The town was called Qingshi Town, a sprawling place.
Shops, inns, and restaurants lined the streets to the north, forming an ancient version of a commercial district, while the market was located on a street to the south.
The original Shen Yu had only been here twice before, so relying on her memory, Shen Yu found the street where the market was.
She scouted out all the vegetable, fish, meat, and snack vendors, making sure she knew the prices in the area.
Shen Yu planned to start a small business in the future. Without land at home, she needed some way to earn a living; she couldn’t rely solely on her personal space.
Starting a business required capital, and the ten taels of silver she currently had were insufficient for anything substantial.
After a brief thought, Shen Yu went to a cloth shop at the end of the market street. The signboard read “Qiaoniang,” which was also the name of the shop owner, a clean and efficient widow in her thirties.
Seeing a customer, Qiaoniang did not disdain Shen Yu despite her tattered clothing. Knowing Shen Yu wanted to buy clothes, she enthusiastically explained the fabric types and prices. In the end, Shen Yu spent 230 wen on a set of dark pink fine cotton clothes and another 30 wen on a pair of cloth shoes.
Shen Yu changed into her new clothes in the shop and, with Qiaoniang’s help, redid her hair.
She also asked Qiaoniang for a small piece of red cloth, then took out the ten taels of silver to have it exchanged for smaller denominations and a hundred copper coins.
Stepping out of the shop in her new clothes and adjusting her hair, she no longer looked like a country girl.
She bought a woven basket from an old lady on the roadside for ten wen, then found a secluded alley.
Ensuring no one was watching, she took a set of gold jewelry from her personal space: a pair of gold bracelets, a gold necklace, a pair of gold earrings, and a gold ring.
She placed them in an exquisite mother-of-pearl lacquer box, wrapped it in the red cloth, and hid it in the basket under some old clothes.
This set had been designed by a well-known modern designer and would normally be priced in the hundreds of thousands at a jewelry store.
Shen Yu went to the north street, passing several silver shops, and finally chose one called “Hualang.” Compared with the others, this shop had the most luxurious exterior, with several energetic young clerks in uniform greeting customers. The ladies entering were all wealthy or noble. Seeing the high-class appearance of the store, Shen Yu entered without hesitation.
Inside, a clerk immediately approached: “Miss, what kind of jewelry are you looking for? Our Hualang jewelry is the most beautiful in town, with the widest variety and fair prices.” He was professionally promoting their goods.
Shen Yu calmly said, “Sorry, young man. I’m here to see your shopkeeper.” Lowering her voice, she added, “I have some goods from the capital, fit to be the shop’s treasure.”
The clerk was about to refuse disdainfully, but Shen Yu handed him a handful of copper coins. “These are rare designer pieces. Please inform your master—they won’t regret it.” She then partially revealed the jewelry box from the red cloth.
Seeing the colorful mother-of-pearl shine, the clerk immediately recognized it as extraordinary, quickly took the coins, and went upstairs: “Please wait, miss. The master is on the second floor.”
Soon, the clerk returned, gesturing Shen Yu to follow: “Miss, our shopkeeper Feng invites you upstairs.”
Shen Yu nodded and followed him.
The second floor had far more luxurious jewelry than the first. The clerk led her to a private room and stepped aside.
Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man, around forty, thin and dressed in a dark gray robe. His eyes were sharp and intelligent as he balanced a ledger in one hand and a counting abacus in the other.
Seeing Shen Yu, he stood politely: “I am Feng Tang, shopkeeper of Hualang. May I see what treasure you bring?” His eyes brightened as he noticed the red cloth bundle, clearly having been briefed by the clerk.
Shen Yu greeted him briefly, then took the box out of the basket and unwrapped the red cloth, revealing the delicate mother-of-pearl lacquer box—a craft not yet existing in this era.
Feng’s eyes widened. Just the box alone was valuable. Carefully placing it on the desk, he trembled as he touched the surface. “Miss, is this the item you wish to sell?”
Shen Yu said, “This box is just a gift. The real treasure is inside.”
Feng’s astonishment grew. If the box was this exquisite, what kind of jewelry lay within?
Eagerly, he urged her to open it—and his jaw dropped at the set of gold jewelry inside.
The necklace had a hollow-carved pendant of a butterfly fluttering among flowers, with each stamen finely detailed. Colorful gemstones studded the butterfly’s body, adding the perfect finishing touch.
The bracelets were solid gold, with three-dimensional butterfly-and-flower designs winding around them. The embedded gemstones refracted colorful light like blooming flowers.
The ring and earrings were studded with rubies, edged with tiny diamonds. Multi-faceted cutting made the rubies sparkle like starlight. Each piece complemented the others, forming a stunning set.
Feng composed himself, adjusted his robe, and said calmly: “This is indeed a masterpiece. Miss, how much do you wish to sell it for?”
Shen Yu smiled: “Let’s see how much Master Feng offers.”
“This… this set is extraordinary. How about fifteen thousand taels?” Feng stroked his beard and looked at her.
“Oh, sorry to trouble you then,” Shen Yu closed the box and prepared to leave.
“Wait, miss! This price is negotiable!” Feng called urgently.
Shen Yu set down the box without changing expression: “The gemstones alone are worth over ten thousand taels, not to mention the design and craftsmanship. You won’t find another set like this in the Da Sheng Kingdom. And it comes with the box as well.”
Feng nodded in agreement and wiped nonexistent sweat: “Then how much do you want?”
“At least twenty-one thousand and five hundred taels! This unique Da Sheng Kingdom jewelry will be Hualang’s treasure, unquestionably,” Shen Yu said proudly, chin raised.
Seeing her confidence, Feng knew this girl could not be easily fooled. He quickly countered: “You must give our shop some profit. How about twenty thousand taels, no more.”
“Twenty-one thousand five hundred taels, it’s a deal,” Shen Yu replied without hesitation.
In the end, Feng bought the set for 21,000 taels and urged Shen Yu to bring any future treasures to Hualang. Shen Yu agreed, had 300 taels of the payment converted into smaller denominations, and gracefully declined the shop’s offer of an escort, strolling off into the streets to indulge in shopping.