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While Zhang Mingyu navigated through the bustling streets towards the central marketplace, Wu Meifen set off in the opposite direction, heading towards her uncle's residence.
Wu Meifen, now twenty, had taken over Dragon's Edge Woodcutters after her father's death when she was seventeen. Raised amidst the lumber trade, Meifen was well-versed in the business from a young age.
Her marriage to Ling Kai, a helper boy adopted by her father, was one of convenience and mutual respect. Though not lovers, they worked harmoniously together and had a son, Ling Yu. Tragically, Ling Kai died in a storm by the river when Yu was only four months old, leaving Wu Meifen a widow. Despite her grief, she expertly managed the business, driven by a determination to honor her father's legacy and secure a future for her son.
Her uncle, Wu Chen, was a master woodcutter at the Dragon's Edge Woodcutters and served as the company's Supervisor of Operations. He had devoted his life to this craft, a journey he had embarked upon alongside his younger brother, the now-deceased father of Wu Meifen, Wu Zheng.
His expertise lay in the meticulous selection and processing of wood, skills that had earned him a sterling reputation throughout the county. While he focused on the technical and artistic aspects of woodcutting, his brother took charge of the business side of the operation. And now, it's his niece's turn.
Wu Meifen also learned from Zhang Mingyu's report that the company had just completed the retrieval of the final inventory of supplies. These included premium timbers and sturdy carpentry wood, which had been stockpiled in the Storage Cabin near the forest's edge. The materials were then carefully transported back to the primary storage warehouse at the Dragon's Edge Woodcutters' shop in the market, all in preparation for the impending rainy season.
Her uncle was likely resting after a long day of arduous labor. "He will not be pleased with this," Meifen murmured under her breath, sighing as she walked briskly along the muddy road.
Upon arriving at her uncle's residence, Wu Meifen was greeted by Wu Liwei, her uncle's grandson, playing happily in the mud. His mother, Lou Minqing, was busy sorting preserved foods into large jars by the storage area on the west side with the help of a maid.
"Auntie!" Wu Liwei cried, running towards Meifen with outstretched, muddy hands.
"Ah-Wei!" Lou Minqing exclaimed, rushing to prevent her son from dirtying Wu Meifen. "You need to clean yourself before touching your auntie."
Wu Meifen gently held Wu Liwei's muddy hands, leading him to the well at the center of the front courtyard where a bucket of water awaited. She carefully washed his hands and face, eliciting giggles from the boy as she removed the smudge on his neck.
"That tickles!"
Lou Minqing laughed softly, approaching them. "Miss, you do not have to pamper him," she jested. "He is becoming spoiled. Are you not a grown-up now, Ah-Wei?"
"That is right! I have seen three winters!"
"Is that so?" Meifen chuckled at his declaration, then turned to Lou Minqing, "Minqing jiejie, is Uncle within?"
"Father just arrived. The transfer was delayed due to yesterday's rain. Both Father-in-law and Husband are having a late lunch in the main hall. You may enter the house."
Meifen nodded in gratitude, making her way towards the main hall, her mind already racing with how to present the urgent matter to her uncle.
Wu Chen's home was a spacious residence featuring two courtyards. The main entrance opened into the front courtyard, which was lined with lush greenery and vegetable plants, centered around a prominent well. In the west corner of this courtyard, a small storage area housed large jars of preserved foods. Directly opposite the entrance stood the main hall, the central hub for family gatherings and formal receptions, adorned with intricately carved wooden furniture and elegant silk paintings.
To the west side of the main hall lay Wu Chen's workshop, a space filled with ledgers recording transactions and woodcutting tools, imbued with the scent of fresh wood and sawdust. On the east side were the bedchambers: a spacious room for Wu Chen and his wife, a room for their son Wu Yunzhou and his wife, Lou Minqing, and a cozy little room for their toddler son Wu Liwei.
Behind the main family's living quarters were the modest but comfortable rooms for the maids and servants. The back courtyard, a bustling area, contained the kitchen, which was equipped with clay stoves and shelves lined with herbs and spices. It also included a small woodshed, an outhouse, a piggery housing two piglets, and a chicken coop where eggs were harvested.
"The challenge lay with the second batch. Starting the renovation earlier meant sourcing supplies earlier as well," Uncle Wu commented. They had just finished their meal when Wu Meifen entered the main hall.
Now, the three of them—Wu Chen and his niece and son, Wu Meifen and Wu Yunzhou—were inside Wu Chen's workshop. Wu Meifen had just finished recounting the urgent matter that Zhang Mingyu conveyed.
They were now sitting at a small round table in the corner of the workshop, having after-meal tea. Although her uncle's workshop was full of clutter and unfinished crafts, it was meticulously organized and the tea table was relatively clean with a complete tea set.
"I also heard about a few court officials coming to our province for some important agenda," Wu Yunzhou said after taking a sip. He had accompanied his father and some Dragon's Edge workers in transferring materials as an escort and helper. "The higher-ups were informed directly by the Magistrate's order," he continued, "We were to escort the officials upon their arrival at our domain. I was assigned to wait for them at the other side of Mount Lóng with fifty others."
"This sudden visit is suspicious, but it has nothing to do with us," Uncle Chen grunted. "Our problem is before their arrival. The renovation must be done quickly and everyone knows that."
Wu Chen got back to the topic at hand, "I'll ask Mr. Liu if he has already asked other woodcutters around the county for orders, if we're the main supplier or just the backup." He turned his attention back to Wu Meifen, who seemed distracted, looking at unfinished woodwork done by her uncle in one corner.
"Ah-Ming sounded so urgent when she reported to me earlier. It didn't even cross my mind about this… I should have asked her," Wu Meifen reflected on her small mishap.
"Do not bother, Xiao Ming is also busy. I wager she is too preoccupied to even ask Mr. Liu directly," Wu Chen explained. "Her brother-in-law is getting married, remember?"
"Right! It's the talk of the town," Wu Yunzhou commented, raising his tea cup, almost spilling the content, "Now that her husband's mother has passed, she has become the mistress of the house. She needs to personally take care of the things that usually fall to her husband's mother."
'Distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors.'
It seemed like her cousin from her father's side knew more about her cousin from her mother's side. Wu Meifen just raised her eyebrows at her talkative cousin.
"Anyhow, I could think of a solution, but it would be truly dangerous." Wu Chen gave his son a side glare, shutting him up. "I would gather our most experienced workers to collect the needed wood and other materials."
Wu Meifen wanted to refute, but she, too, knew that this was the only way, and nodded solemnly.
"I remember Master Zhao mentioning a new location on the other side of the river that's suitable for wood harvest," Wu Chen spoke again before letting his niece voice her concerns. "I'll just take a dozen of us. We'll borrow the hunters' cabin as our workplace temporarily. We'll get the job done there since it's nearer. So it will be easier to transport the ready-made timbers than traveling back and forth."
"It will be hard work and exhausting for our workers, but just promise them double benefits once the job is done."
Wu Meifen sighed, understanding the weight of the task ahead. "Very well, Uncle. I shall ensure that the workers are duly compensated for their efforts."
With a firm nod, Wu Chen rose from his seat. "Then it is settled. We shall begin preparations immediately."