel, so fast and steady. The wood was so obedient in his hands. In our village, this kind of craftsmanship is unmatched!” He gave a thumbs up.

Upon hearing this, Wang Erhu's eyes lit up even more, and he slapped his thigh: "Hey, I knew it! This job looks authentic. Liu Ji, that kid, is good! He's got potential, even better than his father back then!" His loud voice attracted the attention of everyone around him.

Wang Erhu didn't care and started to plan: "Hey, guys, after the New Year, my side room needs to be tidied up, right? I think we should ask Liu Ji to go. With his skills and attention to detail, you can't go wrong with him. And the wages are negotiable."

His words seemed to awaken everyone.

"Hey, that's right, Brother Erhu is right!" Li Laosi's wife's eyes lit up: "The door frame of my house is also a bit wobbly, so I'll ask Liuji to take a look after the New Year!"

"I'd like to get a new cupboard for my kitchen too..." Shuanzi's dad started thinking about it.

In no time, the topic of conversation naturally shifted from the ancestral hall's brand-new look to plans for hiring workers after the New Year.

At this moment, someone in the crowd said, "However, the most valuable thing is not the quality of the craftsmanship. Think about it, from beginning to end, the clan elders did not collect a single copper coin from each household to repair the ancestral hall. It was all paid for by the public funds!"

The moment these words were spoken, the surroundings fell silent for a moment, followed by a burst of discussion.

"Paid from public funds? No levies were imposed?"

Li Laosi's wife stared wide-eyed, her face filled with disbelief: "Oh my goodness! How much money will this cost? Wood, bricks, labor... this... this is no small sum!"

"That's right!" Wang Erhu also put away his excitement and replaced it with sincere respect. He looked at the energetic clan elders at the entrance of the ancestral hall: "In previous years, when we repaired a bridge or a road, each family had to contribute. This time, with such a big undertaking as repairing the ancestral hall, the clan elders didn't say a word. Look at their sense of responsibility!"

"Yeah yeah!"

"Thank you for your hard work, elders!"

"We must remember this kindness!"

Zhang Yili also went to see what was going on. The ancestral hall had been renovated and looked much more vibrant, which made the whole village seem more energetic.

After the excitement subsided, the crowd gradually dispersed.

Zhang Yili also returned home, and not long after he arrived, there was a knock on the gate.

The door opened, and there was Zhang Liuji, his forehead covered in a fine sheen of sweat, and his body seemingly still covered in wood chips and varnish.

"pay attention to!"

Zhang Liuji grinned, revealing a set of white teeth: "I've finished up at the ancestral hall, so I rushed over here. I bet your preparation room is all set up by now, right? I have some free time, so I'll build you a few shelves. That way, all your precious jars and pots won't be piled up on the floor collecting dust, and they won't attract rats when it gets hot."

Zhang Liuyi felt a warmth in her heart. This cousin of hers, after finishing his work, didn't even take a break, but thought of coming to help her.

She quickly ushered him in: "Brother, why are you in such a hurry? You just finished your work, right? Come in and have some water and rest!"

"No more rest, no more rest!"

Zhang Liuji waved his hand and walked straight to the small storage room that served as a preparation room: "I'll be wherever the work is. Why take a break? I'll take a look at the place first and measure the dimensions so I have a good idea of ​​what to do."

He walked into the preparation room, which was dimly lit and filled with earthenware jars and pots of all sizes, as well as dried sweet potatoes and radish strips that had been sun-dried in the autumn.

Zhang Liuji found a place to stand and walked around inside twice, his eyes sharp as a ruler, carefully measuring the width and height of the walls, and gesturing to indicate the location of the reserved passage.

"Hmm." He pondered for a moment, then made up his mind. After all, he was the one who drew the blueprints for building this house, so he knew what he was doing.

"This place is perfect for a four-tiered shelf, built against the wall, so it doesn't take up much space."

"Place the bottom layer higher up for large, heavy containers, the middle two layers for jars and pots, and the top layer for lightweight bags of dried goods. This way, it's convenient to take things out and looks neat and tidy."

“Okay! Brother, whatever you say goes!” Zhang Yili had complete confidence in his cousin’s cooking skills.

"Alright!" Zhang Liuji slapped his thigh. "It's getting late. I'll go back and get my tools ready. Tomorrow morning, we'll go up the mountain to cut timber! We need to find some sturdy and durable good wood!"

The next morning, when the sun was high in the sky, Zhang Liuji arrived at Zhang Liuyi's house, carrying an axe and saw wrapped in a thick coarse cloth and slung over his shoulder, with a bundle of sturdy hemp rope in his hand.

"Brother, have you eaten yet?" Zhang Yili was stuffing a leftover pancake from last night into his mouth.

