Chapter Nine, The First Tenant

At this point, Steward Xu felt that his tone was somewhat stiff, and immediately softened his tone, saying: "Brother Lao Wu, although the Zhou family is temporarily in decline, we have not yet reached the point of selling our residence. We are merely renting out a few unused courtyards for now, so this matter will still require your careful attention!"

Hearing that Butler Xu was willing to convey the message, Butcher Wu was also very pleased and said: "Let's not wait for another day. How about this: my meat is almost sold out today, so in an hour, I will host you at the Fengyou Teahouse nearby. Please discuss the matter of renting the courtyard with Young Master Zhou. The issue of rent is easy to negotiate"

Upon seeing the other party's appearance, the astute Butler Xu also perked up, hurriedly approaching and saying: "Indeed, how does the young brother know which family is urgently looking to rent a house"

"Big client, what big client?" Steward Xu was clearly somewhat confused by the meaning of the Fifth's words. The manor only intended to rent out a few courtyards, and the prices were fixed; where was there any talk of a big client?

"Mr. Xu, please rest assured. The rented courtyard is only for my usual residence, and additionally, it is used to store the meat that has been slaughtered during the day, which will be sold the next day. As for the slaughtering location, it will be at my home outside the city, and I assure you that it will never take place at the residence of the Zhou family" The young butcher quickly explained, having noticed Mr. Xu's concerns.

It turns out to be the fifth brother. The matter I entrusted to you earlier will require your effort, brother!" Upon seeing this thin middle-aged man, Steward Xu also revealed a radiant smile.

Upon hearing Butler Xu flatly reject his suggestion, Lao Wu's smile became somewhat awkward. Renting out a courtyard and library would hardly yield him any profit, but selling a property would provide him with a substantial commission, enough to sustain him for several months. Unfortunately, this hope was now shattered, which naturally left Lao Wu feeling somewhat displeased.

However, neither Butler Xu nor Lao Wu noticed. While they were discussing renting a house, the young butcher nearby, who was busy cutting meat for the customers, showed a flicker of emotion. His hand slowed in its motion as he turned to look at Butler Xu, revealing a contemplative expression. He even seemed inclined to speak, but upon seeing that Lao Wu was still present, he felt it was not the right moment to say anything. Thus, he lowered his head and continued with his work, though his gaze occasionally darted towards Butler Xu.

After learning about the situation with Butcher Wu, Steward Xu bought another two jin of meat. Originally, Butcher Wu insisted on not accepting any payment, but Steward Xu insisted on giving him the money. In the end, Butcher Wu had no choice but to accept it. However, when he made the cut, the meat he sliced off weighed over five jin. Additionally, he also gifted two large bones with meat on them, saying they were for Steward Xu to make soup. Steward Xu could not decline and ultimately had to accept them

This middle-aged man with a shifty appearance is surnamed Li. Due to his position as the fifth son in the family, he is generally referred to as Lao Wu. Lao Wu does not have any legitimate occupation; he spends his days mingling in the marketplace. He is quite familiar with the people in Songjiang Prefecture and assists others in finding laborers or in buying and renting houses, taking a small commission for himself. Today, Steward Xu used him to spread the news about renting a house.

Upon hearing what the fifth brother referred to as a major client, Steward Xu immediately shook his head repeatedly and said: "No, no, our residence at the Zhou family is built bit by bit by the master, and in the future, it is to serve as the ancestral home of the Zhou family. It absolutely cannot be sold; this matter is non-negotiable"

Upon hearing the other party's generosity, Steward Xu had a very favorable impression of the young butcher. He readily agreed and the two continued to chat for a while. Steward Xu took the opportunity to learn more about the other party's situation and discovered that Butcher Wu had just turned 20. He appeared somewhat older than his actual age. Furthermore, he was still unmarried and had no other relatives at home, a typical case of one person being well-fed while the family goes hungry.

However, Lao Wu appeared to be quite excited. He raised his sparse eyebrows and said, "Butler Xu, you may not be aware that a Mr. Liu has emerged from Yangzhou. He is also a scholar who previously held an official position in another region. Now that he is older, he wishes to return home to enjoy his retirement. However, he is attracted to the beautiful scenery here in Songjiang, and since it is not far from Yangzhou, he intends to purchase a residence here. I have just received this news, so I came to discuss it with you. If your Zhou family is willing to sell the property, I can contact the person Mr. Liu has sent to view the house right away"

However, at this moment, the young butcher appeared somewhat embarrassed. He clasped his fist and said to Steward Xu, "Steward Xu, to be honest, I actually want to rent a house. I am originally from Shizi Village in the southern outskirts of the city, and I have to rush into the city every morning to sell meat, which is quite inconvenient. Therefore, I would like to rent a place in the city, and I also need to store some pork."

Is it the residence of the prodigy Zhou, who achieved the title of Xiucai at the tender age of fourteen? The young butcher and the bookish man have been mingling in the vegetable market for quite some time, and having heard many stories from the Zhang and Li families, they naturally know about the affairs of the Zhou residence

In pursuit of his substantial share, Lao Wu reluctantly urged Steward Xu a few more times. However, Steward Xu was aware that the Zhou family's residence had already been mortgaged to Lord Wang. It was only due to the friendship between the two families that Lord Wang had not demanded it back. Consequently, the young master could not sell the courtyard, and thus, he firmly rejected Lao Wu's persuasion.

