Chapter 210: Nightless City Opens

The thirteenth year of Yongsheng.

August 10th.

Inside the Wen Palace of Da Xia.

As each Confucian‑Daoist fruit was devoured by Gu Jin Nian, the vast knowledge of saints made Gu Jin Nian understand more principles.

From Confucianism to sainthood is a long transformation; one must elevate one's thoughts, deepen one's understanding of heaven and earth, of nature, of the Dao, even of the universe.

All things share a common source, the Great Dao returns to oneness; only by finding the operating trajectory between heaven and earth can one more fully comprehend one's own Dao.

On the Tree of Sentient Beings, every Confucian‑Daoist fruit was plucked by Gu Jin Nian.

Each Confucian‑Daoist fruit saved Gu Jin Nian several years of intellectual refinement; pioneers err, allowing later ones to surpass them.

Gu Jin Nian sensed each different thought and his mind burst with various ideas.

In the past, Gu Jin Nian's grasp of the study of the heart was shallow: he simply thought he knew what was right and then acted, moving toward the good.

That was Gu Jin Nian's superficial notion.

Yet after this period of insight and understanding of the Saint Path, Gu Jin Nian developed three distinct ways of interpreting the unity of knowledge and action.

First, see the mountain as a mountain, the water as water.

Knowing right from wrong, understanding matters, then act and head toward the right direction.

Second, see the mountain as not a mountain, the water as not water.

How to distinguish right from wrong? From a personal standpoint, a saint's standpoint, or the standpoint of all living beings? How to act—by the most direct means, the most beneficial means, or a way that makes everyone happy?

What is conscience? How can one judge whether one's own conscience is good or bad? The third, and final, realm.

See the mountain as still a mountain, the water as still water.

Right and wrong reside in my heart; I am intention, and intention merges with heaven, earth, and nature as one, aligning with the Dao of heaven and earth—good is the Great Dao, evil is also the Great Dao, just as the Buddhist teachings say.

Killing life to protect life, cutting karma without cutting people.

When all the fruits turned into saint scriptures and Gu Jin Nian absorbed them completely.

At that moment, Gu Jin Nian's gaze underwent a total transformation.

His eyes became clear, understanding many principles.

"Half Saint Path."

"Perhaps it is not far off."

Gu Jin Nian murmured to himself, feeling he had already touched the Saint Path, lacking only a catalyst.

The catalyst to become a saint.

Jixia Academy is indeed a good place to establish one's learning, but to truly become a saint, one must invite doubt and criticism.

Because his own learning is still at a basic stage; in other words, his organization is not yet thorough, and he has not truly grasped what the study of the heart contains.

To improve the study of the heart requires decades, even centuries, of contemplation, or debates with others, needing many learned people to critique and question his scholarship.

In plain terms, it is about picking at flaws.

Pointless fault‑finding is useless; one must raise genuine questions to critique oneself, for academic disputes are mutual critiques.

Such critique is good—it lets one see where the errors lie or what is lacking, thereby strengthening and completing the work.

At this moment.

Gu Jin Nian stood up and quietly gazed beyond the Wen Palace.

"A month of sedimentation, if not for the Confucian‑Daoist fruits, would have required at least half a year of contemplation; otherwise, touching the Saint Path would be as hard as climbing to the heavens."

"Fortunately the Tree of Sentient Beings exists, saving me a great deal of time; otherwise, when Heaven's Mandate descends, I would remain merely a Great Scholar."

"Moreover, this encounter with the Saint Path seems to allow all my cultivation methods to fuse into one, becoming a law belonging to me, or rather, a law belonging to the Confucian‑Daoist way."

"Alas, without stepping onto the Saint Path, I cannot achieve this step."

Gu Jin Nian felt a surge of emotion, fully aware of his current situation.

To become a Great Scholar of heaven and earth, one must understand every aspect of oneself; only self‑knowledge enables one to stride forward bravely.

"The sedimentation of this period is sufficient; now I must engage with reality, not merely seek change in thought."

"Jixia Academy will be my true metamorphosis; now I should immerse myself in reality to comprehend more principles."

Gu Jin Nian murmured to himself.

Having said that, he set off directly for Da Xia Nightless City.

He had already briefed Wang Fugui and others; counting the days, Da Xia Nightless City will open tomorrow, and as its manager, he must personally handle a few matters.

The next moment.

Gu Jin Nian took a few slow steps, and his figure vanished from the spot.

As a Great Scholar of heaven and earth, Gu Jin Nian possesses many incredible abilities; the most classic Confucian‑Daoist divine skill is the talent‑to‑horse art.

Moreover, the Great Scholar of heaven and earth has already mastered the "shrink the earth to a foot" power, and in the blink of an eye arrived at Da Xia Nightless City.

Outside the Nightless City, many citizens have already gathered; the entire Nightless City has only two entrances and one exit, one entrance facing the citizens of Da Xia Capital.

