Chapter 7 Bricks, Tiles, and Wooden Beds
The iron wok was the most expensive of all the pots Wei Jinyun had purchased. This large wok, roughly half the size of her body, could be placed on the stovetop, used for stewing meat and stir-frying, as well as making fried cakes and pastries.
The utensils at the clay stall were cheap, so she bought two stacks of pottery basins, bowls, and plates. The styles were well-fired, and each one had a few patterns painted on it. The total cost was less than thirty cents.
No wonder everyone likes to go to the morning market so much. The bowls and clay pots I bought in front of Tianqing Temple yesterday cost a few cents each, no matter how much she said.
She packed these into her backpack and saw someone on the bridge selling stone millstones, wooden mortars and pestles. The prices were reasonable. Making cakes required grinding rice flour and beating glutinous rice. She could buy pre-processed rice from the rice shop, but grinding it herself was more suitable.
However, most of those who come to buy millstones have their own donkey carts or wooden carts, so they can just push the goods away. If they hire a clerk in the store to deliver the goods to their door, they will have to pay more than ten cents for the distance to Tianqing Temple.
Wei Jinyun walked around again, asking around at the livestock shops. She learned that even a strong donkey would cost several guan (a Chinese coin) at the cheapest. She patted the donkey's head reluctantly, gritting her teeth and thinking about taking it home someday.
There were many cloth vendors in Pingjiang Prefecture, and Changmen was mainly engaged in silk trade. Wei Jinyun picked out a piece of ramie and a piece of linen with nice patterns.
The silk and gauze materials were really good to hold, thin and breathable. She planned to earn more money in the future and buy clothes for her grandmother and sisters.
Going further into the Changmen Market, there are specialized carpentry and stonemasonry shops. The craftsmen here are all registered with the guild and have skills and guarantees.
Those who deal in wood and stone are all bricklayers and tilers, and wood and carpenters are one. There is no need to select materials and then look for skilled craftsmen.
In fact, there are also bricklayers at the bottom of the arch bridge in front of Tianqing Temple and in the corner where Wei Jinyun bought bowls and plates just now. They have their bricklaying knives and mud boards waiting for work, and you can go up to them and ask the price directly.
The price was cheaper than that in the craftsman's shop, but she was new there and not so lucky to choose an honest person.
What if someone secretly built a shoddy project for her, paid her the money, but the person disappeared into the crowd, and then it leaked and flooded, where would she go to seek justice?
She didn't ask the two aunts from yesterday. With their years of experience in the work, they must know a lot of people, and in most cases they would introduce "acquaintances" to her.
The so-called help from acquaintances is the most embarrassing thing to do, and it is difficult to say too much.
Wei Jinyun has a friend who contracted the tiling of his home to his father's brother. Not only were the seams misaligned during acceptance, but two years later the edges of the balcony's ceramic floor were warping, and it squeaked when you stepped on it, like a mouse.
You still have to give him money, treat him to meals, and say hello to him with a smile during the holidays.
She would never commit the crime of being killed by a familiar.
There were many shops in the carpenter and stonemason's shop. She looked around, compared prices, and chose the one at the back.
It's always like this in the market, the further you go in, the cleaner the business becomes.
There was a pile of bricks half a person's height at the door of Zhouji Brick and Tile Shop, and the blue-gray brick surface was covered with a thin layer of kiln dust.
Wei Jinyun squatted down, picked up a brick at random, rubbed the surface of the brick with his palm for a while, and then stretched out his fingers to knock on the corner of the brick.
With a "dong" sound, the brick made a dull sound with a hint of crispness, indicating that it was a real, good brick.
The butterfly tiles stacked nearby also caught her eye; their surfaces were smooth and their curves were just right. After decades of wear and tear, many of the tiles in the house had broken. Yesterday, when the two aunts were sweeping, a tile fell and nearly hit them on the head.
If you want to replace the tiles, you might as well replace all of them. Don't save money on decoration materials.
