Chapter 38 Guess who our new neighbor is? ...
Looking for a house in Daliang is not a simple matter; you can't make a decision in just one day.
Yu Mingshu took leave the next day and stayed until the fifth day. After wandering around, he finally arrived at Yongningfang, where the street scene finally had some more of a life amidst the hustle and bustle.
The broker led Wu Qiuniang and Yu Mingshu to a ginkgo tree. The golden leaves overlapped with the brick-red wall, making the mottled and peeling wooden door look magnificent.
"Although this house is small, only five acres, it is exquisitely laid out. It has a main house, side rooms, and ear rooms, as well as a small garden with a fish pond. There is a small pavilion in the garden, and a bamboo grove behind the pavilion. It is very elegant."
The original house of the Yu family was not large, and its layout and furnishings were rather rough and crude, far less refined and elegant than the house in front of them.
The moment Yu Mingshu stepped inside, he felt that the house suited his taste.
As usual, Wu Qiuniang first asked about the price. The broker quoted 900 strings of cash. She roughly calculated that selling the house in Yong'an Ward would require an additional 400 strings of cash.
Yu Mingshu also considered it in her mind, then squeezed her mother's hand to reassure her. We can afford this house.
After spending several afternoons with the mother and daughter, the broker was already familiar with their routine. Before Yu Mingshu could ask any questions, he took the initiative to introduce them: "The woman living on the east side is a widow. She has a son who is a scholar. The two of them depend on each other for survival and rarely get into trouble with their neighbors. You can rest assured, young lady."
What about the west?
"There was also a mother and son on the west side. The son was a scholar, but the woman's identity was somewhat interesting. I heard that she was a concubine who was kicked out of a wealthy family... Fortunately, her son was good at studying, and they lived a relatively peaceful life without causing trouble for the neighbors."
Perhaps because of their similar circumstances, Wu Qiuniang felt particularly at ease with the combination of an orphan and a widow, and nodded secretly after hearing the broker's words.
The three of them looked at the house again and again. Yu Mingshu had no objections, but Wu Qiuniang carefully considered it and finally made up her mind to take the house in Yongningfang.
When it came to the step of completing the formalities, another problem arose.
The Yu family's savings were enough to cover the price difference between the two houses, but the house in Yong'an Ward had not yet been sold, and they could not come up with the other 500 guan for the time being.
There are two ways to pay off the house price. One is to take out a loan to buy the new house first, and then pay off the loan once the old house is sold. The other is to move to a guesthouse first, and then buy the new house once the old house is sold.
Wu Qiuniang's biggest worry was that the house in Yongningfang would sell easily, and if it was delayed for ten or fifteen days, someone else might beat her to it.
However, after inquiring, Yu Mingshu found out that the interest rate for loans in Daliang was shockingly high, at 4% per month and 48% per year. Although she could afford the interest for one month, there was no need to burn money like that.
The monthly interest on 500 strings of cash is 20 strings, which is equivalent to 20,000 cash. What does 20,000 cash mean? It's the annual salary of a third-rank official, or the income of a lower-middle-class farmer for 20 years.
When Yu Mingshu returned to the academy, he told his younger brother about the difficult problem, and Yu Dan could only sigh.
Suddenly, a very soft "tsk" sound came from behind them. The siblings turned around at the same time and saw He Zheng with his arms crossed and legs crossed, raising his eyebrows and smiling.
"Why should we need to rely on the pawnshop for a mere five hundred strings of cash?"
The siblings exchanged a glance; the rich kid really does have the confidence to speak.
Yu Mingshu turned to face He Zheng and asked earnestly, "If I were to ask He Erlang for money as collateral, how would the interest be calculated?"
He Zheng said, "I won't charge interest, you just need to take care of my one month's worth of calligraphy practice."
Yu Mingshu said, "That won't do. He should do his own homework. Does He Erlang study for my sake?"
He Zheng pursed his lips, exchanged glances with Yu Dan, and silently thought to himself: This guy is so boring.
"I was just joking, but if you really need the money urgently, I'll send someone to deliver it to your house tomorrow."
Instead of answering whether he wanted it or not, Yu Mingshu asked him, "You're misappropriating such a large sum of money, don't you need to ask Uncle Anyuan's opinion?"
He Zheng didn't take it seriously, "The old man doesn't manage the accounts, why bother asking him?"
After he finished speaking, he was met with a moment of silence.
He Zheng belatedly realized that his words sounded like those of a dissolute and wasteful playboy. Fearing that Yu Mingshu would misunderstand him, he quickly explained, "My father had already divided the family's land into two parts. Since I am not yet married, my part is managed by the family accountant. I spend my own money, and the old man has never interfered."
