Chapter 120
Gu Jiao took a look at Xiao Liulang.
Xiao Liulang said without changing expressions, "I heard this from the dean of our academy."
Gu Jiao said to Guarantor Zhang, "My husband’s dean has lived in the capital for more than ten years."
Guarantor Zhang suddenly realized, "Ah, so that’s the case."
Gu Jiao said, "Are there any rental houses on these two streets?"
"Ah, yes, yes..." Guarantor Zhang looked at the two of them, who were donned in very simple clothing. Although one was an Imperial Academy student, he was a cripple. The other was extraordinary in temperament, but her face had a defect.
These two people... Shouldn’t have enough money, right?
Guarantor Zhang smilingly said, "Do you want a single entrance courtyard or a double entrance courtyard?"
Gu Jiao thought it over for a while before answering, "We need at least five rooms."
"That would be a double entrance courtyard or possibly a triple entrance courtyard." Guarantor Zhang smiled, continuing, "Double or triple entrance courtyards are not cheap. The rental fee of a double entrance courtyard is at least ten taels a month while a triple entrance courtyard is twenty taels a month."
Ten taels was enough for a large family in the countryside to put food on their table for a year or two.
However, this was the capital where every inch of land was precious. Thinking like this, Gu Jiao also thought it was reasonable.
Gu Jiao suggested that they take a look first.
No matter how Guarantor Zhang looked at the two of them, it didn’t seem they could afford to pay. He was worried that this trip was in vain. Even though the other party was an Imperial Academy student, there was no shortage of such students in the capital, no? The imperial capital was a place where one fallen inscribed board could kill three officials. Guarantor Zhang really didn't attach importance to Xiao Liulang.
It was just that he hadn't had any transactions for several days. Since he was idle too, he might as well go with them.
Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang visited more than ten houses to take a look. Some were double entrance courtyards, some triple entrance courtyards, all of which were not very satisfactory.
The two people went back to the post house.
Guarantor Zhang, who was following behind them, said, "Do you want to make a decision today? Later, when students from all over the country enter the capital for the imperial exam, either there’s no longer a single house for you to rent or the price isn’t the same anymore."
Gu Jiao replied, "It's too small and too lopsided."
They wanted a house in the vicinity of the Imperial Academy, but the houses they had visited today were not even located at the two streets, but rather in the most remote alley at the end of the street. The surroundings looked gloomy and damp. Not to mention, next to it were very noisy shops, either an iron shop or a carpenter shop, or even a coffin shop.
How could people feel at ease to study in such an environment?
"At the price I mentioned earlier, these are all the houses you can get. If you want something better, you need to pay this amount." Guarantor Zhang made a gesture with his fingers.
"Thirty taels?" Gu Jiao asked.
"For a single entrance courtyard." Guarantor Zhang said.
If a single entrance courtyard already cost thirty taels, what more the double and triple entrance courtyards. It seemed that no matter which dynasty, houses situated in the Imperial Academy district were extremely expensive.
"Alas." Guarantor Zhang sighed, "All right, I already gave you the base price. The houses in the capital cost at least this much. Those in good locations and nice houses have already been bought by the dignitaries in the capital. Those dignitaries are not short of money and will not rent out their houses! Even if you talk to a hundred guarantors, you can only rent the houses we’ve visited just now!”
Gu Jiao asked, "Didn't you just say there’s a better house, only we need to pay a much higher price?"
Guarantor Zhang said with a smile, "There is indeed a good triple entrance courtyard, one hundred taels a month."
Gu Jiao furrowed her brows and said, "What kind of house costs one hundred taels?"
Guarantor Zhang gestured, "It’s diagonally opposite the Imperial Academy, five hundred steps away on foot! It’s the courtyard house where the Little Marquis of Zhao, the Young Chief once lived!"
Xiao Liulang's mouth twitched, saying, "When did he live there?"
Guarantor Zhang patted the table and said, "It’s true, it’s where he used to live! If you move in there, you’ll be shrouded by a cheerful atmosphere and you will pass every exam!"
