Chapter 325: Business Negotiation
Upon arriving at Wang Sanbao’s house, Ms. Gao insisted on preparing a late-night meal.
Yan Xiaosi had already eaten dinner at the Tian family house and wasn’t particularly interested in having another meal, but Ms. Gao was extremely enthusiastic. She said that if they went to the old carpenter’s house at this hour, the family might still be having dinner. Unable to resist Ms. Gao’s insistence, Yan Xiaosi had no choice but to stuff herself again, making her belly round and full.
After the late meal, she burped contentedly and followed Wang Sanbao to knock on the old carpenter’s door.
“Brother Zhao, Sister-in-law Zhao, are you asleep?”
Carpenter Zhao came to open the door. Seeing that besides Wang Sanbao, there was also an unfamiliar young man, he asked, “Brother Sanbao, it’s so late. What brings you here?”
He knew that Wang Sanbao had been helping people build houses recently, so he looked at Yan Xiaosi a couple more times, hoping that Yan Xiaosi had come to hire him for work.
Because of his advanced age and less nimble hands and feet, when he went to the carpentry shops in town looking for work, no one was willing to hire him. Moreover, no private individuals sought him out for woodwork. Only Wang Sanbao occasionally introduced him to some jobs.
Wang Sanbao said, “Brother Zhao, since I’ve come to find you so late, naturally I have important matters to discuss with you. Could we go inside first?”
Leaving Yan Xiaosi standing outside the door the whole time felt somewhat discourteous.
Carpenter Zhao quickly stepped aside, “Brother Sanbao, young sir, please come in.”
Yan Xiaosi followed Wang Sanbao into Carpenter Zhao’s courtyard.
Although the courtyard wasn’t large, the grape trellis in the yard was built quite uniquely, and the doors and windows all featured relief carvings.
Carpenter Zhao noticed that Yan Xiaosi was examining the grape trellis in the courtyard with great interest, so he smiled and said, “This old man built this during idle time for amusement.”
Yan Xiaosi withdrew her gaze and praised sincerely, “The grape trellis is built very uniquely, and the relief carvings on the doors and windows are also very beautiful.”
Carpenter Zhao chuckled and invited the two into the main hall, instructing his wife to brew tea and bring out a plate of peanuts.
Wang Sanbao drank a bowl of tea to moisten his throat and said, “Brother Zhao, during this period I’ve been helping this Young Master Yan build a house. The house is already being tiled, and now Young Master Yan wants to find a skilled carpenter to make furniture, so I recommended you to Young Master Yan.”
Carpenter Zhao looked grateful.
“Brother Sanbao, thank you. These past two years, it’s only thanks to you introducing work to me that my family’s livelihood has not been a problem.”
“We’re neighbors helping neighbors, mutual assistance is proper. But Brother Zhao, don’t rush to thank me yet. I only recommended you to Young Master Yan. Whether Young Master Yan will hire you still depends on Young Master Yan’s decision.”
“Of course, of course.”
Carpenter Zhao shifted his gaze to Yan Xiaosi, his eyes somewhat expectant.
He hadn’t had work for two or three months. To make ends meet, he had to make simple benches and chairs to sell at the market, but there were many people selling benches and chairs, making business very difficult.
Yan Xiaosi took out a piece of paper from her bosom and handed it to Carpenter Zhao.
“Master Zhao, this is a furniture design I drew. Please take a look first to see if you can make them.”
The carved wooden beds of this era had complex craftsmanship and weren’t very comfortable to sleep on, so she drew the design of a spring mattress bed. The other drawings showed simple wooden sofas, round tables, tall wardrobes, and rocking chairs.
After looking them over, Carpenter Zhao nodded, “Young Master Yan, I can make all these things you’ve drawn.”
Although he had never seen furniture like what Young Master Yan had drawn for him, such furniture would be much easier to craft than the usual furniture with relief carvings.
“Can you make them well?”
Yan Xiaosi had somewhat high standards for beds. Half of one’s life is spent in bed, and she didn’t want to sleep on a bed that creaked.
Carpenter Zhao answered decisively, “I can make them well. This type of furniture is relatively simple to make.”
Since Wang Sanbao had recommended him, Yan Xiaosi trusted him.
Following the previous arrangement she had with Wang Sanbao, she took out a few pieces of silver and handed them to Carpenter Zhao, “Here’s five silver as advance payment for your wages.”
Carpenter Zhao stared at the silver in surprise.
He hadn’t expected that Yan Xiaosi, a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy, would pay money so readily.
Yan Xiaosi glanced at him and continued, “I need eight sets each of such beds, round tables, tall wardrobes, and stools, five rocking chairs, and one set of long wooden chairs (sofas). I’ll pay Master Zhao five taels of silver in wages. What do you think, Master Zhao?”
Although Carpenter Zhao’s hands and feet were slow, if he brought his wife and son to work together, making this furniture would only take about half a month.
For a family of three to earn five taels of silver in half a month, these wages were already considered high in Daxing Town.
Fearing that Yan Xiaosi might change her mind, he quickly agreed, “Deal.”
Seeing that he had agreed, Yan Xiaosi continued, “I’ll have someone saw the wood into planks. Master Zhao, you only need to make the furniture. Also, my new house is almost finished and is currently vacant. For convenience in working, I hope Master Zhao can move to live in my new house. I’ll provide you with lodging and naturally also provide your daily meals.”
Room and board provided, plus five taels of silver.
Carpenter Zhao felt like he had been hit by a pie falling from heaven and was somewhat dizzy.
“Young Master Yan, what did you just say?”
He could hardly believe that such good work could fall to him, an old carpenter.
Yan Xiaosi offered such good conditions partly because she was eager to move into the new house, and partly to give Wang Sanbao face.
“Uncle Sanbao, Master Zhao doesn’t seem to quite understand what I said. Could you help me repeat it?”
Having just eaten a late meal with her stomach uncomfortably full, repeating everything would be quite taxing.
Wang Sanbao repeated what she had just said to Carpenter Zhao.
“Brother Zhao, did you hear clearly this time?”
This time Carpenter Zhao heard clearly, and looked at Yan Xiaosi with excitement, “Young Master Yan, when can I start work? Oh, and can I have my wife and son help?”
Yan Xiaosi pondered for a moment and said, “How are Auntie Zhao’s and Brother Zhao’s skills?”
If both of them had acceptable skills, she could accept them helping, which would shorten the construction period and allow her to move into the new house sooner.
Before Carpenter Zhao could answer, Wang Sanbao spoke first.
“Sister-in-law Zhao and Zhao Qi often help Brother Zhao. Both are accustomed to woodwork and are equivalent to half-masters.”
Yan Xiaosi nodded, “Then fine, let Auntie Zhao and Brother Zhao Qi go together. However, they are helpers, so I can only pay each of them one tael of silver in wages.”
Carpenter Zhao hadn’t even hoped that his wife and son could earn wages. When Yan Xiaosi said this, he felt like he had been hit dizzy by another pie falling from heaven.
The reason Yan Xiaosi was so generous was partly because the wood for making furniture wouldn’t cost money, and partly because spending seven taels of silver to make so much furniture was absolutely worth it.
“Within five days, I’ll have the lumber for making furniture prepared. As for when to start work, I’ll have Uncle Sanbao notify you. Master Zhao, does this seem feasible to you?”
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