Selling Tiger Hides

Qingjiang County Seat, West Market.

Xu Mingwei rode at an easy pace, reins in hand, a faint smile on his lips as though he understood the ways of the world.

Hooves pattered over the flagstones like a night watchman's dripping clock. The streets bustled with cries from wine shops, the clatter of a brass scale outside a cosmetics shop, and the bright chink of silver landing on a tray in a teahouse.

Father was right after all.

All under heaven bustle for profit; all under heaven hurry after gain.

As people multiplied and their needs grew, all sorts of trades naturally sprang up.

The West Market was full of stalls and little shops, but their combined profits might well exceed those of the grand stores in the East Market.

Before long,

Xu Mingwei reached the Cloud Arrival Inn, where Xu Mingyuan was staying.

He had just arrived at the entrance when he saw Xu Mingyuan, Zhou Ming, Zhao Dalong, and the others coming out.

"A Yuan."

Xu Mingwei called out suddenly.

Xu Mingyuan, who had been giving Zhou Ming instructions, paused and turned. A smile immediately spread across his face. "Big Brother."

The group hurried over.

"Big Brother, what brings you here?"

"Eldest Young Master." Zhou Ming and the others bowed in greeting.

Xu Mingwei nodded and smiled. "We went into the mountains yesterday and came back with a few things to sell. Father said you could have the money from the hides."

"I figured you knew Qingjiang County well, so I came to find you first."

"Then you came to the right person. I've made a few connections in the county seat over the years." Xu Mingyuan laughed. "A pawnshop or anywhere else wouldn't give you a good price."

"Mr. Zhou, go ahead with what we discussed. I'll help my brother take care of this first."

"Yes, Second Young Master."

Zhou Ming left with Zhao Dalong and the others.

Xu Mingyuan said, "Let's talk as we walk, Big Brother. What fine hides did you get this time?"

"Green Wolf? Spotted Leopard? Or another Silver Fox?"

"See for yourself." Xu Mingwei opened the bundle for him.

"That coloring—a Fierce Tiger?!"

"The fur's in good condition. Any damage? With a bundle this thick, there must be more than one hide."

"Two. A male and a female, a mated pair. The male stood nearly six feet tall and weighed over a thousand catties. The female was a little smaller, but still sturdier than an ordinary tiger," Xu Mingwei explained. "They had a cub too. We brought it home to be Xueji's playmate."

"Uh, a tiger cub for a playmate?" Xu Mingyuan was startled. Most people would never dare do that.

Once it grew up, an ordinary martial artist would be no match for it.

One careless moment, and even a First-Class Martial Artist could be badly wounded.

"Father allowed it. He said Xueji would have no trouble raising it."

"All right. Father is probably right."

After a moment's thought, Xu Mingyuan let the matter drop.

His mind worked quickly. In an instant, he had devised a pitch that could raise the price of the two hides.

The brothers went to the East Market and entered an old-fashioned teahouse.

The teahouse was called the Moon-Rinsing Pavilion and had three floors.

The first floor was a common hall filled with eight-seat tables. A storytelling stage stood in the middle, where storytellers performed every day, telling tales of heroes, famous generals, and strange happenings.

Most tables held big piles of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and other snacks.

From time to time, the waiters called out, "Coming!" in sharp, high voices.

The second floor held private rooms.

The deposit for a single room was enough to pay for half a month's listening in the hall downstairs.

As for the third floor, reservations had to be made in advance.

"A teahouse?" Xu Mingwei looked puzzled. "We're selling them here?"

"Big Brother, the Moon-Rinsing Pavilion is the most famous teahouse in the East Market. Its owner is Chang Haowen, a young man of twenty."

"I hear he comes from quite a background, and the teahouse is only one of his businesses. I happened to meet him by chance."

A waiter hurried over and called, "Sit wherever you like, gentlemen. What can I get you?"

"I'm here to see Young Master Chang."

The waiter paused, then ran to the counter and said something to a middle-aged man.

The man glanced over, then approached with a smile and cupped his hands. "Young Master Xu! My young master was asking after you just a few days ago."

Xu Mingyuan returned the greeting. "Manager He, is Young Master Chang here today?"

"He's in a private room upstairs. I'll take you to him."

They went up to the second floor.

Knock, knock.

"Young Master, Young Master Xu is here."

