The attic connects the past and present; I became a tycoon and got rich overnight!

Chapter 13 The foremost master of seven-character poems, Liu Fengyan!

"It is my honor that the cake suits your taste, Miss."

Song Youan calmed herself down and said softly, "There's no need for double the price. I will try my best to make more and sell the surplus to you, Miss. But please keep this a secret from others. I just want to do business honestly and don't want to offend anyone."

"Of course." Zhu Ling nodded, then instructed the maid, "Go and bring me the pearl earring from my jewelry box and give it to Miss Song."

The wording this time was different from yesterday's; Zhu Ling used the word "gift" instead of "reward".

These two words mean "thank you".

Song Youan couldn't help but recall what Miss Li had told her yesterday: "Although Miss Zhu Ling is a bit arrogant, she is not a bad person."

“Miss, I don’t want these material things today. I just have a favor to ask for your help with,” Song You’an said, standing up and bowing her head.

"Oh?" Zhu Ling raised an eyebrow, looking at her with interest: "What difficulties does Miss Song have?"

After pondering for a moment, Song You'an said, "It's not so much a difficulty, but I want to buy a property in Kyoto. I've been strolling around Kyoto these past few days and found an abandoned mansion in Fuhua Lane on Dongyang Street. The main gate has a plaque that reads 'Manor House,' and it's also sealed by the government. I wonder who originally lived in this mansion? Is it possible for a commoner like me to buy it?"

This sealed-off manor house, with a small storeroom in the corner of the backyard inside, is the door through which she travels between the two time periods.

The mansion had been abandoned for a long time, overgrown with weeds and in a dilapidated state. When Song You'an first came, she went out through a gap in the collapsed wall at the back. Later, when she went around to the front gate, she found that the mansion had been sealed off.

She has to find a way to buy this house, otherwise it would be terrible if it suddenly became someone else's home one day.

However, she didn't know much about buying and selling houses in Dazhao, especially since this house was sealed off, which clearly meant it had been confiscated by the imperial court.

Upon hearing Song Youan's words, Zhu Ling blurted out, "You mean the Zhuang family? Three years ago, the entire family was exiled because of a rebellious poem by the second son of the Zhuang family, and all their property, including the house, was confiscated by the imperial court."

“It’s not difficult for Miss Song to get that house, but I have to remind you that the location of this manor is indeed good, but why has no one bought it in three years? To put it bluntly, everyone thinks the manor is unlucky.”

“It’s alright. I’m just a commoner, and no one in my family wants to take the imperial examinations to get official positions, so I don’t care about this,” Song You’an said.

“Alright, this is easy to handle. All the confiscated property deeds in Kyoto will be managed by Wufangsi. A friend of my second brother holds real power here. I'll just have someone put in a good word for me.”

Zhu Ling readily agreed; in her eyes, this kind of simple matter of speaking was not a troublesome thing.

Moreover, Fuhua Lane is very close to her Fuyang Marquis's residence. If Miss Song really settles down here in the future, it will be much easier for her to eat cake.

"Thank you for your help, Miss. I wonder how much silver a house like the Zhuang family's would cost?" Song You'an asked.

Zhu Ling chuckled upon hearing this: "If anyone is willing to buy such an unlucky place, our Housing Bureau is already burning incense in gratitude. It won't be that expensive. However, since no one has lived there for three years, and the house was ransacked during the confiscation, it's probably in a terrible state. Repairing it will likely cost more money than buying it."

"But you don't need to worry, young lady. Just this deal with Sister Chu You in half a month will be enough for you to settle down in the capital. After all, it's a full thousand taels."

With Zhu Ling's words, Song Youan felt much more at ease.

It was noon when she left the Marquis of Fuyang's residence. Instead of rushing back, she found a popular restaurant on Chang'an Street and planned to have lunch in Dazhao.

The restaurant was almost full, with the names of various dishes engraved on wooden plaques and hung on the walls. Many of these dishes were so elaborate that a single meal in later generations would take at least ten years to prepare.

"Braised bear paw".

"Poached young chicken." "Braised crows."

"Three Delicacies Osmanthus Soup".

Since she was alone, Song Youan decided to order only three dishes and a soup, keeping to her budget.

"Manager, are there really no other rooms available?"

"Young master, this is truly the only superior room left!"

"Shopkeeper, please give us a discount. We've come all the way from Huainan, and we don't have much money left."

"Gentlemen, as you know, the imperial examinations are just around the corner, and candidates from all over the Great Zhao have been flocking to the capital these days. All the inns have raised their prices. I'm here to do business, so why don't you two go and look at other places?"

Song Youan was waiting for the food to be served when she saw two scholars carrying books on their backs haggling with the shopkeeper at the counter. Because she was close by, she could hear them clearly.

It turns out that this time of year is the time for the imperial examinations in the Great Zhao Dynasty, which explains why there are so many scholars-looking people on the street.

"Brother Fengyan, what should we do? If we use all the money we have to stay at the inn, how will we get back?" the shorter scholar said anxiously.

The other person was thin and tall. Hearing this, he said, "The imperial examination is of utmost importance. It would be a shame to let poor rest affect the results. Besides, we have been searching all the way. The imperial examination is a special period, and all the inns are full. If we give up this one, we might really have to sleep on the streets."

The two carefully took out the last of their loose silver coins from their pockets, which, even after piecing them together, amounted to less than two taels.

"Only enough for three days." The short scholar was on the verge of tears.

Fortunately, we'll try it on the fourth day.

"We'll figure out another way to eat."

The two men gritted their teeth, as if they had made a great decision. However, just as they were about to pay, Song You'an suddenly appeared behind them and cautiously asked, "May I ask if you are Liu Fengyan from Huainan?"

The two turned around and looked at the beautiful woman with surprise.

Liu Fengyan's eyes shifted from shock to confusion. After a moment of stunned silence, he asked, "Does the young lady recognize me? May I ask who you are...?"

"My surname is Song. Young Master Liu does not know me, but I have long admired your name." Song You'an was excited but calmly said, "Young Master Liu's poem 'Falling Over the Nine Provinces: Remembering the Spring Sunshine of Huainan in March,' written on the banks of the Huainan River, is exceptionally talented. I have heard of it in the capital. I just overheard the conversation between the two gentlemen. This gentleman addressed you as Brother Fengyan and is from Huainan, so I dared to ask him."

Liu Fengyan was the top scholar in the imperial examination in the 24th year of the Dazhao era. He wrote nearly a thousand poems in his lifetime and was already quite famous before he participated in the imperial examination.

Song Youan studied his classical Chinese poems throughout elementary, middle, high school, and even university. His seven-character quatrains were particularly outstanding, earning him the title of the number one seven-character quatrain writer!

"I see, Miss Song, you flatter me." Liu Fengyan returned the greeting with a cupped hand. Song Youan's praise brought him a sense of comfort in his current predicament.

Song Youan smiled slightly and turned to the shopkeeper behind the counter, saying, "Please trouble you, shopkeeper. These two young masters will take the remaining superior room. I will pay for it."

"Miss Song, this is absolutely impossible!" Liu Fengyan exclaimed in shock, instinctively refusing.

The character Liu Fengyan is a fictional character created by the author; please do not compare him to any historical figure.

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(End of this chapter)