The other entrance faces tourists from elsewhere.

At this moment, the southern entrance is transporting a large volume of goods, while inside the Nightless City only the first phase has been completed.

That phase comprises the Da Xia Department Store and the Da Xia Restaurant.

The restaurant spans twenty‑seven floors, forming a circle; the central open space houses the restaurant's internal entertainment facilities.

Compared with traditional restaurants—where the first floor is for dining, the second and third floors are private rooms, the fourth and fifth floors are residences—Gu Jin Nian's design differs: aside from a fire‑prevention layer, the front seven floors of the Da Xia Restaurant each serve a distinct purpose.

The first floor is the grand hall, majestic and spacious, with many women playing the qin, performing light music, accompanied by fragrant incense that soothes the mind.

Gu Jin Nian also specially arranged qipao‑style attire, letting Wang Fugui select a group of tall, attractive women to greet guests.

In plain terms, it follows the model of a five‑star hotel from his past life.

Everything revolves around two words.

Pretense, service.

We want guests who come over to feel a deep sense of pretense, to generate a feeling of being superior to others, and to have impeccable service; as long as you speak up, we will handle everything the restaurant can do for you.

Moreover, inside the Sleepless City, there is a dedicated horse stable covering a huge area, with staff carefully tending to the horses, which of course costs money; there is also a horse bath where horses get washed, likewise charging a fee.

The second floor is a teahouse, a place where scholars and refined gentlemen gather; the third and fourth floors are restaurants, which are the proper places to eat; of course, the teahouse is also a proper teahouse.

Gu Jin Nian refuses gambling, drugs, and prostitution; Wang Fugui had previously suggested setting up a gambling den, but Gu Jin Nian strongly stopped him; although this cannot be completely banned, Gu Jin Nian does not allow anyone to do this on his turf.

This harms others and oneself; he absolutely will not do such things.

A gentleman knows what to do and what not to do.

The fifth and sixth floors feature a full suite of refined massage and sauna facilities, connected upstairs and downstairs, offering bathing, massage, leisure, and entertainment; we have already bought four or five performance troupes, and in short, anything fun available outside, as long as it is a legitimate business, these two floors have it.

The seventh floor is where employees live; it is impossible to mistreat our own people, Gu Jin Nian is not a capitalist, he earns money himself, everyone should enjoy, and shared happiness is the proper way.

Above the seventh floor is restaurant lodging.

Moreover, to solve the problem of moving between floors, Gu Jin Nian specially installed an elevator, using the Spirit-Gathering Ancient Formation as power, and after the Ministry of Works conducted detailed and meticulous research, we ensured flawless operation.

Even Gu Jin Nian dispatched a Martial King expert from his father's side to sit in command; if any problem truly arises, a single Martial King can resolve many issues.

But how much money this restaurant can earn ultimately depends on fate.

The Da Xia Department Store is what Gu Jin Nian cares about most.

Arriving at the department store.

Everyone wears the same uniform, with colors divided into red, blue, and black, clearly indicating rank, and it also makes it easy for the public to find people.

The Da Xia Department Store has nine floors.

Floors one through three sell daily necessities.

Floors four through six mainly sell women's rouge, powder, clothing, and silk.

Above the sixth floor, we implement divisions, opening a membership system; non-members are not allowed up, because the items above the sixth floor are extremely expensive, such as the silk from Lofty Tower Pavilion, the cloth from Fragrant Garden, and real silk silkworms, among other precious things.

They are of great value, so we simply adopt a membership system.

"Brother Jin Nian."

"Brother Jin Nian."

At that moment, Wang Fugui's figure came running over, his face full of joy.

"Brother Wang, it's been a while since we last saw each other."

Seeing Wang Fugui, Gu Jin Nian couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Brother Wang, I have taken care of everything; we're just waiting for tomorrow's opening."

"Please check if anything is still unfinished; I'll have someone take care of it right away."

Wang Fugui spoke, saying the Da Xia Sleepless City was about to open soon, and he too felt great joy inside; although the business was started with money borrowed from his family, no matter what, it counts as his first major venture.

"One thing, we really need to pay attention to."

"Tomorrow there will surely be many commoners coming; we must definitely pay attention to safety, avoid any stampede incidents, have orderly queues for entry and exit, and moreover, if the department store and restaurant are full, we will let everyone wait quietly outside."

"We must also provide water and snacks, and resting places cannot be lacking; children's play areas also need to be strictly supervised to prevent any accidents."

"Especially the matter of children getting lost, we should assign people to watch them all the way, so they don't get lost."

"Exits must be firmly controlled; if a child is seen walking alone, we should approach and inquire; if a child shows any abnormality, we should also ask for more details; and if a child is found to be lost, we will not let anyone leave the exit."

