Brokers, like Zheng Yakuai, make their living by manipulating prices. How could Zheng not know the rental prices and yet come to sway Hua Xiaomai? He immediately flipped through the small booklet he had with him, nodded slightly after a moment, and said, "Mmm, the shop in question is a two-story building with a clean courtyard in the back. If you were to buy the whole property, it would cost you eighty-six taels of silver in a lump sum. If you choose to rent, it would be twenty strings of cash per year."
As he spoke, he closed the booklet and said earnestly, "Little sister Xiaomai, if you ask me, if you have enough silver on hand, it's better to buy the entire storefront in one go. It's much more cost-effective that way!"