Once they reached the flagstone-paved main road, stalls lined both sides. Alongside the usual ritual offerings such as incense, candles, and spirit money, there were sugar figurines, skewers, baked flatbreads, and every kind of food and entertainment, no less than in the city. There were also stalls selling medicinal herbs like lingzhi (spirit mushroom, Ganoderma lucidium), goji berries, and dried chrysanthemums, as well as noisy parrots, rabbits, cats, and even exotic birds and beasts.
No wonder Ji Taoyu had been so eager to come and see the excitement, it truly opened Huo Shu’s eyes.
Jinlong Temple was the largest temple outside Tongzhou City. It was said that the founding emperor once visited to burn incense during his southern tour and even stayed for a few days.
Because of this, Jinlong Temple had undergone multiple renovations and expansions. By now, the roads leading to it were wide and smooth, attracting many worshippers and drawing vendors to set up business here.
Ji Taoyu couldn't resist the bustling market stalls and immediately dismounted, first spending two copper coins on a bowl of steaming soup.
Then he darted from one stall to another.
Huo Shu held the horse’s reins with one hand and kept a firm grip on Ji Taoyu with the other.
He watched the lively crowd—not only were those stepping down from carriages and palanquins dressed in luxurious clothing, but even the village women carrying baskets wore bright, well-kept clothing.
In fact, ever since Huo Shu arrived in the south, he had noticed this: in Tongzhou, whether at banquets or large gatherings, people always dressed properly. The locals here simply had a fondness for looking good.
No wonder Ji Taoyu had been so critical of his cloak.
He squeezed Ji Taoyu’s hand. “What’s that woman up ahead wearing?”
Hearing Huo Shu mention a “woman,” Ji Taoyu quickly leaned over, only to see that the person he was looking at was a woman well past thirty, dressed in utterly ordinary clothing with nothing eye-catching about her. Confused, he answered, “Just plain satin, and the design's been around for decades.”
“How much does it cost?”
Ji Taoyu was surprised that Huo Shu was asking about such things, but since he did, he patiently explained, “Satin like what that aunt is wearing is considered mid-to-low grade at the cloth shops. If you buy the fabric yourself, a bolt would cost less than one tael of silver, maybe seven or eight hundred copper coins if you haggle well.”
“If you buy ready-made clothes at the shop, a set would cost around five or six hundred copper coins. Not very cost-effective, buying a bolt of fabric could make two sets.”
Come to think of it, the satin Huo Shu had bought at Shili Cloth Shop was included in the betrothal gifts, but Ji Taoyu hadn’t had the chance to make it into clothes yet.
“Why the sudden interest?”
Huo Shu frowned slightly.
He vaguely remembered that when he was young, a cousin of his had arranged a marriage. Everything was settled until a new satin pattern arrived in the city’s cloth shops. The ger wanted a bolt and mentioned it to his cousin.
That day, his cousin went with him to ask about the price at the shop. By the time they left, the marriage was off.
“That satin looked exactly like this.”
Ji Taoyu’s eyes widened. “Was your family struggling back then? Adding a bolt to the betrothal gifts would’ve only cost a few hundred coins.”
Huo Shu said, “The shopkeeper asked for eight taels per bolt. My cousin tried to bargain, but a wool merchant bought it outright.”
“E-eight taels?!”
Ji Taoyu repeated in disbelief. “Even if that satin pattern was trendy back then and slightly more expensive, it definitely wouldn’t have gone over one tael. But eight taels? That’s absurd. Maybe you misremembered.”
Huo Shu shook his head. Though he wasn’t well-versed in fabrics, the incident had caused a broken engagement, how could he forget?
Now, seeing this again, everything had changed. He remarked wryly, “At least the shopkeeper wasn’t lying, the fabric really was from the south.”
“The northern frontier lacks resources. Most fabrics there are fur-based, with very few varieties, nothing like the dazzling array in southern cloth shops. A bolt of satin like this wouldn’t just sell for that price up north, people would fight over it.”
Ji Taoyu stared. “Are people in the northern frontier that rich?”
Before he could finish, a voice cut in: “Is this horse yours, sir? Would you consider selling it?”
Huo Shu and Ji Taoyu turned to see a pot-bellied man eyeing Dahei with undisguised admiration.
Perhaps because the temple fair was full of buyers and sellers, or maybe because Ji Taoyu’s presence made Huo Shu seem less intimidating, the man felt bold enough to approach.
“The horse isn’t for sale.”
Ji Taoyu spoke up. “We’re just here for the fair.”
The man persisted, “I can offer a hundred taels. Think about it.”
Ji Taoyu shook his head.
Seeing them about to leave, the man quickly added, “Name your price, we can negotiate!”
Huo Shu, annoyed by the pestering, fixed him with a cold stare. “No means no.”
The man, realizing Huo Shu wasn’t someone to trifle with, hastily apologized. “My apologies. It’s just that this horse is truly exceptional. If you ever come across another like it, please let me know.”
“I’m Chen Pu from Jiatang Porcelain in the city.”
Huo Shu gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.
Once they reached a quieter area, Huo Shu suddenly fell into deep thought.
Silk and satin were in demand in the northern frontier, while horses in the south were scarce yet valuable. The two regions conveniently produced what the other lacked, if he could trade between north and south, it would be a highly profitable venture.
Now that he was in Tongzhou, he could rely on local connections to source suitable goods. As for the northern frontier, it was his homeland, he knew the land and its people well.
A quick calculation told him that going into business might not be a bad idea.
Yes, Huo Shu!!! Get better and better baby!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update