"Until the child is found, we should prepare carriages; if the delay is prolonged, we should inform everyone and provide free carriages to send them back; the Ministry of Works should prepare ten dragon boats, and if necessary, using dragon boats is also acceptable."

"In short, everything is for serving everyone; do you understand?"

Gu Jin Nian said seriously, he is not joking; for a large shopping mall, the worst things are stampede incidents and children getting lost.

The White Egret Manor incident made Gu Jin Nian pay extra attention to children; no matter what, this must not happen.

"Brother Gu, your righteousness, I, the younger brother, understand."

Wang Fugui nodded, and at the same time his heart was filled with admiration for Gu Jin Nian.

Similarly, in doing business, most people revolve around making money; as long as they can make money, anything goes, but Gu Jin Nian's consideration is always the common folk.

Such breadth of mind makes him unable not to admire.

"You've worked hard during this period."

Gu Jin Nian smiled.

"It's not hard; it's nothing."

Wang Fugui gave an embarrassed smile.

"By the way, did you pass this civil service exam?"

Gu Jin Nian asked.

"I passed; I am currently studying at the Hanlin Academy, and if it weren't for the Da Xia Sleepless City matter, I would probably still be studying."

Wang Fugui spoke.

"That's good; where do you plan to take a post in the future?"

Gu Jin Nian nodded.

"Being assigned to a local post is out of the question; I'll see if I can go to the Ministry of Revenue."

Wang Fugui gave an awkward laugh; being an official outside, he still finds it hard to handle, so he just wants to mix in a Ministry of Revenue post in the capital.

"Alright, after the Da Xia Sleepless City stabilizes, I'll go see the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Personnel to see if I can get you an assistant secretary position."

Gu Jin Nian patted Wang Fugui on the shoulder and said.

Upon hearing this, Wang Fugui instantly became overjoyed.

Although he passed the exam, normally he should go study for three years, then wait for a vacancy in an official post outside, and then take office.

If he chooses to stay in the capital, he would need to maneuver a bit; with the Wang family's influence, even with maneuvering, it would basically be a chief clerk position.

This is already quite good; a chief clerk is a seventh-rank position, but this is a capital official, and capital officials are one rank higher than local officials.

Now Gu Jin Nian directly arranged for himself an external lang official, a sixth-rank post—saving ten years of struggle is a bit of an exaggeration, but saving five years is unavoidable.

Besides, if Gu Jin Nian speaks up, the meaning changes; in the officialdom thereafter, who wouldn't know they are Gu Jin Nian's direct line?

Being classmates isn't of much use; at most they yield a little courtesy, but if Gu Jin Nian steps forward to speak well of one, that's truly beneficial.

"How much grain has been transported into the department store?"

Gu Jin Nian asked.

"One million shi of grain."

The latter spoke up, informing Gu Jin Nian.

"Good, this Jiangzhong longmi rice—give each person four taels, plus an additional two taels of fine salt; make sure to explain the situation clearly to the populace, and don't let them eat too much."

"Have you received the items sent by the Ministry of Works?"

Gu Jin Nian continued to ask.

This time, Gu Jin Nian's main promotion at the Da Xia department store consists of three items.

First, Jiangzhong longmi rice.

Second, fine salt.

Third, mirrors.

That's right—these are the three main items the Da Xia department store is promoting, relying on them to build its reputation.

Jiangzhong longmi rice is naturally indisputable; the gift Gu Jin Nian prepared for the populace is also this—four taels per person, plus an additional two taels of fine salt; although not much, it counts as a small gift.

As for mirrors, they are the most practical item.

This thing is simple to make; the Ministry of Works whipped it up quickly—such an item is a bestseller; even if people can't afford to buy it, at least they can spread word of mouth.

The current goal is just hype—to get the hype going for Da Xia's Sleepless City; only by stirring up hype can we attract more people.

"Received it, Brother Jin Nian—that mirror is truly amazing, who knows how many times clearer than our brass mirrors; to be honest, I never realized I was this handsome."

Wang Fugui spoke with a smile.

"Alright, just keep a steady grip on the situation—don't let any major problems arise."

Gu Jin Nian smiled.

"Okay."

"By the way, Brother Jin Nian, why haven't I seen Brother Su?"

"It feels like he's disappeared for a long time."

Wang Fugui spoke up, mentioning Su Huaiyu.

"That's him, right?"

Gu Jin Nian glanced over, then saw a woman calculating the items on the shelves.

"Miss."

Gu Jin Nian called out, then reached out, wanting to pat her.

Upon hearing the sound, she instinctively turned around; seeing Gu Jin Nian approach, she couldn't help but show a look of astonishment.

She could not imagine that the venerable Heaven's Mandate Marquis Gu Jin Nian would actually call out to her.

But just then.

A voice appeared, as expected.

"Marquis."

"Impossible."

