In the heart of the bustling city street, a two-courtyard house stood quietly, its deep recesses isolating it from the outside noise. Qin Xiaozhou brushed away the dust, "This courtyard has truly only been abandoned for five years?"
The yard was overgrown with weeds, and the withered branches and fallen leaves made it impossible to walk.
Zhang Yazi chuckled: "Because it's related to the remnants of the previous dynasty, the deed to this courtyard has always been in the county government office, and no one can touch it. It wasn't until the drought of the past two years and the reduction of the imperial tax that an edict was issued at the beginning of this year allowing the buying and selling of these properties left behind by the remnants of the previous dynasty. Normally, no one would dare to touch anything related to the previous dynasty, which is why it's in this state."
Lu Yan rubbed her arms. "Sister-in-law, it's cold here, I'm not comfortable."
All eyes fell on Zhang Yazi, who sneered, "Alas, after all, dozens of people were beheaded in one fell swoop..."
"Zhang Yazi, you're really not being fair." Qin Xiaozhou stood inside the gate, not taking another step into the courtyard. "I'm a businessman, I'm very particular... but I want this place."
Even if the imperial court issues an edict, how could a mere broker buy and sell a residence associated with the remnants of the previous dynasty? There must be a county magistrate behind this. The county magistrate wants to use her to solve this hot potato. She has no choice but to give him face.
Zhang Yazi finally relaxed and felt even more respect for Qin Xiaozhou. "I will remember this kindness today. I will definitely handle things properly for Manager Qin in the future."
Leaving the abandoned house, Lu Yan couldn't understand, "Sister-in-law, that place is really eerie, why did you still buy it?"
Lu Yunfeng shook his head, "Zhang Yazi is buying and selling this house because the county magistrate is behind him. We must buy this house today no matter what, as it is to give the county magistrate face."
Lu Yan scratched her head. "This is really complicated."
Lu Yunxing, who had been following at the very back, finally spoke up, "So, if we buy the house, are we really going to move in?"
“Turn it into a trading market.” Qin Xiaozhou raised an eyebrow and smiled. “That house is very big, and it’s located on a lively street. It’s perfect for turning into a market. With more people, we won’t be afraid of any evil spirits.”
When Magistrate Sun learned that Qin Xiaozhou had bought the house and that it was going to be converted into a market, he waved his hand and sent people to clean and tidy up the house. His advisor personally brought the house deed to the door. "The magistrate said that our county government is willing to provide manpower for the renovation of the house. Now that the documents and the house deed are all in place and the house has been cleaned up, we can only ask Manager Qin to repair the dilapidated parts. Just tell these yamen runners how you want to repair it, and they will help you."
Qin Xiaozhou didn't delay and took out the drawings she had made and gave them to the head constable. The constable looked at the paper at a loss. This scribbles looked like gibberish. Was it really going to be renovated?
Perhaps his gaze was too obvious, Qin Xiaozhou coughed awkwardly, "Let's go, let's go, let's give a live explanation."
After the two courtyards were cleared out, Qin Xiaozhou truly felt the size of the place. There was also a small pond in the backyard, where the withered lotus flowers had been removed, and the water had not yet returned to its clear state. "The front yard is being rented out as stalls, with prices based on location. One stall costs one hundred coins a month, while the backyard costs eighty coins. In more remote areas, like the corner stalls, it costs fifty coins. We also need to ask the clerk to go back and write a notice to post on the wall, collecting fees from all vendors to set up stalls here to do business."
The advisor was pleased, "Manager Qin is very wealthy. The autumn harvest is just around the corner, and there will be a lot of business before winter. With this market set up now, our Fenggu County will be bustling until the end of the year."
Nobody had ever heard of a trading market. It was a joke to rent out stalls in a former abandoned house. The morning market on East Street was the most bustling, with a wide variety of mountain produce and wild vegetables. It was the only place where villagers would come to the city and find a place to set up a stall. The proprietress of the steamed bun shop deftly handed out steamed buns to people while chatting with the vegetable vendor next to her.
