Deep in the market, the flow of people thinned slightly, yet the bustle only grew richer. Maya Divine Smoke rose before the wooden awning of a smoke shop and drifted in every direction. Several city-state nobles, dressed in splendid clothes, smoked expensive rolled cigarettes and chatted with easy laughter. Each noble had several warriors behind him, and a few steps beyond them stood the gathered crowd. Like a nest of snakes, they greedily craned their heads, sniffing at the spreading smoke, longing showing on their faces.
"Mm... the Corn People's Divine Smoke..."
A dozen or so steps away, Puapu looked at the Maya merchant shed, his expression struggling, hesitant and undecided.
The kingdom strictly enforced religious law, and one of its rules was forbidding warriors from smoking Divine Smoke. According to the priests' descriptions, this smoke that communicated with the gods would burn away a mortal's vitality, especially harming the lungs. And once too much was smoked, it would reduce a warrior's ability to run and fight!
Of course, the kingdom's more effective measure was to ban the private sale of Divine Smoke, levy extra taxes on it, and raise the price of this consumable beyond what ordinary warriors could bear.
"The price of Divine Smoke here seems much lower than in the kingdom and the Alliance!"
Puapu saw it clearly. That noble just now had only taken out one Lake Gem and received several bags of Divine Smoke in return. That price was probably only one-fifth of the kingdom's!
Maya goods were far cheaper at this nearby port than in the kingdom two thousand li away. And because of their stable quality and the vast quantities constantly flowing in, Lake Gems had gradually become a relatively common "currency" in the luxury trade. Right now, Puapu had a whole pouch