Chapter 100 [VIP]
Uncle Chen was startled. "What, why is this happening?"
The minor official offered no explanation, but brandished his knife and drove people out as if herding livestock, which chilled the hearts of those on the carriage to the bone.
Upon seeing this, Jiang Cong immediately turned back, "What are you doing? The people in the carriage are relatives of Magistrate Wang, and they were specifically asked to be brought back!"
Upon hearing this, the clerk put down his weapon and hurriedly said, "Sir, you are unaware that there is a serious epidemic in Longquan County. It would be terrible if we brought it into the city!"
"I've been with them all this way, do you think I don't know if they have any disease?!"
"This... if something goes wrong, it could be fatal..."
"If anything goes wrong, Lord Wang and I will take the blame. You don't need to worry!"
The official dared not retort after being told that, and could only wave his hand to let them pass. "Carefully check the people in the carriage. Anyone with a fever, cough, or rash is not allowed to enter!"
Wang Ying and the others were forced to get out of the car for inspection, but the person in charge of inspecting the young men was an elderly young man, and the person inspecting the women was also a woman, so there was no excessive offense.
After checking and confirming that they were all safe, they were allowed to leave.
Finally entering the city, Wang Ying couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Fortunately, Elder Liang had arranged for someone to meet them in advance; otherwise, even if they had reached the prefectural city, they wouldn't have been able to enter and would most likely have been sent back the way they came, like the others.
The prefecture city truly lives up to its name; even in these extraordinary times, its prosperity far surpasses that of any county town.
Shops lined both sides of the street, with all sorts of signs dazzling the eye. Occasionally, you could see peddlers carrying loads on shoulder poles, shouting out a series of catchy rhymes.
Yuanbao listened with curiosity, his eyes wide, and he imitated her, "Needle and thread, hairpins, fragrant osmanthus hair oil..."
Wang Ying laughed at the strange idea and teased, "Let Yuanbao go sell goods tomorrow too."
“Father, I’m still too young to carry such a big basket.”
He made everyone burst into laughter, dispelling the gloom they felt upon entering the city.
The mule cart followed for about fifteen minutes until it arrived at the old post station. Jiang Cong dismounted and said, "This is the temporary accommodation that Lord Wang has arranged for you. He has already informed you in advance, so you can just go in and settle in."
"Thank you so much, sir!" Li pulled Wang Ying down to kneel and kowtow. She had gone to such great lengths to bring them here, taking a huge risk.
"Please rise, Madam." This is Governor Chen's sister-in-law. How could a mere inspector like him accept such a grand gesture? After escorting her to the post station, he hurried back to report.
As they entered the old post station, Wang Ying recalled that Chen Qingyan had told him in the experimental field that they had stayed here when they came to Jizhou, and she couldn't help but feel a strange sense of familiarity.
The inn's servants led the group to the back courtyard to settle in, where three rooms had been reserved for them in advance.
With so many people, it was quite crowded, and Wang Ying didn't feel comfortable asking for more rooms. She could only settle down for the time being and take some time to go out and inquire about renting a place to live.
The long journey had taken its toll on everyone, and they had all lost weight, especially Yuanbao. His once chubby face now had a pointed chin, which made Li Shi feel very sorry for him.
"It's much easier to get food now that we're in the city. We should make sure to give the child some extra nutrition these next few days."
The inn served a meal at noon. Although the dishes were simple, they were free. The servants ate a hearty meal and were so full that they kept burping.
The innkeeper's servant stared wide-eyed in astonishment at the group of people who had finished the entire pot of rice, looking at them with disbelief. He probably thought they were gluttons.
After finishing their meal, everyone went inside to rest. Finally, they could take a break. They didn't care about the bed or the floor; the men lay down and started snoring.
Wang Ying was also tired, but he had other things to do. He sent Yuanbao away and quietly went into the experimental field to carefully count the grain. The newly planted wheat was grown at five times the speed, and in just half a month it had grown to more than a foot tall. It looked like it would be heading in a few more days.
The normal growth cycle of wheat is about 120 days, but with the accelerated growth, it can mature in 24 or 25 days. Of course, the cost of accelerated growth is also relatively high. The experience bar in the experimental field dropped visibly, from 27% to 21%. Keep in mind that this amount of experience was accumulated over a year.
After this wheat harvest, Wang Ying doesn't plan to use the speed-up function anymore, because he's afraid of losing levels due to using too much experience.
After finishing with the wheat, he counted the money in the chests. Chen Qingyan hadn't spent any money lately, probably because he hadn't had any expenses at the prefectural school.
Wang Ying took out two hundred taels of silver, but didn't touch the rest of the copper coins. Firstly, they were too heavy to carry, and secondly, taking out so many copper coins at once would easily attract thieves.
The inn is not a place to stay for long. Since we have decided to settle down in Jizhou Prefecture, we have to go out and find another house.
I just don't know how much the house prices are in Jizhou. If I can't afford to buy a house, I'll rent one first.
Wang Ying left a note for Chen Qingyan, telling him that his family had arrived in the prefectural city and were staying at the inn they had stayed at before. She said that they were very grateful for Liang Lao's help, otherwise they would not have been able to enter the city. She told him to study in Laizhou with peace of mind and not to worry about his family. She said that she would bring her son to visit him when she had time.
After leaving the note, Wang Ying went to the inn and slipped a string of coins to the innkeeper. "Young man, could you please ask if there are any places in this city where houses are bought and sold?"
"You mean a dental clinic, right?"
Wang Ying nodded. In ancient times, brokerage firms did not only buy and sell people, but also houses and land.
