A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 27 Rent
"Gentlemen, please, good fruit and good tea are waiting for you!"

When Li Yu came to the original Qing teahouse, it was still very lively. He walked to the door, pointed to the signboard at the door and said to Xiaoer, "What does the 'Mingqian Gonglong' hanging on it mean?"

Xiao Er saw the distinguished guest, and hurriedly greeted him: "Guest officer, you are a real connoisseur, this is the best Hangzhou Longjing in our store."

Immediately he recognized Li Yu: "I seem to have seen the guest officer before."

"I have a good memory." Li Yu smiled and walked into the teahouse, and immediately saw the three bannermen back then.

However, after scanning around, he didn't see the tooth merchant's melon skin hat. He didn't know if he came at the wrong time, so he temporarily sat on the empty table next to the three bannermen.

Li Yu's attire this time was more formal: the palace gave him two high-end silk clothes, which were obviously different from the crowd in the teahouse.

The man with the white flag called Lao Yu leaned over his head and asked, "Where does this young man work, why haven't I seen him on weekdays?"

Li Yudao: "My lord, Li Yu, is currently serving in Prince Qing's residence."

"Oops!" Old Yu said in surprise, "Prince Qing's Mansion is amazing! No wonder I see that the young master is full of vigor, energy, vitality, and vigor!"

Li Yu quickly waved his hand: "Master, stop and stop, you're exaggerating too much! I take the liberty to ask your name."

"Me! I won't mention my surname, I'll lose the face of my ancestors! If I use my first name, I'll call it Yu Qian."

"Uncle Yu!?" Li Yu also exclaimed, "No wonder you speak so sharply!"

Old Yu was stunned: "Have you heard of me?"

"I've heard of it! Do you have three major hobbies, smoking, drinking, hot...hot baths?"

Li Yu's eyes drifted past his shiny forehead, and he changed his mouth completely.His nickname is really interesting too.

"Oh, you're right, how do you know?"

Li Yu laughed and said, "The whole of China knows about it!"

Then he called out to the shop waiter loudly: "Give Uncle Yu a pot of the best Mingqian Gonglong in your shop!"

Lao Yu was a little at a loss: "Hey, young master, I don't know where to put my old face. How do you know my name? And serve such a good tea, really, really... I don't know what to say !"

Li Yu joked, "Don't be ignorant of what to say. If you say a few more words, it will cost you more than the tea money."

"Thank you so much, Master!"

Xiao Er's movements were very quick, and he brought it up quickly. It was really different when the money was in place: ordinary tea is served in a teacup, but this time it was served directly in a tureen.The service is also in place, Xiao Er personally filled the tea for several people, "The guest officials are slow to use, and they need to refill the water to greet them at any time."

Old Yu blew on the tea leaves, and asked tentatively, "Master, are you here for something?"

Li Yu said, "I'm looking for the dentist I met last time."

"It's just such a small matter? Why don't you tell me sooner!" Lao Yu yelled into the store: "Cui Laosan, don't sleep! Come out, there are distinguished guests!"

"Old Yutou, what are you talking about!"

The curtain of the back hall was lifted, and a familiar melon hat appeared in front of Li Yu.

"Yo! Isn't this the old man from before? Why are you here again?"

Cui Laosan also often went to the rivers and lakes, and immediately saw that Li Yu was wearing unusual clothes: the silk jacket alone cost at least 2 taels of silver, which ordinary people could not afford to wear.

Li Yu arched his hands and said, "I want to rent a house. I wonder if your Excellency is in this business?"

"Do it! Of course!" Cui Laosan took off his melon skin hat and sat next to Li Yu, "We also do Fang Xian's job."

In the late Qing Dynasty, those who specialize in real estate intermediaries were called "lafangxian". Like now, the commission was higher than ordinary intermediary sales, so Cui Laosan was extremely enthusiastic.

"What location and price do you want to rent?"

"Near the east of the city, preferably between Heshuo and Princess Jia's Mansion and the Prime Minister's Office."

Li Yu had inquired with Ding Weiliang that the Imperial University Hall had already been located in Heshuo and Princess Jia's mansion.

Princess Hejia is the daughter of Emperor Qianlong, and she is the prototype of Ziwei in "Huan Zhu Ge Ge". After her death, the Ministry of Internal Affairs took back the Princess Mansion, and now it is going to be used to open the Imperial University.

Lao Yu was also listening, and immediately gave a thumbs up: "Master Li is really outstanding. There are many officials living in that area, and they are very expensive."

Cui Laosan took out a booklet from his bosom, flipped through it for a while and said, "Yes, sir, come and see, what about the Zhonglao Hutong? It's right next to the Princess Mansion, and it's very grand. The yard, 38 rooms, and the monthly rent is only 50 yuan.”

In the late Qing Dynasty, the "room" used for houses was not a house in the modern sense. At that time, "one room" referred to the space between two pillars.

For example: some houses have rows of pillars in the middle, so the house is divided into 2 rooms; if there are two rows of pillars, there are naturally 3 rooms.

Therefore, the house Cui Laosan mentioned is 18 independent houses according to modern terms.

Li Yu shook his head: "It's too expensive."

Cui Laosan looked again: "Also, Laku Hutong, 10 rooms, is also very close, this one is cheap."

Li Yu took a sip of tea, still shook his head and said, "It's too small, is there a courtyard house with only one entrance."

"Siheyuan" is purely what Li Yu used to say. There was no such word at that time, but there was a saying of "sihefang", which means a courtyard with houses on all sides.

Fortunately, Cui Laosan understood what Li Yu meant, and said, "Of course there is! This place is very suitable, Dongchang Hutong, the location is excellent, just as soon as you enter the courtyard, there are 24 rooms, and the monthly rent is 25 yuan."

Li Yu almost spit out his tea, "Where are you talking about? Dongchang Hutong?"

"Yes, Dongchang Hutong was an incredible place in the previous dynasty!"

"Dongchang, I must know..."

Cui Laosan spoke quickly: "That's fine, Mr. Li, it's the most suitable place for you to live here!"

Li Yu always felt that there was something wrong with what he said, but fortunately, Cui Laosan went on to say:
"This house has had champions in the past, and you scholars must like it! The current Chief Minister of Military Aircraft, Rong Zhongtang, also lives in Dongchang Hutong. What does that mean? It means that this place has good geomantic omen, can produce stars in Wenqu, and has a good career! And the price is not high now. , In the past, this kind of location and this kind of house cost at least 30 yuan, but now you can rent it for 25 yuan!"

Li Yu felt pretty good, but when he was about to ask how to rent it, Uncle Yu who was next to him shouted angrily:
"Okay! Old San Cui, stop fooling Master Li!" Then Lao Yu said to Li Yu, "Master Li, don't listen to the hype he said! People have died in this house!"

"Human life?" Li Yu asked hastily.

Old Yu said: "Yes! I know this house, and it was true that there was a champion in the past, and it was Chongqi, the former Minister of Officials! But when Gengzi was in trouble, the whole family committed suicide together!"

"And this!"

Although Li Yu knew about Chongqi, he didn't know that this house belonged to his family.

Chongqi, as the only bannerman champion in the Qing Dynasty, was greatly valued.When Gengzi was in disaster, he and Ronglu were in Baoding.But his son stayed in the city, and when the city was broken, because he was afraid of being humiliated, he led the whole family to commit suicide and die for the country.

Chongqi was an old man in her 70s, so she couldn't stand seeing such a scene when she went back, and she hanged herself after writing her suicide note.

There were not a few ministers who committed suicide and died for the country that year, but the Empress Dowager Cixi they were loyal to had already fled to Xi'an.

(End of this chapter)