146 5.35 The Construction Commences!

"Fuyoo...! This gyoza is pretty nice and soft and fluffy! It's nice to eat them fresh and the fillings are very generous indeed." one of the girls commented. "Yes, I agree. I have heard about it and yet this is the first time I had tasted this fine delicacy." remarked another.

It seems those girls had been long separated from these little comfort foods that they had neither tasted it nor had forgotten how it tastes like.

To the commoners like us, we usually take things for granted since it was readily available for us. To us, money means everything in this era and if one does not have a single copper means that he or she would not even be able to enjoy a single nicety in life.

A little while later, someone came over and said he was looking for the young master. The person eyed the girls merrily eating and talking among themselves and was almost thinking aloud that we run some kind of a harem club.

"Yes, I am the young master who you are looking for. Are you from the fruits shop, the one the delivery boy had asked for earlier?"

"Yes, I am, young master. Is there anything you need?" asked the young apprentice.

"Yes, could you deliver me a sack of sweet potatoes, a sack of sweet corn and a semi rope saba bananas in a whole bunch, not a comb, but the whole bunch." I pointed out the bunch by outstretching my hands. It is for tomorrow morning, please send it early in the morning and bring the receipt with you."

"We have yam also that is good to eat when steamed." the apprentice recommended.

"Ah, yes... That one too in a sack." Let us know the total price tomorrow in the receipt and deliver it after the rooster crow, about 6 am." I casually said before realising that timepieces were not common everyday items.

" Yes, young master. Buying in bulk is cheaper than by weight, and I would give you a discount for sure." said the young apprentice.

"By the way, are these girls your friends?" he asked when he eyed someone he would like to be acquainted with.

"No, these girls were not our friends but our family members. Why do you ask?"

"Ah... Nothing, Senior Master. I thought I saw someone familiar in that group that happens to work in the marketplace as me."

"Oh...drop by here anytime if you want to talk to my family members in case you want to make friends or something."

"Sure, Senior Master... I'd be off now and prepare the items you require. Thank you very much."

"Make sure you choose the freshest ones and semi-ripe bananas that can be eaten 2 days after. We going to make morning and afternoon snacks for the construction workers here tomorrow onwards."

"Sure, young master. I'd see to your request. Thank you again and see you tomorrow morning."

With that, the apprentice turned and waved at the group of girls who were looking in his direction too. Instead of waving back, those girls giggled in a very silly manner.

Ahh... Girls will remain as girls even from another era.

The girls had their supper and had been quite a long time since they feel so stuffed. They drank green tea and when they had cleared the steamer baskets if its contents, they cleaned up the tables and brought the empty kettle and cups back in their tray.

"Thank you for your kind hospitality inviting us for dinner and then back here for supper. Thank you again for recommending us and paving a path towards a better life and working environment."

"We also wish to thank you for the kind acceptance for us being as one big family. Your offer for us to work and live here is extremely generous and we trust every single word you say."

"Your upbringing was outstanding and virtue since you rejected us openly when we did offer ourselves to serve you in bed. Thank you for respecting us to that degree and we would definitely be working hard and adhering to your instructions and directions in the near future."

"We would like to take our leave now and would be heading back to our own homes. We cannot be late as we might be denied entry. We hope you understand our current situation and hope that you would not be like them and be cold-hearted, which I don't think both of you were like that."

"We thank you again and be awaiting the day when all of us can be together as one big family. Thank you very much again for your hospitality."

All 6 of the girls bowed down low in a sign of utter respect and we bowed back to them.

"Always remember to be humble. Remember where we all come from and never bring up the past anymore. Once you set your foot in this new home, it's going to be a new chapter in your lives. Always bear that in mind. Be helpful and generous and never forget that you were once like the ones you helped."

"Here, we have a little something for you in case you wanted to buy your own meals for tomorrow. And don't forget to be here directly for dinner and supper."

The girls bowed low and I went up to them and held their hands and pressed a silver coin for them each. They looked at their hands and expressed joy as they had never held such a coin in their lives since the closest they get were copper coins.

"I was once down and out, it is a little something to remind me of how small things can be great and meaningful and never should be taken for granted."

"Thank you, Senpai!" the girls' choruses together not in sync like in the movies but at least they showed their appreciation and gratitude. What I wanted was to share our joys and hard work.

They turned slowly and walked back to the path leading towards the marketplace.

"Don't forget tomorrow evening!" Hiko-sama called out to them and they turned back at waved at him. "Thank you Hiko-dono" they waved back as they made their way back to their own destination.

"I'm going to the Realm of Mind soon. You want to join me?" I offered Hiko-sama as I wanted to do something there.

"Sure, why not. I wanted to see how the soap in the moulding set is. So you won't want to make another batch?"

