Hai Youtian shook his head repeatedly; this was really impossible to rent.
As for the small shop, after some negotiation, twenty-five taels of silver was about the limit.
Lu Liu said, “This little place, and you have the nerve to ask me for twenty-five taels? What could I sell here to make that much? Might as well sell myself.”
Hai Youtian didn’t dare insist. Just as he opened his mouth, Shun’er reminded him, “My elder brother Yang also wants to rent workshops and a study. Think it over before you speak.”
Hai Youtian looked troubled. Lu Liu added, “We’ll have two more relatives moving in. Look at the empty houses in the alley—by year-end, we’ll fill two or three more households. Would a few taels really matter to you then?”
Hai Youtian said, “Then you’ll just claim you’ve given me so much business, and I can’t haggle.”
Lu Liu wanted to laugh, widened his eyes to hide it, and said, “Oh, so if we take care of your business, you still complain? Fine, I’ll get someone else.”
Hai Youtian’s eyes widened. “Why do you talk exactly like your brother!?”
Previously, Lu Yang had also suggested getting someone else to negotiate.
Lu Liu asked if he agreed. Hai Youtian asked, “How many taels?”
Lu Liu held up two fingers and waited, but Hai Youtian didn’t react for a long moment. His eyes nearly popped out. “Twenty taels?!”
Lu Liu nodded.
Hai Youtian refused to agree at any cost. Twenty taels—what could he eat or drink? Take the contract back, and the manager would beat him!
Lu Liu told him to make a counteroffer. Hai Youtian asked for twenty-five. Lu Liu would only give twenty-one. Hai Youtian lowered it to twenty-four. Lu Liu stuck to twenty-one.
They didn’t reach an agreement that day, so Lu Liu took Shun’er home.
Hai Youtian, still worried, followed them, checking nearby empty houses, counting them, noting sizes, and asking, “How many more rooms do you want to rent?”
Lu Liu sighed. “If we can’t even rent the shop, how can a group survive in the prefectural city? Forget it.”
Hai Youtian, anxious, grabbed his head, but didn’t leave, squatting in front of the house, saying he would wait for Li Feng.
Shun’er brought him a small stool to sit on, and Chen Guizhi came out, pouring him some hot tea and chatting for a while.
For example, she asked about the yazi business, noting that they also had connections with matchmakers, which intrigued her.
“How are you familiar with matchmakers?” Chen Guizhi asked.
Hai Youtian said, “Some high families’ sons and daughters-in-law cannot go out, and need matchmakers to find girls and boys. Some matchmakers do more than arrange marriages; they help buy children from poor families. They have relatives or acquaintances in the countryside who can find suitable children. If none are suitable, they come to the yazi for help.”
Chen Guizhi realized and asked further, “And how does a matchmaker arrange a marriage?”
Hai Youtian thought a moment and spoke frankly.
“Aunty, you’re from out of town. If you really want to arrange a marriage, go to official matchmakers. Get several people’s names and birth details, and discreetly inquire. Private matchmakers are risky—they keep a bunch of dubious options. Even if you pay well, local people won’t cheat you, but outsiders like you might be tricked. Once married, there’s no way to regret it.”
Chen Guizhi understood; it was the same in the mountain village.
Her Da Feng had said early on that arranging marriages was difficult, often requiring extra payment to the matchmaker. Even if families approved at first glance, few unions succeeded.
Aside from those constrained by family circumstances, many issues were about character. Lazy, greedy, troublemaking sons were unwelcome—extra payment might help, but it was still a gamble to find willing children.
Shun’er was almost nineteen, reaching the age for marriage. Usually, searches happened at year-end. She thought to observe first; if none were suitable, Da Feng could return to the mountain village to select a few children from poor families and see if they would marry in.
She considered this quietly, asking Hai Youtian about matchmakers’ reputations, both official and private.
While discussing this, Shun’er stayed inside, embarrassed, playing with the dog in the courtyard.
Before long, Li Feng returned.
Hai Youtian, seeing him as a savior, called repeatedly, “Boss Li,” eager to show the shops.
Lu Liu put the wheat on the bamboo bed for his mother to watch and went to explain the two shops’ situations and prices to Li Feng.
“I offered twenty-one taels. He refused. The shop is tiny, smaller than our small shop in the mountain village, divided into front and back courtyards. Only enough space for one table inside.”
Li Feng said, “Twenty taels is twenty taels. Why haggle over a single tael? If you can rent it, rent it; if not, forget it. We’re not relying on this shop to make money anyway.”
Hai Youtian: ??
“Boss Li, when you contacted me, you said your husband wants to open a restaurant…”
Li Feng waved dismissively, “He doesn’t make twenty taels a year. Why spend the money? Better for him to stay home, take care of my mother.”
Hai Youtian turned to look at Lu Liu. Lu Liu didn’t argue, smiling, meeting Li Feng’s eyes, saying cheerfully, “I follow my husband’s orders.”
Hai Youtian: …
He wished he had agreed to twenty-one taels.
He said, “Then settle on twenty-one taels. It’s a very good location, the shop nearest to Luming Academy, facing the street!”
Li Feng would only give twenty taels.
Hai Youtian argued a bit more, but Li Feng lost patience, telling him just to monitor the shop’s space.
“I’m busy. I have elders above and children below depending on my husband’s care. Renting the shop is optional. If it costs little, it’s fun; if too much, forget it.”
Hai Youtian: …
Other landlords wouldn’t do this! Usually, they feared someone else would snatch a good shop.
Hai Youtian said, “Then we’ll talk tomorrow. I’ll check with the manager. Twenty taels is really too low.”
Li Feng told him to take his time leaving.
Hai Youtian muttered, “Twenty-one taels is acceptable…”
Li Feng took a few steps, caught up, and said, “Then twenty-one taels it is.”
Hai Youtian: ??
“You country folks are tricky!”
Li Feng immediately gave him the silver, letting him handle the paperwork and even added some for tea.
Hai Youtian looked at the small ingot in his hand and asked, “Do you want to rent courtyards too? I heard you might rent two or three houses?”
Li Feng knew from Xie Yan that the Lu family, Master Lu, was moving in, and the Luo brothers might join, while Lu Yang was certain to come along.
A few months ago, Lu Yang would have saved by renting two houses. Now, with some extra silver, paying a bit more to rent three houses wasn’t a problem. The Luo brothers could live separately, more spaciously. Li Feng asked Hai Youtian to keep an eye out.
Hai Youtian said, “At this time of year, many move. Experienced people look for houses now, especially near the academy. Those living farther away will come to see. After Mid-Autumn, around September, more will inquire. We can discuss then.”
Li Feng calculated the timing—by September, Lu Yang and company should be back, and he agreed.
The two shops they had seen that day were available. Once confirmed, they could renovate and add furnishings before opening.
Given the distance, they could even prepare soup at home and transport it by carriage.
Before dark, Li Feng and Hai Youtian visited the shops, leaving keys behind.
At dinner, the family was cheerful, excited about the small shop.
Though too small to seat many guests, their plan was to run a soup kitchen with breakfast sales, no dine-in needed.
Chen Guizhi, however, suggested keeping seating. “Having seats will make the shop warmer and livelier, attracting people and smoothing operations.”
Li Feng had experience building houses and adding extensions, so he understood the logistics.
