Chapter 50: Chapter 50 - Purchasing Property (1)

It was very hot in the sixth month of lunar year.

Yuxi came out of the school and returned to the Rose Courtyard. Once there, she took out her handkerchief and wiped the sweat from her forehead. She muttered, “Why is it so hot?” She didn’t think summer was so hot before! It was only on the sixth month, not yet the hottest time of the year.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Sour Prune Drink or suanmeitang

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Moju brought a bowl of iced sour prune drink (suanmeitang), “Miss, drink this and you will be cool.”

After drinking the iced sour prune drink, Yuxi felt much better, “Fortunately, I don’t have to come back at noon, otherwise I will die of heat.” The weather was so hot that Teacher Song asked Yuchen and Yuxi to stay in Magnolia Courtyard at noon.

Tuanshan or Chinese circular hand fan with embroidered peacock

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Moju on the other hand, was embroidering peacock on a beautiful white tuanshan (ancient Chinese circular fan) to fan Yuxi, while saying, “It hasn’t rained for half a month now, so the weather is currently hot and stuffy. If it rains, it will be pleasantly cool. “

Moju spoke quickly and said, “It hasn’t rained since the incident happened in the border town. Now people outside said this is God’s punishment.”

Yuxi thinks this was utterly nonsense. “If God wants to punish, He should just punish the Song family. How can He torments the common people? I don’t know who spread such vicious rumours.“

With the death of General Yun, courtiers began to ask the Emperor to reconsider the Tong City incident. Unfortunately, the Emperor agreed to joint-trial with Three Departments. As soon as the Imperial Decree came down, Old Third Master Yan committed suicide in the prison, fearing the punishment for his sin. When he died, the matter fell into a deadlock. However, because of Old General Yun’s uproar, Yan’s family was not implicated. As for the Empress and the Crown Prince, they led a stable life for the time being. While, in the capital city, the usual calm has been restored.

Yuxi did not care about anything before, but she still knew something like the abolition of the Crown Prince. According to her memory, the Crown Prince was abolished several years later.

As Yuxi was busy thinking about things, the maid announced the arrival of Mama Fang.

Mana Fang came here this time to discuss one thing with Yuxi, “Miss, there is a shop on Shangyuan Street for sale. I have made some private inquiries, and the store selling price is about four thousand taels of silvers.“ She was the first to know that Yuxi wanted to buy an estate, so she thought it was an opportunity.

Yuxi frowned and asked, “The annual rent of the steamed bun shop is three hundred taels. While, for that shop, it’s only four thousand taels to purchase. Isn’t it inappropriate?” She thought the store was too convenient. She was afraid someone was trying to swindle them.

Mama Fang hastily said, “Miss, that shop does not have a backyard, so it is sells at four thousands taels. If Miss wants to buy it, we can ask the landlord to lower the price. “

After hearing this, Yuxi also nodded her head, “I’ll let my aunt know first. Later on, she can ask Steward Xiang to go check it up. If the shop is really good, then we’ll buy it.”

Mama Fang explained her plan, “Miss, if we buy this shop, we don’t have to rent it out. We will use it directly to sell groceries, then, we will definitely make money.”

Yuxi asked curiously, “Can selling groceries make money?”

Mung Bean Cake

Source | 漫香小屋 via Meishichina

Mama Fang had experience now, so she said, “Miss doesn’t know. Things like mung bean cakes, candy and so on are very popular in Shangyuan Street. Miss, do you know, that all the items sold in the shops on Shangyuan Street didn’t taste very good, but the business was very good. If we make our own sales, then we will not have to worry about having no market.”

Yuxi shook her head and rejected it without any thought, “No, Mama. You’ve been working hard enough on the baozi (steamed stuffed bun) shop. If you open another shop, your health will definitely suffer.”

Mama Fang smiled and said, “I’m planning to buy two more people and teach them how to do it. That shop is not far from the baozi (steamed stuffed bun) shop. Then we can make cakes or something in the baozi (steamed stuffed bun) shop for the new shop.” Baozi (steamed stuffed bun) shop had no business in the afternoon. If they wanted to make cakes and candy, they could make them during that time.