The voice sounded, appearing at the building's entrance, a stern face looking toward Gu Jin Nian.

"Brother Su?"

This time Wang Fugui was somewhat astonished—how could mentioning Su Huaiyu make him appear right away? Is it really that miraculous? At the main gate.

Su Huaiyu's figure appeared, as usual, dressed ordinarily, appearance not bad, with a hint of coldness between the brows, giving off an aura that strangers should not approach.

"Miss, be careful—lest something fall from the shelves."

Gu Jin Nian gave a simple reminder, then turned his gaze to Su Huaiyu.

"Brother Su, how have you been lately?"

Gu Jin Nian's expression softened as he looked at Su Huaiyu.

"Marquis."

"The testing is already complete; your subordinate conducted tests at the seaside, marshes, fertile fields, and various other areas."

"This Da Xia longsu rice can absorb seawater and produce grain at the seaside, but the resulting food is somewhat salty; the taste is acceptable, yet its qi and blood content is average, equivalent to about three times that of ordinary rice."

"And in marshy regions, it can still be grown, with rapid planting speed, bright color, and excellent taste when eaten; the only drawback is that consuming it causes poisoning."

Su Huaiyu spoke, very solemnly.

"Such an effect?"

Gu Jin Nian had some plans form in his mind, but he said nothing.

"Brother Su, how did you suddenly come here?"

Wang Fugui spoke up, somewhat curious, inquiring of Su Huaiyu.

"The Da Xia Sleepless City has opened; I naturally had to appear."

Su Huaiyu spoke, each word deliberate, very serious.

"Why has Brother Su's speech suddenly changed? Why so solemn?"

Seeing Su Huaiyu like this, Gu Jin Nian couldn't help but speak, somewhat curious—Su Huaiyu had suddenly become rather solemn, as if he were a different person.

"What do you mean, Marquis?"

Su Huaiyu asked.

"Uh, it's just that I say a bit less than before."

Gu Jin Nian thought for a moment, then gave a concrete answer.

Su Huaiyu now sounds extremely solemn and serious, a stark contrast to before.

"There's no chapter saying it, so why say so much?"

Su Huaiyu spoke lightly, looking at Gu Jin Nian, appearing very calm.

Gu Jin Nian: "."

Wang Fugui: "????"

The two fell silent; indeed, this is very Su Huaiyu.

Soon, after confirming these matters, Gu Jin Nian and Su Huaiyu began a brief inspection.

The opening is tomorrow, so some things still need to be checked personally to avoid mistakes.

After a round of checks confirmed no major issues, they began to await tomorrow.

Da Xia Nocturnal City's opening tomorrow became the hottest topic in the capital.

Several nearby prefectural cities also heard about it, and some scholars who relied on Gu Jin Nian, as well as merchants, came over to join the excitement.

Thus.

It lasted until the next day.

The sky had just brightened.

Da Xia Nocturnal City officially opened at the Mao hour.

However, as soon as the Yin hour arrived, a massive crowd of common folk surged in at the Nocturnal City's entrance, numbering at least a million at a glance.

Extremely exaggerated.

There was no way around it; Gu Jin Nian's reputation was too high, and Da Xia Capital truly had nothing else.

Now a new attraction had arrived, so everyone was naturally enthusiastic.

Moreover, along the way many more commoners were hurrying toward Da Xia Nocturnal City.

Soon, after the Yin hour, the commoners gradually moved into the Nocturnal City.

Although the Nocturnal City had only completed its first phase, there were still some scenery and recreational spots.

Of course, they were merely basic attractions.

After the Nocturnal City opened, a dragon‑long queue moved inward.

After passing through each long corridor,

Finally, the first batch of commoners entered the Da Xia Department Store.

The Da Xia Department Store Building, though only nine stories tall, has each floor ten zhang (about thirty meters), and the first floor is twenty zhang high, making it look extremely grand.

On the roof, carved dragons and painted phoenixes, along with various dougong brackets, made it immensely magnificent.

"Look, isn't this so grand?"

"How is this different from the main hall?"

"The palace is probably just like this, right?"

"Da Xia Department Store Building, what is this? Is it a shop?"

The commoners gathered inside one by one; within moments, tens of thousands had entered. After entering from the left, a woman in blue pointed the way to prevent capital residents from getting lost.

In fact, inside this department store, it resembled a huge warehouse, with shelves lined up, each accompanied by a person giving explanations.

At that moment, a voice sounded.

"Citizens,"

"Listen to me, everyone."

"The place we're seeing now is the department store; if you like anything on these shelves, you can take it directly and keep moving inside."

"The exit is inside; prices are marked on the shelves, and if you don't understand, there are staff to explain."

"Elders and fellow villagers, if anything is unclear, ask the staff in blue."

The voice made the commoners understand what this place was.

"Oh, this department store is just a general store."

