novelraw Chapter 86: Cannot Afford to Build It
Chapter 86: Cannot Afford to Build It
Chapter 86: Cannot Afford to Build It
“A covered walkway suspended in the air, what rainbow appears without rain.”
Young Master Zhao gazed at the flying bridge suspended in the air and couldn't help but take a deep breath, exclaiming, “Truly a masterpiece of craftsmanship!”
Wen Gu said softly, “Not at all, not at all, it’s just a bit of ingenuity.”
In reality, distance creates beauty. Those “treasures” could not withstand close inspection.
Current technology was far from achieving the level of exquisite art. However, distance could blur imperfections, and the aesthetic appeal presented at this moment was elevated to its peak.
Wen Gu raised his hand, signaling for his cousin to step onto the bridge for a look.
The long bridge from the design blueprints had only this section built so far, with stairs at both ends.
The stairs appeared to be temporary, showing many scuffs and wear marks from repeatedly moving things back and forth in recent days.
But these were trivial. The true main structure was the suspended flying bridge.Young Master Zhao walked towards the stairs. He took two steps and then stopped.
He looked at the tall pillars supporting the bridge.
The supporting pillars were painted and carved, looking like giant trees, but in reality…
Young Master Zhao tapped them with his knuckles.
The feel was like brick and stone.
“Did you use that formula developed by Qingyun Temple here?” he asked Wen Gu in a low voice.
“Yes, it’s the improved formula, with some ‘sinews and bones’ added for auxiliary support.”
The formula, improved based on rammed earth, was certainly no match for industrial-grade cement in later generations, requiring longer setting and curing times. But for the present, it was passable.
The construction of the flying bridge was a practical experiment.
Without lingering, they ascended the stairs beside the bridge.
Those following behind could not hear their conversation. But seeing Young Master Zhao tap the supporting pillar, they did the same as they passed, their faces showing surprise.
They wanted to stop and examine it more closely, but they were already moving further ahead. After a moment's hesitation, they decided to keep up.
Ahead, Young Master Zhao had already boarded the flying bridge.
Standing at one end of the bridge, he looked into the interior of the long bridge.
Sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting overlapping light and shadow, creating an illusion of reality. As they walked forward, the alternating brightness and darkness seemed to shift with their steps.
Truly, every step revealed a new scene. It wasn't the scenery outside the windows, but the dynamic interplay of light effects within the windows that created such enchanting interest.
As they reached the middle of the bridge, Wen Gu reminded him, “You can open the windows and look outside.”
A nearby guard moved to go, but Young Master Zhao stopped him.
He walked to the window.
The floor-to-ceiling windows had fixed lower parts, with only the upper section openable. He reached out and pushed open the lantern-shaped casement window.
Sunlight struck the glass, and the reflected and refracted light merged together. Accompanied by the light reflecting from the pendants beneath the eaves, it felt as if the flow of the universe was brushing against his face.
To put it bluntly, Young Master Zhao, standing at the window at that moment, looked as if he were bathed in a filter of sacred light.
He looked out the window, at the city defense army in the alley below and the citizens standing outside.
As the light and shadow swept across his vision, below, some people suddenly knelt and kowtowed. More and more people spontaneously followed suit.
Young Master Zhao took another deep breath, feeling the flow of light and shadow, filled with a heroic spirit of being within the currents of fortune!
Maintaining his facial expression, but with a slightly strained voice, he asked the crowd below to rise before closing the window and returning to the middle of the bridge.
Facing the long corridor within the flying bridge again, he saw not flowing light and shadow, but a magnificent, ever-changing, and boundless world!
Wen Gu noticed the shift in his demeanor and sighed internally once more: Why choose an auspicious time? This is why!
Without the most opportune moment, how could the sunlight create such an effect?!
And, he truly hadn't arranged for any plants!
From Jingxing District, entering the flying bridge, and exiting from the flying bridge in Qingyun District, over such a short distance, few people could notice the intense emotional changes Young Master Zhao experienced during this brief period.
Daoist Master Qingyi, with his young attendant, waited at the far end to welcome the distinguished guest.
The Daoist Master had contributed significantly with his formula, so Young Master Zhao specifically paused to speak with him at length, showing him great courtesy.
Those who followed behind had their minds stirred.
Weren't the people of the Zhao family said to dislike monks and Daoist priests? And didn't they kill many?
It didn't seem like it.
Those who were unaware learned from others that a Daoist temple was being built in Qingyun District, and were even more surprised.
Whether they believed in Daoism or not, they thought to themselves that once the temple was built, they would definitely come to light some incense and add to their “merits.”
Young Master Zhao had other affairs to attend to, so he lingered briefly in Jingxing and Qingyun Districts before departing in a hurry.
Although the flying bridge was no longer covered with cloth curtains, it was still not open to the public.
However, the crowd that had gathered to watch today was already satisfied. If Xin Prefecture had trending topics, this would undoubtedly be the headline news!
The flying bridge was magnificent and luxurious, truly a treasure bridge, and it was expected that it would not be open to the public.
Some people also wondered if the Zhao Residence would use those glass tiles that were clearer than glazed tiles.
However, the Zhao family did not intend to transform their own residence in such a manner.
It was too extravagant and not conducive to winning over the hearts of the people.
Some also speculated whether the treasure bridge would be stolen if left there unattended.
Wouldn't prying off a piece of crystal from it be very valuable?
But they soon understood.
Setting aside the nearby arrow towers manned by city defense soldiers, where would one sell stolen treasures?
In this world ravaged by epidemic, how far could one run?
