Chapter 131 A thousand-year-old wall shines with vibrant colors, a brushstroke connects with gods and Buddhas…
When Zhao Guo heard that they were going to pick strawberries, he reluctantly looked away from the pond and said, "Come on, I'll take you there."
Lu Xiaoqi told him to stay here and watch everyone fish.
Zhao Guo smiled and said, "It's alright, I can see them here every day. Let's go, I know which greenhouse has the best strawberries."
Seeing his smug smile, just like an old man's, Lu Xiaoqi couldn't help but laugh too. She took her mother's hand and said, "Come on, Uncle Zhao must have chosen the best one."
Zhao Guo didn't live in Zone 4. Construction of the farm began in the first half of last year, and after several houses were built, Zhao Guo couldn't resist moving in. Lu Xiaoqi and others tried to dissuade him, saying that the farm's conditions weren't good enough and it wasn't as convenient as Zone 4, but he insisted on living there.
He wanted to sleep in the fields, surrounded by the various crops he planted.
"Even if the conditions here are bad, can they be worse than back home?"
After hearing this, Lu Xiaoqi knew he had made up his mind, so she didn't try to persuade him further. She simply had someone quickly improve the farm's infrastructure. After more than half a year of construction, the area was no longer the wasteland with only a few temporary prefabricated houses, but a proper farm.
The architecture and planning here were also handled by Yuwen Kai.
Several small houses were scattered haphazardly among the land, following the contours of the terrain and the contours of the farmland. They were still made of wood, with heavy thatched roofs, the layers of straw neatly trimmed and fluffy. Standing in the clear winter sun, watching the sunlight stream in, Lu Xiaoqi felt a warmth that reached her very heart.
Wang Wei loved this kind of pastoral and rustic style the most, and the construction of the farm was not actually intended to trouble him. However, he still took the time to plan the landscaping. Today, there are still winding wooden paths or simple bamboo fences connecting the cottages. Sometimes a clump of green bamboo peeks out from the side of the corridor, and sometimes a few plum blossoms and camellias that are budding, presenting a natural and rustic scene that can only be achieved after careful maintenance.
Xiao Meiyun took a deep breath and said with great delight, "It's more comfortable and spacious here."
She was extremely satisfied with the environment here. It was very close to the staff quarters, and she could easily come here for a walk, pick some vegetables, and go fishing just by turning the corner. If she posted this on her WeChat Moments, all her old friends would be so envious they'd cry.
Lu Xiaoqi also felt very comfortable. She felt warm from the sun and wrinkled her nose: "It will be very comfortable here after the second phase of the project is completed."
The farm and Qinghe Ancient Town are separated by a second phase of construction, which was quite noisy when it started, and dust inevitably drifted over. Therefore, this area is temporarily closed to tourists. Liu Chan and his team occasionally come here to film some footage and upload it, and many fans eagerly ask when it will reopen.
It can only be said that the Chinese people's yearning for rural life is deeply ingrained in their blood.
"We're here," Zhao Guo chuckled, leading them to the outside of a greenhouse. "Many of the strawberries in this greenhouse are ripe."
The heart of the farm is naturally its neatly arranged fields. In winter, most of the open fields lie fallow, awaiting the awakening of spring. But the modern greenhouses at the very edge are still operating normally.
Stepping into the strawberry greenhouse, the warm, humid air, carrying the sweet aroma of fruit, fills the air. Rows of lush green plants stand neatly arranged, with countless bright red, juicy strawberries dotting the green leaves, each one plump and tempting.
"These look so good!" Xiao Meiyun exclaimed in delight, unable to resist bending down to pick a large, red strawberry. With a gentle sniff, the rich aroma of strawberries made her mouth water.
What reassured her most was that Zhao Guo's crops were absolutely free of any substandard pesticide residues; everything here was organically grown.
Zhao Guo was also very satisfied with the growth of the strawberries, his tone full of love and admiration: "This greenhouse is really useful. It's freezing cold outside, but it's warm and spring-like inside, and the fruit is growing so well! It's hard to imagine if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes."
Xiao Meiyun was amused by his words, feeling that although this Master Zhao was a master at farming, he sometimes spoke with a strange archaic tone and exaggerated manner.
