Chapter 239

Chen Quan pointed to a shop and said, “If you want to open a grain shop, this one is the best.”

“This shop has a great location. It’s on a bustling street, and to enter that street, one must pass by this shop first. Moreover, the shop across the street is also vacant.”

“While this shop only has two storefronts, there’s a small courtyard behind it. The rooms inside can be used to store grain, and there are even two rooms that can be left for the shopkeepers to live in.”

“What’s even better is that there’s a small door here, connecting to a three-section residence behind. It can be considered an excellent property.”

Shen Yu’an’s eyes lit up. She hadn’t noticed that small door before; she had thought the shop and the residence were separate.

“This design is quite clever,” she commented.

Shen Yu’an asked, “How much is this shop?”

The shopkeeper looked up and said, “Three hundred silver taels, non-negotiable.”

Considering that the shop and residence combined occupied a considerable space, Shen Yu’an didn’t have any objections to the price.

Following that, Shen Yu’an had the shopkeeper take her to the shop for a closer look. After inspecting it, she was even more satisfied. The courtyard was very clean and tidy, and the shop itself was dust-free.

Delighted, Shen Yu’an promptly handed over the silver notes to the shopkeeper and then rented an ox cart to go to the county office to change the property deed into her name.

By the time Shen Yu’an returned, it was already past noon. She and Chen Quan hurried to the clinic to find Sanlang and the others.

Inside the clinic, only the Tian family of three and Fei Xi were present; Sanlang had already taken the others back to the village.

Seeing Shen Yu’an’s arrival, Fei Xi quickly came forward.

“Miss, is everything sorted out?”

“Yes, how is Huang Ji? What did the doctor say?”

“Miss, Huang Ji ‘s injuries were from a caning, and the wounds weren’t treated promptly, so he developed a high fever. Fortunately, it’s nothing serious. With the right medicine and some rest, he’ll recover,” Fei Xi reported.

“Can he walk?” Shen Yu’an asked, directing the question towards Huang Ji.

Tian Qiu helped Huang Ji stand up. They were both aware that Shen Yu’an had already been very kind to them, and they couldn’t afford to overstep and risk annoying her.

“I can,” Huang Ji replied.

“Alright, let’s go then.”

Shen Yu’an didn’t mention the idea of renting a carriage for their return journey. She understood the principles of balancing favors and debts. She didn’t want to appear overly generous and risk crossing any boundaries.

However, to accommodate Huang Ji, she intentionally slowed down their pace a bit. By the time they returned to the village, it was already evening. Shen Yu’an instructed Fei Xi to head back to the mountain first, as he wasn’t suitable for exposure.

As they walked through the village, the villagers who saw them leading new people back were curious and stared at them.

A kindly woman in the village asked, “Young Miss, are these your relatives?”

Tian Qiu smiled and replied, “No, we were bought by the young miss.”

“Oh, young miss must be quite busy at home. It’s a good idea to have some help,” she commented.

Another person chimed in, “You don’t know, this morning, the young miss’s younger brother brought back several people. By now, they’ve probably already set up the thatched huts.”

“They work quickly.”

When Sanlang returned with the new arrivals earlier that day, he made it clear that these were hired hands purchased by Shen Yu’an. The villagers organized themselves to quickly construct some thatched huts next to Shen’s house for the new servants to stay in temporarily. The final arrangements would be made once Shen Yu’an returned.

The villagers were all grateful for Shen’s generosity and pitched in to help. By the end of the afternoon, the row of huts was already completed.