The village chief's house was more proper than those of other villagers.
A mule and seven or eight hens were kept in the yard, strutting about with clucking sounds.
Old Man Yun knocked on the courtyard gate, and after a moment, a woman came out.
"Who are you looking for?" the woman asked, her gaze probing.
Old Man Yun smiled and cupped his hands, "Excuse me... is Village Chief Jiang at home?"
"Old woman, who's looking for me?" a voice came from within the courtyard.
"Don't know them!" the woman replied, turning sideways, "You can come in!"
"Alright!"
Village Chief Jiang was unpretentious, dark and thin, with a wispy mustache.
"That house has been vacant for two years. They say it's haunted at midnight, and the villagers don't dare go near it!"
Village Chief Jiang puffed on his pipe, introducing it patiently.
Old Man Yun was curious, "I see that house is very well-maintained. Whose house is it?"
Village Chief Jiang put down his pipe and took a sip of tea, "That's the house of Magistrate Hu from the county town. Two years ago, his wife hanged herself from a beam, and their son and daughter both died of sudden illness.
Magistrate Hu was stimulated and went mad after returning to the county town. His servants then handed over this house to the county yamen.
This meant that the large house was now government property.
Yun Daman asked, "How much silver would it cost to redeem it?"
Village Chief Jiang held up five fingers, "At least fifty taels of silver!
That house was built with good materials, with eight or nine rooms alone, and all living necessities were complete. You could move in and live there immediately.
If it weren't for the haunting, wealthy gentlemen would be afraid of bad luck. Not only fifty taels, but even a hundred taels would have been snapped up long ago!"
Old Man Yun didn't believe in ghosts.
But the people of Dashui Village seemed to care a lot about such things.
Yun Daman was a little excited.
If they moved into that large house, they would have a place to stay.
Fifty taels of silver was still affordable for the Yun family.
"Thank you, Village Chief. I'll go back and discuss it with my wife," Old Man Yun said, standing up.
Village Chief Jiang grunted, then said thoughtfully, "You must think it over carefully. That courtyard is very strange. Don't let it lead to ruin when it's too late!"
Old Man Yun smiled faintly, "I know what I'm doing."
"Alright, once you've decided, I'll take you to the county yamen to handle the deeds!"
"Thank you for your trouble, Village Chief. I came in a hurry this time and didn't bring much. Please accept this small token of my appreciation!"
Old Man Yun took a string of copper coins from his sleeve, about two hundred odd wen, heavy and substantial, and placed it directly into Village Chief Jiang's hand.
"Oh, Brother Yun, I can't accept this money!" Village Chief Jiang declined.
Yun Daman grinned, "Village Chief, please take it. We are new here, and we will need your continued care in the future."
Village Chief Jiang sighed and accepted the copper coins.
A group of villagers gathered by the mud wall, chatting enthusiastically with Madam Gu.
It was none other than the adorable little Tianbao in her arms that was so captivating.
Any passing wives or old women who saw her couldn't help but come over for a kiss.
"Oh, look, this little one is happy."
"Here, this is the millet porridge that auntie just made this morning. Have a sip!"
"This little girl is so cute, so much better than my stinky boy!"
"......"
Little Xi Tian smiled sweetly and beautifully.
Her rosy cheeks were kissed red, but she didn't cry or fuss, trying her best to entertain everyone.
Yun Xi Tian sighed inwardly.
It wasn't easy!
For the family to take root in Dashui Village, they first had to get along with their neighbors.
Of course, for people like Yun Wangcai, they didn't need to fawn over them.
Ungrateful people were not worthy of friendship with the Yun family.
"Sister-in-law Yun, don't squat here. If the sun comes out later, it might harm little Tianbao. Come to my house for a bit!"
Aunt Zhang invited with a smile.
It was she who had brought the millet porridge earlier, filling little Xi Tian's belly.
The villagers all loved to join in the fun, and with Madam Gu and Zhao Guihua also being very enthusiastic, everyone had gotten acquainted by morning.
Madam Gu smiled and said, "No, my old man went to the village chief's house, and he should be back soon."
As soon as she finished speaking, Old Man Yun and Yun Daman returned.
The villagers exchanged a few more pleasantries before heading off to work.
The whole family discussed it and decided to go take a look at the large house.
The two red-lacquered gates were tightly shut, with a bronze lock hanging on them.
"We don't have a key, so we can't get in!" Yun Erman looked around, very satisfied with the house.
High walls and a grand courtyard, exuding wealth and prestige.
Old Man Yun peeked through the gap in the door, "Alright, this is it!"
"Mother and Father have good taste!" Liu Cuirong was delighted and quickly came over to curry favor.
Being able to live here made her feel superior, and she was immensely proud.
"Eldest, Second, carry the luggage over here!" Old Man Yun instructed.
"Understood, Father!"
At noon, the family made a fire outside the house to cook.
After eating, Madam Gu hugged little Tianbao and lay in the shade for a nap.
Yun Xi Tian raised her little head, carefully observing the courtyard before her, her big eyes narrowing slightly.
There was something in this courtyard.
And it was alive.
In the afternoon, Old Man Yun got into the village chief's mule cart and headed towards the county town.
This county town was called Heyang County, not the one where they parted ways with Madam Chu.
It took about an hour to travel by mule cart.
Before sunset, Old Man Yun and the village chief returned.
All the procedures were completed, and to the family's surprise, the deed also included thirty mu of fertile land.
Buying the house and land for fifty taels of silver was already quite cheap.
"Old woman, the keys are for you!" Old Man Yun handed a large bunch of keys to Madam Gu.
The spring and clasp inside the bronze lock were rusted shut, and the keys couldn't open it.
Helplessly, Yun Daman smashed the bronze lock with a stone, and the whole family, filled with anticipation, walked into the grand courtyard.
It was dilapidated from disuse, desolate and bleak, devoid of any sense of life.
Opening the door to the main house, the main hall was fully equipped with tables, chairs, benches, teacups, vases, and the like.
In the kitchen, there were iron pots, stoves, brooms, and basins, all present.
"Wow, so grand!" Yun Jinhe exclaimed excitedly.
Liu Cuirong said proudly, "Of course! From now on, our family will live here. Let's see who dares to look down on us!"
Little Xi Tian rolled her eyes.
For a person to gain respect from others, it wasn't determined by where they lived.
"Eldest, your family will live in the west wing, and Second's family will live in the east wing!"
Madam Gu began assigning rooms, "Go back and tidy up first. If you're afraid of the cold, light the stove."
Each room had a large heated kang.
In the cold winter, with ice and snow, sleeping on a heated kang was not only comfortable but also relieved rheumatism.
It was completely dark by now. The family ate a simple meal in the kitchen and then went back to their rooms to rest.
At the fourth watch (around one or two in the morning), a fierce wind howled, making the courtyard gate creak.
The night sky was filled with swirling clouds, and the moonlight was cold and clear.
From the east wing, a shrill scream was heard...