White Cloud Manor had a renowned name. People came and went in an endless stream, and the place was bustling.
Xiang Yuan glanced at the couplet by the entrance, then noticed a flagpole beside the signboard. Its flag bore an exquisite cloud pattern and the seal-script characters "White Cloud"—grand yet elegant, and so striking it was hard to forget.
A line of greeters stood at the entrance, warmly welcoming every customer. Each was quick-witted and courteous, and whether introducing merchandise or answering questions, they never let a customer's plain clothes excuse a lapse in manners.
White Cloud Manor owed its reputation not only to the quality of its goods, but also to its attentive service.
Still, while the goods were good, the prices were another matter. Those in the know got fair deals at White Cloud Manor, but newcomers to the martial world often had to pay a hefty tuition fee.
And while White Cloud Manor's shops were scattered throughout Western Chu, some operated properly, while others not only gouged customers but were especially skilled at overcharging familiar ones.
A few flaws could hardly tarnish its great reputation. You might pay too much, but you wouldn't get bad merchandise. In a world where might made right, the fact that they never sold counterfeits was truly commendable.
But enough of that. Xiang Yuan followed a greeter inside.
White Cloud Manor stocked everything, from clothes, hats, and boots to weapons and manuals. Whatever people in the martial world wanted, they sold. Their motto was customer first.
Their flagship product was pills. No one in Western Chu could rival them, and perhaps only a few famous sects elsewhere could make better pills. But in terms of value, success rate, and distribution, none could compete with White Cloud Manor.
They practically had a monopoly.
Forget Sword Manor, another major establishment, was about the same size as White Cloud Manor. Its flagship product was weapons. Each had its specialty, and neither could beat the other on its own turf.
So they got along peacefully, rarely clashing and keeping up a friendly appearance for the sake of business.
White Cloud Manor's shop occupied a vast area, divided into front and rear courtyards. The front courtyard was like a supermarket or general store, with all kinds of goods on display for martial heroes passing through to browse. The rear courtyard was the premium section, staffed by attractive greeters and furnished with private rooms for tea, accompanied by music, making wealthy martial heroes feel right at home.
According to rumors, customers who spent a fortune in the rear courtyard could take a greeter of their choice out with them.
The fifteen hundred taels of silver on Xiang Yuan weren't exactly a fortune. He could enjoy himself in the front courtyard, but in the rear courtyard, he'd be nobody.
He knew his place and went straight to the pill section to explain what he needed.
The greeter recommended a blood-replenishing pill. It dissolved in the mouth, was simple and effective, and tasted so good you'd want more. It was highly praised and the perfect choice for replenishing blood and healing injuries.
The man was an excellent salesman. He made a common blood-replenishing pill sound like something impossible to find on earth and rare under heaven. Before Xiang Yuan knew it, two hundred taels in silver notes were gone.
I haven't even haggled yet!
Thinking of Lu Ming and Old Liu's warnings, Xiang Yuan regretted it. Steady as he was, he wasn't suited to haggling and playing the pity card. Cold Blood was even less likely to work—he'd probably just resort to force. After weighing his options, Xiang Yuan cut his losses and switched to his jokester persona.
A jokester had no shame, which made him perfect for haggling.
"Constable Xiang, besides the Acupoint Opening Pills specially made by White Cloud Manor, we also sell pills on behalf of other sects. Which sect are you from? Do you have any specific requirements?" The greeter handed him a catalog.
"No particular requirements. The Acupoint Opening Pills made by White Cloud Manor will do."
Xiang Yuan leafed through the catalog, but didn't see True Heart Dao listed. The sects whose pills they sold were all within Western Chu, and most were second-rate. Only Qingxu Sect and Sword Heart Studio were first-rate powers.
The pills from those two sects were mild and well-balanced, with broad applications. They had few shops of their own, so they partnered with White Cloud Manor and split the profits.
Xiang Yuan had a sharp eye. The catalog didn't list prices outright, which meant there was plenty of markup and room to bargain.
"Constable Xiang, these three bottles all contain Acupoint Opening Pills. This is the mid-grade, this is the premium-grade, and this is the top-grade. You get what you pay for. Which would you like?" The greeter brought over three bottles of pills.
"Low-grade" sounded too unpleasant. People in the martial world cared about appearances, so the shop had renamed it "mid-grade" for a little extra money. The cash-strapped heroes were far more willing to pay after that.
There was no shame in making money.
The buyer got to save face, and the seller got a better deal. It benefited both sides, so why not?
