Chapter 8: Free Market
When Xia Longshi saw her sister arrived, he immediately threw his body and hugged Mingyue.
Xia Longyi was only able to smile wryly, both of them were too close.
[I wish this little boy will not follow her favourite big sister's way of troublemaking] Xia Longyi sighed in his mind.
"There is some time before noon, how about we explore the Northern Area before we have lunch. After that we will explore anywhere you want. Of course, we have to reach the mansion before sunset." Xia Longyi tried to divert the pair of close sibling's attention.
"Okay, let's go" Mingyue replied.
[Before this, I am only planning to walk around and see some interesting things. But now I am interested in some unique device like that round glass.]
"What kind of thing you want to see Yueyue?" Xia Longyi asked Mingyue.
Of course, Yueyue is Mingyue's nickname by her family.
"Interesting things!" Mingyue answered immediately.
"Hm. . How about Water Association Merchant House, usually they have many novelty things. Coincidentally, the merchant house is in the Northern Area. Let's go there first." Xia Longyi guides them around the Northern Area.
The Northern Area was mostly shopping district, and almost half of them was owned by the merchant from the Water Association.
Star Royal City is divided into three circles. The first circle is Royal Area, only royal family, their retainer and King's Guard people are allowed to come.
The second circle is divided into four area, Northern, Western, Eastern, and Southern. Northern area was mostly filled by merchants, that was why it was called Shopping District. Western Area was owned by Academy, reaching until Cloudy Mist Forest. It was called Education District. Southern Area is filled with many kinds of occupation guild and association, thus it was called as Elite District. Eastern area usually a place where normal citizen lives, hence called commoner district.
The third circle consisted of planting field, military barrack, blacksmith and weaponry, many more.
A big family usually only own a mansion and merchant house in the second circle. Most of their asset was in their own domain. For example, Xia family domain was well known for their fertile and suitable for herbs. Or Shi family domain was well known for their mine ore.
Xia Longshi was always attracted to many things he never saw before, so I had to hold his hand.
It did not take a long time, they arrived. A tall building with many people came in and out there.
But Mingyue was bound to be disappointed. Nothing attractive to her. Only some glittering or shiny stone. After roaming around shopping district, they chose to have lunch at Morning Glory Restaurant.
Since tomorrow morning they had to return to their family's domain, Mingyue tried to order many things. But Xia Longyi stopped her many times. In the end, he was the one ordering food. And of course, all of them were the restaurant's signature dishes.
No matter how Xia Longyi saw it, it was something weird. "Yueyue, how can you eat so many dishes, but your figure is not changing?"
"Of course I am a growing girl, big brother. Are you expecting me to be a fatty?" Mingyue narrowed her eyes while glaring at Xia Longyi. She was seriously sulking.
[What kind of lady wants to be called as fatty? Big brother, you lack delicacy]
"Oh yeah, there is something called free market around here. Interested?" Xia Longyi tried to change conversation because he was not used to Mingyue's glare
"What is a free market?" Mingyue showed her interest.
"It is a place many people selling their goods. There are rarely brand new goods, but there are many interesting goods in there. It takes place in Plaza, not that far from here." Explained Xia Longyi.
"It is good for me. Let's go"
"But remember Yueyue, do not in rush to buy goods in a free market. Because the scale is very big, there also a lot of swindlers and fake goods. There is also defect goods." Xia Longyi didn't forget to remind Mingyue
"Un. . ." Mingyue just nodded.
[Do not worry brother, my 'vision' is very good, you know]
"Okay, let's go." Xia Longyi paid the bill and immediately guided the pair into the direction of Free Market.
…
Reaching free market, Mingyue and company could saw the crowd of people in front of them. Mingyue could hear some people were bargaining and promoting their goods.
After looking around the Free Market for a while, Mingyue was not interested in the goods that were sold at this place.
[Sigh. Looks like what big brother said is right, all items in this place are all fakes or defect goods. . . Hmm???] Mingyue suddenly stopped in her tracks.
She was staring at a certain stall. There was nothing worth to see, but there was something that attracted Mingyue's attention. At the corner of the stall, she could see a rusty necklace without any decoration.
