In the capital, the common saying goes that the east is wealthy, the west is noble, the south is poor, and the north is humble. The divisions are quite distinct, and the place where Zhao Yan currently lives belongs to the south, while the Gu Family estate is also situated in the southern part of the city.
Right now, he was merely a minor official. With the capital's high cost of living, where food, clothing, housing, and transportation all required money, even if his official salary eventually came through, it would barely cover the basics. If he were the least bit extravagant, his pockets would be empty in no time.
Given his personal integrity, he could never bring himself to take bribes or line his pockets. He believed in maintaining his principles despite poverty; money earned through one's own honest effort brought greater peace of mind, and ill-gotten gains were something he wouldn't touch even with a ten-foot pole.
Chapter 344