Chapter 38 Building a House

Chapter 38 Building a House

Qiu Huanian finished cooking and waited for a while before Chun Sheng and Meng Wudong returned from the hills behind the house. Meng Wudong carried a bundle of rough-cut firewood, while Chun Sheng held a plump gray rabbit, his face flushed with excitement.

"Brother Hua! Look! This is the rabbit Brother Wudong caught with me!"

Meng Wudong laughed, "We went to the hills to chop firewood and saw a rabbit hole. I set up a snare, and hey! We actually caught one."

Chun Sheng, clutching the rabbit by its ears, exclaimed loudly, "Brother Wudong placed the snare near the hole and waited for a while. Suddenly, he pulled it, and the rabbit got caught by itself!"

Jiu Jiu came over upon hearing the commotion and touched the still-warm rabbit. "This skin, once peeled, could make a warm hat."

Hearing this, Chun Sheng quickly protectively hid the rabbit behind his back. "Brother Wudong promised to give this to me!"

Meng Wudong, treating it as childish bickering, patted Chun Sheng on the back. "Giving it to you is the same as giving it to your sister, right? Don't be stingy, buddy!"

Qiu Huanian smiled and quietly extended his hand to Chun Sheng, who hesitated for a moment before reluctantly handing the rabbit over to Qiu Huanian.

Qiu Huanian placed the gray rabbit in the storeroom to handle later and called everyone to eat.

At the dinner table, Chun Sheng ate while excitedly chattering about how amazing Meng Wudong was, mentioning that Meng Wudong had promised to teach him how to use a slingshot. After Jiu Jiu subtly reminded him several times to mind his manners, he finally calmed down a bit.

"My Chun Sheng has been troubling Brother Wudong."

"Playing with kids, what trouble is that? We all were like that once," Meng Wudong chuckled. "This little guy is pretty sharp. I hope my future son will be like him."

Qiu Huanian glanced over, and Chun Sheng stuck out his tongue at Jiu Jiu, who sighed and silently continued eating. Du Yunse was already frowning quietly.

In front of outsiders, Qiu Huanian held back from scolding Chun Sheng but made a mental note to discuss child-rearing with Du Yunse later.

After the meal, Du Yunse volunteered to clear the table and wash the dishes, leaving the Meng brothers wide-eyed.

Not to mention Du Yunse, who had earned the title of Literary Star, even their tofu-making father never lifted a finger in the kitchen at home!

"Brother Hua, how do you manage it?" Meng Yuanling nudged Qiu Huanian and whispered in a very low voice.

Qiu Huanian replied matter-of-factly, "I cook, so he washes the dishes. Isn't that how it should be?"

"..." Meng Yuanling didn't know what to say, feeling a bit envious.

With Qiu Huanian's help, Meng Yuanling managed to stick around a bit longer and successfully waited for Yun Cheng.

When Yun Cheng entered the courtyard, he was taken aback for a moment to see Meng Wudong and Meng Yuanling but quickly composed himself and greeted them formally.

With so many people in the courtyard, Meng Yuanling didn't dare to talk much with Yun Cheng, afraid that others might notice something. He mumbled a few disjointed words before retreating to the side, leaving Qiu Huanian shaking his head in disappointment.

He whispered to Meng Yuanling, "You finally get to see him, talk to him a bit more."

Meng Yuanling hurriedly refused, "Just seeing him is enough for me. I don't want to disturb their intellectual conversations. My brother and I should leave now."

He pulled the confused Meng Wudong away hurriedly, and Qiu Huanian had no choice but to see them off at the door, tapping Meng Yuanling's forehead in frustration.

Meng Yuanling pouted, "Brother Hua, I know you're worried for me, but there's really nothing we can do about this."

"Maybe in a few years... I won't even need to think about it anymore..."

Watching the Meng brothers leave, Qiu Huanian shook his head with a sigh. He truly had no good solution. Ancient times were different from modern times; people's thoughts were generally conservative, and there were strict social norms to follow. Qiu Huanian couldn't encourage Meng Yuanling to bravely pursue love. Even if Meng Yuanling could bring himself to do it, the potential fallout from failure was something no one could bear.