From outside, it looks like a rusty necklace. And it was a very unattractive necklace with the rust with the bonus. But with Mingyue's enhanced vision, she could see the worth of this rusty necklace.
[Even though it was only a very minuscule amount of Elemental, this rusty necklace is capable to absorb the Elemental. I will definitely get this unattractive necklace!]
"Oh, Young Miss has a good eye! This necklace is something that was excavated from Jade Dragon Mountain. It is the necklace worn by Dragon Priestess in Rain Dance Ceremony. A very rare antique you know. Because Young Miss has a good eye and you have a good affinity with this necklace, how about thirteen gold coins?" The sharp eye shopkeeper realized Mingyue's interest in the bad looking necklace.
Even though this necklace was a garbage, the shopkeeper would definitely sell it at a high price. From Mingyue's clothes and her escorts, he could see moneybag in her face. He concluded that Mingyue was a certain little princess of a certain family, so he would definitely take as many as possible coins from her family. The shopkeeper was offering every kind of gibberish thing he could offer.
Seeing Mingyue that was staring intensely at a rusty necklace, Xia Longyi couldn't help to remind her again, "There is no need for this necklace. If you want a necklace, we can get it from a jewellery store from before. If you really want it, we can return to a jewellery store we visit earlier."
Xia Longyi tried to bring Mingyue away from the swindler shopkeeper, but her mind is already fixed.
"Three gold coins. Nothing more." Mingyue bargained softly.
[Even though I don't know how much is this three gold coins but compared to thirteen gold coins, it was much better.] Mingyue smiled in her mind thinking that she was a genius.
"Aiyah. . . This necklace is a very novel item. . . Three gold coins are too small. . . Hmm. . . But since Young Miss has an affinity with this necklace, I will reluctantly accept your offer." The shopkeeper bowed respectfully, but he sneered in his heart.
[Humph. . A mere idiot brat. . . This trash without any price, you want to bargain it three gold coins? Congratulations, the retard has born. I get a free three gold coins and these coins are already the sum of a year of my salary. . Ha ha ha ha. . .]
[This person's acting is overdoing.] Xia Longyi glanced at the overacting swindler in front of him. Even though he was unwilling, he had promised to Mingyue to get anything she wanted.
When Mingyue who was happily holding the rusty necklace was glanced by Xia Longyi, she feared that Xia Longyi would get angry at her for not listening to his word. In the end, she only dared to peek at him.
After being robbed by her sister, Xia Longyi worried for her future. And also his pouch. . .
"Yueyue, the world is not kind. If you are doing something like that again, you will not gain anything" Xia Longyi shook his head. "Do you know how much one gold coin means Yueyue?" Xia Longyi asked softly.
He only knew how to use soft mean to coax her sister.
Seeing Mingyue shook her head, Xia Longyi continued, "One Family can live for a month with one gold coin. And if they could live frugally, they could even spare some of the coins."
"One month right, it is not like one gold coin for one season," Mingyue muttered softly.
[I thought that this one gold was very expensive. Well, it is expensive, but not as expensive as what I thought previously.]
But Mingyue's murmur could be heard clearly, and it surprised Xia Longyi very much.
". . .How many days do you think in one month, Yueyue?" Xia Longyi tried to test Mingyue.
"Thirty right?" Mingyue swiftly answered.
" . . . . It is ninety-nine days…" Xia Longyi speechlessly giving her the right answer.
Mingyue suddenly froze in place.
[No wonder big brother feels reluctant, but this necklace is a big investment. No need to be sad, big brother. Some things couldn't be bought by coins, and this thing is one of it. I believe this thing is useful.] Mingyue silently consoled Xia Longyi's pouch.
Thinking that Mingyue was depressed by his word, Xia Longyi could only pat Mingyue's head. He could only smile wryly
[I think it is a good time to return. Dad should have a lot of things to talk to Yueyue] Xia Longyi thought to himself.
When Xia Longyi was thinking of bringing Mingyue and Xia Longshi back to the Xia family's mansion, a group of people were blocking the road ahead.