Yuxi did not know the general affairs before, but now she tried hard to learn. Even though she was still learning now, Mama Fang who had been practicing outside for a year, obviously would be much better on this than her. “If Mama thinks it is okay, then give it a try. However, you can’t tire yourself, otherwise I won’t open either shop.”

Mama Fang smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Miss, I won’t tire myself out. I also want to watch Miss grows up.“ The words of her Miss marriage was directly omitted.

The shop should be bought early. If they were late, it would be bought by others. After seeing off Mama Fang, Yuxi went to the main courtyard to find Qiu Shi. She told her that she wanted to buy a store.

Qiu Shi got a fright, “Doesn’t it cost a lot of money to buy a store? Where will you get that much money?“

Yuxi had already prepared her speech, “When my mother passed away, she left me some money. This was only known by Mama Fang. In the past, Mama Fang thought that this was my mother’s dowry, so she was planning to tell me in a few years. Now that Mama Fang has ran a baozi (steeamed stuffed bun) shop outside, her thinking is not the same as before. She thinks that the money under the box is dead money, and if she buys a property using it, she can earn interest every year and I will have plenty of money.“ Although everyone knew that her mother took her dowry to help her maiden family, it was not clear to them whether she really did not leave anything behind. Now that Yuxi, herself, said this, most people would believe her mother really did left her some money.

Qiu Shi was somewhat surprised. She thought that Ning Shi did not not leave any money for Yuxi. “How much money did your mother leave for you? To buy a store, even in Shangyuan Street, you need at least three to four thousands taels.” Although Shangyuan Street was not as good as East and West Streets, its location was still good. People living around there had two living expenses on hand, so, it was also a good place to open stores. As a result, the stores over there were not cheap either.

“Ten thousand,” answered Yuxi.

Qiu Shi got a huge fright. Yuxi had that much? She remembered that Ning Shi’s dowry was just over twenty thousand taels, and to her surprised, she had left ten thousand taels for Yuxi. It was said that Ning Shi had used up all her dowry. But with this current situation, it seemed like the rumours were not actually credible. “Are you sure?”

Yuxi handed the silver ticket in her sleeve to Qiu Shi and said, “This is the silver ticket.” She specifically requested that the other side of the silver ticket must have been issued six years ago. (T/N : Smart girl!)

Qiu Shi took the silver ticket and looked at it. She handled a lot of silver tickets, so, she knew if it was true or not. “This silver ticket is true.” After she had done checking, she asked, “Yuxi, are you really going to buy a store in Shangyuan Street? If you buy it there, the rent will not be very high.“ The annual rent of shops in Shangyuan Street was three hundreds and twenty taels, which was already considered very high there.

Yuxi explained to Qiu Shi about Mama Fang’s plan, “I think Mama Fang’s plan is feasible.” What Mama Fang said was right. She felt that opening a grocery store was definitely more profitable than renting it out.

Qiu Shi listened and weighed it in her heart and said, “Well, I’ll ask Steward Xiang about it. If it’s true, as Mama Fang said, we can buy it.” After a pause, she said, “Yuxi, that possible store can be bought in about three thousand taels. Then, what are you going to do with the remaining six thousand taels?” (T/N: Doesn’t Yuxi have ten thousands taels? But, if three thousands will be used to buy the shop, then, shouldn’t Yuxi has seven thousands taels left?)

Looking at the silver ticket in her hand, Yuxi asked, “Aunt, I also want to buy some properties. What kind of property does aunt thinks I should set up?” She looked at the money in her hand, with amount that was not enough to buy a store front on East and West Streets. Furthermore, the stores there required thousands and thousands of taels to start up and functioned. Just like Yuchen’s two storefronts on West Street and East Street, which rentals cost more than forty thousands taels per year.

Taking into account Yuxi’s actual situation, Qiu Shi suggested her to buy farmland property. “I mean, it is best to buy farmland property. It will provide a stable crop, regardless of drought or flood.”

