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

Chen Wanxing led the two into Nanshi.

Purchasing these everyday necessities went smoothly; Granny Li, with her rich experience in housekeeping, was most adept at these tasks. Although they were in different provinces, the prices of these items were roughly the same, and Yunzhu could also lend a hand.

They quickly bought all the necessary items, including iron pots, earthenware bowls, rice jars, water buckets, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and enough firewood for a month. They then directed the driver to load the items onto the cart and instructed, "We're not going to the inn; we're going straight back to the house."

When the carriage arrived at Baishi Lane, Chen Wanxing had the driver carry all the purchased items into the courtyard. Then she instructed Granny Li, "Granny, you stay here and do a preliminary sorting and arrangement of these items. Yunzhu and I will go out again; I've thought of a place to buy timber."

"Yes, don't worry, young lady." Granny Li understood immediately.

Chen Wanxing, with Yunzhu in tow, boarded the carriage again and told the driver, "Go to Yuelai Tea House in the west of the city."

Li Tai was indeed still in the teahouse, in the same spot as last time.

Chen Wanxing stepped forward, invited him aside, and frankly told him about his experiences in the timber business and his own predicament.

"Brother Li, we really don't want to suffer this injustice in silence. It's just that we've just arrived in Kaifeng, and we're unfamiliar with the place and the people there."

Brother Li, you have many friends. I wonder if you could ask one of your acquaintances, a constable, to help us think of any barren mountains nearby, and also recommend the village headman who lives in the nearest village. I think only villages like that might be able to stockpile timber.

If this succeeds, I will never forget Brother Li's help.

As she spoke, she discreetly handed over a small purse containing a tael or two of silver coins. "This is a small token of my appreciation. Please have a cup of tea with Brother Li, and use it as a small token of my appreciation."

"Miss Chen, you're too kind. Leave this to me. The constables in the yamen and I are sworn brothers. I guarantee they'll handle things perfectly for you."

Li Tai held the purse, feeling its weight, and was quite pleased. Thinking back to how pleasant his previous interaction with Chen Wanxing had been, he immediately made his decision:

"I know Zhang, the head of the yamen, very well. It just so happens that he's not on duty today. He usually oversees the tax collection in the villages around Kaifeng and is very familiar with the village heads. I'll take you to his house for a visit now."

Li Tai led Chen Wanxing and his servant through the streets and alleys to a small courtyard. Upon seeing Zhang Tou'er, Li Tai first bowed and then respectfully explained their purpose.

Zhang, dressed in casual clothes, sat upright in the main seat. After listening, he did not immediately agree. Instead, he frowned slightly and looked at Chen Wanxing:

"Miss Chen, not to be nosy, but if you're only making a few small pieces of furniture, the amount of wood you'll need isn't much. It's really more cost-effective to buy it from a lumberyard in the city. Although lumberyards are more expensive, it saves you time and effort."

"If you go to the village to get the materials yourself, not to mention the trouble of finding and identifying the materials, the cost of hiring a truck for transportation alone might not be cheap, and it would just be more of a hassle."

Chen Wanxing knew this was the key point. She stood up, bowed to Zhang, and calmly explained, "Brother Zhang, I am grateful for your thoughtfulness. However, what I need is not a small amount."

I just bought a house in the city; it's a courtyard house. I have to buy all the furniture from scratch.

Although this house is a single-courtyard dwelling, it has everything one would need. There are three main rooms, with the central room serving as the main hall. It needs a set of tables and chairs for entertaining guests, at least one eight-immortal table and four armchairs. There is also a canopy bed, wardrobe, dressing table, clothes rack, basin stand, as well as a desk, bookshelves, and round-backed chairs.

Chen Wanxing sighed softly, "If we calculate it roughly like this, it will take at least fifteen or sixteen pieces of wood. If we also gather all the furniture for the side rooms, storeroom, and kitchen, and make them sturdy and spacious, then all in all, it will probably take about twenty-three or twenty-four pieces of wood."

To be honest, I'm a little worried about whether one village can gather all the materials I need.

"I see." Zhang nodded. "Your demand is indeed large, and it would be more cost-effective to get the materials from the village yourself. Since Miss Chen has this idea, then I, Zhang, will help you with this favor."

Yangshutun, about twenty li west of the city, is a large village with nearly a thousand people. They should be able to gather the timber you need. The village head, Wang, is a fairly honest man, and the village is located near barren mountains, so timber prices are low. I'll take you to see him now.”

Zhang Tou'er led Chen Wanxing and his group to Yangshutun. Low mud-brick houses lined both sides of the dirt road, and several villagers were squatting under the shade of trees chatting.

Upon seeing Zhang Tou'er, dressed in official uniform and with an iron ruler at his waist, they all immediately stood up, their faces filled with awe.

