107: Chapter 0107 Large-scale Construction

This place was originally a vast slum, where some of the lowest-class commoners lived in cramped quarters.

Lin Xiao spent tens of thousands of taels of silver to buy up all the residential houses directly.

After having the local government and the Militia temporarily relocate them, he immediately launched a massive construction project.

Relying on sufficient funds, ten thousand Militia, ten thousand commoners, and craftsmen worked together, and brand-new cement brick houses rose from the ground one after another!

Although they could only be built up to three stories due to the lack of steel reinforcement, and wood still had to be used in the middle to reduce the load-bearing requirements.

Even so, these three-story cement buildings still left the people of Baishui in awe!

"Husband, according to the current progress, this 'Baishui City West Housing Project' should be completed by the end of the year."

Xiao Qingxuan watched the twenty thousand people working intensely and was deeply shocked.

Everyone's face was filled with enthusiasm, and there was no sense of being forced at all.

This is the will of the people!

"Lin Xiao is here! It's Lin Xiao!"

"And the General's wife!"

"Greetings to Lin Xiao! Greetings to the Madam!"

Some local commoners who were mixing cement, carrying wood and stones, or pushing wheelbarrows all put down their work to pay their respects to Lin Xiao and the others.

Ever since Xiao Qingxuan's heterochromia disappeared, she had gained great popularity due to her outstanding talent, beauty, and friendly demeanor.

As for how her heterochromia disappeared, there were all sorts of rumors, but the mainstream view was that Lin Xiao and his wife were favored by the heavens and had been blessed by God.

"Fellow villagers, please continue with your work; there is no need for such grand salutations."

Although Lin Xiao was touched, there were simply too many people, and if this continued, he wouldn't be able to conduct his inspection.

Fortunately, several Militia officers hurried over to maintain order.

"Everyone, disperse and get back to what you were doing!"

"Only by finishing the housing early can we be worthy of Lin Xiao's wages!"

The commoners heard this, agreed with the logic, and worked even harder.

Building houses for themselves to live in and getting paid for it—such a life was something they never dared to dream of in the past!

In their eyes, Lin Xiao was a "saint"!

"Husband, these housing units in the west of the city are being built fast, but digging sewers, septic tanks, and building cement roads... the money is flowing out like water."

Xiao Qingxuan said with some worry: "I calculated with Magistrate Zheng, and even with those two hundred thousand plus taels from Prince Bai, I'm afraid it won't last past next year."

"Are you worried, my wife, that by doing this, we will only lose money and have no way to make a profit?"

Xiao Qingxuan nodded. Recently, she had been worrying about money. After all, trade in Baishui and Wu Mountain was not developed, and tax revenue was relatively low.

And while the commoners would certainly like these housing units, they were all poor people, so it would be difficult to recover the costs through rent.

"Come, let me show you the floor heating, and perhaps your thoughts will change, my wife."

While speaking, the group arrived in front of a huge building.

This building was about two stories high, reinforced with cement at the bottom, and the upper layer was made of wood with a waterproof design.

"Husband, isn't this a warehouse?"

Xiao Qingxuan had noticed this place before, but had always assumed it was a warehouse.

"A warehouse?"

Lin Xiao smiled and pointed to the deep stone and cement trenches inside.

"My wife, what do you think this is inside?"

Xiao Qingxuan thought for a moment, followed the trenches, and looked into the distance, discovering that Xie Yu was leading a group of craftsmen in building something similar to a stove.

"Could it be... hot water?"

Lin Xiao nodded, "That's right, just like the bath in our home. Once winter arrives, this place will be heated with hot water."

"By then, while it is freezing cold outside, it will be warm as spring in here. Guess whether the commoners will be willing to come in?"

Xiao Qingxuan's eyes lit up, "That's only natural! The northern winters are so cold that everyone can only huddle at home, burning charcoal for warmth, and it's very boring!"

In the cold winter, for the vast majority of the people, it was good enough just not to freeze to death; entertainment? Forget about it!

"I don't need to say much more about what comes next, right?"

Lin Xiao smiled and said: "Whether merchants want to come and sell things, theater troupes want to perform, or people want to listen to storytelling or music, we can charge money."

"I plan to call this place the 'West City Clubhouse,' and we can build more in the future."

"It can have different uses in different seasons."

"West City Clubhouse? Husband, you've made me excited; this is too interesting!"

Mu Wanying's eyes shone with brilliance, and she couldn't wait to visit here in the winter.

"But just relying on this one place won't earn back much money," Leng Bingyan remained relatively calm.

Xiao Qingxuan's beautiful eyes twinkled, and she suddenly had an inspiration!

"I understand now! The floor heating is the key! Husband, you want to use this clubhouse to let the whole city, and even people from outside, know that such a thing as floor heating exists?"

Lin Xiao nodded with a smile, "Not only that, but the workers here can now learn a skill, and in the future, they can go to other places to carry out construction."

"Those wealthy nobles and gentry certainly won't come to the clubhouse or use public toilets."

"If they want to enjoy floor heating and want to build toilets, they will have to pay to hire workers, and in this way, the commoners here will have an income."

Xiao Qingxuan said happily: "In that case... Husband, you can sell building materials, sell cement! Sell floor heating equipment!! This is all money?!"

After straightening out the whole logic, Xiao Qingxuan admired the man profoundly!

So, Lin Xiao had thought so far ahead!?

Leng Bingyan and Mu Wanying also looked at the man with admiration; he could benefit the people, engage in business to make a lot of money, and crucially, he was also an invincible warrior!

This man... was simply capable of everything!

Lin Xiao thought to himself that this was just the beginning; once these ten or twenty thousand commoner craftsmen were trained, he could open a construction company, and there would be even more ways to make money!

Talent! His main purpose in carrying out these infrastructure projects was to train a huge construction team!

Just as Lin Xiao was taking the three women around the construction site in the west of the city for an inspection, a delicate carriage slowly approached outside Baishui City.

"Young Miss, why did you lie to the Heir? We are arriving today, so why did you insist on saying five days later?"

Inside the carriage, the delicate and cute maid Xiao Die, with her hair in buns, looked curiously at her stunningly beautiful Princess.

Xie Juner supported herself with one hand on a pillow, lying half-reclined in an elegant posture, her curves as graceful as mountain ranges.

"It is only by being unexpected that I can see his true self..."

"Him? The son-in-law?" Xiao Die blinked.

"What son-in-law, you stinky girl, I, this Princess, never said I would definitely marry him..."

Xie Juner snorted: "No matter what Father says, I must observe him personally to see if he is qualified to be the husband of me, Xie Juner."

Just at this moment, Xie Juner suddenly felt something strange...

"Huh?"

Xie Juner asked the coachman in front: "Uncle Xu, has the carriage entered the city?"

"Not yet, Princess, there is still a long way to go!"

"Then why is it so smooth?"

Xie Juner noticed that for a long time, the carriage had been very smooth and quiet.

"Er..."

Uncle Xu smiled bitterly: "Why don't you come out and see for yourself, Princess? My knowledge is limited, and I have never seen such a road; it is very strange!"