Chapter 94: Not A Bad Layout

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The maids were busy moving chairs and tables to the courtyard, and the cook brewed tea and placed it on the table.

Qiao Mai put down her embroidery and smiled at them.

“You must be tired. Sit down and have some tea.”

“What’s all this about?”

“I’ve hired over ten servants. Three are in the front shops, and these few work at home during the day and stay in the house behind the shop at night. They’ll move in once the house is ready.”

“You should have hired two maids long ago to look after Ling’er. She’s too young to be left alone.”

“It’s not too late for that.

Yuan Jiaqi felt uncomfortable with the sudden addition of so many women in the house.

Old Master Wang noticed this. Feng’er and the other two children also felt uncomfortable. However, in the Wang household, there were servants, so it wasn’t as noticeable.

“This place is small. You’d feel scared living in a big house without all these people. Remember, in a big mansion, you can’t have too few people, or you won’t be able to control it, and it will attract negative energy.” “Master, do you also study Feng Shui?”

“Well, I’ve dabbled in it a bit. What are we having for lunch today?”

“The cook is preparing it right now. You should rest for a while. I’ll prepare some fruit for you.”

Upon hearing this, Feng’er immediately stood up. “Mother, I’ll go. You stay with Master. ”

The three younger ones quickly got up and headed to the warehouse. They knew where everything was, and even Ling’er clamored to go with her older brothers.

Listening to the quails in the eastern wing of the house, Old Mister Wang asked, “Is there a place for them in the new mansion?”

“There’s a dedicated area for raising quails, one for raising chickens and ducks, and another for raising deer. We’ll also keep two dairy cows.”

“With so many animals, won’t the mansion smell bad?”

“They’ll be kept in a corner at the back. There’s a five-acre field behind the house. When it’s time, we can burn the manure with the straw to use as fertilizer for the land.

“I didn’t expect you to know about farming.”

“Well, how do you think you could have fresh vegetables in the winter?”

“You sure know how to argue.”

“I’m telling the truth.”

“Hmph!”

Lunch was served in the courtyard, with the maids and servants eating in the kitchen. While their meals were different from the masters’, it wasn’t much of a difference.

There was still fish and meat. Since they came to Qiao Mai’s house, they had all put on some weight.

After lunch, Qiao Mai took them to the new house, explaining as they walked.

“There are eight shops in the front, and they haven’t been rented out yet. I plan to take one for my business. The mansion is designed in a hundred-character shape, and the architect said the layout was good. We didn’t make many changes to the blueprint.”

Old Mister Wang, who had read many books and had knowledge about houses, nodded in agreement. “The layout is indeed good.”

“We started with the interior rooms first, and next will be the construction of the main gate and the courtyard. The walls will be built last.”

“Building the walls consumes more bricks than the houses.”

“That’s true, but it’s worth it. Compared to the houses, the walls are easier to repair. What are these two sides for?”

“One side is for planting pomegranate trees, symbolizing a prosperous family with many descendants.”

“Yes, and in the middle, there should be a pond to replace the ornamental wall, right?”

“That’s right. Ornamental walls are too common. Having mountains and water is in line with Feng Shui principles.”

“You sure know quite a bit. What about over there? Is it a corner room?”

“No, that’s the kitchen, a small courtyard for the cook to live in. It’s more convenient this way. There’s an icehouse and a well inside. The house across is for the servants and has a well for washing. In the middle is the reception hall, with rooms on either side for various purposes.”

“Hmm, it looks quite spacious. When there’s no one around, you can even hold classes in the courtyard, which would be nice for them to get some fresh air.”

Entering the central courtyard with six courtyards neatly arranged, with blue bricks and green tiles, it was a pleasing sight compared to the typical mansion layout.

At this moment, workers were busy installing doors and windows. Old Mister

Wang entered the courtyard and nodded in approval of the layout.

“Did you design this?”

