She Became A Downfall Noble Lady
Chapter 173 - 172: Wanting the Artisan to Have a Good Future

Chapter 173: Chapter 172: Wanting the Artisan to Have a Good Future

After dinner, while there was still some of the sunset’s afterglow in the courtyard, Cheung Wusi took Wong Qiao outside and asked him to explain how their tents were connected and how the method differed greatly from those he had seen before, including the military tents used in the army.

Moreover, the fact that they could be setup so swiftly, without any prior preparation, and completed within just one or two days was an efficiency he insisted on seeing for himself.

Nanny Jin, Nanny Liu, and the maids and old woman servants were cleaning up the pots and pans after dinner. Qi Jia was in the courtyard, following Nanny Jin around, asking questions, and then running over to where Wong Qiao was, listening to him talk about things he did not understand.

Ye Xinyan was chatting with Qi Younian inside the house.

"Your Third Uncle was not idle either, he had work in his hands. But after your Fourth Master received the letter I sent, he thought that if your Third Uncle continued working with a small Water Wood Works in Hezhou," Qi Younian said, glancing at Ye Xinyan and explaining, "That’s what you referred to as the construction industry."

Ye Xinyan hurriedly smiled and said, "Grandfather, just speak in your own professional language. What I said was just the ramblings of an outsider, calling things at random."

Before she had acquired the book "Construction Regulations," she really did not know that the ancient construction industry was called "construction," and the ancient term for a construction team was even more interesting – Water Wood Works. It did not sound like the name of a construction crew at all, but rather like a little wooden house amidst mountains and waters.

Furthermore, a mason like her grandfather in the construction industry was not called a mason, but Waterworks. Carpenters were called Wood Works, and there were also Tile Works, Bamboo Works, Painting Works, and so on – oh, the knowledge points.

"Please continue, Grandfather." Ye Xinyan was very interested in Third Uncle Wong, who had taught himself and possessed talent.

In ancient times, unlike the modern era, not everyone could go to school or learn how to read and write. To put it rather boldly, at any time, as long as a person aspired to improve and had the determination never to retreat, he could generally succeed.

The ancient times were different. With the cost of education, the price of paper, ink, lack of educational resources, and other factors, children from ordinary families simply could not afford to learn how to read and write. The idea of self-learning and succeeding was pure fantasy, an impossibility.

But Wong Qiao had done it, growing up in poverty without schooling, yet he not only learned to read, but also absorbed a great deal of skill by observing and listening. He was truly an inspirational example.

Qi Younian continued, "Your Fourth Master thought that, even though Ah Qiao had a cleverness others did not possess, in such an environment, he would spend his whole life merely taking orders and earning profit for others as a craftsman. No matter how old he became, there would be no major improvement.

If he worked with his own uncles and brothers, not only would Ah Qiao’s talent not be buried, but he could also powerfully help us expand our construction business, and earn himself a considerable fortune. Ah Qiao is already in his twenties, well past the age for marrying."

Qi Younian summarized with a smile, "So, Ah Qiao followed your Fourth Master and came here to us."

Ye Xinyan exclaimed in amazement, "Third Uncle Wong is really impressive. With such aptitude, if he were guided by a proper Imperial Workshop master, I dare say his future would be limitless." Could he become a figure like Luban? Initiating a new era in manual construction?

Although Qi Younian was happy that Ye Xinyan appreciated Wong Qiao, he sighed, "Alas, he is just an artisan who relies on his craft to make a living. No matter how good his work, what can it change? What we are doing now in construction is not simply artisan’s work; in essence, it’s doing business, trading, just with different commodities."

Qi Younian, the old master, spoke the truth. Throughout the entire imperial dynasty, no matter which era it was, after so many changes, the perception held by almost everyone was: "All trades are inferior; only scholarship is high."

Besides studying to become a civil servant, other professions were not respected. The so-called emphasis on farming was nothing more than a show made necessary by the iron fact that "food is the first necessity of the people."

Artisans had it even worse. Although merchants might not have high status, they had money and could live a good life. But artisans relied solely on their own skills to make a living, earning money for each job they did, without any shortcuts. Even if they worked their entire lives, their family’s circumstances would likely see no significant fluctuations.

Ye Xinyan comforted Qi Younian, saying, "Once we get the construction industry up and running, we will be able to earn our own fortune. Once we have the silver, we can offer high wages to hire skilled craftsmen to work for us. With good craftsmen, we can strive to build the most exquisite residences, gardens, and halls in the whole world. Not only will we earn silver, but we will also enable skilled artisans to earn plenty of silver and not be looked down upon by others."

Qi Younian laughed, "Our Ye Zi really has grand ambitions, actually thinking about ensuring a good future for so many craftsmen."

The next day, Qi Younian and Cheung Wusi led their team to the foundation already prepared on the east side of the second branch of the Qi family, busily constructing buildings.

Wong Qiao led two craftsmen and some apprentices in setting up tents, while Ye Xinyan and Nanny Liu, among others, were finishing up the tent canvas and oilcloth.

Before the sun set, on a space near the western wall in the Qi Family Courtyard, they had erected a tent nearly the size of half a room. The height of the tent was a little short, just over the height of a person, but it did not impact sitting and resting. Moreover, the tent, with its double layers of canvas, looked extremely sturdy and warm.

Qi Younian and Cheung Wusi entered the tent to test the height and sat down on the newly laid low straw mats. Cheung Wusi said with a smile, "This tent is so well set up that it’s even more comfortable than the work shed. Let’s stay here tonight and have our meals here too, so we don’t have to cram into that tiny room and sit on the kang, leaving no space for Ye Zi and the others to stay."

Qi Younian laughed and pushed him gently, motioning him to walk out, "How much time does it take to eat? In the future, we’ll discuss matters and settle down in the tent, but go to the main house to eat; after the meal, we can come back to the tent to rest. This way, we won’t delay them for long.

If you tell Ye Zi and Nanny Jin that from now on we’ll just stay in the tent and not enter the main house, they definitely won’t agree, and we’ll have to waste a lot of words."

Indeed, before the two of them had crawled out of the tent, Nanny Jin was already calling them out to have dinner.

After dinner, Qi Younian and three other adults, along with the rowdy Qi Jia, returned to the tent to rest.

The maids and old woman servants were cleaning up the dishes and cutlery, and Nanny Liu asked Ye Xinyan, "When we had some free time in the afternoon, we already washed out the stone mill. What’s next? Should we grind flour or beans, and if it’s urgent, we could do some tonight."

"No rush, but I plan to try it out to see if we can grind the dried dregs and lumps of milk into powder. Whether it’s done a bit earlier or later doesn’t matter."

Ye Xinyan continued smilingly, "You have all been working hard these past few days, doing many heavy tasks, and our household here is too cramped, without even a proper place to rest. Let’s tidy up today and rest early. We can talk about grinding into powder tomorrow."

She also needed to hurry up and write out her business plan to coax Jinrong to invest in the Dairy Products Store; if he were to ask for it and she didn’t have it ready, that wouldn’t be good.