Chapter 21

In order to renovate the new residence for the Xu brothers, Wen and Ji, the Xu family invited thirty craftsmen of various kinds from the capital, and also mobilized some people from the estate, along with their own servants, neighbors, and idlers from the village, totaling nearly two hundred people who flooded into the Xu family compound.

The person in charge of such matters was always the second master, Xu Qingtang, and this time was no exception. He selected forty people from them to renovate the pavilion in the garden.

The housekeeper ran around to inform everyone, warning the women in the inner quarters not to wander around in the coming days and not to dry their intimate clothing in the garden. The construction site was separated by curtains, and over twenty women and housekeepers patrolled the inner quarters day and night.

Two years ago, the Xu family in the capital had renovated their garden, leaving behind a large amount of stone, bricks, tiles, wood, and precious Taihu stones and other decorative items. The old lady had the foresight to have everything brought back and stored, so the Xu family only had to spend money on labor and food, without much additional cost.

Xu Hao found a few master craftsmen, took out the blueprint, and explained his intentions. After a long explanation, he added, "The toilet doesn't need to be fancy, just sturdy and durable. Place a water tank next to it, and use the water to flush away the waste. The principle of automatic flushing is actually quite simple, but I'm not sure how to implement it."

One of the master craftsmen smiled and said, "Young master's idea is very interesting. The waste will be flushed into a distant septic tank, and the channel needs to be sloped downward. Since there is water to flush, how about trying to set up a water wheel? This would be more reliable."

Xu Hao's eyes lit up, and he said, "That's a good idea. Since there are so many people in the family, let's build a public toilet. The structure will be like this."

Xu Hao immediately used a brush to draw on a piece of white paper, explaining, "The entire toilet will be made of bricks and tiles, with separate sections for men and women, and five or six squatting positions will be enough. They will be separated by brick walls, and small wooden doors will be installed to prevent others from seeing. The water from the water wheel will flow continuously, greatly reducing the odor."

The master craftsmen nodded frequently and smiled, "This is much simpler and more practical. We only need to build one toilet. Otherwise, according to your original idea, we would have to set up drainage systems in every building and find people to make ceramics, which would be a complex and time-consuming project."

"Right," Xu Hao thought for a moment and pointed to the entire garden, "One might not be enough. For such a large area, we need at least two toilets. The specific difficulties will depend on the skills of the masters, balancing aesthetics and practicality. As for the bathhouse, it doesn't need to be luxurious, but it should be large enough. In winter, it can be used for hot springs, and in summer, for swimming. There's no need for excessive artificial decoration; we can use the existing materials and natural scenery, preferably bamboo, to create a Jiangnan style with a poetic atmosphere."

"Please rest assured, young master." The masters exchanged glances and smiled confidently.

Xu Hao smiled along, knowing that these highly skilled craftsmen had built many mansions for wealthy families, and their experience was extremely rich, so he felt very reassured.

If a water tower could be built, wouldn't the principles of physics allow for running water? Xu Hao had a new idea, but this would destroy the overall style of the garden, and scientific experiments require repeated practice and modification, which he didn't have time for.

This time, he decided to let it go. Xu Hao suddenly had the idea of becoming a scientist, dismissing the notion that all professions are inferior except for reading and studying. Ingenious and practical skills are the true way to change the world.

Of course, Xu Hao didn't dare to challenge the entire literary system of the Ming Dynasty, but through the small matter of building a drainage system, he realized that perhaps a series of small, seemingly insignificant actions could have unpredictable and far-reaching impacts, at least changing some of the hygiene habits of the people in the Ming Dynasty.

He was thinking too far ahead. Xu Hao reined in his thoughts, instructed his housekeeper, and then bid farewell to the craftsmen. On his way back to the courtyard, he saw his elder brother, Xu Wen, passing by excitedly.

Xu Hao stopped and greeted him first, "Elder brother."

Xu Wen walked over and smiled, "You haven't received the news yet, have you? Hurry back and pack your bags; we'll set off after noon."

"Where are we going? I still need to supervise the construction in the garden, so it's not convenient for me to go out," Xu Hao asked.

"The housekeeper can take care of it. If you don't want to go, that's fine. Anyway, Qinglian and Hongye are going," Xu Wen said with a smile.

Xu Hao, hearing that his sister and younger sister were going, immediately smiled bitterly, "Then I have to go. Where exactly are we going?"

Xu Wen made a gesture of drawing a bow, looking eager, and said, "The house is full of smoke and dust. It's a good thing that a few brothers from the estate are planning to go there for the summer. They invited us to join them. There are many animals in the nearby mountains, and we can hunt and fish together. What a joy!"

