Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 38 Wandering around the Black Market

Although it is called a black market, it is not a very hidden and mysterious place, nor is it a place where business can only be done secretly at night. On the surface, it is just a few ordinary streets and alleys interspersed with each other. People call it North Fifth Lane.

Of course, Beiwu Lane is not as clean and tidy as Xiangling Street and Yunhexiangjie. It always looks crowded and messy. Some stalls can only be placed in front of people's doors, and some are deliberately placed in corners, which cannot be found unless you are a regular customer. There are also vendors who sell their goods furtively back and forth, and quarrels are often caused by various disputes.

The goods sold here are also of varying quality. Those with good vision and good luck can find bargains and buy treasures at very low prices. Those who are unlucky are likely to make mistakes and lose money.

Many people in the county enjoy visiting the black market. Even if they don't buy anything, just wandering around and looking around can be a great way to learn. This is because there are often many new and interesting things here that can't be found at regular vendors. It's also a prime outlet for bandits to sell their loot, and looted goods often find their way to the black market.

Tan Huaike was so engrossed in her shopping that she almost forgot what she was doing there. When she came across a vendor selling "white sand," she couldn't help but wonder: "What is white sand? Is it white sand? Or is it the name of some spice?"

Shen Tu Zhuo lowered his voice and said, "Baisha is private salt from the Western Territory. It's much cheaper than the official salt from Daxuan."

"Smuggling salt? Aren't you afraid of being caught by the government?" Tan Huaike couldn't help but lower his voice.

"Of course they're afraid, that's why they claim to be selling white sand," Shentu Zhuo said. "But usually they sell in very small quantities, and the source of their supply is hard to trace. As long as they don't cause any major disturbances, the government will turn a blind eye."

"It's true that wealth and honor are sought through risk..." Tan Huaike was eager to try. "Is it really that cheap? Pei'er, how about we buy some too? We can go back and make some pickled meat."

"Okay, okay." Pei'er was about to go up and ask the vendor, but was stopped by Shentu Zhuo.

"Don't go. Although their salt blocks are cheap, the taste is really not that great." Shen Tuzhuo pulled them away from the stall and explained, "Most of the salt blocks from the west are for camel licking. They are very astringent and mixed with sand. If you are not too poor to buy them, there is no need to try them."

Tan Huaike was a little surprised: "You know quite a lot."

Shen Tu Zhuo raised his eyebrows: "What's with that expression? Am I just a dandy who knows nothing in your eyes?"

Tan Huaike smiled without saying anything and pretended to go look at other stalls.

Shen Tu Zhuo's face flushed with anger as he boasted, "After all, I'm from the Imperial Academy. I'm well-read, knowledgeable, and proficient in archery and arbitrariness. I'm a truly elegant and handsome young man..."

"Really?" Tan Huaike interrupted him. "If you're so capable and ambitious, why do you pretend to be a useless playboy in front of others? Isn't what I see of you what you want me to think?"

"I..." Shentu Zhuo was speechless.

"I read in Daxuan's book that an eagle stands as if asleep, and a tiger walks as if sick. These are exactly how they grab and devour people." Tan Huaike suddenly stopped. "I guess there must be a reason why a wise man hides his edge."

"Have you... have you read a lot of books?" Shen Tu Zhuo felt his ears getting hot for some reason, and he made small talk.

"I've read some, most of which were taught to me by my mother." Tan Huaike's eyes lit up, and he rushed to the stall behind him. "What are these parchment scrolls? A collection of poems? Will you use them in your Yuefu performance?"

Shen Tuzhuo was still in a daze. He turned his head to take a look and hurriedly stopped him: "Hey, don't look!"

However, it was too late. Tan Huaike unfolded a sheepskin scroll, glanced at it for a few seconds, then rolled it up again, hurriedly tied it with a straw rope, and put it back on the stall with a flushed face.

Pei'er looked around her and asked casually, "Madam, what does it say?"

"No, nothing." Tan Huaike was very embarrassed.