Neither my grandmother nor my two younger sisters can be hurt by this mere tile.
Shopkeeper Zhou was lying in a rattan chair eating watermelon. When he saw someone looking at the tiles, he wiped his hands and went forward to greet them. "This lady has a very good eye. Our tiles don't catch water when it rains, and the eaves are neat, too. They're perfect for building a wing room."
After saying this, he looked Wei Jinyun up and down carefully, his eyes rolling slightly, "If you want to build a house or repair it, then here are 300 blue bricks, 200 butterfly tiles, including tile nails and ridge tiles, just enough to build a room, a total of 1200 coins."
Wei Jinyun stood up and pointed at the bottom of the brick pile. "The corners of those bricks are chipped, so they're counted as wear and tear. The top pile of tiles is stained with mud, but I'm not picky. I want them all."
She tiptoed to take a look inside and saw two bricklayers who were bored and sharing a melon with each other. The tiles were piled up and covered with mud. It seemed that they had not opened for a long time.
There are already many shops in the carpenter and stonemasonry business, and theirs is located at the very back, so their business can never compare to those at the front.
"One guan of cash, I'll pay you now. Your shop is at the end of the alley, and I'm taking this whole batch away today. When the neighbors see it, they'll know you're honest and your business will only improve. If you keep the goods in reserve, once the new ones arrive from the kiln, they'll become stale and worthless. I need a mason to renovate my shop, so why not..."
Wei Jinyun frowned and sighed, looking like he couldn't hire anyone.
Shopkeeper Zhou looked at the sun, then at the two shop assistants who were busy swatting flies, and coughed, "Lady, please take a look at our bricklayers, Xiao Zhang and Er Niu!"
The man who was shooing flies inside came over when he heard the noise.
Shopkeeper Zhou patted a man on the shoulder and smiled at Wei Jinyun, "Madam, did you see this? This is my nephew Xiao Zhang. He has been learning the craft from a craftsman since he was young. He has been building houses and laying walls for twenty years. Look at his physique..."
As he spoke, he punched Xiao Zhang's muscular arm. "To be honest, he built the study of Mr. Wang, the scholar who lives in Shantang. The walls are so well built that you have to squint to see the cracks. It never leaks when it rains. If you hire him, I guarantee you can live in this house for sixty years without a single crack in the bricks!"
He winked at the other man, "Our Erniu is an amazing tiler. During last year's storm, the only houses on the entire street that didn't leak were the ones he repaired. And what's more, he eats three bowls of rice at a meal and works non-stop from morning till night. He starts today, finishes tomorrow, and people can live in the house the day after tomorrow!"
Shopkeeper Zhou finished all this in a flash without even breathing heavily. He just pinched his beard and looked at Wei Jinyun expectantly.
The two men felt a little embarrassed by Manager Zhou's praise. They scratched their heads and smiled innocently at Wei Jinyun.
It’s not as exaggerated as the shopkeeper said.
Wei Jinyun was also smiling in his heart.
But she endured it.
In the future, she really needs to come to Caoshi more often to learn how they hone their speaking skills in business.
That's quite eloquent.
The two of them hit it off immediately, and immediately took out paper and wrote a contract -
Three hundred blue bricks, including six defective ones, two hundred butterfly tiles, twenty-nine pieces with mud spots, thirty tile nails, and fifteen ridge tiles, a total of one string of coins, to be delivered on the same day.
There are two bricklayers, each paid 80 wen for labor, and the deposit is 100 wen. The work can be completed in five days.
Wei Jinyun and Manager Zhou exchanged fingerprints, and the payment was made.
Shopkeeper Zhou was counting the money today, smiling. "Madam, you're young, but you're more knowledgeable than our builders. I'll have Xiao Zhang and Er Niu harness up the donkey cart and go with you to unload the goods. We'll make sure we finish unloading before noon, and then we can start work."
