Chapter 54: Chapter 50: Buying a House

Changping Street.

The afternoon sun spilled into the alley, which was paved with bluestone slabs.

“Master Chen, this way, please.”

A lean, sharp-looking middle-aged man in a worn, blue cloth tunic led Chen Qing through the crowded neighborhood.

After leaving the Chen Family’s Old Mansion, Chen Qing had sought out this Broker, Zhao the Third, to look at houses.

After many twists and turns, they reached the end of a deep alley where a secluded courtyard suddenly came into view.

The wooden door was thick and heavy, coated in dark, somber lacquer.

“Master Chen, please have a look.”

Zhao the Third paused, pointed at the large gate, and said with a grin, “This door bolt is made from a single piece of old camphor wood. It’s solid! Some common thief wants to try their luck with a crowbar? Heh, break this? Not unless their hands are made of diamond!”

He tapped the bluestone tiles of the small front step with his toe. “The ground is paved with foundation bricks, so it stays clean and dry even in the rain and snow.”

As he spoke, he took out a key, unlocked the gate with a CLICK, and gave it a hard push.

CREAK!

The front courtyard was wide and flat, paved with grey bricks. Faint traces of moss peeked out from the cracks.

On the east side stood an old pagoda tree, its branches thick with leaves. On the west side was a stone well.

Zhao the Third eagerly explained, “It’s perfect for cooling off in the shade under this pagoda tree. The eastern room is quiet and gets the morning sun, while the western room is convenient for housing an elderly mother or for receiving guests. The main house is right up ahead…”

Chen Qing’s gaze swept across the courtyard. This was the third property he had viewed.

Of the three, this courtyard’s location and environment were by far the best.

’With this small courtyard, I’ll have a place to practice my martial arts every day.’

’The well is a huge bonus, too.’

Zhao the Third continued, “The well water is clear and sweet. See? The rope marks on the edge are still fresh! The previous owner was a wealthy merchant who moved away not long ago. He’s in a hurry to sell, which is why it’s such a bargain.”

Chen Qing asked, “What’s the price?”

“If you’re satisfied with the place, we can talk details,” Zhao the Third said with a smile.

He then led Chen Qing to the kitchen in the back courtyard. They looked it over carefully. It was small but had all the necessary features.

Chen Qing thought for a moment. “Who are the neighbors?”

“To the east is Captain Mo of the Government Office, and to the west is Shopkeeper He of the Yuelai Inn,” Zhao the Third answered promptly.

Although Changping Street was in the Outer City, it was just across the river from the Inner City. In the eyes of ordinary people, anyone who could afford to live here was either rich or influential.

“I’m satisfied with this house.”

Chen Qing had made up his mind. “Name your price.”

’Besides being a place to practice my fist techniques, the main thing is it has a well. Getting water will be so much more convenient.’

’Most importantly, it’s very close to the Zhou Institute, and a lot of my fellow disciples live around here. It’s definitely much safer than Mute Bay.’

“The owner is being very straightforward. The price is this much.”

Zhao the Third held up three fingers.

“Thirty taels?”

Chen Qing nodded. “That’s not expensive at all.”

Zhao the Third froze for a second, then quickly forced a smile. “Master Chen, you must be joking. It’s three hundred taels!”

Three hundred taels!?

Chen Qing’s eyebrows shot up. Thirty taels would have been reasonable, but three hundred was no small sum for him.

The help he’d received from the Cheng Family and Zhou Liang was mostly in the form of Cultivation Resources.

His monthly pay from his nominal post at the River Department was minuscule, so he had very little silver on him.

Chen Qing considered this for a moment, then asked, “The payment… can it be deferred?”

“For anyone else, absolutely not! But for you, Master Chen…”

Zhao the Third lowered his voice. “I’ll stick my neck out and have a word with the owner! How about this: you pay one hundred taels up front. Once the deed is signed, you can move your things in. For the remaining two hundred taels, we’ll draw up a promissory note. You pay it back next spring—two hundred and ten taels, principal plus interest. It’ll all be in writing, and I, Old Zhao, will act as your guarantor. If you can’t pay by then, the jujube tree in the yard, the kitchen stove, even a new bed you might build, will all go to the owner to settle the debt. How does that sound?”

He had already done his homework. Chen Qing was a newly minted Martial Scholar with a bright future; he wouldn’t be short on silver for long. That was the only reason Zhao the Third dared to vouch for him so confidently.

After all, his ten-percent commission would be thirty taels of high-purity snowflake silver.

“Alright. When can we sign the deed?” Chen Qing sealed the deal.

’After I became a Martial Scholar, quite a few wealthy families and factions sent congratulatory gifts. If I add that to my previous savings and scrape everything together, coming up with one hundred taels shouldn’t be a problem.’

Zhao the Third quickly replied, “You’re a decisive man, Master Chen. I’ll draw up the papers and bring them to you myself tomorrow.”

…

「That evening.」

Chen Qing was walking back toward Mute Bay after a training session at the Zhou Institute.

The Basic Strength Diagram still swirled in his mind. The flow of Open and Dark Force between the movements had deepened his understanding of Long Arm Fist.

’There probably aren’t many disciples in the Zhou Institute who get to see this diagram,’ he mused.

Before he knew it, Mute Bay was in sight.

But unlike its usual noisy bustle, today the bay was deathly silent.