"It looks so big, but it's just a general store."

"I thought it was something else; didn't expect it to be a general store?"

Hearing this, many commoners realized what the place was.

General store.

If it were something else, the commoners might have had great expectations, but after learning it was a general store, many felt bored.

But soon, a startling shout rang out.

"It's salt."

With that shout, all the commoners gathered at once.

The staff in charge of the fine‑salt area stepped forward with a smile.

"Everyone, this is Da Xia fine salt, reasonably priced, but limited to one liter per person; if someone at home registers a name, you can buy extra, up to one dou."

The staff approached the crowd, smiling as they spoke.

"One liter per person?"

"How much silver does that cost?"

"Is this private salt?"

"Why does this salt look so delicate and beautiful? Honestly, I've never seen salt like this before." "Indeed, each grain looks like a snow‑seed."

The curious commoners gathered around one by one.

Salt, this thing, isn't a small matter.

All major dynasties strictly control salt; it's an important tax revenue for the court.

Official salt is extremely expensive, unaffordable for most commoners. There's a saying that one tael of gold buys one tael of salt; although not that exaggerated, the reality is still relatively pricey.

Official salt costs about one tael of silver per dou; in the capital, only respectable middle‑class families can afford it, while most people buy private salt.

But the common folk look at these barrels of salt, snow‑flake like, extremely beautiful, far more attractive than official salt.

"Everyone, one sheng of salt sells for twenty wen."

"This isn't private salt; it's genuine official salt. Here's the court's salt‑selling certificate; you can have a look."

"Moreover, the Marquis's Nightless City could never sell private salt. And if they really sold private salt, would they be so brazen?"

The clerk spoke up, informing the townsfolk of the salt's price.

Just hearing the price, everyone was shocked.

"What? Salt like this sells for only twenty wen per sheng? Then a dou should be just two hundred wen?"

"Isn't this cheaper than official salt?"

"The court's official salt is one tael per dou; you're selling a dou for two hundred wen? I'll take a dou."

"I want a dou, I want a dou."

"Is there something wrong with this salt? So cheap?"

In an instant, various voices rose—some shocked, some eager to buy outright, and others questioning whether the salt had any problem.

"Friends, elders and villagers, you may have a taste."

"This salt is absolutely fine; as the saying goes, the Marquis's golden signboard would never deceive."

"As for why it's so cheap, think about who opened this Da Xia Nightless City? It was our Marquis, after all."

"Who does the Marquis value most? Isn't it us common folk?"

"Two hundred wen per dou of salt; if anyone wants to buy, the salt bags are already prepared here."

The clerk shouted loudly.

Those few sentences instantly dispelled everyone's doubts.

Indeed.

They would never doubt Gu Jin Nian; even setting aside that Gu Jin Nian is Da Xia's Marquis, if he weren't, his sign still stands here—who would question? In an instant, shouts rose, and the townsfolk scrambled to buy the fine salt.

Some commoners even stepped forward to sample a bite, instantly nodding.

"Good, this salt is truly good."

"This salt is even better than the official salt we have at home."

"Buy quickly, or you'll miss out."

"The Marquis is the best, the Marquis is the best—he knows our lives are hard and gives us the cost price directly. Neighbors, you must remember the Marquis's kindness."

At that moment, the crowd rejoiced, pulling out silver to purchase; fortunately they had been prepared, the fine salt already packaged, and as the townsfolk paid, bag after bag was sold.

The buying frenzy ignited instantly.

Moreover, the people behind, hearing that fine salt was on sale at two hundred wen per dou and of good quality, caused a brief commotion.

Fortunately, these clerks had been trained; as the crowd bought, they were immediately ushered away inside, greatly easing the flow problem.

When the townsfolk entered the interior, each shelf was piled high with a dazzling array of goods—local specialties from various regions and some delicate items.

The focus remained daily necessities, so on the first level, a whole row of shelves held essentially one kind of item, with little variation.

In ancient times there weren't many novel novelties.

These were still transported here by Da Xia dragon boats.

Halfway through, the main attraction—Jiangzhong Dragon Rice—appeared, with dozens of clerks shouting.

They introduced Jiangzhong Dragon Rice to the townsfolk, explaining its basic benefits, which indeed drew considerable attention.

But after hearing the price, the townsfolk fell silent.

Twenty taels per shi.

That is the price listed by the department store.

Ordinary grain costs six taels of silver per shi; Jiangzhong Dragon Rice sells for twenty taels per shi—honestly, it's a bit pricey for most commoners.

Of course, for capital residents it isn't especially expensive.

They simply feel it's unnecessary.

As for the effects of Jiangzhong Dragon Rice, to put it bluntly, who knows the result without trying it?

So there were many people, but most assumed there might be a cheap pick; upon finding the price so high, they simply gave up, just looking is enough.