Wei Jinyun coughed lightly. "Wait a minute, I still need to make some furniture for the shop. I just bought some things outside, and I see there's still some space on your donkey cart. Can you make some space for it?"
After counting the money, Shopkeeper Zhou continued to eat the watermelon. Now the watermelon tasted crisp and sweet like honey, as if it had been dipped in honey.
He continued with a smile, "Of course. Xiao Zhang, come with my wife and help her carry it up."
Xiao Zhang went back to Caoshi with Wei Jinyun and saw her "things".
One iron pot, three clay pots, two clay stoves, one stone millstone, three wooden mortars and pestles, two rolls of cloth, two bags of rice, flour...
Xiao Zhang remembered the shopkeeper's instructions and helped Wei Jinyun carry the things for a while. His face turned red, and he finally carried the largest stone millstone onto the car.
While he was moving the goods, Wei Jinyun went to the carpentry shop. She had just walked around to see that Wangji Carpentry Shop was run by a middle-aged couple. They not only made tables and chairs, but also did bamboo weaving.
There were a few benches, a high-back chair, and several bamboo baskets at the door of the shop.
Shopkeeper Wang was bending over and pushing a planer, with sawdust rustling everywhere. Next to him sat Mrs. Wang, who was very skillful and nimble, weaving an exquisite bamboo basket.
Madam Wang was the first to see Wei Jinyun. She immediately stopped what she was doing and said, "Madam, please come in, please come in. Do you want to see some household items or bamboo products? My master Wang is a skilled weaver, and the bamboo products I weave are solid and durable."
Carpenter Wang, who was pushing the planer, also raised his head when he heard the sound, put down his tools, and wiped his hands with the towel hanging on his shoulder.
Wei Jinyun's voice was clear and he smiled faintly, "To be honest, I bought a shop and will be making some food in the future. Today I came to buy some tables and chairs for the opening, and also three beds."
Madam Wang's eyes lit up, thinking this was a big customer. She immediately stood up and said, "These tables and chairs are the face of the restaurant! Old Wang, quickly bring out that new long table for Madam to see."
She turned to Wei Jinyun and said, "Don't worry, we know the tables and chairs used in the dining hall. They are made of thick materials and will not wobble."
Carpenter Wang and his wife worked together to carry out a long table. Carpenter Wang patted the tabletop and said, "Look, the tabletop is just the right thickness, the legs are all hardwood, and the tenons are hammered solid. It will be as stable as Mount Tai in your shop."
Wei Jinyun walked over and carefully inspected the table legs, then tested the sturdiness of the chairs. He nodded with satisfaction, "Your craftsmanship is indeed excellent. I also need three sturdy and durable beds, either beech or good fir. But more important are the long table and chairs, and three sets of large and small bamboo steamers."
She looked at Madam Wang and said, "The steamer should be tightly woven and airtight. It's used for steaming buns and pastries."
Madam Wang nodded and assured, "I'll take care of the steamer. The bamboo from our Pingjiang Prefecture smells delicious, and I scrape the strips of bamboo until they're smooth, so there won't be any leaks. So, you'll have a lot to make, Madam."
Wei Jinyun took over the conversation at the right time, "We need money everywhere right now, and this expense is really not small. I see that ladies are all honest people, so please be more considerate of the price. If I need to add anything to my shop in the future, or if there is something broken that needs to be repaired, I will naturally choose you as the store."
Madam Wang's smile remained unchanged. "Madam, you are a straightforward person. We are a small business, so our prices are very fair. Look, this beech bed is made of rich materials and the workmanship is also very fine. One bed should cost at least this much..."
She pointed her finger to indicate a price, and then mentioned the tables, chairs, benches, and bamboo steamers.
Wei Jinyun argued with the couple for a while, which took a lot of time and effort, but he finally got the price down to the target price.
The bed was ready-made, made of good wood, but without any decorations, as long as it was comfortable to sleep on. The Wang couple called their son, also harnessed the cart, and together they lifted the bed up, and would go back with Wei Jinyun later.
