Chapter 7: The Old House

Unlike the East Market of Chang'an, where the Duke of Lai’s mansion is located, the West Market, where this old residence stands, is quite far from the Three Inner Palaces (Taiji Palace, Daming Palace, and Xingqing Palace). The surrounding area is filled with the homes of commoners, and the goods sold in the market are mostly daily necessities like clothing, candles, cakes, and medicine. The West Market is more commercially prosperous than the East Market; it is the primary industrial and commercial district and the center of economic activity in Chang'an, which is why it is also known as the "Gold Market."

The West Market is close to Kaiyuan Gate, the starting point of the Silk Road in Tang Chang'an, and many foreign merchants reside in the surrounding wards, making it an international trading hub. Merchants from Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, as well as Goguryeo, Baekje, Silla, Japan, and other countries and regions gather here. Among them, the Hu merchants from Central Asia, Persia, and the Arab world are the most numerous, often residing in the West Market or nearby wards. These foreign merchants sell the spices and medicines they bring to Chinese officials and buy back jewelry, silk fabrics, and porcelain. Consequently, there are many shops opened by foreign merchants in the West Market, such as Persian residences, jewelry stores, warehouses, and taverns. Many of these "Hu-girl taverns," where Western women sing and dance to serve wine, are frequently visited by young men. Thus, Li Bai’s poem "Youthful Wanderings" contains the lines: "The youths of Wuling, east of the Gold Market," and "Laughing, they enter the Hu-girl’s tavern."

"Is this to be our future home?"

Looking at the tall gatehouse, which was clearly in disrepair and overgrown with withered grass, Du Rui couldn't help but smile bitterly. A gatehouse is a symbol of a family's wealth and status—the very meaning of "social standing"—which is why the gatehouses of noble mansions are particularly elaborate.

This old residence’s gatehouse was once grand; its top structure and construction method resembled a house, with the door frame and panels installed in the center, and iron or bronze knockers fixed to the outside. The top of the gatehouse featured overhanging eaves, and the lintel was adorned with double-sided brick carvings, featuring plaques inscribed with "Purple Vapor Comes from the East" and "Bamboos Flourish and Pines Grow Tall." The borders of the frame were decorated with patterns of flowers, bats, and butterflies.

It was a pity that ever since the Du Ruhui family moved into the current Duke of Lai’s mansion, no one had looked after this place. Over the years, the courtyard had become overgrown with weeds and fallen into ruin.

Du Rui led his people around for a look, though he didn't seem particularly discouraged: "It’s actually quite spacious here!"

Du Zhong, standing beside him, added: "This old residence was bestowed by the current Retired Emperor in the seventh year of Wude, in recognition of the late Duke’s service in pacifying Gao Kaidao. It is a three-courtyard residence with a total of forty-eight rooms. But having gone without repairs for so many years, I fear it is no longer fit for living!"

Du Rui laughed: "No matter! We have many hands; we can tidy up a few rooms to live in for now and repair the rest slowly over time. Uncle Zhong, the urgent matter now is to get our new home running. Take some money and go buy what we need for daily life. It’s getting late; we need to ensure we have dinner tonight, don't we?"

When Madam Ma, Madam Bai, and Madam Ji left, they hadn't even brought a quilt. Although it was early spring, the weather was still cold, and these items had to be purchased.

Du Zhong and Madam Xue went out to shop, while Du Gui, Madam Liu, and the brothers Du Pingyuan and Du Pingsheng busied themselves cleaning the rooms. Madam Ma walked over holding a small bundle, her face filled with sorrow: "Third Young Master! These are the savings we sisters have accumulated over the years. We are grateful for your shelter, and now we offer them to you to help with household expenses."

Hearing this, Du Rui hurriedly declined: "Auntie, what are you saying? This is the private money you three have saved up over time; how could I possibly take it?"

Madam Ma insisted: "You have taken in us orphans and widows; that is already a kindness as vast as the heavens. Now that you are just establishing your household, we sisters have nothing to contribute. Please, Third Young Master, do not refuse this small amount!"

Du Rui knew that Madam Ma and the others were worried about the difficulties of managing the household in the future, which was why they had brought out their savings. He smiled: "Auntie, do not worry. Since I have left the Duke of Lai’s mansion, I will not sit idly by and watch our resources dwindle. You three just need to rest and enjoy your lives; I will handle the management of the household."

Looking at the confident Du Rui, Madam Ma was deeply puzzled. She had been close to Du Rui’s birth mother, Madam Cao, and after Cao passed away, she had often looked after Du Rui and his sister, so she knew him best.

Although Du Rui had been clever since childhood, he was dull in personality, not good with words, and had no strengths other than rote learning. Hearing him speak like this now, even Madam Ma, who knew him best, was greatly surprised.

However, since Du Rui was now the master of this house, Madam Ma, despite her inner confusion, did not wish to ask further. She simply said: "Since you have a plan, Third Young Master, I will say no more!"

