Immortality: Raising an Ant Queen to Cultivate by increasing stat points

Chapter 468: Chapter 460 New Nobility of Black Tiger City_1

“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful! Besides, who could be so delicate?” She really couldn’t stand sitting around all day doing nothing.

“Alright, just be careful! I’m taking you now to see the new residence we bought in the city. Let’s go take a look and find someone to clean it up. Once Wan Yan has finished the transfer procedures over there, I’ll go and bring her over.”

Qin Niu drove the carriage, taking Tang Caixian to see the newly purchased four-courtyard mansion.

For the average person, not to mention buying such a large mansion, even buying an ordinary residence is a big deal.

In this world, there’s no such thing as a mortgage.

People generally don’t dare to borrow money from moneylenders, and as for taking out loans at high interest rates, that’s asking for trouble.

Anyone who can afford to buy a house in the city has some financial strength.

Qin Niu had bought the mansion some time ago and, apart from looking it over twice after the big battle ended, he hadn’t visited since. He had just left the house there without taking care of it.

Having money can really allow one to be willful.

The carriage swiftly entered the busiest street in Black Tiger City, then turned into an alley and stopped after less than fifty meters.

Ahead was a large compound with walls built from blocks of bluestone, looking very sturdy.

The walls were much higher than those of ordinary homes, at least five meters tall.

Standing outside the front gate, inlaid with copper nails, looking up, one could only vaguely see the tips of the two magnolia trees inside.

“Let’s go in! We’ll need to consider hiring a loyal servant to keep watch here.”

Qin Niu took out the key, opened the copper lock on the side door, and walked in.

For big residences like this, to prevent thieves, the main doors are often not locked. Instead, they are bolted from the inside. Besides having several bars across the top, there are also hidden latches.

It may not be as sturdy as city gates, but ordinary strong men shouldn’t even think about breaking in.

The gates are very sturdy, and not even the battering rams used in sieges could easily damage them.

After Qin Niu entered through the side door, removing the bars and hidden latches, he opened the two main gates and then drove the carriage into the courtyard.

“What a grand residence! This was the Jia Family’s mansion. I came here once when I was performing songs and dances in the city.” She stepped off the carriage and looked around at the brilliant architecture of the mansion. “Back then, we entered through that small door. I remember being amazed and thinking that the homes of the wealthy in the city are truly imposing, probably no less so than the Emperor’s Palace as spoken of in legends.”

“Would you have thought? Now, you’ve become the lady of this house, and you can live in whichever room you like in the future,” Qin Niu said with a smile.

“Hehe, I dared not even dream of such things before. I guess I’m enjoying the good fortune alongside Ah Niu now. The Jia Family’s backyard is especially large; it’s where we performed that day. The Jia Family was very generous, and each of us received extra silver money.”

Tang Caixian spoke of the past with great enthusiasm.

The two walked along the corridor on the left toward the backyard.

The backyard is where the master and his family would spend their time, and the servants weren’t generally allowed in.

The corridor didn’t lead directly into the backyard; one would have to pass through three doors to reach it. This passageway is typically used by servants, for instance, to water the flowers and plants in the backyard, trim them, or feed the precious birds and beasts kept there.

Qin Niu led her through the door.

An enormous backyard, spanning more than five acres, came into view.

Inside, there were a variety of rare flowers and exotic plants, as well as some landscape trees.

The artificial hills were also extensive.

The large fish pond had cleverly engineered flowing water and an oblong swimming pool, where the lord of the mansion could frolic with his wives and concubines or maids.

The life of the wealthy was truly extravagant.

“The Jia Family sold off their estate at a low price and fled in a hurry to distant lands. They’re probably regretting it deeply now. If you like living here, we can stay in the city often,” Qin Niu said.

Qin Niu noticed that women seem to really like such mansions.

When Wang Wanyan first saw the estate he had built in the countryside, she kept praising it. Not long after, she married Qin Niu.