Yuxi was also inclined to buy land property. Although the income from land property was not high, it still could be dependable, and the income would be available every year. If there was a grocery store by then, there would be a market for things from the hamlet. Thinking till here, Yuxi’s mind flashed with an idea as she said, “Aunt, if we want to buy farmland, I think it is best if it also has mountain forests. When the time comes, we will plant fruit trees on the mountain, make preserved fruits and sell them to the grocery store. “

Qiu Shi was not really supportive of Yuxi’s way of thinking, however, the prices of mountain forests were not that expensive. It was not a problem for Yuxi to buy one or two mountain forests. “If you want to take the farmland with mountain forests, the location may be more remote.” There was none near the capital city. Even if there were, all of them had been occupied by others.

Farmlands were unlike stores. The location didn’t matter, even if the farmland was in a different district. Yuxi nodded and said, “It’s not a problem.”

For Yuxi to purchase such a big thing, she certainly couldn’t hide it from the Old Madam. Qiu Shi simply took Yuxi to see the Old Madam and told her about it.

When the Old Madam heard that Ning Shi had left behind ten thousand taels of silver, her expression slightly stir. However, no one could see her reaction, “When did you know about the silver?”

Yuxi replied, “I just found out today.”

“Why didn’t Mama Fang say so before? Why only now?“ All the Old Madam’s questions were all on point.

Yuxi repeated what she had said to Qiu Shi.

The Old Madam also couldn’t find any flaw in Yuxi’s statement. Since she was not asked to take out any money for Yuxi to purchase the property, she naturally had no objection, “Since Fourth Girl has this achievement, Eldest Daughter-in-law will help her see which farmland is good to buy.” Yuxi would have to use whatever she had as a dowry in the future. The more things she had, the richer her dowry would be, and the better the state residence name would also be.

Once everyone left, the Old Madam put down the Buddha beads in her hand and said to Mama Luo, “Ask old woman Shen if there is anything unusual about the Fourth Girl recently?”

Mama Luo felt a twinge in her heart, “Does Old Madam think that Ning Shi didn’t give this money to the Fourth Miss?”

The Old Madam said with great certainty, “Ning Shi dowry was only over twenty thousands taels in total. At that time, the Ning family was in urgent need of money and the price of Ning Shi’s properties and shops were not that high. Even if she did left money for the Fourth Girl, it would been at least three to four thousands taels. So, how could she leave such a large sum of money?” She didn’t doubt that the money was Yuxi’s personal earning. It was only because Yuxi had started a baozi (steamed stuffed bun) shop by pawning jewelleries she had. The Old Madam suspected that this money was a part of the jewelleries that Yuxi had pawned.

Mama Luo’s felt that the money was indeed left by Ning Shi, “Old Madam, ten thousand taels of silver is not a small sum. If the money was made by Miss pawning her jewelleries, then her jewelleries must have be used up. It is impossible for Mama Shen not to know about this such big thing.” At this time, if Mama Shen had knew, then, she would definitely come and told her in the first place.

The Old Madam also had this concern, but she did not say a word of reply. Instead, she ordered, “Go and ask.”

Mama Luo went out and soon came back, “Old Madam, old woman Shen said, all the registered jewelleries which were locked in a box, were still intact.”

The Old Madam turned the beads in her hand again and asked, “Is there anything wrong with Fourth Girl recently?”

Mama Luo shook her head and said, “During this period of time, there was nothing unusual with Fourth Miss, except that she often said that she felt tired.” Fatigue due to overwork was not an unusual thing.

The Old Madam was puzzled. “Maybe it was really Ning Shi who left the money behind.” No matter how smart the old lady was, she couldn’t have imagined that the money was actually earned by Yuxi.

Mama Luo said, “Old Madam, Ning Shi was also a mother. It is impossible not to leave some money for her child. I think Ning Shi really did left the money.“ Firstly, it was impossible for people to think that Yuxi earned the money. Secondly, Yuxi’s excuse was really reasonable.

The Old Madam thought that Ning Shi would rather give the money to an old woman than letting her keep it. This meant that Ning Shi believed the old woman more than her, which made her felt very uncomfortable. Just how much she liked Jiang Shi, Yuchen’s mother, that was how much she hated Ning Shi. However, that person was already dead, and it was not worth it for her to investigate more.