“This is incredible!”
The two apprentices crowded around Master Liu, practically jumping with excitement.
“Master, our carpenter’s shop is saved!”
One of the more talkative apprentices couldn’t hold back any longer and immediately revealed the reason for their excitement.
“Miss Song, to be honest, our previous major shareholder had a falling out with Master a few days ago.”
He scratched his head sheepishly.
“If we couldn’t find new investment this month, we wouldn’t even have enough silver to buy lumber.”
His face turned bitter.
“By next month, the shop would have been finished.”
Master Liu’s face darkened instantly.
Smack!
Smack!
He delivered a slap to the back of each apprentice’s head.
“Shut your mouths!”
He glared at them.
“Are the two of you looking for a beating?”
Song Xiaoyu smiled faintly.
“You don’t need to explain, Master Liu.”
Her gaze was calm.
“I can already guess what happened.”
Master Liu looked surprised.
Song Xiaoyu continued,
“You’re an honest and principled craftsman.”
“In all likelihood, the previous shareholder wanted you to do something you found unacceptable.”
The talkative apprentice immediately pointed at her in excitement.
“Exactly!”
Then he quickly took several steps back to avoid being kicked again.
“Our master is the best carpenter in the entire county.”
He sighed dramatically.
“The only problem is that he’s too stubborn.”
“The previous shareholder wanted him to carve ornate patterns onto chamber pots and toilet buckets for wealthy nobles.”
The apprentice looked utterly bewildered.
“Those rich people spend silver like water!”
“But Master refused no matter what.”
He spread his hands.
“Eventually, the shareholder got angry and left.”
Before he could say another word, Master Liu’s foot connected squarely with his backside.
“Get lost!”
The apprentice yelped and fled.
“Go work in the workshop!”
…
Song Xiaoyu nearly laughed.
Decorating chamber pots with intricate carvings was certainly a unique preference.
Still, she could understand Master Liu’s position.
As a traditional craftsman who took pride in his work, he simply couldn’t force himself to do something he considered degrading to his craft.
She took out forty taels of silver and placed them on the table.
“Master Liu, this is my investment.”
The room instantly fell silent.
Song Xiaoyu continued calmly,
“After becoming a shareholder, I’ll visit periodically to inspect sales.”
“Every six months, we’ll review the accounts.”
“At the end of the year, we’ll divide profits according to our agreement.”
Then she pointed toward the wheelchair.
“Also, future wheelchairs shouldn’t all be the same size.”
Master Liu nodded thoughtfully.
Song Xiaoyu elaborated,
“There should be different versions for children, adults, and the elderly.”
“We can customize dimensions according to the customer’s height and build.”
The more Master Liu listened, the brighter his eyes became.
By the end, he was staring at her as though she were some kind of rare treasure.
For several moments, he remained speechless.
Only when Song Xiaoyu lightly waved a hand in front of him did he finally snap back to reality.
“Miss Song…”
His voice carried genuine admiration.
“To possess such business talent at your age…”
He shook his head in amazement.
“Your future is limitless.”
He stood up immediately.
“I gladly accept your investment.”
With obvious enthusiasm, he gestured toward the inner room.
“Come.”
“We’ll draft the partnership contract right now.”
…
After signing the agreement, Song Xiaoyu began inspecting the shop’s existing inventory.
As she walked around, she quickly noticed a major problem.
Whether it was small items like stools and storage boxes or larger products such as doors, windows, cabinets, and tables, every single piece shared the same issue.
They were plain.
Far too plain.
There wasn’t the slightest hint of originality.
If the shop had no competitors, quality alone might have been enough.
But there were seven or eight carpenter shops operating throughout the county.
To stand out, they needed innovation.
Earlier, she had passed several rival shops.
Their furniture featured beautiful carvings and decorative designs.
The difference in customer traffic had been obvious.
The Great Sheng Dynasty possessed a rigid social hierarchy, yet people’s appreciation for beauty was surprisingly widespread.
Even common households cared about aesthetics.
While most couldn’t afford luxurious carved masterpieces, many still preferred furniture with tasteful decorative elements.
A modest floral design on a dressing table could immediately attract attention.
A beautifully carved chair could easily outsell a plain one.
…
“Master Liu.”
Song Xiaoyu called him over.
“I have another suggestion.”
Master Liu immediately pulled out a notebook.
“Please continue.”
“From now on, carve auspicious phrases into some of the furniture.”
Master Liu blinked.
“Auspicious phrases?”
Song Xiaoyu nodded.
“Things like ‘May All Things Go According to Your Wishes’ or ‘Peace and Happiness.'”
She smiled.
“When selling them, tell customers the furniture carries blessings for the household.”
