Chapter 35

Chapter 35

The group walked toward the thatched shed that held the stacked bricks and tiles. Wang Sanhu lagged a step behind Shen Yuan, his eyes fixed intently on the lanky young man who had earlier tried to drive them off and even threatened to hit them.

Wang Sanhu held a grudge.

Under his gaze, the young man shrank back, not daring to look up.

"Look at the quality of these blue bricks! Just listen to that ring—isn't it excellent?" The foreman held a blue brick, rapped it with a bent knuckle, and let Shen Yuan hear the sound.

Shen Yuan didn't know much about this sort of thing. Wang Sanhu, who often helped people build courtyard walls, was more familiar with bricks. He temporarily took his eyes off the lanky young man, reached out to feel and tap the blue brick, then nodded to Shen Yuan.

"Good. This batch it is, then. I need a large quantity. Can you supply that much?" Shen Yuan quoted the amount of bricks needed for the courtyard, all calculated by Wang Sanhu.

The foreman nodded. "Yes, it's your lucky day; we've got just enough in stock. We'll sell them to you at the standard going rate: ten wen per blue brick, eight wen per tile. You'll need to pay half the silver in advance and settle the remaining half after everything is delivered."

Shen Yuan thought that was fine and prepared to sign the contract.

The patrons who tipped the storyteller were all free with their money. Except for the first day's two sessions where the tips were a bit less, the tips from even one session topped the teahouse's earnings for half a month.

After the reward board was introduced, the gold, silver, jewels, and precious herbs kept coming. Those items couldn't be cashed in right away. Today, Shen Yuan had only brought half of his cut from the silver tips to the brick and tile workshop.

Over four days, eight sessions in total, the tips amounted to five hundred thirty taels of silver. Shen Yuan's share was two hundred sixty-five taels.

The blue bricks would cost one hundred sixty-six taels, and the tiles twenty taels, totaling one hundred eighty-six taels.

Half upfront came to ninety-three taels.

Money changed hands, and the contract was signed.

Shen Yuan carefully put away the fabric contract. The foreman said, "We'll send people to deliver the bricks to Dashu Village tomorrow."

Shen Yuan nodded. "Good. Our village head will be there to receive them."

With the matter of the blue bricks and tiles settled, Shen Yuan and Wang Sanhu started back for the village. On the way, Shen Yuan stopped at a cloth shop and spent three taels of silver on a bolt of coarse three-sheng hemp cloth.

The weather was getting hotter, and a looser weave of hemp cloth was actually cooler to wear.

Then he bought cloth shoes.

He'd already measured his younger brothers' feet and remembered their sizes. Checking the sizes against his hand, he bought two pairs of cloth shoes for each of his three younger brothers. Beibei's shoes would have to wait a while longer.

He also bought two pairs for himself to change into and, thinking of Wang Sanhu, bought a pair for him too.

He'd seen how Wang Sanhu had been looking out for him all day.

Brother Sanhu was good to him, so he would be good to Brother Sanhu!

That was his principle.

Wang Sanhu tried to refuse, but in the end, Shen Yuan grabbed his ankle and took off his worn-out straw sandals. Seeing Shen Yuan about to put the shoes on for him, Wang Sanhu quickly bent over, his face turning red with flustered urgency. "Xiao Yuan, Xiao Yuan, stop! Brother Sanhu can do it himself. Don't move!"

At that, Shen Yuan stopped. "Then Brother Sanhu can put them on himself."

It was his first time wearing cloth shoes, and Wang Sanhu wasn't quite used to it. His feet felt confined.

Walking felt light and airy, both comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time.

Shen Yuan changed into his new cloth shoes right then and there, paid, and returned to the village.

He didn't throw away the straw sandals; they were still in good condition. Shen Yuan thought he'd give them to Village Head Liu's family; his son Liu Ping could wear them.

The cloth he bought needed to be made into clothes for his younger siblings.

Auntie Ping would be busy cooking later and wouldn't have time to sew. Shen Yuan went with Wang Sanhu to his house, gave the cloth to Auntie Ping, and asked her to help him find someone to make the clothes.

Three wen per garment. They could just have his younger siblings come over to take measurements later.

Auntie Ping took the cloth, promising to find someone skilled and reliable to help.

