Chapter Eighty-Eight: Settling In

Chapter 88: Settling In

The next day, the snow had ceased, leaving a thick blanket across the ground, as if the capital had been draped in a heavy quilt. Tangyuan was awestruck by the scene. "Mom, look how beautiful it is outside!"

Lin Qiuran asked Lin Ming to take him out to play for a while. After breakfast, she took her mother and son to view houses. They rode in the Xiao family’s green-canopied carriage, still dressed simply.

The broker was momentarily startled upon seeing Lin Qiuran and her party but quickly recovered his composure. He had expected the buyers of such a property to be wealthy, especially since only a servant had visited the day before. He hadn't anticipated the homeowner to be so plainly dressed.

However, their presence implied wealth. The capital was bustling and diverse; one couldn't judge by appearances alone. As the saying goes, "You can't judge a book by its cover." In his line of work, it was taboo to look down on anyone. Even if a sale didn't materialize, fostering goodwill was always beneficial.

The broker led the group to view the properties. The previous day, Lin Ming and his companion had seen eight locations and narrowed them down to four. Today, they would focus solely on these four. The first house was relatively small. Although the capital was in the north, many expensive residences here were built in the style of southern Chinese gardens.

A house was more than just a dwelling, and an estate more than just a property. Wealthy families considered every detail: they desired rear gardens, pavilions, and waterside gazebos for enjoying the scenery and relaxation. Grand households even had separate quarters for maids and servants, and specialized gardeners were hired to tend to the plants and maintain the grounds.

Of course, those without means were still striving for survival. In the southern part of the city, where common folk resided, three-room houses were packed tightly together. In the western and eastern districts, estates were more spread out. Further north lay the domain of royalty and nobility—their estates were breathtakingly beautiful, every brick and tile a testament to immense wealth. However, these areas were more about prestige than availability; even with millions of taels, acquiring property there was often impossible.

Such places were reserved for established families. In a city like the capital, wealthy merchants were countless, and noble families equally numerous. Yet, compared to the powerful and influential, merchants held little sway.

Though the broker himself wasn't rich, he had encountered many wealthy individuals.

He smiled and addressed Lin Qiuran, "Madam, what do you think of this place? It has three to four courtyards, which is quite ample. There's a reception area at the front, a large kitchen, and the garden is elegant. The price is also reasonable."

Nine hundred taels—surely they could afford it.

Lin Qiuran found it superior to their house in Yu'an. It featured four small courtyards separated by walls and stone archways. Each courtyard contained three south-facing rooms, some with additional wing rooms. The courtyards varied in size, each boasting its own small garden.

There were many trees, but with their leaves fallen, it was hard to identify their species.

Lin Qiuran asked Sun Shi, "Mom, what do you think of this one?"

Sun Shi looked around, then hesitated. "I can't really tell. You make the decision."

If it were up to Sun Shi, she would choose a smaller one—just enough space. The rest could wait until Xiao Xun returned. But Lin Qiuran wasn't willing to settle, so she dropped the matter.

Lin Qiuran then asked Tangyuan, who nodded sagely. "Mom, I think this one is really nice."

Tangyuan thought the place was enormous, much larger than their previous home. If they could live here, there would be endless places to play, and he'd never get bored at home.

Lin Qiuran nodded and told the broker, "Let's look at the others."

The broker inferred that she found it acceptable but wasn't set on it. Since she wanted to see larger properties, she must have money—though the exact amount was hard to gauge given the family's modest attire.

They proceeded to the second property, which was quite a distance from the first—a fifteen-minute carriage ride.

Lin Qiuran now truly grasped the vastness of the capital. In Yu'an, one could walk everywhere, and the small town was quickly explored. But the capital stretched endlessly; distant rooftops were mere silhouettes, their actual distance unknown. The imperial palace was completely out of sight. The capital was immense, with countless estates.

The second property was almost twice the size of the first. A higher price naturally came with greater advantages: five or six small courtyards, each with its own kitchen, and even a greenhouse.

Sun Shi had never seen a greenhouse before. She asked the broker, "What's this for?"

The roof tiles were surprisingly translucent and shiny.

The broker explained, "This is a greenhouse. The panels above are made of glazed tiles. There are several charcoal stoves inside—when lit, even in winter, it feels like spring. The ground inside can be used for planting."

Sun Shi nodded. "That's good. We could grow some vegetables."

The broker smiled, refraining from mocking Sun Shi's inexperience. Instead, he patiently explained, "You could grow vegetables, but few people do that here. The glazed tiles alone are worth hundreds of taels. The previous owner used it for growing flowers and plants for the family's enjoyment. When they moved, they left it behind because it was too troublesome to remove."

