Sun Qing smiled slightly and said in an even lower voice, "Let's assign this job to Chen Xiaobei. The strong laborers in the city only get five copper coins a day. We'll pay him twenty or thirty."
"As long as this iron chain bridge can be built, the advisor won't care who builds it."
Sun Jian couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Hmm, that's a good idea."
Leaving Qingniu Mountain, Sun Jian took the opportunity to propose going to the county town to buy iron chains and bid farewell to Miao Qingfeng and the others.
Watching Miao Qingfeng and Hongyun Laodao walk away, Sun Jian, Sun Qun, and the others exchanged glances, chuckled, and turned towards Hetou Village.
Sun Jian came to visit early in the morning. Chen Xiaobei immediately understood that Sun Jian and his group were the ones who entered the mountain yesterday.
It was strange, weren't Sun Jian and the others already at the mountain top? Why were they still going into the mountain?
Sun Jian greeted Chen Xiaobei warmly, calling out from a distance.
Cui Hongyu, however, quickly picked up Chen Qiaoer, and the two of them left the courtyard to water the vegetable patch behind the village.
It was evident that Cui Hongyu still held some fear of Sun Jian.
"Brother Sun, what wind brings you here?" Chen Xiaobei asked tentatively.
Sun Jian smiled twice again. "I've come to ask Brother Xiaobei for a favor."
Chen Xiaobei's head ached at the mention of a favor; anything that involved being asked for help was never easy.
"Brother Sun, please tell me, I'll do my best."
"Brother Xiaobei, yesterday I went into the mountain and saw two ropes tied across a gorge. That was our doing, wasn't it?" Sun Jian didn't hide anything and got straight to the point.
Chen Xiaobei thought to himself, "Three years of stealing, and now you confess yourself." He finally admitted it.
"Yes, Brother Sun. You don't know how much effort it took to put up those two ropes."
Sun Jian nodded. "I came for this very reason. I want to ask you to help build an iron chain bridge. It will make it more convenient to enter and exit the mountain from now on."
Hearing this, Chen Xiaobei was secretly surprised. Building an iron chain bridge meant they would be coming up the mountain frequently.
But then he thought, even if he didn't build this iron chain bridge, wouldn't Sun Jian and the others still come up the mountain? No, it was impossible.
So, even if he didn't take this job, he would only lose a chance to make money. It was better to seize the opportunity and demand an exorbitant price from Sun Jian.
Thinking this, Chen Xiaobei frowned. "Brother Sun, we've never done anything like this before, and we don't know how to build it. Besides, we don't have iron chains here, and we don't know how many we'll need. I'd say just buying the iron chains alone will be a considerable expense."
Chen Xiaobei poured out his troubles, but Sun Jian understood. He was asking for money.
"Brother Xiaobei, don't worry. I'll figure out the iron chains. As for the wages, you tell me, how much do you want?"
Chen Xiaobei nodded. "Alright, since we've come this far, Brother Sun, let's be clear about the business. The wages will be twenty copper coins a day, but the cost of transporting materials up the mountain will be calculated separately."
Sun Jian was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Well done, Chen Xiaobei, calculating so meticulously for me."
Chen Xiaobei spread his hands, looking helpless. "Brother Sun, you don't know the specific situation. Transporting materials up the mountain requires specialized porters, and they don't charge by the day."
He was talking nonsense with a serious face, but Sun Jian actually believed him. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Alas, you see, I was too hasty. Here, I'll prepare two hundred taels of silver for you first."
After seeing Sun Jian off, Chen Xiaobei hurried to the vegetable patch behind the house to find Cui Hongyu.
Cui Hongyu and Chen Qiaoer had almost finished watering this patch of vegetables.
Chen Xiaobei squatted down and looked at the leafy greens that were almost ready to be harvested. He sighed inwardly, time flies. Another half month had passed.
He waited for a moment, but Cui Hongyu remained silent, which made Chen Xiaobei a little strange. Was Cui Hongyu not curious about why Sun Jian came to see him?
Fine, since Cui Hongyu wasn't speaking, he had to initiate. "Hongyu, guess why Sun Jian came to see me?"
Cui Hongyu looked up at Chen Xiaobei and smiled slightly. "Husband, no matter what it is, as long as you think it's right, then it's right!"
See, Cui Hongyu was always so understanding.
"There's a gorge on the mountain, and he wants to build an iron chain bridge."
Cui Hongyu showed no change in expression, her words still calm. "It's probably not a bad thing. Husband might use it if he goes up the mountain often."
Yes, he might use it.
Chen Xiaobei's mind again flashed to where he had discovered those large snakes.
There was ginseng there, and it extended for dozens of miles around the main peak. It was unlikely to be just that small amount of treasure, so it wouldn't hurt to go there more often.
Thinking of osmanthus, Chen Xiaobei remembered his promise. He had also promised to dig up some osmanthus for Da Lao Hei.
Of course, digging for osmanthus didn't require going through the gorge. It was available in Hulu Valley.
Yes, it was a favor to be repaid, and the sooner the better.
Right, the green vegetables could also be harvested. He could also send a few pounds of vegetables to him, after all, he had received five hundred taels of silver from him.
Just then, Chen Xiaowen, a member of the village team, rushed over. "Brother Xiaobei, hurry and take a look! Those two little wolves in the woods west of the village are sick."
Chen Xiaobei quickly stood up and walked out of the village with Chen Xiaowen. Since he had fed the little wolves once, he had handed over the task to the village guards. Every night, everyone took turns putting some food in the woods.
They would also check on them in the woods when they patrolled.
Today, when Chen Xiaowen went to patrol the woods, he saw the two little wolves lying there, weak and unable to stand up.
Seeing Chen Xiaobei arrive, the two little wolves only opened their eyes and looked at him, their gazes still holding a trace of fear.
But they only opened their eyes and looked, even lacking the strength to cry out.
Chen Xiaobei stepped forward again and tentatively stroked the spine of one of the little wolves with his hand.
The little wolf only squirmed a few times. It was clear that the little wolf wanted to resist. Chen Xiaobei used an even gentler hand to pat the little wolf's body a few more times.
Under his gentle actions, the little wolf gradually quieted down. After confirming that the little wolf would no longer struggle, Chen Xiaobei gently picked up the wolf.
The little wolf didn't resist at all; instead, it burrowed into his arms.
Chen Xiaowen, following suit, picked up the other wolf. The two of them returned home one after the other.
At this time, Cui Hongyu had also returned. She was startled when she saw them carrying the wolves back, and Chen Qiaoer hid behind Cui Hongyu in fright.
"Don't be afraid, Qiaoer. The little wolves are sick. They can't even stand up."
Chen Qiaoer timidly stepped forward and tentatively reached out to gently touch the little wolf's tail. The little wolf remained motionless, not even opening its eyes.
Cui Hongyu came forward and reached under the little wolf's neck to feel.
"It has a fever."
Chen Xiaobei looked at Cui Hongyu expectantly, but her next words filled him with disappointment.