A stonemason whose home courtyard was piled high with stones, some raw, some half-carved, and others finished. He carved two stone mortars for Gu Qiaoqiao—a small one for grinding Sichuan pepper and a large one for chili peppers. He refused payment for the small mortar as a thank you for Gu Qiaoqiao sharing sweet potato seedlings with the village. He remarked that the Hu family is about to rise.
