However, since the young master had spoken, Chenweng’s attitude grew appropriately warmer. The shopkeeper clad in brocade and sable furs turned to Jiang Zhaoye, raising his hands in a smiling cupped bow. “Esteemed guest, regarding this Cold Marrow Stone...”
“Three hundred taels of silver...” Setting aside his slight dissatisfaction, Jiang Zhaoye took the opportunity to say, “Could you lower the price a bit?”
Chenweng put on a superficial look of difficulty. “Esteemed guest, the price was set by the owner. This old man cannot make that decision.”
Jiang Zhaoye raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms and watching him at ease through the thin veil of his hat.
The shopkeeper could not help but laugh, coming clean. “However, if you sincerely wish to buy it, this old man can take the liberty of giving you a slight discount. Two hundred and ninety taels. Any lower than that is out of the question.”
Just as Jiang Zhaoye was about to haggle further, the shop door was slammed open with a clatter. A sudden draft of northern wind swept the door curtain aside as a dignified young man strode inside.
This person was far more ostentatious than the Eldest Young Master of the Zhao clan from earlier.
Dressed in a crimson brocade robe with gold and silver embroidery along the collar and cuffs, faint golden cloud patterns subtly visible, he wore a red bronze token at his waist. He walked with a wind at his back, laughing out loud the moment he entered, “Chenweng, is that Cold Marrow Stone still here? I thought about it over and over after going back and couldn't let it go, so I brought enough money to claim it today—”
Before he could finish speaking, he saw Jiang Zhaoye standing inside the shop. Turning his head, he caught the lingering look of difficulty on Chenweng’s face. He paused in his tracks, the smile instantly fading from his face.
“What, did someone else want it?”
Chenweng cupped his hands slightly, speaking in a familiar tone. “Sixth Young Master, you’ve arrived at just the right time. This guest was just inquiring about the price, but nothing has been settled yet.”
Jiang Zhaoye cursed the guy as a shady merchant in his mind.
Sure enough, the Sixth Young Master of the Han clan breathed a sigh of relief. Turning around, he sized Jiang Zhaoye up and down. Seeing him wearing a veiled hat that hid his face, dressed decently but not in expensive fabrics, with a purse at his waist that didn't look bulging at all, he immediately sneered. “From out of town?”
Jiang Zhaoye rolled his eyes beneath his straw hat, ignoring him.
I won't pay you any mind at all.
Han Sixth Young Master did not care either, striding straight to the counter. Reaching into his robes, he pulled out a purse and tossed it onto the tabletop with a heavy thud. “Here, three hundred taels! I'll be taking the Cold Marrow Stone today. Chenweng, please wrap it up.”
Chenweng looked at Han Sixth Young Master, then at Jiang Zhaoye, putting on an awkward expression. “Sixth Young Master, th-this guest arrived first. According to the rules, we must consult this guest’s intentions first.”
Only then did Han Sixth Young Master look at Jiang Zhaoye directly, impatience in his eyes. “You want to buy it?”
“I do.”
“So you haven't bought it yet.”
“We were bargaining.” Jiang Zhaoye was thoroughly annoyed. To run into such melodramatic drama just buying something was truly exhausting.
“Then it isn't settled yet, which makes things simple.” Han Sixth Young Master smiled, pushing the purse forward in front of Chenweng. “I offer three hundred taels—full price, no bargaining. Chenweng, who do you think you should do business with?”
Chenweng did not respond, merely looking back at Jiang Zhaoye with calm composure.
Damn it... capital set me up.
Jiang Zhaoye remained expressionlessly silent for a moment before asking, “Shopkeeper, does your offer of two hundred and ninety taels from earlier still stand?”
Chenweng nodded. “Naturally it stands, but...”
“Then I'll take it.”
The smile faded from Han Sixth Young Master’s face.
He glanced at Chenweng, then back at Jiang Zhaoye, his eyes gradually turning cold. “My friend, first-come-first-served is a rule, but Tongbao Emporium has always awarded goods to the highest bidder. I offered three hundred taels, and you offered two hundred and ninety. On what grounds are you competing with me?”
Jiang Zhaoye snorted triumphantly in his head.
I just wanted to interact with you all normally as an ordinary person, but you're forcing me to pull out a dimensional strike.
