While talking, Xie Yushu and the others carried all the tiles out of the kiln.
I don't know if it's because some areas were heated unevenly or the drying process was different, but dozens of tiles in the corners developed cracks and were obviously ruined. There were also a few that were deformed, but most of them were still usable, so I guess it was a success!
After this batch was moved, the next batch was put in and fired again. Since there were some defective products in the first batch, Xiao Yi made another hundred clay bricks to fill in the gaps. Anyway, it is estimated that two more kilns will be fired, and by then they will be dried!
Seeing the results, Xiao Dayong and Xie Baotian went back. Xiao Yi put the burnt tiles in the corner and, being petty, placed the good ones in the most conspicuous place. Those who had been making sarcastic remarks fell silent when they saw the neatly arranged tiles.
Aunt Tian and Uncle Tian from next door even came over to take a look. Seeing that the tiles were alright, Uncle Tian gave them a hearty compliment.
"Xiao Yi's wife is quite capable. Although these tiles aren't as good as the ones you buy outside, they're still acceptable. Even if the color isn't uniform in some places, you can just press a better one on top when you need to use them! Making them yourself will save you a lot of money!"
Xiao Yi added fuel to the fire while speaking amiably.
"I think it's pretty good. Besides, the first batch was unevenly heated because we lacked experience. The next batch might be better than the first one."
"That's possible, Xiao Yi! After you finish firing, let us use the kiln too. Look, our house is in dire need of repair. The thatched roof needs to be replaced every year or two. With this kiln, we can fire some tiles to replace them, and we won't have to worry about wind and rain!"
Xiao Yi remembered Xie Yushu's mention of renting a kiln, and then spoke up.
"Uncle, it's like this. You've seen how this kiln has been built these past few days. My older brother's family, the Tiger Tooth siblings, and my father-in-law's family have all been busy helping out. After we finish firing, we have to squeeze in with them to fire!"
Moreover, we spent several taels of silver on iron bars to line the bottom of this earthen kiln. We've almost run out of money, and our family still needs to eat and drink, so we plan to rent out this kiln.”
As soon as Xiao Yi finished speaking, Aunt Tian said with dissatisfaction.
"Xiao Yi, you're being too stingy! We're all from the same village, why should I pay for using your earthen kiln?"
Xiao Yi said in a way that was neither too soft nor too hard.
"There's nothing we can do about it. Everyone has to make a living. Didn't you just say the other day that my wife doesn't know how to manage money and is a spendthrift? I think you're right. We can't just spend without earning. I have to find a way to make money back!"
Aunt Tian said angrily
"Hey, are you holding a grudge against me? I was only talking to you for your own good! How dare you take our money?"
Old Tian scolded
"Shut up! You're always worrying. Mind your own business instead of meddling in other people's. Xiao Yi is right. They paid for their earthen kiln, so renting it out is perfectly reasonable."
After saying that, he asked Xiao Yi.
"How much do you plan to rent this earthen kiln? If the price is right, we'd like to rent it for a few days."
"If you pay, it's thirty copper coins a day. If you don't have money, you can give rice and firewood. If you pay, it's ten catties of corn a day. If you pay, it's thirty bundles of firewood a day, at least one large bundle that one person can carry!"
In addition, you have to make the adobe bricks yourself, prepare your own firewood, and fire the kiln yourself.
Old Tian nodded in agreement.
"Okay, I'll go back and discuss it with the boys."
"Thirty copper coins a day? He's robbing us!"
Aunt Tian left, grumbling to Old Tian.
Old Tian did the math for her: thirty copper coins a day, three days to make one kiln, that's ninety copper coins. One kiln produces more than five hundred tiles, and a room needs about three hundred tiles. His family originally had three tiled houses, and if they built six more and two small side rooms, they would only need to fire four kilns at most, which would be three hundred and sixty copper coins.
His family has three sons, two daughters-in-law, and the elderly couple, all of whom are able-bodied. They can easily haul soil and make their own roof tiles without spending much money. If they were to buy roof tiles themselves, the 300-odd copper coins wouldn't even be enough for half a house, so it's quite a bargain.
Aunt Tian, still indignant, continued to grumble.
"We've been neighbors for so many years, we should get a discount."
"Hey! Don't always think about taking advantage of others. Although we've been neighbors for so many years, what help have you ever given them? To be honest, our own family is busy enough, and Xiao Yi has difficulty walking, so we've never lent a hand!"
Even if you're afraid of dealing with Old Mrs. Xiao, and you stay far away when something happens, or just climb over the wall to watch the show, why should Xiao Yi give you a discount? You have no favors with him!
Old Tian knew his wife was thrifty and stingy, but she did it all for the sake of the family. Although he looked down on her actions, she had at least raised a bunch of children and grandchildren for him and had worked hard for him, so he turned a blind eye to it.
Seeing her rambling on and on, I had no choice but to say a few words.
As Xiao Yi had predicted, the second and third kilns were much better than the first, with more uniform colors and virtually no cracks.
After Xie Yushu's four kilns were all fired, Xie Baotian's family had already prepared the adobe bricks. However, in the meantime, the imperial court distributed the autumn potato and vegetable seeds. Xiao Yi planted one mu of potatoes, one fen of cabbage, and two fen of pickled radishes (also called pickled vegetables in some places).
Although potatoes cannot be a staple food, there is only half a season left now, and only potatoes with a short ripening period can ripen before winter and are easy to store.
Fortunately, Xiao Yi had fenced off his only two acres of land into a yard, so he didn't have to pay taxes. Otherwise, the taxes alone wouldn't have been enough to cover the costs of that one acre.
However, this is the limit for ordinary people's courtyards.
In fact, most families have a yard of about one or two acres. It's just that most families have a large number of people, with four or five sons, or even seven or eight. So, in addition to the main house, the side rooms and the gatehouse are all full of people, making the yard seem small. Xiao Yi's family only has four or five people, which is why the yard seems particularly spacious.
Now that vegetables have been planted in the yard, Xie Baotian's family has placed the adobe bricks outside the door. Fortunately, Xiao Yi's house is at the entrance of the village, and there is plenty of space outside the door. Xie Baotian leveled a section of the roadside and placed a long section of adobe bricks there.
After loading the kiln, Xie Baotian, Xie Baoshu, Xie Tianlin, and several other men went back to farm, and Lu Shi took over firing the kiln. Fortunately, Xie Yushu and Qu Xiaodie took turns helping, so they were able to manage. Xiao Yi was in charge of the night shift.
Meanwhile, upon hearing about Xie Yushu's rented-out earthen kiln, many families with surplus money from selling their mountain produce and having plenty of labor came to queue up. Now, the queue has stretched into late autumn, and most families are choosing to pay half the money and half the firewood.
Even if there are many able-bodied people in the family, they can't produce too much firewood. After all, they have to consider the land, prepare firewood for their own winter, and prepare firewood for firing the kiln. They can only give as much firewood as possible, and make up for the shortfall with money.
The neighbor, Aunt Tian, was initially quite unhurried, figuring things out as they went. They figured they had to plant the crops first, and maybe by the time they finished planting, Xie Yushu's earthen kiln would still be unrented, and they could lower the price themselves. But after they finished planting, the line to rent the kiln stretched for two months. Only then did they panic and rush over to get a number, and the whole family went up the mountain to chop firewood.
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