novel-bin Chapter 49 Recruitment
Chapter 49 Recruitment
After ordering the bricks and tiles, Lin's father took several people to find craftsmen. They needed bricklayers, painters, and carpenters. At least bricklayers were needed to build the house first, and later carpenters and painters would be needed for decoration.
"Father, where are we going to find someone?" Lin Yan asked curiously as her father led them towards the county town with a clear purpose.
"Go to the entrance of the stone material street. There are many furniture and stone material shops on that street, and many workers will gather at the entrance."
"They do odd jobs like portering, and carpenters and bamboo craftsmen might wait here when they're not working, hoping someone will hire them. Even if they don't find anyone suitable, they know each other in this circle and might be able to help us find suitable workers." Lin's father had come here with a master craftsman when he was learning the trade, so he knew these things quite well.
"Oh! Isn't this just an ancient job market?" Lin Yan exclaimed softly.
Upon arriving at Stone Material Street, Lin Yan saw a few people standing in twos and threes at the street entrance, along with a middle-aged man who looked like a butler, surrounded by a group of people.
Lin Yan got out of the car and walked over, only to hear him calling for a coachman.
Others, seeing Lin's father and the others approaching, immediately gathered around.
"Is the master looking to hire someone?"
"So many people!" Lin Yu exclaimed, grabbing Lin Yan's sleeve as he followed behind her.
"These are all people who earn a living through hard labor," Lin's mother said with some emotion. Lin's father used to do the same thing here.
Standing in front of the group to prevent the three from being jostled by the swarming workers, Lin's father said in a deep voice, "We need to build a new house, so please be patient. We need bricklayers, carpenters, painters, or anyone who has done similar work before."
"The craftsman is paid 30 coins per day, and the worker is paid 20 coins per day, with lunch provided."
Hearing that it was for building houses and hiring many workers, the crowd became even more excited, but after Lin's father spoke, they dared not push forward any further, and instead shouted out their introductions:
"I can do physical labor."
"I am a bricklayer."
"I've built houses."
"I'm……"
The crowd was shouting and no one was giving way, so Lin's father couldn't hear who was speaking at all.
"Quiet!"
Lin Yan shouted, her voice strong and full of energy, imbued with her supernatural abilities.
"........."
Everyone fell silent instantly, turning to look at Lin Yan. Even the other group of people who had hired the stable boys stopped talking and turned to look at them, still trying to figure out what was going on.
Lin Yan stood ramrod straight, under everyone's gaze, her face expressionless and calm.
Lin Yan took out a charcoal pencil and paper, and looked at everyone: "One by one. Line up!"
Despite being a young girl, for some reason, all the workers just wanted to obey orders and lined up quietly in front of Lin Yan.
Lin's parents and Lin Yu were all speechless.
Lin Yu thought to himself, 'It's really not shameful to be afraid of my sister; they all seem quite scared!'
"What's your name?" Lin Yan asked, looking at the young man in front of her.
"Uh! My name is Li Ping!"
"What have you done?"
"I can build walls! I've laid foundations for people, and I'm strong!" The young man introduced himself as he learned that the group had come looking for someone to build a house.
"Strong? How strong?"
“I can lift two stones.”
"Hiss!" Everyone was startled upon hearing this.
'Two shi, that's over two hundred jin. Not bad,' Lin Yan thought to herself.
"Okay. Next." Lin Yan wrote it down on the paper. She called the next person.
"name."
"My name is Zhang Lei."
"I can also build walls. I'm a bamboo craftsman, and I've built bamboo houses for people. Or I can make bamboo fences for courtyards."
Upon hearing the words "bamboo craftsman," Lin Yan's eyes lit up. She thought to herself, "Bamboo can also be used in interior decoration."
"Okay, next!"
"I'm a bricklayer. I can mix cement, build walls, and lay foundations."
"I am………………."
Half an hour later, everyone had left, and Lin Yan had already written down the names of several bricklayers, two carpenters, and one bamboo craftsman on her paper. There was also someone as strong as Li Ping.
However, when she took out the blueprints to show everyone, they were all stunned and said they didn't know how to build it.
They had only ever built square, large tile-roofed houses, never courtyards like this; it was practically a government official's mansion.
"Do you know anyone who can build this kind of house?"
“I...I...I know!” a thin man said.
Lin Yan glanced at him; she remembered him. His name was Zhang Peng, and he did odd jobs going door-to-door. Lin Yan thought that this kind of person was quite resourceful, and since they would definitely need to buy other things in the future, this person could do the purchasing work.
“I know one. When I used to sell goods on the street, that worker would always bring his grandson to buy snacks from me.”
"His ancestors were craftsmen in the palace."
"Stop talking nonsense! How could workers registered in the palace stay here? Shouldn't they be waiting for orders in the capital?" A middle-aged man interrupted Zhang Peng.
"Hey, I haven't finished speaking yet!"
“His great-grandfather was a carpenter who participated in the construction of the Huainan Summer Palace. Because of his superb skills, he entered officialdom as a craftsman, which is how he got rid of his craftsman status.”
“His lineage did not want to stay in the capital, but returned to their ancestral home. However, the skills were passed down. When the county built the Niangniang Temple, the county magistrate found that person to organize it.”
"Wow! That's amazing!" Everyone couldn't help but exclaim.
"I've never heard of this person before." Zhang Lei was a little puzzled. Logically speaking, the craftsmanship industry is a small circle in Rong'an County, so such a skilled master should be well-known.
"I've never heard of it either," Lin's father said, listening intently. Those who do crafts always hold such legendary predecessors in high esteem.
"Alas, it's not that he's too old; he hasn't taken on any work for many years. His son didn't follow in his footsteps either; he's a scholar, though."
"That's right, the temple to the goddess was built more than ten years ago."
"At such an old age, how can you still take on jobs from employers?"
"Isn't this because the girl wants to find someone who can read blueprints? That guy definitely can," Zhang Peng chuckled.
Lin Yan's eyes lit up immediately; this was a hidden big shot among the common people!
“That’s right. Age doesn’t matter. As long as he can understand what I mean and direct the craftsmen on how to build, this will be done. He won’t have to do any physical labor.”
"Do you know where he lives?" Lin Yan asked Zhang Peng.
“I know, I know! His family is from Lizhuangtou,” Zhang Peng said.
"Alright, come with us to find the master craftsman!"
"The rest of you can start working in Gejiazhuang tomorrow."
“Okay, no problem.” Everyone agreed.
Lin Yan originally wanted to go directly to Lizhuangtou, but seeing that it was almost noon, although she was also looking forward to meeting the old master, she still had to arrange lunch for the group first.
"Let's have lunch first!" Lin Yan turned to ask the others.
"It's time to eat," Mr. and Mrs. Lin nodded.
“That’s right, I’ve been running around all morning, and my stomach is growling,” Lin Yu said.
"Ah Yu, what do you want to eat?"
"Just eat whatever you like. Business isn't good right now, and we're not selling dried fruit anymore, so we need to save some money. We still need to save the money to build a house," Lin Yu instructed seriously.
"Hahahaha, it doesn't matter!" Lin Yan found his serious and mature demeanor amusing.
Lin Yu pointed to a wonton stall and said, "Let's eat that!"
"Wontons are fine too. What about you, Mom and Dad?"
"Let's have wontons then. I haven't had them in ages!" Lin's mother said with a smile.
Seeing that everyone was willing, Lin's father nodded, "Okay."
"Well then, boss, I'll go eat something first, and I'll come find you later," Zhang Peng said with a smile.
A bowl of fresh meat wontons costs 7 coins, which isn't even enough to fill you up. That money could buy him two meals.