The three beds cost her six hundred coins.
As for the tables, chairs, benches, and bamboo steamers, another contract was signed.
Six long fir tables, twelve long benches, six bamboo rattan chairs, and three sets of large and small bamboo steamer baskets. The total cost of materials and labor is one string of eight hundred coins. A deposit of three hundred coins is required first. The goods will be delivered in half a month. The goods will be inspected according to the samples. If they are not in order, the deposit will be refunded.
Madam Wang held the contract in her hand and stared at it for a while, muttering to herself that this woman looked slender and young, but she was very smart and spoke in a very sophisticated way.
Wei Jinyun held two copies of the contract in his hand, along with the bricklaying contract. "However, I have another job I'd like to entrust to Uncle Wang. If you can do it, we can sign the contract for the items we just ordered."
When Madam Wang and Carpenter Wang heard there was business, and it sounded unusual, they both became excited. "Madam, what else do you want? As long as it's made of wood or bamboo, we can try it."
Carpenter Wang held the blueprint given to him by Wei Jinyun in his hand, his eyes narrowed into slits.
It's very similar to some of the carts in Caoshi, but it's a little different.
Four wheels formed a sturdy base, not very large. Atop the base sat a two-tiered wooden cabinet. The lower tier was semi-enclosed in wood, while the upper tier was a flat, spacious worktop surrounded by low railings on three sides.
There is a wooden board on the work surface that can be lifted up, revealing a reserved square hole underneath, the size and position of which just corresponds to the space above the clay stove placed on the lower level.
The wooden board on the side is the same, it is not facing the clay stove and there is no hollow underneath. When it is opened, it becomes a counter for placing ingredients, seasonings and a cash register.
A removable lightweight roof frame is also briefly drawn at the top of the drawing, with the words "oil cloth or bamboo mat can be used" written on the side.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Carpenter Wang looked up and glanced at Wei Jinyun. "I can give it a try. I'll make a sample for you to take a look at. I won't charge you a deposit."
He was used to making tables, chairs and benches, and had also made carriages and sedan chairs a few times. He really wanted to try making such an ingenious cart.
Wei Jinyun was practically drooling after this trip to the market. She'd thought it would only take an hour, but when she left the carpenter's shop and looked up, it was already nearly noon.
The vendors of the shengjian and siomai stalls were already washing dishes and packing up; it was past breakfast time.
Wei Jinyun was not too hungry, so she went to a tea stall and drank a bowl of perilla water. She bought a bag of fried stinky tofu and ate it with bamboo sticks. She also weighed two kilograms of candied apricots for her sisters and brought a can of walnuts for her grandmother.
The best way to enjoy the fried stinky tofu is to soak it in chili sauce, but unfortunately, chili was out of stock. The vendors used chopped mustard greens soaked in garlic water, which also tasted unique.
Wei Jinyun took a bite and found a thin crispy crust on the surface and fluffy and soft inside. It was crispy on the outside and crispy on the inside, and fragrant and stinky.
It's also a bit spicy.
Lu Lan likes to eat honey kumquats. There is a honey-fried kumquat shop at Changmen Wharf that tastes delicious, and he often comes here.
However, June is the season for eating apricots. Mrs. Shen in the shop gave him a good introduction, and he immediately weighed five pounds of candied apricots.
He was holding the packaged candied apricots, and when he turned around, he caught a glimpse of the graceful figure again.
She held an oil-paper bag in each hand and two bamboo sticks in her right hand, and weighed the honey-fried dumplings like him.
She raised her foot and took a bold step, jumping onto a donkey cart.
He squinted his eyes and looked at the moving donkey cart in the distance. He saw her leaning against the stone mill, poking a piece of stinky dried tofu with a bamboo stick, and the spiciness made her gasp.
The author has something to say:
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Lord Lu is passing by again~[Three-color cat head]
My friend who has a mouse on the balcony floor is calling me (it's really too much
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