Chapter 224: Killing the Chicken to Frighten the Monkeys
Uncle Shitou patted each of the two teenagers on the head and said, "Are you two stupid?
She said she wouldn't teach Xiao Wu, but she didn't say she wouldn't let you teach him.
Since Xiao Wu’s grandmother needs someone to stay with her, he should go home now and take care of her.
"Xiao Hei, why don't you learn the techniques thoroughly here and then teach them to Xiao Wu when you return?"
Blink time.
Uncle Shitou gave the boy a nickname.
The dark-skinned one protested: "Uncle, my last name is Bai, not Hei. You can call me Xiaobai."
Uncle Shi Tou: "I just like to call you Xiao Hei. Are you not convinced or what?" Shi Tou clenched his fists, looking like he didn't care about his boss.
The boy looked embarrassed and didn't dare to refute.
He turned around and said to his friend, "Xiao Wu, uncle is right.
You should take care of your sick grandma now. When I learn the skills well, I will teach you when I get back."
Xiao Wu also noticed that Wen Yan suddenly became selfless.
This was also the best way to move forward, so he had no choice but to nod in agreement.
Xiao Hei reluctantly sent him away: "Xiao Wu, go back and wait for me."
Xiao Wu waved at him and said, "Go back quickly. It's not good enough to learn the skills at all."
Xiao Hei returned to his post crying.
He picked up a hoe and dug the hole desperately.
Maybe it’s the responsibility of being a good friend.
He has been studying very seriously these days.
Whenever he encountered something he didn't understand, he would humbly ask Wen Yan for advice.
Since he couldn't read, he took notes by drawing pictures.
Wen Yan watched him scribble on the notebook, as if it were a heavenly book.
She simply taught some common words needed for charcoal making.
Xiao Hei also studies very seriously.
Of course, this is all later.
Wen Yan's show of power immediately intimidated the other quick-witted people.
He quickly took a hoe and shovel and started digging the kiln pit.
What a joke.
She beat people without hesitation, just like beating a dead dog.
Who dares to mess with her!
Not only did they work very hard, but they also listened very attentively during the lectures.
Wen Yan was very satisfied with the effect of killing the chicken to scare the monkey.
After digging a simple kiln pit, it was already time for lunch.
Wen Yan asked them to stop and have lunch first.
She brought three days' worth of dry food.
Distribute it immediately.
Two multi-grain pancakes per person.
Charcoal burning is hard work in the early stages, and you will have the strength to work only after you are well fed.
After dinner, Wen Yan divided them into groups.
One group of people went to find pebbles to lay at the bottom of the kiln.
One group went to the mountains to look for dried wood.
Rest for half an hour after lunch and continue working in the afternoon.
While they were busy, Wen Yan climbed up a big tree and looked at the village half a mile away.
There, there is a huge house, which is the manor of the Jiexu family.
It is also the place where Situ Ming temporarily stores food.
Wen Yan lay on the wall and watched for a long time.
Unfortunately, her eyesight was not very good, so she could only get a rough idea of the layout of the yard.
As for patrols and guard posts, she didn't understand them at all.
Wen Yan memorized the layout of the yard firmly in his mind.
After she got down from the tree, I carefully drew it on paper with charcoal.
The patrol guards can only find an opportunity to go and check it out in person.
After an afternoon of preparation, the bottom of the kiln was first rammed flat with straw mixed with yellow mud, and then covered with a layer of pebbles. After it was burned hard with a high fire, the firewood that had been found could be placed inside.
The first layer has wood arranged vertically, the second layer has wood arranged in a crisscross pattern, and the third layer has small branches.
Finally, a layer of flammable leaves or hay is laid, and the top is sealed with yellow mud mixed with straw.
Leave air vents at low places and smoke vents at high places.
However, when the yellow mud reached the top, there was not enough water to dilute the mud.
The water they use now is still carried from the large yard on the other side of the valley.
That yard was the granary that Wen Yan rented to store charcoal.
But the well over there was not deep enough, so only a little water was brought in.
"There's no water. What should I do?"
Wen Yan looked towards the Xu family's house and said, "Bring up the bucket and come with me to borrow some water."
The apprentices didn't ask any questions and followed with buckets in hand.
Soon, they arrived at the house.
Wen Yan pushed Xiao Hei, and Xiao Hei staggered a few steps and had to go and knock on the door.
After a while, an impatient male voice came from inside the courtyard gate: "Who is it?"
The gate opened from the inside.
A thin man stood at the door: "Who are you? Who are you looking for?"
His eyes swept over everyone with a shrewd look.
Xiao Hei looked at Wen Yan.
Wen Yan nodded at him.
Xiao Hei then said, "Hello, we are here to borrow some water from you."
"Borrow some water?" The thin man immediately showed a look of disgust, "It's already late, water is more expensive than silver, and you can just borrow it if you ask!
Moreover, you are carrying so many buckets, it is more like you are here to steal water than to borrow it."
Xiao Hei recalled that on the way here, when he heard Yan teach him the rhetoric, he immediately put on a flattering smile and said, "Master, we want to buy from you. We want seven buckets of water. You name the price."
There are children in our team, and if they can’t get water, they will…”
Xiao Hei's eyes turned red as he spoke.
The thin man rolled his eyes and raised his chin high: "Okay, you can also have water, one tael of silver per bucket."
Seven buckets of water don’t cost seven taels of silver!
Xiao Hei's face suddenly turned dark.
But this is the first task given to me by my master. If I mess it up, my master will definitely be disappointed.
Xiao Hei's anxious face forced a few blushes on it. "Master, we are all poor. The price you offer is too high. We...we really can't afford it! Please give us a lower price."
"Bah! Poor bastard, why buy water?"
Xiao Hei was almost crying with anxiety, and said, "Master, please wait a moment. I will discuss it with my family and make a decision."
Xiao Hei stepped back and discussed with everyone, but actually he was discussing with Wen Yan.
Wen Yan said, "One or two for the price. We only want three barrels."
Xiao Hei went back to discuss with the thin man.
Soon, the deal was done.
Xiao Hei stuffed three taels of silver into the thin man's hand, and then took Wen Yan and Uncle Shitou to fetch water.
Wen Yan was dressed like a country girl, with her bangs hanging down to cover the scars on her face, and she kept her chest hunched and her head lowered.
The thin man thought she was a timid village girl and only took a glance at her before paying any more attention to her.
Instead, he stared at Uncle Shitou for several times.
In the end, they asked them to replace it with a shorter person, otherwise they would not sell the water.
This person is really cautious!
Without Uncle Shitou, Wen Yan has to remember twice as much.
But she entered the house without hesitation.
Uncle Shitou was worried instead.
Wen Yan has never received any training in this area. Can she really detect anything useful?
The house is large and beautifully furnished.
However, Wen Yan had no time to appreciate it. She was concentrating on observing where there would be guards and where there would be secret sentries.
They soon arrived at the yard near the well, which was used for cooking.
After fetching water, he came out nimbly.
Wen Yan was at a moon gate, throwing the silver earrings on her ears into the gap between the floor tiles.
After leaving the house, the thin man tossed the silver in his hand and was about to close the door.
Wen Yan suddenly exclaimed, "My earrings are gone! They are the only relic my mother left me. They are of great significance. I must find them back!"
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