Yu Mingshu didn't think much of it; she just had a little bit of resentment towards the rich.
In the end, she didn't ask He Zheng for money. She was reluctant to pay the interest on the loan, but she couldn't bring herself to borrow such a large sum of money from her classmate without paying interest.
He Zheng thought she was too embarrassed to ask, so after returning home she went straight to the accountant's office and asked for 500 strings of cash, which startled the 60-year-old woman so much that she almost fell over.
The old woman in charge of the accountant put down her pen with trembling hands and patiently asked, "What does Erlang need so much money for?"
He Zheng couldn't very well tell her that the money was a loan to a classmate, so after thinking for a while, he squeezed out two words: "To buy a house."
The old woman was even more confused. Erlang had not yet come of age, nor had he married or started a family. Why was he in such a hurry to buy a house and divide the family property?
In fact, the manor never restricted Erlang's spending, but with such a large sum, the accountant dared not give it to him directly, saying that he had to ask the young master's wife before giving him the money.
The accountant's timing in going to find Chen was unfortunate; He Ting was also there. Upon hearing that Erlang was going to spend five hundred strings of cash to buy a house, he immediately jumped off the bed, put on his cloak, and rushed to He Zheng's courtyard to find out what was going on.
Under the cold moon of early autumn, He Zheng, holding a long spear, idly picked at the falling yellow leaves. Every time he hit a leaf, Jing Hong would applaud and cheer.
He Zheng found him annoying, "Is there any news from the accounting department?"
“I’ve already been to the Crown Prince’s room, so I expect to hear back soon,” Jing Hong said.
"Keep a close eye on that broker, Wang Liushi, for the next two days. Find out if the Yu family's house in Yong'an Ward is for sale, and buy it immediately."
No sooner had He Zheng finished speaking than a menacing figure burst into the courtyard, raising his foot to kick him. Fortunately, his years of martial arts training had not been in vain, and he nimbly dodged the attack.
This wasn't the first time He Ting had missed his kick. He retracted his leg as if it were commonplace, pointed at He Zheng three steps away, and cursed, "So you're really going to send money to the Yu family again!"
"You were rummaging through boxes and cabinets looking for some kind of hard yellow paper, and you even dared to give away things bestowed by the Emperor. Fortunately, His Majesty was kind and did not blame you. But you, on the other hand, want to take six hundred strings of cash from the account to help them!"
"I clearly withdrew five hundred strings of cash, who added one hundred for me?" He Zheng keenly caught the loophole in his brother's words. "Besides, what do you mean by 'assistance'? I just wanted to buy his family's old house, resell it, and then the money would just go around in circles and come back to our own account."
"Why would you buy such a remote house? Can you honestly say that all this commotion wasn't for the sake of the Yu siblings?"
"So what if it is?"
Seeing He Zheng's matter-of-fact attitude, He Ting was speechless.
Recalling what she had heard in front of the emperor two days ago that Yu Erlang was actually Yu Da Niang, and seeing He Zheng's eagerness, she suddenly realized what was going on and stared intently at He Zheng's face, carefully observing his expression.
“Erlang, if you like the Yu family girl, you should tell your parents as soon as possible.” He Ting slowly approached him and put his hand on his younger brother’s shoulder. “This five hundred strings of cash is fine as a betrothal gift. Why make such a fuss?”
He Zheng frowned, looked down at his brother's hand, then looked up at those sharp eyes and said with disdain, "Are you still half asleep? All you can think about is love between men and women!"
After saying that, he threw the spear at Jinghong, turned around and was about to go back into the house, but after taking two steps, he felt a little uneasy.
He knew his family was eager to arrange his marriage. When they heard that he had acted as a matchmaker for Zhou Fuling, they didn't even consult him before interrogating the girl.
If his parents interrogate Ming Shu like this, how will he be able to live with the Yu siblings day and night in the future?
He Zheng stopped and turned around, warning in a low voice: "Don't try to guess my friendship with my classmates with your dirty thoughts, and don't send anyone to harass Ming Shu."
He Ting gazed at his retreating figure, as if he could see right through him.
The following evening, the accountant of the Marquis of Anyuan's mansion delivered five hundred strings of cash to He Zheng's room, but unfortunately, he no longer needed it.
Yu Mingshu went to Cui Hongli and borrowed the money at an extremely low interest rate. He has been busy with the registration and procedures at the government office for the past two days, and is just waiting for his day off to officially move in.