"Mr. Xu, I just heard that you want to rent out the yard?" Just as Mr. Xu turned around to continue buying meat, unexpectedly, the young butcher stepped forward and spoke, his face glistening with oil and adorned with a bright smile

Upon hearing the news, Butler Xu became extremely excited and introduced with a beaming face: "Rest assured, young brother of the courtyard, our Zhou family has been a well-known prominent family in Songjiang. This time, we are only renting out three small courtyards in the front yard. Each small courtyard is not smaller than those of ordinary families, and the houses have been newly built in recent years, so there are absolutely no issues. The key point is the location; it is only two streets away from the vegetable market, and the surrounding area is mostly occupied by the prominent families of Songjiang. The roads are well-connected, and as you just heard, our Zhou family is currently unwilling to sell the property; otherwise, who knows how many people would be eager to buy it?"

In the end, Old Five, seeing that he could not be persuaded, could only leave with a helpless shake of his head. As for Steward Xu's final request to him to spread the news about the rental, it seemed as if he had not heard it at all. This infuriated Steward Xu, who, after Old Five left, spat a few times and cursed him as a petty person.

Indeed, young brother, since you are acquainted with our young master, you must have heard about the recent events. Our Zhou family is currently facing some difficulties, which is why we are looking to rent out a few courtyards to get through this tough time. If you happen to know anyone interested in renting a courtyard, please do let us know. The benefits that will come after the deal is completed will certainly not be lacking for you, young brother!" Steward Xu said, bowing to the young butcher. Seeing how the fifth brother left, it was clear that he would not put in much effort on that side. Now that he had finally encountered an opportunity to rent out the property, he naturally wanted to seize it well.

Hearing that the other party would not impose their most taboo slaughtering practices on the Zhou family, Butler Xu also breathed a sigh of relief. He considered it seriously for a moment, then raised his head and said to Butcher Wu: "How about this, I will go back and report to my young master. Regardless of whether he agrees or not, I will come back another day to inform you, young brother!"

The young butcher nodded and said, "There are people interested in renting a house, but they are unsure about the size of the courtyard you are renting, as well as the location and quality of the house"

This ... ... '' Upon hearing that the butcher in front of him wanted to rent a house, Steward Xu appeared somewhat hesitant. After all, butchery is a lowly profession, and renting the courtyard to such a person would not reflect well on the Zhou family. Moreover, the most critical issue is that if the other party were to slaughter pigs and sheep in the courtyard, it would not bode well for the family, especially since Aunt Wang is a devout Buddhist and a vegetarian, making it even more unacceptable.

Housekeeper Xu was once a person of some standing in Songjiang Prefecture, someone like Old Five, who is akin to a ne'er-do-well, would never have had the chance to interact with him. Although the Zhou family has fallen from grace now, Old Five feels quite pleased in his heart seeing Housekeeper Xu greet him with a smile. He grinned widely, revealing two rows of yellow teeth, and said: "Housekeeper Xu, you are too polite. I am just trying to make a living, so there is no need for thanks. However, this time I have found a big client!"

What he values most is the location of the Zhou residence, which is only two streets away from the vegetable market. If he can rent it, his future will be much easier. As for the rent, he does not care much about it; everyone in the market knows that his butcher stall, Wu, has the best business, and naturally, he earns the most money. A mere few rental fees are nothing in his eyes

It was precisely for this reason that Zhou Chong readily agreed after listening, and after a brief preparation, he arrived at Fengyou Teahouse, located not far from the vegetable market, an hour later. Fengyou Teahouse is quite famous in Songjiang Prefecture. The teahouse is divided into an upper and a lower floor. The lower floor serves as a hall, specifically for ordinary people to drink tea and chat, and it features a storytelling platform where storytellers narrate tales. The upper floor consists of private rooms and elegant seating, suitable for literati to compose poetry or for merchants to discuss business. Fengyou Teahouse is quite famous in Songjiang Prefecture. The teahouse is divided into an upper and a lower floor. The lower floor serves as a hall, specifically for ordinary people to drink tea and chat, and it features a storytelling platform where storytellers narrate tales. The upper floor consists of private rooms and elegant seating, suitable for literati to compose poetry or for merchants to discuss business.

After returning to the Zhou residence, Steward Xu excitedly approached Zhou Chong and recounted the matter of Butcher Wu's willingness to rent a house. As a person from a later generation, Zhou Chong held no significant taboos regarding slaughtering and certainly did not harbor any discrimination against butchers, after all, they merely killed pigs, not people

As Butler Xu turned around, he found that the speaker was a middle-aged man resembling a bamboo pole. The man was extremely thin, with a long face and deeply sunken cheeks. His small, green bean-sized eyes blinked incessantly, resembling those of a mouse. His eyebrows were also quite sparse, and the little hair he had was casually tied into a bun with a noodle, giving him a rather furtive and shifty appearance.