Chapter 720: Duoen Town — 'Starry Sky' Tent General Store

Shop assistants and hired thugs often hear rumors about someone or other being kicked or bitten by a temperamental horse while feeding or brushing it. That is why the horse handlers in the Merchant Guild are a professional and important position; it is not as simple as just driving horses to pull carts, and some can even perform simple carriage repairs.

It is not something just anyone can handle.

The hired thug who received the most reward money had no choice but to find a pig hair brush and the wooden basin he usually used, fill it with water, and carry it out to brush the horse.

"Pay attention, it doesn't know you, so when you approach it, try grabbing a handful of beans and feeding it a few mouthfuls first; then it won't feel threatened!"

Jier gave a few pointers, and only then did the thug return to the shop, grab a handful of beans at random, and offer them to the mouth of Tianxuecao.

"Idol! Take off the bit!"

The thug, scolded by the Knight, finally reacted, poured the beans into his clothes, and then hurriedly removed the bit from the horse's face. After its mouth was freed, Tianxuecao snorted and stared intently at the thug in front of it.

It saw it—this person had beans!

Hurry up and take them out!

Being stared at like this by a horse taller than a man, even this thug who had once been a Bandit felt incredibly nervous and hurriedly presented the beans. With a few sweeps of its soft tongue, the beans disappeared instantly.

After chewing a few times, the beans were swallowed, and Tianxuecao stared fixedly at the man, nudging him gently with its head to demand more beans.

"Sir Knight, it wants more! Should I give it some?"

The thug did not know what to do; in the past, the beans in the shop were goods to be sold, so there was naturally no possibility of using them at will. Even though their shop sold various types of beans, to avoid waste and consumption, the people in the shop were not allowed to eat beans at all when eating in the shop.

"Give it! It's just a few beans; if it wants to eat, you give it some. Feed it until it's full, then brush the horse. Get moving!"

Jier urged him on, though he himself remained motionless.

After a good while, Ms. Feiniya returned with her people. She naturally saw the bags of beans being loaded at the shop entrance immediately, but she was not surprised; she bypassed the workers and walked into the shop.

A hired thug behind her was holding a small box at this moment. Exaggeratedly, the box even had a small chain attached to it, which connected to an iron lock cuffing the thug's right hand.

After arriving in the shop, Ms. Feiniya waved her hand, and the young girl under her command took out a simple key and unlocked the cuff on the thug's wrist.

"Give it to Knight Jier. Alright, you all go back to work."

After dismissing the thug, Ms. Feiniya used another key, one she carried herself, to open the small box in Jier's hand.

Inside were rows of gold coins neatly arranged on their sides.

"This is the money obtained from mortgaging the shop's operating rights, which is to say, the deeds for other properties. Alright, Knight Jier, our agreement is now complete; neither of us owes the other anything. Finally, thank you for saving me. Although the debt of gratitude is repaid, I will personally remember this act of kindness."

Jier glanced at the coins in the box and found there were at least thirty or forty gold coins. If one were to quickly mortgage and sell shop operating rights, one would naturally be pressured on the price by the other party. Although he did not know the price of shops in Duoen Town, this should be about right.

Of course, he believed that the clever Ms. Feiniya must have kept enough cash for her own use; what was in front of him was likely not all the cash from the mortgage, but it was sincere enough.

After all, it was something gained for nothing after saving someone, so Jier was very satisfied.

*Snap*, he closed the box and placed it by his feet, next to the shop's money box.

"Well said. Then, may I ask, what are your plans for the future? These people are not easy to deal with."

Facing Jier's question, Ms. Feiniya bowed and smiled: "That is a secret. By the way, Sir Knight, I saw you having the commoners place the goods seized from the Bandit lair at the entrance of the open space; do you intend to sell them? Do you need me to help you contact the merchants in town? This help can be free!"

Jier shrugged: "That would be perfect, so I will trouble you, but there is no need to force it. I have already asked the shop's Steward, Mr. Lao'er, to help me contact the various merchants he knows locally, and I have paid to hire them."

