Jintian finished loading the wagon with the furs Li Liuwen had brought out of his home. The sun was just beginning to crest the horizon, as early morning birdsong filled the air. Mist could be seen curling from the banks of the Taihe river, and Jintian figured that if they made good pace, they could be to Chenghe by later that afternoon.
Looking at the back of the wagon, he stroked his chin thoughtfully, as Li Liuwen did the same.
"How much did you purchase this for?" Jintian asked, and Liuwen's eyes twinkled proudly.
"Seven hundred and forty four liang!" He said, moving his hands to his hips and raising his chin. Jintian looked at him with awe.
"It's a good thing those fur traders never really venture further north. If they did, I'm sure they would skin you alive for the blatant thievery you're committing." He said, and Liuwen chuckled. Jintian returned his attention to the furs on the back of the wagon.
"If we relied on your Uncle, we could probably return one thousand and two hundred liang, give or take. After recouping the cost you paid for them, and deducting tax and the pay for his workers, between us it might result in a hundred or so liang." He mused, but soon his eyes began to sparkle as he glanced at Liuwen from the corner of his eye.
Liuwen returned his glance with a mischievous grin. "But if we do that…" He whispered, and a dark chuckle passed between them. If any of the village people were to pass by, a shudder would have run through them.
Sighing in satisfaction, Liuwen climbed onto the driver's seat of the wagon, while Jintian walked to the front of the tongue, and the muscles hidden beneath his tunic rippled as he began to pull it forward with only a small grunt.
Liuwen laughed loudly as the wagon lurched forward. "That freakish strength of yours never ceases to amaze!" He commented, and Jintian shrugged off his words with a roll of his eyes.
Jintian had always been three times as strong as the men of the village, and had the stamina to match it. A gift he had received from his father, from what he'd been told, who many gossipped had been the son of a god.
As it was, his strength had never been what others saw value in him for, and he had never swaggered around the village with it. It was his family, and his own work ethic, that caused smiles to appear on the faces of villagers whenever he passed. Though Jintian became especially popular whenever the request to construct a new house came.
As the duo made their way out of the village, calling their hellos as the people of it were beginning their work of the day, a particularly pretty girl with long hair tied into a pony tail paused in beating her rug with a bamboo pole, watching them pass.
Li Liuwen looked at her, his gaze becoming particularly deep, and she smiled softly back at him. "Make sure their pockets hurt." She eventually called, and the two youths grinned.
"We're going to be swimming in coin when we return, just you wait Feng Yu!" He called back, and she shook her head, returning to beating her rug.
As the duo passed the Shen family's farm, they spied Shen Anjia leading a few of the cows out of their barn to graze. "I'll be back in two days, Father!" Shen Jintian hollered to him, and Anjia paused as his figure turned to watch them both leave.
"Pick up your Mother six spools of ramie thread! Xiyun will be needing new clothes soon!" Anjia yelled back. Jintian raised his hand to acknowledge the request, before turning his attention forward once more.
The journey was made in relative peace. Soon the rolling plains gave way to a verdant forest, the canopy above spread just far enough apart to allow the strengthening sun to filter through its leaves in rays of light. They could still hear the current of the Taihe river rumbling to their right, growing stronger the more further north they headed.
Once morning gave way to afternoon, they exited the forest to see frost-capped mountains off in the distance, their heads obscured by layers of clouds. Spread before them were boulders of considerable size, supposedly spewed out by a great volcano long ago. It was their marker that they had reached nearly two-thirds of the way to Chenghe. During their travel, Liuwen and Jintian had found themselves in the midst of a rather nonsense conversation to pass the time.
"And if, dear friend, you by some miracle find yourself married before I do, I swear upon the Yangtze that I will kowtow and call you uncle!" Liuwen said, and Jintian snorted.
"Well, old friend, I hope on the day of my marriage that you are wearing a most thick and comfortable robe! Kneeling like that would hurt your knees, otherwise!" He rebuffed, and Liuwen narrowed his eyes.
