Renting a House

"Take a look, little brother. This is the place."

The innkeeper unlocked the bronze lock and pushed open the main gate, which let out a soft creak.

"This was originally where my wife's younger brother lived. He left for the Prefecture City some time ago, so it has been sitting empty. It's a little small, but the location is good. There's also a sweet-water well in this alley, clear and sweet, which is why it's called Sweet Water Alley. People from many other alleys come here to draw water, and Central Avenue isn't too far away either."

The innkeeper introduced the place as he walked, while Zhong Lin led Little Shi inside.

It truly was not large, just a single-courtyard house. The side room was on the left, the kitchen on the right, and there was a tiny latrine in one corner. A jujube tree had been planted against the right wall. The dates on it had already been knocked clean, with only a few remaining high up at the very top.

Zhong Lin led Little Shi through every room, thoroughly satisfied. Still, he lowered his head and asked Little Shi, "What do you think? Do you like it here?"

"Mhm, I like it." Little Shi nodded with delight all over his face, then hurriedly added, "As long as I'm with Second Brother, I'm willing to live anywhere."

Zhong Lin knew this was the lingering shadow left by Little Shi's disappearance in Black Mountain, so he reached out and rubbed his head.

"Innkeeper, I'm very satisfied with this place. I'll rent it. Name your price—a fair and honest one."

Zhong Lin stressed the words "fair and honest," and his meaning could not have been clearer.

The innkeeper did not hesitate. "If you truly intend to rent it, three taels of silver a year. How about it?"

Zhong Lin calculated Black Mountain County's prices in his head. One tael of silver officially exchanged for a thousand Big Coins, though the actual rate fluctuated according to local prices, making it roughly eight hundred Big Coins here.

Five Big Coins could buy a bowl of noodles. By that measure, three taels of silver was indeed not expensive.

"Fine. Three taels it is."

"I have one more condition. The three taels must be paid to me all at once. In other words, you have to rent for at least one year. If you move out before then, I won't refund the money," the innkeeper said.

"Agreed."

Seeing Zhong Lin agree, the innkeeper smiled. He turned and went out to prepare the contract. Before long, the two pressed their fingerprints onto it and paid the rent.

"Come on, let's go buy some things. We'll be living here from now on," Zhong Lin said with a smile.

"Mhm, mhm."

Little Shi nodded excitedly and pulled Zhong Lin toward the street outside.

It took them most of the day to finish buying basic household supplies: bedding and quilt covers, pots and bowls, firewood, rice, oil, and salt.

These were all necessities of life, things they could not do without.

Nine taels of silver could be called an enormous sum in Summer River Village, but after only one day in Black Mountain County, they had just four taels left. Zhong Lin could not help sighing that money simply was not enough to spend!

"Living is no easy thing!"

Zhong Lin sighed.

Though he was sighing, what should be saved would be saved, and what needed spending would be spent. There was some money that absolutely could not be spared, especially when it came to food.

Both of them were severely malnourished. Zhong Lin was thin as a bamboo pole, while Little Shi had a large head on a small body, with dry, yellowing hair.

They absolutely could not cut corners on food. Instead, they had to eat better than ordinary people, so they could make up for the deficits of the past.

Kitchen.

Little Shi used a wooden stick to poke at the fire beneath the stove, making it burn brighter. At the same time, he kept raising his head to watch Zhong Lin's movements, his nose and mouth constantly drawing in breaths of the rich meat fragrance filling the kitchen.

"Second Brother, is it ready?"

"It's ready. Time to eat."

It was a simple plate of stir-fried greens with meat. The meat was specially bought pork belly, fat and lean layered together. Once stir-fried over high heat, its fat rendered out and soaked into the greens, making the entire dish seem greasy. Yet the greasier it looked, the more it made their mouths water. Paired with rice, it was a meal no immortal could trade for.

In ancient society, fatty meat was more expensive than lean meat. Without the fat, lean meat could not even be sold.

Of course, offal was also high-quality protein, but unfortunately Zhong Lin did not know how to remove its gamey smell. Otherwise, it would have offered even better value.

What a pity about stir-fried intestines!

After eating, Little Shi conscientiously went to wash the bowls, while Zhong Lin found several stones and threw them one by one at the few dates high atop the jujube tree.

Amid a series of sharp pops, dozens of green dates at the top fell in response.

"They taste pretty good, quite sweet. Just right for cutting the grease. Shi Tou, come eat some dates."

"Coming."

Black Mountain County, East Market, Ink Wash Studio.

Ink Wash Studio mainly sold writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, though it also sold printed books. Zhong Lin only found the place after making many inquiries.

Zhong Lin fixed his gaze on the three characters "Ink Wash Studio," studying the strokes and structure of the words while comparing them to Chinese characters in his mind.

Naturally, the two bore no relation whatsoever. Still, he could be certain that the writing of this world belonged to pictographic script.

"No, I still need to systematically learn this world's writing. Relying only on comparison could easily lead to errors in meaning."

Zhong Lin shook his head and stopped staring at the three characters.

Several stalls stood on the streets flanking Ink Wash Studio's entrance. Their tables held brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and a number of scholars sat there writing letters for others, drawing pictures and portraits, or copying books to sell.

Their business was not particularly good. After all, productivity in this era was low, and both living standards and education were poor. At most, poor families would ask someone to pass along a verbal message; few would write letters. Thus, these scholars more often earned money by copying books for the Ink Wash Studio behind them.

Zhong Lin had been wandering around here for two days, and his attention had mostly been focused on the scholars who painted.

Compared with writing letters for others, scholars with painting skills lived somewhat better. Those who wrote letters might sit idle for an entire day and write only three. Letter-writing was different from selling calligraphy; they could not charge by the character. From Zhong Lin's observations, one letter earned only three Big Coins.

Only the scholars who painted were different. Not only did they have good business, but they also charged high prices. Most of their customers were elderly people and children.

After asking around, Zhong Lin learned that the elderly mostly commissioned posthumous portraits, while children had something similar to hundred-day photographs painted.

One group was for the dead, the other for the living. These two groups were also the easiest to make money from.

After making a round, Zhong Lin stopped in front of the stall of the scholar with the best business.

The scholar was thin and tall, dressed in a long green robe. The bun atop his head was secured with a wooden hairpin, and he was currently wielding his brush with complete concentration.

After some time, the painting was finished. Its subject was an elderly man with graying hair, sitting stern-faced in a chair.

"It's done."

"Thank you, Young Master Xu. I'm very satisfied."

The scholar handed the painting to the customer and smoothly took the payment in return.

Zhong Lin had sharp eyes. Though it had lasted only an instant, he saw that the scholar had charged a full three mace of silver. Converted, that was two to three hundred Big Coins.

From beginning the painting to finishing it had taken the scholar only the time it took two incense sticks to burn—roughly half an hour—yet he had earned two to three hundred Big Coins. Zhong Lin could not help feeling deeply envious.