Chapter 50: Digging Ditches

Mingxia Town, Kiln Brick Workshop.

The brick kilns worked day and night without rest. Workers were neatly stacking the fired blue bricks onto mule carts.

"Easy now, watch your hands and feet! These are items requested by Her Highness the Princess. If any are missing or broken, no one will be able to bear the responsibility!"

Hearing this, the workers became even more cautious and careful.

Once twenty carts of blue bricks were loaded, the manager went to the kiln to meet the owner and then personally escorted the shipment to Mingxia Manor.

Steward Sun had been busy for the past two days assigning manpower—who would dig the earth, who would transport the mud, who would sift the sand, and which households would be responsible for which section of the canal. Everything had to be scheduled and arranged in advance, leaving him so busy that several heat blisters had formed at the corners of his mouth.

Song Kai brought him a bowl of cooling tea to soothe the internal heat. Sun Qing tilted his head back and gulped it down, his entire face wrinkling from the bitterness.

However, the "heart fire" truly did subside quite a bit.

"Steward! Steward!" a man shouted from outside the door.

"What are you shouting for? I already said that I and Manager Song have arrangements for everyone's work. Why do you keep asking? If you ask again, you're going to the river to dig mud!"

Damn it, it was because he had been too kind to these tenant farmers in the past; they had grown quite bold. Even with a massive task like repairing canals, they dared to nitpick in front of him.

The man flinched, not daring to harbor any more schemes, and said honestly, "The people from the Kiln Brick Workshop are here to deliver the blue bricks."

Having said that, he turned tail and ran.

"So fast?" They had ordered a full ten thousand bricks, and they were already fired in just two days?

Confused, Sun Qing followed Song Kai to the manor gate. The manager of the Kiln Brick Workshop hurried forward to meet them, bowing deeply. "I am Shen Yang, the manager of the Kiln Brick Workshop. Greetings to the two managers."

"Manager Shen is too polite," Song Kai said, helping him up with a smile. "I didn't expect your master to act so swiftly."

"How would the Kiln Brick Workshop dare not pay attention to items requested by Her Highness the Princess? My master specifically pushed back all other tasks to prioritize the order for Mingxia Manor," Manager Shen said humbly. "Originally, my master intended to deliver them personally, but the stone cylinders requested by Her Highness are at a critical stage of firing. Master must stay by the kiln and dares not leave, so he could only send this lowly one to deliver them."

"Before I left, my master repeatedly instructed me to explain the reason and to ask Manager Song and Steward Sun for their understanding."

The tenant farmers standing not far away, waiting to move the bricks, lowered their heads and whispered among themselves.

"The Shen family's kiln in Mingxia Town has connections even in Lanzhou City. I heard the owner of that workshop is a branch member of the Shen family."

"Which Shen family?"

"The Shen family, one of the five great families of Lanzhou City, of course."

"Hiss! No wonder they are so capable. They fired ten thousand blue bricks in less than two days."

One tenant farmer said disdainfully, "So what if they are capable? Aren't they still acting all respectful in front of Her Highness the Princess?"

The crowd looked toward the kiln manager, who was still bowing while speaking to Steward Sun and Manager Song. "Exactly. A wealthy family from the neighboring manor ordered three thousand blue bricks from the Shen family a month ago, and they haven't even finished firing them yet."

Seeing the tenant farmers' talk becoming increasingly improper, Steward Sun walked up to them and said unpleasantly, "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and unload the blue bricks from the mule carts and take them to the designated location!"

The tenant farmers quickly shut their mouths and rushed forward in a swarm to unload the carts.

The kiln manager continued talking about the stone cylinders. "The general shape has been fired, but the temperature is still a bit lacking. A few more kiln firings should do it."

"No rush, take your time with the firing. The quality must be up to standard," Song Kai said gently. "Otherwise, we will have to proceed according to the contract."

The kiln manager nodded repeatedly in agreement. A tenfold compensation was nothing; what he feared most was offending Her Highness the Princess.