Fishing boats of all sizes were crammed along the shore, their cabin doors shut tight. An unusually oppressive atmosphere hung in the air.

Chen Qing’s heart skipped a beat. He leaped onto the deck of his family’s boat and pushed open the cabin door.

“Mom, I’m home.”

A dim, yellow light flickered inside. Ms. Han was sitting in a corner, her face pale and her eyes filled with terror.

“Ah Qing…”

The moment Ms. Han saw Chen Qing, she grabbed his arm.

Chen Qing’s voice was grave. “Mom, what happened?”

Still reeling from shock, Ms. Han stammered, “…Something terrible has happened! The Tiger Gang… the Tiger Gang…”

She paused, the fear in her eyes deepening. “They’ve been completely wiped out!”

What!?

Chen Qing asked, “When did this happen? Who did it?”

“Probably last night, not long after you went to your grandfather’s. Old Gao was the first to see the bodies of Tiger Gang members floating in the river.”

Ms. Han swallowed hard. “Later, a few of the braver men quietly rowed over to take a look. They came back white as sheets. They said… they said the Tiger Gang’s big boats at the pier were all burned to charred husks. There was… stuff… floating all over the water. Their shacks on the shore had collapsed, and there was blood… blood everywhere… They didn’t see a single survivor, or any sign of the attackers. Whoever did it killed them all and vanished without a trace!”

She said it all in a rush, her body trembling slightly.

Chen Qing’s brow furrowed into a deep knot.

’The Tiger Gang has been entrenched in Mute Bay for a year, and Xu Chengfeng was always so careful. He had all his connections, both overt and covert, managed perfectly. Who could have possibly wiped them out with such devastating speed?’

’Who did he piss off?’

Ms. Han’s voice was tinged with anxiety. “It wasn’t that long ago that the Jinhe Gang fell, and now the Tiger Gang has been wiped out too…”

The world was changing too quickly, and it made her uneasy.

“Mom, don’t worry about it.”

Chen Qing took a deep breath, trying to reassure her. “I’ve already found us a house. We’ll be moving in a couple of days.”

“Moving away is for the best.”

Ms. Han nodded. Then she stroked the hull of the boat and said wistfully, “Your father nearly killed himself to get these two boats. If only he could see how successful you are now…”

For people who make their living on the water, a boat is their home, their one hope for survival.

Getting two boats? It was nowhere near that easy.

At that, Ms. Han sighed and fell silent.

…

Early the next morning, Zhao the Third arrived with good news, the deed already in his hand.

“Master Chen, the owner agreed! We’re just waiting for your signature.”

If Chen Qing hadn’t earned his new title, this deal would never have gone through.

But now that his status had changed, everything simply fell into place.

Chen Qing nodded. “Good. I’ll sign it now. We’ll move in this afternoon.”

Zhao the Third’s face was wreathed in smiles. “You can count on me.”

Chen Qing signed the deed with a flourish and handed the silver coins over to Zhao the Third.

Not long after Zhao the Third left, just as Chen Qing was about to return to his boat, he heard someone call out from a short distance away:

“Excuse me, might you be Brother Chen Qing?”

Chen Qing looked toward the voice. The speaker was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with bulging temples. He wore a set of practical, grey shortclothes, revealing two arms corded with muscle. A long saber hung at his waist.

Two burly young men, both powerfully built, followed behind him.

Chen Qing replied impassively, “And you might be?”

The powerfully built man cupped his fist in a salute, his face beaming with enthusiasm. “My name is Song Hu. I just moved in nearby and have taken over the fish market here. I heard that Brother Chen had become a Martial Scholar, so I came to offer my congratulations. It’s just a small token, but I hope you will accept it.”

As he spoke, he gave a slight flick of his wrist, and one of the young men behind him immediately presented a heavy red pouch.

“I couldn’t possibly…”

Chen Qing said politely, but his hand moved smoothly to accept the pouch. He weighed it in his palm; it felt like about five taels.

“Think nothing of it, Brother Chen.”

Song Hu waved a dismissive hand, his expression then turning somber. “It’s rather unsettling. I only arrived here yesterday, and I already hear that the Tiger Gang has been completely annihilated. I was wondering if Brother Chen might know any of the details?”

Chen Qing shook his head. “I’m not too clear on the matter.”

Song Hu sighed heavily. “Alas, it hasn’t been long since the Jinhe Gang, who held this territory for three years, was destroyed. Now, in the blink of an eye, the Tiger Gang has met the same fate…”

His eyes swept over Chen Qing’s face, as if by chance.

After a bit more small talk, Song Hu cupped his fist to take his leave. “Well, I’ll be on my way. If you have any free time, Brother Chen, please feel free to stop by the fish market.”

“Of course.”

Chen Qing returned the salute, watching him go.

As he watched Song Hu and his men disappear into the distance, Chen Qing weighed the pouch in his hand, his brow furrowed in thought.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that the name “Song Hu” was strangely familiar.

In an instant, a spark of Spiritual Light flashed in his mind!

He remembered the name Song Tie had mentioned just before he died: ’Ah Hu.’

’This man shows up, and the very next day the Tiger Gang is massacred? How could there possibly be such a coincidence?!’

’Was giving me silver just a pretense? Was his real goal to sound me out?’

A cold glint flashed in Chen Qing’s eyes. Without another moment of hesitation, he shot forward, speeding in the direction Song Hu had gone.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep