Chapter 79: Doing Some Basic Construction

Chen Wuji watched Yuan Jinshi and Licentiate Yuan handling the Wolf Badger there, but his thoughts drifted to Yunan City; something big must have happened in Yunan recently.

The Imperial City Department wouldn't come to this remote place without reason.

The Emperor's spies, once they move, it must be an earth‑shattering event.

What could it be?

Bandit Refugees? Or officials?

At that moment, Huo Sanniang stepped out of the main gate and handed a few pieces of broken Silver to Chen Wuji, "San Shu just came by and said it was a reward from the Xianya."

Chen Wuji glanced, "Wife, you keep it."

He already has a fair amount of Silver on him; it's not enough for big affairs, but it's sufficient to handle the few things he wants to do lately.

"Then I'll keep it for now," Huo Sanniang didn't refuse much, paused, and said, "Wuji, I want to find someone to repair the courtyard wall; it's noisy outside, and our wall is so low, it never feels solid."

"It does need fixing; I'll look for someone later," Chen Wuji said.

The current courtyard wall isn't especially low—about a little over two meters—but a nimble person can easily use a bit of force to climb over, so it's not secure enough.

"Can we ask the Clan Interior people to help?" Huo Sanniang asked with a hint of curiosity, "The Clan Interior has helped us so much; we need to spend some Silver at home, and it makes no sense to let outsiders earn that money."

"Fine." Chen Wuji readily agreed.

It's just a small job that can be finished in two or three days; if someone from the Clan Interior is free, that would be best.

Yuan Jinshi brought over the skinned Wolf Badger hide and said, "Wuji brother, take a look, is it okay?"

Chen Wuji nodded, "Wife, give them both some Millet and let them take it back."

"Mm." Huo Sanniang had no objection to Chen Wuji's arrangement and turned to enter the courtyard.

"No, Wuji brother, we haven't finished yet…" Yuan Jinshi cut off his sentence and hurried away; he just wanted Chen Wuji to check first.

Chen Wuji observed everything and was quite pleased with their performance.

They worked diligently and carefully, and also had good insight.

If those two youngsters weren't so skinny and couldn't bear heavy labor, he actually wanted to assign the wall repair to the two of them, giving them a rightful chance to earn food.

But they can't handle heavy work; they can do some scattered tasks instead.

Though the two boys are small, their minds are quite sharp.

Earned by one's own labor is natural, but what Chen Wuji gives is always hesitant.

Chen Wuji glanced at the low surrounding walls outside the courtyard and waved Yuan Jinshi over.

"Presented Scholar, come here for a moment."

Yuan Jinshi flicked the bloodstains from his hand, hurried over, and asked somewhat anxiously, "Wuji brother, what's up?"

"Can you build the wall? Just find stones and stack a half‑person‑high section; one day, two meals, ten silver." Chen Wuji said.

"I can!" Yuan Jinshi's eyes lit up, he said happily.

"But we don't need money; Wuji brother, just give us a meal."

"Where does all this nonsense come from? If you want to work, just follow me." Chen Wuji said sternly.

Yuan Jinshi lowered his head and muttered, "But this… is too high; Liu Tiechui in the city carries big bundles and only gets twenty silver a day."

"That's someone else's matter," Chen Wuji waved his hand, "If you can do it, start this afternoon."

Yuan Jinshi looked at Chen Wuji gratefully and gave a deep nod.

Having given the instructions, Chen Wuji went to Chen Qun's house.

Among the Chen clan, Chen Wuji's family had been the second‑poorest, right after Chen Qun's family.

Their land was sold off by his old father for a fraction, leaving only two mu now.

Years ago they were tenant farmers of Yuan Jinbao, but that unprincipled dog kept imposing arbitrary deductions, leaving Chen Qun's family with almost no harvest, so they eventually stopped farming.

Now the remaining two mu yield barely enough food for taxes, leaving almost no provisions; they rely on Chen Qun running errands in the city to survive.

The kid is small and weak; he can't even carry big bundles or pull carts.

After arriving, Chen Wuji explained his intention to Chen Qun, who immediately agreed and, together with his father Chen Li, gathered the wall‑building tools on the spot.

Chen Li was already in his sixties, needing a cane to walk.

As for the elder he should call Shi Yi Shu, Chen Wuji didn't want him to go, fearing the old man would die from two days of hard labor at his doorstep.

But before Chen Wuji could speak, Chen Li and Chen Qun had already packed the gear, urging him to set off; the father and son were unusually eager for this task.

Chen Wuji had to abandon his plan and quietly told Chen Qun to look after his father.

"Wuji brother, don't worry. My dad may be a bit older, but his body is still very sturdy; if he beats me hard, I can't outrun him," Chen Qun whispered.

"After all, being old, climbing up and down should be done carefully," Chen Wuji said.

"No need to worry, Wuji brother."

Back home, Chen Wuji carefully explained the tasks again to Chen Qun and his son.

The original courtyard wall was a rammed‑earth wall; now it needs to be raised, and continuing with rammed earth won't work, so they must stack soil bricks or stones upward.

"Wuji boy, you don't need to get into such details; you go about your own business, the old man knows what to do," the old man said, waving his hand at Chen Wuji.

"Shi Yi Shu, then I trouble you," Chen Wuji laughed.

"Boy, we should be thanking you," Chen Li grasped Chen Wuji's hand and patted it twice, "With the military disaster outside, Chen Qun's kid has no work in the city, and the household food will only last two or three days. You're kind‑hearted and solved our urgent crisis."

"We speak as one family," Chen Wuji said, "These past few years I've suffered from hysteria; if the clan hadn't supported me, I might not have survived."

After a brief ramble, Chen Li and the father‑son pair set off as a team.

Chen Wuji no longer watched and entrusted the work to them with confidence.

He discussed with Huo Sanniang and decided to make a trip into the city to prepare some food.

The Refugees and military disaster aren't severe right now.

If later there are still Refugees and the disaster spreads widely, food prices will surely soar.

Even though he now has Silver, Chen Wuji doesn't want to be the sucker, grabbing food with the townsfolk when grain prices are at their peak.

Chen Wuji tucked the Silver into his pouch, strapped his bow and arrows and the Knife to his body, and walked out of the village at a steady pace as if riding a carriage.

Before he had gone a mile, a few horses suddenly came thundering toward him, their hooves making the earth roar.

Chen Wuji hurriedly stepped aside toward the roadside, and the horses rushed past him like a gust of wind, then suddenly executed a Revolving Horse Spear and halted before him.

"Chen Wuji, the enemy's road is narrow!"