The man's surname was Wang, so the two of them could simply call him Wang Yaren.
Wang Yaren took two people with him and went to three places in total.
The first house was in a residential area not far from the examination hall; the house wasn't very big.
Upon entering, there is a small courtyard with only two rooms, which the owner partitioned off from his own home specifically for renting out to earn some money.
There is no kitchen, so they can only eat out, or give the landlord more money and the landlord will deliver food. They eat whatever the landlord eats.
The two of them didn't have any particular thoughts after looking around. Although the prices were cheaper, the people around them were too curious about them.
During the short time the two were looking at the house, quite a few people were peeking around, and some even came up to ask if they were married. They worried that living there would make it difficult for them to concentrate on their studies, so they ruled it out immediately.
Next, they went to a second place.
The second place was in a better location, in a very quiet alley. According to Wang Yaren, this alley was quite famous locally and was called Wenqing Alley.
Every year, many candidates rent rooms here, and many have passed the imperial examinations and become successful candidates.
The street was indeed quiet, and when you walked down it, no one would give you a second glance.
The small courtyard is planted with green bamboo and has a small pavilion, where one can leisurely enjoy the bamboo and drink tea. On the other side is a well, convenient for drawing water and washing clothes.
There are only two rooms, each with a kitchen, making it convenient to cook your own meals. After walking around for a while, I found the courtyard to be quite elegantly designed, presumably originally intended for scholars preparing for the imperial examinations.
Li Qingyao was secretly pleased, but seeing that Gao Chuan didn't say anything, he didn't say anything either.
Next, I went to see the third one, which was also in this alley, at the other end.
Everything about it is great; it's closer to the examination hall, much bigger than the second one, and has everything you need. The only downside is that the neighbors seem a bit unsettling.
A woman with a shrill voice could always be heard making a fuss, which even made Wang Yaren frown.
"Gentlemen, these are the only three places I have left. Do you two have any ideas?"
The price had already been discussed with them when they were looking at the properties; the cheapest was the first one, and the most expensive was the third one.
“Wang Yaren, we’ve already chosen the second one. We can go to the official broker now to sign and pay the money.”
"You gentlemen are so generous!"
Wang Yaren had already guessed that if the two of them had to choose, they would probably only choose the second one.
The first company was just there to make up the numbers; the second and third were the ones he really wanted to recommend. That was his little trick.
Regardless of which of these two they choose to sign, he will receive a substantial commission.
Back at the official market, the broker found the homeowner again, and the group signed the handover documents for the keys.
Unexpectedly, they settled on the house in just one morning. Seeing that it was past lunchtime, the two treated the broker to lunch.
"Brother Wang, you've worked hard today. It's past lunchtime now, why don't you come with us to get something to eat? It's on us."
Gao Chuan spoke first, his attitude sincere.
"No need, no need. It's what I should do, and I've already received my commission. How can I let the scholar spend more money?"
This was the first time Wang Yaren had been invited to dinner by two such young scholars.
Despite working at the official brokerage, he was looked down upon by many. The two scholars were so polite that Wang, the broker, was flattered and secretly pleased, but he still repeatedly refused their advances.
"To be honest, Brother Wang, as you know, my brother and I are here to take the exam, so we need to make the most of our time to review our lessons every day."
This isn't a request for Brother Wang to help us find a reliable and trustworthy woman to come and help with laundry and cooking. Please, Brother Wang, don't refuse.
During the house viewing, Wang Yaren said that his family had been locals for generations and knew Suyang Prefecture very well.
At that time, Gao Chuan had an idea.
When Wang Yaren heard about this, he no longer refused. It was a business that had come to him. They, as officials, also did the business of selling and hiring people.
"You two scholars, would you like some noodles? There's a noodle shop nearby that's affordable and delicious. If you don't mind, let's go there for noodles."
"please."
While eating noodles, Gao Chuan kept calling Wang Ya a "brother" and won him over, promising to find them a reliable person.
After the meal, Wang Yaren went to pay for the noodles, but the shopkeeper pointed at Li Qingyao and said that he had already paid.
Wang Yaren was surprised, as he hadn't noticed the younger one before.
The two said goodbye to Wang Yaren, returned to the inn to pack their things, checked out, and moved into No. 21 Wenqing Lane.
When they arrived, the homeowner had already had the house cleaned, which was convenient for them.
There are two rooms, one for each person.
Is Young Master Gao home?
Knock knock knock!
Gao Chuan and Li Qingyao were reading in the pavilion. The weather was nice today, and there was a breeze in the courtyard, which was quite pleasant.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Gao Chuan put down his book and went to open the door.
"Greetings, Young Master Gao!"
"Brother Wang, I've been waiting for you for two days, and you've finally arrived."
As soon as Gao Chuan opened the door, he saw Wang Yaren and an aunt standing outside and his face immediately lit up with a smile.
"Please come in!"
"Brother Wang is here."
Li Qingyao put all the books inside the room and came out to greet everyone.
"Greetings, Young Master Li."
After exchanging greetings, Wang Yaren introduced the people around him to them.
"This is Aunt Qian, my neighbor. It's not that I, Old Wang, am biased, but Aunt Qian is an excellent cook, efficient, and I know her well, which is why I dared to recommend her to you two young masters."
There's only one thing: Aunt Qian's wages must be settled daily.
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