'You scoundrel, you haven't even found a girl you've fancied yet, while myself and Yu'er are practically betrothed already. What gives you this baseless confidence?" He asked, and Jintian readjusted his hold on the wagon's tongue to puff out his chest.
"One simple thing." He said, a braggart's smile on his features. "I'm more handsome than you are!"
Liuwen gasped, his hand flying to his mouth. "Heavens, my friend Jintian has clearly gone mad. You actually believe that!"
Jintian's grin widened. He knew that Liuwen was proud of his physical appearance, and took time every day to ensure he was well presented. "Well, for one thing, muscle! Muscles are king!"
Liuwen sneered down at the back of his head. "Muscles are good for farm beasts and show animals. Men, they must be dignified and noble, with the proper grace to display that they are of means and ability!"
Jintian cocked an eyebrow, glancing over his shoulder. "Then perhaps, oh dignified and noble Li Liuwen, you would like to pull this cart?" He asked, and Liuwen immediately placed a fawning expression on his face.
"Oh mighty Shen Jintian, how your stature inspires awe and wonder in all who behold it. Muscles hooray! Muscles are king! Long live muscles!" He said, and they both laughed as Jintian turned his attention back to the front.
They enjoyed the rest of their journey in silence, finally exiting the rocky hill scape to see the city of Chenghe before them, the Taihe river roaring past it powerfully. The walls that surrounded it were enormous, and dwarfed the flowing current of people exiting and entering its hold. Jintian and Liuwen had both heard that the city was relatively small compared to its northern counterparts, but failed to imagine how such a large city could possibly be considered small.
Shen Jintian rumbled the cart onto the main road that led further west than their village, joining the stream of other traders and returning residents. They soon arrived at the gates of the city, guarded by several impressively armored men who all wielded sizable guandao in their hands.
One of the guards lazily inspected the cart, eyeing Jintian before turning his gaze to who he assumed was the master of their wagon. "Purpose for city entry?" He asked evenly, and Liuwen smiled as he patted the wagon.
"We are fur traders from the south, hailing from Anhe village. My Uncle, Li Dongfei, will be opening a shop here in the next few months, and he wished to secure supply." He said smoothly, and another guard moved to the side of the cart to lift up some of the furs.
Finding no prohibited items, he nodded, and the guard who'd stopped them waved them through. Jintian pulled the cart forward, and after just a few moments they were within the city's hold.
Instantly they were buffeted on all sides by the noise of the city, shops and houses densely packed together while swarms of the city's residents flowed through the streets like a winding river's current. Although Jintian had been to Chenghe a number of times before, he found that it still took him a few moments before he was able to adjust to its pace.
Liuwen, however, seemed like a cramped pond fish that had finally found a lake to swim in, his eyes sparkling and radiant as he looked around. From his vantage point on the cart, he was able to see over the crowd in a way that Jintian was unable to.
"Jintian, are you hungry?" He asked, and the burly youth sniffed the air. There were delectable scents wafting past the odor of a full city, different from the steamed fish smell his own village was steeped in.
His stomach growled as he smelled cooking red meat and baked bread. He hummed thoughtfully for a few moments before shaking his head reluctantly.
"I want to get the fur trading done first. My skin itches just thinking about someone stealing it while we eat." He replied, and Liuwen nodded.
As they progressed through the bustling streets, the crowd finally began to thin as they managed to squeeze their way out of the hubbub near the city gates. It wasn't long before they'd found themselves closer to the market quarter, and Liuwen spotted a particularly refined clothing and tailor shop.
Outside of it he could see people clearly of means and wealth chatting with a man who had a measuring tape drooped across his shoulders. They were laughing while one of them touched a fur pelt he had hung around his neck, and Liuwen licked his lips.
"Jintian." He called, and the youth looked back at him curiously. Liuwen hopped off of the wagon, his eyes curving into crescent moons as his smile widened. "Do you see that man over there?"
