Transmigrated into a minor official in a county government, with children at home waiting for rice t

Zhang Sanlang looked around and found that the octagonal table in the main room had been wiped clean, and the dust on the long table had been wiped away, but there was a crack in the long table leg, the tabletop was worn and mottled, and several pieces of the edge were chipped off.

He reached out and pushed the table, causing it to wobble.

This thing needs to be replaced.

He turned and went to the backyard.

Carpenter He was squatting by the door, planing wood, and wood shavings rolled up and fell all over the ground.

"Brother He," Zhang Sanlang sat down on the threshold, "I need your help with something."

Carpenter He looked up, placed the plane on his knees, and grinned, "Sanlang, just say what's on your mind."

"I just moved into the main house, and the living room and bedroom are lacking things. The long table needs to be replaced, there aren't enough chairs, and I'm also missing a cabinet, a washbasin stand, and a dressing table. I don't know much about these things, so Brother He, please help me arrange them."

Carpenter He stood up, brushed the sawdust off his knees, and followed Zhang Sanlang to the main room.

He walked around the main room, pinched the legs of the long table, and looked at the eight-immortal table. He walked up to the long table, reached out and pressed it, and the long table creaked and shook a few times.

"This table is no good. My legs are giving out; it won't last more than a few days." Carpenter He squatted down, pointing to the tenon joint under the table. "Look, the tenon is loose; even if you hammer it in, it won't hold. We need to replace it with a new one."

Zhang Sanlang leaned against the doorframe. "What kind do you want to change it to?"

"The main room needs to be impressive." Carpenter He stood up and gestured. "A table with upturned ends, the kind that curves up at both ends, made of elm wood, sturdy and inexpensive."

"An incense burner is placed in the center of the long table, with vases on either side. A pair of candlesticks are placed in front of the incense burner for red candles during festivals and celebrations."

He walked to the two walls on either side, looked around, and said, “We should put chairs against the wall. Put four armchairs or round-backed chairs on each side, and a tea table in the middle. Put a tall flower stand in the corner, with potted plants on it. Lay reed mats or cattail mats on the ground, and wealthy families will use felt carpets.”

After finishing his sentence, Carpenter He scratched his head and said, "This set will cost quite a bit of money."

Zhang Sanlang did not respond immediately.

He mentally calculated that there were many expenses in December, but the main room was a matter of appearance and couldn't be too shabby. He nodded, "The necessary expenses must be paid. But approximately how much will it cost?"

Carpenter He counted on his fingers, "An elm wood table with upturned ends costs eight hundred cash. A bronze incense burner, a celadon vase, and bronze candlesticks—all of these together cost one or two strings of cash."

"Eight folding chairs, four hundred cash each, three strings of cash for two hundred cash. One tea table, three hundred cash. Two tall flower tables, three hundred cash. As for reed mats, with such a large main room, they'll cost three hundred cash each."

Carpenter He calculated it again, "It should be at least six or seven strings of cash."

Zhang Sanlang nodded. "We need to add a bedroom too."

Carpenter He followed him into the east room.

A straw mat was laid on the kang (heated brick bed) in the east room, and the quilts were folded in the corner, leaving the wall empty. Zhang Sanlang pointed to the wall and said, "We need to build a row of kang cabinets to store quilts and clothes. We also need a dressing table; the three girls are growing up and can't always be squatting on the floor combing their hair."

Carpenter He glanced at the length of the wall. "Three sets of kang cabinets, one set costs 150 coins, three sets cost 450 coins. A dressing table with a bronze mirror costs one string. As for small items like combs, you can buy them ready-made at a shop; one or two hundred coins will be enough."

"Where's the embroidered stool?" Zhang Sanlang remembered that Lin Xiuer couldn't reach the dressing table and needed a stool.

Carpenter He nodded. "Embroidered stools, about a hundred coins each. Also, make three small wooden boxes, one for each person to store their personal belongings. Fifty coins for each small wooden box."

Zhang Sanlang then led him into the west room.

There was no kang (heated brick bed) in the west room, but a large wooden bed against the wall, left by Zhou Qing and his wife. A small desk that Carpenter He had made for Qing Ge was placed by the window.

He glanced at it and said, "I'd like to put a large desk next to it for work."

Carpenter He measured the space along the wall. "A large elmwood table with drawers, three feet wide and eight feet long. It will cost one string of cash and two hundred coins. A chair, two hundred coins."

Zhang Sanlang thought of the corridor, "We also need two washbasin stands. One inside for the maids, and one outside."

Carpenter He waved his hand, "The washbasin stand is simple; I made it in no time."

After the discussion was nearly complete, Zhang Sanlang added up the numbers again.

That's almost ten strings of cash, it really hurts!

"Which of these items can Brother He make, and which need to be bought from the shop?" Zhang Sanlang asked, looking at Carpenter He.

Carpenter He counted on his fingers, "I can make all of these: upturned-end tables, folding chairs, tea tables, flower stands, kang cabinets, dressing tables, embroidered stools, wooden boxes, washbasin stands, large tables, and chairs."

"Bronze incense burner, vase, candlestick, reed mat, bronze mirror, comb, you have to go to the shop to buy them."

"Then let's split it up." Zhang Sanlang gritted his teeth. "I'll give you ten strings of cash. Brother He, go buy the materials first. You can do what you can. If you can't, you can buy ready-made materials from the shop for me. The wages will be calculated separately."

Carpenter He waved his hands repeatedly, "What I just mentioned were the prices for ready-made items. For the things I can make, I estimate the material cost will be around three strings of cash. The other items that need to be purchased will cost two strings, so I can get everything I need for five strings in total."

He Liu was standing at the door at some point, holding a jar of pickled vegetables in her hand.

Her eyes lit up when she heard the words "five strings of cash." She put the pickled vegetable jar on the table and hurried over. "Zhang Qianxing, don't worry. My husband will do what he can, and I'll go to the shop to pick out what he can't make."

Then, Mrs. He remembered something, "Although it's a move from the east wing to the main house, it's still a housewarming celebration, so we should have a good meal. I have a few old hens in my backyard; I'll catch one and make soup for the children."

As she spoke, she walked briskly toward the backyard, as if afraid that Zhang Sanlang would refuse.

Zhang Sanlang quickly called out to her, "Sister-in-law He, how can I accept this? The chicken is meant to lay eggs; you've helped me so much, and I haven't even thanked you yet."

Without turning her head, He Liu waved her hand and said, "What kind of eggs are you going to lay? You've given me so much work, enough to buy dozens of chickens. What's one old hen? Don't be so polite with me."

Before long, she returned with a little hen. Its legs were tied with straw rope, and its wings flapped a few times while it clucked.

She placed the chicken at the kitchen doorway, patted the feathers off her hands, and said, "Zhang Qianxing, you're busy. Don't worry about my husband's work. I'm going back to heat up his food."

Carpenter He followed behind, nodded to Zhang Sanlang, and went back to the backyard with He Liushi.

Just then, Old Sun returned from packing up his stall. The iron pan was still hot, and there were a few pieces of fried tofu left. Old Sun wrapped them in lotus leaves and was about to give them to Qing Ge and the others.

Zhang Sanlang stepped forward and thanked him with a smile, saying, "Uncle Sun, I've spoken to He Lantou at the dock, and your accommodation tax and fees have been waived."

Old Sun was stunned for a moment, "How could I possibly accept this..."

"What's there to be embarrassed about? It's not like I'm paying for it; He Lantou is just doing me a favor."

Old Sun grinned and pushed his wheelbarrow to a stop under the eaves.