For vegetables, most families with such estates owned farms where it was far more convenient to cultivate them.

Lin Qiuran found the greenhouse appealing, but Sun Shi remarked, "What's the use of flowers and plants?"

The broker replied, "Madam, they are quite useful. If you're new to the capital and wish to make friends, you could cultivate flowers and host a banquet. Families with greenhouses can host flower-viewing banquets in winter; otherwise, one can only enjoy the snow."

Regardless of the season, with enough money, any flower could be coaxed into bloom.

Lin Qiuran seized the opportunity to inquire about banquets. The broker became more animated, adding, "Banquets are frequent in the capital—spring, summer, autumn, winter. Wives and young ladies host them one after another."

With many officials, their wives and daughters had ample leisure. It was also a crucial way to maintain social connections.

Lin Qiuran nodded. She saw this as an opportunity. There were many restaurants in the capital, and even if she bought a shop, it would require decoration. She could cater events to attract customers to the Golden Tripod Restaurant. Banquets weren't just for show—people needed to eat and drink. Of course, those who could afford banquets likely had their own chefs.

But it was too early to dwell on that. First, she needed to secure a place to live, rest for a few days, and then consider the shop.

Lin Qiuran liked this property. Next, they viewed another nearby estate of similar size, but it lacked a greenhouse. After a quick inspection, Lin Qiuran moved on.

The broker was astute. He led the group north to see the final property.

You get what you pay for. This last estate was three or four *mu* larger than the previous two, boasting three additional small courtyards and a lake.

The broker explained, "Don't be fooled by the ice now—this is living water, unlike the stagnant water in the previous two. See that thawed spot? That's a natural spring."

Lin Qiuran nodded. The decor here was also more refined, with Taihu rocks by the lake and a rockery in the garden. The lake was frozen, with only a few withered lotus stalks protruding from the ice.

The lakeside pavilion was also charming. In total, there were six or seven small courtyards, including an ancestral hall. One courtyard was designated for elderly residents, featuring a small Buddhist shrine—though it was useless for the Xiao family since Sun Shi did not practice Buddhism.

Having seen the others, Lin Qiuran naturally found this one superior.

Time was pressing—viewing the properties had taken all morning. Tangyuan was growing restless, so Lin Qiuran asked Lin Ming to take him to play in the snow.

Lin Qiuran inquired about the owner's reason for selling, fearing potential complications. After confirming the property was legitimate, she told the broker, "Go negotiate the price. 3,200 taels is a bit much for us."

The tax alone would be sixty-four taels, and the broker's fee was one percent. Of course, the price was negotiable, but a reduction of at least ten to twenty taels was expected.

The money would be spent regardless, and it was a significant sum. Lin Qiuran had money, but she wasn't so extravagant as to agree without hesitation. Every tael saved was a tael earned.

Lin Qiuran genuinely liked this place. It had a greenhouse, was spacious, and offered seven courtyards to choose from. It would be an excellent place to live for decades. Even if Xiao Xun received rewards and moved elsewhere later, owning such an estate would be a valuable asset.

The broker secretly gritted his teeth. "What price would you be satisfied with, Madam Lin?"

The asking price was certainly negotiable.

Lin Qiuran smiled. "For a property worth a few hundred taels, taking ten or twenty taels off would impress me. But for a property of this price, offering such a small reduction doesn't show sincerity."

The broker nodded. "I'll try. Madam Lin, please await my news."

Lin Qiuran added, "If it works out, please also keep an eye out for shopfronts for me."

If it didn't, Lin Qiuran would explore other brokerages. The capital was vast, and she wasn't limited to buying from here. Buying and selling—she was in a bit of a hurry, but she still had accommodation.

Lin Qiuran called out to Tangyuan, who was still playing in the snow. "Tangyuan, let's go back."

Tangyuan looked up and ran toward Lin Qiuran, proudly displaying the small snowman he had made.

Lin Qiuran looked at the little dog in his hands and his red, frostbitten hands. "Lin Ming, carry it for him."

Though it was futile—the snowman would melt indoors—it would bring Tangyuan joy for a little longer.

His hands were a bit cold, so Lin Qiuran warmed them between hers. They got into the carriage and headed back to the inn. Tangyuan asked, "Mom, are we going to live in a big house now?"

Lin Qiuran replied, "Perhaps we will, perhaps we won't. It depends on whether the owner is willing to sell. If they sell it, we can live there; if not, then we won't be able to."

Tangyuan said, "But we're paying for it, so why wouldn't they sell?"