While picking out strawberries, she casually asked, "Master Zhao, don't you have this kind of greenhouse technology where you live? It should be quite common now, right? There are many in the countryside where we live now. Everyone wants to be able to eat fresh vegetables in winter."
Lu Xiaoqi coughed lightly, her smile natural: "Uncle Zhao must have some too, but the greenhouses now are much more advanced than the ones before, right, Uncle Zhao?"
Zhao Guo immediately realized he had almost given himself away again, and quickly nodded in agreement: "Ah, right, Xiao Lu is right. I mean, the technology these days is amazing. It can control temperature and humidity, which is much better than... much better than the methods we used to have!"
Although Zhao Guo was a specialist in farming, he was also an inventor. He was a quick learner, and after arriving in the modern world, he was incredibly eager to learn about agricultural science, absorbing knowledge like a sponge. At the same time, he often marveled at how modern agricultural research had truly become a discipline.
They are studying and researching very seriously how to farm better.
Greenhouses are one example.
Zhao Guo was no stranger to growing fresh fruits and vegetables even in the cold winter. Back then, the palace and some powerful families would establish estates near the hot springs of Lishan, using geothermal energy to grow a small amount of vegetables. However, those vegetables were extremely precious, and even the emperor could not afford to eat them every day. But now, greenhouse-grown vegetables are readily available in the market.
After seeing the greenhouse, Zhao Guo immediately introduced it to the farm.
Modern greenhouses are made with advanced technology. Xiao Meiyun nodded after hearing this: "They are different from the old-fashioned ones."
Lu Xiaoqi picked a strawberry, wiped it, and put it in her mouth to eat. Xiao Meiyun glared at her disapprovingly and said, "You didn't even wash it."
"A little dirt won't hurt," she said nonchalantly, urging Xiao Meiyun, "Why don't you try some? It's delicious."
Seeing the plump, brightly colored strawberries that looked shiny and free of dirt, Xiao Meiyun hesitated for less than a second before picking one herself. Her eyes lit up when she took her first bite.
"Delicious!" Xiao Meiyun exclaimed. "It's very sweet and has a strawberry flavor. I haven't had such delicious strawberries in a long time, so it's true that things should be eaten fresh."
Zhao Guo picked one and ate it himself; the sweet taste was refreshing and delightful.
Looking at the rows of different varieties of strawberries, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Modern agronomists are really amazing! There are so many intricacies to strawberries alone, and each variety has its own unique characteristics. It's truly an eye-opener."
Strawberries didn't exist in the Han Dynasty. If they had, he believed the high-ranking officials and nobles would have gone crazy for them. But those fruits that existed in the Han Dynasty have developed into such a wide variety of species in modern times. Some of the new varieties are practically unrelated to the ones he'd eaten before; the difference in taste is so drastic. No wonder they've been selectively bred generation after generation.
Zhao Guo felt incredibly lucky to be able to witness this scene from the future.
After picking strawberries, he took the two of them to see other greenhouses.
In the other greenhouses, blueberries, raspberries, cherry tomatoes, and grapes were planted. Lu Xiaoqi had strongly urged Zhao Guo to plant these; she loves them, and they could be opened for picking later. Especially the raspberries and wild strawberries—when she was little, she used to pick them all over the mountains; in her hometown dialect, they're called "pao'er." But she hadn't tasted them for many years. Lu Xiaoqi thought they would be very popular with tourists.
Several greenhouses mainly grow leafy greens that are scarce in winter, such as bok choy, baby spinach, and garland chrysanthemum. There are also outdoor greenhouses where radishes and winter lettuce are grown.
Fruits like cherry tomatoes and strawberries that are already bearing fruit are currently being distributed as employee perks, with employees receiving picking vouchers to bring family and friends. A portion is also sold to restaurants in the old town as pre- or post-meal fruit. Because they taste so good, there's no worry about sales. Several other restaurants outside the old town that want to buy vegetables from the farm are finding it difficult to get enough.
"Should we wait until after the New Year to rent some more land?" Lu Xiaoqi asked Zhao Guo.
Zhao Guo nodded: "Okay."