"Hahahaha. . . What kind of taste you have haha. . . Rusty necklace. . . Rusty. . . Hahahaha. . ." A little kid was standing in the middle of the group of people that was blocking the road. It was the little kid that Mingyue met at Ceremony of Acknowledgement, Shi Tianfeng.
"Shi Tianyi." Xia Longyi frowned upon seeing one of the people which were blocking the road ahead. "What are you planning on blocking the road?"
"Blocking? No, you are wrong. You are the one blocking the road, so it is better if you scram away." Sneered the man with green clothes and bad person vibe said with full of menace.
"Humph. So what, do you think by becoming alchemist apprentice you can look down on me, you are in a big wrong" Xia Longyi said with full of confidence but without his usual smile. If Xia Longyi before this was a sheathed sword, then now Xia Longyi was akin to a drawn sword.
"Are you done laughing?" Mingyue cut their conversation.
[Heck! I didn't offend anyone, then why is there still some people that love to pick a fight?] Mingyue could feel her head was aching.
[I wished to avoid confrontation because it is a waste of time. I know I weak, but even if I was strong, I don't like a random conflict. If the confrontation cannot be avoided, then all I could do is brought little dumpling to run away. Sigh. Let's see if I can salvage this situation.]
[And why did it have to be this bratty brat?]
"Humph humph… I did not expect that you are from Xia family." Shi Tianfeng was trying to show off his family's capability.
[If I want to attract her attention, I have to show my capability, my strength. And of course, my family's strength is one of my rights as I was guarded by the bunch of guards. Compared to her measly two guards, I am indeed in advantage. Especially my big brother, Shi Tianyi is coming along with me. She will definitely follow me afterward after seeing my strength, hahaha!]
"And I did not know who you are." Mingyue answered sharply.
Shi Tianfeng was tongue-tied from Mingyue's answer.
[Indeed you didn't know what's my name, that's why we need a good conversation in a tea house.] After justifying his miscalculation, Shi Tianfeng regained his confidence.
"Yueyue, you know him?" Xia Longyi asked softly
"Well, yup. That is the truth. All he does is bark left and right and we even never have any proper conversation. I am confused whether I know him or not since both answers is feasible." Mingyue explained to Xia Longyi.
"Pfft. . ." Xia Longyi cannot hold his laugh. He did not expect that Mingyue's tongue was that sharp.
"YOU. . ." Shi Tianfeng rage again. He wanted to puke after hearing Mingyue's retort.
"See, big brother? How can we even have any proper conversation." Mingyue only paid attention to Xia Longyi and disregard Shi Tianfeng, making his face very red.
Seeing that Mingyue did not wish to have a conversation with him, Shi Tianfeng felt embarrassed and suddenly ran away. All their escorts immediately chased after him.
"Hmm. . . Sharp tongue you have." Shi Tianyi glanced at Mingyue, but Xia Longyi immediately covered me behind his body.
"Humph. . . Cut the crap. Fight if you wanted, no need to bring a little child in a fight. Don't tell me that you were scared to fight me? Really?" Xia Longyi taunted Shi Tianyi.
[Is this the feeling of having a family?] Mingyue was surprised when Xia Longyi covered and moved her to his back. It was the first time she was being protected by someone.
Mingyue was remembering her previous life, being an orphan, her master takes her in. Day and night are only cultivating. Her master always taught Mingyue to depend on herself and never depend on other people. This is the first time she felt the warmth of the siblings.
[It was a very good feeling.] Mingyue smiled in her mind.
". . .We will continue it at the Academy." After that, Shi Tianyi turned his body to chase after Shi Tianfeng.
"Sigh. . . Fortunately, there is no fight." Xia Longyi felt rather thankful for the outcome.
"Is he very powerful?" Mingyue was clearly interested.
"Yup he is a capable warrior, it is not easy to fight him. Moreover, now he has become alchemist apprentice, his combat style definitely has changed." Xia Longyi shared his view with Mingyue.
[Sooner or later, Yueyue will go to the academy. Understand that kind of things earlier is not a bad thing.] Xia Longyi silently sighed as she felt tired of the tension earlier.
"Let's return to the mansion"
…
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