Lin Qiuran explained, "Because you can't force a sale. It's all about haggling over the price. Sometimes, just a few or a dozen taels can make someone unwilling to compromise."

Tangyuan nodded, though he only half-understood. Sun Shi remained silent; she still thought it was expensive. In the village, a dozen acres of land cost very little, yet this house was over three thousand taels. How much land could that buy? Enough to live comfortably without worry.

Then again, farming wasn't very profitable, and keeping the money without spending it wasn't useful either. So, if they were going to buy it, they might as well. With so many courtyards, each one was like its own small home. Sun Shi was also looking forward to it—she didn’t necessarily have to live in the same courtyard as Lin Qiuran and Tangyuan.

Having finished viewing the house, all they had to do was wait for news at the inn. Lin Qiuran calculated: houses were expensive here, and shops probably weren't cheap either. She had brought over six thousand taels, and buying the house would consume half of that. The rest would have to cover finding a shop and renovating it—she wasn't sure if it would be enough.

She had inquired about shops in the capital earlier; they weren't as expensive as houses, since shops were much smaller. Still, they could cost a few hundred taels, or even over a thousand. While renting was an option, Lin Qiuran preferred to buy property and land.

What one owned outright was truly theirs. Even though there were many restaurants and inns in the capital, and the chance of being forced out was small, it was still more reassuring to have her own place.

Now, all they could do was wait for news. With nothing else to do, Lin Qiuran took Tangyuan and Sun Shi around the capital to sample various local foods.

There were plenty of delicious dishes. On the first day, Tangyuan was keen on having hot pot again, but after trying other foods, he forgot about it.

Lin Qiuran didn't mention it; they could always go back later if he wanted. Meanwhile, Lü Zheng had waited several times at Lao Jin Hot Pot restaurant. Since Tangyuan and Lin Qiuran hadn't come to express their thanks last time, he didn't visit them.

He had, however, asked around and learned that Lin Qiuran and her son were from out of town, had just arrived in the capital, and seemed to be planning a long-term stay. Lady Qin had even come out once to look and was stunned the moment she saw Tangyuan.

But since Tangyuan's family seemed well-off and didn’t need help for now, Lü Zheng didn’t want to disturb them.

***

Regarding the house, the broker didn't keep Lin Qiuran waiting long. Three days later, he returned with news: "The owner is willing to lower the price by two hundred taels to make it a round number. What do you think, Madam Lin?"

Truth be told, anyone who could afford a three-thousand-tael house wouldn't balk at two hundred taels. The owner was willing to sell and reduce the price by two hundred taels.

It was within Lin Qiuran’s budget. She nodded, went to sign the documents, and then completed the transfer at the government office. The tax paid to the government was sixty taels, and after bargaining, the broker’s fee was reduced to twenty taels. In total, the house cost three thousand and eighty taels.

The house had previous owners, so it was ready to move into—all they needed to do was clean and tidy up. After many days at the inn since arriving in the capital, Lin Qiuran was eager to move.

She planned to move by month's end. Over the next couple of days, they would transport their belongings by carriage, and on the last day of the month, they would make a simple move.

Lin Qiuran had moved many times before and was used to it, but for Tangyuan, it was his first time. The night before, he couldn’t sleep at all.

Tangyuan lay in bed, his legs opening and closing like a folding fan, his voice full of excitement. "Mom, we’re moving tomorrow!"

Lin Qiuran was getting sleepy. It had been thirty minutes since they got into bed, and Tangyuan still wasn’t asleep. "Mhm."

Tangyuan said, "I used to think moving meant taking the whole house with us. I wondered how you could move a house that’s stuck in the ground. Now I know it's just us moving!"

Lin Qiuran replied, "Mhm. Tangyuan, aren’t you going to sleep?"

Sun Shi didn’t say anything. Previously, she might have said, "If the child doesn’t want to sleep, why force him?" But now, Sun Shi thought, what was such a big kid doing talking nonstop instead of sleeping at night?

Tangyuan's eyes widened, looking at Lin Qiuran, then at Sun Shi. "But we’re moving tomorrow! We won’t be living at the inn anymore. I don't want to waste time on sleep."

Lin Qiuran couldn’t help laughing. "If you don’t sleep now, you’ll have no energy later. Go to sleep."

Originally, Lin Qiuran had planned to assign them separate courtyards, but since it was winter and Tangyuan was still young, it was too early for him to sleep alone. She decided to wait until he turned three, when it would be warmer.

Moreover, they didn’t have many maidservants. They had only brought Lin Xia and a few others. Lin Chun and Lin Ying were meant for cooking, so dividing them among several courtyards wouldn’t be practical.