However, he could help Meng Yuanling quietly find out more. If Yun Cheng also had some feelings, facilitating a mutual love match would be a good thing.

Qiu Huanian's homestead was somewhat small, and he had already planned to buy the neighboring garden, fill it with soil, and build a house.

South of Qiu Huanian's house lived a widow named Zhuang. Her husband had passed away many years ago, and her only daughter had married and moved away, leaving her alone. She didn't need such a large space and couldn't manage it.

Qiu Huanian approached her with the idea of buying the garden. Widow Zhuang, hearing that she could get money for it, readily agreed. The two went to the clan leader to explain the situation and invited the village elder and the local constable to witness the transaction. They drafted a contract, and Qiu Huanian permanently purchased the right to use the 150-square-meter garden from Widow Zhuang for one and a half taels of silver.

With this, Qiu Huanian now had over 300 square meters of land to build his house.

When Meng Wudong heard that Qiu Huanian planned to build a house, he introduced him to a skilled bricklayer. After the bricklayer visited Du Village to inspect the land, he discussed the specific construction plans with Qiu Huanian.

Qiu Huanian spread out a large sheet of bamboo paper and began drawing with a brush as he explained.

"The current courtyard will stay as it is for now. After flattening the garden, the new house will mainly be built there. First, we'll build the main room facing south, with three sections in the middle and larger side rooms on both sides, each with two sections."

In ancient architecture, a "section" wasn't a fully enclosed room but rather a space defined by four pillars, which might or might not have walls or be sealed off.

Some houses of high-ranking officials and nobles were not only wide but also deep, with multiple pillars both horizontally and vertically. Such houses were described by their width and depth.

For example, the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City from Qiu Huanian's past had twelve pillars horizontally and six vertically, meaning it was eleven sections wide and five sections deep, totaling seventy-two pillars and fifty-five sections, showing its grandeur.

When Qiu Huanian said the middle would have three sections, it meant the house would use eight pillars—four horizontally and two vertically—to form the framework.

The Yu Dynasty stipulated that commoners' houses could have no more than three sections per room. Only those with official titles, positions, or noble status could build larger houses. However, wealthy merchants often found ways around the "three-section" limit, such as adding a connected warm pavilion or extending a covered flower hall.

Qiu Huanian didn't need to worry about these issues yet, as he neither had the money nor the need for a larger house. By the time he saved enough for a bigger house, Du Yunse would likely be qualified to live in a house with more than three sections.

"On the east and west sides, we'll build side rooms with three sections each. The eaves will be extended to shelter from rain and snow. Between the main room and the side rooms, I want to build two right-angled corridors for easy access during bad weather."

As Qiu Huanian spoke, he drew a simple diagram on the bamboo paper, making it clear for the bricklayer.

Before the bricklayer arrived, Meng Wudong had told him that the master of this household was highly capable. The bricklayer hadn't paid much attention at first, but after seeing Qiu Huanian's ability to draw without hesitation, he finally understood why Meng Wudong had spoken so highly of him.

After planning the main room and side rooms, the garden's land was nearly fully utilized, and only then would they begin work on the old courtyard.

"Once the new house is built, we'll move in and then demolish the current thatched house. Behind the main room, we'll build a row of back rooms, and behind that will be the new garden. The garden will have its own gate, and a small door will be left near the back rooms for access."

"In the garden, we'll build a larger stable, with a latrine and a woodshed nearby. Over here, we'll set up a row of sheds. I'll keep my pear tree and small vegetable garden, and later I'll plant some more things."

Qiu Huanian's family didn't have a horse yet, but in ancient times, a stable was akin to a modern parking space—a necessary part of a proper house. For now, they could keep a mule there.

Before Qiu Huanian started speaking, the bricklayer had been worried that the master would try to dictate things he didn't understand, making it difficult to handle or advise. But after Qiu Huanian finished, the bricklayer was thoroughly impressed.

If all homeowners could describe what they wanted so clearly, how much easier his job would be!

"Master Li, what do you think? Can it be done?"

"No problem. You've drawn it so clearly that if I can't build it, I might as well quit this line of work."

"How long do you think it will take?"

