Expelled from the Duke's mansion, the fake heiress is richer than a country.

"This family has a very promising son who passed the imperial examination last year and achieved a top-three ranking, thus entering the Hanlin Academy. This year, they moved their family to the capital to settle down, leaving behind this manor, and they want to sell it."

“This estate perfectly suits your needs. His family owns twenty acres of land, scattered around the estate. It’s very convenient to have tenants cultivate it and to oversee it themselves. In addition, it’s only forty li from the county town, so you can make a round trip by horse-drawn carriage in a day.”

Yu Manyi was immediately moved.

"Is he selling this estate separately, or together with the twenty acres of land?"

The old broker smiled and said, "Buying together will naturally be much cheaper. Buying the estate or land separately will be much more expensive."

Yu Wanran understood her father's meaning and then asked, "How much will we sell them together?"

The old dentist hesitated for a moment.

This estate had actually been listed with the brokerage firm for more than half a year, but no one had shown any interest in it.

Wealthy people want a summer resort to escape the heat and stay in the countryside, but they don't want to be forced to buy twenty acres of land. Those who don't have money want to buy land separately, but if they don't buy the resort, the price is higher than buying land on the street.

Therefore, the deal was delayed and stalled, which stumped the old broker.

Seeing a glimmer of hope, the old man stopped his charade and simply held up three fingers.

"The minimum is three hundred taels! In addition, there's a five percent handling fee. The certificate of authenticity and the legal document are included in this fee. Our brokerage firm will handle everything perfectly for the buyer and deliver it to them!"

As to whether the seller's bottom line was actually three hundred taels, the buyer had no way of knowing. Any profit was simply what the broker was entitled to earn.

Yu Man gasped as he listened.

Three hundred taels!

Even knowing that my family can afford it now, I still feel uneasy. In the past, if I spent a few or tens of coins more, I would feel that I was being too extravagant and my conscience would hurt.

It's unimaginable to spend over three hundred taels of silver to buy a house and land now.

Buying a piece of contiguous land in the countryside and building a few brick and tile houses would only cost a few dozen taels of silver!

Why buy a property just because it's a prestigious estate? Even if this family produced a genius, it's not worth it!

"Of these twenty mu of land, at least ten mu are top-quality land, and the rest are medium-quality land. This land alone is worth about two hundred taels of silver."

Seeing Yu Man's face turn ugly, the old broker calmly said, "If the homeowner's family hadn't settled in the capital and were so short of money, they wouldn't have been willing to sell this old house!"

Yu Man hesitated again after hearing what he said.

Yu Wanran remained calm: "Could you take us to see it?"

What's the point of boasting if you haven't even seen the actual product?

Generally, if a customer is willing to view a house, it means they intend to buy it. The old broker readily agreed and hired a carriage from the brokerage firm to take the father and daughter to Mingshui Village outside the city.

It was indeed farther than the distance from Tongcheng to Qingping Village. But the carriage from the Yasuo was fast, and the driver drove it at breakneck speed, bringing the group to Mingshui Village in less than two hours.

It was past noon, and the villagers could be seen working hard in the fields. No one seemed surprised to see outsiders arriving from afar; they appeared quite used to such sights.

Yu Wanran carefully observed the people's clothing. Although it was inconvenient to wear proper clothes when working in the fields, most of them had few patches on their clothes.

This means that there are fewer people in Qingping Village who are easily swayed and have thin skin.

She felt a sense of satisfaction.

When moving to a new home, neighbors are very important.

Constantly gossiping about other people's lives and being envious of others' good fortune makes for very troublesome neighborly relations.

The carriage finally stopped at the east end of the village. The terrain here was open, and apart from a few tenant farmers working in the surrounding fields, a bright white gravel road led directly to the manor.

With its green bricks and blue tiles, the surrounding wall is about three meters high, and two stone lions guard the two dark gates, looking incredibly majestic.

Yu Man was speechless with amazement, looking around in awe.

I had assumed it was just a dilapidated old house, but I was surprised to find that the walls and gate alone were so magnificent! Inside, the carved beams and painted rafters were incredibly beautiful, a testament to the owner's wealth and meticulous maintenance.

If it were placed in the city, it would probably cost a thousand or eight hundred taels of silver.

The old broker explained, "Look at the land around here, it all belongs to his family. The soil is fertile and the terrain is flat, isn't it nice? And this estate can easily house dozens of people. There's enough space for horses to run around, and there are two acres of flower fields."

"If we could live here, wouldn't it be like living a secluded life, like immortals?"

An elderly man in blue robes emerged from the doorway, followed by two robust servants.

The old broker introduced the other party as a steward left behind by the master, responsible for handling the sale of the manor. After the old broker explained his purpose, the steward agreed to let the old broker take the Yu family father and daughter around to see the place, and sent a servant to accompany them throughout the trip.

The manor occupies about five acres, a moderate size. The spacious front yard is paved with imposing bluestone slabs, and there is an exquisite side room on each of the east and west sides.

Passing through the hanging flower gate into the backyard, one is greeted by five tall and spacious main rooms with flying eaves and bracket sets, exuding an impressive presence. On each side of the main rooms are three wing rooms, connected by winding corridors, showcasing the grandeur of a gentry family's home.

As for the two acres of flower fields the old broker mentioned, they are actually someone else's backyard. If the Yu family wants to raise livestock after settling in, they can convert it into a vegetable garden.

Yu Man was overwhelmed by the sights. He had previously thought three hundred taels was an astronomical price, but now, seeing all this, he couldn't wait to move in.

Yu Wanran was naturally satisfied.

The location is remote, but its advantage lies in its comfortable environment.

The old broker observed the father and daughter's expressions discreetly, becoming increasingly enthusiastic: "Would you two like to go outside the village to take a look at those twenty acres of land?"

Of course I'll go.

For Yu Man, land is the foundation of a farmer's livelihood. He'd be happy to build a makeshift shack by the edge of a field, provided there's suitable land!

Yu Wanran didn't want to walk anymore, and the old broker was also too tired to walk much, so they asked the master's servant to take Yu Man for a stroll. The two sat on the veranda and chatted leisurely.

Yu Wanran pointed to the bulky, bare furniture that partially obscured the room, devoid of any decorations. She asked, "Are these old pieces of furniture also included in the three hundred taels?"

The old man smiled.

"This is another reason why I recommended this manor! Don't be fooled by the faded appearance of these pieces; they're all made of top-quality huanghuali wood. Have a craftsman repaint them, and they'll look brand new!"

Yu Wanran nodded.

The old brothel owner couldn't figure out what she was thinking and was a little uneasy.

After a long while, Yu Man finally returned, his face beaming with joy, and quietly pulled Yu Wanran aside.

"Daughter, we want this estate! Most of the land there is fertile farmland, much better than our old top-quality farmland! And your mother and the others will definitely love it when they see it!"

Moreover, having family members living here significantly elevates one's social standing. Finding a spouse for the younger son would also be much easier, wouldn't it?

Yu Wanran nodded.

As long as my family is happy, that's all that matters. Money is meant to be spent.

Back at the brokerage, it was already dusk. Yu Wanran didn't beat around the bush and directly stated that she wanted to buy the estate along with twenty acres of land, which made the old broker beam with joy.

Upon hearing that Yu Wanran also wanted to buy shops and houses in the county town, he wished he could burn incense and worship the father and daughter.

It was getting late, and it wasn't convenient to continue looking at houses. The old dentist earnestly persuaded the two to stay in the dentist's guest room, treating them to good food and drinks. He was afraid that the guests might change their minds and go to another dentist after a good night's sleep!