amaotonovel Chapter 183 Three-legged Standing
Chapter 183 Three-legged Standing
"Brother Li, we came here today to talk to you about the mill. We want to entrust it to you. I wonder if you can do us a favor and take on this job."
The two of them didn't waste time and went straight to the point.
"What do you mean by helping or not? We worked together to come up with these blueprints, so of course I have to do it. Even if you don't come to me, I will still come to you with a licking face."
"Look, I was just wondering why you guys haven't come yet, and you gestured on the ground for a while. I have to say, sister, your idea is really good. Why didn't our village think of building a water mill before? Such good water is wasted in vain."
What Carpenter Li said was not a lie. They were supposed to go to the fields together today, but Sister Li asked him to stay at home because she was afraid that they would not be able to find him when they came.
"That's great! We won't be polite!" Since we were far apart, we had to speak louder.
"Hey, what are you doing?" The three were about to continue talking when Sister Li and the others came back.
Looking at the three people in this three-way confrontation, the family stood at the door carrying hoes with a look of confusion on their faces.
"Sister-in-law, are you back? We were just discussing asking you to help us build the mill. Now that you're back, we can go to the eaves and talk."
Although they didn't say it explicitly, Sister Li knew why they were in that posture. She laughed so hard that she almost couldn't straighten her back. These two people were really wonderful.
Sister Li pushed the two of them under the eaves, then went to the kitchen to wash her hands before coming out, bringing out two bowls of water and handing them to the two of them.
"Old Li, you are such a fool. You didn't even give the two sisters a bowl of water. You are still roasting them in the hot sun. Are you trying to dry them out?"
Carpenter Li scratched his head a little embarrassedly: "Haha, I forgot, sorry."
"That's nothing. We just didn't think of it. Otherwise, the kitchen is right here. We wouldn't have died of thirst."
The two were really thirsty, so they picked up the bowls of water and drank them all in one gulp.
Seeing this, Wang Meixiang came over and took the bowls from the two people, and then went to get another bowl for them.
"Sister-in-law, we just talked to Brother Li and we'd like you to help us build the water mill."
"That's what we could wish for. If you didn't come to us, I'm afraid your brother Li wouldn't be able to sit still and would come to our house to do it." Sister-in-law Li also sat down aside.
"What my sister-in-law said is the same as what my eldest brother said. They are indeed a real couple, just different." Duan Minmin joked.
These words made Carpenter Li and his wife blush a little, as they were both very dishonest in their words all day long.
"Sister-in-law, let's do this. We want your family to build these structures and direct the workers to do the construction. Do you think two taels of silver is feasible?" Zheng Yuan directly quoted the price.
"Two taels! You two sisters are really something. You don't need so much!" Sister Li interrupted quickly.
"Not much, sister-in-law. Think about it, you have to make all these wooden things, not just the millstone and the pestle, but also the beams above the mill."
"You have to direct the workers to do the work, which is equivalent to you doing both the work and the effort. This thing is complicated, so two taels of silver is not a lot. We are worried that we are taking advantage of you."
To be honest, they had to make beams and these complex structures, and a large part of the drawings were due to the work of Carpenter Li. Two taels of silver were really not a lot of money.
The two men always felt that they should not let people with skills and hard work go without making money, so they offered a high price of two taels of silver.
"Sister, how many days will it take for your mill to be completed?" Carpenter Li asked after thinking for a while.
Zheng Yuan and Duan Minmin calculated that if they were to open on the 26th, all of these things would have to be delivered by at least the 25th.
It was not like modern times with highways and airplanes. Back then, transportation was really slow. If you didn't set off early, you would be in big trouble.
I asked Jiang Dayou that day, and he told me that they had already opened up the freight route in Kunzhou Prefecture, and the farthest place could be reached in two days, so the first batch had to leave on the 24th.
Then this mill must be built and put into use by the 22nd at least, otherwise it will be too late, and today is already the 19th.
"Brother Li, our work is a bit urgent this time. It needs to be completed by the 22nd. Do you think it can be done?"
The two men also knew that the time was too tight, and were a little afraid that Carpenter Li would say it couldn't be done, so they hurriedly continued.
"Don't worry, we will call as many people as needed, and you just need to direct them on what to do."
"The walls of this mill are relatively simple. If there are enough people, it won't be a problem to build it in one day. The main thing is the wood inside. It needs to be made better. Otherwise, it will break after a while."
Carpenter Li did not say no, but was thinking whether it was feasible at this time.
"Otherwise, how about this? Our family will make the wooden parts of the pestle and millstone first, as well as the waterwheel below, and put the roof beams aside for a while. The weather is good these two days, so let them be exposed first, and after you finish the most important work, we will put up the roof beams."
The two of them were delighted after hearing this. This could save a lot of time.
"You, they are doing business. It's unlucky not to go up to the beam." Sister Li was afraid that the two would be angry, so she poked Carpenter Li.
"Okay! Sister-in-law, what's the problem? We don't care about those things. As long as the things can be produced, anything is fine."
In their time, most young people were no longer interested in these things, so the two of them didn't really care whether there were beams or not.
"Okay, since you agree, let's do it this way. My family will start first, and you have to find someone to build it there. As for the money, it's up to you."
"By the way, sister, I think your millstone needs to be big. You probably need to go to the stonemason shop in town. Only there can you find such a big millstone." After thinking for a while, Carpenter Li gave a reminder.
"Okay, big brother, got it. Let's make it like this then. Please take care of it. We will go back and make arrangements right away."
You wouldn't know until you calculate it, but the time is really tight. They both became a little anxious and hurriedly stood up to go out.
Zheng Yuan remembered that she hadn't bought a frame yet, so she stopped the car again. Duan Minmin almost hit her back, but she managed to brake with great difficulty and saved her nose.
Zheng Yuan smiled apologetically at Duan Minmin.
"Sister-in-law, do you have a ready-made frame like that?"
"Frame? Come and see which kind you need. Your elder brother and Tiantong made quite a few when they were bored." Sister Li led the two to the warehouse.
There were indeed a lot of boxes and frames piled up in the corner. The two of them didn't care whether they were boxes or frames, they just took all the big frames.
There are three boxes and seven frames in total.
"Sister-in-law, how much are these?"
Seeing the two of them doing all these in one breath, Sister Li opened her mouth in shock.
"What are you doing? Why are you buying so much?"
"This isn't factory stuff, buy more to save trouble."
Of course, you can never have too much of this stuff. If you can't use it all this time, you can use it later.
"Is that so? Fine then. Twenty cents each." Sister Li waved her hand and quoted the price.
"Okay, let's settle it together then?" Knowing that this price was already a preferential price, the two of them didn't bother to be polite with her.
But I didn't bring any money with me, so I had to pay it together with the money from the mill.
"Okay, don't I trust you? It's hard to carry all these things. Tiantong! Come here, let's help your aunt and the others to pass them over. Lao Li, just do it at home, we'll be back soon."
After making the arrangements, Sister Li stacked up several baskets, placed them on the backpack, tied them up with straps, and then carried them to Li Tiantong for his back.
The rest did the same thing. The four of them walked towards the factory carrying tall backpacks on their backs. Fortunately, they had many backpacks at home, otherwise they would have had to run twice.
After delivering the baskets and boxes to the factory, the mother and son hurried back.