Except for a few who truly lack no silver and bought several shi to take home, most didn't buy, just looking.

Compared with the fine salt, Jiangzhong Dragon Rice's sales were clearly inferior; it couldn't match it at all.

Even some children's small toys were taken in large numbers, and some books sold especially well—much better than Jiangzhong Dragon Rice.

When it was about to end.

Countless townsfolk gathered again.

Because they saw a divine artifact.

A mirror.

An eight‑foot‑tall crystal mirror; standing before it, its clarity was unparalleled, sparking huge controversy.

"It's a crystal mirror, the legendary crystal mirror."

"They put this thing here? Aren't they afraid it'll get knocked and broken?"

"The Marquis is generous; this single mirror is priceless."

The townsfolk spoke up; they didn't know what it was, but instinctively assumed it was some kind of mirror polished from crystal.

They thought it was extremely expensive, so they deliberately kept their distance, while some women were bold enough to go straight to the mirror and take a quick look at themselves; some shy women pretended to pass by and then left quickly.

They were all, to varying degrees, afraid of breaking the mirror.

Even some adults clutched their own children tightly, fearing that a careless bump might break it, and if it did, they couldn't afford the loss.

"These mirrors actually exist, huh—back when I was in the Western Regions attending a king's banquet, they produced a crystal mirror that couldn't be bought even for several hundred thousand taels of silver."

"And it's not even as large or as clear as this one; you all must be careful not to damage it, otherwise be ready to pay a million taels of silver."

A wealthy merchant spoke, first bragging about his experience, then warning everyone to be careful lest a collision cost them their lives.

As expected, upon hearing this, the townsfolk stepped aside, keeping about two zhang away from the mirror for fear of breaking it.

However, at that moment, several salesmen stood on a ladder, shouting loudly.

"Friends and elders, neighbors and locals, come quickly to have a look!"

"This is a Da Xia mirror, the latest production of the Ministry of Works; everyone may have a look. The surface is smooth and clear, and a mirror like this costs only a hundred taels of silver."

"Smaller mirrors are fifty taels each, and these dressing mirrors are twenty taels each; don't miss them as you pass by."

With the salesmen's shouts…

Now tens of thousands of people went into a frenzy.

Especially the bragging wealthy merchant, whose eyes widened.

"You say this thing is only a hundred taels per piece? Did you miss a zero? One ten‑thousand less?"

"Don't speak recklessly; at a hundred taels per piece, I could buy them all—I could afford ten thousand of them."

Some wealthy merchants spoke, saying they came merely to enjoy the spectacle.

They had also seen such mirrors before, but only crystal mirrors of priceless value, which still weren't as good as the ones displayed here.

To be frank, selling this mirror for a million taels of silver is certainly not expensive—it really isn't.

Even if many are produced, the price could be lowered a bit; a hundred thousand taels should eventually be sold, right? Yet now they're told it's only a hundred taels per piece, with even cheaper ones at fifty and twenty taels—doesn't that sound like a swindle? Not only them, even the common folk can't help but speak up.

"A mirror this large for only a hundred taels each? Brass mirrors cost more than that."

"And fifty taels? Did you forget a ten‑thousand?"

"What's a dressing mirror? Can we see one?"

Countless people gathered.

For the capital's townsfolk, mirrors are indeed a necessity; both men and women care about their appearance.

Especially scholars or women, who fear any blemish or imperfect makeup; the wealthy miss has a servant.

The majority of commoners can only let their family members look.

Although brass mirrors exist, even without mentioning their price, just comparing performance—can a brass mirror match a crystal mirror?

Everyone thought those salesmen had omitted a ten‑thousand.

Hearing this, the salesmen each gave a helpless laugh.

"Everyone, it truly is a hundred taels; we asked a hundred times. Yesterday Lord Hou arrived, and we double‑checked—according to his words, this is a benefit for families."

"However, each person may only purchase one mirror—large, medium, or small—each gets one. Of course there are larger mirrors, but the bigger ones cost more and must be custom‑made with the branch shop manager."

The salesmen spoke, clapping their hands.

In an instant, hundreds came, bringing out mirror after mirror; the large ones were about eight feet tall.

The smaller mirrors stood five feet tall, meant for hanging at home.

The smallest were dressing mirrors, about the size of two palms, round, engraved with patterns.

As the mirrors were displayed before the crowd, everyone became excited.

"I want to buy, I want to buy."

"I want this one, I want it."

"I want a dressing mirror."

"Give me a large mirror; I have no silver—can I reserve one? I'll go home to fetch the silver."

In an instant, a chorus of voices rose, hotter than fine salt.

The reason is simple: this is a truly epoch‑making item—owning one brings great face.

Not only prestige, but also very practical.

Hence the hype is extremely high.

Some wealthy merchants even went to the branch shop manager to commission better mirrors.

Thus.

