Chapter 131 The Red Contract is in Hand

Chapter 131 The Red Contract is in Hand

The broker led them around for a look. "The starting price for this estate is two thousand six hundred taels. What do you think, Brother Hao?"

The price of this estate is slightly higher than the market average, but such a slight increase is perfectly normal in the world of estate trading.

After all, it's a large, contiguous area of ​​land, which is much easier to manage than scattered plots of land.

The broker and Hao Yu had a long-standing relationship, and the broker always quoted very honest prices in front of Hao Yu and the customers he introduced.

Hao Yu was a decisive person. He thought the estate was nice and the price was relatively reasonable, so he made the decision to buy it right away.

As expected, the broker took Hao Yu and Xie Wanniang directly to the county town.

If they set off at this time, they would not have time to go to the yamen to exchange the red contract after arriving in the county town. Therefore, after arriving in the county town, the broker, at Hao Yu's request, sent them to Hao Yu's house to stay temporarily.

Having not even had lunch, Hao Yu and the others couldn't care less about anything else at the moment. After seeing the broker off, Jiang Yuan and Xie Wanniang ran out together to buy dinner.

As for Hao Yu, he was left at home by the two men to guard the large amount of silver they carried with them.

A clay pot of radish and mutton offal soup, a roast chicken, and thirty white steamed buns filled with pork and cabbage—that was their dinner for the day.

Each steamed bun was as big as Jiang Yuan's fist, with a soft outer skin and a savory filling. The freshly cooked roast chicken was glossy and had a rich aroma, but Xie Wan's favorite was the radish and mutton offal soup with a touch of pepper.

Various tender and flavorful lamb offal pieces floated in the soup, while carrots and white radishes were stewed until soft, sweet, and delicious. Xie Wanniang would take a sip of the soup, then eat a bite of lamb offal or radish, and the taste was simply wonderful.

Jiang Yuan and Hao Yu also liked mutton offal soup, but they ate steamed buns and roast chicken more often, since although mutton offal soup was delicious, it wasn't very filling.

Hungry young men still prefer hearty meat and staple foods like steamed buns and roast chicken, which are made without any added water.

After the three of them had eaten and drunk their fill, Jiang Yuan went to return the earthenware pot he had rented from the restaurant and retrieved his deposit. Hao Yu, patting his slightly bulging belly, went to the kitchen to boil water with satisfaction. Xie Wanniang took a rag and broom and did a quick clean of the three rooms where the three of them would be staying.

When they visited the lantern festival, Hao Yu had prepared pillows, bedding, and other items in advance, but he didn't bring them back to the village. Instead, he folded them up and locked them in a cabinet.

The county town's security has improved, and the house he bought is located in a bustling area very close to the government office. In addition, he himself comes to the county town every now and then for business. With all these factors combined, the things they left here have not been stolen by any petty thieves.

They took out the bedding and other items that had been put away and put them back on the heated earthen bed, so that they could rest comfortably at night.

After a good night's sleep, the three of them got up the next morning as dawn broke, intending to practice martial arts for a while while they still had time.

The house Hao Yu bought wasn't cramped; the three of them each occupied a corner of the yard and diligently practiced their own skills.

Only when the bright, but not scorching, sunlight filled the courtyard did the three of them stop their moves and begin to do other things.

Xie Wanniang went to the kitchen to boil water, while Jiang Yuan ran out to buy breakfast and Hao Yu put the pillows and folded quilts back into the box.

For breakfast, Jiang Yuan bought soy milk, fried dough sticks, sesame balls, and brown sugar buns. Some of the sesame balls were filled with red bean paste, while others were plain.

Xie Wanniang liked to eat red bean paste-filled sesame balls and brown sugar buns. She poured herself a bowl of soy milk, then took two sesame balls and two buns, and sat there slowly enjoying the food.

After they finished breakfast, Jiang Yuan returned the earthenware jar containing the soy milk to the restaurant owner, and then strode back quickly. Only then did the broker walk to Hao Yu's house and invite Hao Yu and Xie Wanniang to go to the yamen with him and his two sons.

The two men gave the money to the broker, and then went with the father and son to the yamen to exchange it for a red contract.

The deal was done, and the broker and his two sons happily left with the money to settle accounts with the seller. Xie Wanniang and her two companions went to a carriage shop on the street to hire a carriage to take them back to the village.

Incidentally, the three of them also bought some other things.

Everything went smoothly on the way, and the three of them returned to the end of the village before noon.

Hearing the noise, Chen put down the vegetables she was picking and came out of the yard. "You're back?"

Xie Wanniang and the other two nodded in unison. Hao Yu even asked Chen Shi gently, "Why did you run out?"

A smile involuntarily appeared on Chen's radiant face. "I was just thinking of telling A-Yuan and Wan-Niang to come to our house for lunch."

Hao Yu nodded, "Then come and eat."

Jiang Yuan and Xie Wanniang didn't stand on ceremony with the two of them, "Then let's go call Xiao Yang and the others."

Just as Chen was about to speak, the three men opened the courtyard gate and hurried out.

After greeting Xie Wanniang and the others and helping them carry their things into their respective homes, the three of them followed Xie Wanniang and Jiang Yuan to Hao Yu's house.

Chen hadn't expected Hao Yu and the others to return so quickly, so what she had prepared was actually just enough food for one person.

Fortunately, most families now have winter-stored vegetables, and because of her pregnancy, Hao Yu always hoards a few pheasants and rabbits, and occasionally buys pork.

Now that everyone has been invited to her home, Mrs. Chen certainly can't just make do with a few vegetables, an egg, and some noodles.

She took out the meat Xie Wanniang had given her yesterday, and then had Hao Yu kill a rabbit. She also counted out ten eggs, scooped out some peanuts, and took out four salted duck eggs.

Cut the salted duck egg in half, fry the peanuts with a little salt, stir-fry the wood ear mushrooms and carrots with eggs, braise the rabbit meat, stir-fry the pork belly with cabbage, then make a garlic-flavored pumpkin, cook a pot of rice made from rice, millet and sorghum, and serve it with hot rice soup. This meal is already quite presentable.

Xie Wanniang and the others were indeed very satisfied with their meal. The hot, home-cooked meal made them feel the comfort and warmth of home.

After leaving behind the preserved fruits and candied fruit that they had specially brought for Chen, Xie Wanniang and Jiang Yuan bid farewell and went home.

Xiao Yang and the other two followed them. After leaving Hao Yu's house, Xie Wan Niang took Xiao Yang and Xiao Mei home, while Jiang Yuan took A Tai to his house.

"Go and tell Xiaoyuan this afternoon that she can continue to come and learn embroidery starting tomorrow." Xie Wanniang said with a smile, patting Xiaoyang's head as he followed her closely.