Getting out of the carriage, before Xu Ping’an could speak, the coachman bowed.
“Mr. Xu, I am Fang Guozhang. My uncle sent me to build a house for you. How do you plan to rebuild it?”
This was an old man who looked about fifty years old, with a full white beard, a thin, slightly hunched figure.
But his eyes were as bright as those of a twenty or thirty-year-old.
“So it’s Master Fang, my apologies, I’ve long heard your name, it resounds like thunder.”
Hearing this, Xu Ping’an quickly cupped his hands and bowed.
In Liuye County, Fang Guozhang of the Fang family could be considered a master-level figure in architecture.
Even in the provincial capital of Nanzhou, people would sometimes pay a lot of money to invite him out to build houses.
Xu Ping’an had originally come for him, but he didn’t expect to invite the man himself.
According to his original thoughts, his small, broken thatched cottage, with less than a hundred pieces of wood in total, didn’t require such a high-level master.
It would be enough for two or three of his apprentices to come and build it.
The old man stepped aside and quickly returned the bow:
“Mr. Xu, you flatter me. I’m just an old man who knows a bit about building houses, just making a living. I can’t compare to Mr. Xu, who helps the world with his medical skills. Many families in our Fang family village have received your kindness, so how dare I accept your bow.”
“Master Fang is too modest. Actually, I didn’t expect to alarm you.”
“Since this old man is here, I will naturally help you oversee things. Just tell me what kind of house you want to build, and I’ll draw a sketch for you right away.”
Xu Ping’an pointed to his three small rooms.
“There’s nothing particularly noteworthy, just that there needs to be a medicinal garden left in the courtyard, and two more wing rooms, and a donkey shed, and that’s about it.”
Fang Guozhang stepped forward and looked around.
“Hmm… Mr. wants to keep a medicinal garden. In that case, the front yard must have a large open space, and… it also needs a watering pond.”
Oh, that’s true.
Usually, he waters from the well.
If there was a pond, it would be much more convenient.
“Your small house is too small; it should be rebuilt. This old man thinks you should have your own dispensary.”
“Yes, yes, yes, a dispensary must be there, absolutely.”
He was a Chinese medicine doctor, and a large amount of herbs needed by Chinese medicine doctors must have a place to be stored, dried, ground, and prepared, right?
“In addition, this old man sees that Mr. is not uneducated. Since that’s the case, a study is needed.”
“Yes, yes, yes, a study should also be there, should be there.”
When he usually reads, or even when he doesn’t read but occasionally writes to cultivate his sentiments, he also needs a proper room.
“Since there’s occasional farm work, a warehouse for storing farm tools is also necessary.”
“Hmm, hmm, Master Fang is right, it must be there, this must be there too.”
“If there are female family members at home, there should also be a backyard, to avoid situations where people come for consultation but cannot enter.”
“Hmm… that makes sense.”
Xu Ping’an frowned slightly, always feeling that something wasn’t quite right.
Why did this house seem to be getting bigger and bigger?
Was this still his small fenced yard?
Wouldn’t it become a grand mansion?
“Wait, wait a moment, Master Fang, don’t rush, don’t rush yet… Please calm down first.”
He watched as the old man’s eyes gleamed, as if possessed, continuously muttering about how high the beams should be, how many feet wide and high the rooms should be, and where to buy glazed tiles.
Xu Ping’an quickly interrupted the other party’s chatter.
“Master Fang, I didn’t intend to build a grand residence. I just want to build two wing rooms. There’s no need for such extensive construction.”
“Ah? Ah… Is that so…”
As soon as Xu Ping’an said this, Fang Guozhang’s shining eyes instantly dimmed, making Xu Ping’an wonder if he shouldn’t have said that.
But if he were to build according to the old man’s plan, his humble farmhouse would turn into nothing less than a royal palace.
No, no, he couldn’t let this old man have free rein with his ideas.
Leaving aside whether it would be overstepping, where would he get so much silver?
Judging from the old man’s words, if this house were built, it would probably cost tens of thousands of taels of silver, at least.
“Old master, please, just build me two wing rooms, one on the east and one on the west. If possible, add a donkey shed and a storeroom in the backyard. Please don’t add anything else. I would be immensely grateful.”
Seeing Xu Ping’an’s persistence, Fang Guozhang said no more.
He nodded, took out his portable paper and pen, quickly drew a sketch, and handed it to Xu Ping’an.
“Mr. Xu, what do you think? Is this feasible?”
Xu Ping’an took the sketch and nodded secretly.
As expected of a master-level figure, the sketch was clearly visible.
What leaped out from the sketch was a farmhouse courtyard.
The courtyard had only two sections.
The main house was where the current main house stood, and on both sides of the front yard of the main house, a wing room was added, similar in size to the main house.
On the outer sides of the two wing rooms, a wall was built with bricks and stones, extending all the way to the backyard.
From the sides of the wing rooms, one could directly access the backyard, and the main house could also have a door opening to the backyard.
The backyard was not large, probably about a hundred square meters, and there was a row of rooms at the back, which were the back rooms.
In the front yard, the east side was a medicinal garden, occupying half of the yard, and the other half was a pavilion.
Beside the pavilion was a fish pond, which could not only raise fish but also use the pond water to irrigate herbs.
“Generally, it’s fine. Master Fang is indeed a master; I’m very satisfied with this structure. However, the outer brick wall isn’t necessary. Some wooden stakes will do.”
“Mr. Xu, this is at the foot of the wilderness. If wild beasts disturb the peace, it won’t be good. This old man considered this point, which is why I wanted to build a brick wall. But since you insist, I’ll modify it according to your wishes.”
“Thank you, thank you very much.”
Having finally settled on the sketch, Xu Ping’an wasted no words.
He turned and entered the house, taking out a large silver ingot of fifty taels from a box under the bed.
“Master Fang, this is the deposit. If it’s not enough, I can add more later.”
Master Fang politely declined several times, but Xu Ping’an eventually managed to put the silver ingot into his embrace.
They agreed to start work with people tomorrow, and then he left contentedly in his carriage.
Finally, having seen him off, Xu Ping’an breathed a sigh of relief.
He made dinner, had a satisfying meal, and went to sleep with his beloved wife.
The next morning, the fifteenth day of the third month.
The chirping of insects and birds in the early morning brought a vibrant start to the day.
Xu Ping’an was in the courtyard, turning the well windlass, when he heard the sound of a horse-drawn carriage with bells in the distance.
Listening to the approaching hooves, Xu Ping’an casually placed the wooden bucket full of water by the well and looked up.
Sure enough, at the end of the small path, a simple, unadorned carriage appeared.
“They’ve arrived after all.”