Now that Tang Caixian had seen this four-courtyard mansion in the city, she was likewise beaming with happiness, appearing extremely pleased.

“Although I like living in such a grand residence, I like being with Ah Niu even more. Where you are is home for me, and without you, even the most luxurious residence would feel empty and boring. I think people are much more important than houses,” Tang Caixian said, holding Qin Niu’s hand.

“Our Cai Xian really has quite a high level of thought! You’re right, no matter how luxurious a house is, it’s not as important as family. I just hope we can safely spend every day together. Let’s take a walk in the backyard and see what kinds of flowers and plants we have.”

Qin Niu held her hand and wandered leisurely along the pebble-paved path in the rear garden.

The feeling was indescribably delightful.

Because the beauty of the rear garden belonged only to them, they didn’t need to worry about being disturbed by anyone.

…

About six hours later, Qin Niu also brought over Wang Wanyan.

She had already completed the property transfer procedures.

Even though Wang Wanyan had been numbed by her husband’s enormous fortune, she still exhibited a look of shock and joy upon seeing the superb mansion.

She wandered around each room and every scene like an excited child.

She touched the high-end furniture over and over again.

It was the very picture of someone obsessed with wealth.

“Husband, you actually bought such a luxurious mansion and kept your cool. You didn’t even bring me and Cai Xian over to see it for so long,”

Wang Wanyan’s pretty face was flushed with excitement after she had looked through the entire estate.

From her manner, it seemed as if she couldn’t wait to move in immediately.

“Isn’t it just a mansion? It’s not like it would be stolen if left here. We can come to live in the city when we have time. But forget it for the time being; we need to focus on cultivating diligently to strive for a chance at the Water and Land Dharma Assembly.”

Qin Niu’s face was indifferent.

In his eyes, the mansion was far less valuable than the Ancient Banyan Tree on the mountain. Cultivating under the Ancient Banyan Tree would progress twenty times faster than in the outside world. Living in this mansion, apart from eroding one’s determination, would only immerse a person in material pleasures, and no other benefits would come of it.

“Can we stay here for the night? I really love this mansion,”

Wang Wanyan pleaded with Qin Niu.

“I want to stay for the night too!”

Tang Caixian chimed in.

“Alright, since both my ladies have this interest, naturally, I must satisfy you. Xiao Qing, go out now and buy some quilts and other household goods. Wanyan and Cai Xian, follow me to take over those shops. I think we should perhaps buy a couple more servants?”

Qin Niu felt that the current servants were not sufficient.

Although Xiao Qing was his maid, her actual status was much higher than that of a maid.

“We already have enough with three maids at home. With so many fields purchased, we will definitely need to hire a lot of workers. When no one is living in this mansion, we’ll just lock it up; there’s no need to spend extra money.”

Wang Wanyan was particularly stingy when it came to these expenses.

Qin Niu merely laughed and shook his head, indulging her. Some views couldn’t change overnight.

Once the income from the family’s shops and fields started coming in, her spending habits would surely evolve gradually.

The majority of the one hundred and twenty shops were closed.

Some were open and doing business. The tenants, upon seeing their new landlord, were all very warm.

Of course, their warmth stemmed from the hope that the new landlord wouldn’t raise the rent.

The three of them took over the shops without encountering any trouble.

“Those five shops up ahead are also ours. It seems they are currently rented by the same owner, who is running a food service business,” Qin Niu pointed to the five shops in front.

The rent for these five shops was the highest among all the shops.

Because of the prime location and large space, not to mention two or more floors,

renting one meant being able to use both the ground floor and upstairs.

The selling price of each was close to a thousand taels of silver.

This was also why, when the Black Tiger Gang was facing defeat on the battlefield and might be routed at any moment, the owner of the five shops hurriedly sold them off. Otherwise, such prime, golden-location shops, enough to sustain a family for three generations, would never be sold.

If they were to be sold, the price would not be less than two thousand taels per shop.

Even Tang Yan said that getting these five shops was entirely down to good luck.