Wang Batian led his horse into the city, his face even more somber than the bluestone Chancellery.
He walked very fast.
Meng Jiuning lagged half a step behind, but her gaze beneath the bamboo hat never wavered.
The South Street were more bustling than she had imagined.
An old man carrying a load of flatbreads on a shoulder pole guarded his stall, with a wooden money box beside his counter and a sign hanging next to it that read, "[One coin per piece, fair and honest to all, young and old]".
A measuring rod is placed at the entrance of the tailor shop. When customers choose fabric, the clerk measures it in front of them and will also roll up any leftover scraps and hand them back.
Two children dressed in short brown clothes were squatting on the side of the street eating sugar figurines. A street patrol officer passed by and only reminded them not to block the drain, without even scolding them.
She had never seen a city like this before.
The streets were crowded, but the rules remained intact.
There are many shops, but the hawking sounds are not harsh.
Even the carts carrying night soil traveled along a specially marked side path, with straw mudguards on their wheels to prevent dirty water from splashing onto pedestrians' clothes.
"This city is very well governed."
Wang Batian disagreed.
"It's all just for show."
Meng Jiuning did not respond.
She had seen far too many pretentious things in Dali Royal City.
The gold paint on the palace gates was peeling and faded, yet the eunuchs inside still vied to steal rice; the bugles in the military camp blared deafeningly, and when the Tubo cavalry actually arrived, the commander dared to pull off the bolts.
The sight of Yi Prefecture before her eyes felt unfamiliar to her.
"Let's find an inn first."
Wang Batian pointed forward and saw a three-story teahouse at the street corner.
A brand-new wooden sign hangs in front of the building, with the three characters "[ Listening to the Rain Tower ]" written neatly, and a small blackboard stands at the entrance.
[Today's New Tea: Mengding Ganlu]
[Today's New Dishes: Snow Crystal Pastry, Salt and Pepper Flatbread, Candied Hawthorn.]
[Upstairs private seating requires prior verification of funds.]
Wang Batian stopped in his tracks when he saw the last line of text.
What does "capital verification" mean?
The waiter at the door greeted him with a smile, "Sir, the private rooms upstairs are quiet and offer a view of half of the South Street. You'll need to check your wallet first."
"Presumptuous."
Wang Batian pulled out a small handful of gold leaves from his pocket and showed them to everyone. "Open your eyes wide and look carefully."
The waiter read it carefully and nodded repeatedly.
"That's enough, more than enough. Please come upstairs, both of you."
Wang Batian snorted coldly and stepped into the teahouse first.
Meng Jiuning followed behind, and when she looked up, she noticed that a bamboo curtain was hanging in the innermost private room on the second floor, and several people were sitting vaguely behind the curtain.
One of the men, dressed in a pale white robe, with thin shoulders, was holding a teacup and looking out the window.
She was stunned.
That face was almost identical to the one in the portrait.
Before leaving Dali, her father's former officials gave her a portrait album of various factions.
The comments about Prince Yi Gu Moran, in the booklet were very brief.
[He is often ill, good at concealing his illness, and is the ruler of Yi Prefecture.]
Meng Jiuning's heart sank.
What's Prince Yi doing here?
Wang Batian, oblivious to her unusual behavior, slammed his hand on the table as soon as he sat down. "Waiter, bring me your most expensive dishes and drinks. The meat must be the best, and the wine the strongest."
The waiter smiled even more ingratiatingly, "Sir, you've come at the perfect time! Our establishment just acquired a rare ingredient yesterday, from the Prince Yi's Residence's sugar workshop, called [ Western Regions Heavenly Mountain Snow Crystal Powder ]."
What the hell?
"This thing is pure white and translucent, melts in your mouth, and even a person who has walked a hundred miles of mountain roads will feel some of their fatigue disappear after taking a bite. Ordinary distinguished guests can't even see it."
Wang Batian scoffed. "Bring it here."
The waiter turned and went into the back room.
Meng Jiuning took off her straw hat, revealing a delicate face.
Her eyebrows and eyes were not striking, and her complexion was slightly pale from the long journey.
"Brother Wang, try to avoid trouble after entering the city."
"What trouble have I caused? It was that gatekeeper who started it."
"They followed the rules."
"Rule?"
Wang Batian pushed his teacup forward, causing the tea to spill onto the table. "I hate rules the most. Dali officials in Dali talk about rules all the time, but when the Tubo come to our doorstep, they run faster than rabbits."
Meng Jiuning lowered her eyes and didn't try to persuade her anymore.
