The little girl's eyes held admiration, but in reality, they concealed a fighting spirit.
Madam Han, being a clever woman, immediately guessed what Qiao Lian'er was thinking.
However, she felt it was a bit unrealistic because these tiles were very expensive. Even if a rural family worked hard their whole life and accumulated the savings of several generations, it would still be difficult to afford to build one.
Moreover, the permits are hard to obtain. The reason why glazed tiles are expensive is not only because of the material, but also because ordinary people cannot use these tiles.
"Miss Qiao, do you know why our Han family can use these glazed tiles?" Madam Han asked directly.
Qiao Lian'er said, "In this Anning Alley, only the Han family uses glazed tiles. Other wealthy families use ordinary high-quality tiles. The Han family must have something special about them."
Madam Han pulled her to sit down in the pavilion: "Throughout history, only the royal family, temples, and the residences of high-ranking officials have been allowed to use glazed tiles. However, in this dynasty, the imperial family has shown mercy and opened a door for us."
"Even ordinary families who have made great contributions to the country, the emperor, and the people can use glazed tiles. This is not something that local officials can decide, but rather something that must be reported up the chain of command and approved by the imperial court."
"Is it not allowed to have relatives who are officials?" Qiao Lian'er asked.
Madam Han shook her head: "Don't say that's not allowed. Officials below the fourth rank are not allowed to use glazed tiles in their residences unless the emperor grants special permission."
Qiao Lian'er was a little surprised. So, it was quite remarkable that the Han family, as merchants, could use glazed tiles. There must be some other reason behind it.
Knowing her doubts, Madam Han explained.
"Seven years ago, His Majesty disguised himself and made a southern tour. When he passed through a certain section of the road, his horse was startled and he fell off. My husband happened to be passing by and, without thinking, used his body as a cushion to save His Majesty's life. Since then, my husband's health has not been very good. His Majesty was considerate and appointed my husband as the head of the Ning County Chamber of Commerce. He also allowed our Han family to use glazed tiles to build our courtyard."
It turns out it was earned with one's life.
While admiring her, Qiao Lian'er also dismissed the idea. Such an opportunity was rare for ordinary people, and even in that situation, who would risk their life to cushion the fall of a stranger?
Moreover, merchants are driven by profit, and few would be so merciful. Perhaps Master Han already knows that the one who fell from the horse was the emperor—
As for anything else, Qiao Lian'er didn't think about it any further.
"You're so trusting of me that you've told me about this?"
Madam Han smiled: "It's no secret. I just wanted to tell you that getting the qualification to build a house with glazed tiles is as difficult as climbing to heaven. But Miss Qiao, you have a good idea. I believe your family will be able to build a big courtyard sooner or later."
When her servants passed through Datian Village, she asked them to keep an eye out for them.
The Qiao family still lives in a thatched hut, which is dilapidated and blocked with straw and plastered with yellow mud, and it is drafty.
But these children were very honest when they did business with her, and such a quality was rare, so she took extra care of them.
Qiao Lian'er politely replied, "Thank you for your kind words, Madam."
The three siblings walked out of the Han family courtyard. Dacheng finally couldn't contain his surprise: "Sister Lian'er, you want to build a courtyard with glazed tiles? Not to mention you're not qualified, do you know how expensive glazed tiles are?"
"Hmm, what price range is it?"
“To build a yard twice the size of our current yard, ordinary glazed tiles would cost five hundred taels, better ones a thousand taels, high-quality ones two thousand taels, and the top-grade ones even more expensive.”
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