Chapter 191
As soon as they entered, Shen Xuanqing and Shen Yaoqing examined the shop. Compared to the other shops they had seen on the street earlier, this one was indeed a bit smaller, though not overly cramped. Facing the street was a double-paneled door, with a small window on each side of the wall. From the outside, the windows appeared to be paper-covered and couldn’t be fully opened. Upon entering, they saw that the windows had been boarded up from the inside with wooden planks.
The shop was decent enough. There would be no issue placing a butcher’s block at the entrance and setting up a few sturdy wooden racks inside for hanging meat.
Yang Xian called out toward the rear entrance, and someone immediately responded. A man with a deeply furrowed, sorrowful brow emerged - none other than Shopkeeper Hu, the owner. The shop was completely empty, and seeing acquaintances while standing in such a state embarrassed him, so he had been hiding in the back.
"Shopkeeper Yang," Hu Ping gave a slight cupped-hand salute. Yang Xian had already come earlier to inquire about the price, so he knew what was going on. One look at Shen Xuanqing and Shen Yaoqing told him they were the potential buyers.
Shen Xuanqing’s towering stature made Hu Ping scrutinize him a few extra times. He had always thought his shop was quite spacious, but with such a tall and burly man standing inside, it suddenly didn’t feel as spacious as it used to.
"These are my two younger brothers from the Shen family, Yaoqing and Xuanqing," Yang Xian briefly introduced them to Hu Ping.
"Shopkeeper Hu," Shen Xuanqing and Shen Yaoqing saluted in return as a greeting.
Hu Ping, two years older than Yang Xian, returned the courtesy. "Younger Brothers Shen."
"Why are the windows boarded up?" Shen Yaoqing asked.
Hu Ping, noting the slight resemblance between the two, guessed they must be brothers. He answered, "We got hit by burglars a couple of years ago. They smashed the window and climbed in to steal. After that, I had them nailed shut."
Remembering his goal of selling the shop, he paused, glanced at the empty space, and forced a bitter smile. "It might not let in much light now, but at least it keeps thieves out. The planks are thick, and I made sure they’re sturdy."
So that was the reason. Shen Yaoqing nodded. There wasn’t much else to see in the front, so the group proceeded through the rear entrance to inspect the back.
The rear entrance was only as wide as a single door panel, leading to a narrow passageway. To the right was a vertically elongated room. Hu Ping walked ahead, lifting the curtain for them to take a look. The room wasn’t very large - just a bed and a table inside, but it could accommodate one or two people for the night.
Continuing down the passageway, which was wide enough for two people to walk side by side, they reached the back. Since the building didn’t extend all the way to the rear wall, there was an open space to the right. Emerging into this area, the previously cramped passage suddenly opened up into a small, empty courtyard. It wasn’t big, but the rear wall had a small door serving as a back exit.
The shop wasn’t particularly large, but neither was it too small. At the sight of this unused patch of land in the back, Shen Xuanqing immediately thought it would be suitable for slaughtering livestock.
"There’s no stove here," Shen Xuanqing remarked casually. Since he’d need boiling water for butchering pigs and rabbits, the lack of a kitchen was a problem.
Hu Ping explained, "Younger Brother Shen, you see, this was originally a sundry goods shop. We only sold items that didn’t require cooking. Since my home is in Xiangzhi Alley, I either had meals delivered or went back to eat, so I never built a stove here."
"I see," Shen Xuanqing nodded, then headed toward the back door.
Though he was more familiar with Fenggu Town, he didn’t know Jixing Town as well since he hadn’t visited often. Before Yang Xian could speak, Hu Ping said, "This leads to Liuzhi Alley."
Old Man Yang, hands behind his back, peeked out through the back door. With nothing else to do at home, he had tagged along to help his only apprentice evaluate the shop.
Liuzhi Alley was a dead end, with the sundry shop’s back door marking the last building. About six or seven steps further into the alley stood a mud wall blocking the way.
Looking in the other direction, an old woman happened to step out of a door and tossed a basin of water onto the ground outside. The muddy water spread across the narrow alley. Liuzhi Alley was narrow, and anyone passing through would have to step over the puddle to avoid tracking mud elsewhere.
"The alley’s narrow, but quite a few people live here," Old Man Yang observed. Seeing nothing else of interest in the alley, he stepped back inside and added, "Luckily, they’re all decent folk, mostly long-time residents of the town, along with some merchants’ families renting here. Since it’s close to several main streets, the prices aren’t cheap."
Hu Ping nodded, his expression still troubled. He forced a smile and said, "With so many people around, I usually keep the back door locked. I only open it when some elderly women come knocking to buy needles and thread. Even though Liuzhi Alley's narrow, like Uncle Yang said, the property prices around here aren't low. The idle ruffians and troublemakers can't afford to live here."
"To put it bluntly, even if someone had the nerve to steal, Xixing Street is a major area in Jixing Town. Just this row alone has plenty of shops and businesses. Sure, people might bicker and give each other the cold shoulder sometimes, but if a thief were caught, everyone would join in beating them half to death. Living in these back alleys, where everyone sees each other daily, even the slightest rumor spreads fast. No one would dare try anything shady."
Since he was trying to sell the shop, he naturally emphasized its safety to reassure potential buyers.
This wasn’t a lie, Xixing Street was considered a major thoroughfare in Jixing Town, so property prices were pretty good. The back alleys weren’t overrun with unsavory characters either. Otherwise, Old Man Yang and Yang Xian wouldn’t have recommended Shen Xuanqing come see this shop in the first place.
As for thieves, in these times, there wasn’t a single place completely free of them. Even the Shen family had once had their chickens stolen by Zhang Zhengzi. It was just a common occurrence, so the best one could do was find a reasonably safe location.
Shen Xuanqing closed the back door, his gaze sweeping over the small backyard and passageway. "The shop’s a bit small, but it could work. The problem is, there’s nothing here - no stoves, tables, chairs, nothing. All that would have to be bought separately. No extra perks."
Hu Ping looked awkward. The front had originally had shelving for goods, but it had been taken away. With nothing else to sweeten the deal, he said, "The bed and table in that room...if you buy the place, I’ll leave them for you."
Shen Xuanqing’s expression didn’t change. If the bed and table stayed, it would save him the trouble of moving furniture in, but the space was still tight. Their family raised the most rabbits - over a hundred. The breeding pairs had just been put together, and by next month, when the weather warmed, the does would start giving birth. Selling rabbit meat would likely become their main business. Live rabbits would have to be transported here and kept for a few days before slaughter, but the backyard was the only space available.
He eyed the width of the backyard. Against the side wall of the building, two rows of rabbit cages could probably fit. Squeezing them in, they might be able to keep ten or twenty rabbits.
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