Wang Batian was the man her father left her; he was strong, skilled with a sword, and straightforward.
He grew up in a mountain village and believed that whoever has the strongest fist has the right to speak.
He fled from Dali to Jiannan, and his temper caused him trouble three or four times along the way.
But right now, she needs his protection.
The waiter returned with a tray, on which was only a small white porcelain dish.
The dish contained more than ten crystals, each one translucent, refracting tiny fragments of light under the sunlight.
Wang Batian frowned. "That's all?"
"These Snow Crystal Powder are precious; only one bite is allowed for a rare treat."
How much is this bite?
"Ten coins."
Just as Wang Batian was about to curse, Meng Jiuning took out her money pouch first.
The waiter waved his hand, saying, "Our esteemed guest has already been assessed; the first pill will be a complimentary gift from our establishment."
Wang Batian then reached out, picked up a pill, and popped it into his mouth.
The sweetness melts on the tip of the tongue.
It's not the sticky sweetness of honey, nor the cloying sweetness of maltose after being cooked for too long.
It was excessively clean, like a mountain spring spreading in the mouth, the sweetness flowing down the back of the tongue, even suppressing the astringent taste left from the dry rations he had been eating all the way.
Wang Batian chewed twice, then picked up a second one.
The waiter was quick-witted and took half a step back while holding the tray.
"Sir, only one sample is available for you."
"I'll buy it."
Oh? How much do you want? Bulk discounts available.
Wang Batian raised his head, intending to regain the face he had lost at the city gate. "Give me a thousand catties."
The waiter's smile deepened.
"Please wait a moment, sir. I will go and ask the manager to personally attend to you."
Behind the bamboo curtain on the second floor, Gu Moran put down his teacup.
Su Yao had already put on her veil, and a string of ebony abacuses was placed beside her.
She looked down at the man with the knife on his back downstairs and flicked the abacus beads with her fingertip.
"One thousand catties of white sugar."
"Um."
"Does Your Highness really intend to sell?"
They genuinely want to buy it.
Su Yao looked up at him. "I'm afraid he can't afford it."
If you can't afford it, we can talk about something else.
Gu Moran looked out the window. The wind blowing in from the South Street carried the aroma of freshly baked flatbread.
"Let him know that things from Yi Prefecture can never be taken away by simply banging on the table."
When Su Yao came downstairs with her abacus, the teahouse had quieted down considerably.
She was wearing a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), and her face was mostly covered by a veil, revealing only a pair of bright eyes.
She didn't sit down immediately. First, she had the waiter place the sugar jar in front of Wang Batian, and then she asked someone to bring paper, pen, and a ruler.
Wang Batian leaned back in his chair, his heavy sword lying across his legs.
"Are you the shopkeeper?"
"I guess so."
Su Yao sat down opposite him and straightened the abacus. "Sir, you want one thousand catties of [ Western Regions Heavenly Mountain Snow Crystal Powder ]. Is it for personal use, as a gift, or to resell?"
Why ask these questions?
"Different uses, different prices."
"I want to take it back to Dali."
The abacus beads in Su Yao's hand clicked twice.
"Then we'll have to consider external transportation."
So what?
"The sugar comes from Yi Prefecture Sugar Workshop, and it must be registered at the government warehouse. It must be stored in a moisture-proof porcelain jar and travel along the mountain road of Jiannan Circuit."
Dali is currently in chaos due to war, and trade routes are unstable. Escorting people costs money, and losses also cost money. If the merchant guild encounters bandits or mutinous troops along the way, the risks they bear must also be factored in.
Wang Batian felt a headache coming on.
Just tell me how much it costs.
Su Yao took a pen and paper and wrote down a line of numbers.
"Refined processing loss, forty coins per pound."
Wang Batian nodded impatiently.
"Continue."
"Porcelain jar packaging, 20 coins extra per pound."
"Continue."
"Shipping fee for the Jiannan Line: 100 additional coins per jin."
Wang Batian's eyebrows began to twitch.
"The escort fee for illegal transport is two hundred coins per jin."
"You're robbing me!"
Su Yao ignored him and continued talking.
"Mountain road transport fees, temporary storage fees, rainy season moisture protection fees, merchant reputation fees, and fees for the royal family's special sales permits, etc., totaling 873 cash per jin."
[Thanks to Lipu, Dongjun, Tiantian for the likes, maxlau, Huochai's Inspiration Capsule, Momo's Love Letter x2, Nianwan's Milk Tea, and everyone else for their love and support!]