Buying a House

Changping Street.

The afternoon sun spilled into the alley paved with bluestone slabs.

"Lord Chen, this way, please."

A lean, capable middle-aged man in a faded blue cloth jacket led Chen Qing through the crowded neighborhood.

After leaving the Chen Family Old Residence, Chen Qing had sought out this broker, Zhao Laosan, to look at houses.

After winding through alley after alley, a detached courtyard suddenly came into view at the end of a deep lane.

The wooden gate was thick and heavy, its black lacquer dark and somber.

"Lord Chen, take a look."

Zhao Laosan halted and pointed at the gate with a smile. "This bolt is made from a whole piece of old camphorwood—solid stuff! Ordinary thieves coming at it with pry bars? Heh heh, if they want to break it, they'd need hands made of diamond!"

He tapped the blue-brick step before the gate with his toe. "The ground is paved with bricks, so even in rain or snow, it stays clean and dry."

As he spoke, he took out a key. With a click, he opened the lock and gave the door a hard push.

Creak!

The front courtyard was broad and level, paved with blue bricks, with faint traces of moss poking up between the cracks.

A towering old locust tree stood on the East Side, while a stone well sat on the West Side.

Zhao Laosan introduced the place eagerly. "The shade beneath this locust tree is perfect for cooling off. The east rooms are quiet and face the sun; the west rooms are convenient for housing Old Madam or receiving guests. The main hall is straight ahead..."

Chen Qing swept his gaze over it. This was the third property he had viewed.

Both its location and surroundings suited him best.

With this little courtyard, he would have somewhere to practice his martial arts every day.

The well would be even more convenient.

Zhao Laosan continued, "The well water is clear and sweet. Look, the rope marks are still fresh! The previous owner was a wealthy merchant who moved elsewhere not long ago and was in a hurry to sell, which is why it's going cheap."

Chen Qing asked, "What price?"

"If you're satisfied, we can discuss the details."

Smiling, Zhao Laosan led Chen Qing into the rear courtyard's kitchen and cooking area for a thorough look. Though the sparrow was small, it had all the vital organs.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Qing asked, "Who are the neighbors on either side?"

"The eastern neighbor is Captain Mo from the yamen, and the western neighbor is Shopkeeper He of Yuelai Inn," Zhao Laosan answered smoothly.

Though Changping Street lay in the Outer City, the Inner City was only a river away. In the eyes of ordinary people, anyone who could live here was either wealthy or noble.

"I'm satisfied with this house."

Chen Qing made up his mind. "Name your price."

Aside from giving him a place to practice his fist techniques, it had a well, which would make getting water much easier.

Most importantly, it was very close to Zhou Academy, and quite a few fellow disciples from Zhou Academy lived nearby. It was certainly far safer than Yazi Bay.

"The owner is straightforward. Just this much."

Zhao Laosan held up three fingers.

"Thirty taels?"

Chen Qing nodded. "That isn't expensive."

Zhao Laosan froze, then hurriedly forced a smile. "Lord Chen, you must be joking. It's three hundred taels!"

Three hundred taels!?

Chen Qing raised a brow. Thirty taels truly would not have been expensive, but three hundred taels was no small sum to him.

Most of the help the Cheng Family and Zhou Liang had given him had been cultivation resources.

The silver from his Part-time Appointment at the River Bureau was pitifully little each month, and he simply did not have much money on him.

Chen Qing pondered for a while, then asked, "Could the handover be delayed?"

"Certainly not for anyone else! But for Lord Chen..."

Zhao Laosan lowered his voice. "I, Old Zhao, will put this old face of mine on the line and negotiate with the owner! How about this: you pay one hundred taels first, sign the contract, and you can move your belongings in right away. For the remaining two hundred taels, we'll write an IOU. Next spring, you pay back two hundred and ten taels, principal and interest included. Black ink on white paper—I, Old Zhao, will guarantee it. If you can't repay it by then, the jujube tree, the stove, even the kang bed you've newly built in this courtyard will all go to the owner as payment. What do you say?"

He had already made discreet inquiries. Chen Qing was a newly minted Martial Scholar with a bright future ahead of him, so he would not lack for silver later on. That was why Zhao Laosan dared to guarantee it so confidently.

After all, a ten-percent commission meant thirty taels of gleaming silver.

"Fine. When do we sign the contract?" Chen Qing made the decision.

After passing as a Martial Scholar, he had received gift money from quite a few wealthy households and local powers. Added to what he had saved before, gathering one hundred taels should not be too difficult.

Zhao Laosan hurriedly said, "Lord Chen is forthright. I'll draft the documents tomorrow and personally visit your home."

Toward evening.

Chen Qing returned from practicing at Zhou Academy and headed toward Yazi Bay.

The Internal Force Fundamentals Diagram still lingered in his mind. The circulation of overt and hidden force within its moves had deepened his understanding of Tongbei Fist by another layer.

There probably aren't many disciples in Zhou Academy who can obtain this diagram...

He mused to himself.

Before he knew it, Yazi Bay was already before him.

Unlike its usual bustle, it was deathly silent today.

