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Chapter 10: Rent
Three days later, outside Yidu City.
The intersection here noticeably widened, with an increase in pedestrian traffic, horse hoof prints covering the ground, and deep wheel ruts—signs of prosperity emerging.
Song You sat under a makeshift stall at the intersection, eating wontons. The calico cat lay beside his bowl, enjoying a lump of meat purchased from the stall owner. The area was filled with passing merchants, creating a bustling atmosphere.
"Have you heard? The Fog Fiend in the Coldwater Gorge(凉水坳) has been eliminated."
"Really?"
"The news came from the Righteous Might Escort Agency(正威镖局), and even the Mount Wu Tea Merchant is spreading it. They say that stretch is safe now... Mount Wu Tea Merchants's credibility is decent, not to mention the Righteous Might Escort Agency that makes a living on credibility – they would never tell a lie."
"Did Nanhua County invite a skilled individual again?"
"It seems not. It's said to be a Young Master passing by, who took care of it effortlessly. There was hardly any disturbance, and then the fog demon was gone."
"Wow! That's impressive!"
"Even the masters from Temple of Peace and Tranquility (泰安寺) may not have this ability!"
"Temple of Peace and Tranquility? While it has a good reputation, it doesn't necessarily mean they're that skilled! Yidu doesn’t have any skilled masters at all. After all, no skilled masters would practise their cultivation in a city."
"True, if you want to find masters, you have to look for them outside the city."
"..."
*Slurp!*
Song You slurped the steaming wonton soup.
As he took a bite, the savory taste of meat and green onions burst in his mouth, making him involuntarily tilt his head back, squinting his eyes, experiencing a long-lost sense of satisfaction.
Although he had arrived in a relatively backward era, Song You had not deprived himself of desire for delicacies during his years in the Daoist temple. He even sourced many ingredients that he couldn't enjoy in his previous life—unable to find chili and tomatoes, he settled for bear paw and salamander.
In the last few days, he had had enough steam buns.
"Lady Calico, is it delicious?"
"Delicious."
"That's good."
He had promised to let Lady Calico taste various local delicacies, and today was the first time she had some meat. He felt a bit ashamed for taking so long.
Meanwhile, the merchants continued discussing him and the fog fiend.
For traveling merchants, safety on the road was their utmost concern. Bandits were one thing; they mostly asked for money, but supernatural entities were life-threatening.
Song You wasn't particularly interested in the topic; instead, he contemplated the lodging situation in Yidu.
He planned to stay in Yidu for a few months.
Firstly, to rest and experience the prosperity and culture of Yidu, the third most prominent city in the world. He also intended to visit nearby scenic spots, temples, and palaces.
Secondly, in a while, the largest temple fair in Yidu would take place—an annual event. It was the liveliest time, and perhaps he could witness something truly fascinating and make his otherwise dull life a bit more enjoyable.
Buying mules or horses during the fair would also be more affordable.
So, he needed to find a place to stay first.
Inns usually catered to long-term stays, convenient but possibly expensive. Renting a house might be a more economical option.
*Slurp!*
After savoring the last wonton, Song You lifted the bowl, sipping the flavorful soup. Following Lady Calico's completion of the meat, he cupped his hands, offering water to quench her thirst. Then he settled the bill and exited the stall.
He spent a total of twenty copper coins.
A bowl of wontons cost ten copper coins, and the stall owner explained that the lump of meat, meant for wonton preparation, was priced the same as a bowl of wontons. But plain water was provided at no additional cost.
A few steps away was the city gate.
Built with bricks, pitted with history, the city gate had military personnel stationed for inspections. Notices were posted on the wall, including wanted posters and requests for skilled individuals to deal with supernatural occurrences in certain areas.
Many middlemen(牙人) and idlers were present. In this era without navigation, they provided services such as guiding, labor, and acting as intermediaries. However, there seemed to be few Daoists among their target customers—perhaps they were afraid Daoists wouldn't pay or would lecture them on karma. In any case, none had approached Song You.