So that's how it is. Xu Hao said goodbye to Xu Wen and returned to the courtyard. He saw the maids busy packing, and went to the main house where his mother, Lady Xiao, was instructing her two daughters. Seeing her son, she said sternly, "After you get there, don't be distracted by play. Take good care of your sister and younger sister, understood?"

"Understood." Being able to go out for a change was undoubtedly a pleasant thing, and Xu Hao smiled and promised.

The Xu family's villa was located in the suburbs of Jinling, backed by rolling green mountains, with clear water and fertile land, only a few dozen miles from the Xu family. They set off at noon and arrived in about an hour.

The Xu family's steward led a group of servants to welcome them, and the surrounding area was filled with curious villagers, with barefoot children running around the carriages.

Entering the high-walled villa, Xu Hao dismounted and handed the reins to a servant. In the courtyard, he saw the eldest son, Xu Jingqin, and his younger brother, Xu Jingli, from his uncle's family, and the brothers Xu Jingzhi and Xu Jingchang from his third and fourth uncles' families, surrounding two young nobles in dragon robes.

Xu Hao quickly recalled from his memory and the conversations of the elders, and quickly figured out the answer.

The young man, about sixteen or seventeen years old and very fat, should be Zhu Gaochi, the eldest son of Prince Yan, Zhu Di. The robust young man, who looked about thirteen or fourteen but was actually only around ten, was Zhu Gaohu, the second son of Prince Yan and the Duke of Gaoyang.

No wonder the old lady allowed all the grandchildren to come without hesitation. It was because of the Zhu brothers. Xu Hao couldn't remember the biographies of the two brothers, but one of them was supposed to be the future emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

He bowed with his brothers and sisters. Zhu Gaochi, the heir of Prince Yan, was fat and smiled like a Buddha, very polite and friendly, greeting them warmly.

On the other hand, Zhu Gaohu had a haughty look, lifting his head and not even bothering to look at the country relatives.

Since he was young, no one paid much attention to him. Finally, Zhu Gaochi smiled and said, "We are all family, no need for formalities. When we were young, we played together during the New Year, without any reservations. How come now that we are older, we have become distant? You must be tired from the journey, so settle in first, and we can catch up later."

His warm and friendly attitude made Xu Hao feel good about Zhu Gaochi. As the host, Xu Jingqin waved his hand, signaling the stewards to lead Xu Hao and the others inside.

Xu Hao remembered his mother's instructions and did not stay with his brothers but chose a guest room in the women's quarters. While the maids, including Qiuxiang, were busy unpacking, Xu Hao slipped out and sat on a stone stool under the grape arbor.

Suddenly, an opportunity presented itself, stirring the heart of Xu Hao, who had planned to live a simple life. He pondered whether he should seize this opportunity. With Zhu Gaochi's friendliness, it wouldn't be difficult to find a position in the Yan王府 (Yan王府 is a term for the Yan Princely House, which can be translated as "Yan Princely Palace" or "Yan Princely Manor").

Unfortunately, he was not yet married, and he couldn't leave home for the next few years. The problem was that opportunities were fleeting.

He decided to take it step by step and see if he had a connection with Zhu Gaochi. If he truly gained Zhu Gaochi's favor, he wouldn't hesitate, as the power of the Yan Princely House would ensure that his elders wouldn't oppose it.

Xu Hao quickly made his decision, betting all his future on the winning side. Given Zhu Gaochi's physical condition, he couldn't lead troops into battle, which meant that following him would significantly increase his safety.

Just as Xu Hao was smiling at his decision, he suddenly thought of the rebellious Zhu Gaohu and immediately realized that his choice might also mean significant risks.

He slapped his head and frowned, trying to recall the limited historical knowledge he had. Who did Zhu Di's imperial throne ultimately pass to? Did the two brothers become enemies over it?

Xu Hao's caution was not out of cowardice but was thoroughly intimidated by the various stories he had heard since his time travel.

One official's crime could implicate the entire family, and the sight of the entire family's men being beheaded on the street, and the women being exiled to the border or forced into servitude, was unbearable.

Compared to Zhu Yuanzhang's cruelty, Zhu Di's killings seemed even more brutal, with the extermination of Fang Xiaoru's ten clans being a particularly horrific example.

If he became one of Zhu Gaochi's people, and if Zhu Gaohu harbored a grudge against him, it wouldn't be a matter of being safe just because they were relatives.

Throughout history, the royal family had no sense of kinship.

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