Under Zhao Zhijie’s introduction, Yu Xiaolian thoroughly understood the structure of this house.
Within each courtyard of this residence, there are five or seven main rooms, with wooden partitions or floor screens inside, and some main and side rooms have verandas.
The five-room layout consists of three main rooms and two side rooms, with separate entry doors for the side rooms.
The seven-room layout features two suites connected to the main rooms between the main and side rooms.
There are three rooms in each east and west wing, with a corridor between the wing and side rooms leading to the backyard.
To the south of the east and west wings, there is a courtyard wall dividing the yard into inner and outer sections.
In the middle of the courtyard wall, there’s a moon gate, behind which stands a shadow wall.
In the outer courtyard, there are one or two "deer top" rooms on each side.
The "deer top" rooms are slightly smaller than the wing rooms and are used as kitchens or quarters for servants.
The south room has a layout of seven rooms; the easternmost room is a main gate passage, the room west of the gate is the gatehouse, with its door opening on the west gable of the main gate passage, and the westernmost room is used as a carriage room or side gate.
All the houses are tiled with bricks up to the top, with a clear-water ridge on the gatehouse, and two street-facing main doors, each with a small iron ring for knocking.
Zhao Zhijie’s introduction was detailed, and Yu Xiaolian listened attentively.
Having about seventy percent satisfaction with this house, Yu Xiaolian decided to check out the property in Heqing Lane as well, after all, one should compare multiple options! Updates are released by 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦•𝘯𝘦𝘵
Moreover, the two houses had only a price difference of two hundred taels.
Heqing Lane is located near the eastern city gate of Luocheng, making it somewhat off the beaten path, but the place is indeed spacious, about two thousand square meters. Although it doesn’t have more rooms than the one in Xiangyang Lane, it features a very large garden with mountains and water that Yu Xiaolian quite liked.
After exploring the area, the group sat down to rest in the pavilion within the garden.
Yu Xiaolian got straight to the point and asked, "If I want both these properties, can the price be discounted somewhat?"
"Both?" Zhao Zhijie was taken aback.
These properties had been sitting empty for some time due to their high price and hadn’t been sold. Zhao Zhijie had thought they might end up unsold, so he was thrilled to sell two at once.
Recently, he had heard about a matter involving a young female teacher, but he hadn’t expected this young lady teacher to be so wealthy.
After all, these grand houses are not something an average family can afford, especially those honest officials of the fifth or sixth rank who don’t engage in private businesses.
And here Yu the teacher is, casually wanting two of them, how could Zhao Zhijie not be surprised?
As far as he knew, Yu the teacher’s family only ran a small general store, with not a very large shopfront, so how could they be so affluent?
Zhao the Biaotou saw his second brother in a daze and quickly interjected, "Second brother, give a bit of a discount, this is Xudong’s teacher from our family!"
Zhao Zhijie snapped back to reality and looked towards Yu Xiaolian, "Alright, I’ll discount two hundred taels for you on both properties."
Before Yu Xiaolian could speak, Zhao the Biaotou hurriedly said, "How come just two hundred taels? Second brother..."
Zhao Zhijie glared at Zhao the Biaotou, who immediately fell silent.
Zhao the Biaotou, with his full beard, looked pitifully amusing, and Yu Xiaolian couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.
Although Zhao Zhijie was older than Zhao the Biaotou, he kept his face clean-shaven, presenting a savvy merchant appearance, making him seem much younger compared to the bearded Zhao the Biaotou.
If someone unfamiliar with these brothers saw them, they’d probably think Zhao the Biaotou was the older one.
Zhao Zhijie turned to Yu Xiaolian, "How about this, I’ll throw in two rough maids as a bonus, how does that sound?"
Yu Xiaolian laughed, these brothers truly lived up to being close siblings, both liking to throw in rough maids as bonuses.
Yu Xiaolian worried these rough maids might be older than her grandmother. Otherwise, why would the Zhao brothers keep trying to "gift" them away?
"May I ask how old these two rough maids are? Are they still in good health?"
She didn’t want those elderly ladies in their seventies or eighties; she wasn’t running a retirement home.
Zhao Zhijie understood what Yu Xiaolian was concerned about; anyone buying rough maids would want them to be strong and able to work.
Zhao Zhijie explained that recently, many outsiders had flocked to Luocheng, and these families, after much hardship on their journey, had just settled down and started to cut down on their servants to save expenses. Some madams and ladies, who once had four maids serving them, had now halved that number.
So lately, it wasn’t just a real estate price surge happening in Luocheng.
Prices for maids and laborers were also at an all-time low; the money used to buy one maid could now buy two, with some even being sold in mother-daughter pairs, and many came with a buy-one-get-one offer.
The stark contrast between the low price of human labor and the high price of housing was evident.
However, this low price only applied to ordinary laborers, as the likes of Li Meng and Li Lie, who could guard the house, still commanded high prices.
Zhao Zhijie agreed to give Yu Xiaolian two robust rough maids around fifty years old, letting her choose from the broker’s back courtyard, any that caught her fancy.
Yu Xiaolian followed the Zhao brothers back to the broker. This time, both properties were registered under her name, and after filling out the deed and leaving her fingerprint, Zhao Zhijie sent someone to the government to file and stamp the document.
Taking advantage of the wait for the document, Yu Xiaolian chose two pleasing rough maids.
These two rough maids were named Liang and Gao Granny.
Liang Granny came from Jie City, originally a cook for a wealthy family. Her previous employer was very affluent, employing over ten cooks; each from different regions, specializing in local dishes and pastries.
But when war broke out, her previous employer dared not indulge as before; they let go of half the staff they deemed unnecessary, and Liang Granny, whose dishes were seldom ordered, was also listed for ’downsizing’.
Gao Granny hails from Northern Ping City. Unlike Liang Granny, she is alone and has never married.
Gao Granny was married; her surname wasn’t originally Gao, but because her husband’s family name was Gao, everyone called her Gao Granny.
Gao Granny had a son and a daughter, but her eighteen-year-old son was recently handed over to the court for military service by her previous employer, leading to their separation, with little chance of reunion.
Yu Xiaolian asked Gao Granny, "What about your husband and your daughter?"
Gao Granny choked up and knelt before Yu Xiaolian, "My... my husband passed away, he fell ill and died on the way to Luocheng.
Miss, I also have a daughter here. Please be compassionate and take us both in?"
Seeing her pitiably crying, Yu Xiaolian turned to Zhao Zhijie, "How old is her daughter? Can she be brought for me to have a look?"
Zhao Zhijie nodded and instructed a servant nearby, "Bring that little girl over for the teacher to see."
Gao Granny’s little daughter was named Xiaoqiao, thirteen years old, the same age as Zhao Erya.
Xiaoqiao looked nothing like Gao Granny, she was thin and dark-skinned, with hands rough beyond words.