I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 55 The Cat's Secret to Becoming Smart
The cat grabbed Jiang She's robe with its paws and jumped up in a few swift movements.

For a cat, a big city like Luoyang is full of new smells it has never encountered before, making it both curious and a little nervous.

It climbed all the way up to Jiang She's shoulder and called out.

The cat's eyes were wide and round, staring left and right, sniffing here and there. Jiang She found it amusing, and reached out to steady the cat to prevent it from falling again.

The group found the broker at the Zhuang residence.

In his previous life, Jiang She was a real estate agent who proposed to rent a house.

The broker served tea to the newcomer; this business has always had a rule of thumb: a 10% commission.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel and hurriedly asked:

"Which neighborhood would you gentlemen like to settle in?"

"If you are doing business, the neighborhoods near the South Market and North Market are more lively and convenient for buying and selling. If you are studying for exams, Chongye Ward is adjacent to the Imperial Academy and there are many other academies there. You can also live in Daode Ward, which is quieter."

Li Bai asked, "Is there a place I can move in today?"

They brought their own carriages and horses, and did not want to stay in inns; they needed to check in as soon as possible.

Fortunately, it was summer, with long days and short nights, so the gates of the wards closed an hour or two later than in winter. If it were winter, all 109 wards of Luoyang would be closed by then, leaving no other choice.

The broker asked, "How long will you be staying?"

Jiang She wanted to say half a month, but seeing the sweat on the other person's forehead, he changed his mind.

"One month."

The broker, with his sharp eyes, noticed that some of them were wearing Taoist robes and asked with a smile, "Since you're staying for a month, why not pay some money to stay at the temple? The price is much lower than renting a house."

"The rules of the temple must be observed."

The cat is two months old now, which is a very active age, especially at night. It's best not to disturb the Taoist priest.

Jiang She also wanted to secretly try some beef, but eating it in the Taoist temple would be disrespectful to the monks.

The man thought for a moment.

“Since we’re moving in today, we can’t go too far. How about staying in Jixianfang or Xuanjiaofang? I have two houses. The one in Jixianfang is next to Jixian Academy. Many sons of officials own property here, so it’s more expensive. Renting the whole house would cost four strings of cash a month.”

"The one at Missionary Workshop is cheaper."

"Two hundred cash a month."

"Both places are about the same size. Once you enter the house, you can fit a carriage and several young men."

The three, including Lao Lu and the Mountain God, all looked at Jiang She.

It's really not easy to live in Luoyang...

A house costs four strings of cash a month, and even a less desirable one in Xuanjiaofang costs one string and two hundred cash. Although it's a whole house for rent, unlike the scholars who go to the capital for the imperial examinations who live in single rooms, it's still quite expensive.

Jiang She mentally counted his assets; if he rented them out for a month, it would be more than enough.

he asks:

Where's the best place to eat?

The broker chuckled and, without a second thought, said, "Of course, Jixianfang is the best! Not to mention the famous Yunhui cake from the academy, which is made by mixing locust honey into the steamed cake and has an incredibly fragrant flavor!"

"The Qingyuan Ice Cream that you can get for free at Shicha Pavilion is made with goat milk shaved ice and cherry syrup. It's fragrant and delicious."

"There's also Zhang's Sesame Cake from Xifangmen, filled with minced mutton and fennel, sprinkled with sesame seeds. It's crispy and fragrant, and even officials love to eat it."

"Across the street from Qingyuan Temple, there's a Wang's Sugar Shop. Their cook makes crystal-clear sliced ​​sugar and cherry cheese..."

The dentist spoke with great relish.

The cat's eyes were fixed on the scene, its nose twitching as it listened intently.

Jiang She patted the cat's head.

"Could you take us to see that place in Jixianfang?"

Jiang She added, "Bring the contract with you too. If it's suitable, sign it together."

The broker smiled and said, "Young master, you are a very straightforward person. Ah, this cat is also very intelligent. It can understand what people are saying at such a young age. I think it is quite clever."

"Where did you come from, sir?" He was trying to cultivate relationships with his clients.

"Xiangyang".

"Xiangzhou is quite a distance, taking a cat on a trip is not easy, my lord has a good sense of humor."

"The cat takes care of me too."

The Old Deer Mountain God looked down at the cat and thought about it. It was indeed much more intelligent than an ordinary kitten, with its head tilted back, big, fluffy ears. The Old Deer Mountain God smiled.

"What a wonderful fate..."

The broker didn't hear him clearly: "What did you say, sir?"

Old Deer Mountain God looked away and said with a smile, "It's nothing. Let's go take a look at that house now. If it's good, then you can make a decision."

……

……

When Jiang She saw the courtyard, he felt that the four strings of cash were well spent.

There is a well and an ancient locust tree in the courtyard.

It was summer, and a green gauze screen was set up under the tree, a perfect spot for drinking wine, practicing calligraphy, and chatting with friends.

The interior is mainly furnished with low-legged furniture such as tables with upturned ends and crescent-shaped stools, as well as a plain wooden screen. A celadon oil lamp is placed on the table for reading at night.

The premium is a bit high, but the courtyard is quite nice.

Li Bai also said, "This courtyard is quite nice."

Yuan Danqiu thought of the Taoist temple he had just seen, "There is also a Qingyuan Temple nearby, which I can visit in the future."

The old deer mountain god sat down to rest and beckoned the cat over.

The cat ignored him.

With its little paws on the bricks and its tail held high, it had already begun to patrol the yard.

Jiang She walked up to the carriage, opened the trunk, and took out the silk that the silk merchant at the post station had given him, which could now be used as money.

The price of silk as payment was uncertain, but it was roughly 550 coins.

This is silk, which is much more expensive.

The broker took out a bolt of silk, examined it carefully, picked it up with his fingers, pulled out a handful of coins from his pocket, counted them, and hesitated, "This silk is five hundred coins too expensive, this..."

Jiang She didn't care.

"Bring the money over tomorrow."

The broker breathed a sigh of relief; he didn't have enough money to give as change, but luckily the young man was easy to talk to.

The two signed a contract.

Jiang She then owned this residence, although it was rented out monthly.

The broker carefully arranged the silk and took it away, adding, "If there is any rain damage, the owner will repair it. Gentlemen, you can rest assured."

"Take care, lad."

"You're too kind, sir."

The broker earned four hundred coins on this trip and was quite happy.

After everyone left, it was already dark. Jiang She and Li Bai unloaded all the boxes, Yuan Danqiu tidied the carriage, and went to buy fodder, bedding, and other necessities. Old Deer Mountain God also went out.

Fifteen minutes later, Yuan Danqiu returned carrying large and small bags of things, looking quite surprised.

He kept asking the mountain god, "Why don't I feel heavy? What's the secret?"

The old deer mountain god stroked his beard and smiled, "It's just making things lighter, it's nothing special."

He watched the cat climbing the tree, catching a cicada.

His gaze was distant.

"A single action can awaken the consciousness and intelligence of a chaotic and ignorant being; that is truly powerful..."

Yuan Danqiu followed the gaze of the old deer mountain god and saw only the cat that the master always held, scratching at something with its paws on the tree.

It jumped down in no time, wagging its tail and heading off to claim credit, a cicada dangling from its mouth.

"This cat..."

The old deer mountain god nodded with a meaningful look in his eyes.

Are there any ways to make cats smarter?

After that day, Yuan Danqiu's gaze towards the little black cat changed.

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(End of this chapter)