"I heard they're going to build some kind of market in the south? I saw the notices have already been posted."
The vegetable vendor laughed: "I heard it was Manager Qin from Xiulou who set it up. I'm just a vegetable vendor, otherwise I would have liked to go to that trading market with her. I think you can make money by following her."
The surrounding vendors were getting restless, but they all looked reluctant. After all, the embroidery shop had only been open for a few days, and many farmers who had started raising silkworms on their own had made a lot of money from silk in the past few days. "Let's see how things go first, instead of wasting time."
"But I think that embroidery shop is very well run. I heard that the clothing store will reopen the day after tomorrow."
Xie Yin asked playfully, "Really?"
"How could this be false? Manager Qin said it himself. My son-in-law is a good friend of the Lu family's son. This news can't be fake."
Xie Zhong walked up to Xie Yun and asked, "Miss, would you like to go to the embroidery tower now?"
A few months ago, Xie Zhong had personally come to Fenggu County to buy a cake, so he knew the small county town fairly well. This time, entrusted by the matriarch of the Xie family, he brought his eldest daughter to the county town to choose clothes. The eldest daughter was going to Yujing to seek a good marriage with her maternal grandparents. Hearing that Fenggu County had beautiful clothes, she came to buy them.
Xie Yin had just turned 18 last month, and was at the age of being charming and lively. She rarely had the opportunity to go out without her parents' control, and she was very curious about the small county town. She touched and looked at everything. "Since that shop is opening tomorrow, it will be so lively to go and see it. Oh, Uncle Zhong, why don't you come with me today?" Suddenly, she pointed to the white fox in the market and exclaimed in surprise, "Uncle Zhong, white fox, its fur is so beautiful."
Ye Su was from the southern suburbs of the county. He was conscripted into the army in his early years and only returned five years ago. He was taciturn and had a stern and murderous aura. Not half a year after his return, his parents passed away. Rumors spread in the village that he was a jinx to his relatives. Last year, his nephew also fell ill and never recovered. His brother and sister-in-law had no choice but to separate him from his family and live on their own.
He left home as a young man, possessing the strength of an ox, but was not adept at farming. In the autumn, he could only harvest the meager two acres of land at home before heading into the mountains to hunt. He honed his skills in the military camp and became quite adept at hunting. In just three to five days in the mountains, he would catch a white fox and two mixed-breed foxes. He would tan their pelts and sell them in the city this morning to save some money for the winter. He was already twenty-five years old this year, and even his official wife had not found a woman to marry him. It seemed that he was destined to live a lonely life.
Having witnessed countless deaths during years of war and life-or-death struggles, Ye Su was no longer bothered by such things.
Xie Yin looked at the white fox he had hunted down, and said, "I'll take this fox pelt."
Ye Su's voice was hoarse, "Ten taels."
The white fox fur was pure white, soft, and beautiful; it was a rare and exquisite piece. Xie Yin took the fox fur and held it up against herself. "Uncle Zhong, isn't it beautiful?"
Xie Zhongci smiled kindly, "It looks good. Miss looks good in anything. I'll have someone bring this fox fur home tonight, and it will be made into a dress before you go back."
After saying that, he took out ten taels of silver and gave them to Ye Su.
Xie Yin smiled slyly, "I don't think we need to take it home. Let Xiulou make it for me. Let's go to Xiulou."
Seeing others buy white fox fur, some women wanted mixed-breed fox fur, even though it wasn't pretty, it was warm. "How much does this cost? The fur is such a mixed color."
The mixed-breed fox pelts were worthless, so Ye Su carefully put away the ten taels of silver, saying, "One tael."
The woman flipped it over and over, then tossed it aside. "You're selling just one pelt for one tael? Come on, come on, you might as well buy a few rabbit pelts."
The crowd had dispersed, and the vegetable vendor advised, "Young man, your fox fur is of mixed colors and won't sell well. Why don't you go check out the Embroidery Pavilion in the western suburbs? I heard they also buy furs there."
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