Fortunately, the map shows the mountain to the north and marks its direction.

Song Ning pointed to a spot on the map: "Your Excellency, we plan to build a house here."

When it came to building the house, Zheng Gaoyi was even more enthusiastic than Song Ning and the others. Without a second thought, he said, "No problem. Is there anything else I can help with? Just let me know."

So generous?

Since he hadn't done anything right, Song Ning didn't dare to ask for a reward.

She just wants to finish building the house as soon as possible; if it's delayed any longer, it will be difficult to build when the weather gets cold.

So, after everyone chose a location that day, they began to build the house.

The women and capable children were responsible for making adobe bricks, while the men laid the foundation, cut wood, and built the house's frame.

After so many years of silence, Tianxiang Town is finally about to come alive again.

When Song Dahai was building the wall, Song Ning specifically asked him to dig out chimneys in the two rooms and then build chimneys on top of them.

Although Song Dahai didn't quite understand, he did as his daughter told him to do.

The room of Song Dahai and his wife was right next to the kitchen, so Song Ning asked Song Dahai to build the stove on the side where the two rooms were next to each other and make two smoke vents.

Everyone is working hard to build their houses. It's so cold inside the tents at night that it's impossible to sleep. Some families with more men are building theirs quickly, and after finishing their own, they go to help other families.

Song Ning was the one who needed to be taken care of.

Song Dahai was the only one in their family who could build houses. Even if Song Dahai was very capable, it would take a while to build six or seven houses.

Everyone who isn't busy right now comes to help build the house.

Song Ning had only ever heard of "hundred families' meals" before, but never "hundred families' houses."

When people get busy, time seems to fly by. In just one month, a towering building can rise from the ground. A place that was barren a month ago is now filled with houses and the warmth of life.

Although it's not safe for people to live in yet, at least it's not drafty.

People were so eager that they cleaned up the house that very night, moved the thatched roof inside, and slept on the floor.

The house was just built, and it still smells of earth. Fortunately, the sun is strong during the day, so it should be fine after a few days of sun exposure.

During dinner that evening, Song Ning said, "Dad, I'm afraid you'll have to work hard tomorrow to build us two kang beds."

Song Dahai was taken aback: "A kang? What kang?"

"It's a kang (heated brick bed) for sleeping, the kind that gets warm when you burn firewood."

The couple glanced at it, and Song Dahai asked, "What kind of kang (heated brick bed) do you want? Why don't you draw it for me, and I'll make it accordingly?"

Song Ning recognized the voice and asked, "Dad...you've never heard of a kang (heated brick bed)?"

Song Dahai shook his head, and Liu Yuelan also shook her head.

Song Ning had always thought that the lack of a kang (heated brick bed) in her home was a matter of habit, since there were no kangs in the south in her previous life.

No wonder every household has a bed! It turns out that the kang (heated brick bed) hasn't appeared here yet.

"It's alright, I'll do it with you tomorrow."

There's no kang (heated brick bed) here? Song Ning found it unbelievable. This was the wisdom of our ancestors, how could there be none here?

Her grandfather used to live in the village, and his family had a heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove). It was extremely comfortable to lie on in winter. She was someone who had seen a heated kang with her own eyes.

That night, the family huddled together on the kitchen floor and slept.

Early in the morning, the father and daughter began to build the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove).

Under Song Ning's direction and Song Dahai's operation, the outline of the kang (heated brick bed) was quickly completed.

Under the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed), some flues needed to be made. Song Ning put two bricks together and then piled them up until they were the same height as the outer edge, making several in a row.

Leave a space in the middle for burning firewood, and leave a space in the wall for smoke to escape.

When Aunt Zhao and Mrs. Sun came to visit, they were amazed to see the things in their two rooms that looked like fortresses.

When everyone was building their houses, Song Ning told Village Chief Luo to remind everyone to leave chimneys in the walls.

Although the village chief didn't understand either, he did as Song Ning said. Er Ya usually didn't say such useless things.

Now everyone finally understood, and upon hearing the news, they all came to see the Song family's kang (heated brick bed).

Upon hearing Song Ning explain the uses of this thing, he hurried home so he could make one too.

The news spread like wildfire, and in less than three days, everyone in these households was busy setting up their kang (heated brick beds).

It even alarmed the county magistrate, who made a special trip to see the heated kang (a traditional brick bed) in Song Ning's house.

After looking at it for a while, I asked, "This thing...can it really keep you warm in winter?"

Song Ning smiled mysteriously: "Once we heat up the kang (heated brick bed), we will definitely invite the county magistrate to experience it."

Zheng Gaoyi prided himself on his extensive knowledge, but he had never seen such a thing before in the entire Jin Dynasty.

"Er Ya, how did you find out about this?"

"Um... I saw it in a book." Can I tell you that it was invented by my fascinating ancestor?

"What book is it? Can I borrow it to take a look?"

“It was back in our village that an old doctor treated me, but that old doctor is long gone.”

Her grandfather had indeed passed away long ago, so she wasn't lying.

They rushed to move into their new house before winter arrived.

Chu Ning stood outside and looked at the houses in their area; finally, it seemed like someone lived there.

They've been fleeing famine for so long, and only today can they finally settle down.

The houses are finally built; now it's time to divide the land.

The farmland in Tianxiang County is mostly in the west, and there is a lot of land. Even if each of the twenty households were divided into ten mu of land, there would still be a lot left over.

However, winter is approaching, and planting will not be possible, so this matter has been temporarily put on hold.

The land allocation issue has been put on hold, but another problem has arisen: how should Tianxiang County develop in the future?

This matter originally had nothing to do with Song Ning, but the county magistrate came to his door with a map.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!