Buyers and Sellers

"This house is too small, this one is too old, and I like this one, but the price is too high!"

"It's so hard for us minor officials to buy a house!"

Zhang Xuezhou leafed through the property register at the Office of the Inner Clerk. The clerk offered explanations from time to time, and Zhang Xuezhou responded now and then.

He often lamented that a minor official's salary wasn't enough and that buying a house was too difficult, which struck a sympathetic chord with the clerk.

A clerical post in the Office of the Inner Clerk wasn't much of a position, and it was difficult to make any extra money on the side.

For instance, Zhang Xuezhou had come to register for market citizenship. The clerk could only handle it by the book, and there was no chance Zhang Xuezhou would slip him so much as a half-tael coin in thanks.

And Zhang Xuezhou had come to buy a house, but the fellow was so poor that he was picking and choosing everywhere, making it even less likely he would give the clerk any money.

That was how it was with most people who came to the Office of the Inner Clerk, so Zhang Xuezhou was nothing special.

It was hard to skim anything in the clerk's position, so he could only rely on his salary to support his household. Accordingly, he sympathized with what Zhang Xuezhou said.

The two chatted now and then, which kept things from getting too lonely.

When someone outside presented an entry tablet, the clerk called out, left Zhang Xuezhou to browse at his leisure, and returned to his desk to indicate he was ready to receive the visitor.

"My lord, I wish to sell a residence and would like to list it