As he reached the gate, he was about to call out to a middleman to help him find a rental property when he unexpectedly encountered familiar faces.
"Young Master!"
Turning his head, he saw Merchant Li and his escorts.
It seemed like they were leaving Yidu to return to Mount Wu.
"Greetings." Song You bowed to them.
The cat also stood up and imitated his gesture, bowing to Merchant Li. After Song You bought small fish as a gift three days ago, the cat started to occasionally imitate his actions and words.
"Oh my! Greetings, Young Master," Merchant Li quickly returned with a respectful bow. Observing the cat's unexpected gesture, he was momentarily surprised but promptly reciprocated, not daring to ask or neglect.
"Did you just arrive in Yidu, Young Master?"
"I've been delayed on the road for a few days."
"If you had arrived a day earlier, we would have hosted a banquet for you, Young Master." Merchant Li felt regretful, whether genuine or not.
"If I had arrived a day earlier, we wouldn't have crossed paths."
"That's true." Merchant Li paused for a moment, then continued, "Young Master, I wonder how long you plan to stay in Yidu and where you will be staying?"
"I'm planning to find a middleman to rent a house, and then stay for a few months."
"We have a small courtyard behind our tea shop. It's a bit crowded, but if Young Master is looking for a short stay, it could suffice for a while, saving on rent."
"Thank you, but I don't want to trouble you."
"I suppose Young Master might not find it suitable. However, property prices in Yidu are quite high. I have a younger brother-in-law who is also in this line of work in Yidu. He is a rather honest person. If you are looking for a middleman, I can bring him to meet you," said Merchant Li, grinning. "Then, I can visit you again when the time comes," he added.
"That would be much appreciated."
“Then please wait here for a moment, let me go get him.”
Merchant Li turned and ran off. Soon after, he brought a person over, explaining as they walked. When they arrived at Song You's side, the two of them bowed again.
“Young Master, this is my younger brother-in-law.”
“Greetings, Young Master, my name is Wang Ji(王季).”
"Greetings, I'll leave it to you then."
"I'll do my best."
Not long after, Merchant Li and his escort left the city. While their figures gradually diminished on the dusty road, more merchants and porters continued to arrive.
Song You followed Wang Ji into the city.
Yidu, like most cities in this era, was planned with straight roads, making navigation easy but leading to potential confusion in the narrow alleys.
Wang Ji seemed like a reliable person, showing Song You a few houses. However, either the prices exceeded Song You's expectations, or the quality and surroundings of the houses didn't meet his requirements.
It couldn't be helped. The housing prices in Dayan's cities had not only reached the highest in history but also exceeded those of the previous dynasties by tenfold. The main reason was the abolishment of the "equal land system" in Dayan, meaning no more allocation of land and homesteads to individuals. Simultaneously, the development of the commercial economy had spurred population movement, causing a historic surge in city housing prices.
Currently, a house within the Yidu city was priced starting from a thousand strings of copper coins, and naturally, the rents had soared accordingly.
Unable to find a suitable place, Song You had to resort to the method his master once taught him: "Are there any haunted or inauspicious houses in the city?"
Wang Ji seemed surprised by the request, scrutinizing him: "Aren't those houses beneath Young Master's consideration?"
"Are there really such houses?"
"Yes, there are. And there's not just one. Some houses will cause illness and misfortune once you move in, some will bring financial ruin, and others are haunted every night. Which kind does Young Master prefer?"
"The cheapest."
"I know of a house, in a quiet location but convenient for shopping. Rumored to be haunted, rented out to several families who all moved out within a few days. The previous asking price was one thousand copper coins per month. If you are interested, Young Master, I can take you to see the house. If you like it, it would be a favor to the owner."
"Thank you."
"Please follow me."
Learning that Song You was a newcomer to Yidu and renting a house for the first time, Wang Ji explained the rental regulations as they walked.
