Qi Yuanshan was very familiar with the terrain and directed Fu Yu to drive the donkey cart across the shallowest part of the river.
Meng Qingping stood on the flat grassland, looking at the wildflowers dotting the ground, which stretched out like a colorful carpet into the distance. His heart was calmer than ever.
"Uncle Meng, from the mountains to the north to the forest to the south, I've designated it all for you. This river is the boundary, and everything on this side of the river is yours."
Fearing that Meng Qingping might not understand the terrain, Qi Yuanshan carefully took out a map from his怀 and pointed it out to Meng Qingping.
Driven by curiosity, Fu Xinzi also stood by quietly, peeking. She wouldn't have known, but seeing it surprised her: beyond the mountain was the sea.
"The sea?"
"This little girl can read a map?"
"No, the wavy lines of the sea are very obvious."
"She's a clever girl." Qi Yuanshan never hesitated to praise the little girl.
Fu Xinzi, however, pointed to the mountain markings on the map and asked Qi Yuanshan very seriously, "Uncle Qi, will the Tatars attack us from beyond the mountains?"
Fu Xinzi was uneasy. If the Tatars could cross this mountain and attack here, she didn't want even an inch of this land, no matter how many acres. She didn't want her hard work to benefit others.
"Don't worry, little girl. On the other side of the mountain are precipitous cliffs, connected to the surging sea. If the Tatars go that way, they'd need a pair of eagle's wings. Otherwise, they'd fall to their deaths or drown."
"As long as they can't get here," Fu Xinzi thought of her current small frame and the limitations in fighting, so she disliked fighting, fearing she would suffer a loss.
"Hahaha."
Seeing the little girl visibly relax, such a bright, resourceful, and daring girl was increasingly likable. If only she were a boy, it would be even better.
Qi Yuanshan finished looking at the little girl, then glanced at his son, thinking: You'd better not disappoint me!
Meng Qingping and Fu Yu, father and son, were even more satisfied after looking at the map and hearing Qi Yuanshan's explanation.
"Uncle Meng, shall we go further inside? And where do you want to build the courtyard? Since the season is good for finding people, the house can be built quickly."
Meng Qingping pondered for a moment, then discussed with Qi Yuanshan, "Nephew Qi, you know the weather, terrain, and local customs better than me. Regarding what kind of courtyard would be practical, and what materials would be best, I'd like to ask for your advice."
Meng Qingping's words were pleasing to the ear. Qi Yuanshan had already wanted to offer his suggestions to the Meng family. Now, they were on the same page.
With a common goal, the three men studied the terrain to decide where to build the courtyard. Of course, it would be closer to water for convenience.
Fu Xinzi didn't concern herself with these matters. She could finally relax, cast aside all her worries, and let herself be free.
"Sister, Sister." Yu'er saw that his sister was willing to play with him. He immediately broke free from Fang Shi's hand and ran towards his sister. "Sister, let's go catch grasshoppers."
"Okay."
"Over here." Qi He held up a large grasshopper he had just caught and beckoned the siblings over.
"Hahaha, Brother Qi, you're so capable to catch such a big grasshopper."
"This is nothing. Wait and see, Brother Qi can catch many more for you."
Qi Yuanshan: He couldn't bear to watch. That little girl knew how to read maps, while his own son was still catching grasshoppers with her brother.
Truly, truly, sigh...
Meng Qingping was unaware of Qi Yuanshan's anxiety about his son. He continued to discuss with him, "Nephew Qi, let's build a siheyuan according to your idea. I just don't know if blue bricks and tiles are easy to buy here."
"Uncle Meng, there's no need to worry about that. The thousand-household office has specialized craftsmen who make bricks and tiles. Although the workmanship is rougher than in the capital, it doesn't affect their use."
"As long as they're usable, that's fine. And how do we calculate the wages for hiring workers?"
"In our garrisons, there are generally two ways to pay wages. One is with copper coins, and the other is with grain. Generally, people only care about grain and a meal at noon, ignoring the copper coins."
Qi Yuanshan explained thoroughly, fearing that Meng Qingping and his son didn't understand. He added, "The meal at noon doesn't have to be fancy, as long as it can fill their stomachs."
"Grain?" Others might not understand, but Meng Qingping knew that grain was scarce in most parts of the Great Ming dynasty.
Just as he was about to discuss with Qi Yuanshan, offering to pay two more copper coins a day instead of requiring grain, he saw his granddaughter wink at him.
Could it be, Ci'er?
Seeing her grandfather hesitate again, Fu Xinzi walked to his side and tried to remind him in a gentle tone, "Grandfather, we should also follow local customs and use grain for wages."
Meng Qingping: "...?"
"Grandfather, we're new here, and it's not good to be too different."
Meng Qingping knew his granddaughter had a point. "But where can we buy grain right away?"
"Uncle Meng, you can buy grain in Ningyuan City or Jincheng. There are also grain markets in the nearby towns. And mixed grain flour, corn flour, and sorghum flour are all acceptable. Although occasionally some wealthy households offer red rice or millet, that's extremely rare."
Meng Qingping: Was he considered wealthy now?
No one answered, but he knew himself that he was now considered wealthy. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Next, Meng Qingping discussed with Qi Yuanshan about ordering bricks and tiles and hiring workers. Qi Yuanshan took care of everything, saying he would send someone to the thousand-household office tomorrow to place the order, and if there was stock, it could be delivered the day after tomorrow.
As for hiring workers, their garrison could basically handle it themselves.
Finally, regarding buying grain, Meng Qingping asked Qi Yuanshan if he could find them a guide.
After all, they were new to the area and unfamiliar with the surroundings. Getting lost would be troublesome.
Qi Yuanshan smiled upon hearing Meng Qingping's words. "It just so happens that we're sending someone to the thousand-household office tomorrow. I'll have them accompany Uncle Meng to the nearest town. You can buy the grain and return the same way."
"Yes, that's a good idea."
After they had discussed most matters, Qi Yuanshan glanced around and asked Meng Qingping, "Uncle Meng, where do you plan to stay tonight?"
He had noticed when they arrived that Uncle Meng's family was camping outdoors.
Meng Qingping did not hide his intentions and directly stated his thoughts, "I don't want to live with those people, for fear they might corrupt my descendants."
Qi Yuanshan understood Meng Qingping's concerns and offered a suggestion. "Uncle Meng, how about this? I'll have some people from the garrison temporarily help you build a makeshift shelter. It's fine to live in a shelter at this time of year."