Degenerate Father is a Good Father (4)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by Anon and Madam Daim! Thank you for sponsoring!
The people in the room were all frightened. Du old madam patted her chest and said, "How, how can there be wolves? Heavens, there's actually wolves in the house! No, no, what happens if someone gets bit? These wild beasts all just bite people on instinct!"
"Mother, this matter, I better discuss with master, how can wolves remain in the home, this....." Zhong Mei Qing also was somewhat afraid. They were all just weak and feeble women, just thinking of that terrifying wild beast living in a courtyard with them made their hearts jump to their throat.
"Alright, we'll......"
"Grandmother, grandmother, don't panic. Silver and Gold won't just casually bite people." Du Xiu Heng, seeing them becoming more and more serious, quickly explained.
"How can that be, such ferocious animals like wolves, how can they not bite people?" Zhong Mei Qing said.
"Second mother, Silver has been raised in our house for five to six years now. When younger sister had him brought back, he hadn't been born long, and didn't have much feral tendencies. In the past, when we were in the village, he's never causally bit anyone before, else how could the villagers let us have him raised this big?" Du Xiu Heng comforted.
"Really?" Du old madam still looked frightened, appearing very much afraid still.
"Really, how could this grandson dare use this matter as a joke? That's why....."
After Du Xiao Li left the room, she could still hear the movements inside. Imagining them losing their heads from fear inside, she faintly laughed.
"Let's go, I'll take you to Jade Bamboo Courtyard. That place is rather remote, but just stay their for a few days for now. Once the front courtyards are finished in a few days, I'll have you moved over." Du Yun Han said.
"Okay."
Du Xiao Li followed Du Yun Han to Jade Bamboo Courtyard. The southern fretwork wall was different; the northern courtyard wall didn't have that many patterns. Both were repaired directly using bricks, both tall and thick. In front of the courtyard, there was an octagon gate. On the two sides of the gate, there were two simple fretwork windows. The gate was directly facing a screen carved from stone. On there were carvings of scattered green bamboo.
Octagon Gate
After entering, it was a very small courtyard. On the two sides of the courtyard, there were two multisided flower shrubs decorations. Inside, the fresh flowers brightly bloomed. A little further in were two patches of green bamboo. And at the end of the courtyard was a two-story small building, with eight rooms below, and only four rooms upstairs. One of the rooms was built very long lengthwise. Aside from the corridor in front, there was actually a small balcony in the back.
Du Xiao Li stood atop the balcony, seeing that there was a wall in the back, but outside the wall was a small river. Under the sunlight, the water was like a white necklace. And on the opposite side of the bank was a flat plain, and in the distance, a range of mountains. On the tallest mountain peak, there was even a faint white color, must be snow that hasn't melted yet.
"Xiao Li, just stay here for a few days for now, once the front....." Du Yun Han stood next to Du Xiao Li and said.
"No need, I like this place very much." Du Xiao Li said. At first glance, she'd already taken a liking to this place. Although it was quite a bit smaller than the other courtyards of the manor, it had both the southern specialty, and the northern style, especially this balcony and the plains in the back, both deeply favored by her. In the future, she can just let Silver and Gold happily run around there, and don't need to keep them constrained in this tiny courtyard.
"But this place is too small." Du Yun Han said.
"Small is peaceful." Du Xiao Li said. "I also don't like having too many people around. That's right, that piece of land in the back, who does it belong to?"
(T/N: Small remote courtyards perfect for late night rendezvous ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) )
"It doesn't belong to anyone. Normally, our houses are all built on this side of the river. That side has never been used by anyone. Because it's near the district where officials live, ordinary commoners can't reside or cultivate there either. So it's just been empty all this time." Du Yun Han said.
"Then can I let Silver and them go there and play?" Du Xiao Li asked.
"Yes, just be careful not to let them bite anyone." Du Yun Han nodded, and then suddenly realized something, "So it's because of this, that's why you want to live here!"
"Yes." Du Xiao Li said, thinking to herself that there was actually another reason, but she won't tell you. And that reason is that this place and the outside were only just separated by a wall, so it'll be very convenient to go out.
"Since you like it, just do as you please." Du Yun Han said.
"Thank you father." Du Xiao Li said with a smile, "Father, who designed this courtyard?"
"An official that previously resided here. However, the houses here have all been renovated." Du Yun Han said, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just felt it's quite unique." Du Xiao Li said, "Father, if I want to have that piece of land outside bought, is it possible?"
"You want to buy it?" Du Yun Han somewhat surprisingly asked.
"Yes, can I?" Du Xiao Li asked.
"Since you want to buy, later I'll go talk to the Ministry of Revenue." Du Yun Han said, "What do you plan on doing with it after you buy it?"
"After buying it, have it fenced in, and then turn it into a place for my Silver and Gold to play around in. Also can use it to plant some things I like." Du Xiao Li said.
"En, later, I'll go to the account room to get the money and have this matter taken care of for you." Du Yun Han said.
"Father, I don't want others to know that this place was bought by me. If you go to the account room to draw money, the family will definitely know." Du Xiao Li said.
"But father doesn't have much money either, that bit of salary of mine simply isn't enough."
"I have a plan." Du Xiao Li mysteriously smiled and went out to call up Xia Yuan who was tidying up their luggage downstairs.
"Master, miss." After Xia Yuan came up, she bowed to the two of them.
"Xia Yuan, go get thirty thousand taels of silver." Du Xiao Li said.
Xia Yuan was somewhat surprised, but still quickly went downstairs to fetch the banknotes for thirty thousand taels of silver, using a container to hand it to Du Xiao Li. Du Xiao Li then had the container passed to Du Yun Han.
Du Yun Han accepted the container, opening it up to see placed inside thirty one-thousand taels banknotes, saying in shock: "How come you have this much money?"
"Didn't steal, didn't snatch, I earned it all." Du Xiao Li said. "Using these to buy the land should be enough, right?"
"Shouldn't be a problem." Du Yun Han was in a daze.
"Father, you have to keep this secret for me." Du Xiao Li once again instructed. After seeing that piece of land in the back, Du Xiao Li originally planned on letting Fu Wan San or someone else go help herself buy. But afterwards, hearing that this was land for official families, and needed to go to the Ministry of Revenue to take care of, she knew Fu Wan San and them might not be able to handle it, so she could only look to this father of hers.
Fortunately, he was still rather doting towards her, so there shouldn't be too big of a problem.
T/N: Why do I feel like she's probably already the richest person in the capital. Also I'll finish the last part to this chapter later tonight, so I can start on next chapter. There's only 2 more full chapters till ML returns.
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