About a dozen li from Qingniu Town lay a gorge of breathtaking natural beauty, ringed on three sides by mountains.
Two streams ran down the hillsides, converging at the foot of the mountains to form a small lake, then winding their way out of the gorge in lazy, twisting curves.
According to the system, this site was ideally situated — nestled against the mountains with water close at hand. The hill at its back promised solid support and a flourishing household.
Water signified wealth, and here the water was auspicious: you could neither see where it came nor where it went, meandering in nine unhurried bends, flowing without a sound.
The water mouth had a sandbar — round and plump and full — a portent of incoming riches.
The hills flanking the gorge on the left and right were the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger — brothers, benefactors, and pillars of support.
The open ground before the site was broad and generous, foretelling a bright future ahead.
This was undoubtedly a place of supreme feng shui. It was more than sufficient to bring prosperity to an entire village or clan.
Zhao Baihui felt that the hundred coins had been very well spent.
So he hired the largest construction crew in Qingniu Town and brought several dozen men out to the site.
"Boss Wang, thank you for making the trip!"
"Master Zhao, rest assured — I've been in this trade for half my life. I'll do exactly as you require, and the result will only be better than you expect, never worse."
"Your reputation speaks for itself, Boss Wang. I trust you completely."
Zhao Baihui had paid one hundred coins to locate the auspicious site, and another hundred to have the system draw up the plans.
He then made a few adjustments according to his own wishes and ideas.
In the end, he decided to build his residence at the foot of the mountain, close to the small lake.
According to the plan, the northern half of the lake — the body of water roughly one kilometre wide and three kilometres long — would serve as his private domain, while the southern shore across the water would eventually become a commercial district.
For now, he intended to build a private courtyard compound of roughly one mu — large enough to live in for the time being.
A grand manor would come in time.
For now, a humble earthen compound would do.
He left ample space to the rear and on both sides for future expansion.
One mu was about a thousand square metres. The plan called for a three-courtyard compound containing approximately thirty rooms in total.
The front courtyard would eventually house the hands, farmworkers, and servants.
The middle courtyard would serve as an office, though it might accommodate residents as well.
The rear courtyard would be his own quarters, shared with his maids, and would also serve as a storeroom for valuables.
The construction alone would cost roughly ten taels of silver in labour — the equivalent of twenty days' stipend.
And that was with most of the materials sourced directly from the surrounding land.
Furniture and furnishings could be sorted out later, added gradually over time.
The work site buzzed with activity. Dozens of men set to work at once — some laying walls, some felling timber, some gathering dry grass, and a few others cooking — all moving in smooth, orderly fashion under Boss Wang's direction.
The skeleton of the building took shape before their eyes.
In just over ten days, the three-courtyard compound was complete.
Needless to say, there were no carved railings or jade-white steps — not even the modest dignity of grey brick and white tile.
The courtyard walls, though two metres high, were made of packed earth, and the timber beams cut from the hillside were the most valuable things about the place.
Still — it was a roof over their heads, and that was something.
When the four maids arrived and set eyes on it, not one of them could hide her excitement.
"Master, will this really be our very own home from now on?"
"Yes. The compound is rough, but once we have money, we can always tear it down and build something finer."
"Come — let's go to the rear courtyard. Everyone pick a room, then we'll ask Boss Wang to bring some furniture, and we can move right in."
【Ding — a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Congratulations on establishing a permanent base of operations. Reward: one team-tier lottery draw.】
"Ha! Another lottery draw — and this time I can actually use it."
According to its description, the system's lottery function was both rare and immensely powerful.
It could even be directed toward a specific target based on one's needs.
The draw he had received when first activating the system had sat unused all this time — he had been saving it for a critical moment.
Or a dangerous one.
"Still need to make money. That ramshackle compound alone cost me twenty days' stipend. Going forward I'll need to hire people to clear land, and all sorts of other things — funds are running short."
"Give me a lottery draw. I want something simple, easy to operate, and profitable."
【Drawing now — congratulations! You have won one integrated distillation unit. Please select a designated placement location.】
"Hold on. Let me think about where to put it first."
Zhao Baihui was a little disappointed. He had been hoping for some kind of technique — something spectacularly lucrative, like the method for evaporating seawater into salt.
Or at the very least, some technology for producing another rare and coveted commodity.
Zhao Baihui wandered into the rear courtyard, where the maids were chirping and chattering as they squabbled over rooms.
His idea was straightforward enough: there were plenty of rooms, so everyone should have one to herself.
But in the end, the maids chose to share — two to a room.
Jinyi and Jinyuan took one room; the other two, the slightly lazier pair, took another.
The brand-new Zhao household was as new as could be — new enough to have rooms but no windows or doors yet, let alone furniture or furnishings.
But now that the rooms had been chosen, Boss Wang would send men to fit out these few rooms first; the rest could follow at leisure.
After giving Boss Wang his instructions, Zhao Baihui hired a carriage and headed back to Qingniu Town with his four maids.
The compound was built — now they needed to pick out beds, furniture, and the like, then arrange for everything to be hauled out there.
The task was not only time-consuming but expensive.
Fortunately, Zhao Baihui the grain merchant had more than enough stock on hand, selling off roughly one tael's worth of grain every two days.
The steady supply had recently pushed rice prices in Qingniu Town down by a full wen, and the grain-shop owners were beginning to grumble.
Several more days passed. Windows and doors were fitted in the rear courtyard rooms, and the space was furnished and made liveable.
A carriage trundled up to the gates of the Zhao compound, and four maids practically leapt from it, their faces alight with excitement.
Zhao Baihui climbed down behind them at a more leisurely pace.
"Master, is this really going to be our home from now on?"
"That's right — this is our home. The Zhao family home!"
The maids' faces flushed a deep, happy red.
Jinxiu and Jinwen couldn't wait another moment; they flung open the gate and dashed toward the rear courtyard.
Behind them, a flatbed cart pulled up, piled high with bed boards. Besides the driver, four slight, wiry men followed alongside.
"Master Zhao, where would you like these beds placed?"
"Jinyi — take care of it. Find five rooms in the front courtyard and five in the middle, and get these ten beds set up."
"Yes, Master." It was the first time Jinyi had ever directed anyone other than her younger sisters through some small task, and she felt a flicker of nervous excitement.
Jinyi was thirteen years old. Over the past month of good food and proper rest, the pallor had long since left her face and been replaced by a healthy flush.
To Zhao Baihui she was still just a young girl — but by the standards of the age, a girl her age was nearly grown.
It was perfectly ordinary at this time for women to marry and bear children at fourteen or fifteen.
And Jinyi had a new set of clothes on top of it all.
Plain cloth, to be sure — but clean, unpatched, and new, which not just anyone could afford.
She looked every bit the maid of a prosperous household; walking down the street, she was the sort of girl that ordinary shopkeepers would envy.
The lead labourer, dressed in clothes that were grimy and worn, barely dared look up when he spoke to her. He said with a touch of awkwardness, "Miss Jinyi, we'll do whatever you say. Where should all this go?"
Miss Jinyi. Ha.
A small thrill leapt in Jinyi's heart — but her face gave nothing away.
She couldn't embarrass the Master.
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