Anyway, it makes no difference to him to grow dozens more acres; if there aren't enough people, he can just hire more.
On the edge of the mountain, some fruit trees, such as peaches, oranges, and pomelos, were planted. They went to take a look and saw employees carefully covering the roots of several citrus trees with newly fermented organic fertilizer, while another person was checking the frost protection measures for the fruit trees.
Needless to say, Lu Xiaoqi asked them to plant these trees.
She asked longingly, "Master, when will these fruit trees bear fruit?"
The experienced fertilizer looked up, wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, and smiled broadly. "Mr. Lu, that's hard to say. Normally, newly transplanted fruit trees need at least two or three years to bear fruit. However..."
He looked at Zhao Guo, his tone full of admiration, "Our Teacher Zhao is really capable! Look at these fruit trees, their growth, their vigor. They've only been here for a little over half a year, and they've grown so fast. I've been farming for so many years, and I've never seen such fast-growing trees! If this continues, we might be able to see fruit next year or the year after."
Another craftsman also gave a thumbs up: "Teacher Zhao's skill in tending crops and fruit trees is truly exceptional!"
Zhao Guo, feeling embarrassed by their praise, secretly told Lu Xiaoqi, "This is because I used the plant growth regulator you gave me..."
He dared not take credit for it.
Lu Xiaoqi, however, felt that it wasn't solely due to the plant growth agent. Zhao Guo himself possessed a natural wood spirit root, a talent for farming recognized by the heavens. She couldn't help but imagine how delicious these things would be once Zhao Guo fulfilled his wish and gained his special ability!
Slurp~~~~ Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
When the three of them finished picking strawberries and some vegetables and returned to the pond, they thought they were looking at a frozen painting.
Lu Xuejun and Yuwen Kai remained in their previous positions, intently staring at the floats on the water. Wang Wei, on the other hand, had spread out paper and ink on the table, pen in hand, sketching lines on the water and the silhouettes of the anglers, his expression focused and absorbed, occasionally glancing up to observe.
Lu Xiaoqi clicked her tongue twice and whispered to Xiao Meiyun, "Look at my dad, he's so concerned about his image."
Xiao Meiyun glanced over and whispered, "Compared to Teacher Yuwen, I think he's just being foolish."
Lu Xiaoqi almost burst out laughing.
Although as a daughter she felt she should side with her father, after comparing their demeanor, Lu Xiaoqi realized that honesty was the best policy. There was no comparison, no comparison at all.
Xiao Meiyun put down the basket and couldn't help but laugh, "Alright, we can't count on them. These strawberries are just sitting there anyway, I'll go to the small kitchen over there and do a quick clean-up, then we can have some fresh ones here for lunch."
The farm is a bit far from the ancient town, so they have their own simple but clean little kitchen. But today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and most of the staff and cooks have gone home for the holiday.
Xiao Meiyun carried strawberries and several fresh, tender vegetables toward the kitchen. As she passed Zhao Guo, she noticed several small earthenware jars placed in the shady corner of the wall. The edges of the lids were sealed with gauze, and a faint, sweet aroma with a hint of fermentation emanated from them.
"Master Zhao, you also brew wine here?" she asked curiously.
"I know a little bit." Zhao Guo laughed heartily: "In the fall, I harvested some sorghum and some glutinous rice, so I wanted to try brewing some wine."
He wanted to try farming in all four seasons, and his staple crops weren't limited to rice; he also tried growing corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, and so on. The others were fine, but sorghum could only be used for brewing alcohol.
These words, however, attracted the attention of Wang Wei, who was focused on his painting.
He raised his head, his gaze passing over the drawing paper to the small earthenware jars. His nostrils twitched slightly, and his eyes revealed a strong interest: "Mr. Zhao is actually skilled in this art? If it's successful, I, Wang, will definitely ask for a cup to try."
Zhao Guo patted his chest and readily agreed: "Of course. Once the wine is brewed, I will invite you all to taste it."
If you have basic cooking skills, you can't have basic ingredients. Xiao Meiyun's cooking skills are just average. Lu Xuejun usually cooks at home. Today, she was in a rare good mood and decided to cook. As a result, she managed to cook a delicious meal using fresh vegetables and freshly caught fish.