As long as they remained within Xin Prefecture, they would be caught the moment they tried to sell it, thrown into dangerous hard labor, which was even worse.
Risking leaving Xin Prefecture?
For the vast majority of ordinary citizens, it was still a dead end.
Therefore, stealing treasures was at most a fleeting thought that never led to action.
In fact, to avoid accidentally damaging the treasure bridge, ordinary citizens passing by the alley entrance walked cautiously, maintaining a distance and never approaching!
As for the rich households and noble families, their expectations for Wanfu Garden grew even higher.
Those who had not participated in the investment before gathered around again.
The Shen brothers promptly refused.
They had been ignored before, and now they were too high to reach!
The brothers were gloating and went to the public office in Jingxing District to share their joy with Wen Gu, while also openly mocking the branch family of the Zhao family in Zhaohui District.
“The people in Zhaohui District also want to build a garden. Humph! Imitators!”
“Exactly, do they have the money? Can they afford to build it?!”
“I heard they were stunned when they saw the treasure bridge. Hahaha!”
The two Shen brothers criticized and disdained them.
“Wen Gu, why the long face? Come curse with us!” Shen Qing tapped the table in front of Wen Gu.
Wen Gu sighed and took out a ledger. “We can’t afford to build it either!”
Shen Liu, who was rocking back and forth on his chair, almost toppled over with it.
“Impossible!! Is there anything money can’t buy?”
“You said before that the first phase of construction would be enough!”
Wen Gu said with a troubled expression, “It was enough at the time, but it’s different now, we are really short on money!”
He handed them the ledger.
The Shen brothers nervously flipped through it.
They might not have understood other books, but they could comprehend a ledger to some extent.
According to the calculations, the financial situation seemed… indeed a bit tight.
The supervisors and accountants were their own people, and not just one. The records above were all verified, signed, and confirmed to be accurate.
Moreover, Wen Gu had given them a discount on his quote, essentially a family price, which was very reasonable.
“Raw material costs have increased!”
They found the most critical problem.
Recently, with the Zhao family's workshop burning glass for windows, and limited raw material transportation, prices had significantly increased.
If they were to proceed at the original price, even with insufficient funds, they could still manage to scrape together enough for the first phase of Wanfu Garden if they pooled some more resources.
But now, with the sharp increase in raw material prices, the shortfall was not a small amount.
Who could they blame for this?
Should they ask the Zhao family's workshop to halt production and force down raw material prices?
The raw materials were provided by the Zhao family’s army, and the profits earned by the Zhao family’s workshop were mostly used to support the army. Did they want to cut off this source of funds?
That would be tantamount to seeking death!
“Then… what should we do?”
Shen Liu was dumbfounded.
The Zhao family's workshop itself needed raw materials, and with limited transportation capacity, prices were unlikely to decrease in the short term, and might even increase.
“Perhaps, we should wait?” Wen Gu suggested.
“How long would that take? It might even increase instead of decreasing?” Shen Qing disagreed.
“Or, we could forgo the glass and glazed tiles and just use ordinary tiles,” Wen Gu added.
“That won’t do!” Shen Liu flatly refused.
While interior decorations could be a bit more restrained, the exterior absolutely could not be downgraded!
Having seen the wondrous colors and magnificent brilliance of the treasure bridge, how could they tolerate ordinary finishes?
They believed that other wealthy households felt the same way.
Now that the flying bridge had raised everyone's expectations, the Shen family had positioned Wanfu Garden as the most luxurious establishment in Xin Prefecture. How could they use ordinary materials!
They had already bragged about it, so how could they slap themselves in the face?!
Wen Gu said with self-reproach, “I shouldn't have made the treasure bridge look like that.”
Shen Liu immediately responded, “How can that be your fault? Those nobles have seen all sorts of good things; only the treasure bridge could shock them!”
Shen Qing also affirmed, “The treasure bridge was built very well, it should be like this! As for the money we lack, we'll go raise more.”
Shen Qing and Shen Liu, who had come joyfully, left with heavy hearts.
They first sought their father to re-examine the accounts, then contacted the various benefactors to increase their investments. However, while the benefactors were optimistic, and some increased their contributions, they were reluctant to part with too much of their savings. Any more would be detrimental to their financial health!
Not everyone was willing to take risks.
Even within the Shen family, Uncle Shen guarded his money box, unwilling to inject all of it.
With even heavier hearts, Shen Qing and Shen Liu returned to the Jingqing Public Office to deliver the unfavorable news to Wen Gu.
They had also been warned by their father that the shortfall was likely not a small amount, yet they couldn’t bring in too many people. The current number of people involved in Wanfu Garden was already substantial. To bring in more would displease Boss Zhao.
Wen Gu nodded seriously, agreeing, “Therefore, it’s best to find just one or two extremely wealthy individuals who have enough capital.”
“Right, is there no one with a grand gesture?!”
The two Shen brothers were so worried that they had lost the mood to mock Zhaohui District.
Wen Gu sighed and comforted the Shen brothers, “Don’t rush. Since the weather is cold now and the construction site has been temporarily halted, we have enough time to consider.”
Unable to find any other solutions, the two Shen brothers decided to attend the upcoming holiday gatherings to network with new influential figures and see if they could find suitable candidates.
The brothers returned home to ponder how to expand their social circle and connections.
Wen Gu, meanwhile, pondered that within Xin Prefecture, there might be no suitable candidates at present.
Having a noble status did not necessarily mean having enough funds for investment; one needed to find a billionaire.
Calculating the days.
Why hadn't the wealthy patron from Sihai District arrived yet?