"Eat up, hurry up and eat, let's get there early!" Zhang Liuji was full of energy: "The dew is heavy in the mountains, the sooner we go, the sooner we come back, and the logs are easier to carry while they're still wet!"

The two men each carried a large basket on their backs, along with dry food and water bags, and headed towards the familiar mountain forest behind the village.

Zhang Liuji had a clear goal and led Zhang Liuyi through the woods.

His sharp eyes swept over the trees, searching for suitable materials.

When making shelves, especially load-bearing legs and beams, you need hardwood that is sturdy, has straight grain, and is not prone to warping or cracking.

“Look, look at this pine tree.” Zhang Liuji pointed to a straight old pine tree: “The wood is hard and the grain is straight, so it’s best for making frame legs. And those old fir trees, their trunks are straight, so they’re suitable for making crossbars and shelves. They’re lightweight and insect-proof!”

He selected the tree he wanted to cut down, put down his basket, and took out his axe.

Zhang Liuji weighed the axe in his hand, took a deep breath, and swung it forcefully down at the base of the tree trunk.

Zhang Liuji was quick and experienced, knowing which angle to use the axe from to minimize effort and avoid difficult-to-cut tree scars.

Soon, a pine tree as thick as a bowl was felled.

Next up was Shanmu, who also came to help. The siblings chatted occasionally, making the work less tiring.

After the tree was felled, Zhang Liuji took out a saw and cut the trunk into sections that were easy to carry.

Zhang Yili was responsible for binding the sawn logs securely with hemp rope.

As the sun rose higher, the dew in the forest dried up.

The two men carried the heavy logs on their backs and began their journey home.

The road down the mountain was more difficult than the road up, especially when carrying heavy timber.

Zhang Liuji walked ahead with steady steps, while Zhang Yili followed behind, also steadily.

As evening fell, the two finally carried the timber back to Zhang Liuyi's yard.

Zhang Liuji didn't have time to rest. He just drank a few mouthfuls of water and immediately cleared a space in the yard, laid out his carpentry tools, and prepared to start working.

He first selected the thickest and hardest pine logs, which were the main materials for making the frame legs.

Use the ink line to draw a straight line and snap it onto the wood. Then, use a large saw to cut the wood into four square pillars of equal thickness and length, following the ink line.

Next are the crossbars and shelves, which are mainly made of cedar.

Zhang Liuji also used ink lines to determine the dimensions and then cut it to the required length.

Then, he picked up a plane and gradually smoothed the rough wood surface until it was as smooth as a mirror, with the grain clearly visible, and sawdust piled up at his feet.

Zhang Yili couldn't help with the delicate tasks, occasionally handing over a tool or wiping his cousin's sweat.

After planing the material, the most crucial part is the mortise and tenon structure.

Zhang Liuji took out a chisel and a wooden hammer. He first used an ink line to accurately draw the shape and position of the mortise and tenon where they needed to be connected.

Then, hold the chisel in your left hand and the hammer in your right.

The chisel cuts precisely into the wood, removing the excess bit by bit.

Zhang Liu watched intently, afraid of disturbing his cousin.

He was seen carefully trimming the mortise with a chisel at times, and then picking up the tenon and probing it in the mortise.

After the mortise and tenon structure was completed, Zhang Liuji did not rush to assemble it.

He took out an earthenware jar containing tung oil that emitted a distinctive odor.

He dipped a brush in tung oil and carefully and evenly applied it to every piece of wood, inside and out, especially at the mortise and tenon joints.

Tung oil quickly penetrates the wood grain, forming a protective film.

"This thing is insect-proof and moisture-proof."

While applying the tung oil, Zhang Liuji explained to Zhang Xiaoyi, "Wood is most afraid of two things: fire and termites. Applying tung oil will deter insects and make the wood last longer. However, the smell is a bit strong, so it needs to be aired out."

Zhang Liuji separated the wood coated with tung oil and let it air dry slowly until the oil seeped in.

He washed his hands, and Zhang Yili had already brought the steaming hot food to the table.

A plate of stir-fried potatoes and pork slices, the potatoes fried until the edges were slightly charred, the pork slices coated in sauce, the aroma was irresistible, a plate of freshly made pancakes, golden and crispy, and a bowl of hot vegetable soup.

"Brother, eat up, you must be exhausted." Zhang Yili served his cousin a large bowl of rice.

"Look at my sister's cooking!" Zhang Liuji didn't stand on ceremony, picked up his chopsticks and started eating heartily. "Delicious! It tastes even better than the restaurants in the county town!"

"That's too much of a compliment, brother. You're just tired from working, so everything tastes good."

The brother and sister sat around the small table, eating with great enthusiasm, as if all the fatigue of the day had melted away in the hot food.

"That's great! With skills like that, running a stall is a waste of your talent." He brushed the sawdust off his clothes, stood up to say goodbye, and said, "I'm going home to rest after a long day. We'll set up the rack first thing tomorrow morning!"

