She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 170 - 169: Be Particular When You Can Afford Not to Compromise

Chapter 170: Chapter 169: Be Particular When You Can Afford Not to Compromise

Cheung Wusi immediately dismissed the idea of setting up tents when he saw the piles of various items on the carriage, waving his hand without allowing for argument, "No need. We all come from hardship, having worked as craftsmen for so many years, what hardships haven’t we endured? To be able to squeeze into a work shed is already good. How much silver must have Ye Zi spent on these things? While the purchases are still recent, after we eat, let’s go back to the county town quickly and return them. Let your Third Uncle accompany you, so those shopkeepers don’t bully you for being a lone woman and refuse to refund."

Ye Xinyan smiled. This was how older people tended to consider things; in this respect, her own grandfather always did very well, always able to use different ways of working and thinking according to the environment they were in.

"Grandfather Cheung, even if you and Grandfather don’t mind squeezing in with others, the many other craftsmen might not be willing to. Having the working craftsmen and masters living under your and the other workshop heads’ watch, wouldn’t that put them in various awkward situations?"

While they were discussing this, Qi Jia, with his small short legs, had walked several rounds around the horse and ox carts before finally coming back, pulling on Ye Xinyan’s dress, asking, "Sister, I know what that thing on the ox cart is, it’s like the stone mill at Great Uncle’s house for making rice tofu. The one Sister bought is so big, are we going to make a lot of rice tofu too?"

Ye Xinyan laughed, "Making rice tofu? The stone mill isn’t just for making rice tofu, it has many uses. Let’s first put up the tents, and then we’ll use this stone mill. You’ll then see another use for the stone mill."

Qi Jia continued to ask, "What are tents?"

"Tents are temporary structures that can be set up for people to live in," Wong Qiao explained on the side.

Hearing that tents could house people, Qi Jia immediately became excited, moving next to Wong Qiao saying, "Third Uncle, can you set up a tent? If Third Uncle sets up the tent well, I want to live in it too."

Wong Qiao smiled, patted Qi Jia’s hair, and looked towards Qi Younian and Cheung Wusi. The matter of setting up tents had not yet been decided.

For the entire morning today, Qi Younian had been planning to start constructing their new house as soon as possible to settle down his family well.

Even if he dropped the finishing up of the two cow pens at the cattle farm to start building the house, it would still take over half a month, or twenty days, before the new house could be lived in. And that was under the condition that both Cheung Wusi and Wong Qiao could work on it, each leading a team; only then could it be built.

During those twenty or more days, or even longer, they would have to squeeze in with the many craftsmen and apprentices. Just like Ye Zi said, even if they didn’t mind, the craftsmen and apprentices sharing the space would also be inconvenienced.

More importantly, Qi Younian felt a bit guilty towards the sons of his fourth and seventh brothers who had come to join him.

"In the future, we will undertake more construction projects, and things like tarpaulin tents will all be necessary. Let’s unload them first," Qi Younian said.

Indeed, having a progressive grandfather always managed to align with her own thoughts, which was very pleasing.

Ye Xinyan, with a smile, said, "The site’s kitchen probably hasn’t started serving meals yet, I will call a few stout apprentices over to help unload."

Wong Qiao stopped her, saying, "No need, it’s not that much stuff. By the time you run back and forth, the two drivers and I can have this taken care of."

Ye Xinyan gave Wong Qiao another look; although not particularly burly, he looked healthy and strong, very much capable of working.

Seeing that Ye Xinyan did not object, Nanny Liu called out to the two drivers, "Be quick and handy, you two, and help my Third Master here unload these items. Finish up your work faster so you can head back sooner. I’m going to prepare some travel provisions for you two."

The two drivers made their money from hauling goods, having the responsibility of moving cargo as part of their job. Even if today’s loads, one being devilishly heavy and the other having so many items that a flatbed wagon could barely contain them, were particularly challenging, the nature of their work didn’t change with the quantity of goods, did it?

When they heard that after unloading the goods, the homeowner would provide them with provisions for the return trip, they were exceptionally delighted.

The homeowner had mentioned provisions, which naturally wouldn’t be the same as the chaff and vegetable cakes of their own homes. In their poor households, full-grain provisions were hardly the norm; they’d be lucky to get whatever edible thing they could to fill their bellies.

Ye Xinyan’s reluctant acknowledgment of her third uncle, Wong Qiao, revealed that he indeed possessed considerable physical strength. In less than fifteen minutes, he and the two drivers had together unloaded all of Ye Xinyan’s purchased goods.

Nanny Liu ordered the old woman servant to pack several corn cakes and fine wheat buns from the kitchen and said goodbye to the overly joyed drivers. Ye Xinyan also washed her hands and face, and only then did her family begin to have their meal.

Cheung Wusi called to Ye Xinyan, "Ye Zi, you’ve been out working since early this morning; you must be tired, so let’s eat on the kang bed."

Ye Xinyan laughed, "That’s not necessary, I’ve just been running around, and I haven’t done any heavy lifting – how could I be tired? It’s you and Wong... Third Uncle, who’ve only just arrived yesterday and already helped Grandfather today. You’re the ones who’ve had it tough."

Qi Younian glanced at Nanny Liu, who was instructing the maids on setting up the meal, and reflecting on the strict separation of men and women and the household rules of the official and noble families in the capital, tentatively said, "Ye Zi, this morning before you left, you’d made arrangements for the timber. How about, during lunch, you share any plans you have?"

Ye Xinyan, following Qi Younian’s gaze to Nanny Liu, secretly chuckled at Qi Younian’s apprehension when facing the Prince Household’s Steward Nanny.

She herself was unconcerned with how the Prince Household’s Steward Nanny viewed her or her family, but discussing matters during meals wasn’t conducive to digestion, nor was it easy to fully elaborate on things.

"No need, I’ll just eat with Nanny Liu and the rest. You all eat well first, and after taking a rest, we can then discuss matters. It won’t hold anything up."

After a brief rest following the meal, Ye Xinyan, Qi Younian, and the others sat down in the courtyard.

Ye Xinyan pointed to the large pile of oilcloth and tarpaulin, "I was thinking, let’s just erect a simple tent in the courtyard for now. Grandfather and Grandfather Cheung, you three won’t need to squeeze into the construction shack anymore. Autumn is upon us, and the chill is setting in. I’ve bought a few skins treated with saltpeter; they’re very effective at keeping out the dampness and will provide warmth and dryness underneath. We’ll speed up the construction, but staying in the tent before the frost should be alright."

Cheung Wusi shook his head, chuckling, "Old Zhang here has been doing hard labor all his life and today suddenly has become so delicate. Having a tent to live in is also good, and to think it even comes with such intricacies."

He then turned to Ye Xinyan with a smile, "Ye Zi, you’re so thoughtful. Ask your Grandfather – we’ve lived in tents even in the bitter winter months, without nearly as many comforts as you suggest. At best, we would just have thicker bedding and wrap up more snugly."

Ye Xinyan pursed her lips in disagreement, saying, "When times are tough and there’s no choice, we make do with what we have. But when conditions allow for some luxury, why not enjoy it?"

Thinking back to when she escaped from the capital in the dead of winter, there were no tents at all when traveling; whenever she encountered a place with no village ahead or inn behind, she could only sleep out in the open, huddling together with Nanny Jin.

Cheung Wusi clapped his hands together in laughter, "Big brother, your granddaughter here knows luxury, knows simplicity, truly fitting to Old Zhang’s heart. She’s a promising child, more so than Ah Qiao."