He sent the other two servants back to deliver the message.
Fang Er and Zhuzi entered the courtyard together.
Old Zhang, the gatekeeper, was already gone.
He had to admit, the speed of the real estate agency was truly impressive.
Less than half an hour after the transaction was completed, the people were already gone.
Zhuzi tied the horse to the stable in the front yard and followed Fang Er silently.
The basic furniture was still in each room, so there was no need to add anything extra.
After telling Zhuzi to guard the house, Fang Er went out to the East Market.
He had to check out the CBD in front of his own house, in case he found any business opportunities.
They had come from Gaoling in the morning, and now it was noon.
Having been here for a few days, Fang Er had learned that ordinary people in this era only ate two meals a day and did not eat at noon.
But he couldn't.
In the first few days, he hadn't adapted to this era and had no appetite, barely eating anything. Coupled with the running around all morning, he was almost starving.
Entering the East Market, he saw a bustling crowd.
Various shops, grain stores, cloth stores, general stores, and restaurants were everywhere.
There were also many street vendors, and Fang Er even saw some Persians with red hair.
He casually entered a restaurant.
He found a table by the window and sat down.
The waiter quickly ran over. "What would you like to eat, sir? We have roast chicken, lamb, soup noodles, and various small dishes."
"Half a pound of lamb and a bowl of soup noodles."
Soup noodles were noodles. As Fang Er ate, he watched the people coming and going outside.
But as he ate, Fang Er felt something was wrong.
Why was it sour and bitter?
"Waiter, come here."
"What are your instructions, sir?"
"Why are your noodles so sour and bitter? How can anyone eat this?"
Fang Er threw his chopsticks on the table and said angrily.
This was simply murder for a foodie to eat such a thing.
"Sir, our noodles have always tasted this way. We use the finest sour cloth for seasoning and good coarse salt. All our customers say it's good. Could it be that you are an official and are used to refined salt?"
Fang Er was stunned.
Right.
In this era, coarse salt was a scarce commodity, and ordinary families used sour cloth for seasoning.
He no longer paid attention to the waiter, threw down a few coins, and left the restaurant.
He bought two flatbreads casually, eating them as he wandered.
There were really not many goods in circulation in this era.
Fang Er found it very boring.
After wandering around for a while, he brought two flatbreads back for Zhuzi and headed back.
Upon returning to the new house, he threw the flatbreads to Zhuzi and started pacing around the courtyard himself.
As he paced, he planned the new house in his mind.
"Young master, the steward and the others have arrived, and the goods have been brought over. They are in the inner courtyard now."
Fang Er's thoughts were interrupted by Zhuzi.
"Let Uncle Zhang oversee the arrangements. You don't need to find me for such a small matter. Also, go to Uncle Zhang to get the money, pay the remaining amount to the real estate agency, and then go to the West Market to buy some lumber, hardwood, and a set of carpenter's tools. I have a use for them."
Fang Er planned to make a set of furniture himself.
In the early Tang Dynasty, furniture was very simple. There were no chairs or tables, and even beds were just for sleeping.
After arranging for Zhuzi, Fang Er sat on the steps in front of the living room, cupping his chin and watching the servants move things in and out.
With more people, the work was faster. In less than half an hour, all the items were in place.
Uncle Zhang led all the servants to stand in front of Fang Er.
"Young master, everything has been arranged. Huzui and Zhuzi will live in the gatehouse, the old slave, Dali, and Ergou will live in the back courtyard, and Xiaohuan and Xiaoqing will be in the west wing of the main courtyard. Do you think this arrangement is acceptable?"
"You arrange it as you see fit."
Fang Er was indifferent to these matters. They were all family, and the steward knew how to arrange them.
Speaking of which, these servants were all bought by his deceased father before his death. They were all people without families. Besides the steward, there were six other servants, four men and two women. The oldest was Zhuzi, in his thirties, and the youngest was Xiaohuan, just twelve years old.
After sending them off to work, Zhuzi also returned.
"Young master, the items you requested have been bought and are in the front courtyard. Would you like to go and see if they are suitable?"
Zhuzi bowed and asked Fang Er for instructions.
"Let's go and see."
Fang Er stood up, patted the dust off his clothes, and walked towards the front courtyard with Zhuzi.
When they reached the front courtyard, they saw an ox cart with several reddish-black logs on it.
"Greetings, young master. My surname is Wang, and I am the shopkeeper of Wang's Lumber. These are the hardwoods you requested. Do you think they are suitable?"
Next to the ox cart, Wang, who saw Fang Er walking in front of Zhuzi, knew that the master had arrived, and quickly bowed and said.
Fang Er nodded and said nothing. He stepped forward and touched the wood with his hand.
It was reddish-black, and the grain was very tight and fine.
It also had a slight sweet and sour aroma.
"What kind of wood is this?"
Fang Er had no research on wood and didn't understand it, but judging by the appearance of the grain, this wood should be fine for making furniture.
"Replying to the young master, this is fine suanzhi wood, the best material for making furniture and plaques."
Shopkeeper Wang smiled and pointed to the lumber on the cart.
"Alright, that's all. Pile them in the back courtyard."
Shopkeeper Wang quickly called over the accompanying shop assistants. The two of them carried the lumber to the back courtyard, with Zhuzi leading the way.
After all the lumber was piled up, Shopkeeper Wang left with his men.
Zhuzi took a wooden box, opened it, and said to Fang Er, "Young master, these are the carpenter's tools you requested."
Fang Er looked. Some axes, chisels, saws, and other tools were neatly placed in the box.
"All set."
With materials and tools.
For an eighth-level fitter, making a set of furniture was not too difficult.
After all, he dealt with steel ingots in his previous life.
He fiddled with the wood and began.
The sounds of "creak, creak, creak" kept coming from the saw and the wood.
This attracted Uncle Zhang from the front courtyard.
Looking at Fang Er, who was engrossed in sawing wood, Uncle Zhang was completely bewildered.
When did the young master learn carpentry?
Soon, an entire log was sawed into planks by Fang Er.
He put down the tools and looked up to see the steward standing by with a confused look on his face.
"Zhuzi, go to the kitchen and find a piece of charcoal."
Zhuzi responded and then went to the front courtyard.
Uncle Zhang dared to speak at this time.
"Young master, what are you preparing to do?"
"Nothing much, just bored. I'm making a set of furniture. You'll know when it's done."
Fang Er wiped the sweat from his forehead.
He had to admit that this body was really weak.
He was already struggling after doing so little work. It seemed he needed to exercise more.
This era was one where a common cold or fever could be fatal.
Zhuzi returned from the front courtyard and handed Fang Er a piece of unburnt wood.
Fang Er squatted down and began to draw lines on the sawed wood.