He Zheng was still bothered by the interest, saying, "Five thousand coins is still money!"
Yu Mingshu knew he was used to being frugal. If Yu Dan hadn't been so quick to speak, she would never have thought of bringing up the matter of paying interest to Manager Cui. She was just afraid that He Zheng would overthink it.
If she were short fifty or five hundred coins, she certainly wouldn't refuse He Zheng's kindness, but it was such a large sum as five hundred strings of cash. Even in modern times, she couldn't imagine what kind of friend would lend her the money for a house in the capital for free…
He Zheng is a loyal and righteous person with a straightforward and sincere personality; he is a friend worth making deep connections with. Yu Mingshu didn't want to owe him any favors financially and complicate matters.
"I've already signed the agreement, so don't overthink it." Yu Mingshu deliberately changed the subject. "We're moving to a new house in a couple of days, and my mother is planning a celebratory banquet. Would you like to come?"
"Of course," He Zheng agreed without hesitation.
Yu Mingshu stopped mentioning the house payment, but He Zheng couldn't stop thinking about it and was still pondering it while sitting in the carriage on his way home.
"Jinghong, tell me why Mingshu would rather pay Manager Cui interest than borrow money from me?"
Jinghong, pulling on the reins, laughed upon hearing this and said loudly, "My lord, do you really not know what five hundred strings of cash is? Miss Yu has only known you for a few months, how could she dare to borrow such a large sum of money from you!"
His voice mingled with the sound of the wind and horses' hooves, yet every word was clear to He Zheng.
“But I have always considered her and her brother as my closest friends, and she has also said that I am the first trustworthy friend she has ever had in this world.”
Jinghong sighed, "Even if Miss Yu and her husband trust each other deeply, they can't help but worry about what others think. Imperial Censor Yu was upright and incorruptible during his lifetime, a true paragon of civil officials. The Yu family has a clean and honest family tradition and has never been interested in fame or fortune. If Miss Yu were to borrow these five hundred strings of cash from her husband, what would others say about her?"
"Leaving aside the distant future, if the Earl and the Heir Apparent knew about this, how would they view the Yu family?"
This question seemed to stump He Zheng, and Yu Mingshu's question suddenly came to mind—"You embezzled such a large sum of money, didn't you need to ask An Yuanbo's opinion?"
Ultimately, in the eyes of others, he was not himself, but the second son of the Marquis of Anyuan.
He Zheng remained silent the entire way back to his residence, and upon returning, he returned the money intact to the accounting office. Upon learning of this, He Ting once again went to the west courtyard to express his concern for his only younger brother.
"You withdrew the money yesterday saying you wanted to buy a house, why is it being returned today?"
He Zheng remained silent. He Ting strolled leisurely around his room, sat down in a round-backed chair beside him, and said to himself, "That Miss Yu must have borrowed money from somewhere else, right?"
He Zheng's expression hardened even more.
"Think about it, why doesn't Miss Yu ask you for money?" He Ting coaxed patiently. "Ultimately, it's because your relationship isn't close enough."
He Zheng said with annoyance, "When did you become like your mother? Is there nothing else on your mind but marriage?"
"You're getting on in years, what else is there to talk about if not marriage?"
"The Crown Prince is three years older than me and has not yet married, so why should I be in a hurry?"
Upon hearing this, He Ting laughed again, picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip of cold tea, "Even if His Highness the Crown Prince is thirty, he won't have to worry about finding a wife. What do you have to compare with him?"
After putting down his teacup, he got up and approached He Zheng, pressing his shoulder and whispering earnestly in his ear: "It's not that I mean to belittle you, but you have neither an official position nor a title, and your reputation is not good. The only advantage you have is that you are young and strong. If you delay for another two years, you will lose even your advantage of age. What girl would be willing to marry you then?"
"So what if I never marry?" He Zheng brushed his hand away and said in a tone that entrusted him with a great responsibility, "Brother, you are the heir apparent. The continuation of the Anyuan Marquis's family line depends on you."
…
After completing the formalities for purchasing the new house, Wu Qiuniang learned from Aunt Wang that Zhou Qi would be away on the 11th of this month, so she specially chose the day he was not there to officially move in.
She didn't tell anyone the address of the new house. When Aunt Wang and the others asked, she only gave a vague explanation that she was moving to the east to be closer to the academy, so that it would be more convenient for Sanlang to study.
That day, Xia Man, Luo Yan, and Qing Que stayed at home and hired two strong laborers and two horse-drawn carts to move all the belongings out of the old house in one go. After the move, Wu Qiu Niang contacted a broker to prepare to sell the old house.