She also mentioned to Shen Yuan that during the construction, he could stay at her place. "Our house is a bit crowded, but we can squeeze and clear out one room. You'll just need to bring your wooden plank bed from home, or you'll have to sleep on a straw pallet."

Shen Yuan thought it over and agreed. The construction would take about two months, and the house really wouldn't be livable during that time. "Alright, I'll pack up tomorrow."

Leaving Auntie Ping's house, Shen Yuan went home, put things away, and had his younger brothers try on the shoes.

Shen Xi ran all over the courtyard in his cloth shoes. "It's my first time wearing cloth shoes! So comfortable!"

Shen Nan, however, sat on the plank bed holding his sister, examining his raised foot from every angle. After looking, he lowered his head and whispered to her, "Beibei, I have new shoes! Big brother bought them. Big brother said when Beibei grows up, he'll buy you pretty embroidered shoes."

Little Beibei giggled when she heard this.

When Shen Yuan delivered the steamed corn buns and straw sandals to Village Head Liu, he also mentioned the brick and tile delivery scheduled for the next day.

With the most difficult part—the bricks and tiles—settled, the rest wouldn't be such a big deal.

Village Head Liu also mentioned Shen Yuan and his siblings staying with his family during the build.

Learning that Shen Yuan had already agreed to stay at Auntie Ping's place, he thought it was fine too. His own household was crowded, and Hua Hua often cried at night. It wouldn't be good for sleep anyway. He said, "Understood. I'll keep a close eye on things for you, so the courtyard gets built quickly and you can move into your new house sooner."

The day after tomorrow was an auspicious day to break ground. In all the surrounding villages, besides the estates of landowners, wealthy families, and military households, no one had a blue brick house with large tiles.

Dashu Village was about to have its first blue brick house, and Village Head Liu's heart burned with excitement too.

Shen Yuan took out his worn-out money pouch, filled to the brim with silver.

"Uncle Liu, please take this silver for now. The subsequent wages, timber, stone materials, glutinous rice for mortar... use this money for all of that. Also, for Auntie Liu and Auntie Ping managing the food purchases, whatever is needed daily, they can come to you for the money."

Village Head Liu held the heavy silver. He had never seen so much silver in his life!

Deeply moved by Shen Yuan's absolute trust, he said, "Don't worry, Xiao Yuan. I'll definitely handle everything properly for you. I may not be good at other things, but I'm a hand at keeping accounts. There definitely won't be a single unclear entry."

Shen Yuan smiled. "Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Liu. I'll leave the rest to you."

The Xie family ancestral residence was built against a mountain.

Covering hundreds of mu, it combined brick, wood, and tile. Within the estate, there were hills and streams. Crossing a wooden bridge led to a courtyard where a brook babbled. At the entrance corridor, a Go board was set up. A young man dressed in pristine white brocade, with an immortal-like demeanor, wore silk gloves and steadily placed a black stone, completely capturing the white pieces.

The blue-robed young man opposite him closed his eyes in despair. "Young Master Lin, ten games! What would it hurt to let me win just once?"

Xie Yulin spoke coldly. "There is no such thing as going easy in Go. Your skill is simply inferior."

Song Zijun grabbed his own hair.

Who gets dragged to accompany someone playing Go, gets slaughtered all afternoon, and then gets told their skill is inferior on top of it!

Can he run away already!

Watching another humiliating round of being trounced about to begin, a hidden guard came to report from outside.

Song Zijun had a sudden flash of inspiration and hurriedly said, "Quick, let him in."

Then, he turned to Xie Yulin and said, "Young Master Lin, it must be the hidden guard I sent to follow Shen Yuan. These trivial matters aren't worth your time, Young Master. Would you like to go rest?"

Xie Yulin fell silent for a moment. "It’s fine. I do not yet feel weary. Let’s listen together, and we’ll continue afterward."

The smile vanished from Song Zijun’s face, but at least it bought him some time before the next crushing defeat.

"Reporting to Young Master and Strategist, today while following Shen Yuan, I found nothing particularly unusual."

The hidden guard’s brief words were like a knife to Song Zijun’s heart. He anxiously pressed, "Is that all? Is that all you have to report?"

