Spending Money Like Water
"Miss Zhao, what a coincidence! I was looking at houses nearby and was just looking for you when I saw your carriage," Broker Li said with a smile.
To avoid trouble, Zhao Ruxi usually rode in a carriage bearing the insignia of the Earl of Suiping's Residence.
Upon hearing this, she was overjoyed and asked, "Is there news about the house?"
"Exactly." Broker Li pointed to the house next door. "I know you want to be closer to your master and senior brother, so since yesterday, I've been trying to negotiate with the owner of this house next door. Just now, he finally relented and agreed to sell the house to you."
Zhao Ruxi glanced at him. "If he's unwilling to sell, I'll buy one from somewhere further away. Don't force anyone."
She wouldn't force someone to sell when they're living comfortably. Is this Broker Li just using Wu Zong's name to scare people?
"No, no, no, how could I dare?" Broker Li quickly waved his hand. "His family is large, so I used this to persuade him. If he had money, he could buy a large house in a more remote area and live more spaciously, which would be quite nice. Why squeeze in here? His family also agrees with what I said."
Zhao Ruxi became somewhat wary. "How much did he ask for?" Someone like that would definitely ask for an exorbitant price.
She has now bought two houses and shops, and hired many servants. She will have to support these servants in the future, and she doesn't have much money left. If the neighbor asks for a higher price, she will definitely have to let down Broker Li after all his hard work.
"Two thousand five hundred taels," Broker Li, somewhat embarrassed, "That's about five hundred taels overpriced."
Although housing prices in Beining are higher than elsewhere, they are definitely not comparable to those in the capital. A house of this location and size would cost around two thousand taels. Two thousand five hundred taels would be an exorbitant price.
"I asked him for his bottom line, but he's sticking to that price. He said if the price is too low, why would he sell and then buy again? It's too much trouble. Actually, if the girl isn't in a hurry, she can wait. Now that he's interested, if you give him some encouragement, maybe he won't be able to resist and will lower the price himself." Broker Li was genuinely trying to make this deal work for Zhao Ruxi.
Yesterday, he saw Wang Guangyao accompany Lord Wu and Miss Zhao the whole time, and his attitude was extremely respectful.
Beining is a place where the officials come and go, but the clerks remain steadfast and extremely powerful in the Beining. The Beining would rather offend the magistrate than dare to offend these clerks.
Therefore, compared to Wu Zong, Broker Li valued Wang Guangyao more. They dared not neglect those whom Wang Guangyao genuinely respected, and even hoped to curry favor with them.
"What kind of house does he own? I spent a fortune to buy it, but now I still have to spend hundreds of taels to renovate it," Zhao Ruxi said.
"Besides, now that I've bought it, they'll have to move out as soon as possible. I'm in a hurry to buy it because I need the house. If they drag their feet and don't move out for a year or two, then there's no point in me buying it."
She thought for a moment and said, "I'll have to move out in at most two weeks."
For her, an extra five hundred taels of silver was just the cost of teaching half a person more painting. Because the location was rare, right next to her senior brother's house, she accepted the extra five hundred taels. The only problem was that she would soon need to use the house, and if the owners didn't move out, or if they moved out and then had to spend time repairing it, she would be in a lot of trouble.
"Because he quoted this price, I went in and took a closer look. The layout of the courtyard is good, similar to Lord Wu's place, but with a few more rooms. The flowers and trees throughout are well-maintained, and there's even a well. The young lady only needs to have the walls painted, and it will be ready to use," Broker Li.
"As for moving, I can discuss it with him. If he doesn't agree to move as soon as possible, then I'll find another house for you, Miss." He pointed to the west, "Actually, there's another house for sale over there, half the size of this one, a courtyard house, and the price isn't high, only one thousand taels of silver. Because it's small and far from here, I didn't mention it to you, Miss."
"Alright, you can discuss it first. If he agrees, I'll go over and take a look at the house in a bit," Zhao Ruxi said.
Seeing that Zhao Ruxi didn't intend to haggle over the price, Broker Li felt confident about the deal.
He stood up, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Zhao Ruxi, and said, "Then I shall take my leave." With that, he went to the next room.
Zhao Ruxi instructed Qingfeng, "Go next door and see if my master is there. If she is, I'll go and say hello; if not, I won't go. Go to the kitchen and get some food."
If she were a little more independent, she wouldn't have tried to take advantage of her master; instead, she would have spent money to order food from a restaurant and have it delivered.
But Zhao Ruxi is easygoing by nature. She would feel petty and distant if she were too concerned about such a small thing, and her master would certainly Gao Xing. She is least afraid of owing debts of money or favors, because she is confident in herself in this regard and feels that she can repay them.
Qingfeng went there and didn't return for a long time, so Zhao Ruxi knew that her master wasn't there. She waited patiently for Qingfeng to bring the food over.
Before Qingfeng arrived, Broker Li came over and said to Zhao Ruxi, "Miss Zhao, they've agreed to move in within half a month. Would you like to go see the house now?"
"Okay." Zhao Ruxi stood up, led Gao Weiqiang and Dianjiang, and followed Broker Li to the next room.
Broker Li apparently mentioned that the buyer was a young lady from a noble family, and a woman in her thirties from next door was sent to receive her; Broker Li her as First Madam Zhang.
Zhao Ruxi followed First Madam Zhang on a tour of the Zhang Family, looking around the entire house. She was barely satisfied with the layout and buildings—after all, it wasn't built according to her own ideas, so there were bound to be some things she wasn't entirely happy with. But that's how it is when you buy a ready-made house. If you're generally satisfied, that's already pretty good.
"Alright, that's settled then. Whenever you have time, let's go to the yamen to transfer the property deed," Zhao Ruxi said readily to First Madam Zhang.
"Miss Zhao, please wait a moment. I'll have a maid go and ask our master right now," said First Madam Zhang.
As the group reached the outer hall, an elderly man in his fifties or sixties came out and bowed to Zhao Ruxi, saying, "It is a great honor that Layperson Zhiwei has taken a liking to our house. I have had the pleasure of exchanging a few words with your master, and I have also met your senior brother a few times."
Zhao Ruxi knew he was a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations. Seeing his polite manner, she returned the greeting and said apologetically, "Zhiwei, Zhiwei, have been presumptuous in wishing to purchase Elder Zhang house, causing Elder Zhang the hardship of moving. This is Zhiwei fault, and I beg Elder Zhang forgiveness."
As she spoke, she bowed again.
"Layperson Zhiwei, please don't say that." Old Master Zhang blushed. "My family is large and we want to move, but we are reluctant to leave our old home. So we offered a high price to try and discourage Layperson Zhiwei Layperson Zhiwei, but he was so generous and agreed immediately. We are ashamed. We are truly ashamed."