Chapter 43

Orphanage-2¹They say write what you know. And for this chapter at least, I did no such thing! Which will be very obvious to any reader who does know. As for the times given, just assume there will be some difference between a construction crew who can on average bench press 70-80 kilos and a typical walking pace of 6-7 kph (Earth), verses a crew who can bench ~200 kilos and walk 10-12 kph(story).

-POV Tan XiaoPu²if you want meaning on this, xiao is chinese for small, like Little John. and pu, the first 5 listed translations which sound right mean: servant, servant, expose(like sunning, not pubic nudity) waterfall and quince (a pearshaped fruit from western asia) and for tan: sigh, altar, calm/honest, beach, booth/stall.
so the best fit is 'honest little-servant?'
much better than 'sigh little-fruit'
or 'altar little-waterfall'-

Our construction company won the contract for a wealthy patron's charity project. We are to build an orphanage the size of a wealthy merchant's estate, at about 3 hectares, in a nearby farming village. I was more than a little surprised we were able to win the bid. But it turns out the patron's representative, a beastkin if you can believe that, had interviewed a series of clients from each bidder. Everyone who underbid us was hardly even considered, putting us in the final 3, from over 20 to start with.

It turns out the reason they chose us in the end was our primary focus on the durability of our work. And with the plans we were given to work off of, you don't want any incompetent hacks cutting corners.

First thing, other than tools and materials of course, other teams are handling those, we need to set the foundations. Completely flat, with basements for storage. But below even that, drainage channels for wastewater and excrement. Four small parallel tunnels, which then merge onto one larger tunnel all flowing downhill and downwind. "If the ground is soft dirt, dig down through the whole layout, and line it with masonry the whole way around. But delay the rest of the building project until this is complete. However if the ground is rock, carve a narrow tunnel, but don't delay the rest to finish this first."

Such a clever way to get rid of waste, why hasn't anyone thought of it before? Doing this across a whole city would certainly make it smell better. Though it would take a lot of time. And hassle. And money. . Oh. That's why.

. . .

Our team finished digging out the 5 channels in just 3 days. 1.3 meters wide, 6-7 meters deep and nearly 200 meters long.

Something to be proud of. One of the reasons we can work faster than other construction companies in the area is that most of us are low-Level cultivators. Some of us as high as Level 5.

The masonry team will line them over the next few days. While they do that, we'll prepare the basements. 2.5 meters deep, 10 wide and 25 long. 2 to each building, either side of the waste tunnels.

As soon as it's dug to about the right size, we then repeatedly pound the dirt, while pouring starchy rice-water from the whole village on it between each time, to toughen it up. Making it almost rock-hard. This is just standard procedure and really nothing special. Except that a lot of our competing construction companies usually 'forget' to do it. Just one part of why they failed to get this bid.

Just after we started on this, we recieved word that the same weathy patron's representatives asked us to do another project just like it, using the same plans. In the GauZuo district of the city. Half of the expected price was given up front for each of these builds. If you want to look at it another way, we were paid up-front and in full, on a project we had just started. And then promised a second job after.

. . .

It's been a week of digging to prepare the basements, and we are only half done. Not quite right, as we are fully done with half of them. This allows the build team to start placing the framework, while the masonry team starts to line the basement walls. Now that they're done with the drainage.

An interesting method was given to us in the plans. Each floor is made up of 5 layers; Starting from the support beams, a set of wide heavy planks placed on their side, so they are effectively 15cm thick and 3cm wide. Spaced about every 20cm. Another plank of the same size is placed against this line, on each side, with notches carved it. To keep all the others from flipping over. Under this is a set of 1cm planks, both glued and nailed into place under their supports. This mostly for aesthetic purpose. On top is a layer of 2cm thick planks, set at an angle from the first. Chalk or charcoal marks are used to show where the original, supporting layer is, so long nails can be properly utilized as the final layer is layed out. A layer of cured leather, to soften the noise of footsteps. And finally a second set of 1cm thick planks, nailed in place of course. This is at an angle from both other sets.

The supports themselves are to be even heavier, beams of wood about 20cm square. The first at ground level, above the basements. Each higher floor 3 meters above the last. Set on other, heavier vertical beams pounded firmly into the ground. Some of these vertical beams need to be long enough to reach up over 15 meters into the air, to hold the roof over the fourth floor.

Each of the individual buildings are wide from east to west, but narrow from north to south. With a pair of wide stairs in the middle, by the entrance, and a set of washrooms set back from that. Then a wing on either side. The children's rooms are 7 per wing, 6 meters wide along the hall and almost 5 the other way. Quite large for a room, if you weren't sharing it with 3 others. With 3 smaller rooms, 2 for individual residence by the caretakers as well as a small office. So in all 70 meters by 12.

There's no way clans, lords and cultivators would want a home built like this, they're too traditional to consider it. But it should be fine for commoners. In a city where land price is at a premium, this style of building could accomodate a large number of people in a small space. Without greatly sacrificing quality or durability. That would make this design quite popular.

Anyway, lunch break is over. Back to work. . Who are they? They look like the beastkins my wife pointed out in the restaurant, right before we got the job. But there's 4 of them, along with a tiger ridden by a couple of children. Wait, could it be? The wealthy patron we are building for is related to the rumored wolf sisters invited to stay in City Lord Yu's manor, dining with him daily?

XiaoPu) "Keep busy lads, I'll meet with our visitors!"

The one wolf woman wearing an armor set motions for the rest to stay, as she approaches.

Wolfy) "We just want to check up on you real quick. Do you have any questions or concerns about the construction or the plans?"

X) "Well, mainly that we've never tried using plans like these. So we're not sure how long it'll take to finish. Just that it will take longer than we are used to. On the other hand, your orphanage should be sturdy enough to last a few hundred years with some occaisional maintenance and minor repairs."

W) "That sound good to me. How long until you can give an estimate for completion? I mean after you finish one of the buildings, to estimate for the rest."

X) "For that, I'd guess about 3 or 4 weeks. That'll give us enough to estimate how fast it goes."

W) "That sounds reasonable, but I don't expect for us to check back for 2 to 3 months. But before we go, how many workers do you have on our project?"

X) "My team is 12 men, then there's 8 bricklayers, 9 lumberjacks, 14 porters, 18 carpenters, fif-"

W "Please skip to the end."

X) . . "Eighty six."

She pulls out a decent-sized bag and starts counting things out into it. Handing it to me after.

W) "Eighty six. One for each of you. Take care, everyone!" She waves at our workers, turning from left to right.

Then she leaves with her entourage.

Once they're out of sight, I peer into the bag.
And drop it out of shock.

Luckily none of them spill outside. If they were seen and rumors started. . .