Chapter 82

82 Setting Shop

Zhou Jia and Li Yu strolled around the town and felt that Phoenix Town was larger than Clearwater Town. Pheonix Town had two main streets and a street in the center of the town. On both sides of the street were various shops. One of them was by the river and specialized in selling vegetables, meat, and livestock.

The three of them wandered the streets and found a Zhu’s Broker Store.

The broker was a dark and thin man in his forties. When he saw the three of them enter, he hurriedly went up to them and asked with a smile, “My surname is Zhu. Are you here to buy a house or land?”

Zhou Jia smiled and cupped his hands. “Sir, is there a shop in town for sale?”

“There’s a shop that’s for sale. There are two shops at the bend ahead. Do you want to take a look?” A customer came and smiled.

Zhou Jia nodded. “Alright, show us!”

The broker closed the shop and eagerly brought Zhou Jia and Li Yu to the two shops he had mentioned.

Li Yu saw that the location was quite good and the house was in the middle of the street. She felt strange that the owner of such a good shop would sell it.

Zhou Jia also had the same thought. “Does Broker Zhu know why the main family wants to sell it?”

Broker Zhi sighed. “This is the shop of Huang Di’s family in town. After Huang Di left, my son heard that he lost a lot of money doing business overseas before coming back to sell his ancestral assets. Let me show you guys in first.”

Broker Zhu took out the key and opened the small door beside the shop. Li Yu saw that the shop was about 80 to 90 square meters.

Broker Zhu pushed open a small door inside and pointed to the courtyard. “There’s another courtyard inside. There’s a well with a row of four rooms. There’s also a livestock shed and two storerooms behind it.”

Zhou Jia was satisfied. “Broker Zhu, how much do you want to sell it for?”

The broker smiled at Zhou Jia. “It costs 150 taels of silver.”

Zhou Jia shook his head. “The shops in Tongzhou City are worth this price. But shops in town are not worth so much money.”

Broker Zhu thought to himself that he was actually someone who knew his stuff. “If you’re sincere about buying it, you can pay less.”

“You didn’t tell me the real price. I’ve already asked around. A shop like this in this realm is worth at most 120 taels of silver. If you think it’s possible, I’ll buy it. Then we don’t have to waste our breath anymore,” Zhou Jia said.

The broker smiled awkwardly. “Since Young Master has said so, I won’t say anything else. I’ll sell it to Young Master on behalf of the host.”

“Alright.” Zhou Jia and the others returned to the broker store with Broker Zhu. They wrote the contract and paid the money. They came out of the broker store with the deed and keys. Zhu Ya eagerly sent them to the broker house’s door. “Young Master Zhou, if you need anything in the future, come and find me.”

Zhou Jia thought for a moment and turned to look at him. “Help me keep an eye out for good spots in Tongzhou City. I won’t treat you badly.”

The Zhuya man couldn’t stop smiling. He kept nodding. “Okay, okay. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”

The three of them went to the market to buy some meat and vegetables and returned to Phoenix Mountain.

In the garrison office, Shen Wu reported Zhou Jia and the others’ every move to Shen Yu.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

After hearing Shen Wu’s report, Shen Yu touched his chin. “According to you, we really just happened to meet. Did they say anything about my arrangements after they arrived? What have those refugees been doing at the foot of Phoenix Cry Mountain these past few days?”

Shen Wu bowed and replied, “General, they are very grateful to hear your arrangements. They are currently repairing the house. Young Master Zhou even went to town to buy the shop of the Huang family. It seems that they plan to stay in peace.”

Shen Yu nodded and said, “Alright, as long as they behave themselves, we’ll wait for news from the capital to confirm that they weren’t sent by others. On account of their help, we’ll take care of them wherever we can in the future. Before the news arrives, you still have to keep an eye on them.”

“Yes, General.” Shen Wu bowed and left.

Li Yu and the other two returned to Phoenix Mountain and saw that the construction site was already in full swing.

Li Yu looked at the house that was being built and thought to herself that it had been more than a year since she came to this world. She wondered if she could settle down this time.

Li Yu looked at Phoenix Mountain in the distance. “You have to teach Ah Qing later. I’m bored, so I’ll go to the mountain to hunt some wild animals.”

