He had a total of thirty taels of silver on him, and he insisted on keeping ten taels as a tip. Just for that much silver—no, for that kind person—the man with the goatee was ready to go and bargain with his friend.
His friend's asking price was between thirty and thirty-five taels of silver, and twenty taels would be a bit difficult—but faced with a ten-tael bribe, the man with the goatee was confident he could get the house for twenty taels!
"Young master, please go back and rest for a while. Allow me to discuss this with my friend! If he agrees, I will have him bring the land deed, and we can sell the house to you that very day!"
"That's excellent!"
As Jing Zhe spoke, he patted his money pouch, glanced at it, and then scurried away.
Jing Zhe then turned back the way he came, wandered around the house, and made plans in his mind.
"The young chieftain said he bought the house for twenty taels of silver, but he actually paid thirty taels. However, it's much lower than the asking price of fifty taels!"
"A man standing next to Fatty said admiringly."
Jing Zhe smiled and nodded: "Being able to say these words means you're still on the first level."
"The young chieftain initially said he wouldn't buy anymore, but actually he used a trick called something like 'seduction'..."
"Deliberately letting him go!"
"Yes, yes, yes, that's exactly the strategy of feigning indifference! Young Chief is truly brilliant; he knew it without me even having to say it!"
Another man spoke up.
Jing Zhe nodded again, "You're already on the second floor."
"If the young chieftain had initially offered thirty taels, the shopkeeper might not have been willing to negotiate. But the young chieftain offered ten taels as a kickback. Even if it were twenty taels, the shopkeeper would definitely do everything in his power to make it happen in order to get the kickback!"
Fat Ball's analysis was so logical and insightful that it earned Jing Zhe's praise.
"Not bad, you're better than them all. It seems you've already reached the third level."
Fatty Ball couldn't stop laughing when he heard that.
"Young Master, which floor are you on?"
The simpleton, who hadn't spoken until now, asked.
"Me?" Jing Zhe chuckled, smugly adding, "You think I'm on the fourth floor? Heh, actually I'm on the fifth!"
"The fifth floor?"
Everyone looked on with suspicion. "What is that?"
Jing Zhe smiled and shook his head, "You'll find out soon enough!"
...
Half an hour later, the man with the goatee led a portly but refined and gentle middle-aged man into the house.
"Brother Wu, this is the young master who wants to buy the house!"
"Young master, this is the owner of the house!"
Jing Zhe greeted the homeowner and then got down to business.
"I wasn't planning to sell it for such a low price. But I'm going to Jiangling soon, and Brother Zhang strongly recommended it, so I'm reluctantly parting with it and selling it to you for twenty taels of silver!"
The homeowner glanced at his house and said dejectedly, "This place is in a good location. If I weren't leaving, I really wouldn't want to go."
"Thank you! Did you bring the property deed?"
Jing Zhe was too lazy to listen to his emotional appeal and went straight to the point.
"Brought...with".
The homeowner hadn't expected Jing Zhe to be so direct. One paid the money, and the other received the deed. In no time, the house changed hands.
The man with the goatee saw the homeowner to the door, then returned with a smile.
"Congratulations, young master, on your new auspicious home!"
Congratulations to you!
Jing Zhe cupped his hands in greeting to the man with the goatee, then took out ten taels of silver and handed it over.
"Young master...you are indeed straightforward!"
Simple, straightforward, and wealthy, Goatee couldn't be more satisfied with a top-tier client like Jing Zhe.
"Shopkeeper, the house has been bought. I'm going to your place to get all the saltpeter."
"Of course, of course!"
The man with the goatee held a heavy ten taels of silver in his hand, his smile incredibly ingratiating. Then, as if remembering something, he paused for a moment, chuckled twice, and finally asked, "Since you intend to haul saltpeter, what about the remaining payment…?"
"What final payment?"
Seeing Jing Zhe frown and ask a question, the man with the goatee secretly sensed something was wrong.
"We previously agreed with the young master that the saltpeter would cost twenty taels per house. The young master only paid a ten-tael deposit, saying that the balance would be settled when the house was found and the saltpeter was taken away. Is this true?"
Jing Zhe nodded, "That is indeed true."
"Now that I've helped find a house, it's time for you to settle the remaining ten taels of silver!"
Hearing Jing Zhe admit it, the man with the goatee felt much more confident.
"Didn't I just give you the remaining ten taels of silver?"
"Where can I get it—"
Just as Goatee was about to say no, the ten taels of silver in his hand, which he hadn't yet put away, seemed to remind him that he did have some.
"Young master, you're not saying this ten taels of silver is the final payment, are you?"
The man with the goatee raised his hand and waved it, his face gradually darkening.
"Well, what did you think?"
Jing Zhe shrugged without batting an eye, "My money doesn't grow on trees. Besides, who's so naive as to think I'd just give away ten taels of silver?"
Fat Ball Silly: ...
The others felt offended…
The man with the goatee's face turned completely dark: "Young master, you clearly promised me ten taels of silver as a reward, and I even helped you lower the price of the house so much!"
"But I did give you ten taels of silver as a kickback, isn't that right?"
Seeing Jing Zhe's relaxed expression, the man with the goatee's face turned as black as a bluish-purple.
"Young master, judging from your attire, you look like a scholar. It is said that scholars are the most trustworthy. If word gets out that you have gone back on your word, aren't you ashamed?"
"Of course not."
Jing Zhe shook his head, his face serious, and said, "First and foremost, I am a man, and only secondly a scholar. You dare to believe what a man says? You call yourself a man, yet you say that!"
"..."
These words left the man with the goatee speechless.
Although Jing Zhe is a time traveler, he is not stupid.
As far as he knew, the entire room's saltpeter, combined with other materials, was used to make firecrackers. If they could sell them for twenty taels of silver during the New Year, that would be considered incredibly lucky.
After deducting labor costs, time spent, and other material costs, the amount that Goatbeard could earn was far less than twenty taels.
But he asked Jing Zhe for twenty taels right off the bat, completely treating him like a sucker. If Jing Zhe didn't mess with him, who would he mess with?
Seeing his defiant look, Jing Zhe said coldly, "If you feel cheated, give me the twenty taels of silver. I'll buy the saltpeter elsewhere!"
He wasn't the only one making firecrackers in the city, so Jing Zhe wouldn't tolerate his bad habits.
Sure enough, the man with the goatee was startled when he heard that Jing Zhe wasn't going to buy it.
With a forced smile, he approached again: "I was just joking with you, young master. Please don't be angry! I'll take you to get saltpeter now, and I'll also find you a few tow trucks!"
Jing Zhe was too lazy to argue with such a person, so he led the others out.
————
(Chapter 2 is here, please give it a vote if you have any!)
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