Chapter 786: Building the Li Village Bridge
Editor: Henyee Translations
Ultimately, Chu Mingyuan hesitated for a moment before choosing to work again. Being ostracized by the entire village was unbearable.
After a month and a half of construction, the road reached the position of Li Family River.
Li Qingyu would pass a river when returning to her maternal home, the very Li Family River in question.
Originally, there was a bridge over Li Family River, but it was washed away by a flood a while ago. The government did not take action to rebuild it, so the bridge remained unrepaired until now.
Several village leaders gathered at the riverbank…
“Brother Li, let’s talk to Miss Chu Qingzhi about helping us rebuild the bridge, what do you say?”
“Building a bridge is a big project. Would she be willing?”
“We don’t know if she’ll agree, but it’s a rare opportunity. Let’s give it a try.”
“Alright, if she agrees to help us advocate for it, everyone in our village will help without asking for payment.”
“I’m planning the same. Let’s go and try.”
“Let’s go.”
The village leaders from several villages meticulously discussed and then went together to Chu Village.
Chu Qingzhi had almost completed the road construction on her land, and now the work was focused on the area near Shuiyun County and the official roads outside her land. She frequently inspected the work to prevent slack due to the extended distance.
While walking, Chu Qingzhi was contemplating how to address the road near Li Family River. Ignoring it would mean that Tongzi County and Shuiyun County would always be separated by the river, which would be inconvenient, especially for transporting goods.
The best solution would be to build a bridge over the river.
Planning to survey the area, she unexpectedly met several village leaders.
The village leaders were surprised to encounter Chu Qingzhi on their way and warmly approached her.
The village leader from Li Village said, “Miss, we are village leaders from nearby villages and would like to discuss something with you.”
Chu Qingzhi nodded, “Please, go ahead.”
After a moment of thought, Li Village’s leader directly said, “Miss, we hope you can help us build a bridge over the Li Family River. Our village is poor and doesn’t have much money, but we have many able men. We’re willing to work without pay, just hoping you can help us build a bridge.”
This coincided with Chu Qingzhi’s own thoughts, “I need to see the site before I can say whether a bridge can be built. I was actually planning to go to the Li Family River. Why don’t you accompany me, and we can take a look together?”
The village leaders immediately agreed, “Of course, we’ll follow your lead.” They were pleasantly surprised by the proposal.
Together, they quickly reached Li Family River.
Upon inspecting the site, Chu Qingzhi noted that the river was about eight to nine meters wide with a slow flow and the surrounding soil was solid, not sandy, indicating that building a bridge was feasible.
Noticing Chu Qingzhi nearby, Chu Rong approached, “Qingzhi.”
Chu Qingzhi turned, “Dad.”
Chu Rong inquired about her presence, and Chu Qingzhi explained her intention to assess the possibility of building a bridge there.
“Building a bridge is a great idea,” Chu Rong was delighted, pointing upstream where the river was narrower, suggesting it as a potential site for the bridge.
Chu Qingzhi headed upstream to find a narrower part of the river, which would simplify construction and reduce material costs.
An elderly man approached her there, respectfully addressing her and thanking her on behalf of the community for her significant contributions. He revealed he was a bridge builder and had hoped to rebuild the bridge washed away at Li Village. He offered his skills and experience to help with the new bridge.
Chu Qingzhi welcomed his offer and, after discussing and planning with him, decided to build a five-arch stone bridge to ensure it would withstand future floods.
The news of the bridge’s construction quickly spread, and many from the surrounding area volunteered to help, eager to see the bridge realized.
Under Chu Qingzhi’s efficient organization, construction on the Li Family Bridge soon began, drawing a large crowd of spectators on the first day.
Chu Qingzhi’s reputation for benevolence and community service spread even further, enhancing her status and respect within the community.