The bricklayer knew that the Sorghum Candy Meng Wudong had been selling so successfully in recent months was made by this master, and he also knew that the family had recently produced a Literary Star scholar highly praised by the county magistrate. After some thought, he said ambiguously, "That depends on whether you want it fast or slow."

"What do you mean?" Qiu Huanian sensed there was more to his words.

"I have two sons, both trained as bricklayers. One has already mastered the craft and can work independently, and the other is also quite skilled. If you want it done quickly, you can hire all three of us. I guarantee that the main room and side rooms will be finished in no more than twenty days, and the back rooms and other areas can be completed in another ten days."

Qiu Huanian's house had many rooms and specific requirements, and the main structure alone would normally take over a month to build. But now the bricklayer was confidently saying it could be done in twenty days.

Li the Mason was specifically recommended by Meng Wudong, so Qiu Huanian wasn’t worried about him being dishonest. After some thought, he said, "Your daily wage is fifty wen, and your apprentice son who has completed his training is the same. The other apprentice who hasn’t finished his training won’t be charged. The three of you together will earn one hundred wen a day. If it goes beyond forty days, I won’t pay more. How about that?"

Li the Mason beamed with joy and patted his chest, assuring, "Not just forty days, even if it takes a full month of thirty days, I won’t ask for a single coin more!"

Skilled masons like them earned more than twice the wages of ordinary laborers, but in Zhang County, there weren’t wealthy people building houses every day. Many masons might not get a big job for months.

Qiu Huanian’s courtyard was going to have nearly twenty rooms constructed. Such a large project, all assigned to one family, meant that even if they didn’t get any big jobs for the next few months after working hard for a month, they wouldn’t be in a rush.

The mason measured the length and width, estimated the necessary materials, and Qiu Huanian listed everything, planning to buy them as the project progressed.

The first step in building the house was to level the yard. The yard of Li the Widow’s house hadn’t been well taken care of for a long time, with only weeds and a few half-dead fruit trees. On the auspicious day to start construction, the three sons of the clan leader, Baoshan, and Yunhu all came to lend a hand. Qiu Huanian couldn’t do much and was made to sit in the shade by Du Yunse.

These familiar relatives and friends knew that Brother Hua had been taking medicine since returning from the city, and understanding his poor health, they just teased him in a friendly manner.

After pulling up the weeds, cutting down the fruit trees, and taking down the fence outside the yard, carts of gravel and sticky soil were brought in, mixed, and spread over the yard, then compacted with a rammer to form a solid foundation.

The big commotion at Qiu Huanian’s house couldn’t be hidden, and soon the whole village knew they had bought their neighbor’s yard and were building a large brick house.

"When Li the Widow passed away, everyone said this family was completely finished. Who knew that in just half a year, they would be building a brick house."

"How does the opera go? It’s called 'The noble have heaven’s help.' Yunse is noble, and Brother Hua might be too!"

"Zhao is most proud of her grand house. When she comes back and finds out Brother Hua’s house is also being built, she’ll be furious."

"Speaking of which, Yunse has returned, but why haven’t Zhao and her family been seen?"

"I heard that she..."

...

Qiu Huanian’s new house was under construction with great enthusiasm, and rumors about Zhao’s family were quietly spreading in the village. Many people approached Wei Liuhua to find out the inside story, but she avoided them all.

One day, Wei Liuhua held Youbao and came to teach Jiu Jiu embroidery. They sat together under the pear tree to cool off.

Wei Liuhua gave Jiu Jiu a few pointers and let her continue practicing, then complained to Qiu Huanian, "After you told me about Du Yunjing, I kept it from Yunhu for a while, but he heard it from someone else within a few days."

"What did Yunhu say?" Qiu Huanian wasn’t very familiar with Yunhu, only remembering that he was very honest and quiet, often listening to Wei Liuhua.

"He didn’t trust those people and wanted to take money to go to the city to find out, but I scolded him, and he temporarily gave up the idea."

Wei Liuhua, in her frustration, accidentally pricked her finger with the needle, causing a sharp pain. She quickly put her finger in her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.

She had been married for a few years and had endured years of hardship and disdain. Her child, Youge, had almost died young. Wei Liuhua had no affection for Zhao and others, wishing they would all disappear from the world.

"Mom! Mom!" Youge called out in a baby voice while learning to walk in the yard.