Before long, Du Gui returned, covered in dust, and bowed: "Young Master, three bedrooms have been cleaned in the inner courtyard. The furniture is in good condition, and the beds are sturdy. Once we light the fires to warm the rooms and remove the dampness, I will invite the three ladies to rest inside."

Du Rui had some memory of Du Gui; he was the most honest and dull-witted, but he had followed a local martial arts master since childhood. While his skills weren't top-tier, he could easily handle three or four men.

Seeing his efficiency, Du Rui nodded: "Very well! Third Sister, Fourth Sister, Fifth Sister, you go and rest with your aunts first!"

Madam Ma and the others bowed slightly and left. Du Yunlian, finding it boring, followed Madam Bai into the inner courtyard.

Du Rui wanted to help clean, but Du Gui and Madam Liu wouldn't allow it. Having nothing to do, he wandered around, secretly hoping to find some treasure in a dry well or a hollow tree. Unfortunately, Du Ruhui had been an upright official his whole life; although he had some assets, he didn't have the habit of hiding treasures in his old residence.

As dusk approached, Du Zhong and Madam Xue returned with a carriage loaded with all the necessary household items.

Watching his son and daughter-in-law busy cleaning, Du Zhong reminded him with concern: "Young Master! Although this old residence is spacious, it has been in disrepair for years. Your status is noble, and the ladies are widows of the late Duke; living here is beneath your dignity. It would be better to make other plans soon!"

Du Rui was indifferent to Du Zhong’s concerns. His soul came from a later age, and he had never cared much for "nobility." In his view, as long as one could live well, suffering a little at the beginning was nothing.

In his previous life, although Du Rui had spent years immersed in classical literature, he was also very interested in miscellaneous studies. In his spare time, he had researched various crafts. With his knowledge from over a thousand years in the future, living well in this era—which was on the verge of a golden age—would not be difficult at all.

Moreover, although Du Rui was an illegitimate son of Du Ruhui and was not valued in the Duke of Lai’s mansion, the family name still carried weight in the streets. He doubted anyone would dare to cause him trouble.

"Uncle Zhong, do not worry. I have everything under control. I may not have grand ambitions, but raising my sisters and supporting my aunts in peace and safety shouldn't be too difficult!"

Seeing Du Rui speak with such confidence, Du Zhong didn't know what to say. Although Du Rui was young, his words and actions today showed he had a mind of his own. Especially the poem he recited at the gate when leaving the Duke of Lai’s mansion—it had given Du Zhong, a loyal old servant, an inexplicable sense of confidence in his young master.

"Since you have a plan, Young Master, I will say no more!"

Du Rui smiled: "Uncle Zhong, there is no need for that. I am young and inexperienced; I will need your help to manage the affairs of this household in the future!"

Du Zhong bowed: "You can rest assured, Young Master. I received great kindness from the late Madam and have no way to repay it. I will devote my old bones to serving you with all my heart!"

Du Rui knew that people in the Tang Dynasty inherited the customs of the Wei and Jin periods; while not as strict as the pre-Qin era, they still valued promises. His birth mother, Madam Cao, had saved the lives of Du Zhong’s family, so Du Rui had no need to worry about Du Zhong’s loyalty.

Now that they had moved out, Du Rui already had a plan for how to survive in this era. However, in this day and age, there were some things his current status made inconvenient or impossible to do, so he would have to rely on others. Now that Du Zhong was willing to help, Du Rui felt at ease.

Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—no matter the dynasty, merchants were always at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Yet, they were often the most affluent. The reason was that rulers of every dynasty held extreme contempt for merchants, believing them to be profit-driven and inherently deceitful, and that commerce itself was the beginning of moral decay. Thus, their money was considered "dirty." In the later Ming Dynasty, the country was truly wealthy, but the government eventually collapsed due to a depleted treasury and the tragic death of the emperor, all because merchant taxes were virtually ignored. The Tang Dynasty was the same; the status of merchants was extremely low, but if one wanted to get rich, commerce was a shortcut.

Du Rui had to consider how to begin. Since he had arrived in this Tang Dynasty, which was about to enter its golden age, he didn't want to just be a wealthy man. He needed to plan for the future.

Even if he couldn't leave his name in history for generations, he wanted to play a part in the construction of this golden age. Although the Tang Dynasty was prosperous, there had been many mistakes and biases in its governance. Since he was here, he would find ways to avoid those detours and help this famous dynasty walk a steadier path!

But for now, these were not things Du Rui should be considering. He was a commoner with no achievements; how could he catch the eye of the rulers? The most urgent matter was simply how to survive in this era.

Watching his busy family, Du Rui felt full of energy. If he had stayed in the Duke of Lai’s mansion, he would have wasted his life. Now that he had been cast out, it felt as if his hands and feet had been untied, giving him the feeling that the sea was wide enough for fish to leap and the sky high enough for birds to fly.

Tang Dynasty, Du Rui is here!