"The flower Essense is enough for another 4 uses. The only thing is that we may need to get some more barrels of coconut and olive oil plus the lye powder. Each batch can be made from a 75 kilograms capacity each. No hurries, we still have a long way to go."

With that, I cleared the table and brought the rubbish in the kitchenette to be burned tomorrow and washed the kettle and cups. Hiko-sama also cleared his 2 jars but left the pottery outside. He kept the blueprint for the House and also the proposal from the carpenter.

We packed the whole place up and before entering I washed my hands with the green tea soap and inhaled the fragrance. Immediately a sense of vigour rushed in and made my body and mind as clear as crystal.

We went into my room and sat cross-legged and start to enter our meditative state. The moment we opened up the eyes, the sight before us remained unchanged.

We inspected the soap that been set in the mould and was still semi-hard. I explained that to make the soap rock hard was to let it stand for 3 weeks here in the Realm of Mind. Once it is ready, we could transport everything back in one go and make sure we are in a big space or else it would not fit and be kicked back into this Realm of Mind.

I pulled Hiko-sama's sleeve and get him to step back some steps as I wanted to experiment something. I visualise the whole setup in front of me and swiped the soap production sideway and it changed to the Blacksmithing area.

"Wow! I didn't you could do that, kid. It's like turning a page to go to another room while standing still."

"Hehe...this is my first try, Sensei. I never thought I could do it but I visualise it. Furthermore, we were in the soap production so-called room and the scent of the soap really was refreshing and it made my body and mind to be filled with renowned energy."

"So you will not lose consciousness and feel weak anymore?"

"That's right, Sensei. You are perfectly correct. Now let me visualise the iron prodder with the words (FJKRI97%) first which stands for [Refined Iron] 97% purity and (FJKPI99%) for [Purified Iron] 99% purity. Let me make these two first."

I visualise the iron prodder with the part to be prodded in those words that I wanted and when I opened up my eyes, the iron prodder had already been placed on the anvil.

"Here, once I had poured the Molten metal inside each mould, this prodder would be pressed lightly on the centre and leave a mark. We can take a few pieces and go to the Patents and Trademarks and register it under our corporation so we can market it our from Kitakata." I passed the two prodders to Hiko-sama and he looked at it and was amazed I could think of hard labelling these plates according to the business trade name.

"So in that case, we need to patent this to our corporation, right? So that we can have the ability to export it out. Seems a feasible idea for me, kid."

"Alright, Sensei. I'm going to smelt these scrap weapon parts. It would take some time. Would you like to stick around and maybe you can think of some ideas for more upcoming projects?" I offered as I placed the smelting pot in the middle of the bed of coals and placed those scrap weapon parts that had been cleaned earlier in the day by Hiko-sama.

"I'd stick around here, kid. You wanted to smelt everything down?" asked Hiko-sama as I piled a lot more scrap weapon parts.

"Yup, I want to make 2 batches today of 120 plates of [Refined Iron] today. Should take about 2 hours or so." I explained as he readily informed me that he would help to pour the contents into the moulding set. I nodded as I continued with my task.

Hiko-sama helped me by pouring the Molten metal using a dipping scoop and he had to wear heavy gloves because he isn't used to these work before. I had visualised another 12 more moulding set that can hold 5 plates as the original ones before.

I kept pumping the bellows and adding the scraps to melt it down. After Hiko-sama had poured the Molten metal, he helped to lightly stamp the centre of the semi-hardened plates.

Soon, 120 plates had been ready and stamped and we returned back to our real world.

"We could patent this once it is cold and hard. We can do it once every new version of plates has been made. Do you know how to keep a ledger, Sensei? I could guide you if you are too sure."

"No problem, kid. You can guide me. This ledger is to keep track of outgoing goods and incoming cash flow, right? It is part of Economics that I learnt a long time ago in high school but had forgotten most of it."

"Yes, Sensei. That's right. We don't have to include in the cost because the iron plates cost nothing. We keep it simple but we just need to track on the Seijuro Tumblers that's all. It's a high cost and long term investment."

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"That's right, kid. I'm going to shower then head straight to sleep. How about you? Are you going to shower?"

"Right after you then. The bathroom is too small for both of us and since we have soap, we can scrub ourselves and shower alone. Maybe we should go to a public bath and promote the soap to those rich and famous as well."

"Swell idea, kid. I'm off to shower first. I will keep the water running for your bath later."

I nodded as I went to clear the rubbish in the kitchenette. There was no need to drop psi energy spheres in the bath anymore since we have the energised Karada Soap instead.

The rubbish I placed in the furnace in the living room and burnt it, at the same time heating the water for the bath. Since it was natural compost, there weren't any unpleasant smells from the fire and smoke.

