Chapter 172 - 132: Squeezing into the Ranks of the "Nobles" (Part 3)

They feel that working for such a Princess Consort is worth the effort, no matter how tiring it is.

Not far away, Zhao Zun was also holding a shovel and clearing the grounds when he inadvertently looked up and saw this scene.

His gaze fell on Han Lei, filled with gentleness and appreciation.

The corners of his lips curled slightly as he murmured to himself, "Heaven has indeed favored me, to have encountered such a woman."

A gentle breeze blew across the mountain, carrying a trace of coolness.

Han Lei’s figure shone brightly in the sunlight, her smile and the tools in her hand were deeply imprinted in the hearts of every laborer.

With many hands, the work went faster. Digging, drilling holes, erecting supports, installing—dozens of laborers worked together, sweating as they toiled.

In less than three hours, a roughly two hundred square meter shed was erected.

The glow of the setting sun fell on the freshly constructed shed with colorful steel tiles, casting a warm golden hue.

Under the shed, the laborers sat on the ground resting, reaching out to touch the sturdy frame and smooth roof, unable to contain their admiration.

"My goodness! This shed is made entirely of refined iron! It’s actually built for us to rest."

An old man with a face full of wrinkles squinted, his rough palm repeatedly rubbing against the steel pipe as if to confirm the solidity of its touch.

"The Prince and Princess Consort are truly generous, they have spent quite a lot!"

Another younger laborer hugged the steel pipe directly, closed his eyes, and gently rubbed his face against it, as if he were caressing his wife’s delicate cheeks.

In ancient times, iron was a scarce resource, let alone refined iron. Iron mines were strictly controlled by the court or local authorities; those who privately mined iron faced exile at best, beheading at worst.

Refined iron was even more precious, often used to forge weapons, farming tools, and other important implements.

The court had a special iron officer responsible for the mining, smelting, and distribution of iron.

Craftsmen in the civilian sector had to go through numerous approvals to obtain even a small amount of refined iron, and the quantity was limited.

As a result, refined iron products were incredibly valuable, becoming treasures sought after by the powerful and noble.

But the laborers had no idea that the shed’s frame wasn’t ordinary refined iron, but steel pipes more durable than iron, and the roof was made of lightweight, durable steel tiles.

These modern materials seemed like objects from another world to them.

The sun gradually set in the west, and darkness began to fall. Han Lei grabbed a folding ladder and let the laborers climb onto the shed roof to lay two layers of grass matting, mainly for insulation and soundproofing.

After finishing everything, the laborers tidied up their tools, strapped on their baskets, carried their crates, and prepared to head down the mountain to the cement factory for dinner.

Han Lei sat on a three-wheeler and sighed softly, "Time is really insufficient, just building a shed and half the day is gone."

Zhao Zun also got on, wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and quickly stole a kiss on her dust-covered cheek, prompting Han Lei to turn her head to glare at him.

Zhao Zun laughed, "Don’t rush, take your time. Today we already have three trucks of bauxite, plus what the laborers brought back, it’s enough for the cement factory to use for several days."

Han Lei nodded, her gaze falling on the winding Qu Linjiang in the distance, suddenly inspired.

"Tomorrow, all the three-wheelers should make a trip; while we have this time gap, we can first buy some ready-made cement from the system to repair the road."

Zhao Zun raised an eyebrow, "Repair the road? Now?"

"Yes, while the materials haven’t been used up, let’s repair the road first, making transportation more convenient afterward."

While speaking, Han Lei opened the system interface and quickly purchased a batch of cement and sand.

The road down the mountain was uneven, Han Lei placed enough cement and sand by the roadside every certain distance from the space.

Zhao Zun looked at the building materials that appeared out of thin air and couldn’t help but laugh, "Your system is indeed convenient, you can carry whatever you need anytime."

The three-wheeler bounced back to the cement factory, and all the laborers gathered around.

Seeing the hopper full of bauxite, the laborers immediately cheered.

"So much bauxite! Enough for all of us to haul and carry for several days!"

A laborer with a dusty face excitedly patted the hopper, his voice full of excitement.

"Yes, this will save us plenty of energy!" another laborer smiled and echoed.

After unloading, everyone went into the grass shed to rest.

Dinner was already set up, with only a few bowls of coarse grain buns and a bowl of wild vegetables on the table. Han Lei looked at these simple meals and couldn’t help but sigh.

Since leaving the Beiguan Camp for the Capital City, she too had joined the ranks of the "noble."

Coupled with the fact that she could always buy some food from the system, she hadn’t seen such rough meals in a long time. Even the people around her had gradually improved their meals.

The cement factory and the quarry were originally heavy labor jobs, even though Zhao Zun offered double the wages, the laborers would only think about taking the silver back to support their families, unwilling to spend a little on something nice to eat.

Han Lei was silent for a moment and suddenly raised her head to say to Zhao Zun, "Announce that from today, the food at the factory will include a meal with meat every two days. I’ll go arrange it now."

Zhao Zun nodded repeatedly, he certainly knew that the work here was all physical.

Though he had borrowed Han Lei’s method by giving double wages, he wouldn’t drive the laborers to work like those cruel nobles wielding whips.

But the laborers, to earn that double wage, were working hard at their tasks.

The county rarely sold pork, it was almost always mutton or chicken and fish, but those were quite expensive.

He longed to improve the laborers’ meals, but with so many places needing silver since setting up the cement factory, he feared his stipend and rewards wouldn’t last much longer without Han Lei’s return.

Furthermore, the distance from here to the county was considerable, the laborers were busy working, and the trusted aides had all been sent on missions.

He left early and returned late every day, making it inconvenient to bring enough meat for hundreds of people from the county.

Luckily, Han Lei was here now.