It's not easy being a servant in an official's household, that's for sure.
When Housekeeper Meng mentioned the price, it wasn't that it was non-negotiable, ten taels, even five silver taels would have been acceptable, The estate was eager to sell, so the high price wasn't set in stone.
They set a high price to deter others from undercutting, having operated the estate for half a year, they had recouped some of their investment, so it wasn't a loss, just half a year of hard work without profit.
Housekeeper Meng also talked about the estate's assets, such as the yet-to-be-harvested vegetables, and the chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, and cattle that were being raised.
Li Zhihao gave him a little more money.
The two agreed on a price in the end, then Li Zhihao brought up a condition, The estate transaction had to be kept confidential, they couldn't tell their masters that the Ye family and the Li family had bought the estate together.
"Why do you insist on this condition?"