Shen Jintian turned to follow where Liuwen nodded his head, and soon saw the exact same thing his friend had seen. His own smile widened, and they both shared a glance and a predatory chuckle.
"It's time for that, isn't it?" He asked, and Liuwen nodded.
"Tiger and trap." The mischievous youth said, and took a couple steps back, smoothing the front of his robe and pulling a few strands of hair down stylishly. With only a change of expression and a few loose strands of hair, he had transformed from a scholarly young man to arrogant aristocracy. His lips settled into a sneer, and he jutted his chin into the air.
Jintian nodded approvingly, before he himself put on the airs of a humble fur trader. Then, feeling perhaps a bit guilty, he grasped his hand around the heirloom necklace his mother had given it and tucked it underneath his shirt. And with that, he pushed the wagon forward, rumbling his way toward the shop.
There was an old saying. To hunt a tiger, one must lure him into a trap. And the way one lured a tiger was with a delectable morsel they could not afford to pass up.
As Jintian approached the shop, the conversation between the owner and his customers faded as they turned to look at him curiously. Jintian first made a show of looking at the fur draped across one of their shoulders, before letting out a satisfied sigh.
"Can I help you, young man?" The shop owner eventually asked, and Jintian clasped his hands and bowed his head.
"It would seem I was not led astray!" He said politely, and the owner raised an eyebrow. "I am Cao Xunlin, honorable sir, a fur trader from the south. This is my first time in a city like this, and I asked who would be able to offer a fair deal for my luxurious furs. And I was told, none other than you, honorable sir! And when I approached, I saw the quality of the fur around this man's neck, and I knew I was pointed right."
As Jintian laid the praise on thick, the shop owner's chin raised just a little bit, as a few passerby's eyes widened slightly. They then began to study the man who had the fur draped around his neck, and he in turn rolled his shoulders proudly. Slowly, a small crowd gathered to look at what everyone else had observed.
"I'd been recommended this shop a few times, but… ai, it was so expensive. But hearing that fur trader speak, it must be worth the price." An unidentified voice spoke from the crowd, causing a few nods and murmurs among them. Of course, it was Li Liuwen, hidden among them.
The shop owner, hearing the murmurs, smiled broadly. He then approached Shen Jintian, passing a subtle glance over the furs in the back. He then stroked his chin.
"Oh, your furs are quite good." He said in surprise, gesturing with a hand. "May I?"
Jintian nodded and stepped aside, and the shop owner ran a hand over the layers of pelts. He hummed for a few moments, but then paused as an arrogant looking youth swaggered out from the crowd. He wore a brightly colored robe, and the look on his face was both haughty and noble.
Li Liuwen felt the furs with his own hands, letting out a thoughtful hum of his own. The shop owner looked at Li Liuwen, before turning to Shen Jintian. "I'll pay you a thousand liang for them." He said, and the crowd began to whisper amongst themselves. A thousand liang was no small sum, and that in itself spoke to how highly he viewed the quality.
Shen Jintian plastered a look of surprise on his face, before bowing. "Honorable sir, I would be most-"
It was then that Li Liuwen snorted loudly, and a trace of displeasure crossed the shop owner's features. "A paltry thousand liang!? These furs are clearly from the animals in Cang forest, renowned for their soft yet warm pelts." Liuwen said disdainfully, before looking at Jintian. "I will pay you a thousand and one hundred liang for them!"
The shock on Shen Jintian's face grew deeper, but he then smiled bitterly. "I'm sorry, sir, but I was talking with this honorable sir first. I prefer to be fair and even with my trade, so I will have to refuse." He said. The shop owner, who had been scowling slightly moments before, quickly looked at Shen Jintian with surprise. In his eyes, respect could be seen growing. He then smiled deeply.
"Well then, let us go inside and-" The shop owner began, before Li Liuwen snorted again, this time louder.
