The Long Reed mill stood quiet under the dark barrier. Its wheel had been stopped for a full day, and a line of grain sacks waited beside the wall. Joram sat on an upturned crate while Ning read the reimbursement terms aloud. Eri listened from the doorway with the village copy of the report tucked under her arm.
“You listed my lost work,” Joram said, “but not the wages for my two workers. They don’t own the mill. They still need to be paid.”
Ning checked the agreement. The first version had listed the mill’s average output, but not the labor cost. “You’re right. How much do they lose for the week?”
Joram gave her the amount. Ning wrote it into the terms, then asked him to confirm the number with the workers. One arrived from the storehouse and checked the arithmetic. He did not want a generous estimate; he wanted the pay he would actually miss.
Ning added both wages and the grain lost while the wheel remained still. Joram read the new total slowly. “The delivery date for replacement parts stays here?”
“Yes,” Ning said. “Bai has confirmed the route.”
Bai came through the mill’s side entrance carrying the supply receipt. The replacement pylon would arrive in two days. The failed unit could not be repaired; the heat had damaged its copper casing and inner coil. Bai had arranged a new casing and enough copper for a full replacement.