"Okay, brother, take care on your journey, be careful in the dark." Zhang Yili escorted him to the gate of the courtyard, watched his figure disappear into the night, and then turned back into the house.

Zhang Yi didn't rush to clear the dishes; instead, she plunged into the preparation room.

She rolled up her sleeves and began a thorough cleaning. First, she carefully moved the jars, pots, cloth bags, and bamboo baskets to the yard for temporary storage, and then swept away the dust that had accumulated over the past few days.

After sweeping the floor, she went to the kitchen to boil a large pot of boiling water. Just then, Xiong Zixiang returned, and the dishes were still warm by the stove.

"You're back? Are you hungry? The food is still warm, eat up. I'll get you a bowl of hot soup." Xiaoxin quickly greeted him.

"Yes, I'm back." Xiong Zixiang responded, took off his thick cotton-padded coat, hung it up, washed his hands, and sat down at the table.

He lifted the lid of the bowl, and the aroma of stir-fried potatoes and meat immediately filled the air, along with the wok hei (wok's breath).

"The materials for the frame are all ready, and the tung oil has been applied. It can be installed tomorrow. I'm thinking of taking advantage of this break to thoroughly clean and rinse the inside, so that everything can be neatly organized once the frame is installed."

"The water's still on the stove, Zixiang, keep an eye on it, don't let it overflow. I'm going to the outhouse." She stood up to settle Xiong Zixiang, and subconsciously rubbed her lower back.

Xiong Zixiang nodded without saying anything, but quickened his eating pace, quickly finishing the remaining pancakes and vegetables, and also drinking all the soup.

He put down his chopsticks and bowl, stood up, and went straight to the kitchen, where he poured the boiled water into a bucket.

By the time Zhang noticed this, Xiong Zixiang had already bent down, lifted the heavy bucket of hot water, scooped up the boiling water, and splashed it on the corner of the preparation room.

Fine, since my husband is taking over the work, I'll just do the chores myself.

After tidying up, Xiong Zixiang put the empty bucket away, washed his hands, and came out.

Zhang Yili had already tidied up the dishes, and the two of them finished washing up and snuggled into the warm bed.

As soon as Zhang Yili lay down, he couldn't help but sigh comfortably, feeling a soreness and fatigue in his lower back.

Before she could even adjust her posture, a warm, calloused hand gently pressed against her lower back.

"Hmm?" She was somewhat surprised.

"Don't move." Xiong Zixiang's voice rang out in the darkness.

The large hand began to massage her tense back muscles. The technique wasn't particularly skillful, but the force was well-controlled.

At first it hurt a little, and Zhang Liuyi couldn't help but groan softly, but soon the force loosened the stiff muscles, bringing an extreme comfort after the soreness and numbness.

Zhang Liuyi felt all the fatigue in his body melt away, his eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and soon his even breathing began, even with a little bit of relaxed snoring.

Listening to his wife's breathing, Xiong Zixiang held her tightly, his hand unconsciously patting her as he drifted off to sleep.

The next day, the tung oil smell had faded a bit, and the wood was completely dry.

Zhang Liuji arrived early and, together with Zhang Yili, carried the pieces of wood that had been coated with tung oil and appeared even more lustrous into the cleaned preparation room.

The preparation room has been completely renovated.

"Come on, pay attention, give me a hand!" Zhang Liuji called out.

He first picked up two pre-made support legs, placed them steadily against the wall, and found the right position.

Then pick up the bottom crossbar, align the tenon with the mortise on the frame leg, and pick up the wooden mallet.

"Tap, tap." With a few light taps, the crossbar was firmly embedded in the frame leg, fitting perfectly and not moving an inch.

Next is the second crossbar, following the same steps.

Soon, a sturdy square frame was erected. Zhang Liuji then picked up the middle layer of crossbars and installed them layer by layer, with the mortise and tenon joints fitting together.

Zhang Liuli stood by, supporting the frame and handing over pieces of wood. Watching the skeleton rise little by little, he felt a great sense of accomplishment.

With the frame in place, Zhang Liuji took out several planed cedar planks of the right size. He gestured and placed the planks flat on the crossbar.

He had pre-cut a shallow groove where the edge of the plank would meet the crossbar, so that it would fit perfectly onto the crossbar and wouldn't slip when placed on it.

He pressed it down with his hand and then gently tapped the edges with a wooden mallet to ensure that each shelf was placed flat and stable.

"It's done!" Zhang Liuji clapped his hands, took a step back, and looked with satisfaction at the brand-new four-story frame in front of him, which exuded the fragrance of tung oil and the natural color of wood.

It leaned firmly against the wall. Looking at the sturdy frame, Zhang felt more hopeful for the future.