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墨書 Inktalez
How can one effectively crack the first step mentioned by Feng Quji? Of course, the simplest way is to find the person involved! However, aside from the Big Shopkeeper of Prosperity Record, it seems no one else can help.
Directly asking Wei Wujie would certainly be inappropriate; a few words in, and he might resort to violence. The only knowledgeable person available now is the Queen Dowager, and given their relationship, she might be able to provide some insights. After making up his mind, Luzi decided to compress the timeline to tonight. He stood up and instructed Sun Thirteen to prepare the carriage for an immediate visit to the Queen Dowager.
At this time, as night fell, the streets of Linzi County Town were brightly lit. Pedestrians were bustling about, and businesses were doing everything they could to attract customers. The sounds of shouting and laughter filled the air, creating a vibrant and intoxicating night scene.
Sitting in the carriage, Luzi looked at the hustle and bustle outside, fully experiencing the tranquility brought by peace. Wasn't this exactly the kind of place one would dream about? A place where one could live carefree and quietly without contention. If only he could cultivate a few acres of land for himself...
"Innkeeper!"
With Sun Thirteen's shout from ahead, Luzi was abruptly pulled back to reality from his blissful reverie. He initially thought they had arrived at Qi King's Palace but realized they were still navigating through the streets.
"What is it!?"
Sun Thirteen turned around, swallowing hard and pointing not far ahead. "Boss! There's a vendor selling Brown Sugar Hawthorn Skewers..."
Hearing this word made Luzi's mouth water before he could even respond. Remembering that sweet and sour taste, he quickly wiped his mouth. According to historical records, it seemed like this Keeper hadn't had Brown Sugar Hawthorn Skewers in years! Moreover, since he had rushed out this time without bringing a gift, it felt somewhat inappropriate.
"Thirteen! Hurry and buy a few sticks to take into the palace!"
"Understood!" Sun Thirteen replied, jumping down from the carriage and leading the horse to the side of the road. "Big Shopkeeper! To ensure these candied hawthorns are safe and non-toxic, should we taste them first?"
Luzi spat out in annoyance and scolded, "Nonsense! How can we just taste them? It should be called sampling!"
Unable to contain himself any longer, Sun Thirteen didn't bother with the words he should use. He apologized to the merchant blocking the parking space while promising to leave right away after buying something. He then hurried over to the scarecrow adorned with candied hawthorns and began to carefully select his purchases.
The skewers of hawthorn glowed enticingly red under the lights, ultimately prompting Sun Thirteen to embark on a shopping spree. As he counted how many skewers were left, he had already pulled out several Knife Coins to pay.
After a few years of recuperation, the economy of Qi State had just begun to enter a positive cycle. The common people were not yet financially comfortable, making such large transactions rare.
The delighted old man muttered his thanks to the God of Wealth as he swiftly removed the Brown Sugar Hawthorn Skewers from the scarecrow and packed them up. This was what Sun Thirteen had requested, and he asked for it to be divided into two portions: one for Big Shopkeeper to take into the palace as a gift, and the other to bring back to the inn for his brothers.
Luzi waited for a long time without seeing any sign of Sun Thirteen's return, so he jumped out of the car and walked over to check what was happening. Seeing that someone was already packing up, he struck up a conversation with the old man selling candied hawthorns.
The old man was a native of Qi State, living in a village north of Linzi County Town. His family had been artisans for generations, never engaging in any other trade. The skill of boiling sugar and coating fruits had been passed down from his great-grandfather's ancestors.
"Please excuse this old man," he said with a smile. "It is said that my great-grandmother's grandmother used to be so troubled that she couldn't eat or drink, leaving her weak and emaciated. She sought every remedy available but saw no improvement. Fortunately, a traveling doctor passed through the village and left behind this folk remedy. To everyone's surprise, after trying it, she improved within half a month."
Upon hearing that this treat could also serve as medicine, Sun Thirteen became intrigued. Just as he was about to inquire further about what ailments brown sugar and hawthorn could cure, he noticed Big Shopkeeper's expression was off. He quickly helped pack up the remaining skewers and asked the old man what name this Brown Sugar Hawthorn Skewers went by.
How much could one earn from selling candied hawthorns in a day? Besides, it was just a small business—what name did it need? The old man looked at the two young men’s attire and chuckled, "It's just a small business; what name could it possibly have? If you two brothers enjoy it, just come by more often to support this old man's business."
Sun Thirteen nodded in agreement and pulled out a few more Knife Coins from his pocket, placing them in the old man's hand. "This is for you; I’ll be taking these candied hawthorns with me."
"Too much! Too much! I really can't accept this much!"
Seeing this generous young man turning to leave with the candied hawthorns, the old man hurriedly chased after him and tried to return the excess Knife Coins. "Young man! You’re not married yet, are you? You clearly don’t know how to manage household expenses! Take it! No matter how wealthy you are, you shouldn’t spend like this!"
Upon hearing these words, Sun Thirteen smiled and shook his head. He was about to say that the extra money could be considered a sponsorship fee when he noticed a pair of dark, weathered hands that looked as if they had been carved by time. The world had left no memories for this old man, but these hands showcased the resilience of life.
Luzi turned to leave but saw the two of them gathering mushrooms again. He had no choice but to go over and take some copper coins from Sun Thirteen, placing them in the old man's hands. Looking around to ensure no one was watching, he quietly reminded him, "Old man! These Knife Coins are Six-Character Blades, one of a kind in the world. If you’re not in a hurry to spend them, make sure to keep them safe."
Hearing such words from the young man across from him, the old man selling Brown Sugar Hawthorn Skewers quickly looked down at the Knife Coin in his hand to see what was different about it. Just as he raised his hand, Luzi covered it with his own and asked, "Aren't they all just copper coins? What difference could there be?"
In a hurry to attend to his business, Luzi didn’t elaborate further; he only reminded the old man to remember what he had just said. Seeing the old man carefully tuck the Knife Coin into his pocket, he smiled and nodded before hurriedly leaving with Sun Thirteen.
The so-called Six-Character Blade refers to a Knife Coin engraved with the inscription Qi Jianbang Changfa Transformation. It was minted by King Jian of Qi at the Qi State mint as a commemorative piece and was also a form of currency in Qi State. At that time, only one batch was allowed to be minted before the mold was destroyed. Due to its limited issuance and status as a commemorative coin, it holds collectible value.
The largest merchant in Linzi County Town is Prosperity Record, which has a significant volume of currency transactions. Naturally, this includes a batch of such commemorative coins.
Kong Liang from the Prosperity Record branch learned through internal channels that the issuance of Six-Character Blades was extremely limited and immediately notified the shop assistants to pay attention to collecting any scattered Six-Character Blades in circulation. Once discovered, they were to be exchanged immediately and stored away without being circulated.
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