"Xu Mingyuan?" A rich voice sounded from within. "Let him in."

"This way, gentlemen." Manager He opened the door and ushered them inside, then returned to his work at the counter downstairs.

The room was spacious, with several chairs made of pale yellow pearwood arranged around a tea table.

A young man lounged there in a Jade-Inlaid Silver Crown and splendid robes woven from crimson and gold brocade.

His face was as fair as carved jade, his brows sharp as swords and his eyes bright as stars. A trace of an unconcerned smile always lingered at his lips.

Beside him, a beautiful girl of about sixteen gently waved a jade fan as she attended him.

"Brother Xu, come in. Sit wherever you like."

"Oh? You brought someone with you today."

Chang Haowen turned slightly. Seeing two visitors, he looked surprised. As he studied them, he noticed a resemblance in their features and bearing. "Your elder brother? Or perhaps a cousin?"

Xu Mingyuan sat down without ceremony and waved Xu Mingwei into a seat as well. "This is my big brother—my own flesh and blood. His name is Xu Mingwei."

"Wei: lofty."

"The southern mountain rises high; the stately fox goes softly by."

Chang Haowen savored the name and praised it. "It calls to mind towering mountains and aspirations that pierce the clouds. A fine name."

"You flatter me, Young Master Chang."

Xu Mingwei clasped his hands in greeting. His back was straight as a pine reaching for the sun, his manner composed, with neither flattery nor arrogance in his eyes.

Chang Haowen nodded slightly, then looked at Xu Mingyuan. "I take it you haven't come just to drink tea and chat?"

"I came to keep up our friendship, of course. And to take care of a thing or two while I'm here."

Chang Haowen chuckled. "Go on, then."

"Have a look at these two hides, Young Master Chang. Tell us what you think."

Xu Mingyuan took the two tiger hides from the bundle, and he and Xu Mingwei spread them out.

Chang Haowen showed no change of expression as he examined them closely.

"Not bad. These were Mutant tigers. Even a First-Class Martial Artist would have risked his life taking them head-on. And both hides are remarkably intact."

He considered them for a moment, his eyes gleaming. "Either they were struck in the eye or throat and killed in a single blow, or someone beat them to death with bare fists."

"Either way, whoever killed these tigers was formidable."

"Your eye is as sharp as ever, Young Master Chang." Xu Mingyuan smiled. "But there's something rarer still."

"Oh? What's that?"

"One hide is male and the other female. They belonged to a mated pair."

"They fought to protect their cub, struggling to the death until their strength gave out."

"Impressive indeed." Chang Haowen's expression remained unchanged. He glanced at Xu Mingyuan and smiled. "Brother Xu, are you telling me all this because you mean to sell them to me?"

"What do you think they're worth, Young Master Chang?"

"As two Mutant tiger hides alone, they're worth a thousand taels. With that story, twelve hundred."

"You don't believe me?"

Seeing his expression, Xu Mingyuan smiled faintly.

"Merchants pursue profit. It's only natural for them to praise their wares to the skies."

"And if I can prove it? Would you buy them for twelve hundred taels?"

Chang Haowen smiled, unbothered. "If you can prove it, I have no objection to paying over a thousand taels."

"But how will you do that?"

"That's simple. If you think what I said is just a story, you must think the cub is made up too."

"But the pair's cub is being raised at our home. You need only send someone to take a look. If the cub is there, then the story is true."

Chang Haowen paused. "Your family intends to raise a Mutant tiger cub?"

"Even if you raise it from birth, when its claws and fangs begin to flash cold, its wild nature will show itself sooner or later. One careless moment, and it could tear out its keeper's throat.

Even if it isn't a Demon Tiger, taming it would take skill in handling beasts—something close to the methods of immortal cultivators."

Xu Mingyuan lowered his eyes with a small smile. "We'll deal with that when the time comes. If it ever attacks someone, my family certainly won't keep such a menace around."

His certainty convinced Chang Haowen for the most part.

After thinking it over, Chang Haowen said, "Brother Xu, you're a merchant. You once told me that though merchants pursue profit, they must build their business on honesty."

"I trust your character, so there's no need to verify it."

"If the Xu Household really does tame the cub one day, you can invite me to see it then."

"Haha, thank you, Young Master Chang. But you'll have a long wait before there's much to see. Right now, it's only a little ball of white fluff."