Meanwhile, having heard the little demon's words, Nan Zhi and her party traveled south and entered Shouzhou City.
Shouzhou enjoyed a blessed geographical location, bounded by the Huai River to the east and controlling the Pi and Ying Rivers to the west. Countless ships and traveling merchants came and went through its docks every day.
Not only was commerce thriving here, but the inner city was also vastly more prosperous than Dingyuan.
Holding her umbrella, Nan Zhi stood on a bridge admiring the view, feeling that the world was vast and full of endless beauty.
Towering watchtowers crowded the city skyline alongside rows of shops: teahouses, fruit stalls, foot-shops, knife and scissor shops, silk manors, brokerage houses, and grand eateries of every kind lined the streets.
“Sesame cakes! Piping hot sesame cakes! Three coins for one, five coins for two!”
“Hurry, hurry! I heard the teahouse has a new story today!”
“This bronze mirror isn't half bad. How many coins? One hundred and fifty? No way, no way! Make it cheaper and I'll buy it.”
“Hahahaha! Drink up, drink up! How has your liquor tolerance gotten so poor? You're drunk after just a few sips of cold wine!”
Young gentlemen with flowers pinned in their hair strolled through the neighborhood fanning themselves. Market-bound women admired their reflections at small stalls. Old men drank by the roadside with open robes, fanning themselves incessantly with large cattail leaf fans.
Young men on horseback rode leisurely, their faces dusted with light white powder, looking dashing and elegant.
Pretty, glamorous young ladies rode in sedan chairs, hiding their faces behind fans as they peeked out through the windows.
Bare-chested laborers pulled carts, dripping with sweat, beads of perspiration trickling down their backs like rain.
Rivers and streams of various sizes crisscrossed the city, spanned by bridge after bridge. Flower-selling maidens navigated small boats through the waterways, calling out to passersby to peddle the fresh flowers and fruits on their vessels.
If someone bought her fruit, she would cheerfully gift them a handful of flowers.
A young flower girl with a magnolia blossom pinned in her hair punted her boat over, stopping in front of a marketplace, and called out to Nan Zhi on the bridge:
“Hey there, traveler! Have you just arrived in our Shouzhou City? Buy some fruit! Look, these wild peaches were freshly picked this morning, guaranteed big and sweet. We also have mountain cherries—sweet, tart, and delicious. Traveling is hard work, so why not buy a bag to sweeten your journey? I've been selling fruit and flowers on this river since I was seven. I know every market and ward in this city like the back of my hand! Are you looking for an inn to stay, or taking a boat to find someone? I even know which tavern has the best food, which broker is the most honest, and where to get the tastiest cooling herbal tea!”
“You may be young, but you're clever. You saw right away that I'm new to town.” Nan Zhi could not help but laugh. Leaning over the bridge railing, she pointed to the fruit at the bow of the boat. “Give me a bag of mountain cherries then, and two peaches. Pick sweet ones! If they're not sweet, I'll be coming back for you!”
The flower girl was young, but nimble, sweet, and adept at managing customers. Hearing this, she instantly beamed and steered her boat to the bank, tying it to a willow tree. “Rest assured, Lady! My peaches are plenty sweet. I've sold fruit and flowers here for years. Who doesn't know the fruit on my boat is top quality?”
With that, the flower girl glanced curiously at the two people behind Nan Zhi.
It was crowded in the city, making Wanniang uncomfortable, so she hid inside the umbrella. Having only just regained their freedom, the master and servant of the Wang family were terrified that Nan Zhi would tie them up like pigs again, so they waddled stiffly behind her like ducks, never straying a step.
The flower girl worked quickly, wrapping the wild cherries in a lotus leaf and placing a handful of freshly plucked willow leaves underneath for cushioning before handing them up to Nan Zhi.
