Linxia

Chapter 56, Weng Hall

"Wengtang means bathhouse. Speaking of the name Wengtang, it has a history..." Shopkeeper Liu's know-it-all nature broke out.

When Huang Di heard Manager Liu start talking, he smiled and moved away. Chai Yiwei also quietly distanced himself and went to clean up far away. It was obvious that they had heard it more than once.

Fang Lin was quite interested.

I only heard Manager Liu say: "The origin of Wengtang can be traced back to Taizu. In the early years of the founding of the country, Taizu decided to make Yingtian the secondary capital. The secondary capital was the face of the country and the important place in the capital, so it was natural that it could not be neglected. More than 100,000 civilians were recruited to repair the imperial city.

So many people, sweating profusely every day, without taking a shower, the smell is mixed together, can they still get up this time? Even if they can get up, they will feel dizzy, can they still work normally? Moreover, what if there is a disease that is transmitted?
Taizu naturally had a solution, which was to build a public bathhouse for the common people to take a bath. Because this bathhouse was shaped like a bell or an urn, it was named "Urgon Hall"! "

"So that's how it is. The shopkeeper really knows more." Fang Lin looked like he had learned something.

Shopkeeper Liu nodded with satisfaction. He felt that chatting with Fang Lin was comfortable. Unlike Huang Di and the other two, they seemed impatient as if they were listening to him nagging.

He felt comfortable and happy, and in a good mood, he started to talk and took the initiative to find a topic, asking: "Fang Lin, do you know why you have to go early to take a bath in Wengtang?"

"Why?" Although Fang Lin had some guesses in his mind, he still wanted to hear what Shopkeeper Liu had to say: "I'd like to ask Shopkeeper Liu for the reason. Please advise me."

Shopkeeper Liu had a teachable expression on his face and explained in detail: "How much do you think it costs to go to Wengtang once? Five cents! For ordinary people, this is a day's wages. It's not that I can't afford it, but I feel bad after washing. My body is clean, but my heart is bleeding.

Who would be so hard-earned as to be wasted by water? Think about it, isn't it a bit unfair? So, if you can avoid going, don't go. Once you go, it's like someone who hasn't eaten meat for ten days or half a month going to a banquet. How can you not eat a big meal and get enough of it?

The same goes for bathing in the urn hall. If it’s too late, the water…”

He shook his head: "I won't tell you how dirty it is, for fear that you will be disgusted."

Fang Lin nodded seriously. He also thought that if he went too late, the water would be bad. But he didn't expect that Manager Liu could be so creative and explain it from the perspective of wages and psychology.

"If it's just dirty, that's fine."

Shopkeeper Liu seemed to have thought of something, with a strange expression on his face, and added: "The key is that some people, those with hemorrhoids, skin diseases... especially pig butchers, once they take off their clothes and jump inside, the fishy wind blows in their faces..."

"Cough cough!"

As Fang Lin listened, he felt the vivid picture, and then his throat started to itch and he wanted to vomit.

At this moment, he suddenly remembered that the store was busy yesterday and stayed up late, so Cheng Shiliang and Huang Di did not go. This was probably the reason.

"Boss, it can't be that all the bathhouses in the city are like this, right?" Fang Lin asked.

"Of course there are high-end bathhouses. Last time, I contacted Mr. Meng from the printing house and went to the Lan Bathhouse."

Manager Liu showed a proud look on his face. It was obvious that for him, a trip to the Blue Bathhouse was also an experience worth being proud of. He recalled: "The floor of the Blue Bathhouse is paved with white stones. The hot spring water is also very clear. You can see the white stones all around. If there is any dirt, you can tell at a glance. The entire Blue Bathhouse covers an area of ​​about three or four acres, divided into forty or fifty small rooms, each of which is paved with white jade-like stones, and there are flowers around the bathing pool.

Each independent single room has a nice name, such as Yaodao Pengshan, Ruigong Xuanyuan, Xuexiang Fuhai... I chose one to cleanse my mind and went in. There was a coffee table next to the bathing pool with fine tea on it. There were special hangers for clothes. Next to the bathing pool, within reach, there was a five-hole bamboo tube with words like high temperature, medium temperature, slightly warm, drain water, add water, etc. written on it. Whatever you want, you don't have to say a word, just knock on the bamboo tube.

There is a wind wheel on the bathroom window, which rotates at any time, sending a natural flower scented breeze, and there are beautiful maids to serve you. "

Shopkeeper Liu smacked his lips and continued speaking, making people seem to see a picture in front of their eyes: "Imagine: lying in water of suitable temperature, enjoying the fragrance of flowers, drinking tea, closing your eyes and relaxing, with the soft and gentle hand of a young girl on your shoulder, and there is no noise except the faint sound of water and wind around." This was a new version of the story that had never been heard before. Huang Di came over and was fascinated by what he heard. Chai Yiwei stopped cleaning and immersed himself in the imagination described by Shopkeeper Liu.

Fang Lin was even more impressed: "Isn't this a high-end club? People in this era also know how to have fun like this?"

"Not only high-end bathhouses like the Lan Bathhouse, I heard that there are also steam bathhouses in the city that combine bathing and health preservation. They can cure colds, facilitate excretion, and nourish the skin and internal organs..." Shopkeeper Liu said again.

'Is the steamer out?'

Fang Lin almost rolled his eyes. He could only say that when it came to bathing, the rich people of this era were not much different from those in their previous lives.

At the same time, I am also looking forward to the experience of bathing in the Wengtang this afternoon.

As we were talking, some people came back and the store became a little busier, so we stopped chatting.

In the afternoon, Cheng Shiliang, Huang Di and Fang Lin proposed to go to Wengtang.

……

Thanks to God, it was not busy at the moment. Cheng Shiliang, Huang Di and Fang Lin said they wanted to go to Wengtang, and Manager Liu waved his hand and told them to go quickly.

"Chai Yiwei, let's go to Wengtang together?" Cheng Shiliang pulled Chai Yiwei.

"I'm not going. You guys go!" Chai Yiwei shook his head again and again: "I'll stay and help the shopkeeper look after the store."

Cheng Shiliang thought it was right, so he stopped pulling and went out with Huang Di and Fang Lin.

Wengtang was not far away, about one or two miles, and we arrived there in a short while.

The Weng Hall looks very large, about ten feet high and twelve feet wide, with a round roof, and looks like an upside-down bell. Not a single piece of wood is used in the entire hall, which is built entirely with stone bricks. The brick joints are glued with glutinous rice, making them airtight.

Fang Lin was still confused. If there was no air circulation, wouldn't he suffocate to death?

After we went in, we found that there were vents on the dome, which allowed for ventilation and allowed water vapor to rise. After cooling, the water droplets would flow down along the circular walls instead of dripping on people.

'The design of the Weng Hall is really exquisite.'

Fang Lin said to himself and outlined the entire bathhouse in his mind. It was shaped like a bell and also like an urn. No wonder it was called the Urn Hall.

They arrived very early today. Although there were not many people in the hall, some people had already started to come in. Cheng Shiliang paid the money for Huang Di, and Fang Lin paid five cents himself and went in.

After entering the urn hall, there was no water at the bottom of the large stone bathing pool, and there were seven or eight people waiting there.

After a while, with a shout of "release the water", followed by the sound of a windlass turning, the water rushed into the bathing pool, clear and visible.

……

(End of this chapter)