Chapter 56: Chapter 56
“This way, Master Shen.”
A thin man in a blue cloth long robe, all smiles, led the way ahead.
His name was Liang Si.
Shen Xiuhan had made inquiries beforehand.
This was the man who handled the most property listings in the South Market, and was relatively fair in his dealings with clean hands — which was why Shen Xiuhan had headed straight for the broker’s office to seek him out as soon as he entered the city.
Two hours in, the pair had already looked at two properties in a row.
The first was a single-courtyard house. Push open the main gate and there was the yard; the main room connected to three wing rooms on each side — the most common quadrangle layout.
The second was considerably more spacious and impressive: a two-courtyard compound.
Through the entrance gate came first a small outer yard with a row of rear-facing rooms. Walk a few more paces through a flowered inner gate, and only then did you reach the main courtyard.
Well-to-do families of the inner city tended to arrange their homes in just this fashion.
As for the even grander three-courtyard compounds — naturally those had three gate-barriers and three yards. Not only deeper in layout, they also had a rear courtyard set aside for the household’s womenfolk.
Mei Hall was a standard three-courtyard compound.
Xu Chuan had mentioned to Shen Xiuhan in casual conversation that Master had spent more than three hundred taels of silver, years ago, to acquire that compound for the martial hall.
Thinking of this, Shen Xiuhan discreetly felt, through his clothes, the contents of his robe.
Counting the two silver notes he had taken from Gao Nian, his total savings came to just under forty taels of ready silver.
Dreaming of buying a two-courtyard or three-courtyard grand compound was pure fantasy.
The most practical course right now was to pick a quiet, satisfying single-courtyard home.
The first single-courtyard they had seen — the price was right, but the street-facing location lacked a small shopfront for running a little business out of.
These past few days, Shen Xiuhan had been teaching Madam Zheng how to make noodle dishes — blanket noodles in particular — and her cooking had already reached seven parts of his own standard.
Once they moved into the inner city, if they bought a courtyard with a small shopfront attached, Madam Zheng could open a noodle shop and earn some coin, rather than sitting idle with nothing to do.
So he had passed on that one.
“Here we are, Master Shen!”
Following Liang Si through twist after turn, a tidy single-courtyard compound opened up before his eyes.
Liang Si drew out a ring of copper keys, unlocked the door, and shoved it open with force:
“Please have a look, Master Shen — this compound comes with a shopfront, which you can enter from the side.”
Following Liang Si in through the shopfront, Shen Xiuhan’s eyes brightened slightly.
“The previous owner ran a tailoring shop. He’s since made his fortune and moved the whole household over to the north side of the city, so the compound’s been sitting empty.”
Liang Si introduced the place with great attentiveness:
“Take a look — the shopfront up front isn’t exactly spacious, but setting out three to five tables would be more than enough. In the back there’s an ear-room attached — couldn’t be better suited for use as a cookhouse.”
Shen Xiuhan looked the place over from every angle and nodded repeatedly: “Not bad at all.”
“Master Shen, let’s go see the main courtyard.”
Seeing his interest, Liang Si hurriedly took the lead.
Through a small door beside the shopfront, the view opened up at once.
The yard was level and square, paved with sturdy blue brick, carrying an air of quiet seclusion.
On the east side grew a great old scholar tree, so wide it would take two men to wrap their arms around. In the west corner stood a well rimmed with bluestone coping.
The main east room was spacious and well-lit, peaceful and pleasant to live in — perfect for Madam Zheng to rest.
Of the remaining three wing rooms, one each for Shen Xiuhan and Shen Momo, and the last for receiving guests.
He went around to the cookhouse and woodshed at the back of the yard, and his satisfaction only grew.
This compound — whether by location or layout — suited him in every respect.
Particularly that stone-ringed well on the west side; it solved a great nuisance at a stroke.
From now on, when Madam Zheng and Momo needed water, they would no longer have to trek half a li in bitter cold to haul it from the river at Xiaojing Bay.
Most critically, the place was not far from Mei Hall.
If trouble arose in the future, the senior and junior brothers at the hall would be near enough to lend a hand.
His mind made up, Shen Xiuhan turned to Liang Si and said without preamble:
“The house is good. I’m satisfied. Cut to it — give me the real price.”
