Forty acres of wasteland, near the edge of the village.
A low mountain lies across the back, and there is only one way in front. Building a house here can protect the privacy of the home to the greatest extent.
"The closest one here is Mrs. Zhao's house, which is a bit far away. Wouldn't it be too lonely?" Li Zheng frowned and said, "If there is any urgent matter in the future, even a neighbor who can help me will not respond. "
Cheng Wanwan said: "My family's forty acres of wasteland are here. It must be closer to my own field. Can I build a house on this land?"
"There is sand in the soil, but it's not a big deal. When the time comes to lay a deeper foundation, it will be done in three or four days." Li Zheng thought about it for a while before saying, "Your four sons, even if you add Cheng Zhao and Shen There are two young masters and servants, please be quick. If they work together for a whole day, they can dig out five or six hundred adobe bricks. If you and your family want to dig out eighty or ninety thousand adobe bricks, I'm afraid it will take close to two people. moon."
"So, didn't I just come to Uncle Li Zheng for help?" Cheng Wanwan said, "I want to find some money to hire some quick-working people in the village to dig the adobe and dig the foundation. The price is thirty cents a day, without food. Will it work?"
"When it comes to paying people to do work, if you just shout, more people will come to help."
When Li Zheng first built the house, he bought some of the adobe bricks from other people in the village. He didn't think it was a waste of money. Moreover, he knew that Cheng Wanwan had money. The county magistrate must have done something big when he rewarded him with so much money. Building a house was just a waste of money. The top priority for the villagers.
If my family really comes to do this, wait until the adobe is dug out in two months. Winter is almost here. In winter, the cold wind will blow and freeze people to death, and it will be even more difficult to build a house. It is better to take advantage of this moment. , quickly finish this important matter.
Cheng Wanwan followed Li Zheng's suggestion and decided to hire someone to dig the adobe tomorrow. After the adobe is dug, it will take about seven or eight days to dry before starting to build the house. During the drying period, the foundation will be laid. The foundation will naturally be made of blue bricks. After that, backfilling was done, and then the sun-dried adobe was used to build the wall without wasting any time.
Li Zheng paused and continued: "You asked me to ask about the floor tiles last time. The floor tiles on the street in the town are the cheapest. One foot long and one wide. They cost two cents a piece. They can be laid in the house. The rough bricks are more expensive, two feet wide and two feet long, and cost six cents. I heard that Wang Yuanwai’s home is paving fine bricks from the kiln, which cost more than ten cents, which is too expensive."
Cheng Wanwan calculated silently in her mind. Her house plus the yard were estimated to be six to seven hundred square meters. Of course, the chicken coops and duck sheds at the back were not included. She calculated that it would cost about fifteen hundred square meters. For floor tiles, just use the most common rough bricks in town. Calculated in this way, the cost is completely within the affordable range. The largest expenditure should be labor costs.
The matter was settled like this, and Li Zheng promised to help find someone when he returned.
When walking back, I passed the Zhao family ancestral hall, which was full of people.
After the busy autumn harvest, the evening class time was moved forward by an hour. It was getting brighter and the children were more motivated to study.
At this moment, Shen Zheng was standing on the stage and was speaking: "I specially asked my father to approve a sum of money to buy fifty sets of four treasures for the study. As long as you perform well and get the top three in the exam, you will receive a Put it back..."
All the children in the classroom cheered.
"Thank you, Lord Magistrate!"
"We will definitely study and read well and live up to the expectations of the county magistrate!"
Shen Zheng knocked on the table: "Hey, I bought this. What does it have to do with my father? I am the one you should thank!"
The children immediately said in unison: "Thank you, Master Shen. We will never forget Master Shen's kindness!"
Shen Zheng was satisfied, holding his chin up, looking very arrogant and proud.
Cheng Zhao then came on stage and started teaching.
At the entrance of the ancestral hall, Li Zheng paused in his steps. He sighed and said, "I don't know how long Cheng Zhao can stay here."
Cheng Wanwan couldn't answer this question.
In this dynasty, the college examination was held twice every three years. This year, it is scheduled for March. I have to go to Huzhou, a prefectural city, to rush for the examination. Because I have to find a place to live, get familiar with the environment, manage relationships, etc., I have to go at least one or two months in advance, that is, I have to go there in advance. At the end of the new year, Cheng Zhao is leaving.
"I didn't expect that so many children in our village like to read and read." Li Zheng took a puff of dry cigarette and said slowly, as if he had made up his mind, "Dashan Niang, what do you think of our Dahe Village also building a school? We all work together to make adobe and build three houses, which is enough. With more people and more strength, I estimate that it can be completed in five or six days."
Cheng Wanwan nodded: "It's not difficult to build a school. The difficult thing is where to find a teacher."
"It's not easy to invite a gentleman. As long as you can afford the money, there are many old scholars who are willing to come." Shen Zheng walked over with his hands behind his hands. "I think it's a bit inappropriate to build a school made of adobe... It's better for every household to pool money and build one." Blue Brick University Hall..."
"Master Shen, if every family has extra money, they have to save it to do big things, but how can they use it to build a school." Cheng Wanwan said, "I remember Zhao'er said a poem, this is a humble house, but I am kind and kind. , meaning that it doesn’t matter if the house is shabby, as long as the people inside love reading and studying, no one will think the house is shabby.”
Shen Zheng curled his lips, this Aunt Zhao was exactly like his father, but she was reluctant to spend money to build a school.
When he becomes an official in the future, the first thing he will do is to build schools in every village so that all children can go to school.
"Silkworms spin silk and bees make honey."
“People who don’t learn are inferior to things.”
The sound of reading aloud came from the school.
Cheng Wanwan recalled that her original ambition when she came to this dynasty was to buy a few large quilts. After getting familiar with this dynasty, she discovered that cotton was not a popular crop at all... She vaguely remembered that domestic cotton had grown very early. It had appeared a long time ago, but it was not until the Ming Dynasty when the emperor forced its cultivation that it was truly popularized and became a cold-proof artifact that every household could use.
At this time, cotton should be available only in the territory and the southern boundary, and it was used as an ornamental crop, not a cash crop.
After digging her lotus pond, she also needed lotus root seeds, which are only found in the south.
In other words, she may have to arrange for someone to make a special trip to the south, otherwise many things will be difficult to explain.
Forget it, let’s build a house first.
After returning home, Cheng Wanwan announced the plan to build a house, and the four children were extremely excited.
In the old Zhao family, three people lived in one house, but later the families were separated. They lived in a dilapidated house left by extinct people, and it leaked everywhere.
After living there for more than a year, we finally have to build a house. If this happens to anyone, it would make anyone unable to sleep.
