Upon arriving outside the city, Yun Qingran first went to the command post. There, she found that all the officials from the Ministry of Works were slacking off.
"What are you doing?" Yun Qingran looked at them and her face darkened.
"Can't Princess Rongchang tell? We're working." The Ministry of Works official took a sip of tea and said slowly.
"If you can't tell, please explain." A sharp glint appeared in Yun Qingran's eyes.
“They’re drinking tea.” The Ministry of Works official pointed to himself, then to the person next to him, “They’re reading.” He then pointed to another person, “They’re practicing the Five Animal Frolics.”
"You are paid by the emperor and should bear his burdens. You are supported by the people, not to be allowed to work so sloppily." Yun Qingran's watery eyes turned cold.
"Our job is to design and build palaces and mausoleums, or the residences of kings and nobles, not to build thatched huts for refugees," the Ministry of Works official said dismissively.
They looked down on the refugees, thinking that as officials of the Ministry of Works, what right did they have to design houses, villages, streets, and farmland for mere refugees?
If it weren't for the Emperor's decree ordering them to be at Tingyun Qingbi's disposal, they wouldn't have come to this godforsaken place.
"So what if they're refugees? That's ridiculous. Whose ancestors weren't poor for three generations? What are you pretending to be so noble for?" Yun Qingran crossed her arms and sneered.
“Princess Rongchang, although you are a princess, a princess only has a rank, not an official title. You have no right to order us around,” the Ministry of Works official said stubbornly.
This Ministry of Works official is a troublemaker. If you want to get these good-for-nothings to obey, you have to deal with him first.
"What's your name?" Yun Qingran asked him.
"I am Wang Youdao." Wang Youdao was not afraid of Yun Qingran at all, but instead asked provocatively, "Is Princess Rongchang trying to find out my name so that she can go and complain about me?"
"I stopped tattling when I was three years old. Lord Wang, you are judging a gentleman by your own petty standards." Yun Qingran chuckled.
Wang Youdao was speechless at Yun Qingran's words and snorted angrily.
"Lord Wang, you are an Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works. What is your specialty?" Yun Qingran asked him again.
"My specialty is the design of mansions and residences," Wang Youdao said proudly.
He designed countless mansions, and was responsible for designing the mansions of most of the high-ranking officials in the court.
“Oh, then how about we have a competition? A competition to design a mansion,” Yun Qingran said.
When Yun Qingran was in college, she suddenly became interested in ancient architecture for a period of time and attended a few architecture classes.
She didn't learn much, but she saw many blueprints of excellent ancient buildings. Since drawing is one of her specialties, it wouldn't be a problem for her to copy those excellent mansions.
"What? You want to compete with me in mansion design!" Wang Youdao exclaimed as if he had heard a hilarious joke.
His mansion design is quite impressive; she actually dared to compete with him.
"Yeah, you don't dare to compete?" Yun Qingran said sarcastically.
“Why wouldn’t we dare to compete? Let’s compete now.” Wang Youdao rolled up his sleeves.
"Lord Wang, please pose a question?" Yun Qingran gestured to Wang Youdao.
"You set the question, Princess Rongchang, so that if we lose, you won't say it's because I took advantage of you," Wang Youdao said confidently.
“Then I won’t stand on ceremony.” Yun Qingran smiled slightly, which was exactly what she wanted to hear. “Then I will design a southern-style residence that is elegant, exquisite, and charming. The design time is one hour.”
When she was taking architecture class, her favorite Suzhou garden was one she had studied, and she copied its design many times.
"An hour? Isn't that too short?" Wang Youdao quickly said.
Southern gardens emphasize four aspects: first, the layout of pavilions and terraces; second, the coordination of artificial hills and ponds; third, the interplay of flowers, trees, and shrubs; and fourth, the layering of foreground and background. This topic isn't difficult. But one hour is far too rushed.
He typically spends at least several months conceiving the design for a mansion; it can't be done in just an hour. He also can't use his previous designs, since those he designed have already been built, making it easy to spot cheating.
“An hour is not a short time. Only in this way can we test our skills.” Yun Qingran grinned.
Anyway, I can copy it down in an hour.
"Alright, one hour it is." Wang Youdao gritted his teeth and agreed.
How could a man who has designed countless mansions be inferior to a woman who has never designed a mansion?
"Since Lord Wang agrees, let's begin." Let's not waste her time playing with the child.
"Bring me paper and pen," Wang Youdao called out.
Immediately, someone brought up writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and the competition between the two began.
“Wang Youdao has designed residences for many officials.” Jun An’an looked at Yun Qingran with concern.
He had read all the information about the officials in the Northern Cold Prince's Mansion, including Wang Youdao's.
"Hmph, so what if he wins? When the time comes, we'll tell Father that he bullied my sister, and we'll have him punish him." Jun Yanyan snorted.
Don't let her gentle, sweet demeanor in front of Jun Molin and Yun Qingran fool you; she's actually quite proud and arrogant, a true princess. She won't let anyone bully her or the people she loves.
“There’s no need to wait for Father. We have the token given to us by our Imperial Grandfather. Seeing the token is like seeing our Imperial Grandfather. If he wins, we’ll dismiss him and find someone who listens to my sister to be the Assistant Minister of Works.” Jun An’an was even more ruthless, directly preparing to dismiss him and get rid of him.
The brother and sister are like two black sesame dumplings, full of cunning.
"Achoo! Achoo!" Wang Youdao, who was drawing a design, sneezed twice in a row.
"Who's talking about me behind my back?" he asked, puzzled.
Yun Qingran picked up a charcoal pencil and drew a few dots on the paper, then began to draw. She was very quick, and soon she had drawn a rough outline.
I have to say it again: it's always good to have many skills. If it weren't for my painting skills and attending a few architecture classes, I wouldn't have been able to deal with that troublemaker Wang Youdao today.
Seeing Yun Qingran painting so quickly, Wang Youdao had a bad feeling, so he also sped up his painting.
"Go, sister! You're the best!" Jun Yanyan cheered for Yun Qingran, becoming part of the atmosphere team.
An hour passed, and Yun Qingran finished drawing. Although it was not a perfect replica of the design in her memory, it was close enough.
Wang Youdao hasn't finished drawing yet; he's drawing while thinking, so naturally his speed is slow.
"Lord Wang, it seems I've won." Yun Qingran handed her design drawing to Wang Youdao.
When Wang Youdao took it and saw the design she had drawn, his eyes lit up.
The design of this mansion is truly ingenious; he has never seen a mansion with this style before.
“Princess Rongchang, what is the core design principle of your residence?” Wang Youdao humbly asked for advice.
"It was just a quick sketch, nothing special." Yun Qingran touched her nose; she was actually a novice.
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