"The brokerage is a bit far. If you're not in a hurry, I can take you there later."
"Thank you for your trouble."
The servant smiled and went back to his work.
Back inside, Li Shi and Qingyun had already gone to sleep, but Yuanbao, Mutou, and Chunsheng were still awake. The two children from the Huang family were also there, playing with ants on the steps by poking at them with sticks.
Huang San brought his two children to the prefectural city. With no adults left in the Huang family, the two of them simply couldn't survive in the town.
The two children have been quite obedient throughout this trip. It's just a matter of having two more pairs of chopsticks. They can leave when they're a little older if they want to, or stay with us as attendants if they don't.
Wang Ying picked up her son and asked the children, "Are you sleepy?"
The four children stood up and greeted Wang Ying, saying, "We're not sleepy, young master. We'll stay with you. You should go and rest."
"You must be tired from your journey, go inside and get some sleep."
The children exchanged glances and obediently went inside to rest. Wang Ying carried the children to Li's room and lay down on the daybed next to them for a nap.
I slept for two hours and woke up in the evening.
Wang Ying quickly handed the gold ingot to her mother-in-law, and then, together with Uncle Chen and the inn's servants, went to the brokerage.
The brokerage firm wasn't close to the post station; it took half an hour to walk there. A wooden plaque hung at the entrance.
The servant said, "This is the official brokerage firm. You can sign contracts directly here whether you're buying a house or a slave. The prices are quite high, but it's safe and reliable. There are also privately run brokerage firms outside, but those are very risky. It's best if you don't go in since you're new here, or you might end up losing both your money and your life."
Without someone knowledgeable to guide them, they really wouldn't understand the intricacies involved.
"Thank you, young man!"
"Young master, please go in quickly. I'll wait for you here." The servant was only helping them because they were relatives of officials; he wouldn't have bothered to lead the way for ordinary people.
Wang Ying and Uncle Chen went inside, and an older man greeted them, "Are you two buying servants or land?"
"I'd like to see the house."
"Come with me."
The young man was dressed simply, but the fabric was not cheap. He did not have the timidity or humility of a country boy. He calmly led the two men into the main hall.
"The houses on the wall are all properties that need to be sold urgently, and the prices are also listed on them. You two can read, right?"
Wang Ying nodded and looked at it carefully.
The ancients had their own wisdom. Although they didn't have modern housing developments, their blueprints were very neat, marking the size and location of each courtyard, its geographical position, and the surrounding buildings, making it easy to see the advantages and disadvantages of each courtyard at a glance.
After looking at the row of houses, Wang Ying was speechless. The house prices in the prefectural city were much higher than those in the county town!
A small courtyard house with two courtyards costs 1,600 to 1,700 taels of silver, and a three-courtyard house costs at least 3,700 to 3,800 taels. The money I have is simply not enough.
Wang Ying hesitated and asked, "Are there any courtyards available for rent?"
"Yes, there are several courtyards here that you can rent, but the minimum lease term is one year and you need to leave a deposit."
Wang Ying looked at the courtyards he pointed to, and one of them happened to be the one she had just picked out. It was a courtyard for a mistress, and the location was also good. It was just a short walk from the courtyard to Zhengyang Street.
This street is considered the commercial street of the prefectural city, selling all kinds of things. It is conveniently located and has a nice environment.
How much would it cost to rent this courtyard for a year?
"Three hundred taels, plus an additional one hundred taels as a deposit."
The price wasn't cheap, but it was still within Wang Ying's budget. Once she settled down and disposed of some of the grain from the experimental fields, she would have some money.
"Can we go take a look at the house first?"
"It's too late today, the brokerage firm is closing soon. Please come again tomorrow."
"Okay, then we'll come back tomorrow."
It was almost dark when they came out of the brokerage. The servant was still waiting outside, so the two of them quickly went over to call him and went back to the inn together.
Dinner was still vegetarian dishes and steamed buns. This time, everyone ate less haphazardly. They had all taken a nap during the day and weren't too sleepy at night. They sat in the courtyard chatting, never expecting to end up in the prefectural city.
Chen Bo said, "If it weren't for this flood, I'm afraid I would never have been able to come to the prefectural city in my entire life."
"Yes, it's a pity Qingyan and the others went to Laizhou, otherwise we might have run into them." Ever since Madam Li learned that her son-in-law and son could contact each other, she was no longer worried about the three of them. "How's the house search going?"
"I've found a courtyard I like, but it's a bit expensive. I'll go check out the place tomorrow and rent it for a year first. We'll discuss it further when Qingyan and the others come back at the end of the year."
"Okay, you can arrange it as you see fit. If you don't have enough money, I have more." Actually, she still wanted to go back to town to live, but there were hardly any people left in the whole town, and going back would only add to her sadness.
Everyone squeezed together to sleep that night, and the next morning Wang Ying took Uncle Chen and Ma Qianzi to look at the house.
Having already found out the location of the brokerage yesterday, they didn't bother the inn's servants. After arriving at the brokerage, they found the broker who had received them yesterday, explained their purpose, and the man led the three of them to see the house.
The owner of this house was a wealthy businessman. A few years ago, he made his fortune and moved to Kyoto, leaving the house vacant and listed for sale by a real estate agency.
Upon opening the gate, a huge stone screen came into view, with the four characters "招财进宝" (bringing in wealth and treasures) carved on it. Although it was a bit cliché, it did reflect Wang Ying's current state of mind.
He was eager to make money, a lot of money, to buy his own house!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