“Master Shen, what a decisive man!”
Liang Si, seeing the deal about to close, grinned until his eyes narrowed to slits: “The seller’s floor price is twenty-two taels of ready silver.”
“Twenty-two taels…”
Shen Xiuhan’s brow gave a faint lift.
The price was one or two taels above market rate for the South Market district.
Seeing Shen Xiuhan fall into deliberation, Liang Si, frightened the deal might slip away, hastened to explain:
“Master Shen, the price is indeed a touch high. These past months, other buyers have looked at it and made offers, but the seller has held firm every time. The reason being — the seller has come into money and isn’t in a rush to sell and cash out.”
“If you’re truly set on it, you could let it sit for a while. This small one will run a few more trips on your behalf, lean on the price, and perhaps knock a bit off…”
“Forget it.”
Shen Xiuhan raised a hand to cut him off.
Tian Ping’an could return to Changyun County at any time. With a great foe looming, time was more precious than gold — where was the leisure to haggle and drain his energy over a few taels?
“Twenty-two taels it is. I’m taking this house. But I have one condition.”
“Please say the word, Master Shen!”
“All deeds and transfer paperwork must be completed within two days.”
“Master Shen, what generosity! A true man of decision!”
Liang Si was overjoyed beyond measure; he bowed again and again.
If this compound went through smoothly, the broker’s commission from both sides alone would come to four or five hundred wen of large coins at minimum — half a month’s worth of running about for him.
“Master Shen, rest easy!”
Liang Si pledged right then and there: “This small one will go collect the title deed tonight. The red-stamped deed documents will be drawn up clear as day — when the time comes, we’ll trade money for deed in one go!”
“Done. That’s settled then.”
Shen Xiuhan gave a slight nod, turned, and surveyed the courtyard. A feeling of deep satisfaction welled up inside.
This compound may not have been large — no carved beams and painted rafters, no garden rockeries and flowing water — but it was more than enough to shelter the three of them from wind and rain.
…
Toward evening.
Shen Xiuhan stepped out of a clothier’s shop.
With the move into the inner city soon at hand, they ought to dress at least somewhat presentably.
So he bought Madam Zheng and Momo two sets of fine-cloth garments each, and had a few chi of fabric cut.
Thinking of how the little girl had grown up wearing straw sandals, running through the mud every day, Shen Xiuhan picked out two pairs of tiger-head shoes as well. On the way, he bought some pastries and foodstuffs — all to bring home as a celebration of the move.
The sky grew dim.
As Shen Xiuhan walked toward the city gate, he came face to face with a familiar figure.
“Xiao Wen!”
Xiao Wen was clad in a smart, dark-colored set of close-cut garb, a steel saber at his hip.
When he made out Shen Xiuhan, delight broke across his face and he hurried forward:
“Senior Brother Shen!”
Shen Xiuhan looked him up and down, clapped him on the shoulder: “Not bad — starting to look like a proper martial artist.”
“Heh heh…”
Xiao Wen scratched his head with a bashful grin, laughed a couple of dopey laughs, then seemed to remember something and quickly stepped aside: “Senior Brother, let me introduce you — this is the Fourth Young Master of the Han family.”
Shen Xiuhan looked over.
A young man in a blue-green robe, utterly unremarkable in appearance, stood behind Xiao Wen.
Meeting Shen Xiuhan’s gaze, he seemed a touch resigned, though his tone was courteous enough:
“This one is Han Li. A pleasure to meet you, Brother Shen.”
Han Li?
The Han family was one of the Five Great Families of Changyun, but Shen Xiuhan had never heard of a young master in their house named Han Li.
Could he be a concubine’s son?
He turned it over in his mind, but let nothing show on his face. He returned the courtesy with a cupped-fist salute:
“Brother Han — this one is Shen Xiuhan. The pleasure is mine.”
“Likewise. Your name, Brother Shen — Xiao Wen has mentioned it to me more than a few times.” Han Li smiled, then shifted the subject: “However, this Han has other business in the city today. Another day, I’ll look forward to a long conversation with Brother Shen.”
“By all means. Take care, Brother Han.”
The three cupped their fists and parted ways.