Boys! Your good fortune has arrived, the young master has prepared a pile of steamed buns for you! They are made from flour ground from good wheat, and I've also slaughtered a sheep for you, stewed overnight. Where else can you find such a master by lighting a lantern! From now on, whoever dares to make trouble! This old woman will chop up his whole family with a cleaver! All of you, go in and thank the young master! Eat! Then use all your strength for the young master!
Hua Niang stood at the doorway with a cleaver, wiping away tears and shouting loudly.
Trouble follows a widow. Ever since her husband died, she had become increasingly shrewish.
A group of young men were stunned!
They had just received two taels of silver yesterday!
And today, they had fragrant steamed buns and meat to eat early in the morning!
This was something they could not even dream of!
Excited, they followed Hua Niang into the courtyard. As soon as they reached the backyard, they smelled the aroma of meat. Some of them had already drooled!
This is the smell of meat! It's really mutton! I smelled it when I worked for Master Ma!
An excited young man said.
Zhao Hu stood guard with a whip. The four of them, after following Fang Er, directly moved into the Fang residence.
They had personally witnessed Fang Er's arrangements from yesterday.
All of you, behave yourselves! Eat meat, eat buns, and after you're full, work!
As he spoke, Zhao Hu whipped the excited young man.
The young man, after being whipped, didn't get angry. He just sheepishly scratched his head, showed a look of knowing his mistake to Zhao Hu, and then squeezed into the crowd.
A group of people squatted in the courtyard.
They ate steamed buns, accompanied by tender mutton, and occasionally drank a mouthful of broth.
As they ate, some people couldn't help but cry.
Fang Er was also eating. He stood by the kitchen door with his bowl, eating and observing the men's reactions.
Seeing someone cry while eating, Fang Er felt a bit depressed. What was going on, was it that delicious?
He didn't believe it and took another sip of soup. It wasn't that good, he only added salt. How could it be so exaggerated?
Fang Er, holding his bowl, walked over to the man who was crying while eating and nudged his leg with his foot: What's wrong?
The man, seeing Fang Er speaking to him with a bowl in hand, excitedly stood up: Young master, I miss my mother. My mother was beaten to death for stealing a piece of mutton from Master Ma's house!
Alright, stop crying. That Master Ma is to be executed after the autumn harvest, so your mother's revenge is avenged. On your mother's death anniversary this year, go to her grave and slaughter a sheep to properly commemorate her.
Upon hearing the man's words, Fang Er made a promise.
It was just a sheep, nothing major, but for Master Ma to beat someone to death over a piece of mutton was too inhumane. However, since he had already been sentenced to be executed after the autumn harvest, Fang Er had planned to handle it.
Thank you, young master, thank you, young master! My mother will surely rest in peace knowing I have followed you!
The man said with a sob.
Enough, stop crying. Everyone eat. Be full! There's a big job to do today!
After speaking, Fang Er wiped his mouth, handed the empty bowl to Hua Niang by the kitchen door, and went out to the backyard.
The waterwheel was tested and seemed fine.
It had been dismantled into parts and was piled in the front yard.
Seeing that Fang Er had finished eating, the young men wolfed down their food and followed Fang Er to the front yard.
Lift these things, and follow me!
Fang Er pointed at the parts piled on the ground and said to everyone.
These people didn't recognize the items, but since it was the young master's order, they would do as they were told.
Be careful with these! The young master spent the entire day making them yesterday! If anyone dares to scratch or dent them, I won't spare them!
Zhao Hu stood by with his whip, watching everyone.
The group, carrying the wooden frame, marched to the intersection of the Longshou Canal and the irrigation ditch they usually used.
It was three to four li from the Fang residence to the Longshou Canal. Carrying the heavy wooden frame, no one complained of being tired. Some people's shoulders were covered in blisters, but they gritted their teeth and remained silent, following Fang Er on horseback to the edge of the Longshou Canal with the items.
Those who are good swimmers, step forward!
Fang Er dismounted and said to the crowd.
Zhao Hu stepped forward: Young master, we all grew up by this canal, so our swimming skills are not bad. What do you want us to do?
Fang Er pointed at several wooden posts: Drive these into the ground, at least two meters deep!
These wooden posts were all sharpened at one end, and Fang Er had selected them as support pillars.
After speaking, Fang Er took out two pairs of chopsticks and stuck them into the ground, saying: See? Like this, drive them in diagonally. There can be no mistakes.
Young master, tell us where to drive them, and we guarantee no mistakes!
Zhao Hu patted his chest and promised.
Fang Er looked around. There was a sharp bend here, and the water in the Longshou Canal would suddenly accelerate due to the terrain. He pointed: Drive them in right there.
Zhao Hu and Sun Zhou, along with a few others, set up the A-frame ladder prepared by Fang Er and began to work.
The A-frame ladder was three to four meters high, even taller than the waterwheel. Therefore, Fang Er needed to find people who were good swimmers, otherwise, falling into the canal from the ladder would be bad.
Moreover, two of the four pillars had to be on the bank and two in the water, so that the waterwheel could be placed in the water.
The group took turns hammering the wooden pillars. It took a full hour before all four wooden pillars were driven in diagonally to a depth of two meters, meeting Fang Er's requirements.
Looking at the support pillars crossed in pairs, Fang Er began to direct the others to assemble the waterwheel.
As everyone worked together, the waterwheel was slowly assembled. Looking at the waterwheel lying on the ground, Fang Er was filled with anticipation. The rest of them would install the waterwheel onto the support pillars.
The three-meter-high waterwheel was very heavy!
Even though it was made of wood, it still weighed several hundred catties.
Get a few strong ones to lift this upright and place it onto those two frames. Be careful, don't get hit! Pay attention to safety!
Fang Er stood aside and gave the final command to the crowd.
A few young men, slightly older, in their twenties, came out from the crowd.
With the combined effort of seven or eight people, the wheel was easily lifted upright, but placing it onto the frames became a bit difficult.
This required going into the water, and the muddy bottom made it difficult to exert force.
The group waded through the water, and with a flurry of activity, it took nearly half an hour to get the waterwheel onto the support frame.
With a crack! The waterwheel was firmly seated in the pre-reserved groove of the support frame.
Everyone come ashore! Seeing the waterwheel in place, Fang Er gave the final instruction.
The group quickly retreated to the shore.
Before they had all retreated, they heard a creaking sound from the waterwheel.
Then, they saw the waterwheel slowly begin to turn, pushed by the current.