Chapter 104: Buying Land

Mrs. Wang chided Chen Feng shyly, “Silly child, you shouldn’t be serving me. You should be serving your uncle and aunt.”

Hearing this, Chen Feng smiled and served dishes to Chen Shi and Mrs. Zhang, saying, “We’ve been causing trouble for Uncle and Aunt these days.”

Chen Shi chuckled, “Uncle is delighted to have you all at home every day. I only worry about leaving your second brother alone in the countryside. Otherwise, I’d ask you to stay longer.”

After the meal, Steward Luo unexpectedly arrived. He mentioned that he had been busy with guests and had only managed to see them today. He wanted to accompany Chen Feng to the land dtore to check out the land.

Dabao wanted to come, but Chen Feng didn’t want him to tag, saying they were going to the land store, where there were a lot of scary people. Dabao had always been afraid of being sold, so he didn’t dare to refuse.

He also said, “Mother, since you are so beautiful, be careful not to be kidnapped because of your beauty.” He also instructed Mrs. Wang, “Grandma, you must always hold my mother’s hand.”

Mrs. Wang pinched his cheek and said with a smile, “Yes, Grandma understands.” After they left, Mrs. Wang told Chen Feng, “Dabao is a good child. You’ve done well raising him.”

Chen Feng nodded with a smile.

After leaving Chen San’s miscellaneous store, Chen Feng and her daughter sat in the carriage, with Steward Luo sitting next to Qinbo.

Chen Shi and Chen Yu, who had seen them off, were still discussing about Steward Luo and Qinbo, insisting that they must come to their house for drinks that evening. Chen Feng also extended the invitation from the carriage, and both Steward Luo and Qinbo agreed with a smile.

On the way, Steward Luo mentioned that in five days, on September 25th, he would be returning to the Tangyuan with Chu Hanyan. He asked if Chen Feng wanted to accompany them and assured her that the journey would only take two hours by carriage.

Chen Feng agreed to join them. Not only was the carriage faster, but it was also safer. However, returning four days later than planned might worry Chen Ming.

Steward Luo mentioned that his eldest son, Luo Xiao, was in the city today and would return home tomorrow. If Chen Feng and the others decided to return on the 25th, he would ask his son to inform Chen Ming.

Chen Feng and Mrs. Wang agreed to this.

After a forty-five-minute carriage ride, they arrived at a land store. As expected, Li, the proprietor, was quite familiar with Steward Luo. Upon seeing Steward Luo, Li invited them to sit down and served them tea.

After listening to Chen Feng’s land acquisition conditions, Li suggested a suitable piece of land in Guanghe Town in Zhongning County. It was paddy land, reasonably priced at six taels of silver per acre. The only catch was that the plot was quite extensive, around two hundred acres. However, if they bought the entire plot at once, they wouldn’t have to pay for the rapeseed seeds sown in the field.

Calculating it in her mind, Chen Feng realized that buying two hundred acres would cost one thousand two hundred and sixty taels of silver.

With six hundred taels from the cloud brocade sparrow, four hundred from the selling gems, one hundred from the red packet, one hundred and forty from the button knot designs, and ten from the dolls, the total amounted to one thousand two hundred and fifty taels. By adding another ten taels, she could afford it.

Furthermore, Guanghe Town was adjacent to Sanqing County, just a dozen or so miles from Xiangluo Village.

If the land was indeed good, Chen Feng was willing to make the purchase.

Upon hearing the significant amount of money involved, Mrs. Wang pulled Chen Feng aside, saying, “A’Feng, it’s too much. We can’t afford it.”

Chen Feng calculated the figures with her and responded softly, “We have enough silver.”

She then approached Li and said, “If the land is good, we’ll buy it.”

Li assured them, “I’ve been friends with Brother Luo for over a decade. I wouldn’t deceive you. The paddy land is indeed excellent. However, such a significant transaction must be inspected. It’s already late today, and even if we take a horse carriage, it will take more than an hour to reach Guanghe Town. Additionally, we’ll need half a day to visit the Zhongning County Hall to finalize the deed. Therefore, we can only go tomorrow.”

Chen Feng agreed with his suggestion.

Steward Luo then said, “That’s the only option. However, I have some business to attend to tomorrow, so I can’t accompany you. I’ll have my second son and Qinbo accompany you instead.”

He was concerned about Chen Feng and her mother going alone, so he decided to send his second son, Luo Fang, who worked as a junior manager in the Chu Mansion, and Qinbo to accompany them.

Currently, Steward Luo is deeply grateful to Chen Feng and genuinely wants to help her.

Upon hearing Steward Luo’s words, Chen Feng expressed her gratitude.

Due to her striking appearance and Mrs. Wang’s somewhat reserved nature, and with Li not being as familiar to them, having Steward Luo’s son and Uncle Qinbo to accompany them would be much better.

After concluding their business, the group took their leave.

This time they entered through the back courtyard of the Chen residence, where there was a door next to the main house. They drove the carriage into the courtyard through the door. The Chen family had already set up a spread, including their own braised dishes, as well as roast goose and squid beef soup purchased from a restaurant, along with several pounds of wine.

Steward Luo and Qinbo were ushered into the main hall to take their seats, where they were entertained by Chen Shi and Chen Yu, enjoying food and drinks.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Zhang, Wang and Chen Feng busied themselves in the kitchen.

Upon seeing the guests off, Chen Shi heard about the mother and daughter’s journey and insisted on accompanying them. He mentioned that if they bought the land, he would accompany the notary to Zhongning County Hall the same day, ensuring that everything was completed in a single day.

This arrangement was even better. Chen Feng and Mrs. Wang expressed their gratitude once again.

Chen Shi waved his hand and said, “Thank you for what? I have yet to thank you for the recipe that A’Feng provided to earn money. When A’Feng gets married in the future, I will surely present a grand gift.”

Chen Feng, unlike her younger cousin Aman, wasn’t as shy. She replied with a smile, “Alright, Uncle, I’ll be looking forward to it.”

This remark elicited laughter from everyone.

Mrs. Wang pretended to be angry and playfully tapped Chen Feng twice, saying, “This girl, why are you so shameless?”

The next morning, Mrs. Wang and Chen Feng were dressed and ready early. Both wore slightly worn clothes and wooden hairpins. They sat in the shop with Chen Shi, waiting. Around the hour of the Dragon (7 am), Uncle Qing arrived with a horse-drawn carriage.

A young man in his twenties alighted from the carriage. He was Luo Fang, Manager Luo’s second son.

He smiled and mentioned that apart from the old marquis, all the other guests had left the mansion. The master had requested Dabao to bring Qiqi and Gray to the mansion for a visit, as they were missed.

There was another reason Luo Fang didn’t mention. The old marquis had a particular fondness for birds and had heard that Miss Yan’s good friend had two extremely clever parrots. He was eager to see them. Due to the busy schedule at the mansion, the old marquis had patiently waited until today and was now eager to meet them.

He also mentioned that after the hour of the Snake (9 am), a carriage from the mansion would come to fetch Dabao.

As Dabao was still asleep, Mrs. Zhang agreed and promised to inform him when he woke up.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, they boarded the carriage. Chen Shi, Chen Feng and Mrs. Wang sat inside the carriage, while Luo Fang and Qinbo sat outside.

The carriage headed straight to the west gate, where Li, the proprietor, was waiting for them. After meeting up, they continued westward. This route was the same one that Chen Feng and the others had taken when they came.