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

With a beaming smile, Granny Wang finalized the house viewing arrangements and then eagerly gestured, "Miss, the carriages are ready and waiting at the door."

Chen Wanxing nodded slightly and led Li Mama and Yunzhu downstairs. Sure enough, there was a carriage parked in front of the inn, which looked cleaner and more spacious than the usual ones they hired.

Most rental shops use mule carts or donkey carts, and horse-drawn carriages are rarely seen. This horse-drawn carriage must be maintained by the brokerage firm itself with its own money. As expected of the largest brokerage firm in Kaifeng Prefecture, it is indeed very generous.

Upon seeing the people emerge, the driver immediately placed the footrests and pulled back the carriage curtain.

Granny Wang stepped forward first and personally lifted the carriage curtain: "Miss, please be careful and get in the carriage."

Chen Wanxing bent down and went inside, finding that the interior of the car was decorated with great care. The seats were covered with clean cotton cushions, and a small table was fixed in the middle with two plates of exquisite snacks and a plate of fresh fruit on it. There was even a pot of tea next to it.

"Thank you for your trouble, Granny."

Chen Wanxing sat down in the main seat and greeted Wang Mama politely. Li Mama and Yunzhu also quietly sat down in the lower seats.

Granny Wang sat near the carriage curtain, her face displaying the shrewdness typical of a businesswoman: "Miss, you're too kind. This is all only right."

I received your message, so I spent the whole night sifting through all the courtyards in Kaifeng Prefecture that met your requirements, and carefully selected several of the best ones.

Let's take our time today, carefully selecting one to make sure you find the perfect one for yourself.

The carriage began to move shakily, traveling through the streets. Granny Wang didn't stop talking either, subtly adding fuel to the fire:

"The place we'll visit first is in Qingliu Lane. It was originally the villa of a scholar who passed the imperial examination. It was truly magnificent, with its carved beams and painted rafters, it couldn't be more dignified."

"I dare say, in all of Kaifeng, you absolutely won't find a better house for the same price."

Chen Wanxing listened quietly, occasionally taking a sip of tea without saying a word. She didn't touch the snacks, only gesturing to Granny Li and Yunzhu that they could try some.

Granny Li symbolically took a small piece, while Yunzhu looked at the exquisite pastry with curiosity in her eyes, carefully picked up a piece, and ate it in small bites.

Chen Wanxing's gaze swept past the swaying carriage curtain, looking at the flowing street scene outside, and a sense of real anticipation arose in her heart for the mansion she was about to see.

As a seller, Wang Mama could boast as much as she wanted, but she had her own set of standards in her heart.

About fifteen minutes later, the carriage slowly came to a stop. "Miss, we've arrived."

Granny Wang stepped out of the carriage first, her voice filled with confidence. "This is the fine house in Qingliu Lane. Please get out and take a look."

This was originally the villa of the Su family, who were scholars in the city. After the scholar was promoted and took his family to his new post, the house became vacant. I'm asking you, sir, to find a suitable buyer.

With the help of Granny Li, Chen Wanxing stepped down from the carriage and looked up to see a large black lacquered gate that revealed its grand interior.

Small stone drums also stand on both sides, giving it an imposing presence.

Pushing open the gate, one is greeted by a spacious front yard paved with blue bricks. In front of it is the main hall for receiving guests, with upturned eaves and intricate floral patterns carved on the window frames.

Passing through the hall, there is a larger backyard with three main rooms and symmetrical east and west wing rooms. Several old flowers and trees are also scattered in the yard.

Granny Wang led them along the way, introducing things as she went, her tone tinged with pride.

Chen Wanxing walked slowly, her gaze calmly sweeping over every corner. This house was indeed excellent, with solid materials and exquisite workmanship, revealing the wealth and taste of its original owner in every detail.

Granny Li nodded slightly. From a professional point of view, she couldn't find anything wrong with it, but she whispered a reminder: "Miss, the scale of this house is a bit too high. Daily maintenance, just cleaning and sweeping, is a big deal."

Yunzhu dared not even breathe, feeling that the courtyard was just like the Jade Palace in the old paintings, so bright it was dazzling.

Chen Wanxing didn't speak. The house was beautiful, but as she walked inside, she felt like a guest who had wandered in by mistake, rather than the owner.

She had already ruled out this house in her mind, but she didn't show it on her face. She simply said to Granny Wang, "Thank you for your trouble, Granny. Let's go see the next place."

Seeing her expression, Granny Wang's heart skipped a beat. This reaction was not as enthusiastic as she had expected. She quickly smiled and said, "Alright, alright, let's go now. The next place is nearby. It's a two-courtyard house. Although it's not as grand as this place, it's still very well-organized."

The second residence is located in Yulin Lane, and its facade is much simpler than the first one.

