Crossing the famine, I am a poor fish, and my descendants have to work hard

Seeing people coming, Qian Xiaohui immediately started cooking noodles.

Zhang Xinbai and Zhang Xinnian asked everyone to sit down. Since there were not enough tables, chairs and benches, they all found bricks to sit on.

Fortunately, the place is big and it doesn’t feel crowded.

Soon the noodles were cooked, and Zhao Yuanzhen and the others quickly invited everyone to eat.

They lined up, each holding a bowl, scooped up noodles with a serving chopstick, and then poured the braised pork on top.

The same goes for the two large bowls of cold dishes, which you have to eat by using serving chopsticks to pick up the food and put it in your own bowl.

Qian Xiaohui has been cooking noodles.

When it was done, we took it out and put it in a big pot. We cooked five big pots like this. Everyone had almost enough.

They all praised the noodles. Although the noodles were not made of white flour, they were chewy and smooth. I don't know what seasoning was added to the meat sauce, but it was very fragrant. Even the cold dish was the same. I don't know what was added, it was like red oil, and it smelled very fragrant.

While they were eating, many women from the village came to help.

Because the houses of four families in the village are built together, we build the houses of four families first, and then the next four families. This is efficient.

Now that the women have nothing to do, they come over to help the families building houses with cooking and odd jobs.

Sun Zhang also came.

"Second brother, if you have any work to do, tell me and I'll do it for you."

"Okay, Mom, have you eaten yet?"

"I've eaten before."

"Okay, Mom. Then you sit down first, I'll go eat."

Zhao Yuanzhen and the others hadn't eaten yet, so they hurried to eat. They also had noodles.

After dinner, those who came to help started to wash dishes, pick vegetables, wash vegetables, cut vegetables, wash rice, etc. and started to prepare lunch.

There are also people who help to boil water and make tea, serve tea to the people who are working, and take things with them.

Zhao Yuanzhen carried out two large baskets of Nanguo pears. The women helped to wash them and then carried the baskets over.

Zhao Yuanzhen invited them to try some too, and everyone thought the wild pear tasted really good, with a strong aroma and was juicy.

Fanfan asked Zhao Yuanzhen if this pear can be planted?

Zhao Yuanzhen didn’t know whether it could be planted or not, she just said that everyone could try taking the seeds of the pear.

Everyone collected some and decided to go back and find a pot to plant them. If they sprouted, they would transplant them out next spring.

Everyone is busy in full swing.

Because the craftsmen brought not only had a large number of people but also had very skilled skills and clear division of labor, the foundations of the five rows of houses and the two wing rooms were laid together.

The speed was very fast. By noon, Zhao Yuanzhen found that the main walls of the house had been built.

The walls at this time are thicker, about 40 cm thick, because they keep warmth better.

After the main wall (the load-bearing wall) was built, Cui Zaosi came to Zhao Yuanzhen to discuss the division of the rooms.

Zhao Yuanzhen first looked at the main house, the one with five rooms, where she lived.

She divided the five rooms in the main house into a large room on the east side as the master bedroom, then planned a secondary bedroom near the westernmost side, and finally planned a washroom and a small kitchen near the north wall. The remaining space in the middle was used as the main room to entertain guests.

This layout is a bit like the modern double-bay building layout.

Then, for the remaining buildings, he called his son and daughter-in-law over and asked them to design them themselves.

Zhao Yuanzhen added from the side.

The daughters-in-law were very happy that they could design their own houses.

Qian Xiaohui and Li Zhijuan's designs were similar to Zhao Yuanzhen's, except that they separated a bedroom from the main room, making it a three-bedroom and one-main room layout.

Zhang Xinshu had no objection and followed the advice of her sisters-in-law. They also designed it in the same way.

The last room was the one Zhao Yuanzhen prepared for Zhao Yuanlan, so she designed the same layout as her own.

Cui Zaosi took the design drawings and left.

This dynasty had a drainage system, and their drainage pipes were made of fired ceramics.

Zhao Yuanzhen remembered that there should be two drains in the washroom.

I went to find Cui Zaosi again.

I plan to set up two drainage pipes in the bathroom, one for draining away the waste water from washing clothes, and the other one which I don’t know how to use for the time being, but I’ll keep it in reserve.

Cui Zaosi agreed, and then designed drainage pipes for several houses according to Zhao Yuanzhen's design. The pipes were not dug very far, just out of the house, Zhao Yuanzhen said that this was fine. She would hire people to dig farther in the future.

After all, domestic wastewater cannot pollute the well water, so it has to be dug farther away.

Zhao Yuanzhen built an L-shaped kitchen in the wing room. There are three large pots and two small pots near the back wall, and a workbench on the left wall. It is a bit like an open kitchen.

Zhao Yuanzhen plans to place some cabinets, small stoves and the like in the remaining space.

The main dining room is built on the right side of the kitchen, with a side door leading directly into the dining room.

The restaurant is designed to be very large, with space for two round tables with a diameter of two meters and matching chairs. On the left side of the kitchen, a small restaurant is built, which can accommodate two rows of long tables and chairs, and is prepared for the servants to eat.

Further to the left are the warehouse and woodshed.

At noon, Qian Xiaohui steamed five large baskets of rice.

The large steamers were stacked high, and the aroma of rice wafted out from time to time.

The remaining large pot was used to cook another large pot of braised food.

In another big pot was stewing cabbage with large bones.