"Sensei, I just wash up here in the sink and not going to shower. It's the same effect." I said aloud since Hiko-sama was again singing in the shower. "OK!" came the reply and I just went ahead to wash my face in the sink and used the face towel to wipe it off.

I then headed to my bedroom and lay down. Soon the singing by Hiko-sama made my eyelids droop and I fell asleep soon after.

The morning rooster crowed and I woke up. I checked the box where I had placed the pocket watch and saw it was just slightly after 5 am in the morning. I would it up and placed the pocket watch on my Odachi stand. I checked my balance gold coins and found that I had still slightly over 250 gold coins with a bountiful of silver and a handful of coppers.

I stood up and performed my poring stance and let the natural movements take over my body. After I felt they all my joints and muscles had been loosened, I went straight into the Realm of Mind to fetch two [Refined Iron] back to the real world.

I ran my fingers over the stamp mark and was satisfied at the work of Hiko-sama as even though the work was fairly simple, he was a perfectionist as well. I made green tea as there was nothing else to be prepared for breakfast. A short while later I heard someone was greeting us from outside.

It was the apprentice from the fruit shops and he brought with him a hand cart filled with 3 sacks and a whole bunch of bananas with St least 7 combs in it.

I told him to place it over the corner of the house and I placed another sack over it to prevent snow from falling into it. I took the receipt and paid-up using the coins from the coin pouch.

I took 2 medium-sized yams and decided to steam it for breakfast and went to the kitchen to set the steamer. I looked at the water in the tub and found that it was half full and Hiko-sama had let the tap to trickle down. I went outside and cranked underneath the water tower to fill it up. It had been several days since I had done so.

Soon after, Hiko-sama stirred from his sleep and stood at the main doorway and asked me how long I had woken up and wondered what time it would be right now. I laughed at him and reminded about the pocket watch which he immediately retrieved it.

"Sensei, don't forget to wind it 8 times every morning. It's only 535 am. By the way, if our hakama and gin or kimono do not have a pocket, then how would it be called them?"

"I don't know, kid. You tell me then." Hiko-sama answered as I took the pocket watch and wrap the chain part around his neck and then used the blunt hook to hang at the chain link.

"It becomes a necklace, cute right? People won't know you are carrying one and no one would be able to take it from you. Also, the ticking of the pocket watch is close to the heart and it beats rhythmically."

"Hahahha...im going to wear like this every day, kid and only to remove it when I shower or even change my clothes."

We both had a laugh and pored ourselves green tea and drank right there in the kitchen.

A little while later we heard some commotion of men gathering at our front yard and we guessed it must come from the construction team.

"Ohaiyo Gozaimasu Senior and Young Master! I am Kayu-San and all the 10 people and materials are here to begin construction!"

We both went outside and saw a few horses drawn carts with a lot of timber and other fittings. I checked the time on Hiko-sama pocket watch and it was just slightly before 6 am.

Hiko-sama fetched the blueprint for the plot and land and we both bowed to the men and handed the blueprint to the head of building and construction that we now refer to him as the foreman.

He explained to the 10 men and they first proved the land to locate the sewer line and at the same time began marking the land for the basic layout of the elevated floor which they will drive a 4 foot 4x4 timber into the ground to mark out the hardpoints for the pillars.

They had located the sewer line and it was customary for the owner of the land to perform a small groundbreaking ceremony. So Hiko-sama picked up a shovel and dug into the ground to commence the construction of the new house.

And so the commencement for the building of the new house has started by 615 am. "So, kid...what are your plans for the day? Do you have any tasks for me today?

"Just one, you need to bring these 2 plates of [Refined Iron] to the patents and trademarks department to be endorsed and be placed under the sole manufacturing, production, marketing and distributorship of these plates. Remember these 4 terms, Sensei. This would secure us to perform the whole process from start to beginning of this such plates in the future."

"I understand, kid. We take things slow and easy right now since we have a basic foundation. Furthermore, do you need me to market these products to the Blacksmith again and maybe tell him that we would be out of town for some time and would not be able to produce the plates on time but we have 120 plates on hand if he wanted to purchase."

"Sure, Director of the company, whatever you see fit for the company, you may do so. Just drop him a hint that the Forge Master would be making the [Purified Iron] next at 99% purity at a price of 15 gold pieces each. Let's say in 3 months time?"

"OK, Vice-Director. Considered the task is done. Today, I'm going to change the soap to other scent and drop by the cosmetics shop and see what I can find out."

"As you see fitting for the growth of this company, Director."

With that, we set about our own tasks since we had not much activity to be done later in the day. As one saying goes, an early bird catches the worm and as for us, never out off anything that we can do now for later.

After Hiko-sama had left the house after having showered and taken steamed yam for breakfast and the workers were doing up their work, I took a large steamer basket from underneath the sink storage and placed it in the furnace. Morning tea break would be between 930 to 945 am so it's better to prepare early.