"It seems you are unwilling to owe me this favor? What a cold Knight, despite being so young."

Jier laughed: "Haha, this isn't being cold, nor is it failing to acknowledge your favor. It's just that I have always understood one principle: free things often cost you yourself. The two sides of a scale must be equal; it's just that the side that appears free often has things hidden away by others."

"Although that won't work, Madam, if you are familiar with Duoen Town, could you take me to a place that sells tents and rain gear?"

"Mmhmm, with pleasure, young Sir Knight."

At this moment, the last cart of beans had just been loaded. The hired thugs and shop assistants who received Jier's reward money worked very hard, so they were quick. After they finished loading the last bag of beans, the assistant driving the cart set off directly with the handler, while the others took out dirty cloth towels to wipe the sweat from their bodies.

Jier then walked out of the shop with Ms. Feiniya and the young girl who was her attendant. They all cleared a path, and the Knight loaded the two boxes of coins into the weapon rack on the horse's back, while Ms. Feiniya told her shop people to go back and stay inside, only letting two hired thugs follow them.

Letting the two extra hired thugs follow was not about putting on airs; it was mainly to provide protection for the two women. Security in Duoen Town radiates outward from the central square area, dropping rapidly from a high level to a low one.

If you left something near the square fountain, even if you went back to look for it a day later, there was a high probability it would still be there. Items with a distinct personal style, or accessories with Merchant Guild markings, would even be returned personally by the Security Guards.

But once you walked out one street, just the distance of one street, the security would plummet at the speed of a cliff drop.

At this time, two reliable hired thugs could avoid the vast majority of problems. As for the exceptional problems, those were not things two hired thugs could handle anyway.

Besides this, Ms. Feiniya also introduced to Jier that bringing hired thugs could make local merchants and shops think you were a local business person. Even if they didn't recognize you, they wouldn't see through you as an outsider and try to overcharge you, making you spend money in vain.

"Ha, good thing I'm sharp!"

Jier said with a smile.

They were walking on the same street as the 'Abundant Bean Pod' shop at this time. The shops here were dazzling, with all kinds of goods. It was just that the goods were mostly basic items, not as flashy as the shops run by the large Merchant Guilds in the center of town.

The shops and goods here were mostly aimed at local residents and small-to-medium Merchant Guilds passing through.

But the current situation made it difficult for small-to-medium Merchant Guilds in various towns to trade safely, so it was quite depressed here as well. Although the shop doors were all open, not only were the shop assistants slumped over the tables sleeping, but even the hired thugs guarding the shops were listless.

At this moment, the tall and mature Ms. Feiniya walked by, and these hired thugs all stared at her, their eyes not blinking once.

Even Jier, who was walking with her, was ignored; it was simply absurd.

But Ms. Feiniya held her head and neck high, revealing her long, white neck, which still made the various hired thugs at the shop entrances stare fixedly, all gathering outside the shops to watch without stopping.

Some whispers were comparing her to the waitresses in the nearby taverns, and Ms. Feiniya did not feel shy when she heard them; she even waved at the hired thugs who praised her beauty.

Jier was secretly speechless, feeling that this lady dealt with these incapable hired thugs with such ease—no, she didn't even need to make a move; he estimated that if she just smiled, some people would come running over happily.

Moreover, Ms. Feiniya also had the steady means to handle these men. He estimated that once she was free from the constraints of Mountain Wolf Bani, she would become a significant figure in Duoen Town within two years.

They chatted all the way, walking slowly, with Jier leading Tianxuecao and keeping an eye on the various shops on both sides of the road.

Clothing shops—no use.

When he destroyed the Bandit lair, the thing he seized the most from the Bandit nest was all kinds of clothing. The commoners following him dug out so much clothing, big and small, at the time that many tattered clothes they didn't like or couldn't carry were even left in the lair and burned.

Just like that, the young Refugees under Jier, regardless of gender, could all have a set of new, ill-fitting clothes. Added to the tattered clothes they were already wearing, at least in the season where the weather was getting hotter, there was no shortage of clothing.