“Alright, be careful and come back early.” Zhou Jia reminded her worriedly.

Li Yu smiled at Zhou Jia. “Yes! I’ll be careful. Otherwise, my little beauty will belong to someone else.” With that, she turned around and slipped away.

Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu, who quickly slipped away, and shook his head with a smile. He muttered to himself, “I wonder where this girl learned to spout nonsense.”

After Zhou Jia finished teaching Li Qing, he left his homework and walked towards the work ground alone. Just as he reached the mountain stream, Chen Baozhen caught up to Zhou Jia from behind. She stood in front of Zhou Jia shyly and took out a pouch from her pocket with a red face. She handed it to Zhou Jia and looked at him shyly. “Mr. Zhou, I saw that the pouch you used was old, so I made one for you. Do you like it?”

Zhou Jia looked at Chen Baozhen with disdain. “Miss Chen, please respect yourself.” Zhou Jia strode away with a cold expression.

“Sigh!” Chen Baozhen looked at Zhou Jia’s back and opened her mouth resentfully. She wanted to ask Zhou Jia how she was inferior to that tomboy, but when she thought of Zhou Jia’s disdainful gaze, she stopped.

The village chief passed by with the wood on his shoulder and was so angry that he felt dizzy. He gritted his teeth and waited for Zhou Jia to leave before walking over angrily to pull Chen Baozhen. “Come back with me. I have something to tell you.”

Chen Baozhen looked at the village chief’s ashen face and stammered, “Father, I, I...”

The village chief pulled Chen Baozhen back to the straw shed and pushed her in front of Madam Liu. He whispered to her, “Do you know how to teach your daughter? How dare you do such a thing?”

Madam Liu looked at the village chief in disbelief. “What did Baozhen do that violated public decency? I know my daughter. Don’t listen to your son and daughter-in-law.”

The village chief looked at Madam Liu in disappointment. “When those matchmakers came to propose marriage at home, they always failed. As long as the marriage didn’t work out, you would just say that it was Yaozu and Yaohui’s wife who instigated things and caused Baozhen to not be able to find a good marriage.” The village chief snatched the pouch from Chen Baozhen’s hand and handed it to Madam Liu with trembling hands. “Look, today, I saw with my own eyes that she was going to give this to Mr. Zhou... This is the good daughter you taught.” The village chief threw the pouch in front of Madam Liu and turned to walk toward the construction site.

Madam Liu stood there in a daze. When she saw the village chief leave, she picked up the pouch and looked at it before believing the village chief’s words. Madam Liu walked over and dragged Chen Baozhen into the straw shed. She beat Chen Baozhen and said, “Evil creature, how can you give the pouch to Mr. Zhou? Mr. Zhou and Xiaoyu are already engaged. Do you have any shame?”

Chen Baozhen cried to Madam Liu, “Mother, I don’t want to marry those villagers. They don’t even know how to write and they’re always covered in sweat.”

When Madam Liu saw Chen Baozhen crying, her heart ached as she persuaded, “But you can’t target Mr. Zhou! Why don’t you think about it? He’s already engaged. It’s not like you don’t know how he treated Xiaoyu along the way.”

Chen Baozhen looked up at Madam Liu. “Mother, please help me. If I can marry Mr. Zhou and become a scholar’s wife in the future, I’ll be a scholar’s wife. At that time, Madam Ma and Madam Li won’t dare to look down on us.”

Madam Liu was a little tempted when she heard that. When she thought of the village chief, she shook her head in fear. “Don’t let your imagination run wild. If Mr. Zhou can become a High Scholar, he will still be at ease as a teacher in the village. When the days settle down, I will choose one for you.”

Chen Baozhen knelt in front of Madam Liu and kept kowtowing. “Mother, I like Mr. Zhou. Please help me.”

Madam Liu helped Chen Baozhen up with heartache. “I’ll help you, but you have to take it slow. From today onwards, you have to be obedient and not anger your father.”

Chen Baozhen smiled and threw herself into Madam Liu’s arms. She hugged Madam Liu and smiled sweetly. “Mother, I understand. I’ll be good and please Father. Mother, you’re the best.”