Courtyard House: Passing through the Silly Pillar, Activating the Blessed Cave Heaven

39

If you don't have any special requirements, I plan to use beech wood for the door and window frames and elm wood for the door panels; this is both sturdy and affordable.

"I don't know much about wood. Could you please explain it to me in more detail?"

"Beech wood is hard, waterproof, and durable, making it ideal for doors and windows."

I heard you're planning to build an attic above the main house. With three-meter-high walls, a two-meter space will be enough. In which room do you plan to put the staircase?

"Let's set it up in the east room."

"Use beech wood for the timber. Calculate how many silver dollars it will cost in total."

"The doors, windows, main gate, ceiling, and stairs, plus the double-glazed windows, were quite expensive, totaling 120 silver dollars."

"Price is not a problem, but quality must be guaranteed."

"I'll pay a 20 yuan deposit today, and another 80 yuan tomorrow. The rest will be settled after the project is completed." He Yuzhu took out the silver dollars and handed them to Master Song.

Master Song weighed the silver dollar in his hand and said, "Boss He is a really straightforward man. You can rest assured about this job. If any problems arise, I, Old Song, will never set foot in Beiping again."

"Master Song, there's another question I'd like to ask you. Do you know how to make a waterwheel?"

"Is it one of those big waterwheels by the river? It's possible to make one, but it takes a lot of time and effort."

Your family doesn't need such a large waterwheel..."

"I'm asking on behalf of someone from my hometown."

There's a river in the village, and I'd like to build a waterwheel with a diameter of three meters. Once it's finished, I just need it delivered to my house, and they can assemble it themselves.

How much would it cost to make one of these waterwheels?

Master Song counted on his fingers and said, "80 silver dollars."

The waterwheel needs to be made of special wood, since it will be submerged in water for a long time, so we can't be careless.

"This price is very reasonable."

How long will it take to complete?

"Including the chores in your household, it will take at least half a month."

"Then I'll bring you the deposit for the waterwheel tomorrow."

Please mark the joints of the wood to make assembly easier.

I'm going to find Master Lei first.

He Yuzhu walked over to Master Lei and said, "Master Lei, I have reached an agreement with Master Song."

"Would it be convenient for us to talk in private?"

Master Lei put down his tools and followed He Yuzhu to an open space to the side.

He Yuzhu took out silver dollars from his pocket, took out ten, and handed the rest to Master Lei.

"Master Lei, here are seventy silver dollars. Please count them."

The remaining wages will be settled after the project is completed.

"Have you heard anything about those items I asked you to inquire about for the outhouse yesterday?"

Master Lei took the silver dollars and counted them carefully, saying, "Exactly seventy."

I inquired about the things you wanted to put in the outhouse at Panjiayuan after I left yesterday.

The shopkeeper said they could make it. They saw your drawing and kept praising the ingenious design. They even wanted to make it into their shop's signature item.

If you agree, these items will be given to you for free, and we will also build you a water storage tank for your outhouse.

I didn't dare make the decision on my own. When you have time, would you like to talk to the manager in person?

"These are just some cheap little things, you can just agree to them for me."

"They can use my design as they please, on one condition—whenever I need to install a latrine again, they have to give me another one for free." The design drawn by He Yuzhu was not actually his own original work, but rather an improvement on the squat toilet of later generations.