Grain shops—also no use.

Not to mention the three carts full of beans just pulled from Ms. Feiniya's shop, Priest Bata'er could perform the truly free, cost-free God's Blessing every day. Actually, it wasn't that there was no cost, but that when the Blessing Ritual was performed, the cost of the Divine Art blessing had already been paid in advance, which is why it seemed like it was obtained for 'free' when the Priest used it later.

Therefore, Jier was not interested in grain shops either.

Leather goods shops—Jier was slightly interested.

After a good while of use, the decorative leather surface on the front of his Elven Metal Shield had long since been destroyed in battle, and Jier had even used a Dagger to trim the tattered edges well so it wouldn't look so ugly.

So, taking the time, one could indeed come here to replace the leather cover on his shield.

The blacksmith shop, and the storefront displaying finished goods in the shop next door.

To be honest, there is actually a severe shortage of the large quantity of metal tools needed for the refugees to settle down later. Wood axes, wood saws, sets of blacksmith tools, large quantities of iron nails, iron shovels, nail rakes, plows, scissors, and even the kitchen knives used for cooking and skinning knives for processing animal carcasses are all in short supply.

Everything is in short supply.

Satisfying the metal supply needs for a group of seven hundred people is no small number, and he does not know if the harvest from processing the spoils of war over these past two days will be enough. Of course, Jier does not intend to pour in a large amount of his own wealth; this is a bottomless Shitan, and he knows it is impossible to satisfy this demand relying solely on himself.

Perhaps someone could, but at least it is not him right now.

Jier paused at the blacksmith shop for a while, and Feiniya asked with a light chuckle: "For those villagers who have nothing? Knight Jier, you had better think this through."

Smiling, Jier set off again: "I am clear on this; I can distinguish between my own money and the money that can be used on them. The captured goods obtained from the Bandit nest, the money from selling those things, that is the main money to be spent on them."

He continued: "It is spring now, and the most important things are not the items that can only be used after settling down, but tents! And rain gear to prevent rain! They cannot be allowed to get rained on anymore; although they are all young people, and there is a Priest of the Agriculture God in the group, if there is an illness, relying solely on Bata'er Jiaoshi alone will not be enough to handle it."

"After all, the influence that great Divine Art and Divine Power can produce on a single Priest is also very limited."

Knowing what was most needed now, Feiniya led Jier to another adjacent street. This place was one circle further from the center of the town, so the ground was not as clean; suspicious, foul-smelling mud was mixed into the gravel road, barely passable.

It was not like the place where the refugees lived outside the town, where sewage and filth submerged the gravel road, leaving nowhere to step.

Feiniya led Jier to a shop on this street that specialized in selling miscellaneous goods for merchants' outdoor camping.

"Starry Sky" is the name of this grocery store, although it seems this name would be more suitable for naming an Astrology Tower.

"This is the place. Although I do not know the shopkeeper or the owner of this shop, some Merchant Guilds and traveling Merchants in the north of the town all buy their outdoor camping supplies here."

Feiniya walked in first, while Jier followed behind, holding the money box filled with coins in his left arm. Two hired thugs stood at the entrance, guarding the Knight's horse.

They did not follow into the shop. This is the local rule.

The safety of guests entering the shop is the responsibility of the shop, and there is no need for the subordinates brought by the guests to be responsible.

Of course, this is also a local rule that merchants gradually figured out during chaotic times, mainly to prevent guests from bringing too many people inside, as many hands make for light work in stealing shop merchandise.

Shops with low-value goods mainly use this rule to prevent groups of young refugees from causing trouble, while shops selling expensive goods have this rule not only for the shop's aesthetics but also for the safety of both the guests and the merchandise.

The "Starry Sky" grocery store covers a considerable area. Upon entering, one can see tents of various materials and styles packed onto spacious large wooden tables.

Because the tents are large in area, it is impossible to display them all in the space-limited shop. Therefore, this shop interestingly hired mediocre painters to draw the image of each tent fully unfolded on a bright grassy field, mounted them in picture frames, and placed them behind the packed tents.