"Fine then! I will pay you one thousand and two hundred liang for them!" He said, looking as if that amount of money was nothing. The murmurs among the crowd grew louder. Clearly, these furs were precious, for this unknown youth to be fighting for them!
The shop owner looked at Li Liuwen in shock, then squinted as Shen Jintian's eyes wavered. He first looked between the two of them, before smiling bitterly at the shop keeper.
"Well, it is hard to refuse an extra two hundred liang." He said leadingly, and the shop owner harrumphed.
"I will pay you twelve hundred and fifty liang for them!" The owner declared, and Li Liuwen scowled angrily at him.
"You dare to bid against me, Qiu Fucai!? Do you even know who my family is!?" He shouted, turning wildly towards Jintian. "I will pay you thirteen hundred!"
At this, the shop owner looked at Liuwen with a cold smile. "I do not know your family. They must be unimportant, if thirteen hundred is all you can spare! I am Fang Jinxuan, the best tailor in the city! Young man, I will pay you fourteen hundred liang!"
This time the shock on Jintian's and Liuwen's faces were real. Liuwen had been prepared to stop the charade at thirteen hundred and fifty, but for the shop owner to immediately jump another hundred, his pockets and pride were deeper than either of the youths had thought.
Schooling his expression into dark wrath, Liuwen trembled as he pointed a finger at him. "You have made an enemy of the Qiu family this day, wretch!" He snarled, before spinning around and storming off into the crowd. Jintian grinned as he watched his friend leave theatrically, before dropping it suddenly as both the crowd and Fang Jinxuan turned back to him.
He bowed. "Honorable sir, you are mighty indeed." He fawned, and Jinxuan chuckled. "That young man seemed to be part of a powerful family, however. Are you not afraid he will cause you trouble?"
Fang Jinxuan waved a hand dismissively. "I am a part of the merchant's coalition here in Chenghe. If he dares cause trouble for me, it will be like picking a fight with the whole city." He said, his smile growing more proud as he saw the look of wonder on Jintian's face. "Come then, let's get these furs inside of my shop, and I can give you your payment."
A short time later, and Shen Jintian was pushing his wagon down the street once more. After a bit of walking, he noticed Liuwen peel away from the tide of people to join him.
"Fourteen hundred liang." Liuwen whispered, grinning, and Shen Jintian laughed.
"After we pay our tax to the city, we will have more than four hundred liang for us both." He whispered back, both talking in conspiratorial tones so that they were not overheard. Liuwen sighed emotionally, smoothing down the front of his robe.
"Ai… I frighten even myself, sometimes." He said, looking off in the distance. After a short time, Jintian frowned as he thought back to what the shop owner had said.
"He mentioned being part of the merchant's coalition. Won't your Uncle be joining them? What if he recognizes us?" He asked, slightly worried, and Liuwen waved a hand.
"Don't worry, that will be months from now. By then, he'll have forgotten the matter." Liuwen assured him. Jintian thought for a few moments, then shrugged. Even if the matter arose in the future, it wasn't as though they had thoroughly scammed the man. They were high quality furs, and he'd only purchased them slightly above the market rate.
That night, after meeting with Li Liuwen's Uncle and describing the matter to him, the man laughed uproariously.
"Not even living here and already causing trouble for me, you little punks?" Li Dongfei said, clapping them both on the shoulder. Still, there was a smile on his face, and a twinkle in his eye. "It is good to hear at least that you both have the talent for it. No matter what happens, your Uncle will take care of it."
Li Liuwen grinned back, rubbing his nose, while Shen Jintian smiled wryly. His friend's family were relatively wealthy, and with their attitude, it was plain to see why. Li Dongfei then led them to the large home he had purchased, where a small number of servants were already preparing food and drink.
"Come then, my crafty juniors. A celebration is in order!"
And by the end of the night, the three of them were so flushed with drink that they all only barely managed to shuffle to their beds before sleep quickly took them.