I placed 12 pieces of yam in the steamer basket and set it to boil and steam the contents. I also placed 12 cups in a tray and set it on the garden table. I set a kettle over the furnace fire to do two tasks at the moment.

When the yam had been properly steamed I placed them on the table including the kettle that been prepared with green tea leaves. I motioned them to take their break whenever they liked and soon one pair of workers went to take their break followed by another pair. In this manner, their jobs would not be disrupted in any way.

I fetched all the dirty laundry which had been collected for almost 5 days and performed my obligations. An hour passed and I had completed it and had hung the laundry to dry using a hanger.

The workers looked at the little contraption and asked me where I bought them and told them once the house is ready, it would be available for sale. They asked me how much it costs and I told them, 1 copper, each and said it was dirt cheap for something useful for it. They all made a mental note to buy for their wives.

Another innovation, another income and growth for the corporation. At least one household would need 10 pieces per head and if they have 4 in a household, it would cost 4 silvers.

If based on a median population of adults and children, it would be about 8, 000 residents. Which means 80,000 hangers to be made. The cost of making it is 0 and its a 100% profit of 80,000 coppers equivalent to 8000 silvers or 800 gold coins.

Bless the Mayor for making such a simple trade conversion for the exchange rates!

A short while later, a smiling Hiko-sama came back with great news. The Patents and Trademark Department was satisfied with the [Refined Iron] plates and had put it up for a proposal for the local business district to make into finished products for local and export use AND for the export of the plates as well. A representative would be visiting them within a week to strike a business deal.

This product alone kills many birds with a throw of this plate like a deadly shuriken.

Hiko-sama also informed me that the Blacksmith was ready to absorb all the 120 [Refined Iron] plates at a rate of 4 gold and 5 silvers which totalled to 540 gold coins instead of 600 gold coins. "Its a done deal!" I remarked and when a messenger came by, we stopped him and asked to deliver a message to the Blacksmith stating simply, "540 gold for 120 plates is good. Please reply when you want it all." and paid 1 copper for the delivery of the message.

Food delivery service came on time before midday based on the time on Hiko-sama's chest. The pocket watch that hung on his chest really looked like a medallion and he looked fitting like a noble. I said that the watch worn like that is giving us luck!

We had lunch on the terrace and the same procedures took place where a pair of workers would take turns to eat and then replaced by another pair. The work was considered as undisrupted and ongoing like a well-oiled machine.

I told Hiko-sama about the hangers that the workers were asking earlier and I told them it costs 1 copper each. To supply this town with hangers would bring in a profit of 80 gold pieces. He widened his eyes in disbelief that this simple metal that he had bent and twisted to make a hanger costs 1 copper and in the end would earn us 800 gold coins!

Hiko-sama also reported to me that he had gone to the cosmetics shop and they agree to buy at a non discounted price of 1 gold coin per soap at 100 bars of each scent. Which means its another 500 gold coins coming in from the cosmetic shop. I told him its truly the charm of the pocket watch. He smiled and nodded and stroked the shiny pocket watch on his chest just above his heart.

Hiko-sama looked at me that within a week, I could earn 320 gold coins and finish it up immediately but ended with a new house and complete furnishings in it. He thought of the following week earning of 540 from the Blacksmith and 500 from the cosmetics shop. He shook his head in amazement that I could be earning so much and in the end giving it away too.

"Haahaa... I know what you're thinking, Sensei. It's about the gold coins, right? Well, easy come easy goes. As long as we don't forget who we are and be humble and not use the money for any ill intent, it will keep on rolling."

"I have a proposition for your 4 Comrades. Could you ask them if they are interested to join our corporation as branch managers for the East, West, North and South Region? You decide on their salary as long as they would be able to expand our business over there and set up their own branch office for distribution to at least a town of this size."

"Hmm, great idea, kid. Let me discuss with them when they come back from the expedition. They won't want to be samurai shogunate all their lives, right? Full of risk and have to face many enemies."

"I would forge for them the finest katana that could cut through demon's swords and sabres for sure."

"I want one too... Hehehe." Hiko-sama said in a sheepish manner thinking his friends can get a weapon forged by me and why can't he.

"Sure, Sensei. But I need 5 pieces of coal ore and limestone to make strong steel. Its much stronger than my Odachi and would require a few hits to actually break it."

"OK, kid... I will ask around for the ore and limestone materials."

With that, we sat at the terrace and watched the workers mounted the framework of a low roof. By the looks of it, the sewer pipes had been installed, the hardpoint pillars had been erected and the job for the main structure was almost complete by mid-afternoon. I went inside and prepare the 50 gold coins as promised and set it aside for the foreman.