This child was slow in learning to walk and talk. Even though his nutrition had improved, he was still slow in everything. Wei Liuhua had taken Youge to see a doctor in town, who said it wasn’t an illness and he would just have to learn slowly.

Qiu Huanian liked to tease Youge, holding candy or bright fruits in front of him and slowly moving them. Youge would bite his finger and slowly turn his head back and forth, like a naive sloth.

"Hey! Mom’s here!" Wei Liuhua quickly put down her needlework and picked up Youge to comfort him.

Qiu Huanian gave Youge a red fruit picked from the back mountain and said to Wei Liuhua, "If Yunhu listens to you and doesn’t go, there’s still room for maneuver. Uncle Baoquan is his biological father after all. He’s been a filial son for so many years, and it’s hard for him to change. No matter what, for Youge’s sake, you need to stand firm and have some plans in mind."

Wei Liuhua nodded while holding the child, "Recently, Aunt Fuyue from the clan leader’s family has suddenly become closer to me. What does the clan leader really mean?"

Qiu Huanian asked in return, "Haven’t you thought about it yourself?"

Wei Liuhua said, "I just don’t dare to believe... Hey, Brother Hua, do you really think—really think about dividing the family?"

Qiu Huanian smiled without speaking.

Wei Liuhua touched her chest and said, "Oh my God, if this actually works, I'll finally have peace of mind!"

"Zhao blew through all the family's money in the prefecture city, and she definitely won't want to give you anything when dividing the family property. You need to plan ahead," Qiu Huanian reminded her. "Even if the clan leader backs you, it still has to appear fair."

Wei Liuhua gritted her teeth and thought for a while. When Zhao went to the prefecture city, she took every last bit of cash from the house. Once the family is divided, those dozen or so acres of land will surely be sold. They won't let them farm the land, and they won't leave a single penny for her and her husband. What’s left for us to even fight over?

"Brother Hua, give me some ideas."

Qiu Huanian turned his head to look south. Beyond the old courtyard wall that hadn't been torn down yet, the construction site in the garden wasn't clearly visible, but you could hear the hustle and bustle of construction. Du Yunse was overseeing the progress in the garden and wouldn’t let Qiu Huanian go over in the blazing heat.

"Money and land are up in the air, but don't you still have a brick-and-tile house?"

Wei Liuhua was puzzled, her brows furrowing unconsciously. "Once the family is divided, our side of the family will definitely be the ones kicked out. How could we possibly get the house?"

Qiu Huanian told Wei Liuhua, "After Zhao and the others return, they won't stay in Du Village anymore."

Fields can be sold, and silver can be taken away, but how easy do you think it is to sell a house in the village? Anyone in the village who can afford a brick house would rather build on their ancestral land, wouldn't they?

"Not staying in Du Village anymore? Where can they go?" Wei Liuhua was stunned.

"That’s their problem. In any case, after Du Yunjing was demoted by the examination commissioner, even if they wanted to stay, for the sake of Yun Cheng and the future scholars of the village, the clan leader wouldn’t stand for them staying."

The clan leader had Meng Fuyue spread the word about Du Yunjing's affairs in the prefecture city to utterly destroy Zhao and her family’s reputation in the village, making it so they couldn’t stay in Du Village if they tried and forcing them to leave.

As for Wei Liuhua's family, they’d be the perfect excuse, a cover for the clan leader's actions. This would also be a good thing for them, as they could take advantage of the clan leader's influence to ensure a fair division of the family property without suffering losses.

Wei Liuhua's heart was pounding. She had thought the clan leader was merely dissatisfied with Zhao and her family and would support their division, but she never expected the clan leader's intention was to drive those people out of Du Village!

Wei Liuhua took a deep breath and felt restless. She had to rush back and drill it into Yun Hu’s head, so her husband wouldn’t screw things up later!

...

After seeing Wei Liuhua off, Qiu Huanian noticed Jiu Jiu sitting there, deep in thought. He patted her head and asked, "How’s the embroidery going? Show it to me."

Under Wei Liuhua's guidance, Jiu Jiu's embroidery skills were improving. In addition to the common patterns from Zhang County, she also liked to design her own patterns. Some turned out great, while others didn’t look quite how she imagined. Qiu Huanian never minded the materials, encouraging Jiu Jiu to try as long as she had ideas.