Master Liu’s eyes widened.
That idea had never occurred to him.
Song Xiaoyu continued,
“As for dressing tables used by women, carve elegant floral patterns.”
“For scholars’ desks, use bamboo motifs.”
She tapped a tabletop nearby.
“You could even engrave famous poems.”
“Customers would feel they’re bringing a sense of refinement into their homes.”
The apprentices listening nearby became increasingly excited.
Song Xiaoyu wasn’t finished.
“Start by creating sample pieces.”
“Later, customers can request customized designs.”
The moment she finished speaking, everyone in the workshop stared at her in stunned silence.
Master Liu finally let out a long breath.
“Wonderful.”
He hurriedly wrote everything down.
“Absolutely wonderful.”
Then he looked up.
“Miss Song, please leave your address.”
“If any matters arise, we’ll need a way to contact you.”
Song Xiaoyu provided the location of Tianshui Village.
Only then did she leave with her family.
…
The newly built wheelchair immediately proved its value.
Song Beichen sat comfortably inside while Song Wen and Song Wu took turns pushing him.
Compared to carrying him on their backs, the effort required was reduced by more than half.
By the time all their business in town was completed, the sun was already beginning to set.
They hurried toward the city gates.
If they missed the donkey cart returning to the village, they would have no way home before nightfall.
Fortunately, they arrived in time.
Wang Daquan quickly urged the donkey forward.
The cart raced along the road.
Nobody wanted to be stranded outside after dark.
The wilderness wasn’t safe.
Bandits and wild beasts were both genuine threats.
…
During the ride home, an elderly widow surnamed Luo sat opposite them.
She had lost her children many years ago and lived alone in the village.
Her gaze remained fixed on Song Beichen’s wheelchair throughout the journey.
Finally, she couldn’t resist asking,
“Xiao Rong, what kind of chair is that?”
Her cloudy eyes were filled with curiosity.
“I swear I saw it moving by itself earlier.”
Zhou Rong instantly beamed with pride.
“My daughter designed it.”
She couldn’t hide the joy in her voice.
“She couldn’t bear seeing her father struggle with crutches.”
“Now, even if nobody is around to help, he can still move about on his own.”
The pride practically radiated from her face.
After all, her daughter was the smartest girl in the entire village.
As her mother, how could she not be proud?
Old Matriarch Luo sighed enviously.
“You two are truly blessed.”
“To have such a filial daughter.”
Seeing the longing in the old woman’s eyes, Song Xiaoyu smiled.
“Grandma Luo.”
“If you’d like one, I’ll have a wheelchair delivered to you after production begins.”
She grinned.
“Consider it helping me test the product.”
Old Matriarch Luo immediately saw through her intentions.
Her wrinkled face softened into a warm smile.
“You sweet girl.”
She shook her head.
“You’re just looking for an excuse to give one to an old woman like me.”
Then she reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small pouch.
“Still, I won’t take it for free.”
She pressed the silver into Song Xiaoyu’s hands.
“This is the money I earned selling eggs today.”
“Consider it a deposit.”
The old woman’s voice became firm.
“I’ll also bring wild vegetables and eggs to your house.”
“I’ll keep paying until the balance is settled.”
Zhou Rong hurriedly tried to return the money.
“Auntie Luo, that’s unnecessary.”
“You live alone. How could we take your silver?”
But Old Matriarch Luo refused.
In the end, Zhou Rong reluctantly accepted it, silently deciding to send extra food to the old woman whenever possible.
The village had several elderly people living alone.
Whenever circumstances allowed, the villagers always tried to help them.
…
By the time they returned to Tianshui Village, it was already time to prepare dinner.
The supplies they had purchased formed a small mountain inside the house.
There was grain.
Vegetables.
Fresh pork.
Chicken.
Duck.
They had even bought five chirping chicks and six ducklings.
Since they hadn’t found any goslings for sale, they would settle for raising chickens and ducks first.
Once grown, they would provide both eggs and meat.
…
Carrying the ingredients into the yard, Song Xiaoyu walked over to their newly built cooking area.
The “stove” consisted of two massive stones that Song Wen and Song Wu had hauled home.
Working quickly and efficiently, she soon prepared a large pot of hand-pulled noodles with sliced pork and fresh vegetables.
The aroma filled the yard.
As the family gathered around the wooden table and ate together, they all felt as though they were living in a dream.
Their food supplies had multiplied several times over.
Their household wealth had grown dramatically.
Most importantly, they now possessed enough provisions to survive even if famine truly arrived.
The thatched cottage remained the same humble cottage.
Nothing about its appearance had changed.
Yet within the hearts of everyone sitting around that table, a powerful sense of security had quietly taken root.