Lin Qiuran also worried about the winter heating with stoves and charcoal. Even if someone kept watch at night, it wouldn’t be safe to let Tangyuan sleep alone.

Tangyuan giggled, momentarily closed his eyes, then opened them again. He burrowed deeper into the bedding. "Oh, Mom, I saw some rooms with raised platform beds. Why are they so big?"

Sun Shi, who hadn't seen them either, pricked up her ears.

Lin Qiuran had seen them before. "Those are *kang* [heated brick beds], commonly used by northerners. When the stove is lit, the *kang* becomes very warm."

Their moving situation was related to this too. The new house had many courtyards and rooms, but no beds. Having beds made would take time, so they would sleep on the *kang* for a few days first and switch to beds later.

Tangyuan imagined how comfortable such a large bed would be. Now he was truly unable to sleep. "Mom, is the *kang* warmer near the stove? Can I sleep there? And it’s higher than a bed—what if I roll off? And also…"

Tangyuan had his own child-sized bedding, but he was restless, shifting from Sun Shi’s side to Lin Qiuran’s side.

Most of the time, Lin Qiuran doted on Tangyuan, but there were moments when he annoyed her.

She said, "It’s warm, but too hot wouldn't be good either. If you’re not going to sleep, get up and find something to do. Stop bothering us."

Sun Shi remained silent. What was this kid doing, not sleeping at night?

Tangyuan settled down this time. "Mom, I’m going to sleep. Remember to dream about me."

Lin Qiuran pressed Tangyuan down onto the bed. "Go to sleep now."

The next day, winter in the capital was bitterly cold.

Before dawn, Lin Ming went to tell the inn staff they were checking out. The staff inspected the room and promptly returned the deposit. Lin Qiuran, Sun Shi, and Tangyuan got into the carriage, while the others followed on foot, slowly making their way to their new home.

This move was a bit rushed. They hadn’t bought any furniture yet. The entrance was wide and open, but there was no plaque, and Lin Qiuran didn’t plan to install one.

The cold wind howled, and everyone hurried inside.

Over the past couple of days, Lin Ming had bought some essentials: firewood, charcoal, rice, flour, grains, pots, pans, bowls, utensils, meat, and vegetables.

They had brought some things from Yu'an, but not everything. The rest could be acquired slowly once they settled in.

Lin Qiuran chose a courtyard, and Tangyuan picked one for himself too. Sun Shi chose the one with the Buddhist hall—it was quiet and close to everything. She planned to move there once spring arrived.

For now, since it was cold and they didn’t have everything, they would live together.

Lin Qiuran lit a simple fire in the kitchen, cooked some food, and that counted as moving in.

The house was large, so she arranged living quarters for Lin Xia and the others.

Lin Chun and Lin Ying would work at the shop in the future, so they wouldn’t be assigned night watch duties. The night watch would rotate among Yun Niang, Liu Niang, and Lin Xia. During the day, they would look after Tangyuan.

Lin Qiuran’s chosen courtyard was the largest, with three main rooms: the eastern room had a *kang*, the western room was for beds, and the middle room could be used for receiving guests. There was also a small side room where maids could keep watch at night.

The maids lived in courtyards further back. During the day, they worked, and at night, except for those on watch, they returned to sleep. Three shared a room, and the same would apply if more maids were bought later.

For now, Lin Chun and Lin Ying worked in the kitchen, Lin Ming handled errands and shopping, and Lin Qiuran had an apprentice. The apprentice wasn’t a servant but couldn’t just do nothing either.

During the day, the apprentice practiced cooking skills and helped at noon. He lived in the front courtyard with Lin Ming. If more male servants were hired later, they would also live there, with three sharing a room.

Even with this arrangement, three courtyards were still empty.

Lin Qiuran thought it was incredibly spacious, unlike before when the house felt crowded with people. Sun Shi came in and felt much better, and had already moved her things into her own courtyard.

She noticed three characters on the courtyard gate and asked Lin Qiuran what they meant. Tangyuan leaned in and said, "Grandma, it says 'Shou An Tang'—a place of longevity and peace. You living here will bring blessings."

Sun Shi nodded happily. "Good, good. Qiu Ran, write a letter to your father and tell him the good news."

Lin Qiuran nodded. The broker said he was still looking for a shop and it would take a few days. Lin Qiuran calculated that if they found a shop smoothly and renovation took about a month, and they hired staff during that time, Golden Tripod Restaurant should be able to open before the New Year.

With so many restaurants and inns in the capital, she hoped Golden Tripod Restaurant would find its place.