After saying this, Liao Hongying glanced at her husband.
He Yingyuan responded with a smile. His wife knew mechanical arts, though he hadn't witnessed them in his previous life. Now, thinking about it, whether it was a reputable sect or a strange and ingenious skill, as long as it achieved one's goals and didn't harm others, it shouldn't be rejected.
Qin San Niang slapped her forehead, saying with annoyance, "How could I be so forgetful? I actually forgot about this!"
Having devised a plan, everyone went to sleep peacefully, though Gu Qingshan remained on guard all night in case of unforeseen circumstances. The next day, he went to the ancestral hall to check, and only after confirming that Chen Guang'an was still kneeling obediently inside did he feel relieved enough to go to work.
Liao Hongying's design was very simple but extremely practical. Every five steps, the bricks and tiles on the wall were tampered with. If someone tried to climb over the wall, they would trigger the mechanism, and the bamboo pole inside would be launched at the thief with such force and speed that even someone as skilled as Gu Qingshan would have to concentrate to get through!
Ah Zhi was very interested in mechanical arts and kept asking Liao Hongying questions.
This child is diligent in her studies, and Liao Hongying likes her very much. Moreover, Azhi's archery skills have become increasingly refined. Although she can't hit the target every time, most adults might not be able to reach her level!
She's too young now and not strong enough. But when she grows up, she'll definitely be just like her father, with the skill of hitting a willow leaf from a hundred paces away!
This is all thanks to the child's hard work and diligent practice.
She practices strength and accuracy every single day, without fail!
Even an adult like Qin San Niang had to admire her. She wondered what the child's mental support was. Turning to look at the sleeping Ah Nan, who was as soft and fluffy as a little pig, she thought, "This is how a child should be!" She wondered what was going on in that little girl Ah Zhi's head. She was very mature for her age, and every move she made had its own style.
Previously, her mother, Liu, had told her that she wanted to arrange a marriage between her eldest son and Azhi. Qin San Niang refused, saying that her son was still young and would not be settled in the future. Although this was also what she really thought, she hoped that the woman her son would marry in the future would be someone she liked. However, there was another reason she did not say, which was that she felt that her eldest son was not good enough for Azhi!
Of course, no mother would think her child is bad, but Qin San Niang rationally analyzed that, in every aspect, A Zhi was much better than her eldest child.
I don't know how that rough man Gu Qingshan could have given birth to such a delicate and exquisite girl.
The father and daughter don't look alike at all! I don't know if it's because she's grown up or because she's getting better nutrition, but Azhi's appearance has changed at an astonishing speed.
Unlike Gu Qingshan, a rugged northern man, her small face was delicate and beautiful, yet it also contained a hint of Gu Qingshan's heroic spirit. It was truly a contradictory yet harmonious fusion. In short, Qin San Niang felt that A-Zhi was undoubtedly a beauty! And a beauty looks good no matter what she does!
It's just that the eldest son and his siblings are rather dull; they're completely unmoved by such a beautiful young woman. Sigh, how are they ever going to find wives like this! Aunt Qin is truly worried sick about her children…
All I can say is that children and grandchildren have their own blessings!
Three or four days passed without any movement from Chen Guang'an, but Gu Qingshan was a very cautious person, so he still went to the ancestral hall every day to check on her and make sure she was still kneeling obediently as punishment before he could feel at ease.
The foundations of the houses have already been built; the speed was truly remarkable! Besides the hard work of Old Wang and his two apprentices, the men who came to work also deserve much credit!
Qin San Niang wasn't stingy either; knowing everyone had put in the effort, she wasn't stingy with the food.
Every day, in addition to the usual sorghum rice that was served without any other food, there was always a substantial meat dish, such as braised pork, a spoonful of shredded meat, or even a chicken leg once.
The chicken legs were frozen from the Space Supermarket. She took out a whole box of them. Although she didn't think they tasted very good, the villagers didn't think so. What plump chicken legs they were!
Many men were reluctant to eat it, so they wrapped it in leaves or called their children over to eat it. In the past few days, the quality of their meals has increased dramatically, and the children have eaten meat more often than during the Chinese New Year!
When men are in high spirits, they work with great vigor and energy!
"Madam Qin, at our pace, we can finish in about a month! But if we add the wall, it will take another five or six days."
These past few days I've contacted the county about a brick kiln for blue bricks. To be honest, it's run by my old friend. The bricks cost two copper coins each. His craftsmanship is excellent, you can rest assured!
Old Wang squinted at the bustling scene at the construction site, feeling a pang of emotion. "How long has it been since I've had such a good, satisfying day of work!"
The construction work was entirely entrusted to him, but Old Man Wang was not one to shirk his responsibilities. The old man who fired the bricks had not worked for many days either. Like him, he was an honest man. The bricks, which cost two coins each, were neither expensive nor cheap, but in this county, they were considered to be good value for money. However, he still planned to talk to Qin San Niang about the inside story.
Qin San Niang nodded, "Uncle Wang, you handle it. I don't know anything about this, so I'm counting on you!"
Trust those you employ, and don't employ those you don't trust! This is Qin San Niang's own principle for employing people. If she is wrong, it only means that she was blind and deserved to be deceived! However, Old Man Wang is someone who can be trusted.
"By the way, Uncle Wang, I've always wanted to ask, what kind of adhesive did we use when we built the house?" Qin San Niang knew very little about ancient architecture, but she did have some books!
The night before last, she flipped through a few pages of a book to recharge, which introduced several adhesive materials, so she took the time to ask about them today.
"Adhesive? You mean the lime mortar that holds the bricks together, right? We use lime, sand, and yellow clay mixed together in a specific ratio. The resulting material is very sturdy! You can rest assured!" Old Wang said confidently, but in his heart he wondered if there was some difference between the North and the South in this regard. "Does Madam Qin have some other good materials?"
There's a certain ratio involved, and he's not afraid for others to know, but only he and his apprentice know the optimal ratio.
So it's lime mortar? Lime has become widely available, that's good! This ensures the house's sturdiness.
In fact, Qin San Niang also discovered another method: using glutinous rice water instead of lime, which was even more effective and could even withstand artillery attacks. The Great Wall before the Ming Dynasty was built using this glutinous rice paste, which was purely natural and pollution-free, comparable to cement, and even more stable than reinforced concrete.
However, when asked by Old Wang, she did not intend to say much for the time being, only saying that in the north, lime mortar is also used, which makes it very stable.
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