Fishing boats of all sizes crowded along the shore, their cabin doors tightly shut, exuding an unusual oppression.

Chen Qing's heart skipped a beat. He leaped onto his family's deck and pushed open the cabin door.

"Mother, I'm back."

A faint yellow glow shone from within the cabin. Madam Han sat in a corner, her complexion poor and fear lingering in her eyes.

"A Qing."

The moment Madam Han saw Chen Qing return, she seized his arm.

Chen Qing asked in a deep voice, "Mother, what happened?"

Still shaken, Madam Han said, "Something terrible happened! The Tiger Gang... the Tiger Gang..."

She paused, the fear in her eyes deepening. "They were uprooted, roots and all!"

Hmm!?

Chen Qing asked, "When did it happen? Who did it?"

"Probably last night, not long after you went to your grandfather's home. Old Gao was the first to see the Tiger Gang's corpses floating on the river."

Madam Han swallowed and said, "After that, some bold people quietly rowed over to take a look. When they came back, their faces were white with fright. They said... they said the Tiger Gang's several large boats moored at the dock had all burned into charcoal frames. All sorts of things were floating on the water, and their shacks along the shore had collapsed too. Blood... blood everywhere... They didn't see a single survivor, nor did they see any sign of whoever did it. After killing them, they left without a trace!"

After saying it all in one breath, Madam Han's body trembled slightly.

Chen Qing's brows knotted tightly.

The Tiger Gang had occupied Yazi Bay for a year, and Xu Chengfeng had always been cautious, managing both his open and secret connections without a single leak. Who had uprooted them with such thunderous methods?

Just who had he offended?

Madam Han said with a trace of worry, "The Golden River Gang was wiped out only recently, and now the Tiger Gang has been uprooted too."

The world was changing too quickly, leaving her uneasy.

"Mother, don't overthink it."

Chen Qing took a deep breath and comforted her. "The house has been chosen. We'll move in a couple of days."

"It's good to move away."

Madam Han nodded, then touched the boat's hull and sighed. "Your father nearly lost half his life for these two boats. If he knew you had become so accomplished now..."

For those who made their living on the water, a boat was a home, their hope of staying alive.

Getting two boats? How could that have been easy?

At that, Madam Han sighed and said no more.

Early the next morning, Zhao Laosan brought good news, with the contract in hand.

"Lord Chen, the owner has agreed. We're only waiting for you to sign your name."

Had Chen Qing not passed as a Martial Scholar, this naturally would not have worked.

But now that his status was different, everything fell into place as naturally as water flowing downhill.

Chen Qing nodded. "Good. I'll sign it now, and we'll move this afternoon."

Zhao Laosan's face broke into a broad smile. "Leave it to me."

Chen Qing signed the contract in one sweeping stroke, then took out the silver on his person and handed it to Zhao Laosan.

Not long after Zhao Laosan left, Chen Qing was about to return to the boat when he suddenly heard someone call out from nearby.

"May I ask if this is Brother Chen Qing?"

Chen Qing turned toward the voice and saw a broad-shouldered, thick-waisted man with bulging temples. He wore a neat gray short outfit that exposed two muscular, sinewy arms, and a long saber hung at his waist.

Two sturdy young men followed behind him, both powerfully built.

Without revealing anything, Chen Qing replied, "And you are?"

The burly man cupped his fists in salute, his face brimming with warmth. "I am Song Hu. I recently moved in nearby and now oversee the Fish Market here. I heard that Brother Chen passed as a Martial Scholar, so I came especially to offer my congratulations. This is but a small token of regard. I hope you will accept it."

As he spoke, he flicked his wrist slightly. One of the young men behind him promptly offered up a heavy red money pouch.

"How could I possibly..."

Chen Qing was polite with his words, but his hand accepted it neatly. Weighing it, he estimated it held around five taels.

"Brother Chen, no need to stand on ceremony."

Song Hu waved a hand, then his expression shifted to concern. "To tell the truth, I arrived here only yesterday and heard that the Tiger Gang had been massacred, every last one of them. Does Brother Chen happen to know anything about the matter?"

Chen Qing shook his head. "Not much."

Song Hu let out a heavy sigh. "Ah, it hasn't been long since the Golden River Gang, which held this place for three years, was wiped out. Then in the blink of an eye, the Tiger Gang has met the same fate..."

His gaze seemed to sweep casually across Chen Qing.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Song Hu cupped his fists and took his leave. "Then I'll be going. If Brother Chen has time, feel free to come find me at the Fish Market."

"Certainly."

Chen Qing returned the salute and saw him off.

Watching Song Hu and his two men disappear into the distance, Chen Qing weighed the money pouch in his hand, his brows drawing together slightly.

For some reason, the name "Song Hu" sounded strangely familiar.

In an instant, a spark of realization flashed through his mind!

He remembered the name A'hu that Song Tie had mentioned before dying.

This man had only just arrived, and the Tiger Gang was immediately slaughtered to the last man. How could there be such a coincidence in this world?!

The silver was a pretext. Testing me was his true purpose?

Chen Qing's gaze turned cold at once. No longer hesitating, he sprang forward and strode swiftly after Song Hu in the direction he had gone.