Time passed bit by bit.

It opened at the Mao hour.

Until the Xu hour—eight full shi—Da Xia Nightless City finally began to quiet down.

Throughout the event, Da Xia taverns delivered chilled tea and pastries for the townsfolk to sample free of charge, so they wouldn't wait too long.

They also provided Go, Chinese chess, and a troupe, keeping the crowd from boredom while queuing.

At the city exit, staff handed out a packet of Jiangzhong Dragon Rice and two taels of fine salt.

One packet per person.

Given freely to the townsfolk, at no charge.

This made the townsfolk ecstatic.

On the first day of opening, besides buying fine salt, half the townsfolk spent no silver at all, merely coming to watch the spectacle; the rest bought items, just small trinkets.

Even for mirrors, only about twenty percent of the people purchased them, the price being displayed.

The cheapest still cost twenty taels per piece.

Some townsfolk could only look; twenty taels could buy three shi of grain—over four hundred jin—enough for a family of five to eat for two months.

Buying a mirror, I'm still a bit reluctant.

Unless there's a daughter at home—if there is a daughter, they'd actually buy one.

Now that it's gone and a gift is also given, it really makes many common folk feel a bit embarrassed.

Thus.

The next day.

At Chou hour.

Inside the City of No Night.

Gu Jin Nian, Su Huaiyu, Wang Fugui, and Minister of Works Wang Qixin and Minister of Rites Yang Kai. The five gathered inside a restaurant.

Wang Fugui, holding a ledger, said with utmost seriousness.

"Just today, Da Xia Department Store collected four million taels of silver in revenue."

"Of that, official salt accounts for 60%, Da Xia Mirrors about 30%, and the remaining items roughly 10%."

"The price of official salt, after deducting labor, canal transport fees, and costs, yields no profit."

"Mirrors sold for 1.4 million taels, profit 1.35 million taels of silver; as for other items, profit 50,000 taels of silver."

"Total profit: 1.4 million taels."

"Da Xia Restaurant collected 90,000 taels of silver, with less than 10% occupancy; after costs, it actually lost 30,000 taels of silver."

"Overall profit: 1.37 million taels."

Wang Fugui spoke; after stating the figure, Wang Qixin, Yang Kai and the others' faces grew somewhat solemn.

"A profit of 1.37 million taels sounds exaggerated, but most of the profit comes from mirrors."

"And mirrors have such a low repurchase rate—once you buy one, you basically never buy a second."

"Moreover, after the buyers purchase them these few days, they become hard to sell."

"Unless people from other provinces come to sell them."

"But if we do that, we might as well rename it Da Xia Mirror Hall and just specialize in mirrors."

"If we could keep selling them, it wouldn't be a bad thing, but the problem is mirrors require time and materials, and now we also have to organize dragon boats, treasure ships, and forge sky‑falling meteoric gold; there's no way to devote full effort to mirrors."

"So the figure sounds fine."

"But compared to their expectations, it doesn't mean much."

"Brother Jin Nian, should we raise the price of the mirrors?"

"Otherwise, in a few days the mirrors will become hard to sell, and many merchants have asked if we can sell in bulk; as long as the price is right, they'll accept it."

"Also, can we raise the price of salt? And the price of dragon rice could actually be lowered a bit; hardly anyone buys it."

Wang Fugui spoke, asking Gu Jin Nian.

"Logically, official salt is meant to attract the populace, and the most profitable should be mid‑river dragon rice."

"But unexpectedly, the biggest profit actually comes from mirrors."

"That's not a good thing."

"Tell those merchants: no wholesale sales, limit one mirror per person, and inform the Department of Suspended Lanterns—strictly forbid private sales of mirrors; anyone selling more than five mirrors will be thoroughly investigated."

"The official salt price remains unchanged."

"The dragon rice price also stays the same, but post a notice setting a price cap for a month; after a month, the dragon rice price will rise to 25 taels per stone."

Gu Jin Nian spoke, making some adjustments.

Upon hearing this, Wang Fugui couldn't help feeling depressed.

"Brother Jin Nian."

"The official salt price stays the same; I understand, but if dragon rice can't sell, why raise its price?"

"Wouldn't that make it even harder to sell?"

Wang Fugui was somewhat curious, thinking Gu Jin Nian's move would only worsen business. Yet at that moment, Minister of Works Wang Qixin's voice rang out.

"I don't understand this part."

"The reason Da Xia dragon rice doesn't sell isn't that the rice is bad, but that the common folk can't recognize its value."

"They've never eaten this dragon rice; at 20 taels per stone they think it's pricey, which is normal, but Lord Hou specially prepared four liang of rice for each person; when the common folk return, they will inevitably steam it for meals."

"Once they've eaten it, they won't be afraid to buy it."

"Now, posting another such notice will make the common folk stop hesitating."

Wang Qixin said so.

