Chapter (17): The Port City Family Trip with Bai Mei – (Part 2)
Bai Li couldn't help but chuckle after hearing the entire backstory. However, when the man finally produced the bow, Bai Li's expression turned solemn. It was simply magnificent.
The riser was crafted from a pure, dark metal, possessing a sleek elegance, while the intricately carved scrollwork patterns added an air of dignified grandeur. Not a single bow in the shop could hope to rival it.
In his previous life, Bai Li had been an avid archery enthusiast; seeing such a masterfully crafted weapon now, he couldn't maintain his composure. His eyes lit up with excitement. Seeing this, the middle-aged man mentally categorized Bai Li as a straightforward, honest person.
Since the original Bai Li had never had the chance to cause trouble in the port city, it was only natural that the locals hadn't heard of his past. Judging him solely by his current demeanor, they took him for a simple, good-hearted youth.
The middle-aged man spoke up.
"Brother Bai, have a look. What do you think of this bow?"
With the man's permission, Bai Li took the bow in his hands to examine it. When he tested the tension, he found the string to be incredibly firm—it suited his strength perfectly. He felt that with this bow, he could take down even a bear with a single shot.
Furthermore, it came with twenty-five metal-tipped arrows.
Bai Li unconsciously licked his lips.
"Brother, are you willing to sell this?"
The middle-aged man laughed, seeing clearly that Bai Li was enamored with the weapon.
"I am. If you like it, just give me five hundred silver taels."
Five hundred silver taels. This was a staggering sum for an ordinary farming family. However, the man assumed Bai Li could afford it, considering it hadn't been long since he sold those massive wild boars. Surely those boars had fetched well over five hundred silver taels?
Bai Li felt a slight sting at the price, but he sensed that the bow was worth far more. A weapon of this caliber was likely only available in the Capital and wouldn't be easy to purchase even there. He wasn't sure how many gold bars it would be worth, but he was certain it was a bargain at this price in silver.
Still, having heard the bow's history, Bai Li found it hard to believe the man truly wanted to part with it.
"But this bow is..."
The middle-aged man waved his hand, cutting him off.
"It's been over ten years. My brother-in-law has a much better bow now; he's probably forgotten this one even exists. As for me, I've spent over a decade admiring it on my shelf; I'm bored of looking at it. So, take it."
He added silently to himself: Right now, eating meat is much more important.
Bai Li truly loved the bow and had no desire to refuse. His smile deepened.
"In that case, I'll buy it. By the way, Brother, how should I address you?"
The middle-aged man felt that even though Bai Li appeared to be a mere farmer or hunter, he was exceptionally polite. He replied with a smile, "My surname is Qiao, and my given name is Yan. You can call me Brother Qiao."
Bai Li was no fool; he could clearly feel Qiao Yan's friendly intentions.
"Then, Brother Qiao, thank you very much for selling me this bow."
Qiao Ran patted Bai Li on the shoulder.
"What are you saying, Brother Bai? You're paying for it, so I'm the one who should be happy. However, your Brother Qiao has a mouth that craves meat, and a family that loves it just as much. They're tired of the usual meat available in town. So, I have a request: if you catch any wild game and come to the city to sell it, please let me know so we don't miss out."
So that's it, Bai Li thought.
He realized that this man was selling a bow worth many gold bars for a mere five hundred silver taels just to secure a "priority ticket" to buy wild game. Hah. Bai Li found it amusing, but when he considered how rare wild game was in these parts, he sighed. If there was no one to sell it, you couldn't buy it even if you had the money.
With that thought, Bai Li patted Qiao Yan's shoulder in return.
"Don't worry about that, Brother Qiao. Whenever I come to the city to sell meat, I'll send someone to this shop to inform you. Even if you're running late, I'll make sure to set some aside for you."
After all, this wasn't a loss for Bai Li. He had secured a high-quality bow at a great price and gained a permanent customer for his meat—it was a win-win situation. How wonderful.
Qiao Yan was delighted by Bai Li's words.
"Good, good! Setting meat aside for me is excellent. And don't worry about the money; your brother will pay whatever price you ask."
Bai Li laughed at that.
"Brother Qiao, you're the one bringing up money again. Even if you aren't in the city, I'll deliver the meat to your house when I have it. You can just settle the bill when you return. I trust you, Brother Qiao."