“Yes, each courtyard has a surrounding corridor. I heard this layout is called ‘Four Waters Return to the Hall,’ which is auspicious and convenient. When it rains, you can walk around the rooms and enjoy the rain from the corridor.”

Old Mister Wang stared at her. “Yes, a residence should be comfortable.”

“There are six courtyards. You can choose one, and I’ll assign two maids to serve you.”

“No need. I’ll bring two from home when the mansion is built.”

“That works. When it’s built, in addition to our family, my good sister will also move in.”

“I heard from Ruler that she’s a friendly woman. She saved you back then. It’s right to be grateful.”

Finally, they arrived at the back, where her own residence was, even grander than the front reception hall.

“This is where I live, with the same layout as the front reception hall.”

Old Mister Wang nodded but didn’t enter. He turned left. “What’s this area for?”

“A playground for the children, with slides, a merry-go-round, seesaws, and other facilities. There’s a small house here for raising quails and chickens, with space for around a thousand quails and over a hundred chickens.”

Old Mister Wang raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment. He moved to the right and asked, “And what’s this for?”

“This is a martial arts training ground for physical exercise. A craftsman is currently making fitness equipment. The building and the space next to it are for raising ducks, geese, and deer.”

“Why on earth are you raising deer?”

“Raising deer has many benefits. We can sell their antlers, blood, and other valuable parts. A deer’s body is a treasure trove of medicinal uses. However, I won’t kill them. If I want to use them for medicine, I’ll wait for them to die naturally. I also plan to raise some sika deer, maybe extract musk from them each year; these things are quite valuable at the apothecary.”

Yuan Jiaqi saw how she talked about making money with such enthusiasm, her eyes lighting up. He felt tempted.

Old Mister Wang snorted, “If you have the money, go ahead.”

Finally, they reached the edge of the five-acre field at the back. Old Mister Wang remarked, “The wheat is growing quite tall.”

“Yes, I had the workers help me weed and water the field when they had some free time. I didn’t pay much attention to it, but I plan to plant something else once we harvest the wheat. Growing grains would starve me.”

“I remember you didn’t have land before, but you were still doing well.”

“Hehe, of course. I’m best at business.’

After touring the mansion, Old Mister Wang returned to the Qiao residence. Although he appeared calm on the surface, he couldn’t settle his mind.

The mansion’s layout was too reasonable, and even he couldn’t help but want to renovate his own house.

A mansion spanning thirty acres of land required significant resources, financial and natural. The arrangement of trees and buildings was well-planned, and he couldn’t wait for it to be completed so that he could see it for himself.

Qiao Mai had a purpose in raising animals. She kept guard dogs for security, and the other animals were meant to generate income. The cows were for milk, and their waste served as fertilizer for the land.

She liked animals but had principles. She didn’t believe in killing them. Instead, she wanted them to create wealth and value for her.

If Yuan Jiaqi and his children continued to advance and the children excelled academically, each step would require resources. Without money, how could they succeed?

By accumulating a family fortune early on, they could be prepared for future needs.

Yuan Jiaqi became even more insecure after seeing the mansion. Qiao Mai could make money, and in such a short time, she had hired over ten servants and acquired a large house. He and his three children felt like freeloaders.

They would feel like they had disappointed Qiao Mai if they couldn’t pass their exams.

The blow had been too significant for him, and he remained silent. However, the children were excited. They could now live in a large mansion.

Old Mister Wang noticed this and took Yuan Jiaqi aside.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Your strength lies in your education. As long as you excel in your studies, you can also become powerful. Being weak now doesn’t mean you’ll be weak in the future. She may have money, but without powerful backing and influence, it won’t be enough. In the future, you can be her support, protecting her and the children.”

Yuan Jiaqi took a deep breath and said solemnly, “I will work hard, Master.”

“Remember, there will always be someone better than you. Don’t become arrogant or impatient. Stay true to your initial aspirations.”

“Yes, Teacher!”

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