During the lunch break, everyone took a bowl, scooped some rice, and then got a spoonful of chopped stewed vegetables, a big bone, and a spoonful of stewed cabbage.

Everyone was very satisfied with the meal.

This braised food is really delicious. Although I have had braised food in Beijing before, it was not as delicious as this one.

The main reason is that Qian Xiaohui uses a lot of seasonings, so it is naturally fragrant.

After they finished eating, they and the women who helped them started to eat.

The ladies also praised the chef Qian Xiaohui for her good cooking skills.

After eating, I quickly cleaned up and washed the dishes, then prepared dinner for the evening.

Just like that, we were busy and working hard.

By the evening, the house was basically built, except for some decorative tiles, a kang, floor tiles, windows, doors, and smoothing of the walls.

Qian Xiaohui steamed buns in the evening.

I made a big steamed bun stuffed with pork and cabbage, and used the two chickens to make a big pot of chicken soup. I also fried a big pot of eggs and mixed some pickled radish.

Fortunately, there were many women coming to help, so the buns were made quickly.

After the craftsman left, the helpers also left. It was almost 10 o'clock.

Everyone was so tired that they couldn't even practice swordsmanship anymore. They just washed up and went to bed.

The next morning, Zhao Yuanzhen bought 500 whole grain buns and put them in a large basin. Qian Xiaohui and her friends made two large pots of egg drop soup.

Add two cold pickles.

As soon as we finished cleaning up, the helping women and craftsmen arrived.

It can be done today.

After breakfast, some people went to continue repairing the house, while others went to the back to start building a place to raise livestock.

There are cow sheds, horse stables, chicken coops, duck houses, pig pens, as well as hay storage and dry toilets.

According to Zhao Yuanzhen's design, the toilet is divided into men's left and women's right. Zhao Yuanzhen plans to buy two squatting ceramic toilets and install them later. This way it looks clean and is easy to maintain.

Zhao Yuanzhen checked each room.

Because the room they lived in only had a small kitchen, Zhao Yuanzhen planned to use it to cook some soup or something, and she could add firewood from outside to heat the kang.

The fire dragon needs to be paved with some decorative tiles to dissipate heat. These craftsmen are worthy of being from the construction company, and their work is very beautiful.

By the afternoon, Zhao Yuanzhen's house was completely built.

All you have to do next is wait and make some furniture.

After having lunch in the afternoon and seeing everyone off, everyone happily walked around their own houses.

Zhao Yuanzhen is in the middle, with Zhao Yuanlan on the left, and the remaining three, they drew lots themselves, and whichever one they drew gets the honor.

The results from left to right are: Zhang Xinshu, Zhao Yuanlan, Zhao Yuanzhen, Zhang Xinbai, and Zhang Xinnian.

While everyone was still wandering around, Zhao Yuanlan arrived on horseback.

"Little sister, this is so beautifully built!"

Green bricks and black tiles, flying eaves, and a semi-corridor that shelters from the rain.

To prevent rain, each house is built two steps higher, and a half-porch is built in front of the house, which is like a pavilion, supported only by the cover and surrounding pillars. This can prevent rain from entering the house. People can also take a rest on this corridor, enjoy the cool air, and look at the stars.

Zhao Yuanzhen's semi-corridor is as long as the house and about 2 meters wide.

She planned to go back and buy two lounge chairs and put up some stone tables and stone benches. These corridors had already been carved with flowers and painted.

"Brother, now that you are here, do you want to see your house?"

"Okay! Which one is mine?"

"Here, yours is next to mine. I set it up for you according to the layout of my house. Come on, let's go in and take a look."

Zhao Yuanzhen invited him in.

"This is the master bedroom. I built a kang for you, but it's not that big. There's no ceiling or wall on the right side, so it's convenient for getting in and out of bed. Later, I'll build a wardrobe for you here, a couch here, a screen here, and a small table here.

Then I will set up several sets of tea tables and chairs for your reception in this main room.

The room over there will be temporarily set up as a study for you, and there is a small kitchen and bathroom at the back.

How is it? Are you satisfied?

"I am satisfied, very satisfied. Sister, your design is not only elegant, but also bright. I like it very much."

"As long as you like it, I'll continue to choose furniture for you."

Zhao Yuanlan nodded in agreement.

"Little sister, I have to leave tomorrow. I have been busy recruiting soldiers and making preparations these past two days! I came here today to say goodbye to you."

"Brother, I'll go with you."

"What are you going to do? No, it's too dangerous, you can't go!"

"Brother, I also know martial arts, I can protect myself, and I also want to stay with you for a while, so just let me go!"

Zhao Yuanlan felt a little relieved after hearing her say that, but he still felt unsafe and didn't want to do it.

"No, it's too dangerous, you should stay at home!"

"Brother, don't you love me anymore? You used to give in to whatever I asked for, but now you just refuse me. So go away, I won't go."

Zhao Yuanzhen thought to herself, this still can't take you down! How can I take revenge if I don't go? How can you get weapons and take over the Sixth Prince's power? You are kidding, all of you are not as important as me.

"Little sister, that's not what I meant. I'm just worried that you might be in danger."

"Brother, you don't need to explain, just go!"

Then he pretended to be lonely, turned around and walked away slowly.

Zhao Yuanlan felt very uncomfortable seeing her like this.

"I promise you, but you have to listen to my instructions."

"Okay, big brother!"

Zhao Yuanlan agreed quickly.

Zhao Yuanlan: I always feel like something is not quite right.