After school, Yu Mingshu and Yu Dan went straight to the new house. When they arrived, the house had been cleaned and the furnishings were all in place. As soon as they entered, they saw Wu Qiuniang directing Xia Man to move the tables and chairs in the study.
Yu Mingshu had already seen the original appearance of the house when he viewed it. Although he was happy to move into a new home, he did not show any surprise or excitement.
Yu Dan was visiting for the first time, and he was in a state of high excitement from the moment he entered.
"Mother, this house is so elegant, even more elegant than the small garden behind Zhishan Hall!"
Wu Qiuniang ignored him and let him wander around the room.
Yu Mingshu filled a pot with water and placed it on the charcoal stove. Turning around, she asked, "Mother, have you met your new neighbors since you moved here today?"
Wu Qiuniang said, "No, most of the neighbors here are officials' wives, it's not as lively and interesting as Yong'anfang. We've been here for two or three hours now, and I haven't seen any of the neighbors' doors open."
That is indeed different from Yong'anfang.
In the past, neighbors would often leave their doors open during the day, and Aunt Wang and the others would like to gather together on the street corner to chat. That kind of down-to-earth atmosphere will probably never be seen again.
"That's good too. From now on, we can just close the door and live our own lives, and no one can keep an eye on us," Yu Mingshu sighed.
The first meeting with her new neighbors took place the following morning, a scene Yu Mingshu never dreamed of.
The thin sunlight of early morning shone on the courtyard gate. Luo Yan took down the lantern with a pole and blew out the candlelight inside.
Xia Man had prepared the carriage and horses and was waiting at the door, watching from afar as Yu Mingshu chased the sleepy-eyed Yu Dan out of the house.
Qingque chased after them from the kitchen, holding two oil paper packages in her hands. The aroma of freshly made scallion pancakes was irresistible. "Girl! Take these two pancakes and eat them on the way!"
Yu Mingshu, who had half her body inside the carriage, had to step back to receive her flatbread upon hearing this. As she stepped back, she caught a glimpse of the neighbors on both sides preparing to leave.
The neighbors had probably never heard such a lively commotion in front of their homes before, and they all looked in the direction of the Yu family's house.
When their eyes met, all three of them were taken aback.
Yu Mingshu couldn't help but recall the broker's description of his neighbor—an orphan and a widow, a scholar.
There are so many scholars in the world who rely on each other, like orphans and widows, so why did their neighbors have to be Yuan Yi and Xie Huaijin?
Is that correct?
She was flustered, glancing at both sides and then at the carriage door, unsure whether she should greet her two familiar new neighbors. Caught in this dilemma, Xie Huaijin and Yuan Yi tacitly looked away and each entered their own carriage.
The city center is really different; even the neighbors have such a strong sense of boundaries!
After Yu Dan climbed into the carriage, he gradually regained consciousness. Seeing that Yu Mingshu was taking a long time to get up, he couldn't help but urge her, "Sister, what are you dawdling for?"
Yu Mingshu slipped into the carriage and stuffed one of the scallion pancakes into his mouth, saying, "From now on, you're not allowed to call me 'sister' when you leave the house."
Caught off guard, Yu Dan had his mouth blocked. He chewed hard for a long time before swallowing the cake, and asked in confusion, "Why is this?"
Guess who our new neighbor is?
How would I know?
Yu Mingshu said, "The one on the east side is Mr. Yuan. The one on the west side is Xie Huaijin."
Yu Dan also fell silent.
What's even more awkward is that Yuan Yi was the first teacher of the day. The three of them met at the school gate. Adhering to the principle of respecting teachers, Yu Mingshu quickly stepped back and invited Yuan Yi to go first. However, he saw that Yuan Yi stopped and hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but stopped.
Yuan Yi hesitated for a moment before asking, "You took leave a few days ago to look at houses?"
Yu Mingshu smiled awkwardly: "I also went to the clinic for follow-up appointments..."
Fortunately, Yuan Yi did not pursue the matter. A slight smile appeared on his lips as he said, "You have good taste. That house has excellent feng shui. The previous three owners all passed the imperial examinations with flying colors."
Yu Mingshu was surprised that the broker hadn't mentioned this matter at all. If he had said earlier that three people from this house had passed the imperial examinations, wouldn't the house price have easily exceeded a thousand?
Yuan Yi said nothing more and stepped into the school first.
Yu Mingshu is now facing a new dilemma... Should he invite Yuan Yi to his housewarming party in a couple of days?
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