“Isn't it obvious? People like us whose families have lived in Shouzhou for generations see bridges every day. Crossing them all the time, we don't find anything special about them.” She giggled, covering her mouth. “Only out-of-towners stand on the bridge, staring down at us without stopping. Giggle...”
The lotus leaf bundle felt slightly heavy in her hands. The fresh, bright red cherries rested on the lush green leaf like glistening jade beads. Nan Zhi popped one into her mouth; it was tart with a hint of sweetness, tasting even better than expected. “Little lady, I indeed just arrived in the city. I'd like to ask—if I want to catch a boat to Dongjingfu, which dock should I go to?”
“You asked the right person! There are seven docks in total across the city. Xiaowei Alley, Nanliang Family Alley, Bao Family Well Alley, the Southeast area, and Beizhao—those five are all for cargo ships. If you want a passenger boat, you have to head to the southeast corner and look for Wan Family Dock or Cao Family Dock.”
The flower girl hopped back into her small boat, causing the slender vessel to rock gently. “Although Cao Family Dock is an official transport hub, there aren't many strict rules. As long as you pay enough silver, you can board a large ship, though it's pricier and hard to tell when one will depart. Wan Family Dock has smaller boats, but merchants head out every morning carrying goods to Dongjingfu. If you're in a hurry, Lady, go ask over there. There are plenty of travelers coming and going, so someone is bound to be willing to give you a lift.”
Basically the difference between a taxicab and a rideshare app?
Nan Zhi thanked the flower girl and led the Wang master and servant toward the southeast section of the city. To cover the passage fare, she had sold the carriage and even stripped off the silk clothes from the Wang duo to sell at a pawnshop.
Wang Chen's clothes and jade pendant had been completely stripped away, and even his shoes were sold for silver because of the silver thread woven into them.
Yet, despite his burning rage, he dared not speak out. He could only look aggrieved like a male escort stripped of his innocence, as though he had suffered the ultimate humiliation.
“You're my prisoner right now. What does the money on your body have to do with you? I'll settle all your accommodation and food costs with you once we reach Dongjingfu. If it falls short, you'll compensate me. If there's extra... well, consider it my escort fee for keeping you safe along the way.”
Nan Zhi showed not a shred of pity. Instead, she happily counted her newfound silver. “Don't be discouraged, though. Before leaving, I asked two friends to look after your Wang family's estate. Once Wanniang's case is closed and we deduct what you owe the Qu family and the families of your past victims, who knows? You might still have five or ten coins left over.”
By your logic, he's supposed to be grateful to you?!
The closer they got to Dongjingfu, the closer his family came to ruin.
How could this woman be so shamelessly brazen?
Driven nearly mad by her provocation, Wang Chen's eyes turned bloodshot. He wished he could bite Nan Zhi to death on the spot.
If looks could kill, Nan Zhi would have died a thousand times over.
...
Collecting her silver, Nan Zhi marched the two toward the dock. Yet just as they rounded a corner, she spotted a familiar face amid the bustling crowd.
It was none other than that unlucky pear seller.
He was innocent, dragged into trouble by his elders, only to encounter a stubborn Jiao-dragon on his way to sell pears. Nan Zhi had thought he would be frightened into abandoning his cart and fleeing home, but unexpectedly, the pear seller was still thinking about selling his fruit as he left.
“Delicious crispy pears! Five coins each! Fragrant, sweet, crispy pears!”
“Pears for sale! Pears for sale!”
“My pears quench your thirst! Fragrant and crispy!”
The pears were large and golden yellow. Though somewhat expensive, buyers lined up in an endless stream. In no time, more than half of the cart of pears had been sold. The pear seller's complexion finally brightened, joy spreading across his face.
“Hey! Hey, pear seller! This master is thirsty. How about sparing me a pear to eat?”
Just then, a green-robed Taoist driving a sheep arrived from the east, suddenly calling out with a grin to the pear seller:
“You've got a whole cart of pears there! Sparing me just one couldn't possibly be a big deal!”
Rate on N.U.
