Chapter 85

Song Zhe found studying even more difficult than farm work. At the academy, as soon as he heard the teacher lecturing, he would inevitably fall asleep, with his eyelids as heavy as if they were filled with lead. Not even a cane could prop them open.

But in order to eat, today he had finished cutting grass and after eating lunch, still followed Wang Er to the bamboo shed.

He had known Wang Er before, only as Li Xian's student servant who read aloud for him. When Li Xian was listening to lectures, this guy always liked to sneak outside the window to eavesdrop, rather than go somewhere else to play around like other families' student servants.

It was precisely because of this that Wang Er was somewhat unpopular at the academy and often bullied.

He didn't think Wang Er's reading was that great, nor that the teacher hired by the Li Yao family would be more brilliant than the masters at the academy. So he intended to take a nap, just when he happened to be tired and hungry these past days.

But when he arrived at the bamboo shed, he discovered that the book Wang Er was studying was actually one he had never studied before.

This surprised him a bit, but even more surprising was that this little old man called Lv Xiucai, when he lectured, was not dull at all. After listening for a while, he actually found it a bit interesting.

Especially when Lv Xiucai taught him alone, he was unusually able to understand immediately.

And Lv Xiucai's learning was the most profound of any teacher he had seen!

This puzzled him quite a bit. How could such a good teacher be cooped up in the small He Wan village without any fame, not even passing the county exam?

"Song Zhe," Lv Xiucai saw his distraction and admonished in a deep voice, "Pay attention to the lecture. If your mind wanders again, you'll get the rod."

"Oh."

Song Zhe didn't doubt at all that Lv Xiucai would dare to whip his butt.

Now he understood, none of the Li Yao family treated him as the young master of the county magistrate's family.

They would beat him if he deserved beating, scold him if he deserved scolding. As long as he did something wrong, even the little girl Du Xiao Hui would severely reprimand him.

Although this feeling was a bit unpleasant, it also had an indescribable sense of novelty. Since he was free with nothing to do, why not listen carefully? Who knows, maybe next time he went home he could make his old man happy?

......

County magistrate Song had been very happy since last night.

With over twenty thousand taels of silver in hand, he was busy arranging the purchase of grain while issuing notices in each village for every household to provide a laborer, preparing to start water conservancy construction.

Hearing that the county government had work providing meals and wages, even if the wages would be deducted from next year's taxes, the villagers were still very willing.

Now every household was short of grain. One less mouth to feed at home meant the others could eat a little more.

In less than half a day, the manpower from each village was assembled.

Over two thousand robust laborers gathered in great numbers.

Magistrate Song and his advisors divided these people into several groups, some to repair canals, some to repair roads, some to build bridges. Finally he specially dispatched over two hundred people to expand the road from Baichuan Market to He Wan Village.

That road really was too narrow, even carriages couldn't pass, full of bumps and hollows. It definitely needed fixing up.

Just as Magistrate Song was vigorously developing infrastructure, He Wan Village was also bustling with excitement. Almost everyone gathered at the Li Yao residence to help Li Yao move.

The repaired new house had been ready for some time. Li Yao looked it over and it was completely dry inside. Today was also an auspicious day on the calendar. No time like the present, so they would move in today.

She hadn't expected Du Xiao Hui's mother to hear the news and immediately come over to help, then mobilize the whole village.

But in Li Yao's old house, there really wasn't much to move. Not enough for one item per person. Many came just to watch the liveliness empty-handed.

"Everyone don't rush, let Li Yao go first."

Wang Xueshi naturally had to be there, and moreover had to control the overall situation, directing who carried what according to her arrangements. Li Yao didn't stop her. Her mother-in-law liked to worry, so let her worry. If not allowed to, she would feel unhappy.

Li Yao carried a small rice sack and was the first to arrive at the new house entrance.

The large iron gate made by the blacksmith was already installed, the large lock also bronze, looking very high-quality.

Taking out the key to open the big door, Wang Xueshi timely exclaimed, "The big door opens, wealth and prosperity enter!"

Li Yao led the large group into the new home. At the main room door, Wang Xueshi blocked her again, "Wealth fills all four corners as you enter, silk gauze in the center, descendants forever filling the hall!" Li Yao: ...Were the ancients' wishes really so simple?

After a lively process, the moving ceremony was finally complete. Although no banquet was prepared, Li Yao still bought lots of roasted beans, melon seeds and other snacks, for He Xiaoya and Du Xiao Hui to distribute to everyone.

Then she went into her own room to arrange things.

The room had no bed, but a heated brick bed. It was already covered with several layers of thick cotton mattresses. On top was a pure white cotton blanket. Lying on it was soft and comfortable, not at all inferior to modern bed mattresses.

The quilt was a large cotton one, plain without any pattern, but excellent for keeping warm.

Below the window was a very large dresser, with a bronze mirror placed on top, somewhat blurred but the best she could buy.

Along the wall was a row of upright wardrobes, filled with wooden clothes hangers inside.

When making these wardrobes originally, the old carpenter was very curious, and even asked Li Yao for the "copyright". Of course she granted it to him without hesitation. She didn't know how they were spreading now.

The windows all had curtains installed, the walls unpainted but the brick seams very neatly and smoothly chiseled, giving a very comfortable feeling.

After arranging her bedroom, Li Yao also made up the beds for Wang San'er and Wang Xiao Si.

Xiao Si was no longer small and couldn't continue sleeping with her. But he was afraid alone, so could only let him sleep with Wang San'er first.

With these things done, He Xiaoya already started preparing lunch, and the villagers who came to watch the bustle prepared to return home.

"Everyone please wait a moment," said Li Yao. Everyone stopped in their tracks. "I have something, I'll take this chance to say it now."

"Young miss Li, whatever you have just tell us. What we can help with, we certainly won't refuse."

"It's not asking for help, I plan to open a workshop and need some people."

Open a workshop?

This news even stunned village chief Wang Jiafu.

She had never mentioned something so big to him before.

"Li Yao, think it through clearly. Running a workshop requires investing a lot of silver."

"I know."

She planned to first use Wang Xiao Si's room, which wasn't needed yet, to produce soap and cosmetic soap. Later when the business grew bigger, she would buy wasteland in the village to build a special factory.

Based on current sales, the soap workshop would need 10 people, and of those 10, she needed one trustworthy person to control the core techniques.