Chapter 37: The First Inn

The first step was finding someone to build it.

Lin Yuan didn’t want to spend eight days traveling to Green River City just to hire a construction crew, so when a caravan arrived from the east that afternoon, he asked its leader a simple question.

"Know any builders?"

The merchant looked past him at Wandering Cloud Tavern.

"What did you break?"

"Nothing."

"Then why do you need a builder?"

"I’m building an inn."

The merchant glanced at the tavern again.

"You already have one."

"This is a tavern."

"It has rooms."

"Eight."

The merchant looked through the open doorway.

Every table was occupied. Two cultivators near the counter were asking Su Mei whether any rooms would become available that evening.

"Fair."

He thought for a moment.

"There are plenty of construction crews in Green River City."

"I know."

"Then go there."

"That’s four days each way."

The merchant laughed.

"Then ask Qiao. He spent years selling in Green River City. He probably knows someone."

Lin Yuan looked across the road.

That was easier.

Qiao was behind his counter when Lin Yuan entered.

A traveler was buying lamp oil and dried food. Lin Yuan waited until the man left before approaching.

"Know any builders?"

Qiao looked up.

"What are you building?"

"An inn."

Qiao stared at him for a moment.

"Another one?"

"I don’t have an inn."

"You have eight rooms."

"I also have ten tables and a kitchen."

Qiao considered that.

"Fair."

Apparently everyone had the same argument.

"Anyone reliable?" Lin Yuan asked.

Qiao thought for a moment.

"Master Zhou. He repaired shops and houses around the southern market. His crew built a storage building for me several years ago."

"Good?"

"It’s still standing."

"Strong recommendation."

"I sold general goods. I wasn’t inspecting palaces."

"Where is he?"

"Green River City."

Lin Yuan sighed.

Qiao smiled.

"You don’t need to go."

"How do I contact him?"

Qiao pointed through the doorway.

A small merchant wagon was preparing to leave Blackstone.

"Someone goes east almost every day. Write him a message. Pay someone to deliver it. If he’s interested, he’ll come here."

Lin Yuan nodded.

That was much better.

The message left Blackstone before sunset.

Lin Yuan kept it simple.

He wanted to build a lodging house on his land. It needed to be practical, durable, and large enough to handle the growing number of travelers staying in Blackstone.

Before ordering materials, he wanted the builder to inspect the site.

After that, there was nothing to do but wait.

Lin Yuan returned to the tavern.

Five days passed.

The western road remained unsettled, but no more beasts entered Blackstone.

Travelers continued moving in groups. Some stopped only long enough to ask about the road, while others stayed overnight waiting for companions.

The warning board remained outside.

Duan He’s shop stayed busy with hunters selling beast materials.

Qiao received another shipment from Green River City.

Wandering Cloud Tavern’s rooms remained difficult to get.

On the fifth afternoon, a wooden cart approached from the east.

Four men rode with it.

The oldest stepped down first.

He looked somewhere in his late forties, broad through the shoulders, with rough hands and a measuring cord hanging from his belt.

Instead of entering the tavern, he stopped beside the road.

His gaze moved from Wandering Cloud Tavern to Qiao’s General Goods, then farther down toward Duan He’s Beast Materials.

Finally, he looked at the open land.

Lin Yuan approached him.

"Master Zhou?"

The man turned.

"Owner Lin?"

"Yes."

"Qiao said you want an inn."

"I do."

Master Zhou nodded toward the open land.

"Show me."

Lin Yuan liked that answer.

They crossed the road.

Lin Yuan led him to the plot he had chosen.

Master Zhou walked around the land while the three men accompanying him began measuring.

"How many rooms?" he asked.

"Enough that eight full rooms at the tavern stop being a problem."

Master Zhou looked at him.

"That’s not a number."

"That’s why you’re here."

The builder looked toward Wandering Cloud Tavern.

"How often are the rooms full?"

"Lately? Often."

"Because of the western road?"

"Partly."

"And before the beast trouble?"

"People were already asking for longer stays."

Master Zhou nodded.

"Then don’t build only for what’s happening this week."

He walked several more steps before stopping.

"Twelve rooms should be reasonable."

Lin Yuan considered it.

"Not too many?"

"Not if Blackstone keeps growing."

That was the important part.

"Two floors?"

"Best use of the land."

Master Zhou pointed toward the road.

"A common area downstairs. Guest rooms above and behind it."

"Kitchen?"

"Do you want to serve food?"

Lin Yuan looked back at Wandering Cloud Tavern.

"No."

"Then don’t build one."

Guests staying at the inn could eat at the tavern.

Master Zhou continued inspecting the ground.

By late afternoon, several wooden stakes marked the rough footprint of the future inn.

For the first time, Lin Yuan could stand beside the road and see where the new building would rise.

They returned to Wandering Cloud Tavern before dinner.

Master Zhou spread a rough drawing across one of the tables.

"Twelve guest rooms. Common area. Storage. Basic washing facilities."

Lin Yuan studied it.

Simple and practical.

"How long?"

"Once the materials arrive, around two weeks."

"Your crew?"

"I can bring enough workers."

"And the cost?"

Master Zhou gave him an estimate.

The amount was significant, but ordinary construction was still far cheaper than spiritually enhancing a building.

Lin Yuan looked over the drawing once more.

Twelve rooms would more than double Blackstone’s current lodging capacity.

"Do it."

Master Zhou nodded.

"I’ll prepare the full material list."

"There’s a merchant passing through regularly who can bring construction materials from Green River City."

"Then we can begin as soon as they arrive."

Master Zhou started rolling up the drawing.

Then he stopped.

"One more thing."

"What?"

"Does the inn have a name?"

Lin Yuan looked at him.

"Not yet."

"You’ll need one before I make the sign."

"Build the walls first."

Master Zhou laughed.

"Fair enough."

The material list was ready the next morning.

Lin Yuan arranged for timber, stone, roof tiles, doors, windows, and other basic supplies to be brought from Green River City.

He paid the necessary deposits.

Master Zhou’s crew didn’t wait for everything to arrive. They began preparing the land that afternoon.

Grass and loose stones were cleared away.

Measurements were checked again.

Then the first foundation lines were cut into the soil.

Travelers noticed almost immediately.

A man leaving Qiao’s shop stopped beside the road.

"Owner Lin."

Lin Yuan looked over.

"What’s that going to be?"

"An inn."

The man’s face brightened.

"Finally."

Lin Yuan stared at him.

The traveler gave an awkward cough.

"Wandering Cloud is good."

"Mm."

"It’s just usually full."

"I know."

The man gave another awkward cough and continued down the road.

Lin Yuan turned back toward the construction site.

Master Zhou’s workers continued digging.

There was little to see yet—marked earth, wooden stakes, tools, and the beginning of a foundation.

Across the road stood Wandering Cloud Tavern. Beside it, Qiao sold supplies to travelers. Farther down, hunters entered and left Duan He’s shop carrying beast materials.

Until now, much of Blackstone’s growth had begun with repairing what the wasteland had left behind.

This building was different.

Nothing had stood here before.

Lin Yuan watched the first foundation take shape.

Blackstone had grown enough to need something new.