In the afternoon, Fan Gaocen brought the blueprints to find Su Luo. He found out the location of the kiln by asking someone along the way.
"Miss Su, come out and see! I've designed your courtyard, and I've even added some new elements. This is definitely another masterpiece I've created over the years."
Fan Gaocen's hands were trembling as he held the blueprints; he was even more excited than Su Luo.
"Master Fan, please sit down."
Fan Gaocen didn't even drink water; he first handed the blueprints to Su Luo.
Looking at the design drawings in my hand, the gate of the courtyard faces the main road directly ahead. There are three small courtyards. The first large courtyard after entering is the main courtyard, and behind the main courtyard are the east and west courtyards.
The house was designed in a palatial style, including the room design, corridors, and pavilions. Even the carvings were drawn by Fan Gaocen on the second drawing.
Everything was exquisite, and even the placement of greenery was clearly marked.
“Master Fan, I think your design is great, I’m very satisfied. However, I live in a house with more than just myself, so my mother-in-law needs to agree first.”
"Of course, if you have any objections, it's best to decide before construction begins."
Su Luo told Yi Huan to go to the kiln and call Zhao Ruyun out, otherwise she would continue to stare blankly at Chen Lao Er's memorial tablet.
"Mother-in-law, these are the blueprints for our new yard. Take a look and see if there's anything that needs to be changed?"
Two exquisite drawings were in Zhao Ruyun's hands. She turned them over and looked at them a few times, but couldn't understand them.
"Luo Luo, I'm just a woman, I don't understand these things."
Fan Gaocen wouldn't allow anyone to misunderstand his masterpiece, so he immediately stood up and pointed to the drawings to explain them to Zhao Ruyun.
She also explained the special meaning behind the east and west courtyards: "Madam Su, in the capital, the master of the house lives in the main courtyard, the east courtyard is for the boys in the family, and the girls live in the west courtyard. Therefore, I specially designed an embroidery tower in the west courtyard."
These rooms perfectly suit Su Luo's family's needs, and there are several small rooms in the corners of each courtyard, probably designed for servants.
"Luo Luo, I have no objection, but I'd like to have a place in the yard to grow vegetables. I like to grow vegetables and the like."
Adding a vegetable garden would be too out of place for Fan Gaocen's design, but he'll figure something out.
"This isn't a big problem. I'll just reserve a spot in the west courtyard."
"Master Fan, what is the budget for building this courtyard?"
Fan Gaocen had also been considering this issue: "This budget also needs Su Niangzi's opinion. For example, if you want to demolish your old courtyard, you will need people."
"And if you leave the entire construction of the house to me, including the later landscaping, the artificial hill, and the labor and food costs, it will cost at least a thousand taels of silver."
Su Luo tapped her fingers on the table in deep thought: "Master Fan, I will hire the people who demolish the house myself, I will also take care of your meals, you can purchase the materials, and there will also be professional bricklayers."
Su Luo did the math and realized that if she asked the villagers for help, including the cost of food, she could save a thousand taels of silver.
Fan Gaocen was able to build a house in this small village entirely because of Nangong Qing; he didn't expect to make much money off Su Luo.
"Sure, but Madam Su, the demolition of the old courtyard needs to be done as soon as possible. I can bring in the materials and the professionals within five days."
After discussing it, the two decided that after the house was demolished, the foundation would be repaired under Fan Gaocen's guidance, and the cost of materials would also be settled. It took them an hour to finalize the details.
Su Luo first gave Fan Gaocen eight hundred taels of silver to buy stones and blue bricks. She also bought some wood, since it wouldn't be quick to make it by hand.
"Madam Su, I'll write you a receipt. I'll take care of these things for you when we get back to the county."
"Um!"
After seeing Fan Gaocen off, Su Luo called Yan Chuan over and said, "Chuan Chuan, go find Grandpa and tell him that Mom needs to see him."
"oh!"
Yi Huan ran after Yan Chuan and went out: "Brother, I want to go with you too."
Su Luo ignored them; Changping Village wasn't big, and the two children wouldn't get lost.
"Grandma, I'd like to find a few women to cook for the workers. Who in our village do you think would be suitable?"
Zhao Ruyun knew the villagers better than Su Luo, and she also knew who would be more suitable.
"Your aunt is quite nice, and Zhang is also very hardworking. Chen Yan, plus me, I can cook too, are four people enough?"
Since she was going to hire people anyway, Zhao Ruyun included herself in the list. Every little bit saved was a bonus. Yan Chuan and Yi Huan would play by themselves; she just needed them to play with her.
"That's enough. Go and tell them to cook three meals a day, meals included, for fifteen coins a day. If they're all willing, they can start cooking tomorrow morning."
A smile finally appeared in Zhao Ruyun's eyes; only when she had something to do could she forget her worries.
"Okay, I'll go now."
As Zhao Ruyun left, Su Luo called her back at the door.
“Grandma, when you go to the village chief’s house to call Aunt Chen, please also invite the village chief to the tile kiln.”
"I see."
Su Luo wondered how many people would be needed to demolish the house within five days. Without machines, the mud walls that had been demolished would need to be carried away by hand, so they would probably need to hire more people.
The village has all the pots, pans, and utensils for cooking. The pots were bought by everyone together, and the pans and bowls were made together. When someone has a happy occasion, they can use them, and there's no need to build a new stove.
"Mom, Grandpa is here."
Su Luo prepared tea, and Chen Ping'an sat down.
"Su Luo, did you need something from me?"
"Uncle, we're building a house and we'd like to ask you for help."
Chen Ping'an scratched his head and laughed, "It's nothing. Just call me if you need anything, and I'll help you if I can."
Soon after, the village chief arrived at the kiln, and Su Luo explained to them that she needed their help.
"Uncle, I want to find thirty strong men in the village. We'll start demolishing the old houses at the village entrance tomorrow. I'd like to ask you to help me decide who to hire. They need to be honest and capable."
Of course, I will pay them wages, calculated on an average basis, thirty coins a day, meals included, paid monthly.
There's also a wage of thirty coins a day, which adds up to nine hundred coins a month. That's more than what you'd earn as an accountant in the county.
"With such high wages, everyone in the village will be eager to do it, Su Luo, don't worry."
Chen Ping'an was overjoyed. The villagers only knew how to farm and it was hard to find a job that would earn them money. Su Luo wanted to hire them to work for 900 taels a month, plus meals. Now that everyone was short of food, they would be very enthusiastic to have something to eat.
"Can I do that Su Luo job? Count me in."
Chen Ping'an didn't want to miss such a good opportunity.
"Uncle, of course we called you here to invite you. Not only us, but I also want to invite Aunt to cook for you. I just don't know if she'd be willing?"
"Yes, Fangfang is willing."
Before Zhao Ruyun returned, Chen Ping'an agreed on Liu Fangfang's behalf.
"That's good. I'd like to ask you, Uncle, tonight to run errands for me and find thirty people."
"No problem! I'll go find someone for you right now, and we'll start working tomorrow after we've agreed on a schedule."
"Yes! Thank you for your hard work, Uncle."
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