"Hey Zhang, you're here?" A quick-witted young man ran over to greet him.

"Hmm, is your lord home?"

"Yes, yes, it's in the yard in front. I'll show you the way." The young man hurriedly led the way.

Soon, the group arrived at a house with blue bricks and tiles, where Wang, the village head, had already come out to greet them upon hearing the commotion.

He was a thin, fifty-something-year-old man with dark skin and a face etched with wrinkles, but his eyes revealed a shrewdness rarely seen in farmers.

Upon seeing Zhang, he immediately put on a warm yet somewhat reserved smile, cupped his hands, and said, "Oh, Zhang, what brings you here? Please come in, please come in."

His gaze swept quickly over Chen Wanxing, Li Tai, and Yunzhu behind Zhang Tou'er, his heart filled with doubt and unease.

The autumn grain harvest has already been handed over, so why is he here now? Is it because they're temporarily drawing people up for military service again this year?

The group was invited into the main room and seated according to their status as host and guests. Zhang, the head of the household, sat at the head of the table and went straight to the point: "Old Wang, this is Miss Chen from the city. She wants to buy some timber from your village to make furniture. She was introduced by Brother Li, so she's not an outsider. You'll have to give her a good price and help her pick out some good timber."

When Wang Lizheng heard that it wasn't about military service, he felt a little relieved. He secretly glanced at Chen Wanxing and thought to himself, "If Zhang Tou'er can bring her here personally, then this girl must be someone important."

He quickly cupped his hands to Chen Wanxing, his tone becoming even more polite: "So you are Miss Chen, my apologies for not recognizing you earlier. May I ask what kind of timber you need, and for what purpose? Our Yangshutun is located near the back mountain; we may not have much else, but we certainly don't lack timber."

Chen Wanxing rose, gave a slight nod in return, and said in a manner that was neither humble nor arrogant: "Greetings, Village Head Wang. I have just settled in Kaifeng Prefecture and need some wood to make furniture. The wood does not need to be precious; it just needs to be thoroughly dried, solid, and free from insects and borers. Beech or cypress are both fine."

Wang Lizheng listened carefully and felt somewhat relieved. It wasn't some rare or precious timber; the village had all of these kinds of materials. It seemed they weren't deliberately trying to cause trouble.

"The young lady needs to understand that some families in the village do indeed have some dried timber of this type stored." He paused, then tentatively asked, "But how much does the young lady need?"

"The required quantity is quite large, about thirty pieces. I want to prepare enough so that we don't have to come back again if we don't have enough."

Upon hearing this, Wang Lizheng's eyes lit up slightly. Thirty bolts of timber—that was indeed a considerable sum, enough to exchange for a large amount of silver, especially since they were right next to a barren mountain with plenty of timber.

However, they usually only chop some firewood and carry it to the city to sell. Now that someone has come to buy materials, it is a great thing for them, after all, it is free money.

His smile became more genuine: "Since the young lady was introduced by Zhang and is sincerely interested in buying, I, Old Wang, would never dare to deceive her. Here's what I'll do: I'll take the young lady to see the good materials stored in the village, and I'll set the fairest price for her."

The group then followed Wang Lizheng to several villagers' homes to inspect the timber.

It was only now that Chen Wanxing realized she had made a mistake. She should have found a carpenter in the city to come with her, so he could at least help her inspect the wood. She knew absolutely nothing about these types of wood.

But having come this far, Chen Wanxing had no choice but to bite the bullet and go up to examine it carefully himself, pretending to be very knowledgeable, observing the color, texture, and moisture content of the wood.

Finally, after browsing around the estate, Chen Wanxing finally selected the materials she needed. However, with Boss Wang watching over her, they probably wouldn't dare to fool her too much.

"Wang Lizheng, I am very satisfied with these timbers," Chen Wanxing said.

"The prices are as you stated: 200 cash per piece for pine and elm, 250 cash per piece for cypress, and 350 cash per piece for beech. In addition, I would like to trouble you to help me find a reliable foreman to transport these timbers to Baishi Lane in the south of the city tomorrow. I will pay for the transportation separately."

"The young lady is very straightforward. These are all minor matters; I'll take care of them." Wang Lizheng patted his chest to assure her, and the two parties immediately finalized all the details.

After the matter was settled, they bid farewell and returned to the city.

Things went smoothly today, and Chen Wanxing gave Wang Tou'er a small red envelope containing two taels of silver: "Brother Wang, thank you for your trouble today. This is just a small token of my appreciation. I hope you will continue to take care of me in the future."

After some initial refusals, Chief Wang accepted the gift. "Miss Chen, you're too kind. If you need anything in Kaifeng Prefecture in the future, please don't hesitate to ask!"

As Chen Wanxing sat in the carriage returning to the city, her mind was filled with turbulent thoughts.