When the Xie family's roof tiles were half-burned, the Huya family's land was already planted.
Just then, Xie Baotian, Xie Baoshu, and Xie Tianlin finished planting their land. The group gathered together and went to town to buy lime. They then helped Xiao Yi remove the thatch from the roofs of the three main rooms and replace them with tiles.
Lime wasn't expensive; the roof of the three main rooms only cost a hundred copper coins. As for sand, of course, we dug it ourselves from the river.
Once the roof tiles were applied to all three rooms, the previously unremarkable house suddenly became several levels more elegant. People then realized that Xiao Yi's house was truly only lacking in the roof; the rest of the house was made of stone and lime, thick and neat.
After the roof was replaced, the Tiger Tooth siblings started making the adobe bricks. Xie Tianlin, Xie Yushu, and Qu Xiaodie helped them carry soil for two days, and Xiao Yi helped make the adobe bricks for two days. They were busy every day.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and it was time to pick up the knives. Xie Yushu planned to let her brother and sister do the rest of the work slowly.
At the same time, Xiao Yi asked the families who rented the kiln if they had any spare labor to help him haul stones to build the side rooms and annexes. They would pay him twenty copper coins a day for renting the kiln, and he would also provide lunch.
Upon hearing that they could work for money, several families immediately sent one or two workers to come and do the work. In just two days, eleven people came!
Xie Yushu rented three more carts to haul stones and asked Hu Mei to cook lunch for Haitang before heading to Jinyang City with Qu Xiaodie.
With everything arranged, Xie Yushu and Qu Xiaodie rested for a day and cut fabric to make two sets of sky-blue, narrow-sleeved outfits and two pairs of thick, multi-layered cloth shoes. The soles were made by Grandma Huya, with a full twenty layers and white trim in the same color. They looked clean, tidy, and simple.
Xie Yushu made two palm-width auspicious cloud patterned waist belts. Qu Xiaodie and Xie Yushu were both tall and slender, dressed in their best attire. One held a soft cowhide whip, and the other had a black iron short sword at her waist. They were both tall and beautiful, and looked like two jade-faced swordsmen!
With two pieces of dry food and two gourds of water, the two embarked on their spontaneous journey.
This trip was much better than the last one. There were no more starving people on the road, and the former barren land had turned into green hills and clear waters. Time seemed to be gradually healing the wounds left by the drought. Farmers were busy working everywhere in the fields, and the world was full of life again.
The two first arrived at Tai'an Prefecture, intending to visit Han Zhongyu, but upon hearing that he was too busy to go to the yamen, they gave up on the idea and instead had a meal with the Liu brothers and Xie Tianming and Xie Tianqi.
In just half a month, Liu Nan had recruited more than 20 new constables, and Liu Qiang's department had also hired more than 30 junior officers. The most noteworthy achievement was that Xie Tianming, after last-minute cramming, learned a few close-quarters combat moves and managed to defeat three other candidates, narrowly escaping being promoted to a permanent position!
Liu Qiang also befriended several merchants and镖头 (bodyguards/escorts). Being a righteous person, he thrived here!
Xie Tianqi also became a deputy magistrate of Jinli, and he brought more than a dozen brothers with him. The group of them were doing quite well here.
Although Xie Yushu appeared to have long accepted her new identity and was dutifully managing Xiao Yi, the children, and the Xie family, only she knew that she was merely doing what the original owner hadn't finished. Seeing everything related to the original owner getting back on track and getting better and better, her heart finally settled down!
Once Xiao Yi's leg is healed and she has repaid the ten taels of silver he gave her for saving her life, she can then make a decision about whether to stay or leave.
Since she arrived here, she's been struggling to make ends meet and has to deal with Xiao Yi's demanding mother and brothers. Xiao Yi seems to be hiding his true intentions, and the household registration system here is very strict. She hasn't had time to think about what to do in the future. Now that she's paid off her debts, she can finally live for herself!
After a quick meal, Xie Yushu and Qu Xiaodie were pleased to see Xie Tianqi and the others there. They didn't linger and took a boat to Jinyang in the afternoon.
However, instead of rushing to the blacksmith's shop, he found an inn to rest for the night and took the time to draw a blueprint for a syringe.
The next day, he bought two jars of wine, two packages of pastries, a large pig leg, some candy and a few small toys for the children. Thinking that Li Daniu hadn't left much money that day, he also bought two bolts of fine cotton cloth, a batch of indigo and a bolt of mixed color cloth, estimating that it would be enough for Li Daniu, his wife and children to make two sets of clothes before he went to their door.
Li Daniu and his wife were very hospitable, and even scolded Xie Yushu for spending so much money by bringing so many things. Li Daniu's wife also told Xie Yushu that people's lives are hard, and even if they have money, they should be frugal.
Xie Yushu knew that the couple meant well, so she just smiled and responded. Li Daniu's wife invited them into the house to say a few words and then busied herself preparing to cook. However, she was heavy and clumsy, which made Xie Yushu and Qu Xiaodie's hearts jump with worry.
Knowing that the couple would definitely leave them food, and that it would seem inconsiderate for them not to eat, the two of them simply got up and helped cook.
Li Daniu scratched his head and said...
"Look at you, you've come all this way, and we've made you all busy with this."
Qu Xiaodie said indifferently
“It’s okay, we cook at home too, and it’s a good opportunity to chat with my sister-in-law.”
Seeing that Xie Xiaodie was sincere, Li Daniu coaxed the two half-grown children to play with their toys.
Lunch was quite substantial, consisting of four dishes and a soup: peanuts with sugar, scrambled eggs with chives, shredded pork with eggs and vegetables, a steamed carp, and a winter melon and meatball soup.
Although these dishes were ordinary in Xie Yushu and Qu Xiaodie's eyes, after all, one of them came from a prosperous era in the future and the other had always lived in the luxurious Zhang Mansion, these were just home-cooked meals for them, but for ordinary people, they were considered to be for the New Year and other festivals!
The two little kids were already sitting at the table, eagerly waiting for dinner, but Li Daniu and his wife scolded them and tried to send them away.
After all, the rules here are strict; children and women are not allowed to sit at the guests' tables.
Actually, there's no need to mention this place. Even in modern times, Xie Yushu, a post-90s generation, was not allowed to sit at the table when guests came to her family when she was a child. She doesn't know if this was the case in every family.
It was only after she grew up and people's ideas became more open that these rules gradually became blurred, and she was able to sit at the table and eat with guests when they came to her home.
However, in Xie Yushu's opinion, as long as the children weren't unruly and annoying, there was nothing wrong with them eating together. Besides, Li Dani's two children were very well-behaved, so Xie Yushu and Qu Xiaodie each picked one up and said...
“Since Brother Li and his wife treat us like younger brothers and sisters, then we are friends and relatives. Let’s eat together; the children are hungry.”
Besides, the two children are so well-behaved; we love them just by looking at them.
Hearing Xie Yushu's words, Li Daniu and his wife did not insist, and the group ate together.
After the meal, Qu Xiaodie helped Sister Li clear the dishes, while Xie Yushu went to check on the knives.
Once Xie Yushu had a set of medical equipment in her hands, she had to admit that the unassuming man in front of her was incredibly skilled, comparable to modern machines!
It almost perfectly replicates the most advanced surgical equipment of the modern era. The scalpels are gleaming, the needles are gleaming, and the other tweezers, hemostatic forceps, and surgical suture needles are also of excellent quality. Of course, there is also Xie Yushu's specially made hairpin.
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