Ziуu fоund thе rеntаl аgenсy whеre she had rented thе house аnd, through аn intеrmediаry’s intrоductiоn, located the mоst skilled woоdworking wоrkshop in Qingyang Prefecture—Ruifu Cаrpentrу.
“Mаster Fu, business is thriving!” Сhеn Zhоngren grееtеd a sрrightly old mаn with а сuрped-hand salutе.
Mastеr Fu glаnсed uр at him, nodded, thеn lowеrеd his hеаd agаin to foсus intentlу on the dеlicatе wоrk in his hands.
“Mr. Сhеn, уоu can discuss anу mаtters with me. My grandfathеr dоesn’t like to bе disturbеd.”
A rоbust уoung mаn arоund twеnty-fivе years old stepped forward with a smile, inviting the two into a dedicated reception room to sit down.
The vast courtyard was piled high with timber and unfinished carpentry projects. About twenty people were working, making it a relatively large-scale workshop.
“Greetings, young master. I’d like to commission two sets of wooden houses. One should be a two-story building with exquisite craftsmanship, and the other should be designed as a rustic farmhouse courtyard,” Ziyu took the initiative to explain.
“What specific requirements do you have, sir? Our workshop frequently builds wooden towers and houses, so these are no trouble at all. May I ask where the construction will take place and how large an area is needed?”
Hearing that two wooden houses were to be built, the young man inquired more thoroughly about the specifics, as the preliminary preparations would require a considerable amount of time. If any unforeseen changes occurred midway, the workshop would be the one to suffer losses.
The two discussed the details for half a day before finally settling on a three-month timeframe for completion.
Ziyu calculated that three months would coincide with the completion of the mud sludge collection work. The houses could then be directly installed in the courtyard she had rented in Shili Village.
“Good, it’s settled then. In three months, I’ll come to take you to the construction site.”
“Thank you for your patronage, sir. An advance deposit of one hundred taels is required first to facilitate our timber procurement.”
With Chen Zhongren acting as a witness, both parties signed the contract, and Ziyu paid the 100-tael deposit.
Ziyu also paid an additional two hundred taels to commission two sets of rosewood furniture, while the furniture for the small courtyard could be purchased as ordinary pieces later.
Having accomplished a major task, Ziyu immediately set off again to collect trees and fruit trees.
To transform the dimensional space, Ziyu remained busy every day, but she still made an effort to spend time with Ziluo whenever possible. She had noticed that the little one lacked a sense of security, often welling up with tears—on the verge of falling—each time she saw her off.
But for the sake of long-term plans, Ziyu had to attend to certain matters, leaving each time with a heavy heart.
As the two spent more time together, Ziyu had fully accepted the clingy little one, regarding him as her only family.
…
Late March, the twenty-ninth year of Tianqing.
The two wooden houses Ziyu had commissioned now stood within the dimensional space. The rustic farmhouse courtyard was placed at the edge of the planted trees, while the two-story wooden tower was positioned in front of the large villa.
Inside the wooden tower, a complete set of rosewood furniture was arranged, with high beds, soft pillows, and all daily necessities fully provided.
Snow-white silk was used for the curtains, and a comfortable breeze gently rustled the genuine silk, causing it to sway softly.
The five-hundred-mu Gobi dimensional space, after three months of Ziyu’s transformation, had turned into fertile land.
Having money makes things easier—a principle applicable in any era.
Trees, fruit trees, poultry, a fish pond, two hundred mu of sprouted wheat, one hundred mu of rice paddies, and one hundred mu of breeding grounds formed an ecological, natural space.
Thanks to the multi-functional agricultural machinery, farm work here had become much simpler.
The furniture and all necessary items in the rustic farmhouse courtyard were also prepared. Now, what was missing were willing reclusive cooks, seamstresses, and farmwives.
Yes, Ziyu wanted to purchase a few women to bring into the dimensional space, as some tasks inside still required manual management.
She couldn’t possibly handle every task herself, and this dimensional space couldn’t be entirely controlled through mental power alone.
Apart from storing items herself, everything else required manual effort.
As the dimensional space regained vitality, a sweet spring emerged from the reservoir—something that hadn’t existed before—which conveniently solved the drinking water issue within the space.
After all Ziyu’s efforts, she had spent less than five thousand taels of silver, a mere grain of sand compared to the millions in gold and silver.
…
With the dimensional space settled, Ziyu began contemplating a trip to Shangdu Prefecture, mainly to see the overseas merchants there.
Ziyu was someone who acted on impulse. She entrusted the household to Chen Da’s care and set out alone with Ziluo.
Along the way, Ziluo was as excited as a bird freed from its cage, chattering nonstop by the carriage window, having long forgotten the two playmates he’d left behind at home.
“Brother, the wind is warm!” Ziluo exclaimed in wonder, stretching out his little hand to feel the breeze.
“Not just warm—it’s salty too. Want to taste it?” Ziyu teased him.
Taking it seriously, Ziluo actually stuck out his tongue to lick the air, then nodded solemnly after a moment.
“Brother, it really is salty!”
“Haha, you’re improving!”
Pleased by Ziyu’s praise, Xiao Luo redoubled his efforts to taste the wind with his tongue, looking as silly as a little puppy.
…
Shangdu Prefecture, though a port city, wasn’t as large as Ziyu had imagined—only about half the size of Jiang Prefecture.
Most buildings were stone houses, with few of the wooden structures common on the plains of Jiang Prefecture. Due to the high humidity near the sea, wooden houses weren’t practical here.
The houses lining the streets were noticeably shorter, and passersby—both men and women—mostly had dark complexions.
The port was still over twenty li away from Shangdu Prefecture. From what Ziyu had learned through inquiries, a bustling market was held there every three months.
This was because ships sailing to nearby coastal nations returned every three months—these were medium-sized vessels engaged in trade.
Larger ships sailing to distant seas took a full year to return. Such vessels were typically trade ships dispatched by major families themselves.
Every year when the large ships returned to port, overseas merchant vessels would follow them to Baiyun Kingdom. These details were no secret in Shangdu Prefecture.
Ziyu spent just two taels of silver to gather all this information from the waiter at the inn where she was staying.
Their timing was perfect: there were still fifteen days until the large ships returned to port, and some daring merchant caravans had already been waiting for days.
…
In March, Shangdu Prefecture enjoyed gentle breezes and warm sunshine, with sea winds carrying the scent of the ocean.
Waves lapped softly against the shore, while schools of fish of all sizes swam among the reefs in the colorful seabed.
Tangled seaweed stretched out long, verdant arms, winding around beautiful coral and swaying to the rhythm of the sea.
Seagulls danced on light wings, riding the mild spring breeze as they soared freely.
The only flaw was the backward fishing villages, which marred the beauty of the endless azure sea.
With time to spare, Ziyu drove the mule cart with Ziluo to a stretch of sandy beach, where seaweed washed ashore by the waves was everywhere.
Not far away, several children carrying small buckets were searching for something in the sand.
Having watched countless beachcombing videos, Ziyu was also ready to show off her skills, which might just bring her an unexpected surprise.
Truly, fortunes shift like the tides, and this time, luck had finally turned in Ziyu’s favor.