Directly facing the entrance are five sets of various tents and the paintings displaying them. On the left and right sides are camping accessories and items used inside the tents.

The quantity and variety far exceed Jier's imagination.

Feiniya greeted Knight Jier to pick out the tents first: "Why not let the Shop Assistant in the store introduce them to you first? Knight Jier?"

Upon hearing that he was a Knight, and seeing that this young man Jier was wearing a suit of Metal Armor and carrying a Long Sword at his waist, which was indeed extraordinary, the Shop Assistants in the store pushed each other. Finally, one unlucky fellow was pushed out to explain the five types of tents sold in their shop to this "big shot" Jier.

As soon as he came up, this Shop Assistant did not know whether to speak first or bow first, and his whole person stood there stiffly with a pale face, as if he had been dead for several days.

Feiniya laughed heartily, and Jier was also amused by the Shop Assistant's appearance.

He waved his hand: "No need for formalities, let's get to the point. I am here to buy a batch of tents, introduce them to me."

Hearing Knight Jier's words, the Shop Assistant wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his hand and began to introduce them from the left, stuttering.

"Th-this packed tent is a small tent specially provided for small Caravans and loggers. It is square, can accommodate five people at a time, is rainproof, and has been fumigated with insect-repellent Herbs. Within half a year, once the tent is set up, there will be no insects appearing on the ground inside."

"And what about after using it for half a year?"

Feiniya asked. She did not know about these things either, so she curiously asked on behalf of the Knight.

Jier also nodded, curious about the answer.

The Shop Assistant twisted his hands together, and this time he finally gave the answer at a normal speed: "After it can no longer repel insects, you can bring it over, and we will charge a fee to fumigate it with Herbs again! It can be used for another half year. The price, the price is not expensive either."

Jier nodded quite satisfied. Looking at the painting on the canvas, this tent was a normal tent with a white square top and large green stripes. He took off his Glove, touched the material on the surface of the tent, and found it to be dense Linen Cloth soaked in oil.

He rubbed it with his fingers; it was quite sturdy.

"It is a bit small, though. If there are over seven hundred people, how many tents would need to be set up?"

Feiniya criticized directly without being polite. This immediately made the Steward of the shop next to them burn with anxiety; it was a big deal for over seven hundred people! The shop had not opened for business recently, and he did not want to give up this opportunity.

But he did not dare to go up and talk himself, so he had to keep winking at the Shop Assistant, letting the Shop Assistant say something to explain.

But the Shop Assistant's facial muscles were twitching with nervousness, and he did not dare to refute Feiniya's words at all.

Jier was amused and pointed to the second packed tent next to it.

"What about this one? It looks a bit small."

What was painted on this canvas was a small, single-person dome tent. Interestingly, this tent even had a soft leather window that could be opened and closed at the height of an average person's shoulder.

Coupled with the use of more colorful fabrics, it looked much more exquisite than the other tents.

"Gr-great sir, this tent is prepared exclusively for the Stewards of large Merchant Guilds. The Captain of the guard team is also qualified to have a separate tent when camping. This is an important means for leaders, managers, and heads to show their status."

"What about insect protection?" Jier did not ask about rain protection; this thing was definitely rainproof. He was very interested in this thing because the tent he had been using all along was a low triangular tent he had bought casually in Kendall County last year.

Although he was used to sleeping in it, he felt it was a bit troublesome to crawl in and out while wearing armor every time.

He rubbed his chin with his fingers, his eyes fixed on the painting of the tent showing what it looked like when unfolded, his gaze lingering on it.

"The bottom of the tent has a layer of ground cloth, made of the sturdiest Fine Linen soaked in insect-repellent medicine. In addition, the circular roof and the surrounding circular tent have also been soaked in insect-repellent medicine. The top even comes with a bag of bark shavings from the bird-catching tree that repels insects and birds. They will emit a smell that we cannot smell, keeping birds and insects away."

"Oh." Jier was very interested, leaned over, and sniffed, but indeed did not smell anything.