Lu Xiaoqi ate two bowls of food as a show of support.
After dinner, she, Yuwen Kai, and Wang Wei met up separately to discuss the progress of the second phase.
The second phase encompassed too many parts, so they ultimately decided to open it in batches. The first to open was the resort hotel spanning Zones Six and Seven. The buildings in Zones Six and Seven were already existing, requiring only renovation and modification. Yuwen Kai was in charge of planning and renovation, Wang Wei was responsible for landscaping and artistic conception, while external design and construction companies handled the modern implementation.
The main renovation of the building has been completed, and the landscaping phase has begun.
Lu Xiaoqi asked Wang Wei, "Mr. Moji, is there anything I can do to help you?"
When Wang Wei mentioned this matter, he sighed and looked at her quietly: "Young friend Lu, you only need to ensure that the funds arrive as soon as possible."
Lu Xiaoqi: "......"
She desperately wanted to take back her question. But Wang Wei was staring at her expressionlessly, so she chuckled awkwardly, "Soon, soon. I promise I'll be there as soon as the Spring Festival is over."
If you were to ask who the CFO of Qinghe Ancient Town least wanted to see during this period, it would definitely be Wang Wei.
The landscaping of these classical gardens is incredibly expensive! The elegance it exudes is actually built with money; it's far more complex than simply planting a few trees and placing a few stones. The ancient and famous trees with their unique shapes, painstakingly sourced from various places alone, represent a huge expense.
Furthermore, the lake stones and yellow stones used for rockery construction, especially those of slightly better quality, are quite valuable. Moreover, a large quantity of stones needs to be repeatedly selected and tested, resulting in significant waste. Often, it's considered fortunate if one or two out of ten stones are usable. Fortunately, Wang Wei wasn't particularly interested in the rockery landscape that flourished during the Song and Ming dynasties, and only planned a small area for it.
His planned water features included flowing water channels, seepage prevention at the bottom of the ponds, and the planting and seasonal control of various flowers and seedlings... all of which were money pits.
Wang Wei himself was somewhat amazed: "In the past, although I built gardens in Wangchuan, they were mostly in accordance with nature and only slightly embellished. In fact, the amount of money spent was not too much. Now, to recreate a miniature natural landscape out of thin air in a limited place and within a limited time, the financial and material resources spent far exceeded my expectations."
Sometimes, a single stroke of his brush could cost a fortune in real life.
Although Qinghe Ancient Town has long been profitable and has even secured bank loans, its expenses are still substantial, especially with such a large second-phase project looming ahead. The budget allocated by the finance department for the resort hotel's landscaping quickly exceeded its budget.
It just so happened that the year-end settlement period coincided with the deadline, causing the audits of funds for various projects in the ancient town and the bank credit assessments to all overlap, making the approval process for large-scale fund transfers even more rigorous and complex. The finance department could only approve the ancient town's recent stable daily operating cash flow for Wang Wei.
The CFO keeps a close eye on cash inflows and outflows every day, and lately he's noticed that everyone in charge of the second phase of the project seems ready to turn around and leave.
She had reminded Lu Xiaoqi about the hotel overspending several times.
Although Lu Xiaoqi was also feeling overwhelmed, seeing Wang Wei's sighing expression, she comforted him instead: "Mr. Mojie, rest assured, I will coordinate the funds as soon as possible. You don't need to worry about the budget."
She paused for a moment, then added, "Of course, it's best not to go too far over budget..."
She was heartbroken!
They were also afraid that a scion of a noble family like Wang Wei, who was unaware of the hardships of life, would only think about the effect and disregard the budget.
Upon hearing this, Wang Wei smiled with relief and bowed, saying, "In that case, I'll have to trouble you, young friend Lu. Don't worry, the most difficult parts are over now, and there aren't many places left that require money."
He found it somewhat amusing to talk about it.
I've never worried about money like this before, and I even thought it was unrefined to talk about money all the time. But now I've gotten used to it and adapted to it.
Yuwen Kai nodded slightly. As the person in charge of overall planning and engineering, he felt this deeply: "Artistic conception is important, but budget is also the foundation of engineering construction. Without this foundation, even the best conception is just a castle in the air and cannot be realized. I also bear responsibility for this overspending."
