NOVPUB
Chapter 842: Chapter 845 Great Wisdom
The new Embroidery Room was a hive of activity with a crowd of men working away with great gusto.
"Sister-in-law, Brother Hong is in the backyard setting up a rockery," Dàlín said enthusiastically.
Duo’er smiled and replied, "Thank you so much, I’ll go have a look."
Dàlín scratched his head in his simple way. As a permanent worker for the Tan Family, he always found it strange for the madam to thank him.
Isn’t this what he should be doing? 𝓷ℴ𝓿𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝓬ℴ𝓶
But then he thought about how the Tan couple usually treated people, and he felt at ease.
When Qiao Duo’er reached the backyard, Tan Zhenghong was busy and in high spirits working with the workers.
Upon seeing his wife, he patted off some dust before he went over to greet her.
"Wife, take a look at this. Does it achieve a sense of tranquil activity, uniquely inspired?"
Tan Zhenghong pointed at the small pond which, with the addition of the rockery, had become a scenic feature in the yard.
Qiao Duo’er nodded and said, "It’s good, I’ll give you some praise. If there were a stone table next to it, it would be even better; we could enjoy tea and the sound of bamboo, how pleasant that would be."
Tan Zhenghong gave a thumbs-up; it was a great suggestion!
The master who built the rockery was named Qian, a well-known craftsman for miles around with fair prices.
As it happened, Master Qian’s family also made stone tables, so Tan Zhenghong decided to purchase one from him as well.
Master Qian said with envy, "You treat your workers really well."
"A nice environment helps the embroidery ladies stay in a good mood, and only then can they embroider things with spirit," Qiao Duo’er said with a light smile.
So ultimately, it was all for the betterment of the Embroidery Room.
Master Qian agreed without any hesitation, "Madam speaks wisely. Leave it to me!"
But he truly had not expected to find such an understanding and reasonable woman in a small mountain village.
It wasn’t long before the rockery was finished, and the backyard was immediately enlivened with a bit more color.
"Sir, Madam, for this yard I suggest a table twenty-six inches in diameter with four stools should suffice," Master Qian, sizing up the space, offered his advice.
The beauty of a stone table lies in its fineness; too large and it loses its charm.
Tan Zhenghong nodded, "Master Qian’s discernment is like a torch, truly excellent."
"Then it’s decided. We’re old customers now, so let’s forget about a deposit. When I deliver the table and chairs, you can give me one tael of silver,"
Master Qian quoted the lowest price.
His family’s stones were all quarried from the mountains by people, then carved and polished. This was already a conscientious price.
Tan Zhenghong, who was already aware of the cost of stone items, promptly agreed.
After finalizing the details for the stone table, Qiao Duo’er continued on her stroll around the area.
She had barely finished her walk when Tan Zhenghong called her to head home, worried that the sun would be too strong and that Duo’er wouldn’t be able to bear it.
As they walked, he began to discuss the Embroidery Room.
"Wife, this place will be completed in a few more days. When do you think we should move the embroidery ladies over?"
"The sooner the better, of course. Wait until you’re done here, then take a couple of days to clean up, and I’ll meanwhile notify Fat Aunt and Chao Lian to get ready to move," Duo’er said without hesitation.
The weather was becoming increasingly hot, and she felt stifled just thinking about so many people crammed together.
"Alright, I’ll start by clearing out the warehouse so that our home’s permanent workers can help move things over. That way we won’t be in a rush when the time comes,"
Qiao Duo’er had no objections; she left this task in his hands.
They had only walked a few steps when Duo’er began to sweat. She hated the heat this year, and this summer was particularly hot—it felt almost personal.
As astute as Tan Zhenghong was, he quickly plucked a banana leaf to shield Duo’er from the direct sun.
With the respite from the sun’s rays, Duo’er finally breathed a sigh of relief.