The hidden guard, kneeling with fists clasped in salute, broke out in a cold sweat. Today really wasn’t his lucky day—he had to show up when Young Master Lin was present...

But since Strategist Song insisted, he had no choice but to speak up.

Resigned to his fate, the guard closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "It’s just that Shen Yuan and Ji Ping’an seemed very intimate. Their relationship appears unusual. Ji Mingfeng nearly took action but was stopped by Ji Ping’an, who then angered him into leaving. Ji Ping’an remained unmoved and even gave Shen Yuan his identity token."

"Shen Yuan took the token to the brick and tile workshop and threw his weight around. There was also a strapping man with him who seemed very close. The man was extremely protective of Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan bought shoes for him and even helped him take off and put on the shoes. Later, the two returned home together. I was relieved from duty and came to report."

"And also..." The guard hesitated but dared not break protocol, reporting truthfully, "While hiding on the roof, I overheard Shen Yuan say he dislikes Young Master Lin. He also said the Young Master enjoys making people kneel and is... uncouth..."

Song Zijun felt as if struck by lightning.

He regretted listening halfway through, never expecting the real blow was yet to come. How could Shen Yuan say such things out loud! Couldn’t he just keep it to himself? Why did he have to voice it!

He really had shot himself in the foot. Unable to interrupt in front of Xie Yulin, he had to endure listening to the end.

Finally, the guard finished. Song Zijun pretended to be furious. "How dare you say such things in front of Young Master Lin? You’ve polluted the Young Master’s ears. Get out!"

Fearing for his life, the guard hastily retreated.

Steeling himself, Song Zijun faced Xie Yulin, ignoring the guard’s last remarks, and began analyzing. "So, Shen Yuan is most likely a spy from Westmoon. Using some unrefined methods to attract attention, he is slowly infiltrating the circles of the powerful."

"Though I didn’t expect him to throw his weight around. When I saw him, he seemed quite well-behaved."

Xie Yulin, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke. "Well-behaved? Not necessarily."

He placed the black piece he’d been toying with onto the board. Recalling Shen Yuan’s words, his expression remained indifferent, but his tone was icy. "Quite bold."

"Your turn." Xie Yulin urged Song Zijun to continue the game. Unable to escape, Song Zijun resigned himself to picking up a piece.

Throughout, Song Zijun kept observing Xie Yulin but couldn’t tell whether he was angry or not.

After losing two more games, another hidden guard investigating Shen Yuan’s background arrived.

Xie Yulin still showed no intention of leaving.

Song Zijun had no choice but to listen to the report.

In his heart, he prayed Shen Yuan hadn’t made any more outrageous, treasonous remarks.

If Young Master Lin truly got angry, they might not survive!

Song Zijun’s prayers were answered. This report was completely different from the previous one.

Immortal encounters, teahouse storytelling, stories from the previous dynasty, ghosts, *Love Between Human and Ghost*, the song *Wishing We Last Forever*, reward board, stamp rewards...

After the guard left, Song Zijun pondered. "Ghosts are a concept from the North Country. So, Shen Yuan is a North Country spy after all?"

Xie Yulin’s words were colder than his demeanor. "If you’re this foolish, how can you remain a strategist under me?"

Song Zijun stopped thinking and humbly asked for guidance. "Then, in Young Master Lin’s opinion, what should we do?"

"I long to ride the wind and return, yet fear the jade towers and crystal palaces, so high and cold..." Xie Yulin twirled a black piece between his fingers, his voice clear and cool. "An immortal guiding the way in a dream—such a rare opportunity should naturally be used for my purposes."

Song Zijun was somewhat surprised and reminded him, "But Young Master, Shen Yuan might have a taste for men. What if, like that person before, he deliberately approaches you?"

Xie Yulin looked calmly at Song Zijun. His dark, still eyes were like a cold, deep abyss, sending chills down Song Zijun’s spine.

"If he oversteps, kill him."

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Author’s note: The couple revisits old grievances:

Xie Yulin: Don’t like me? Uncouth?

Xiao Yuan: [Hug][Heart] (Hug, love you)

Song Zijun, forced to watch and eat dog food on the side: [Clown]

If he oversteps, kill him (Loopy shrugs and smirks.jpg)