e glared at her. Unfortunately, his eyelid wouldn't obey and almost flipped up and down...Not long after, the Li family favored Mrs. Tao Hongying was promoted to be the cook for both the madam and th...The carriage rumbled through the streets and alleys, finally arriving at Ping'an Alley in the southern part of the city. At the entrance of the alley stood a small teahouse.

A thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy was peering out the door of the teahouse. When Jia Ren jumped down from his carriage, the boy grinned and approached him, slapping him on the back.

"I thought I wouldn't see you until I got to the academy. I didn't expect you to come find me first. But why didn't you go to my house You left in a hurry that day, was there something going on at home"

This young man is Jia Ren's good friend from the same dormitory, named Lei Bolin. He is naturally cheerful and optimistic, and often follows Jia Ren to eat and drink for free. They get along very well.

But Jia Ren found it difficult to tell his mother had passed away, after all, it involved too many things, and he couldn't explain them clearly for a while.

He then laughed and said, “School starts soon. Let’s get together again when the time comes. I actually have something to ask you for help today!”

Jiarren smiled and responded, before Lei Bolin could ask again, Lao Er Li and Mr. Wen also got out of the carriage.

Jia Ren quickly introduced them, saying that one of the two was his father and the other was his teacher. Lei Bolin immediately performed a courteous bow.

Li La Er patted his shoulder with a smile, "Young Master, Jia Ren said your uncle is a middleman, with quite a few good yards in his hands. We came to bother you today!"

"Uncle, please be polite. My childhood friend and I are classmates. Just call me Bolin," said Lei Bolin as he bowed again. Then, speaking of his uncle, a hint of pride appeared on his face. "My uncle is indeed the best mediator in our entire southern city area. Neighbors always seek his help when they have problems."

Speaking of, a real estate agent in China is essentially a middleman who facilitates the buying and selling of properties. Their title sounds more polite than "matchmaker" for human trafficking, but they still belong to the lower social strata.

Leibolin studied at the academy, his status noble and distinguished. Yet, he held no disdain for this lowly uncle, a rare display of understanding and reasonableness.

Li Lao'er and Mr. Wen exchanged glances, both satisfied with their good friend Jiarren.

Soon, Lei Bolin led them down a narrow alley behind the teahouse.

The alley was very clean, with three houses on each side of the bluestone road. Each house had a stone slab in front, polished very smooth, showing that many people sat there chatting every day.

At the end of the alley, facing south, was a small courtyard where Lei Bolin's uncle Sun Fu and his family lived.

Having heard that Lao Er Li and the others were classmates of his nephew, Sun Fu was very enthusiastic and quickly invited everyone into the house for tea and snacks. A smile spread across his face almost like a blooming flower.

He's eaten decades more salt than his nephew, so his vision is naturally "too poisonous."

Although Li Lao'er and Mr. Wen weren't dressed in silks, their clothes were made of excellent fabric and finely crafted, definitely not the attire of ordinary people.

He secretly made up his mind to do his best today and help out. He couldn't let his nephew lose face, and who knows, he might even make some connections that would be beneficial in the future.

Li Lao Er is looking for a small courtyard. It doesn't have to be too big, but there should be several houses. He wants friendly neighbors and ideally something close to the east side of the city. He's become even more certain about this idea.

Because Kyoto chose to establish its new capital in Heijo-kyo, there was a significant reason: Heijo-kyo had an imperial villa.

During the former emperor's reign, he came down to the south for an inspection and stayed here for a long time. The imperial palace was built very delicately, entirely in the style of a Jiangnan water town, occupying the entire eastern part of the city.

Or to be more precise, back then, the territory of Jizhou Prefecture was only as large as what's now north of the city. Because a palace was built in the southeast direction, people gradually settled there, which led to the formation of southern and western parts of the city. In the end, it evolved into its current form.

The Li family wanted to buy a courtyard, and it had to be close to the eastern part of the city. This meant that someone from the Li family needed to frequently enter the palace and at least visit the six government offices often.

Such a golden thigh, it's really rare. Don't worry about anything else, just hug first and talk later.