In Dayan, the rental and real estate market was quite regulated, emphasizing the importance of real estate middlemen. Due to strict official control, renting a property must go through a real estate middleman, and contracts approved by them would gain official recognition. Each real estate middleman must be registered with the government, and commissions were standardized. The authorities even implemented laws to safeguard the rental market, such as prohibiting the sale of leased properties, a concept already well established in this era.
In addition to real estate middleman, there was a government agency managing properties called the Shop-House Office(店宅务), which provided public rental housing.
For commoners seeking employment in the city, officials arriving for local assignments, or those from other regions studying and preparing for exams unable to afford housing, there was an option to rent Shop-House Office's properties.
Many things surprised Song You.
Not because these things existed, but because they existed in this time. Following that, he realized that his surprise seemed to carry a sense of superiority and arrogance from a more advanced civilization, which was inappropriate. Consequently, he found himself caught in introspection.
An hour later.
The two, along with the cat, arrived at a small courtyard.
This courtyard was located in the northern part of the city, a valuable area with prosperous commerce and convenient access to water.
The courtyard sat in the middle of a small alley. Not far from the entrance was a large tree with stone tables and stools underneath for people to rest. The red paint on the wooden door had faded, and the trees that were originally planted in the courtyard had grown their branches over the walls.
Passersby noticed a real estate middleman showing people the house, casting curious glances. Clearly, there was something off about it.
"Young Master is someone with real skills..." Wang Ji muttered, as if trying to bolster his courage.
The sound of unlocking echoed, a simple metallic sound. As the door creaked open, Song You stepped in, accompanied by a unpleasantness squeak, revealing the courtyard.
"Feel free to explore inside, Young Master." Wang Ji said but stayed by the entrance.
Song You didn't mind and nodded before stepping through the doorway.
It was evident that the courtyard had once been well-maintained, with plum and bamboo trees. However, long neglect had allowed weeds to grow, and the bamboo grove behind the house to extend into the courtyard.
"The landlord said that if you decide to rent, the contract can be as short as one month. According to the law, rent is due monthly starting from the sixth day, with the first five days allowing time for moving in and cleaning the house."
Song You paced around the courtyard and asked, "What's the price?"
"Still one thousand copper coins per month."
"I'll take it."
"Alright then."
After signing the contract, the agreement came into effect.
Song You bid farewell to Wang Ji.
Lady Calico, on the other hand, roamed the courtyard, glancing around. In this new environment, she began feeling uneasy again. Sniffing here and there, she seemed to gain insights. She turned her head and asked in a low voice, "Are we staying here today?"
"Tomorrow as well."
"And the day after?"
"We'll stay for a while."
"This house seems to really have ghosts."
"Mmm."
"Why are we staying in a haunted house?"
"Is Lady Calico afraid of ghosts?"
"Lady Calico is the Cat Deity; the Cat Deity isn't afraid of ghosts." The calico cat followed him like a shadow. "But this is a ghost's house."
"Because we lack money, so we have to disturb it."
"I don't know what lacking money means."
"It means not having much money."
"I also don't know what money is."
"It's what I used on the road to buy cakes, steamed buns, and mantou, and also used to buy meat for Lady Calico. Buying a house to live in also requires money. If we spend less on buying a house, we can have more money to buy fish and meat."
"Oh..." Lady Calico seemingly began to understand.
Just as she was about to ask about the ghost, Song You turned around, facing the courtyard, bowed, and calmly said, "It's because houses are expensive in Yidu, and we are in financial constraints. We have to temporarily live here for some time, causing some inconvenience. I hope you can bear with us."
The calico cat quickly followed suit: "Please bear with us..."
In the tranquil courtyard, the only audible sound was the gentle breeze swaying through the bamboo. The evening approached, but sunlight still graced the tiled roof, painting it with a colorful glow resembling vibrant flowers.
Despite the untamed weeds scattered around, this was undeniably a charming little courtyard.
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Thanks for translating this series! I’m especially impressed with the poetry translations, but everything is really well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chapter!!!
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