A Maid's Survival Story in a Noble Family Mansion? Rich Landlords Are More Appealing.

After taking stock of his belongings and confirming that he would be able to live a life of comfort and security in this ancient society even if he did nothing for the rest of his life, a huge sense of relaxation enveloped Chen Wanxing.

She lay soundly on the not-so-soft bed in the inn for two whole days.

Aside from having her meals delivered, she almost never went downstairs. She was determined to make up for all the sleep and mental strain she had lost over the past decade.

On the morning of the third day, Chen Wanxing woke up naturally in the faint morning light shining through the window paper, feeling refreshed and full of long-lost vitality.

That persistent feeling of fatigue finally dissipated completely.

Chen Wanxing went downstairs to the counter. The shopkeeper saw that she looked radiant and more composed than two days ago, and her smile was more genuine.

"Did you rest well, young lady? What are your needs for today?"

"It's acceptable."

Chen Wanxing smiled and responded, taking out a suitable amount of loose silver and placing it on the counter. "Manager, please pay for another five days' room."

She had only prepaid for three days' accommodation, and now that she had decided to stay, she needed a stable place to stay to plan her next steps.

After paying, Chen Wanxing did not return to her room, politely declined the waiter's invitation to accompany her, and strolled out of the inn's main gate.

"Let's buy a house first."

This thought was crystal clear in her mind: she was tired of living under someone else's roof, both physically and in terms of her status.

As an orphan in her past life, Chen Wanxing longed more than anyone for a safe haven that belonged entirely to her, a place to shelter her from the storms of life. In this life, she finally has the ability to create one for herself.

She wandered aimlessly along the streets, needing to familiarize herself with the city's layout.

Where are the residences of high-ranking officials and nobles? Where are the gathering places of merchants? Where are the places where ordinary people can live in peace and where housing and land prices are relatively affordable?

She also needed to consider the convenience of water and land transportation, and the prices of rice, grain, firewood, and other necessities. She needed to have a clear understanding of all these things beforehand.

Chen Wanxing walked alone on the unfamiliar streets, feeling no sense of bewilderment at being alone in a foreign world, but only the excitement and certainty of a pioneer.

She has always been alone and has long been accustomed to thinking things through in advance and planning everything for herself.

After walking a short distance, Chen Wanxing felt a slight soreness in her calves, so she followed her earlier plan and went into a teahouse with a clean and tidy facade on the street corner.

She chose a quiet spot by the window and ordered a pot of local Mao Feng tea and two other dim sum dishes.

The warm, mellow tea soothed her fatigue. As she relaxed, she could clearly hear the conversations from the other tables.

At a table to the left sat two merchants dressed in silk robes. The fatter one took a sip of tea and sighed, "This batch of goods is a total loss. Transporting it from the south, the canal transporters alone skimmed off three layers of their hard-earned money. Once it reaches Kaifeng, the tax collectors will take another layer. Brother Wang, business is getting harder and harder."

The tall, thin man, addressed as Brother Wang, shook his head: "Who says otherwise? In this situation, we still need to find some connections to see if we can help smooth things over."

Before he could finish speaking, the murmur from the next table rose slightly, and a voice could be faintly heard...

"Have you heard about what happened at the Zhang family in the east of the city? Tsk tsk, the third concubine got into a fight over a jade bracelet, which angered the wife so much that she wanted to sell her off. I heard they even summoned Manager Liu from Xinglong Pawnbroking Company..."

As soon as the topic was raised, the tea drinkers at the nearby tables perked up their ears.

"Hey, that's nothing. I heard the other day in Taipei, two hooligans fought over a female singer, and one of them knocked out the other's front teeth in the street. Hey, that was quite a show!"

The group burst into laughter, and the topic veered off course.

……

Chen Wanxing listened silently, taking in both useful and useless information.

She wasn't in a hurry to inquire. Only when the waiter came to refill her water did she naturally look up, give a slight smile, hand over five copper coins, and ask in a moderate voice:

"Brother, I have a question for you. I'm new here and want to find a reliable broker to look after my house. I wonder which brokerage firm in Kaifeng has the best reputation and is the most trustworthy?"

Having received his tip, the clerk, seeing her polite attitude, also lowered his voice enthusiastically: "Miss, you've come to the right person. If you're talking about the oldest and most reputable brokerage, it has to be Xinglong Brokerage on South Street. It's a decades-old establishment, and they never cheat anyone, young or old. Then there's Dexin Brokerage in West Market. The owner used to work in the government, so he has connections and is a very honest person."

"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Er." Chen Wanxing nodded and made a note of it.

Chen Wanxing received the definite news at the teahouse and felt at ease. Instead of rushing to the pawnshop, she leisurely finished the pot of Mao Feng tea and all the tea and snacks before getting up to pay the bill.

After leaving the teahouse, she did not head towards South Street, but went straight back to Laifu Inn.

Back in her room, after washing her face with warm water, Chen Wanxing tidied her hair, which had become slightly disheveled from walking, and changed into a more dignified lake-blue dress. She looked at herself in the bronze mirror, making sure she appeared composed and appropriate, neither ostentatious nor shabby.

After tidying up, she went to the counter and said to the shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper, I have a favor to ask. I need to go to Xinglong Pawnshop on South Street. I wonder if the shop could hire a reliable carriage for me?"

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper immediately put on a smile.

This kind of work, arranging transportation for guests, is something their innkeepers often do, and they often get a small commission as extra income.

"Please wait a moment, young lady. We'll arrange it for you right away. We'll find a familiar and reliable driver." After saying this, the shopkeeper turned to his head and whispered a message to a quick-witted waiter.

The waiter acknowledged the order and trotted out. He returned shortly after, reporting, "Manager, young lady, the carriage has been hired and is waiting outside."

Chen Wanxing nodded, gave the errand boy a few extra copper coins, and then left the inn under the boy's attentive guidance.

A nearly new blue-curtained carriage was parked at the entrance. The mule pulling the carriage looked very energetic, and the driver was a man in his forties, dressed neatly. When he saw people coming out, he quickly put down the footstool and stood respectfully with his hands at his sides.

Chen Wanxing, holding his arm, gracefully bent down and entered the car. In just over fifteen minutes, the car came to a smooth stop.

The coachman respectfully greeted from outside, "Miss, we've arrived at Xinglong Brokerage."

Chen Wanxing responded and stepped out of the carriage. She stood on the side of the street, straightened her sleeves slightly, and then looked up at the shop in front of her.

The plaque of "Xinglong Brokerage" has a black background and gold lettering, which looks quite impressive. The people coming in and out of the door are well-dressed and have a calm demeanor.

Chen Wanxing took a deep breath, calmed all her thoughts, and regained the gentle yet aloof calm expression she had developed during her time at the Marquis's residence. Then she stepped steadily inside.