Today, some visitors had even brought their own horses—yesterday’s crowd had left the rented horses in short supply, and some had left rather than wait.
“Little boss.”
Ji Taoyu raised his head at the hired shop assistant's deliberately fawning address. He remembered the young man's name—Tian Xiaodian, simple and easy to recall like most farmfolk names. “What’s up?”
[田 (Tián): Field/farmland (surname); 小 (xiǎo): Small/little; 佃 (diàn): Tenant farmer]
“This bow shop is so big—aren’t you hiring any permanent assistants?”
“Oh? Do you have someone to recommend?”
The shop assistant quickly replied, “Why would I recommend others? I’m out of work myself.”
“Business taxes have gone up a lot this year. The boss at my old job cut staff to save costs, and I lost my position. That’s why I came here when I heard this new street was hiring temporary hands.”
Originally, they were all farmers and hadn’t paid much attention to business taxes, though he’d occasionally heard bits from his grandfather.
However, the court had decreed that medical halls enjoyed tax reductions—half the usual merchant rates—as a way to encourage physicians to practice widely and serve the people.
Business taxes were divided into transit taxes and sales taxes. Transit taxes were like the tolls they’d paid during their trading trips, varying by location depending on how welcoming the place was to merchants.
Sales taxes, on the other hand, were what shop-based businesses like theirs had to pay.
He’d heard the rate used to be 3%—meaning for every 1,000 copper coins earned, 30 copper coins copper coins to taxes.
This year, it had risen to 5%, a significant two-point jump.
Business taxes and agricultural taxes were collected at different times: agricultural taxes in the second half of the year after the autumn harvest, around the tenth lunar month, while business taxes were collected in the first half, during the comfortable weather of the fourth lunar month.
When the time came, tax officials from the prefecture’s revenue bureau would swarm out to collect.
Between falsified ledgers leading to fines and bribes for leniency leading to arrests, while farmers toiled in the fields, merchants in the city also lived in constant tension.
Tongzhou was prosperous and thriving, its finances healthy—largely thanks to the contributions of its merchants.
That was why merchants here enjoyed decent status.
Ji Taoyu studied the young assistant, whose narrow eyes gleamed with shrewdness despite his age.
“Where did you work before?”
“A grain shop.”
The assistant raised his voice in demonstration: “I even stood on a cart and shouted down the streets—‘Heavenly Grain Shop, twelve hundred copper coins per shi!’”
Ji Taoyu laughed. “If you’re so capable, why did they cut you?”
“Most of them were the boss’s relatives. Blood relatives, you know? No matter how hardworking we assistants were, we couldn’t compare to the boss’s own kin.”
Ji Taoyu considered how diligent this assistant had been yesterday—no slacking or sneaking gifts into his pockets like the other temps, nor pilfering snacks. He wasn't bad.
“Fine. You can stay on at the bow shop from now on.”
The assistant jumped for joy. “Little boss, as kind as you are handsome—thank you, little boss!”
As they were talking, a hoarse voice suddenly interrupted.
“Buying bows?”
Ji Taoyu turned to see a man in a short yellow hemp jacket standing at the door, his demeanor somewhat imposing. He’d set down a basket by the entrance without bringing it inside.
A glance revealed wild pheasants and rabbits—undoubtedly, this was a hunter.
Tian Xiaodian dutifully brought the bow and arrows over for Ji Taoyu to inspect.
Ji Taoyu examined them, though he couldn’t really judge their quality.
Still, he didn’t try to bluff. “Brother, could you wait a moment? I’ll have the bow shop’s master take a look.”
The man nodded.
Ji Taoyu sent Tian Xiaodian to fetch Huo Shu from the archery range.
Before long, Huo Shu arrived, with Tian Xiaodian trotting behind to keep up.
Huo Shu took the bow and arrows, giving them only a brief glance. “We’ll take them.”
The bow itself was made of ordinary wood, but the string was deer tendon.
“But it’ll need refinishing and decoration, so we can’t offer much. Thirty copper coins. If that’s acceptable, we’ll keep it.”
The hunter said, “Deal.”
Ji Taoyu promptly counted out the coins for him.
After taking the money, the hunter said nothing more and turned to leave. Just as he reached the door and lifted his basket, Huo Shu unexpectedly spoke again:
"Up ahead, the horseback archery range is lively, with many wealthy households coming and going. You could sell your game there."
The hunter paused at his words: "Will they allow selling such things there?"
"If I say you can, then you can."
Understanding the implication, the hunter didn’t refuse: "Thank you."
Ji Taoyu watched the man walk away and remarked, "Feeling unusually generous today?"
Huo Shu set down the bow in his hand: "This bow looks rough, but the materials are decent. If Uncle Fan polishes it up and hangs it on the rack, it could sell for over a hundred coins."
"I lowballed the price, expecting him to haggle, but he agreed immediately. He must be in urgent need of money to accept so readily."
Ji Taoyu wasn’t well-versed in such matters, but he was still surprised that Huo Shu had even haggled.
"What do you want for lunch?"
"Crab roe noodles!"
Huo Shu nearly told him to eat fewer cold-natured foods, but seeing Ji Taoyu’s eager expression, he pinched his cheek instead.
"Fine. Once things slow down, I’ll take you to eat."
Ji Taoyu happily shook Huo Shu’s hand.
The hunter, standing at the entrance of the horseback archery range, found his game selling as quickly as Huo Shu had predicted.
By noon, as people began leaving the range, they spotted the wild game outside and eagerly bought it all up within moments.
The day passed swiftly, gone in the blink of an eye.
The next day, the horseback archery range introduced new spectacles, and since it was the last day with free admission, the crowd was especially large.
By the start of the sishi (9–11 AM), people had already arrived to secure seats.
By mid-sishi (around 10 AM), when the demonstration began, the stands were packed. Several men from the northern regions and Ge Liang took turns performing horseback archery.
Though Ji Taoyu knew they were skilled, this was his first time seeing them display their true expertise.
The crowd erupted in cheers at the thrilling display.
Midway, Huo Shou galloped on horseback, suddenly leaning sideways perpendicular to the horse’s body and hitting the target. At the finale, he scattered a handful of small objects into the air.
Standing on the horse’s back, he shot one of the objects midair just before sliding back into the saddle.
Ji Taoyu’s heart leapt to his throat, only relaxing when he saw Huo Shou land safely.
"Well done!"
The spectators suddenly rose to their feet, erupting in thunderous applause.
Huo Shou glanced back in Huo Shu’s direction with a smile.
Huo Shu’s brow twitched.
He had mastered this trick as a child in the village, inspiring the local youths to follow him hunting in the wilds.
Huo Shou had always wanted to learn, but back then, the brothers were estranged. Huo Shu had thought him weak—what use was such refined archery if one lacked the spirit to wield it?
So he had ignored his pleas.
Yet somehow, the boy had figured it out on his own.
Huo Shu’s eyes lowered slightly, concealing a faint smile.
The crowd went wild, with wealthy merchants tossing coins onto the field in excitement.
Thank you for the update!!
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