Once inside, it was indeed as Granny Wang had said, a standard two-courtyard layout, with a front yard, main hall, back yard, main house, and side rooms all present. The buildings were quite old, with slightly mottled paint, but overall they were clean and sturdy, and an old locust tree in the courtyard cast a large shade.

"The previous owners of this house were an honest and law-abiding family, and they took good care of it," Granny Wang explained.

Chen Wanxing looked around. This house seemed quite pleasing to the eye, and she felt much more comfortable than the first one. But living alone, she still felt a bit empty.

After carefully inspecting the house, Granny Li reported back, "Miss, the main structure of the house is fine; it's just some routine maintenance work."

Seeing that she still didn't express her opinion, Granny Wang became a little unsure and tentatively asked, "Miss, is there something you don't like?"

"No, I think this one is pretty good," Chen Wanxing finally stated clearly, "but aren't there a few other places? I want to see them all before I decide."

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Granny Wang's face as she rubbed her hands together. "To be honest, Miss, there aren't many places in the east of the city that meet your requirements. The rest aren't in this area."

There is another courtyard here, but it is located in a remote area and has been in disrepair for many years, so it is quite dilapidated.

But this house is very large, almost like a two-courtyard house. I wonder if you would like to take a look at it while you're there? I wasn't originally planning to take you, afraid it would be an eyesore."

Her words piqued Chen Wanxing's curiosity: "It's alright, it won't take much time. Since we're here, let's go take a look."

So the carriage headed to an even more secluded corner in the east of the city. The door of the third house was crooked and creaked when pushed open. A musty and dusty smell wafted out.

The three main houses in the courtyard looked dilapidated, with broken windows and missing roof tiles. Because no one had lived there for a long time, the ground was almost covered with weeds.

But as Granny Wang said, the courtyard was surprisingly large. The front yard was even more spacious than the regular two-courtyard house, and the back yard was also very spacious.

In the corner, there was an old well half-covered by a stone slab, and next to it, there were several wild fruit trees.

It is dilapidated and desolate, but it possesses a wild, primal vitality.

Chen Wanxing's heart stirred when she saw this, but she was currently staying at an inn and had nowhere to stay. It would take more than a few days to manage this house.

Wang Mama hadn't really expected anything from this house, but seeing that Chen Wanxing remained silent, she immediately said:

"Miss, how about we go to the south of the city? There are two small courtyards there, quite well-maintained."

"Let's go take a look," Chen Wanxing said without hesitation.

The carriage traveled through most of the city and arrived at White Stone Lane in the south. The streets here were noticeably narrower than those in the east of the city, but also much quieter.

The place is called Baishi Lane, but there are two large willow trees at the entrance of the lane, which look like they have been there for many years.

This third residence is hidden deep within a white stone alley. The vermilion wooden door appears rather flimsy; pushing it open reveals a small courtyard.

To the left is the kitchen and storage room, in front are three main rooms, and to the right is a small side room; you can see the whole thing at a glance.

The yard was spotless, and three small vegetable plots had been cultivated in the left corner of the yard. A row of loofahs was planted along the wall, and the trellis was neatly arranged, without a trace of mess.

In the right corner of the courtyard, there was only one old pomegranate tree, its branches and leaves lush and casting a pleasant shade. Under the pomegranate tree, there was also a stone table, its shape somewhat irregular, looking as if it had been carved by hand.

The entire courtyard is compactly laid out with no wasted space, yet it doesn't feel cramped at all; instead, it exudes a warm and peaceful atmosphere.

As soon as Chen Wanxing stepped inside, she felt a strange sense of relaxation. Every inch of space here was within easy reach, with no unnecessary corners.

She could almost immediately picture herself living there: living in the main house, using the side rooms as a study, and sunbathing in the courtyard.

Chen Wanxing's steps unconsciously became lighter. She went into the main room to take a look, and then went to the side rooms and the kitchen. The more she looked, the more satisfied she became.

Granny Li carefully inspected the condition of the house and nodded in satisfaction. She whispered, "Miss, although this house is not luxurious, it is solidly built and well-maintained. It can be moved into after a little cleaning. It's excellent."

Yunzhu looked at the small courtyard with delight, feeling more at ease than any of the large houses she had seen before.

Seeing that Chen Wanxing finally showed a genuine smile, Granny Wang felt a great weight lifted from her heart and quickly stepped forward, smiling as she said:

"Young lady, what do you think of this courtyard? Although it's a single courtyard, it's small but complete, and quiet. It's perfect for a refined person like you."

Chen Wanxing was already tempted; this was almost exactly the kind of cozy yet tidy little nest she had always dreamed of, one that felt incredibly safe.

Observing their expressions, Granny Wang felt confident that she had succeeded this time. She didn't mention showing them the rest of the sights, but instead smiled and said, "If you like this place, young lady, shall we go back and discuss it in detail?"

"Alright, thank you for leading the way, Granny. This place is acceptable. Let's go back."