Unhurriedly, he reached into his robes and pulled out several gold bars, placing them on the counter. Exactly four gold bars shimmered with a clear, eye-dazzling glow in the dim lighting. Their quality was exceptional, obviously top-grade stuff at a single glance.
“Three hundred taels of silver, or three yi and twelve taels of gold.” Jiang Zhaoye moved with calm nonchalance, his tone neither warm nor cold. “I bid four yi of gold.”
Han Sixth Young Master’s face changed drastically.
Four yi of gold converted to roughly three hundred and twenty taels of silver at market rate, fully twenty taels more than his three hundred. Moreover, gold was far more hard currency than silver scraps or copper coins. Not to mention these gold bars were of exquisite quality—even with his trained eye, he could tell they were brand-new pure gold...
In practical terms, that was enough to buy two Cold Marrow Stones.
Chenweng’s eyes suddenly lit up, yet he did not immediately reply, instead looking over at Han Sixth Young Master.
Han Sixth Young Master stared at the gold bars for a moment, unable to look away, before looking back up at Jiang Zhaoye. His gaze now held a bit more seriousness and scrutiny. “My friend, you look quite unfamiliar. I, Han, recognize most clansmen of Ju City's four clans. May I ask which house you belong to?”
“No house, just passing through.” Jiang Zhaoye answered plainly, putting on a persona of a man of few words, while internally griping... Your granddaddy hasn't even taken off his hat, how the hell do I look unfamiliar to you? Can you even see my face to call me unfamiliar?!
“Passing through.” Han Sixth Young Master chewed on those two words, laughing as if out of sheer frustration. “Just passing through Ju City, yet casually tossing out four yi of gold just to buy a piece of Cold Marrow Stone? My friend, your 'passing through' is quite lavish.”
Speaking with a half-smile, he took a step forward, his gaze settling heavily on the brim of Jiang Zhaoye’s veiled hat. “However, my friend, in a place like Ju City, having money is one thing, but whether you have the life to spend it is another. Though my Han clan isn't ranked number one in this city, we aren't someone whose face just anyone can slap.”
These words already carried a distinct hint of a threat.
Jiang Zhaoye rolled his eyes beneath his hat. Heh, what a poser.
Chenweng’s expression changed slightly. He opened his mouth wanting to smooth things over, but seemed wary of something, ultimately not daring to interrupt.
The inner room was quiet as well; that Eldest Young Master of the Zhao clan did not seem inclined to come out.
Jiang Zhaoye rolled his eyes again. Heh, shady merchant.
Cursing his bad luck internally, he didn't even bother to speak further. He simply reached out and pushed the gold bars deeper across the counter, saying in a calm tone, “Shopkeeper, please wrap it up.”
Han Sixth Young Master’s face darkened completely.
He stared at Jiang Zhaoye for a good while before suddenly bursting into a laugh, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. “Good! Very good! Since my friend is so confident, I, Han, won't cut in on what another loves. But my friend... Ju City is small. We will meet again.”
Jiang Zhaoye didn't pay him the slightest attention.
Who's your friend?
Having said that, the Sixth Young Master of the Han clan reached out, retrieved his purse from the counter into his robes, shot Jiang Zhaoye one last deep look, then turned and strode out.
The shop door swung open and shut, letting in a gust of cold air that flickered the embers inside the bronze burner.
Only then did Chenweng breathe a sigh of relief. Wiping the fine sweat from his forehead, he nimbly packed the Cold Marrow Stone into a jade casket and handed it to Jiang Zhaoye with both hands. “Esteemed guest, please keep this safe. Regarding today's affair... if this servant may offer a word of advice, that Sixth Young Master of the Han clan has always had an overbearing disposition in Ju City. You bruised his pride today, so when walking about the city in the future, you had best keep your eyes peeled.”
Jiang Zhaoye took the casket, nodding nonchalantly. “Thank you for the warning.”
Just as he turned to leave, the door curtain to the inner room was suddenly lifted. The Eldest Young Master of the Zhao clan walked out, holding a stack of talisman paper in his hand. His gaze rested on Jiang Zhaoye for a split second, speaking in that unruffled, calm manner of his: “Friend, please wait.”
Jiang Zhaoye paused helplessly, turning back to look at him.
It's just buying a single item, yet there are so many hassles.
Rate on N.U.
