Chapter 94: Chapter 93: The Big Business

The two sat on a cattle cart together and went to Liu Family Village to find Qin Yao.

It had only been a day since Wang Yu’s last visit.

Qin Yao hadn’t expected them to decide so quickly.

Liu Ji brought two bowls of sweet wine soup, one for each person, and stood beside Qin Yao, bowing his head as they discussed the big fifteen-tael silver deal.

You have to admit, you really have to say, his wife understands business — a water wheel worth one tael of silver, yet she dares to ask for fifteen.

But it seems like it’s supposed to be a larger version, although no matter how large, it can’t be fifteen times larger.

The demands of Wang Yu and the other person were very simple; they hoped the village’s water mill could be built before the autumn harvest.

Qin Yao said there was no issue, plenty of time.

“About the price… can’t it be a bit cheaper?” Wang Yu asked tentatively.

Qin Yao looked troubled, “It really can’t be reduced, and this is just a preliminary estimate; specifics require thorough analysis. But since you’ve decided to seek my help with this water mill, I can guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”

Having come this far, it seemed there was truly no room to reduce even one cent; Wang Yu exchanged a glance with Uncle Wang, asking if Qin Yao was free now so they could visit Lower River Village to examine the river conditions for final pricing.

Qin Yao gladly agreed, “Sure, I happen to be free. Did you come by cattle cart?”

The two nodded, and the three got up to head to Lower River Village.

Liu Ji unconsciously followed them out; copying books these days had almost blinded him, and he hadn’t taken a single step out the door, which was driving him crazy.

Plus, he hadn’t seen Shunzi in so long; if he didn’t go out now, Shunzi might forget he had an older brother.

Qin Yao initially didn’t want him to go, thinking instead to have Liu Ji call Liu the carpenter to join them. Better today to clear up site conditions, come back with a plan, and once confirmed, start the project — saving a lot of effort.

Qin Yao’s efficiency deeply impressed Wang Yu and his companion; they initially thought it unreliable for a woman like Qin Yao to handle this, but it seemed they were overthinking.

Thus, Qin Yao instructed Da Lang and Second Lang to stay home to tend to the young ones, while the couple and Liu the carpenter, the three of them together with tools and paper, followed Wang Yu and his companion to Lower River Village.

It was noon, and the river of Lower River Village was filled with half-grown children bathing by the riverside, swimming in a downstream shallow puddle with adults overseeing them, so there was no worry of drowning.

Upon seeing Wang Yu bring people from Liu Family Village, everyone became curious and gathered around.

Those half-grown children, naked as they were, surrounded them, each asking her what they were going to do.

Qin Yao was just about to ask Liu Ji to get the pen and paper they brought, but when she turned around, he was gone, and the items had found their way into Wang Yu’s hands at some point.

Qin Yao didn’t need much imagination to know he had gone off to mess around with Shunzi. With guests around, it wasn’t suitable to act out, so she and Liu the carpenter took their tools to observe the river conditions here.

The bathing shallow pool had a two and a half meter height difference with the upstream river, though it was a slope, with protruding rocks above, so the usual water flow impact wasn’t very strong.

Moreover, the lower water’s surface area was too small to fit large horizontal water wheels, so Qin Yao and Liu the carpenter marked this location off and continued upstream to find a suitable construction site for the water mill.

Every village near the river seemed to have a pond encircled near the river, used for washing vegetables and laundry.

Where the water flows into the pond, they dug a fifty-centimeter-wide opening, and the river width of over three meters was split into two, with the narrow and deep outlet having quite a considerable impact.

This place, during the dry season, just needs the other side of the river blocked to naturally conserve water, flowing into the outlet.

Qin Yao watched for a while and found this spot excellent!

Liu the carpenter didn’t understand these things, but he comprehended what Qin Yao said.

The two sat on a stone stool by the pond, and Qin Yao took out pen and paper to sketch a simple diagram of the water mill on the paper for the guests to visualize.

Wang Yu and his companion leaned in, and as they compared the drawing with the pond’s terrain, an image of the water mill took shape in their minds.

“I’ve just calculated, the area here at the pond is enough, the depth is also suitable, with a water depth of eighty centimeters, entirely adequate for placing a horizontal water wheel three meters in diameter.”

Qin Yao spoke while gesturing to show Wang Yu where the horizontal water wheel would be placed.

“This pond is large enough, and it’s easy to construct—just block the river mouth here and you’re good to go.”

“The water mill can be fully built above the pond. Make foundation pillars in all four directions—east, west, south, north—to build a platform; the pond below, the mill above.”

However, she wasn’t responsible for this part; Lower River Village had to construct the mill house themselves.

The power of a horizontal water wheel is stronger than a vertical one; if it were a vertical water wheel, the terrain requirement wouldn’t be particularly high.

But, to operate two mills and a stone roller simultaneously, a vertical wheel’s power wouldn’t suffice, necessitating a horizontal water wheel instead.

After hearing Qin Yao’s description, Wang Yu realized the water wheel Qin Yao was talking about was different from what he had seen at her place.

“Miss Qin, isn’t the water mill in Lower River Village different from your water mill?”

Qin Yao understood his concern about effectiveness and confidently reassured, “Don’t worry, water wheels come in multiple forms; setting distinct wheels according to terrain, river, and water flow factors optimizes functionality.”

Hearing this offered Wang Yu considerable relief.

With the location decided, and still having time left, Wang Yu directly invited Qin Yao and her companion to his house and called over the village elders so everyone could discuss a plan.

The design plan was already in Qin Yao’s mind, and for easy comprehension, she drew a simple diagram showcasing what everyone needed to be responsible for.

First, she and Liu the carpenter could only commit to the water wheel, grindstone, and stone roller, including labor, materials, and installation.

Secondly, the cost stayed at fifteen taels of silver, not a cent less, and risks of overspending were might be present.

But for this first collaboration, Qin Yao intended a community price.

If Lower River Village could finalize things today and pay a five-tael deposit, the cost would be fifteen taels, and she’d cover any excess cost herself.

Lastly, the main house of the mill needed to be constructed by Lower River Village themselves, she’d provide a blueprint for them to seek a craftsman to build it.

Liu the carpenter listened in silence, nodding in agreement with everything Qin Yao said, then momentarily widened his eyes upon hearing the fifteen-tael community price.

He practiced carpentry himself and knew well enough the timber was merely about two or three taels of silver.

However, he quickly reined in his excitement, merely tucking his hands into his sleeves, trembling slightly in anticipation.

Observing Lower River Village’s people, despite feeling it was costly, they seemed persuaded by Qin Yao, believing the water wheel and stone mill were worth the silver.

Couldn’t help but secretly utter a sigh — too persuasive.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep