These people were all skilled workers, quick and efficient in their tasks, accustomed to inspecting and flipping roof tiles. The work was well organized: a group inspected, the second cleaned up, and the third laid the tiles, with detailed division of labor to maintain the pace.
They didn't dare slack off for even a moment, fearing the master's dissatisfaction could lead to withheld silver, and the prospect that Wang Liu would no longer call on them for work.
Finding work that paid sixty to seventy wen a day was not easy.
Wang Liu's wife was very adept at handling matters. When she learned that Wang Liu had taken on a big job, she immediately brought her sisters-in-law to deliver tea and also cooked mung bean soup. Although not costly, it was immensely comforting to enjoy such a bowl when one's mouth was dry and parched.