Qiao Yan let out a booming laugh. Since Bai Li was well-spoken and Qiao Yan was naturally energetic, after a few more exchanges, they were talking like brothers who had known each other for years. The young assistants in the shop watched them in utter bewilderment.
It was obvious these two had only just met, yet how could they "Brother" each other so naturally? If one didn't know better, they would look like two very close old friends.
After chatting about Bai Li's family, Qiao Yan suddenly remembered something.
"Brother Bai, aren't you going to buy a saber? The mountains are very dangerous; you ought to get a saber as well."
It wasn't that Bai Li didn't want a saber. It was just that as a common villager, he didn't want to arouse suspicion by purchasing too many weapons at once. He also intended to buy some hatchets for chopping wood, household knives, and other small items today, so he had planned to save the saber for his next trip.
When Qiao Yan heard Bai Li's explanation, he countered, "You're far too worried. Half the port city has known you're a hunter ever since you sold those boars. Who would say anything to you? Come, come, pick out a saber. And tell the boys whatever else you need; they'll find it for you."
This was the power of social networking. Qiao Yan was the manager of this state-owned weapons shop; the whole place was under his command. If he wanted to sell, he sold. If he didn't, there was nothing you could do. Just look at how Bai Li no longer had to worry about formalities now that they were close. If Bai Li had ignored Qiao Yan's friendliness and simply bought what he needed and left, Qiao Yan wouldn't have been this generous. What Bai Li needed was sincerity. He had simply reciprocated Qiao Yan's treatment, which led to this rapport. Though they had only been talking for a short while, they had already discussed everything down to how many children they each had.
Bai Li didn't refuse Qiao Yan's offer.
"In that case, I must thank Brother Qiao again. I was actually a bit nervous about heading up the mountain without a full set of equipment."
Qiao Yan nodded.
"Exactly. You must be careful on the mountain. Life is the most important thing; you can't let greed get the better of you."
Initially, Qiao Yan had only approached Bai Li to secure a meat supply, with no intention of actually caring for him. But now that they were friends, his warnings came naturally.
While looking at a saber he liked, Bai Li replied, "Don't worry, Brother Qiao. I am a man who is strong, intelligent, and very shrewd."
Qiao Yan couldn't help but laugh at Bai Li's blatant self-praise. The longer they spoke, the more he realized Bai Li had a bit of a mischievous, witty side.
"A braggart, aren't you?"
The two young shop assistants looked at each other as if they couldn't understand the world of adults. If this was the "socializing" required of adults, they feared they might never want to grow up.
Bai Li eventually took one saber, along with three axes of different sizes for chopping wood, and three kitchen knives. Because these were iron goods, they were expensive; most households didn't even own a single one. Seeing him take three of each, Qiao Yan and the assistants were surprised, but they assumed he was buying for other families and didn't ask.
Bai Li then asked, "Brother Qiao, I want to make some wooden furniture, so while I have some money on hand, I'd like to buy some carpentry tools. Do you have any in stock?"
Bai Li wasn't a master craftsman, but he had studied the craft a bit and knew how to make simple items. He had to admit he felt uneasy every time he saw the ancient table in his house or the broken-legged table at the Bai house. The Bai family owned the most land in the village and should have been the wealthiest, yet they had been reduced to poverty due to the original Bai Li's mistreatment.
Qiao Yan thought for a moment.
"We have some carpentry tools, but not a complete set. However, I do have a full set gathered together for a furniture shop's order. If you want them, take them. Their deadline isn't until next month, so I have time to gather another set for them. But..."
Qiao Yan looked at Bai Li with some hesitation before speaking.
"But... that full set costs two hundred and thirty-eight silver taels."
That set was a pre-order from a large woodworking shop. It contained a wide variety of high-quality tools, hence the high price. Qiao Yan wondered if Bai Li could afford another two hundred taels after spending five hundred on the bow.
Bai Li was also slightly surprised by the amount. However, hearing it was a complete set, he nodded.
"Is it alright for you to give them to me? It won't cause any trouble for you, Brother Qiao?"
Seeing that Bai Li wasn't worried about the cost, Qiao Yan realized he could afford it. He waved his hand.
"It's fine. If I say it's okay, it's okay. If you want them, take them. But there are a lot of items; do you need them delivered to your village?"
Bai Li pondered for a moment.
"I have a carriage, but my family is with me. I still have a few more things to buy, so it would be much more convenient if they could be delivered."
Qiao Yan made the decision.
"Then, when you're ready to return to your village, I'll have my boys deliver them for you."