"Mr. Li Er and Mr. Wen, it's truly a coincidence that you two are here. We've been planning to sell this house for some time now. The homeowner is getting older with no children, so he's planning to go live with his nephew. As we've been longtime neighbors and have always gotten along well, the homeowner hesitates to leave. If Mr. Li Er finds this alley agreeable, I'll immediately help inquire about it."

Before Li Laoer could speak, Lei Bolin had already grabbed Jia Ren's arm and exclaimed excitedly, "Haha, Jia Ren, from now on we'll be neighbors! When the academy is on holiday, we can go back together."

Jiarren also smiled, but said: "I bought the yard for a place to stay when I take my exams in the future. For the next two years, I'm afraid I can't move in yet."

Leibolin was a little disappointed, but luckily Jiaren added, "But in the past two years, I'll be coming here often."

Then Le Bolin perked up again, rattling off about interesting places nearby and which restaurants served the best food.

Sun Fu sighed inwardly, thinking that his nephew was already quite good, but compared to this young man from the Li family, he was still a notch below.

At least he's not as steady and well-organized as others.

Li Lao Er thought about it for a moment, then agreed to Mr. Wen's offer. They had arrived in one hour by carriage.

Moreover, this alley is a place of peace amidst the hustle and bustle, convenient to enter and exit, and the neighbors are also good. It should be difficult to find such a place again.

He made up his mind and asked Sun Fu to help inquire.

As a result, in just a moment, Sun Fu came back smiling and led them to see the courtyard.

The elderly couple selling their courtyard loved scholars. Hearing that it was a young master from Lu'an Academy who wanted to buy the courtyard, they immediately agreed.

At this moment, the two of them warmly greeted everyone as they strolled around the front and back yards.

At the front of the courtyard are two storefronts, rented to a young couple who run a grocery store. However, the shop is not connected to the backyard, which effectively ensures privacy for both parties' daily lives.

The main house has three rooms, with two wing rooms on each side. The side rooms can be used as storerooms and kitchens.

On the left side of the main house is a moon gate leading to a small half-garden behind it. A well was dug in the corner, and some flowers and plants were planted. A back door was opened to allow for daily access.

Li La Er almost immediately took a liking to it.

There are plenty of rooms, so when family comes to visit, there's a place for them to stay. The storefront in front can be closed up later, and it would also be convenient to run a small business from home.

The elderly couple was well acquainted with Sun Fu, and after Li Lao'er assured them that he would take good care of the courtyard where they had lived for half their lives, they agreed on a price of five hundred and fifty taels.

This price, compared to before, is much more expensive.

But now this place is a new district, suddenly too many people have moved in, house prices are all going up, and these prices are reasonable.

Li Lao Er immediately made up his mind, and even took advantage of the fact that the government office had not yet sent officials to change the deed, writing it under Jia Ren's name.

Before dusk enveloped the whole city, this small courtyard belonged to Jiaren.

Lei Bolin gaped in admiration, clamoring for Jia Ren to treat everyone to a delicious meal, causing everyone to laugh.

The elderly couple still needs to pack their things, so please ask the Li family to stay for one more day.

Li Laoer, of course, agreed and instructed them to take their time packing; there was no need to rush. However, Mr. Wen should move in immediately so he could be ready for court the next day.

The old couple never expected that the always quiet and gentle Mr. Wen was actually a high-ranking imperial censor! They were shocked and quickly cleaned up a guest room, eager to help him settle in.

Mr. Wen didn't decline, nor did he even offer a polite word to Li La Er.

Previously, as they alighted from the carriage, Li Laoer said he wanted to buy a courtyard, preparing for his nephew's future exam. He immediately guessed it was an excuse.

Actually, the Li family bought the courtyard to give him a place to stay.

If he declines, wouldn't that ruin the Li family's goodwill towards him

You have to know, even his biological parents didn't do this, but the Li family did. For him, how precious is that.

A thousand words of thanks are no match for keeping them in your heart. Time will tell, and I'll repay your kindness slowly but surely.

Afterward, the Li family would be his second home...e original chef from Sihai Ju. He bought his contract and wasn't afraid of new recipes being leaked. Mother will help for ten or half a month, teach them the new dishes, and then Mother will go home t...