Chapter 58: Green Bricks ◇

◎ Tears were falling down ◎

As they entered the room, the light was dim, and on the bed, a person was flailing their limbs. Upon closer inspection, Hua Baogui lay in bed with a pale face, his head wrapped in white gauze. Despite this, he had the demeanor of a mischievous child, struggling to get up and play.

His wife held him down, preventing him from moving.

The elderly Lady Hua entered, addressing her son affectionately as her precious baby, saying she was right there, right beside him.

Hua Baogui's wife looked frightened and said in a daze, "Mother, don't you think Baogui is acting strange? He seems to be...crazy, he doesn't recognize anyone anymore."

How could the old lady believe that her son had become mentally impaired? She instinctively refuted, "How can my son be silly? He's fine, the doctor said that his wounds just need a few days to heal."

"Mother! He really is silly, look, he's even sucking his fingers!"

Only then did Hua Baogui's mother realize the severity of the situation. She stared intently at her son for a long while before collapsing onto the floor, wailing in despair, "Son, son, why are you silly now? Look at me, who is this?"

"Mother, mother, not father, father!"

"Wife, the wife just gave birth..."

Hua Baogui's wife and mother-in-law instantly broke down in tears. Soon after, Hua Baogui's father returned from his work outside and, upon hearing the news, he also hunched over and went out to the yard, squatting on the ground in a state of despair.

Yu Lian's lips twitched. How could she ask for money in this situation? Hua Qiushou suggested, "Lian, let's go back first. It's rather pitiful. If you insist on getting the money, it might seem heartless."

With no other choice, the three of them made their way home.

Upon returning, Yu Lian shared the story with Mrs. Chen. Being a kind-hearted person, upon learning that Hua Baogui had become mentally incapacitated, Mrs. Chen empathized as a mother herself. If her own son were to suffer such a fate, how much pain would she feel?

She hesitated and said, "Should we just let it go, Lian?"

Yu Lian thought about the coincidence: Hua Baogui had become 'crazy' just as they were due to visit to demand payment. It was uncertain whether he was truly insane or just pretending. After all, for peasant farmers, five or six taels of silver could last two to three years if spent frugally. It was not a small sum. If his family was unwilling to pay, they might resort to pretending in order to avoid the debt.

Shaking her head, she replied calmly, "Let's see how it goes."

The elderly lady chanted a few Buddhist prayers, saying, "If he is genuinely insane, I will have compassion for him and pray for the child. If he is pretending to evade the debt, Buddha will mete out punishment."

There were still many tasks to attend to at home, so they couldn't afford to get entangled with Hua Baogui's family over a few taels of silver. On that afternoon, Hua Sanduo and Sanshu brought in the green bricks and other materials to the village.

The spectacle was grand and flamboyant. The delicate carriages could barely accommodate a few bricks for fear of damaging them, so they were solely used to transport people. Hua Sanduo had negotiated with a merchant, who arranged for the delivery. A steady stream of ox carts carried the blue bricks into the compound, while some sturdy laborers were hired to shoulder their loads of bricks as well.

A spectacle of brick-laden carts stretched from the village entrance all the way to the riverside construction site, drawing curious villagers who, with nothing else to do, gathered to watch, their eyes filled with envy as they beheld the loads of green bricks.

"Goodness, so many green bricks! Her family must be planning to build a grand tile-roofed house with brick walls!"

"This is not all, I've heard that there's also a grand courtyard within which houses several smaller courtyards, and the number of rooms is plentiful indeed. There's even a dedicated bathing chamber for personal hygiene and a study room for reading and calligraphy practice. Could it be that they've essentially replicated their entire mansion in the capital here?"

"Ah, how inexperienced you are! A high-ranking noble household such as ours boasts far more than just a few modest courtyards. In the operas I've heard, the grand mansions of powerful officials and aristocrats feature not only gardens and artificial mountains but also lakes. Each individual dwells in their own expansive courtyard, while the servants, maids, and matrons have separate quarters for themselves. One could spend an entire day wandering within and still not reach the end!"

"So, does that mean their grand mansion is actually quite a downgrade from their previous residence?"

"Need I ask? If you were in their shoes, would you choose to live in an endless grand estate at the foot of the emperor's palace or a spacious blue-brick courtyard in a remote village?"

"Of course, living in the capital city under the emperor's shadow is incomparable to our humble dwellings here."

After these discussions, the villagers' envy, tinged with jealousy, subsided considerably. Reflecting on the family's past and present circumstances, it was like comparing heaven and earth. What's wrong with building a blue-brick house now? It could never match their former glory. If they had experienced such a disparity, they might not be able to maintain their composure or lead a normal life. Thinking this, the family earned their admiration.

At least, their mindset was commendably stable.

Yu Lian observed everything with keen eyes as Hua Sanduo supervised the workers unloading their cargo. Approaching him during a lull, she pointed at the villagers who were skillfully steering conversations away from sensitive topics, and smiled. "Your idea?"

Hua Sanduo raised a finger, grinning. "No need to thank me, just a tael of silver."

Yu Lian reluctantly handed over the money. Though known for his laziness, Hua Sanduo was undeniably resourceful. She hadn't expected him to recruit people to manipulate public opinion, making the construction of his large house less noticeable and envious.