Wei Liuhua often marveled that in all her years, she’d never seen anyone pick up embroidery the way Jiu Jiu did. It didn’t feel like she was learning a trade—more like she was just having fun.

Jiu Jiu held up the handkerchief she was working on for Qiu Huanian to see. On the cotton handkerchief made from scraps, she had embroidered a sprightly little gray rabbit, very much like the one Meng Wudong had caught.

The rabbit Meng Wudong gave them ended up as dinner. The fur, after being skinned, was handed over to someone in town who knew how to process it. After removing the fat and dirt, it was tanned and turned into soft leather, which could be used to make warm hats or knee pads for the winter.

Qiu Huanian lowered his voice and asked playfully, "Who is Jiu Jiu embroidering this for?"

Jiu Jiu gestured toward the main room with her lips. Chun Sheng was sitting at the desk inside, copying children's books with a look of deep frustration.

When Qiu Huanian was handling the rabbit, Chun Sheng had been a bit upset, but he soon had no time to think about the rabbit that was "originally his." After Du Yunse checked his homework and was very dissatisfied, he piled on three times the usual workload, saying he couldn't go out until he finished.

Chun Sheng had been stuck at home for days, unable to play with his new slingshot and spinning top. Even Qiu Huanian, who usually stood up for him, didn't try to persuade Du Yunse this time, leaving Chun Sheng completely at his wit’s end.

Chun Sheng had taken to sulking, staying sullen and not talking to the family. Jiu Jiu was probably embroidering the handkerchief to cheer him up.

Qiu Huanian praised Jiu Jiu a few times but felt troubled about Chun Sheng's situation.

Raising children was something he had never dealt with in his previous life. A child as well-behaved and clever as Jiu Jiu was rare. Most children encounter various problems as they grow up, and Qiu Huanian had mentally prepared himself for that.

Chun Sheng was not yet seven years old. It was hard for him to understand big principles, and heavy-handed punishment was too early and would only provoke his rebelliousness. Qiu Huanian was stumped about what to do next.

Although Chun Sheng has exhibited some minor behavioral issues, he hasn't really made any serious mistakes, and Qiu Huanian hasn't found a good opportunity to address them.

Right now, the family is busy building a house, and the cotton fields also need tending. Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse are too swamped to focus on educating Chun Sheng, so they can only put it on hold for now and keep him busy with schoolwork at home to help him settle down.

Later on, Du Yunse came back. He was wearing old, patched-up clothes, his skin slightly sunburned, but he still carried himself with a refined and noble air.

Qiu Huanian ladled a basin of clean water from the jar, dampened a cloth, wrung it out, and handed it to Du Yunse to clean his hands and face. Du Yunse had been so swamped lately that he hardly had a moment to rest. Every day, besides supervising the construction of the new house in the garden, he also had to tend to the cotton fields.

Du Village is a clan-dominated community where the villagers are tightly-knit. As long as you're on good terms with everyone, other villagers will pitch in for tasks like building a house, asking only for a meal in return, never expecting payment.

However, Qiu Huanian's family is building a large brick-tile house. The construction takes several times longer than building a thatched house, making it unfair to expect everyone to keep helping for free.

Qiu Huanian decided to hire three sturdy young men from the village for ten coins a day. One helps the three masons in the garden by hauling materials, while the other two work in the cotton fields, pruning unflowered branches to control growth as Qiu Huanian showed them.

Qiu Huanian felt bad for Du Yunse's hard work. A talented young man who had made a name for himself early on, having just aced the county exams and should be basking in his success, had already returned to the village to work hard.

"Cun Lan dropped by this morning and brought some pickled vegetables. It's too hot for greasy food, so I whipped up a pot of pickled vegetable stir-fried noodles. It's cooled down now, come sit and eat."

These days, Qiu Huanian has little to do besides cooking. The cotton in the fields is growing vigorously, and the new house to the south is gradually taking shape as planned. If it weren't for the daily medicinal soup, life would be almost perfect.

Du Yunse took Qiu Huanian's hand and asked before eating, "How are you feeling today? Did you take the medicine as Old Master Gu instructed?"