Xiao Liulang said flatly, "He never lived there."
Guarantor Zhang rolled up his sleeves and asked, "How did you know he never lived there? You’re not him!"
"The price is too high, we can spend thirty taels at most." Xiao Liulang spoke with the same flat tone.
Guarantor Zhang, of course, understood that his price was too high. In the past, it was true that thirty taels was enough to rent it, but wasn't the Imperial Academy going to reopen soon? As such, houses in this location were getting expensive again.
His minimum guaranteed price was fifty taels. If the family refused, he would find someone else. He didn’t believe that the school district houses near the Imperial Academy couldn’t be rented out.
"JiaoJiao, what are you doing?" Little Jing Kong woke up from a nap, rubbed his eyes and came to the lobby of the post house to find Gu Jiao.
Gu Jiao picked him up and rubbed his little head. His hair had grown out again. He was no longer a bald head, but a buzz cut head.
"We are looking for a place where we can live." Gu Jiao said, "Did you sleep well?"
“I’ve slept well. Where are we going to live?" Little Jing Kong leaned in Gu Jiao's arms and enjoyed her gentle strokes on his little head.
"I don't know yet." Gu Jiao shook her head.
Little Jing Kong looked at the drawings on the table and asked, "What are these?"
Guarantor Zhang answered simlingly, "These are house deeds."
Worried that the child would damage his things, he hurriedly reached out to put away the house deeds.
Little Jing Kong let out an ‘oh’ and then said, "I have this, too."
The three people were stupefied.
Little Jing Kong hopped back to the carriage, pulled out a small box from his trunk, brought it back to the lobby and put it on the wooden table in front of the three people.
The table was a little high, so he couldn’t open it after putting it atop the table.
"I'll do it." Gu Jiao reached out to open it.
Gu Jiao saw several such small boxes when packing things for Little Jing Kong back home, but she didn't open them.
"Sure! JiaoJiao, you open it! " Little Jing Kong nodded decisively.
Gu Jiao opened the small box, in which there were several thumb-sized seals and documents, but these were no ordinary documents, but house deeds!
The three people were shocked.
"Let me see." Xiao Liulang said.
"En." Gu Jiao took out the deeds and handed them to Xiao Liulang.
Guarantor Zhang also leaned over and took a look.
Letting him take a look wasn’t a big deal, but this one look almost frightened him to death.
A house on Chang'an Street, another house on Xuanwu Street, and there was even one on Zhuque Street!
Why don’t you freakin’ enter the imperial palace while you’re at it?!
"Are these deeds real?" Gu Jiao asked Xiao Liulang.
"They’re real." Xiao Liulang answered, "Jing Kong’s name is written on the deeds, these are his properties."
Gu Jiao looked at Little Jing Kong in her arms and asked, "How did you get these?"
Little Jing Kong looked at the deeds in Xiao Liulang's hand, and then said while counting with his fingers, "JiaoJiao is talking about these papers? It's from my Master. He gives me one on my birthday every year. I’ve had three birthdays, so there’s three of them!"
Gu Jiao:“…”
Xiao Liulang:“…”
Guarantor Zhang: "..."
Gu Jiao suddenly couldn't look at Little Jing Kong's big trunk of junk the same way again...
The location of each of the three houses was better than the other. Just now, Guarantor Zhang was still boasting that the house with a rental fee of one hundred taels was diagonally opposite the Imperial Academy and was only five hundred steps away on foot, although in reality, it was more than a thousand steps away.
The house from Little Jing Kong's master was much closer to the Imperial Academy. As soon as you walked out of the alley, you could see the Imperial Academy around the corner.
After living for more than thirty years, Guarantor Zhang failed in judgment for the first time. These people dressed in rustic clothes got three grand houses just like that. No need to mention how hard it was to buy a house on Zhuque Street, where almost all imperial relatives lived, just the two houses on Xuanwu Street and Chang'an Street were also priceless.
Who were these people in the end?
Little Jing Kong didn't understand what these house deeds were for. Gu Jiao explained to him that it was a very valuable thing and proof that he had a home.