Xiang Yuan had originally planned to buy the low-grade one—no, the mid-grade one. The Formless Seal Method strengthened his primordial spirit internally and his physical strength externally, while cleansing his marrow, reshaping his bones, and altering his meridians and acupoints. He firmly believed he could safely break through to Acupoint Opening even without a pill. He only wanted one to be cautious and ensure he succeeded on the first try.
Now that his pockets were full, he was tempted by the top-grade pill.
Rich or poor, everyone had their own way of life. Now that he could afford it, of course he wanted the best!
"How much are these three bottles?"
"The mid-grade is good quality at a low price—fifty taels. The premium-grade is well worth the money—two hundred taels."
The greeter was an excellent salesman. He said earnestly, "The top-grade pill requires a great deal of rare ingredients. They're difficult to gather, and many people are injured or killed in the process. Every ingredient is precious. It also takes an experienced apothecary to keep the best and discard the rest, then a master has to spend three days and three nights refining it. Ordinary people wouldn't dare tend the furnace. The yield is low and demand is high, so rare things are expensive. It costs five hundred taels."
You really could talk.
Xiang Yuan blinked and said gravely, "I want the top-grade one. Give me a discount. We've traveled a thousand miles to meet, and a hundred taels shows my sincerity."
"No, no. A hundred taels won't even buy the premium-grade one. You've been generous today, so I'll give you a discount: four hundred and ninety taels!" The greeter gritted his teeth.
"Though mountains and rivers stretch far, affection binds us near. Would one hundred and fifty do?"
The greeter was so caught up in the verse that he thought he'd met a master. He took a deep breath, but couldn't come up with a poem, so he answered plainly, "No, no. If I sold it to you for a hundred and fifty taels, the shopkeeper would break my legs."
"True affection still exists in this world. Two hundred is enough to make us both smile."
"You're really something. How about four hundred and fifty taels? That's the lowest price."
"Through wind and rain, our bond grows deep. Two hundred and fifty should do the trick!"
"Four hundred and twenty taels. No haggling!!"
"Where in the world are there no flowers to pick? If you won't sell for three hundred, I'll be on my way."
"Four hundred taels! Final price!!!"
After a long back-and-forth, Xiang Yuan took pity on the greeter and gave in, adding another fifty taels. He bought the top-grade Acupoint Opening Pill for the high price of three hundred and fifty taels.
Both sides felt they'd gotten the short end of the stick.
By the time the greeter came to his senses, he was sweating profusely. He looked at Xiang Yuan differently now. The man wasn't just a master—he rattled off catchy rhymes nonstop, too. Three hundred and fifty taels! Since the shop had opened, they'd never sold a top-grade Acupoint Opening Pill for so little.
Oh no, I fell for his trick and broke the rules. Is the shopkeeper going to beat me?
Xiang Yuan got the pill he wanted, paid for it, took the goods, and turned to leave.
The greeter followed behind him with a miserable expression. "Constable Xiang, you got a great deal today. Please don't tell anyone, or I'll be in serious trouble."
Don't lie. You must still be making a profit; your commission is just smaller.
Xiang Yuan nodded. Seeing that the greeter was still following him, he raised an eyebrow. "What, do you want to come back to the county yamen with me to learn the way, then rob the place tonight?"
"Constable Xiang, you jest. White Cloud Manor only does legitimate business. We don't engage in thievery."
The greeter looked troubled. "I broke the rules today. I just want to recommend a few more items to you. Otherwise, I'll have made a loss, and the shopkeeper really will break my legs."
He looked so miserable, as though Xiang Yuan had taken advantage of him terribly. Whether it was real or not, at least it made customers feel good.
"What do you want to recommend?"
"Weapons! Now that you've got an Acupoint Opening Pill, once you achieve Great Accomplishment in your divine art, you'll surely become famous throughout the land. If you lose to some martial-world nobody because you were let down by your weapon, won't you regret it later?"
"That does sound reasonable."
Xiang Yuan still had nearly a thousand taels in silver notes, and he had indeed been considering buying a weapon. He shook his head. "If I'm buying a weapon, I should go to Forget Sword Manor. Their shop is right up ahead—"
"Our shop is offering a discount. You can browse the rear courtyard!" the greeter interrupted.
White Cloud Manor had a spiteful rule that helped no one: when selling weapons, they would rather take a small loss themselves than let Forget Sword Manor make a big profit.
If I can't beat you on quality, I can still compete dirty!
The rear courtyard!
Xiang Yuan's eyes lit up. He really should take a look. Even if he didn't buy anything, he could have tea, listen to music, wander around, and broaden his horizons.
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