It made Wang Fugui instantly understand.

However, that's what was said, but how it will actually turn out, no one truly knows.

Everything, everything, still has to wait a few more hours to see how things go.

"Lord Hou, there is a court session tomorrow; I shall take my leave now."

"If any needs arise, just have someone send a message."

At this moment, Wang Qixin stood up to take his leave.

"You two, take care."

"I, the Lord, will not escort you far."

Gu Jin Nian nodded.

After the two left, Gu Jin Nian patted Wang Fugui's shoulder and said,

"Brother Wang."

"Recruit another batch of workers, five times the current number; otherwise, in a few days we'll likely lack manpower."

Having said that, Gu Jin Nian left.

Watching Gu Jin Nian leave, Su Huaiyu also left.

Leaving behind a bewildered Wang Fugui, still needing to recruit five times as many people? At that moment, in the carriage, Wang Qixin and Yang Kai sat inside, their gazes full of worry.

"Alas, I wonder whether my prediction is accurate. If it is, this Da Xia Nightless City will truly bring in endless wealth."

"If it's not, then we're in trouble."

Wang Qixin had high hopes for the Da Xia Nightless City; now the situation is off, and although he can explain it clearly, he still feels uneasy.

"Don't worry, Jiangzhong Dragon Rice will surely become the hottest seller."

"Besides, with the current profits we're almost breaking even; even just selling these mirrors won't lose money, it's only a matter of making more or less."

Yang Kai spoke up, giving Wang Qixin confidence.

"If it really turns out poorly, we can only sell mirrors; breaking even would be enough, but we can't keep making them forever, after all it would delay the Ministry of Works, and if others find out, they'll also want a share from me."

Wang Qixin spoke.

The mirror did give him some comfort; with it, this venture certainly won't incur a loss.

It just won't be very profitable.

After all, the investment in the Da Xia Nightless City already totals three hundred thousand taels of gold, not counting labor or land costs, all funded by the court.

Otherwise, no one could spend three hundred thousand taels to build such a place.

And this is only the first phase.

Just the first phase employs ten thousand workers, covering every aspect, with someone handling each detail.

The wages for those ten thousand people each month are far from a trivial sum.

He naturally worries.

Only…

What they don't know is…

At this very moment, the entire Da Xia Capital is ablaze with lights.

Just as Wang Qiming had guessed.

The common folk received Jiangzhong Dragon Rice and immediately went home to steam it.

After a family finishes eating, they can't sleep at all.

Even without mentioning how delicious it tastes, just that feeling makes the whole capital boil.

After eating, qi and blood surge, they're as vigorous as dragons and tigers, and they feel an inexhaustible energy.

It's exhilarating, extremely exhilarating.

For over a little more than a shichen, the body stays warm; some elders, after eating, look noticeably rosier.

They recalled the salesmen inside the department store who promoted Jiangzhong Dragon Rice.

Now the common folk can't sit still.

Someone remembered how those salesmen pitched it and immediately spread the words.

"This rice, after eating, extends life, wards off all diseases, stabilizes qi and blood; men become robust, women nurture yin and beauty; boys become smarter and grow to eight chi tall, girls become graceful, pure and beautiful."

"Elders who eat it fare better than eating a thousand‑year‑old ginseng."

"Moreover, it's said this rice is a royal exclusive; if it weren't for Heaven's Mandate Marquis Gu Jin Nian, Marquis Gu himself stepping in, the royal family would never part with it for sale."

That was the first version of the rumor, which had no major issues—just a bit of hype.

The second version was straightforward, touting it as a miraculous elixir.

But the third version completely set the capital ablaze, claiming the stuff was an aphrodisiac.

Now the entire capital's populace can't sit still; I don't believe the claim of extending life, nor the claim of warding off all diseases.

But when you say it's an aphrodisiac, sorry, I'm inclined to believe it might be true rather than dismiss it.

What if it really works?

One could say today the whole Da Xia Capital is bustling beyond measure, with citizens who have visited the Da Xia Nightless City recounting how fun it is.

So many wonderful things.

Official salt is one, Dragon Rice is another, mirrors are also one, and there are gifts as well.

Thus, those who have been there once said resolutely that they'll go again as soon as the city opens at dawn.

And those who haven't gone yet are each beginning to scheme.

There's cheap official salt, this Jiangzhong Dragon Rice, and also mirrors.

Even if they don't buy anything, they still get freebies, free theater, cool tea, and a bit of scenery.

It's definitely a deal you can't lose.

That's how it is.

It lasted until the next day.

At daybreak.

At the North City Gate.

The North Gate Commander stared at the swarming crowd and couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

"Hurry and inform the higher-ups; something's happened."

The North Gate Commander felt uneasy, for when he glanced outward, the departing procession stretched for at least dozens of streets.

Who could possibly endure this? (End of chapter)