Old Tang was well aware of the tuition fee of ten taels of silver per year. After all, the person in charge did have the skill and came from the palace. Anyone who could come out of there safely was a capable person. Even if she could learn a little bit, it would be a great benefit to her young daughter. Moreover, she would only have to pay out of her own pocket for the first two or three years.
Once my little girl's skills improve, she can sell her embroidery and recoup some of the costs. The more I think about it, the more worthwhile it seems.
"Shopkeeper, how big is that house? How much does it cost?"
Seeing that he wanted to buy, the shopkeeper figured he must have some savings, so he didn't hide anything and told him directly, "Uncle, the house isn't very big. It's a row of five brick and tile houses, with two rooms on each side of the front, and about 200 square meters in the back, where you can grow some vegetables. The most convenient thing is that there's a well in the yard, which makes washing clothes and vegetables very convenient. So, relatively speaking, the house is quite expensive. The original owner wanted at least 300 taels, which is very cheap for that area. After all, there's a pretty famous school nearby, and many people buy houses there for their children. This house was only sold because the owner passed the imperial examination and wanted to change schools to take the provincial examination. He bought a new one elsewhere. If you're sure you want that house, you should act quickly. It's really not hard to sell."
Old Tang knew that houses near schools would be more expensive, but since it was close to the embroidery master, he decided to buy it.
"Shopkeeper, could you take me to see it? If there are no problems, then I'll buy it."
Seeing that the old man really wanted the house, and considering that there weren't many people around, the shopkeeper asked the waiter to keep an eye on it. "Alright, old man, let's go. It's not too far; it'll only take about fifteen minutes by oxcart."
"In that case, shopkeeper, you can ride in the oxcart and we'll go together! We'll come back together after we've had our fill of sightseeing."
"Thank you very much, sir."
If there's an oxcart readily available, of course I'd rather ride in one; otherwise, I'd have to rent one myself, so I'd save money wherever I can.
"Shopkeeper, this is my wife and my little daughter, Baozhu. Quickly call them over."
"Hello, shopkeeper."
Hello, big brother.
Tang Baozhu felt that her father was too old to call such a young shopkeeper "uncle," so she decided to call him "big brother." She figured it wouldn't hurt to be a little sweet-talking.
Sure enough, the shopkeeper was delighted to hear this. "I'm already twenty-four years old, and my son is older than you. Calling me 'big brother' makes me feel so young."
"Big brother is still so young, he's not old at all."
The shopkeeper rarely saw such a cute and sweet-talking little girl. He kept smiling and took out five copper coins from his pocket and handed them to Baozhu. "This is a gift from your big brother. You can't refuse it."
"Thank you, big brother."
Five copper coins is not a small amount. One copper coin can buy a vegetable bun or a white steamed bun. It's like a stranger giving you five dollars at once, which is quite generous.
After traveling for about 15 minutes in an oxcart, Tang Baozhu and her parents arrived in front of a house. When the shopkeeper opened the door and they went inside, the house wasn't exactly small, but it wasn't very big either. However, it was more than enough for a family of three to live in.
It can be said that the previous house was well preserved. The house still looked very new, and the large pieces of furniture were still there, such as beds, tables, and wardrobes. Usually, when moving, these things are not taken away because they are not very expensive, so the furniture is also old.
There's even a small outhouse in the backyard? Does that mean I have to empty the latrine myself? Back in the village, when the outhouse was full, we'd carry the latrine to the fields to fertilize the land, but where can I carry it from here?
The house is quite nice. There is a living room in the middle and bedrooms on both sides. I went inside and took a look. The room at the very end, next to the bedroom, can be used as a washroom or a study. After all, the room is quite large. It is divided in the middle, with a study in the front and a washroom in the back. Moreover, there are bamboo tubes buried in the ground so that water can flow out.
Tang Baozhu was surprised to find such a convenient place in ancient times. It seemed to be specially prepared for women, since women in ancient times probably valued privacy more and wouldn't even hang their undergarments out to dry. It seems that the room here was for this purpose.
The other side has the same design. One of the right-hand rooms is a kitchen, and the other is a small storage room. The left-hand room is also empty. Usually, if there are many people, they will be used for living. Since there are only three of them, there are many rooms.
The old man was quite satisfied with the house, and nodded in approval. Then he asked his little daughter, "Baozhu, do you like this house? If you do, then we'll buy it."
"Father, Baozhu likes it very much."
"Old woman, what do you think?"
"This house is pretty good, let's buy this one! Don't waste any more time, buy it quickly and start tidying up, otherwise we won't have anywhere to rest when it gets late."
Tang Lishi had nothing to complain about; this was much better than the houses in the village. Worried that things wouldn't be done well before it got dark, she urged them on.
"Shopkeeper, then I'll buy this house. Do you want to go directly to the transfer of ownership, or go back to the brokerage first?"
"I have the property deed with me at all times. Uncle, you just need to bring your household registration. Uncle, do you want to get a red deed or a white deed?"
Without a second thought, Old Tang said, "Let's get a marriage certificate! It'll be in my little daughter's name."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper thought he had misheard. Looking at the three- or four-year-old girl beside him, who seemed to be quite pampered at home, he said, "Uncle, I must remind you that if you register the house in the girl's name, you must register her as a female household. Otherwise, you will suffer losses. Even if you own property and land, without a special female household registration, this part of the property will go directly to her husband's name when she gets married. So you should be careful."
Old Tang really didn't know that he had never had a good life and had never bought any real estate. Even if he had bought a few acres of land before, it was all under his own name. He never expected that it would be so difficult to buy it under his youngest daughter's name.
"Shopkeeper, are there any requirements for registering a household registration for women?"
"No, that's not true. But if a woman is registered as a female householder and is over eighteen years old but not yet married, she has to pay taxes. We usually get married at fifteen or sixteen, and the court gives us a two-year grace period. If she is over eighteen, she has to pay a head tax of five taels of silver every year."
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