As the chief planner, he is naturally also responsible for the budget.
Wang Wei was ashamed: "It was because I had not thought things through before, and was only absorbed in the artistic conception of the painting. I almost forgot that 'adapting to local conditions and acting within one's ability' is also an ancient teaching. I have learned a lesson from this incident."
Yuwen Kai stroked his beard and smiled, then said nothing more.
He got along well with Wang Wei, a younger man, and was naturally willing to take responsibility for him in such a situation.
He did make a request of Lu Xiaoqi: "Young friend Lu, the basic framework of the garden, rocks, and trees has been largely established, but there is still a crucial step to follow..."
Yuwen Kai looked at Wang Wei, who was taken aback for a moment before blurting out, "Colorful painting!"
Lu Xiaoqi asked in confusion, "Painting?"
Yuwen Kai nodded: "It is indeed painted decoration. The beams, rafters, and eaves, without weaving, would lose their soul. This is not something an ordinary painter can accomplish; it requires a traditional architectural painter skilled in shading techniques and familiar with brocade patterns. The brushstrokes must be steady, and the colors elegant, to complement these pavilions and towers, rather than being superfluous. Most of the people in Xiangjia Village are carpenters, and this time the painters..."
Wang Wei frowned slightly and added, "Their skills can only be described as proficient. They can draw some common patterns and apply colors evenly, but they are still lacking when it comes to achieving the level of exquisite brocade and silk."
"Especially the method of fading shading requires perfect harmony of mind and hand to render a natural and seamless gradient effect, which cannot be achieved without years of practice and understanding." Yuwen Kai agreed and added, "Such painters are now extremely rare. Most of them are already advanced in years. With the current tight schedule, I'm afraid there won't be enough time to train them from scratch."
After listening to the explanations from the two experts, Lu Xiaoqi immediately understood the key to the problem.
She frowned; this was indeed a troublesome matter.
Yuwen Kai is now quite familiar with the places where these modern crafts are distributed, and he reminded her: "I've heard that there are many master painters in southern Jiangsu. Perhaps we could go there to look for them."
With a direction in mind, things will be much easier! Lu Xiaoqi breathed a sigh of relief: "Okay, I'll have someone go and inquire about it now."
Upon hearing this, both Wang Wei and Yuwen Kai relaxed.
"In that case, I'll have to trouble you, young friend Lu." Wang Wei clasped his hands in a bow, his anticipation for the soon-to-be-opened garden hotel growing stronger.
Back in the ancient town, Lu Xiaoqi was still thinking about it. She complained to the system, "You, who have collected so many skilled craftsmen from history, couldn't you collect a few painters? Now you actually want me to go outside to find them. Where is your dignity as a system?!"
She was heartbroken.
System: "...Player, you drew the cards yourself."
It resolutely refuses to take the blame.
Lu Xiaoqi snorted twice: "Aren't you supposed to be intelligent? Didn't you realize my needs beforehand? It seems your intelligence level is only so-so. Let's not bring this up again."
The system has never succeeded in arguing with her, so it simply shut up.
Lu Xiaoqi suddenly remembered that she had saved up two more chances to draw cards, and immediately decided to use them tonight.
That evening, she met up with Su Jun at the place she had previously identified as a "lucky" spot and began drawing cards.
Two cards are suspended in the card pool.
Let's draw the one on the left first.
"I need an artist, I need an artist, I need an artist," Lu Xiaoqi murmured to herself.
The card that was turned over was green; the light green was the color she had seen most often when drawing cards.
R Card!
The figure and poem on the card gradually appear, showing a silhouette of someone looking up at a tall wall, holding something in their hand.
Lu Xiaoqi squinted, trying to see clearly what he was holding.
Is it a pen? Or a knife?
Without her having to guess, the system had already revealed the answer—
[The colors shine on the ancient wall, the brushstrokes resonate with the hearts of gods and Buddhas.]
System: "Congratulations, player, you have drawn an R card, Dunhuang painter, and the five disciples."
Lu Xiaoqi opened her mouth slightly.
System, did you help me cheat?!
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