He decisively put all the deeds in front of Gu Jiao, saying, "I’m giving them all to JiaoJiao!"
Little Jing Kong’s home was wherever JiaoJiao was!
Gu Jiao had already received a guqin from him so she couldn’t accept these deeds. Finally, Gu Jiao offered to rent Little Jing Kong's house for thirty taels of silver a month.
Little Jing Kong said seriously, "I don’t need JiaoJiao’s money!"
Gu Jiao touched his little head and said, "Your brother-in-law is the one paying."
Little Jing Kong pondered with a solemn expression. Brother-in-law will pay me money, and then I will give the money to JiaoJiao. This should do!
Both parties asked Guarantor Zhang to be the guarantor and signed a house lease contract.
This was Little Jing Kong's first business transaction so he took this matter very seriously, not only signing the contract but also making a verbal pledge.
The insurance premium was 30% of the first month's rent, which was nine taels of silver. This was a lifetime lease and if they wanted to terminate it, he must be at the scene to cancel the contract.
In fact, it was originally 50%, but Guarantor Zhang was determined to form a good relationship with them so he reduced it to 30%.
"You have to pay half the insurance premium for each person." Guarantor Zhang said with a smile.
"Do you have any money?" Xiao Liulang looked at Little Jing Kong calmly.
Little Jing Kong was in trouble. He had no money. This was really a sadder story than sadness itself!
But soon, he thought of a solution, "Deduct it from your first month's payment!"
Xiao Liulang felt angry and amused at the same time. This little monk sure had a business mind.
The house was a double entrance courtyard. Upon opening the gate was the front yard where some bamboos were planted and there were two side rooms, a study room and a kitchen. After walking through the main hall was the backyard, where one could see a sweet osmanthus tree, and behind it were three more rooms.
Just like when they were in the village, Little Jing Kong and Xiao Liulang shared a room while the rest had their own room.
The rooms were not very big, but the lighting was excellent.
The most important thing was that it was close not only to the Imperial Academy, but also to several private schools, which undoubtedly solved the matter of finding a nearby school for Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun.
Gu Yan and Gu Xiaoshun were dumbfounded when they learned they still had to go to school.
"No way, didn't we already drop out?" The two people asked in unison.
Gu Jiao opened a trunk and said, "Yes, back in the county, but you naturally have to attend school again after coming to the capital. You guys are still young, if you don’t go to school, what do you plan to do?"
The two people looked extremely ashen as they thought: So they were joyful all the way for nothing? Also, what do you mean we’re still young? You’re not even older than us either!
The furnishing in the house was complete, but because it had been unoccupied for a period of time, a lot of dust had accumulated. Several people simply tidied up a few rooms and moved in their things first, and then they slowly cleaned up the yards and kitchen afterwards. Tomorrow morning, they also planned to buy some pots and pans.
Dinner was the steamed buns bought from outside and also the pickles brought by Gu Jiao.
The weather in the capital was colder than the county. It was still the tenth month but Gu Jiao could already feel the usual chill of the winter months during the night.
Here wasn’t like the countryside where you could cut and gather firewood on the mountain by yourself. Instead, you have to go to the market to buy firewood and charcoal.
Everyone was exhausted from the bumpy ride the whole journey, so they went back to their respective rooms and went to bed.
On Xiao Liulang's side, Little Jing Kong lay sprawled on the bed, snoring evenly.
Xiao Liulang was awake.
He finally came back here.
"Ah Heng, Teacher Zhuang's class is too difficult. Shall we go out and play?"
"Ah Heng, this little rabbit is hurt. Shall we take it home?"
"Ah Heng, I want to eat jujube fruits. Will you go up the tree and pick them for me?"
"Ah Heng, will you go and buy me osmanthus cakes?"
……
"Ah Heng, will you die for me?"
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[T/N: Below are the structures of different types of courtyard. Though based on the description of the new house, it seems more like a combination of two single entrance courtyard. Instead of the second gate as the second entrance, it has the entrance to the backyard in the main hall.]
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