Mrs. Hu was utterly dissatisfied with the courtyard, declaiming indignantly, "This place is terrible. After all, we are landowners now, we run a business, and we are even relatives of the Senator. Living here with poor folks, it's a shame not only for us but also for Mr. Chu."
By midday, the Chen Shi had taken them for a meal at a small restaurant, and then they paid a visit to Chen Ming's residence.
This house was closer to Houbei Street, and it was just over a quarter of an hour's walk to Chen Shi's and Wang Cheng's homes—it was situated in between their residences. If they bought it, Mrs. Wang would surely be pleased.
The house was relatively new—divided into three parts with a guest room, a screen wall, a main court, wing rooms, and a back-cover room. There was even a rockery in the courtyard...
The asking price was not low either, at 580 taels of silver. After a lot of haggling, they came down to a minimum of 530 taels.
Chen Ming liked it, but the price was indeed hefty.
