They entered the third house in the alley, which was their destination. Two imposing stone lions stood at the entrance, with a few steps leading up.
The young shop assistant led them up and took a key from his怀 to open the courtyard gate.
With a "creak."
A screen wall was revealed, which was the wall facing the gate inside the door and serving as a barrier.
Its purpose was to distinguish between the inside and outside.
It also acted as multiple barriers to block the prying eyes of outsiders, providing a greater sense of security.
Aside from these reasons.
Adding a screen wall also served a decorative purpose and was related to feng shui principles.
It was said to prevent the clash of air currents between the inside and outside of the house, blocking the impact of strong air currents from outside the main gate on the interior, thus preserving the vitality within the house and making it more stable and comfortable.
In short, it had many benefits.
As a tradition passed down through the years, everyone naturally followed it.
As for why screen walls were built in the first place, the explanations varied.
But in the end.
It was a barrier that wealthy families would set up, and it was not unusual.
And the images carved on them were all auspicious.
This house featured a depiction of Fu Lu Shou (the three gods of fortune, prosperity, and longevity).
It was also a bas-relief.
In short, it was very intricate.
Cheng Hao and Su Miaomiao couldn't help but look at it again, truly a masterpiece of craftsmanship.
This screen wall must have cost a fortune.
It was so beautiful.
On the other side.
The young shop assistant hurried to welcome them in, saying as he walked, "Sir and Madam, please watch your step. This is the front courtyard. The front courtyard is planted with many flowers and plants, all treasures that the original owner cherished greatly. They are beautiful!"
As he spoke, he began to introduce them. The flowers and plants were naturally beautiful, and the courtyard in the middle was also large. Such an old house was indeed very spacious.
"Look, the entire house is paved with red brick, which is very easy to clean and dries quickly when wet! Look at how large this courtyard is, even heavy rain won't flood the house. It's very refreshing. The old house has been repaired year after year and is still in good condition!"
Cheng Hao and Su Miaomiao looked around and indeed found it to be very good.
Good lighting.
Spacious.
And it felt comfortable the moment they stepped in, truly a good place.
Perhaps it was also related to the abundance of plants in the front courtyard, which made it very peaceful.
Cheng Hao knew at a glance that Su Miaomiao liked it here. There weren't many places that could keep her settled, and if it made her feel safe and comfortable, even the most expensive rent would be worthwhile. In fact, this was true. Since they were here to settle down, they naturally wanted to live comfortably.
Moreover.
It was evident that the original owner truly cherished this old house and put a lot of thought into everything. It was likely that if they hadn't genuinely feared the sudden arrival of enemy soldiers, they wouldn't have been willing to leave, but in the end, they chose to abandon their homes and businesses to leave.
Leaving behind this old house.
All the large furniture remained, arranged as usual.
They took away all the small, portable valuables, leaving nothing behind.
This was even better.
They could fully use this house without constant worry.
Su Miaomiao truly liked it here.
She inspected every room, and each one seemed quite spacious. There were, of course, no bedding, but fortunately, they had brought their own.
They could truly move in directly.
For them.
Large basic furniture was sufficient, and even without it, it wouldn't be a major issue.
After all, they were accustomed to making do when traveling.
They would live here for now if they could.
They would settle down first, and then worry about other things.
After walking around, the two of them found it to be indeed suitable. The location was also good, with a market nearby and many shops around, making it very convenient.
The three-courtyard house was just right.
It could accommodate their three teams.
They immediately inquired about the price and learned that the monthly rent was one hundred and fifty taels.
Su Miaomiao, having no memory of the local prices, was somewhat uninformed, but Cheng Hao did. He immediately said, "One hundred and fifty taels a month? Do you know that one hundred and fifty taels is enough to buy a less decent single-courtyard house?"
The young shop assistant said he understood that they felt it was expensive, but he quickly added, "But this is Quezhou City, originally a place where every inch of land was worth gold, not to mention the current situation. It's hard to find a room in the city now. Moreover, this large courtyard itself is worth several thousand taels. One hundred and fifty taels a month is already very reasonable, you can go and inquire."
He assured them that he was not trying to cheat them.
The price would be similar elsewhere.
And it would be even more expensive than here. Their agency's quote was considered reasonable.
Others were even more outrageous.
Besides, the furniture here was complete, and they could move in with just their luggage.
How convenient was that?
And they didn't have to clean.
Everything was so clean.
It was truly a very good residence.
The young shop assistant repeatedly said that the two of them were lucky to have arrived just in time.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have found such a suitable place.
Cheng Hao was also taken aback for a moment. He knew what the shop assistant was saying was true, but the price was indeed not cheap. However, he then thought that if three teams shared the rent, each team would have a courtyard, and the three-courtyard house was just right. And when divided, it would seem slightly more acceptable.
He then looked back at Su Miaomiao, and seeing her nod, he said, "Can't it be a little cheaper? One hundred and thirty taels of silver a month."
The young shop assistant looked troubled, saying that their agency's rules were fixed prices.
Ma Sanniang's prices were always fair.
Therefore, there was no possibility of negotiation. She would not earn more, nor would she earn less.
This had always been her rule.
Cheng Hao was surprised by this rule, but in the end, he decided to sign.
After all, as the young shop assistant had said, everyone wanted to enter Quezhou City these days. The city gate was already crowded in the morning, with everyone eager to enter.
It was better to decide early.
After reconfirming that they could easily leave if they decided to withdraw halfway,
Cheng Hao prepared to sign.
The process of signing the contract was simple and fast.
However, they still carefully checked everything and put their fingerprints on it only after confirming there were no issues.
Then, they paid fifty taels for the rent of the courtyard and received the contract in return. This completed the process, and the young shop assistant was beaming with joy, likely because he would earn a small profit from this.
But this young man was indeed very good. He had a good disposition, knew everything, answered any question, and was patient when they were curious about anything. He deserved to make good money!
"Sir and Madam, do you remember the way? If not, I can show you out. If you don't know the way next time you come to the city, you can always find me!"
He said he was often at the agency and would come whenever he had time.
Cheng Hao and Su Miaomiao thanked him and said they remembered the way, suggesting he could leave if he was busy, as they could leave on their own.
The young shop assistant nodded and politely bid them farewell.
He then trotted away.
His figure quickly disappeared into the alley, leaving only the young couple.
"After that boy left, I feel like our whole world has become quiet."
Su Miaomiao said with emotion.