His master was not highly regarded by the main branch of the family; if they were to offend the Princess and the Prince Xuan's Mansion, it would truly mean disaster was upon them.

He watched until the tenant farmers had unloaded all the blue bricks from the mule carts and confirmed there wasn't a single crack or break before leading his men away.

After discussing it with Song Kai, Sun Qing felt there was no time to lose. He said to the tenant farmers, "Go back and tell your households: official work begins tomorrow morning."

The tenant farmers ran off happily to spread the news.

Early the next morning, Sun Qing took the list, divided the able-bodied men into groups, and led them to their respective positions.

Carrying hoes and shovels, the tenant farmers worked without holding back their strength.

Steward Sun's family and Song Kai's father and son were responsible for guiding and supervising the workers. Before long, the morning passed.

Song Kai looked up at the sky and nodded to Steward Sun.

Steward Sun struck the gong with a sound that shook the heavens. Upon hearing the gong, the Sun and Song family supervisors said to the working tenant farmers, "It is time for the midday break. Everyone, stop working."

"What?" The tenant farmers looked bewildered.

"There is a one-hour midday break. Go back, eat a meal, and rest for a bit. Come back to work when the afternoon session starts," Song Dalang reminded them. "No tardiness allowed. Being late means a deduction in pay!"

After the autumn harvest, there wasn't much work in the fields, so with Steward Sun's tacit permission, the tenant farmers would go out to find work elsewhere. However, those employers would squeeze them to the death, not even allowing them more than fifteen minutes to eat.

The Princess had hired them to repair the canals, which was close to home, allowing them to eat a hot meal. They were already very content. Who would have thought they could even take a midday nap?

The tenant farmers found it unbelievable.

Seeing the farmers hesitating and not daring to leave, Song Dalang had to practically drive them all back home.

Mrs. Tian was humming a little tune she had composed. Her fingers were thick but nimble; in an instant, she had woven a straw sandal as the hemp rope whizzed through her hands.

She was making this for her husband. He was responsible for transporting mud, and since he walked a lot, he naturally went through shoes quickly. She had to make a few more pairs quickly so he wouldn't have to work barefoot.

Tian Laoda entered the door and asked, "Is there food?"

Mrs. Tian replied, "Yes, Jinhua just made some bean rice this morning." After saying that, she realized, "Why are you back?"

Could it be that the Steward had chased him back? As Mrs. Tian thought about it, she felt as if the sky were falling.

Jinhua and Yinhua were sitting on the heated kang bed, learning to weave shoes from their mother. Influenced by the fear and worry in their mother's voice, they also began to look distressed.

Tian Laoda was speechless. "Can't you just wish me well for once? It was Steward Sun who said there is a one-hour midday break every day for us to come back, eat, and rest."

"Really?" Mrs. Tian asked skeptically.

"Really," Tian Laoda replied. He didn't blame his wife for being overly dramatic; if he told this story anywhere else, no one would believe it.

"Oh my, such a good thing!" Mrs. Tian was so happy she didn't know what to do with her hands. She called to her two daughters, "Jinhua, Yinhua, hurry and heat the rice for your father, and fry a couple of dishes!"

Jinhua and Yinhua hurried to the kitchen.

Next door, Tian Lao'er accompanied his wife and daughter for lunch. He had intended to go check on the fields, but at his wife and daughter's insistent persuasion, he gave up the idea and lay down on the kang. "Remember to call me in advance. If I'm late, they'll deduct my pay."

Niuniu sat on the kang and responded solemnly.

Having eaten their fill and rested for an hour, the tenant farmers were brimming with endless energy. As soon as the afternoon session arrived, they began working hard once again.

After observing for a few days, Song Kai found that the one-hour midday break did not delay the daily tasks; in fact, the farmers even exceeded their quotas.

The tenant farmers were even profoundly grateful to Her Highness the Princess.

(End of Chapter)