The next morning, there were two days left until the Third Prince Mingyu's rain-praying ceremony in Luzhou.
Jiang Lu and Jiang Songwen had just gotten up and hadn't eaten breakfast when Jiang Bai chased them to the courtyard to practice horse stance.
After they had been tied up for half an hour, Jiang Bai allowed the two to rest.
After a quick bite of some flatbread, the two resumed their arduous martial arts training.
The rooster, accompanied by its flock of hens and chicks, swaggered past Jiang Lu and her companion, looking so proud and arrogant that it made Jiang Lu feel a surge of resentment.
"Sister, we haven't found a place to dig a well yet. Why don't we go find a place to dig a well first?"
Jiang Lu's legs were trembling.
Compared to practicing the basic skills taught by her older sister, she would rather go up the mountain and fight against the big and small wolves.
She had only practiced for a short while when she felt sweating profusely and her mouth was dry.
Thinking of the limited water available at home, she licked her lips, swallowed hard, and pretended she had drunk some water.
She was just trying to sweat less and drink less water; it wasn't because she was afraid of getting tired.
The little girl grinned, like a little dog that was about to collapse from exhaustion.
Jiang Songwen, standing next to her, wasn't much better; he was just practicing movements that were less difficult, and he was reciting the Thousand Character Classic as Jiang Bai had instructed.
"Don't worry, I've already found a suitable place to drill a well."
Seeing through her little scheme, Jiang Bai glanced at her and shattered her illusions, saying, "These basic skills must be practiced for a full hour. After that time, we'll go dig the well."
"Sister, I can go and ask someone for help first."
"It's alright, this older sister knows how."
Jiang Bai said that drilling a well was no problem at all.
Although she hasn't done it for many years, it's not impossible for her.
Jiang Lu stared wide-eyed in shock at Jiang Bai, asking incredulously, "Sister, you know how to dig a well?"
"good."
Jiang Bai nodded, a hint of smugness in his eyes.
Digging a well wasn't difficult for her.
With a little control over the force, you can punch a hole several meters deep.
Of course, the most important thing when drilling a well is to prevent it from collapsing, so we still need help with that.
But it's okay, Jiang Anshan and his team can handle this kind of thing.
After watching Jiang Lu and the other person practice for a while, Jiang Bai brought over two bowls of water and gave each of them a bowl to drink.
The cool water slid into my stomach, relieving much of the heat of the day.
Tell Jiang Lu to call Jiang Anshan and his son Jiang Songqiang over.
"Da Ya, you were looking for us?"
It was Jiang Songqiang who spoke; given his age, he should have been preparing to get married this year.
Jiang Bai glanced at Jiang Anshan, who had been unusually silent these past two days, and asked Jiang Songqiang, "I remember you learned carpentry from the carpenter in the village for a while before?"
Thinking she wanted to make some kind of furniture, Jiang Songqiang, who had only studied it for a short time during the off-season for farming, replied somewhat nervously, "I only studied it for a short time, I can't make furniture."
"I don't need you to make the furniture."
Do you know how to saw planks?
Sawing wood?
Jiang Songqiang nodded.
"Like this, saw the wood into planks, and then carve mortises and tenons at both ends."
Jiang Bai took out a piece of wood that she had made herself, which she had commissioned from a carpenter in the village before she was separated from the village.
“I have no problem sawing planks, but I’ve never done mortising and tenoning before.” Jiang Songqiang was a little nervous.
Carving mortises and tenons is a technical skill that tests not only his strength but also his ability to judge dimensions. He hadn't learned this skill before.
"It's okay, I can teach you."
She knows how to do that.
Thinking about the jobs I used to do, even if it were cattle or horses, I would still shed tears.
After asking a few questions, Jiang Bai led Jiang Lu, Jiang Songwen, and Jiang Anshan and his son up the mountain.
There are many kinds of trees on Pingshan Mountain, including pine trees used for making well oars.
Once they found a spot, the group worked together and quickly chopped enough pine wood to make well oars.
"Remove the bark from these pine trees, and cut them into long strips according to the template I gave you. Finally, carve mortises and tenons."
Jiang Bai taught Jiang Songqiang how to saw wood, carve mortises and tenons.
The brothers Jiang Songqiang and Jiang Songnong used an ink line and a ruler to mark lines on the wood, and then sawed the wood along the lines.
Wood and sawdust were scattered everywhere in the small courtyard.
Jiang Anshan is older, and over the years he has seen people from other villages digging wells and has even helped them.
His eyes flickered slightly as he looked at what Jiang Bai had made Jiang Songqiang create.
"Are you making a wellhead?"
Having not spoken for several days, his voice was slightly hoarse.
Seeing Jiang Songwen carefree in the courtyard, and then thinking of the deceased Jiang Songzong, his guilt lessened considerably, and he finally spoke.
"Um."
Jiang Bai nodded indifferently.
Jiang Anshan was blaming her for being so cruel to Jiang Songzong. She knew it, but the person who was hurt was her own brother. She didn't care whether Jiang Anshan blamed her or not.
Anyway, she had no kinship with their family.
Jiang Anshan sensed her coldness and felt a pang of bitterness in his heart. He continued to ask, "Have you found a place to dig a well?"
Surprised by his keen insight, Jiang Bai nodded.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Songqiang, who was working nearby, looked up with a look of surprise.
"Then we'll have water to drink!"
The village was searching everywhere for a place to dig a well, and they had only found one. They didn't expect Jiang Bai to find it so quickly.
"Don't have such high hopes. If you don't do your job well, you won't get anything to eat."
Thinking about the place he had found, Jiang Bai rolled his eyes.
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