Chapter 92: Building a Water Mill Together
Qin Yao clicked her tongue twice, "I'm afraid even twenty or thirty taels won't be enough!"
"After all, not everyone can afford to make such a large millstone like me. If you villagers do it yourself, it will take at least ten people to make such a millstone. If you transport it to the destination, it will also take a lot of effort to install it."
Placing a stone mill weighing a thousand pounds is not as easy as having ten people move it and stop it.
The stone is very brittle and if you are not careful, the millstone may break, and all the previous efforts will be wasted.
Seeing Wang Yu's embarrassment, Qin Yao smiled helplessly, "Of course, Shunzi and I are also familiar with each other. If I were not too busy at home during this period, I could also help you carry it."
"But there is really no other way. My husband is now concentrating on studying, and there is so much work to do at home that I really can't leave."
"Third brother is studying?" Shunzi suspected that he was hallucinating. "Sister-in-law, you just said that third brother is studying now?"
Qin Yao nodded, "I just decided it a few days ago. You know your third brother. He's not good at anything. I thought of letting him continue to study. Maybe he can gain something from it."
Shunzi was stunned. With his third brother's ability, what could he learn from studying?
However, he had also seen Qin Yao's ability. Seeing how confident she was, he didn't say anything to spoil her mood. He smiled and asked Qin Yao to tell his third brother not to forget him when he became rich in the future.
Qin Yao smiled at him, "No matter who I forget, I will never forget you, Shunzi."
If she succeeds in bringing her such a big business, she can earn at least five taels of silver.
Given the huge price gap, if the people of Xiahe Village were not stupid, they would definitely choose to let her and Carpenter Liu do this job.
Seeing that Wang Yu was still hesitant, Qin Yao suggested that he go to Carpenter Liu's house to ask about the technical difficulties.
If someone in their Xiahe Village could also overcome the problem, then it would be enough for her and Carpenter Liu to earn some guidance fees.
Of course, this is just a polite remark. In fact, Carpenter Liu is not stupid. The two of them have worked together several times and have reached a tacit understanding.
Anyway, after listening to what Qin Yao said about power, bearings, principles and so on, Wang Yu already felt that this water mill was not a simple thing.
But in order to give an explanation to the villagers, Carpenter Liu still had to go and ask.
Qin Yao deliberately said that he was still busy in the fields and asked Shunzi to take him to see Carpenter Liu.
Half an hour later, Shunzi ran to the field alone to find Qin Yao and told her, "Sister-in-law, Brother Wang and I have to go back to the village to discuss it with everyone, but it looks like we may have to trouble you and Carpenter Liu."
Qin Yao smiled and nodded, "Okay, come to me if you need anything."
"By the way, your third brother is also at home. He has been talking about you for a few times. How about coming with me to his house and having a chat?"
"No, no, I'm in a hurry to go back. I'll go to my sister-in-law's house next time." Shunzi waved his hand to refuse. He was really in a hurry to go back.
Besides, he just said that his third brother was studying at home, so how dare he disturb him.
Anyway, my sister-in-law can make the decision, so why bother to see my third brother?
Thinking of the meat buns he had eaten with Qin Yao before, Shunzi left with a smile.
Carpenter Liu also had a strange temper. He said that craftsmen have their own rules and he would never pass on the waterwheel technology to others.
Before coming here, Wang Yu hadn't thought about this, so he offended people.
So, the two of them rushed back to Xiahe Village, gathered the villagers together and told them about this matter. By the way, they excitedly told the villagers about the convenience and efficiency of the water mill. The big guys, who were deeply tortured by the water mill, wanted to snatch the water mill from Liujia Village directly.
Of course, robbing is impossible, it's just a joke. At the beginning of the year, they were able to drive away even the horse bandits. They were so fierce, no one dared to provoke them.
"Then let's ask them to help our village. Each household can just contribute some money and it will save us effort." A villager from Xiahe Village suggested.
Shunzi, who was standing in the crowd, immediately shouted, "That's right. There are so many of us, and each family only needs two coins. You haven't seen the water mill in person. I think it's worth it!"
As he spoke, seeing that everyone was looking at him, Shunzi added: "If my mother and wife can live without the pain of grinding for the rest of their lives, I'll pay two taels of silver!"
As soon as he said this, someone immediately laughed at him: "If you, Shunzi, can pay two taels of silver, I will chop off my head for you!"
Suddenly, there was a burst of laughter on the field.
Shunzi glared at the man angrily, "Why can't you afford it? If you sell me, I can still be worth twenty or thirty taels. At worst, I'll sell myself to give my mother and wife some peace of mind!"
When it comes to making trouble, Shunzi is unrivaled. He is shameless and the villagers are too lazy to argue with him.
What if he really took off his clothes, lay on the ground and said he wanted to sell himself? How would the young girls and wives feel?
Village Chief Wang shouted twice, asking everyone to be quiet, and asked whether everyone was willing to build the water mill together.
"Raise your hands if you are willing, and make a sound if you are not willing. Listen to whichever side has the most people."
The majority raised their hands, and Shunzi raised his hand the highest by standing on a stone. Everyone knew that he was just someone who liked to join in the fun, and for a moment no one suspected that he had any selfish motives.
Seeing that most people agreed to build a water mill, the village chief decided to build it.
"Village chief, we have to hurry up. Autumn harvest is coming soon. If we can finish building that big thing before the harvest, it will be much easier this year." The two Yang brothers urged.
They were hunters, and their family had just prepared a few acres of thin land and planted rice. However, as they were not used to doing such farm work, they really could not bear the hardship.
Thinking about the hardship of grinding, I just hope that the water mill will be built soon so that I won't have to endure this pain.
This really speaks to the villagers' thoughts. After spending money, they would feel it's worth it only if they get equal returns.
Therefore, the village chief asked his son Wang Yu to go to Liujia Village again and get this matter done as soon as possible.
Since Carpenter Liu refused to pass on his skills to others, they had no choice but to ask him to do it.
"By the way, if we want to make the millstone, do we still have to find the woman from the Liu family?" the village chief asked his son.
Wang Yu nodded, "Yes, Carpenter Liu also said that the waterwheel was actually drawn by Madam Qin for him. This thing actually belongs to Madam Qin's uncle."
The village chief was not surprised at all that the waterwheel came into Qin Yao's hands.
Because he had heard of the reputation of this Lady Qin, the village chief and the clan leader of Liujia Village had mentioned her to him several times.
At the beginning of the year, Liujia Village encountered horse bandits. Thanks to this woman with superb martial arts skills, she took the lead and drove away the bandits. She is a very powerful person.
So the village chief instructed his son Wang Yu, "Then you go directly to discuss with Madam Qin and ask her how to build this integrated water mill, how long it will take, and how much it will cost."
Wang Yu took the order and did not bring Shunzi this time. Instead, he went with an uncle who had prestige in the village, so that the villagers would not think that he had lied and embezzled everyone's money.
(End of this chapter)