In June, a party trudged along the official road through Xiangshan Town, a long procession like ants moving their nest, arriving at the site selected for the foundations of the Deer Terrace.
An old man with wrinkled skin and crane-white hair raised his head and gazed at the distant mountains, a look of deep feeling crossing his face.
"A spirit mountain with magnificent terrain, its peaks gathered together, and even the promise of crouching tigers and hidden dragons. Excellent feng shui. Truly excellent feng shui."
"Master, the grandmasters in the capital carefully selected this site for the Deer Terrace. How could it possibly be bad?" a young man who looked like his disciple said with a smile.
The old man chuckled. "Not necessarily. Once you finish your apprenticeship and take on work yourself, you'll understand these things."
"Overseer Bu! Overseer Bu!" A shout suddenly came from up ahead.
The young disciple had sharp ears. Hearing it, he quickly said to the old man, "Master, I think they're calling you."
With his disciple supporting him, the old man hurried over. "Sir, what do you need this old man for?"
This old man was Bu Qingyun, an Array Dao grandmaster summoned from the provinces. He was one of Great Qian's foremost architects, having overseen the design and helped supervise the construction of numerous famous cities and large buildings. The Ministry of Works had long had him registered as a specialist, which was why he had immediately come to mind when they decided to build the Deer Terrace.
After a careful selection process, the Ministry of Works officials appointed him chief designer of the Deer Terrace and deputy director of construction.
Yet craftsmen held a low status in the Great Qian Dynasty. Even someone like him was merely a skilled artisan and received