In modern times, he would undoubtedly be a versatile talent, thoughtful, creative, and skilled in negotiation. Yu Lian already envisaged hiring him as a manager or overseer when she eventually used the land for business.

Feeling pleased with himself after receiving the silver, Hua Sanduo enjoyed working for Yu Lian. However, it wasn't the prospect of earning money that delighted him. He had a broader vision – Yu Lian's family came from an esteemed background, and despite their current situation, they still held some resources.

With their resources and knowledge, why couldn't they achieve greatness? Hua Sanduo had planned to showcase his abilities, hoping to gain Yu Lian's favor and ultimately rely on her support. The farm work didn't appeal to him; it was exhausting yet barely profitable. He couldn't even afford red sugar for his wife after childbirth, forcing him to humbly borrow from his elder brothers. He was determined to change this life.

With this resolve, Hua Sanduo shouted more energetically, instructing the workers to stack the bricks neatly.

"Green bricks aren't cheap, don't stack them carelessly. If they fall and break, you won't be able to afford the damages."

"To that one over there, handle it gently. Don't treat it like mud you can throw around. If it breaks, you'll have to pay for it. Everyone, be careful, understood?"

Yu Lian could read Hua Sanduo's intentions, but she appreciated his astuteness and diligence. An employee who could anticipate his boss's needs and execute tasks efficiently was invaluable. Even if he had ambition and ulterior motives, she'd still find him useful – efficient and worry-free.

She smiled and left the site in Hua Sanduo's capable hands, deciding to speak with the two foremen. The construction was already halfway done, and the basic structure was almost in place. Once the main body of the building was completed, adding bricks would be the final touch. She instructed, "We won't need the green bricks just yet. At this pace, we might need another two or three days? You must assign someone to keep a close watch on them day and night. I'm worried that some of these bricks might go missing."

Ma Dafen replied, "Living at my sister's isn't very convenient. Don't worry, Miss, I'll set up a makeshift shelter right here today. Starting tonight, I'll personally guard the site. I have a loyal and clever dog back home. Later, I'll ask my sister to bring the dog over from our family's place. With the dog by my side, everything should be safe."

Yu Lian heard this and said, "Alright. But you alone might not be enough. If something happens, you might not be able to handle it. Here's an idea: if anyone is willing to stay with you for the night, they can take the day off and still receive their pay."

Hua Dameng glanced at Ma Dafen, thinking to himself that although the man seemed simple-minded, he was actually quite cunning. Today's delivery of green bricks had made him realize that he had underestimated this family. They had resources, otherwise how could they afford to build such a grand house and hire so many workers?

He couldn't let himself fall behind, so he declared, "I'll stay too. I'll call my second and third brothers. They're as tall and strong as me, great at fighting. With them around, it'll be more effective than any guard dog."

Ma Dafen knew that Hua Dameng disliked him and was making a veiled jab. He turned his head, not wanting to engage in such squabbles. The timid feared the fierce, the fierce feared the ruthless, and the ruthless feared those who had nothing to lose.

Ma Dafen didn't see himself in any of these categories, so he didn't bother arguing with Hua Dameng. It wouldn't do him any good, as he had already experienced their underhanded tactics.

Although Hua Dameng wasn't exactly a pleasant person, Yu Lian believed that a fierce guard dog could be useful if properly utilized. Misused, it could turn against its owner, but when managed well, it could be a valuable asset. She didn't refuse and simply said, "Send them over. I'll pay each of them twenty copper coins per night."

Once the green bricks were neatly stacked on the ground, villagers from the village flocked to have a look. When the village chief built his house, not even his pile of bricks compared to this one. Yet, he had been so proud back then. Now, when comparing the two, it was clear that this family was truly constructing a grand courtyard with green bricks!

The villagers eyed the bricks enviously, with some even reaching out to touch and weigh them. The working laborers quickly intervened to protect the bricks. To ensure their safety, Hua Dameng and Ma Dafen each assigned a worker to watch over the bricks full-time, fearing that a brick or two might disappear.

This concern was justified, as they immediately spotted several attempting to steal bricks. They said, amused yet exasperated, "What use is it for you to take one or two bricks home? Aren't you ashamed of such petty theft?"

Upon closer inspection, not only were there people from their own village, but also from neighboring ones, drawn to the excitement. Most of those stealing bricks were outsiders; the locals felt too embarrassed to do so.

After work that evening, Ma Dafen and Hua Dameng indeed led a group to stay on the construction site. Around ten men, accompanied by two dogs, took shelter in a makeshift shed. Fortunately, it was summer with clear skies, and aside from an abundance of mosquitoes, the conditions were tolerable.

On the first night, nothing suspicious occurred. However, on the second night, they caught a group in the act. These individuals had set a fire to divert attention before attempting to carry away bricks. Before they could fill their baskets, Hua Dameng and his brothers pounced, pinning them to the ground. The two dogs joined in, biting the intruders.

Beaten and humiliated, the men wept uncontrollably, begging for mercy. Hua Dameng recognized the voice and flipped one of them over, asking someone to hold up a torch to illuminate the face. Upon closer inspection, he exclaimed in surprise, "Tongluo?"

Tongluo was the village chief's second son, several years younger than Hua Dameng. Now, his face was swollen like a pig's, tears streaming down. "Let me go! Let me go! I'll get my father!"