Zhang Chong was naturally pleased to have sold another house, which meant he’d earn a commission.

Both parties were willing, so they didn’t haggle much and quickly signed the contract.

After the others left, Jin Qianqian excitedly looked over the courtyard again. "We should build our future home just like this. The original designer was a genius! They even managed to utilize the spring. Being able to use water freely every day must be absolutely wonderful."

Indeed, while the courtyard had six living quarters, it also had two halls—one for receiving guests and another that could be used as a study.

Moreover, the backyard featured two indoor bathrooms fed by the spring, one for men and one for women.

Ancient Wen Heng said, "Well, we’d have to find a piece of land with a spring to build it on. Otherwise, a house like this is truly rare.

It’s just a shame it’s not a hot spring. If it were, we never would have been able to rent it."

After her initial excitement, Jin Qianqian came back to reality. "But for now, it’s ours. I need to find someone to clean it up right away. I can’t wait to move in."

Not to mention the two incredibly modern indoor bathrooms, the east and west wings both contained canopy beds. If they were hung with gauze curtains, it would be the boudoir of Jin Qianqian’s dreams.

Looking at the huge courtyard, Ancient Wen Heng didn’t want Jin Qianqian to tire herself out. "Let’s buy a couple of people here. Taking care of such a large courtyard is no small task."

Jin Qianqian thought it was a great idea. Once their two-day break was over, Ancient Wen Heng would have to go to the academy. If she were left here all alone, she would inevitably feel a bit lonely.

They were both people of action. Jin Qianqian took out a brand-new lock, secured the gate, and immediately started asking about the local brokerage.

When Zhang Chong saw the two of them appear at the brokerage, he thought there was a problem with the house and hurried over to greet them.

"Brother Zhang, if we had known you were here, we would have entrusted you with this matter as well." Ancient Wen Heng cursed himself inwardly. ’How foolish.’ A broker had been standing right in front of him earlier, and he hadn’t even thought of this.

"I wonder what else Scholar Bai might need?" Brokerages like theirs didn’t just help people rent and sell houses; they also assisted with the resale of various goods.

"The courtyard is rather large, so we’re thinking of buying a couple of people to help manage it." After saying this, Ancient Wen Heng let out a long sigh. In an era where people could be bought and sold, he had finally taken that first step.

Although Zhang Chong was a bit perplexed, he still referred them to a broker who specialized in the sale of servants.

Looking at the rows of maids and older women, Jin Qianqian circled them twice, then selected a few and asked them some simple questions.

In the end, she pointed to a young girl about ten years old and a slightly plump, middle-aged woman.

The young girl, Little Hua, had been sold because her parents needed money for her older brother’s wedding. Now that Jin Qianqian had chosen her, she was anxiously wringing her hands.

The older woman, Mrs. Huang, whose name was Huang Ying, was middle-aged. Her only son had died young, and she was now too old to bear more children for her husband’s family. To make way for a new wife, she had been driven out by her in-laws. Her own brothers refused to take her in, so with nowhere else to go, she had gritted her teeth and come here to sell herself.

What Jin Qianqian valued more were the calluses covering their hands. The fact that they still managed to keep themselves neat and clean showed they were diligent and capable, which was exactly what she needed right now.

"Husband, you should pick an Attendant Student as well!" Jin Qianqian remembered that Ancient Wen Heng would be traveling to and from the academy. Having someone to help run errands would make his life much easier.

The men and women were sold separately. Ancient Wen Heng followed the broker into the next room and came out with a boy of about fourteen or fifteen, followed by a middle-aged man with a limp.

It turned out they were father and son. The father’s name was Hong Da, and the young boy was Hong Tianbao. To pay for his wife’s medical treatment, Hong Da had sold their land and house, but in the end, he couldn’t save her.

With no source of income, the father and son had gritted their teeth and decided to sell themselves to survive.

Ancient Wen Heng decided to buy them also because Hong Da could drive a cart, which would make traveling more convenient for him in the future.

The bill was settled: sixty taels of silver in exchange for four indentures.

He took the group to a clinic for a physical examination first, then to a clothing shop and a fabric store for a major shopping trip, and finally brought them directly to the new courtyard.

Remembering all the things still at the inn, Ancient Wen Heng hurriedly left with Hong Da and his son, while Jin Qianqian stayed behind with the others to start cleaning the entire courtyard.

Ancient Wen Heng and the others had to make several trips to haul all their belongings back from the inn.

Seeing Little Hua repeatedly rubbing her stomach, Jin Qianqian finally remembered that they had long missed lunchtime.

She smiled apologetically at the still-busy group. "Look at my memory. I completely forgot that none of you have eaten yet.

Everyone, stop working for now. Go buy something to eat from the shops out front. We’ll have a proper celebration tonight."

"Yes, Madam."

The servants naturally had no objections. They were all new to this home and had been treading carefully.

...

After two days of furnishing and tidying, their little home was finally in order.

The day Ancient Wen Heng was scheduled to go to the academy arrived. He took Tianbao and waited outside Mr. Wang’s courtyard early in the morning.

Zhou Ping and the others were also waiting there. When they saw Ancient Wen Heng, they greeted each other and asked how the past two days had been.

Knowing that everyone had settled in, they were all in the mood to chat and laugh.

Wang Biyi came out with Ping’an. Seeing that all the students had arrived on time, he stroked his beard in satisfaction.

In fact, he had been receiving reports on their situations over the past two days. They weren’t the type to just bury their noses in books; they knew how to assess their own circumstances and choose suitable housing.

He was, however, quite curious about Ancient Wen Heng. For someone who had arrived as a refugee, he was living a better life than even the locals.

Ancient Wen Heng felt his teacher’s gaze linger on him for a moment. Just as he looked up, he saw the teacher turning to give instructions to Ping’an.

"Yingshan Academy isn’t far from here. Our academy has already made arrangements with the Dean of Yingshan. Starting today, you will follow their study schedule." Wang Biyi emphasized to them, "I expect you to be prudent in your words and actions inside. Listen more, observe more. There are several venerable gentlemen giving lectures there. If you apply yourselves, the benefits will be immeasurable."

This was another reason they had brought them here. Although Dean Lv had spent some years in official circles, he was simply not in the same league as these old foxes.

Wang Biyi led the group on foot to the base of Yingshan Mountain. Looking up at the academy perched on the summit, everyone’s heart sank.

Staring at the steep stone steps, Ancient Wen Heng instantly understood why Wang Biyi had waited until they were settled before bringing them to the academy.

His gaze swept over to Deng Yuanhang, who might know the truth. Seeing him avert his eyes, Wenheng knew exactly what was going on.