Yuan Xuanyuanche rode off in a cloud of dust and disappeared without a trace, while Xie Yushu traveled for another two days before finally arriving in the capital.
When they came out, Han Zhongyu sent his bodyguard Ajiu to help Xie Yushu.
Two days earlier, Xie Yushu had bought three more horses on the road, given each of them 100 taels of silver for activity expenses, and also gave Tianshui 2,000 taels of silver. She asked Ajiu to take Tianshui and Xiahe ahead to the capital to familiarize themselves with the situation and to find a quiet place to buy a house to settle down.
Of course, Zhou Yi and Jin Gemu Li would most likely be going out frequently, so they were each given one hundred taels of silver to keep them safe.
When Xie Yushu and her group arrived in the capital, they had already bought a house and were waiting for them outside the city. Upon their arrival, they took them directly to the newly purchased house.
The location of this house is quite good. Although it is not in the east of the city where the powerful and wealthy gather, it is between the east and north of the city. There are several colleges in the north of the city, and most of the people living around are literati and scholars. The security is no worse than that in the east of the city, and it is also quiet. Xie Yushu is very satisfied!
The three-courtyard house is quite spacious, with artificial hills and streams, gardens and ponds, and a small grove of lush green bamboo in the backyard, which is very elegant. It is said that the house belonged to the previous Imperial Academy Chancellor. He retired in his old age and went back to his hometown, so he sold the house.
They arrived just in time for Tianshui.
The courtyard cost 1,800 taels of silver, which is neither low nor too high in terms of housing prices in the capital, and is within Xie Yushu's acceptable range.
It's worth mentioning that this high-ranking official wasn't stingy; aside from emptying his study, he left all the furniture and bookshelves behind.
Xie Yushu glanced around and saw that the desk in the study was made of sandalwood, the tables and chairs in the living room were made of rosewood, and the beds in the master bedrooms were made of huanghuali wood!
In the small garden on the east side, there is a two-story pavilion, which should be a woman's boudoir. There is a faint fragrance when you go in. Aunt Su said that this is the "pepper room". Sichuan pepper is warm and fragrant. Using its fruit paste to coat the walls is very beneficial to a woman's health.
Xie Yushu looked around the room and saw that every table and chair was exquisite. The rosewood canopy bed was simple and elegant, with two bedside tables on either side that were level with the headboard. A few steps away was a dressing table, and the pink three-layer Shu brocade curtains added to the cozy atmosphere.
Xie Yushu couldn't help but sigh.
"It seems this chief priest dotes on his daughter quite a bit!"
Aunt Su said
"That's right! This Minister Li is known for spoiling his daughter. The eldest daughter of the Li family married and moved to the south a few years ago, and no one has lived in this house since. Although the daughters of wealthy families in the capital are all pampered, it is not common for married daughters to still have their own courtyard!"
Usually, once someone gets married, the courtyard is given to the other young ladies of the family to live in.
"That's right. I heard that this Grand Master's hometown is far from the capital, and it would be inconvenient for him to carry these large items. That's why he reluctantly left these things behind. The house price here is quite high, and the price of these furniture items is included in the price!"
The house originally cost 1,500 taels of silver. We'd keep the furniture and add 300 taels, but Ah Jiu said the furniture was worth more than 300 taels, so we wouldn't lose out. We took it upon ourselves to buy it!
"It's definitely worth it, and it saves us the time and effort of buying everything one by one!"
After taking a quick look, Xie Yushu arranged for everyone to check into their respective rooms.
Although there were more than ten of them, it was still a small number to fit into this three-courtyard mansion!
Xie Yushu chose to live in the attic, and Aunt Su and Nanxing lived with her there.
Spring rain, summer lotus, winter snow, autumn frost—several people lived in the east and west wing rooms outside the attic.
Zhou Yi, Ajiu, Tianshui, Jingge, and Muli went to the third courtyard.
After several days of running around, Xie Yushu simply asked everyone to tidy up their rooms and rest.
The next morning, after a simple breakfast, Xie Yushu asked Ajiu to take Muli to the palace to submit a memorial to the emperor, and also to let Muli familiarize herself with the procedures.
He gave Nanxing another three hundred taels of silver and told her to buy four or five servants, as well as a few maids, servants, and cooks.
In addition, fifty taels of silver were given to Aunt Su, and thirty taels of silver were given to each of the maids for their daily expenses.
When you first arrive, you never know what might happen. If something comes up unexpectedly, having money on you will be more convenient!
Nanxing was efficient; he bought the people back in about an hour. They were all new recruits who had recently been sold to the brokerage firm: five men, three cooks, and five maids. The three cooks were paid ten taels of silver each, and the rest were paid eight taels of silver each.
The total cost was 120 taels of silver, and Xie Yushu told Nanxing to keep the rest for when needed.
Two clever maids were chosen from the five maids and named Hong'er and Zi'er. They stayed in the courtyard to be responsible for sweeping and cleaning, while the other three were responsible for washing.
The man chose one to be the steward of the outer courtyard, one to be the gatekeeper, and the remaining three to sweep the courtyard.
The man in charge was seventeen years old. He had attended a private school for two years and could read and keep accounts without any problem. He was also decent in his dealings with people. Xie Yushu named him Xie Jinyan and told him that as the manager of the outer courtyard, he must be careful in his words and deeds and set an example!
The rest of the people continued to use their original names!
Xie Yushu met with the people, settled their respective tasks, and then left.
The remaining part, the lecture, was left to Aunt Su.
At noon, a letter arrived from the palace, summoning Xie Yushu to the palace for an audience immediately.
Xie Yushu put on her official attire as a county magistrate, took the blueprints for the repeating crossbow and a finished crossbow with her, and entered the palace.
Speaking of this, it must be mentioned that before they set off, Zheng Dacheng rushed to produce a batch of hidden arrows, and now each of the people around her is equipped with one, except for Aunt Su, of course.
Xie Yushu herself also had one, but she never carried it with her, let alone when she entered the palace!
However, only one sample of the repeating crossbow was produced, which Xie Yushu put in a mahogany box to make it look more high-end and classy when she brought it to the palace.
Since it was an audience with the Emperor, not a banquet, Aunt Su could not accompany him into the palace. At most, she could bring a maid to help carry things. Xie Yushu, on the other hand, only brought Nanxing with her.
Mu Li and A Jiu followed in the carriage and waited at the palace gate.
It seemed to be an imperial decree. When Xie Yushu arrived at the palace gate, a young eunuch was already waiting there. Upon seeing Xie Yushu, he bowed and said...
"His Majesty is waiting for the Princess in the Empress Dowager's palace! The Eighteenth Prince is also there. This servant will take the Princess there right away!"
"Thank you for your help!"
After Xie Yushu finished speaking, Nanxing slipped a silver peanut into the little eunuch who was leading the way.
"Please have a cup of tea, Your Excellency. This is our Lady's first time entering the palace, so please give her your guidance!"
The young eunuch readily accepted it, smiling broadly.
"I dare not offer any guidance; it would be my greatest honor to lead the way for the village lord!"
There's really nothing to advise you on. The Emperor is a wise ruler, and the Empress Dowager is kind. As long as the Lady of the Township acts according to the rules, nothing will happen!
Although our Eighteenth Master is playful, dislikes acupuncture and bitter medicine, he is not a violent person. The village head should coax him a bit!
However, the Empress and Consort Chu heard that the Emperor had summoned them to meet the Lady of the Township!
They say the village head can make glass and is also skilled in medicine; he's truly a remarkable person!
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