Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Once the kang was heated, everyone sat on it to experience its comfort.

"Ahh, so warm. I already want to crawl in and sleep."

"These old bones belong on a bed like this—nice and toasty."

Amid their cheerful reactions, Ning Chan also tried it out, then left satisfied after dropping the instruction, "Keep making them like this."

With Ning Chan gone, the bishops became even more unrestrained.

"Hey, what are you doing? That's my bed!"

Maifeipu stared blankly as Miced stripped off his clothes and pants and dove into his blankets, then quickly tried to pull him out.

If a pretty young thing had crawled into his bed, that would be one thing—but some crusty old man? And did this old coot even wash his feet? He’d better not dirty up the bedding.

"Ah, Maifeipu, just trying to thaw out. You know how cold it is—my clothes are soaked through. Don’t worry, I’ll leave once they’re dry." The shameless Archbishop paid no mind to Maifeipu’s scowl, caring only for his own comfort.

Logically, with Ning Chan in charge, their former ranks held no power anymore. Maifeipu didn’t have to obey Miced, the Archbishop, and could just toss him out—except Miced wasn’t the only one doing this.

The others, seeing Miced’s blissful expression, brightened and followed suit, laying their clothes on the kang to dry.

Compared to the wooden beds they used to sleep on, this kang, covering half the floor space, was much more spacious, easily fitting five or six people side by side.

Seeing that he couldn’t drive them out for now, Maifeipu gritted his teeth and wormed his way in himself. This was his prize—he couldn’t let everyone else enjoy it while he missed out!

Just as they were basking in the warmth, drowsy and content, the sound of footsteps grew louder in their ears.

One alert person among them turned to look at the source of the noise—and bolted upright in alarm.

"What are you doing? You’re letting all the heat out!"

"Yeah, if you’re leaving, just go! Don’t just sit there!"

The person next to him, blasted by cold air, shivered instantly.

In past years, they’d never felt the cold this sharply. But now, lying on this kang, they never wanted to budge—outside was just too freezing.

The complaints around Han Ang Li might as well have been mosquito buzzing, indistinct and meaningless. His eyes were fixed on the figure before him.

"L-Lord Holy Son, is there something else you need?"

The others, hearing Han Ang Li’s words, jolted awake. They hastily sat up, clutching their blankets, then realized their impropriety and fumbled inside the bedding for their clothes to put on before getting off the kang.

Ning Chan, seeing two bare-chested men and the wrinkled faces of the rest, wanted to bleach his eyes. He quickly waved for them to lie back down.

"Just stay like that for now. I only came to say that when you teach others to build kangs, have households with extra space in their homes set them up too. Come winter, they can be used to grow fresh vegetables. I’ll explain the method once the extra kangs are built."

"Oh, right—I didn’t expect you all to be so chummy and close-knit, liking to squeeze onto one kang together. From now on, you’ll all sleep in this room. The other rooms will be cleared for my own arrangements. Don’t lie around too long, though. I want to see you all working in fifteen minutes. Anyone who gets too lazy to move must be living too comfortably—they can go sleep in the woodshed instead."

At the first part of his speech, the men nestled back under their blankets with looks of awe and gratitude. Growing vegetables in winter? That was incredible!

But by the end, they looked as if struck by lightning, side-eyeing each other. Who’d want to sleep with *them*?

Yet they couldn’t disobey the Lord Holy Son—not when they could practically feel the thorned whip in his hand. If any of them dared argue, wouldn’t they catch a lashing?

They nodded, trembling, ready to leap into action the moment Ning Chan left. No matter how cozy the bedding was, they still needed their lives to enjoy it—and they had a lifetime of debts to repay!

Upon hearing that Lis Church would teach everyone how to comfortably get through the winter, the people of Yang City immediately sprang into action, eager to learn these methods as quickly as possible.

Everyone knew how beneficial the teachings from Lis Church were, so this time, they were sure to be something valuable.

Everyone knew that to live comfortably through winter, one needed to stockpile food, charcoal, and thick furs. But for those with less abundant resources, managing just the first was enough for them.

Normally, firewood could be gathered from the woods, but it burned too quickly. Making charcoal was time-consuming and laborious, with no guarantee of success, while buying it required a significant sum—it hurt to spend.

Compared to these options, they’d rather tough it out. After all, they had survived winters this way before—why should this year—with full bellies—be worse?

But if the Church had a better solution, they were more than willing to make the trip.

When they arrived and saw the various methods listed on the large blackboard, along with the displayed items, they perked up right away.

With these tools, even the poorest households could make it through winter just fine.

Considering the city’s mix of rich folks, nobles, and regular folk, Lis Church offered two options for them to choose from.

"If you’ve got some coin or are busy with other matters, you can hire the Church’s construction team for installation. Prices range from fifty copper coins to fifty gold coins, with various plans available. If your family is truly impoverished and cannot afford this, you may come to the Church to learn directly. After mastering the skill, you’ll need to work with the construction team for one month.

"There’s also a special case: households without able-bodied adults, only the elderly or children, who cannot build the kang beds themselves. They may apply to the Church, and after assessment, we will repair their homes and construct kang beds for free, helping them survive the winter."

Upon hearing this explanation from the Saints, those with means immediately inquired about the differences between the various price options.

The Saints, well-trained, knew the drill. They pulled out a picture book and began presenting it to these "wealthy" individuals.

"You see, the cheapest kang is made of mud, without any straw mats or bedding—you’d wake up covered in dust. Someone of your status surely wouldn’t prefer this. You get what you pay for—the higher the price, the better the quality... For fifty gold coins, it’s not just an exquisitely crafted kang and storage cabinet. We’ll also assist with room design, ensuring a cohesive style that shows off your standing."

Flattered by the Saints’ praise and dazzled by the catalog’s intricate, innovative designs, they quickly decided to opt for the best. Merely having a good product wasn’t enough—they wanted that fancy décor too. If they secured their orders early, wouldn’t they get to show off before everyone else?

Imagining the gasps of admiration, they wished the construction team could visit their homes first.

Unfortunately, the team didn’t prioritize based on payment but followed the order of requests.

In a small village outside Yang City, the white-haired Sally gathered damp branches from the woods, her eyes stinging as she watched her young grandson help. With her son and daughter-in-law gone, how would they make it through?