CHAPTER 204: CHAPTER 204: WORK BEGINS

Luckily, Mrs. Chen poked her head out from the kitchen and called out, "Time to eat, set the table and chairs, get the bowls and chopsticks, bring out the dishes!"

Lao Jiu heard this and looked at Yun Jiao with a pitiful expression.

Yun Jiao sighed, "I’ll give it to you later."

"Ah Tie, go wash those wine cups, and bring me that three-liang cup later."

Yun Jiao sighed, "I’ll let you drink later."

"Ah Tie, go wash those wine cups, and bring me that three-liang cup later."

Ah Tie went to wash the cups, and Ah Hu escorted Liu Lang and Gu Chuan inside from the doorway.

The dining table was already set in the main room, and everyone was either standing or sitting, crowded inside.

Mrs. Chen clicked her tongue and said, "The workers haven’t even started yet, and in the future, how many people will we have to feed?"

Yun Jiao came in holding a cup of wine, "Mother, there will be more people in the future. We’ll need to buy a large round table, preferably a two-tier one that can spin."

Mrs. Chen thought for a moment, "Do they have such a table?"

Yun Jiao casually said, "If they have it, buy it; if not, we still have the carpenter, let him make one."

Lao Jiu saw Yun Jiao engrossed in talking, almost spilling the wine, quickly took it over, and sipped it with closed eyes.

"Good wine!"

Lao Jiu sat down with a smile, thinking the host was pretty good, buying him not the cheapest low-quality wine, but something mid-to-high quality in the winehouse.

Just the cost of this wine would be over one liang of silver a month.

Lao Jiu felt like he got a great deal, smiling cheerfully throughout the meal.

The next day, Mrs. Chen walked around outside and said nowhere had the two-tier, spinning tables that Yun Jiao mentioned.

So Yun Jiao started gesturing to the carpenter on how to make such a table.

After gesturing for a long time, the carpenter still didn’t get it.

Jiang Youzhi listened for a while from the side, went back to the room to fetch paper and pen, and drew while listening to Yun Jiao’s explanations.

He finished the drawing and showed it to Yun Jiao, who clapped her hands repeatedly, "Yes, yes, yes, exactly like this. You’re smart, Jiang Youzhi."

Jiang Youzhi took the drawing and explained to the carpenter, telling him how the spinning mechanism in the center should work.

The carpenter was still confused, and Jiang Youzhi explained for a long time before he barely understood.

Seeing that a smart person was taking over, Yun Jiao stopped worrying about it. The deer antlers had been soaking for a few days, and the water was clear enough, so she planned to start brewing the deer horn glue.

Liu Zhu and Zhang Shun came by once a day, and this day they finally got Yun Jiao’s notice to start work the next day.

Liu Zhu and Zhang Shun had been playing at home for several days, as per Yun Jiao’s promise, counting the wages from the day the contract was signed.

The two felt uneasy getting paid without working.

Hearing Yun Jiao say that work would start, they were very happy.

Unexpectedly, Yun Jiao continued, "The deer horn glue will take nine days to brew, during which the fire cannot be stopped. You two should inform your families that you’ll be staying at the shop these days."

Early the next morning, the two came over.

In the courtyard, a temporary stove was set up, with a large pot already mounted and a heap of firewood.

Seven jars were placed under the eaves.

Seeing the two arrive, Yun Jiao said, "Follow along and watch first. Once you learn, we’ll each take turns guarding for four-hour shifts, adding firewood, water, and stirring."

Yun Jiao let Ah Tie light the fire and filled the big iron pot with a full bucket of water.

When the water boiled, Yun Jiao placed the deer antler sections into a tight bamboo basket, and then put the basket into the big iron pot.