Tong Wenyao hadn't anticipated this connection. The cyan ceramic cup added a touch of green to the dreary winter. To accommodate the group she brought with her, Tong Wenyao asked Aunt Shu, "Aunt, I've brought seventy-one people. Do you think the house we originally planned to build is up yet?"

After hearing this, Aunt Shu hurriedly said, "It's been taken care of a long time ago. After you finish your meal, I'll go with you to take a look. When you mentioned expanding the workshop, your uncle Du and I discussed it and decided to expand it after the New Year and build the living quarters first. Coincidentally, you arrived with a group of people just as it was completed."

After dinner, Tong Wenyao followed Aunt Shu to the road leading to Lime Mountain. The fields there had been flattened by the earth.

Five houses have been built, each two stories high, and even the exteriors have been painted with cement. Aunt Shu said, "The lime is too white. Your Uncle Du said it wouldn't look good on the outside of the house, so we painted it with cement. If you don't like it, I can have them paint it white."

Tong Wenyao looked around and said calmly, "That's great, Aunt Shu. I'll teach the people I brought back how to build houses. Their wages will be the same as those in the workshop, and there will be meat to share during festivals."

"I rushed back after dinner. The Chinese New Year is just a few days away, and I need to get their household registration. After the Chinese New Year, when I take over the project, I will let them build the house." Tong Wen Yao said as she touched the cement on the wall, feeling a little dazed. It has been almost a year since she came here, and she can still see such a modern building again, which makes her feel a little emotional.

The windows are covered with window paper. Although not as bright as glass, it is still bright. There are five rooms on the first floor, and each room has an independent bathroom for their use. The same is true on the second floor.

Aunt Shu said, "Young Master, is it okay for the six of us to live in one room?"

Tong Wenyao said, "Aunt Shu, except for the guards' houses being built next to the new workshop, there shouldn't be any problems." She nodded after hearing this, "Your Uncle Du has also considered this, so the guards will live with Dongshun and the others first. Once everything in the new workshop is built, we'll give them rooms."

Aunt Shu took her to another building, which was surrounded by a wall. "Little master, this building is built for you." The entrance was made of redwood. When the two doors opened, there was a small courtyard inside with a plum tree planted next to it.

There was a table in the hall. What surprised Tong Wen Yao was that the floor was covered with tiles. She originally thought that there was no tile, but she didn't expect that her own building was covered with tiles.

There are four rooms on the first floor. The bedroom is larger and has a fire pit. You can live on the first floor in winter and summer, and on the second floor in spring and autumn. What surprised Tong Wenyao was that the second floor also has a balcony.

The surroundings were painted with lime, and the windows were relatively large, making the room bright. Tong Wen Yao really liked it when she saw it. This was the first time someone prepared a house for her, and prepared it so well for her.

"Aunt Shu, that's thoughtful." Aunt Shu waved her hand after hearing this and said, "I thought you guys wouldn't be used to living in the east wing, so I built a new house for you. When the time comes, you can come over and live here directly."

Aunt Shu pointed to the living room and said, "We can place the recliner you mentioned here. Do you like it?" Tong Wen Yao looked at it and nodded. When she was giving her aunt acupuncture to treat her, she chatted with Aunt Shu to distract her attention. She said that she liked lying in the living room, but she didn't expect Aunt Shu to remember it all the time.

After watching, it was already late, so they walked towards the workshop.

Until there was a small gravel on the ground, she didn't see it, and stepped on it when she landed, and the whole person immediately lost his balance.

"Be careful!" Wen Ziyu supported her in time. Tong Wenyao originally thought that Wen Ziyu had gone back, but she didn't expect that he had been following her silently.

This place was not far from the workshop. After about a quarter of an hour's walk, half of the road had been paved with cement, making the entire road wider and smoother. The other half had not yet been paved with cement. The part Tong Wenyao had just walked on was still unpaved, with gravel and some weeds.

She wanted to go to the workshop to find Uncle Du and ask Uncle Du to make some arrangements for them. Although she didn't know whether his subordinates would listen to Uncle Du, Uncle Du just needed to control Min Zhi. To catch a thief, you must first catch the leader. If his subordinates were disobedient, he could just go directly to Min Zhi.

In the evening, after Tong Wen Yao had dinner, several people gathered in the hall, and Xing'er served tea and water.

"Uncle Du, this is Min Zhi, the second-in-command of Tiger Village!" Uncle Du stood up and bowed, "Hello, Brother Min!" Min Zhi stood up and responded, "How are you, Brother Du?"

After the two of them got to know each other, Tong Wenyao finally spoke, "Uncle Du, from now on, Min Zhi will be responsible for the construction work, and you will be in charge of the workshop and all matters in the mountains."

Min Zhi was a little confused after hearing this and asked, "Boss, I don't know anything about architecture!"

Tong Wenyao glanced at him and said, "If you don't understand, just learn. No one is born with the ability. I believe in you." Min Zhi scratched his head after hearing this. Could he really do it? Never mind. It was a rare first time that the boss valued him so much.

"Uncle Du, I just looked at the new house. We can also build a house next to it. When the time comes, Dongshun and Nansui will teach them how to build a house. After they learn how to build a house, Minzhi, you go to the county to find buyers. If someone wants to build a house, we will go and help them build it."

Min Zhi was a little unsure and asked, "Boss, will anyone really come to buy our house?"

Tong Wenyao took a look and said, "Don't worry about that, Uncle Du. Based on your previous house building time, how long will it take to build one?" Uncle Du thought for a moment and said, "If the foundation is laid and ten people start working, it will only take four or five days to complete the construction. If you include the decoration, it will take about eight or nine days!" Tong Wenyao nodded.

She planned to build a house at that time. If the area was not large, it would only cost five taels per building, not including simple renovations. If simple renovations were required, she would add ten taels of silver. Simple renovations meant painting the interior with lime and cement and installing windows. If she wanted to renovate the house, she would calculate the cost at one tael per square meter, depending on the square meter. Renovation meant tiling and fixing the plumbing in the bathroom.

However, this pipe is also made of bamboo and then connected to the bathroom on the first floor. When it is used, just pull out the plug and the water will flow out. When it is not used, just plug it.

An ordinary family in the county can afford five taels of silver a year. In the village, some villagers can work hard for two or three years to afford this price. The built house will be protected from wind and rain, so the price is still relatively low and can be said to be the most cost-effective.

Tong Wen Yao also considered that she wanted more people to benefit from it, so the price was not set too high. The houses built by rich people will be more expensive, and of course, more exquisite.