Chapter 84: Seeing the Mountain

Yang Tiejiang's words were very rough.

They were so rough that they sounded like an insult.

"Three days. In three days I should be able to forge this thing; when that time comes, you can come over and take a look first. The rest we can discuss then," Yang Tiejiang said.

Chen Wuji nodded and replied, "Then I'll come back after three days."

After paying two taels of silver for the bow and arrows, Chen Wuji left the Yangji Tiejiangpu, then went to the East Market and bought three roasted geese and a jar of fine wine.

His pouch finally had a bit of room, so he had to first improve the meals for his wife and Shen Youwei, letting them also taste the Cao Clan roasted goose that everyone in Yunan City praised.

It so happened that Chen Qun and his son were doing work for the household, so this first meal also had to be a good one for them.

Carrying the goods, Chen Wuji wandered the street looking for She Ji's sign.

He had long forgotten the location Shopkeeper She had mentioned earlier, only recalling that it seemed to be near the East Market.

If he could find it, he'd look; if not, Chen Wuji planned to try another shop.

Anyway, Wolf Badger fur is a good commodity; he wasn't worried about selling it.

While Chen Wuji was wandering, a young servant suddenly blocked his path and said, "Young master, are you here to sell furs? Our little shop is right beside you; why not come in for a cup of strong tea and a chat?"

"How much can you offer for this?" Chen Wuji pointed to the hide in his hand and asked.

The servant looked a bit uneasy, "I can't set the price; the shopkeeper is inside. If you sit down, you'll find out. I only spoke up because I happened to see you holding the hide."

Chen Wuji looked up at the sign and saw the two characters "Jian Shan".

Doing it so artsy, he wondered what kind of shop it was.

Chen Wuji stepped inside, taking the chance to see whether Shopkeeper She's price was fair.

The shopfront was a bit sparse, with only a few large cloaks and leather jackets hanging.

Behind the counter sat a woman in an apricot-colored dress, her hair piled high, and her crystal-clear earlobes adorned with a jade‑green, gourd‑shaped gemstone earring.

In Da Yu, Chen Wuji rarely saw women with pierced ears; this was the first he had encountered.

"Shopkeeper, this young master has a top‑grade badger hide!" the servant shouted excitedly.

The woman, who had been fixing her hair in front of a bronze mirror, set the mirror down and stepped out from behind the counter.

"Yu Hu, go brew tea for the guest!"

After issuing the order, the woman turned to Chen Wuji and said, "Sir, may I have a look at the hide first?"

"Go ahead," Chen Wuji handed over the hide.

The shopkeeper was very beautiful, with a round yet not at all plump face, lively eyes and brows, and her demeanor resembled that of a refined lady rather than a merchant or merchant's daughter.

The woman examined it carefully and praised, "It's still a piece of Wolf Badger fur. In our Nan Jun, Wolf Badger hides are rare. How many do you wish to sell?"

"Your price!" Chen Wuji turned and sat down nearby.

After a moment's pause, the woman said, "Five taels of silver. Is that satisfactory, sir?"

"How much for a dog badger hide?" Chen Wuji asked again.

"For a dog badger, about two or three taels," the woman replied, "Wolf Badger fur is larger, so its value is naturally higher. Do you also have dog badger hides?"

"I don't have any today; I'm just asking to see if I'm being ripped off," Chen Wuji said.

The woman gave a faint smile, "If you have hides in the future, feel free to bring them. Our prices are surely more honest than elsewhere; we process them into garments ourselves, unlike other shops that must resell to ready‑made clothing stores or caravans."

"If you lack time, just tell us a place and we'll fetch it ourselves later. Sir, is the five‑tael price for the Wolf Badger hide still satisfactory?"

Her price was indeed a bit more honest than Shopkeeper She's, though the difference wasn't huge.

"I've always dealt with She Ji; I was just about to go there, but your shop's attendant happened to cross my path," Chen Wuji said.

The woman showed a knowing expression, "I can only add two hundred wen; any higher and I wouldn't dare take it. You see, this shop and its attendant need silver every month; we can't go without a single coin."

"Deal!" Chen Wuji replied cheerfully, "I live in Xishan Village; in three to four days you can send someone over, and there should be some profit."

"The guest is a straightforward person," the woman said, patting a strand of hair by her temple, then turned and called to the back hall, "Yu Hu, fill the young master with two taels of tea leaves."

"Got it."

No one dislikes such a small gesture of goodwill, and Chen Wuji was no exception.

Although the woman looked older, she was a shrewd businesswoman, and with her honest price, Chen Wuji really had no reason not to choose her shop instead of heading to She Ji.

Chen Wuji drank a cup of clear tea in the shop, then left Jian Shan carrying the two‑tael tea leaves prepared by the female shopkeeper Xiao Yuji. The name was something Xiao Yuji suddenly recalled and told Chen Wuji as he was about to step out.

In Da Yu, names like "some Nian", "some Ji", and "some Jie" are the most common female names.

Especially those ending with "Ji".

If you pick ten random women on the main street, at least one or two will have the character "Ji" in their names.

Chen Wuji spent about three taels of silver today, and earned a little over five taels.

His pouch's silver didn't decrease; it increased.

He liked that feeling.

If every visit to Yunan City were like this, it would be perfect.

Later, Chen Wuji went back to the East Market and hired a donkey cart.

With his own strength alone, even if he shouldered and carried, he could manage about two hundred jin of grain.

This time he planned to buy more, to fill the empty storehouse at home.

Riding the donkey cart to the grain shop, Chen Wuji was startled by the scene before him.

People—people were everywhere.

"Brother, let me line up for you; the donkey is well‑behaved, you can just sit on the carriage and rest," the driver, who slipped the donkey whip to his waist, grinned and said to Chen Wuji.

He was young, looking about the same age as Chen Qun and Presented Scholar Zhou.

"You stay seated; I'll go," Chen Wuji said.

Such thoughtful service would surely cost the silver in his pouch.

With only a few dozen taels of net worth, Chen Wuji hasn't yet enjoyed this level of service.

The young coachman hurriedly waved his hand, "Brother, I won't charge extra; whatever we agreed on before is what it is. I'll run the errand, you just rest."

"Only charging for a single run, yet providing such thorough service—I'm afraid that's a loss!" Chen Wuji said with a smile.

The coachman gave a simple smile, "I'm just trying to get close to you, Brother, hoping you'll use my carriage more in the future. I'm off now."

Chen Wuji did not refuse further.

The common folk scraping by in Yunan City endure great hardship; everyone strains with all their might to earn a little more, not to improve their lives, but merely to secure basic sustenance.

This young coachman's belt was tied so tightly that it squeezed his waist up to his neck; his stomach was clearly empty, and he might not have eaten for several days.

Chen Wuji does not like taking advantage of these people at all.

He tore a duck leg from the paper bag, walked over, and handed it to the coachman, "Eat it, and line up while you eat."