"Oh, my lady, you're a married woman now, so what do you have..." The stall owner, unwilling to let the business slip away, stopped her and said, "These are all translated books from the Western Territory. They are very erotic and can't be found anywhere else. You must buy them after seeing them."

"I, I don't know, I don't need to buy this..." At this moment, Tan Huaike wished he could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.

"It's not okay to look at something and then say you don't want to buy it. If everyone does that, I'll have no business left."

"Alright, alright, I'll buy it." Shen Tu Zhuo threw down the silver and took the parchment, and the stall owner finally let them go. Tan Huaike's cheeks were still flushed as he sighed, "There really are a lot of... well, novelties on this black market, and the vendors are really hard to deal with..."

Shen Tu Zhuo couldn't help laughing: "I told you to be careful, the people setting up stalls here are all cunning people. The stall owner is trying to force you to buy something just because he thinks you're young and easy to bully."

Pei'er was so curious that she couldn't help asking, "Madam, Second Young Master, what's on that parchment scroll?"

Tan Huaike was ultimately unable to speak, so Shentu Zhuo laughed and said, "They're just some vulgar and vulgar collections of songs and paintings, brought over from the western border. Someone specifically translated them into Daxuan poetry and added illustrations. These poems are very popular in the Lanying Pavilion, but they're hardly considered elegant, and certainly wouldn't be used in Yuefu."

Pei'er understood and covered her face with her hands, saying, "Oh my God, can this kind of thing be put out for sale?"

Tan Huaike looked around and said, "Well, uncle, let's go to other stalls."

Shen Tu Zhuo saw that she was almost dizzy and had lost her composure, which was quite amusing. However, he still reminded her, "What is your token? Let me see where to find it."

Tan Huaike thought for a moment, pulled the two of them to a quiet corner, and said, "It's a string of sapphire beads."
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Shentu Zhuo took them to visit two other alleys.

These two alleys are slightly quieter, and the goods sold there seem to be much more expensive. There are spice stalls, as well as relatively valuable jewelry and utensils.

Passing by a stall, Tan Huaike sniffed it gently and said, "It's the safflower incense."

Shen Tu Zhuo asked, "Is that the fragrance for fumigating clothes that you mentioned last time?"

"Well, this perfumer's blending is pretty good."

"Then buy some." Shentu Zhuo took out his wallet without hesitation.

"Don't bother, Second Young Master. I can buy it myself." Tan Huaike dissuaded and went to get the money himself.

"I didn't buy it for you," Shen Tu Zhuo said matter-of-factly. "I don't know how to use this. You can use it to fumigate my outer garment when you have time. You can keep the rest for yourself."

"That's...ok."

Shentu Zhuo bought a box of Suoyu incense and happily handed it to Pei'er, not forgetting to tease, "When I bought the sheepskin scroll just now, why didn't you see your sister-in-law rushing to pay?"

Tan Huaike said helplessly: "...It would be a waste if I gave it to you. My uncle can use it."

Shen Tuzhuo argued: "I don't need it either. What does sister-in-law think of me?"

After carefully tasting the other spices on the stall, Tan Huaike suddenly thought of something and asked the stall owner: "I see that most of these are Mohe spices. Do you have Cang Guxiang here?"

The stall owner shook his head: "No, the ancient fragrant stone has been extinct for a long time. Even the nobles can't use it."

Tan Huaike nodded: "Okay."

Shentu Zhuo asked, "What kind of incense is that? Is it precious?"

Tan Huaike said, "It's a rare spice. It's alright, I just asked casually."

After walking around for a while, Tan Huaike suddenly saw a familiar figure - it was the vendor wearing an ochre sand-proof scarf. She had heard the clerk at Guangde Pawn Shop talking to him about sapphire beads.

She calmly pulled Shentu Zhuo's sleeve and signaled with her eyes, "Let's go over there and take a look."
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　Next chapter: Someone is setting up a trap.

　　Thanks to book friend 6470 for the reward (-person-)
　　Thank you all for your monthly ticket recommendation~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)