Chapter 7: Debt

Sword Dynasty

Volume 1: Great Rebel

Chapter 7: Debt

Even though the Qin Dynasty did not prohibit ordinary citizens from carrying weapons or holding public competitions, more powerful military weapons, cultivation equipment, and cultivation manuals were prohibited from being traded.

The things a cultivator desired were mostly prohibited from being traded.

But those things were hidden in the Fish Market like fish under lotus leaves. The Fish Market was naturally formed, and many of its businesses were illegal.

How could a market like this on the border of Changling have survived for so many years under the watchful eye of such important figures?

Just at this moment, a young man dressed in foreign clothes with thick eyebrows in the city had this question.

He held a somewhat worn yellow paper umbrella and wore a short, black gauze robe rarely worn by Changling residents. He wore no shoes and walked barefoot.

The worn yellow umbrella in his hand was large, but to completely cover the body of the person in front of him, a small part of his own body was soaked from being exposed to the rain.

The person in front of him was a very short young man dressed like a scholar. His face was thin and his features were delicate. His skin was like white jade and flawless.

Watching the raindrops fall like pearls from the roof of the Fish Market, the thick-browed young man frowned. He could not help but ask the young man before him. “Young Master, how could this market continue to exist?”

The young man dressed like a scholar laughed coldly. “A market like this can only survive here because of the wishes of the two prime ministers.”

The thick-browed young man looked at him in confusion.

“Illegal businesses usually generate higher profits. High profits will encourage more people to carry more goods without regard for their lives.” The young man dressed like a scholar said coldly, “Over the years, the reason why many precious and rare treasures have reached Changling, and the relationship between cultivators and foreign primitive nations has been established with Changling, is not only because of the Wei River, but also because of this Fish Market. For those in high positions in the imperial court, they can obtain things they couldn’t obtain before. As a result, they have quietly allowed this place to continue to exist. Of course, the people who do business here naturally know what kind of orders people need, so compared to other big markets in the country, this place is safer and well-managed.”

“So, you have to understand one thing: any business must provide more benefits to the other party. Only then will the other party be interested in doing business with you. Most people will not collude with tigers. They will not easily trade with people whose status is much higher than theirs and who can swallow them in one gulp.” The young man dressed like a scholar looked at the thick-browed young man and said calmly, “Since these basic rules exist, I have the confidence to come here and discuss.”

 

The roads of the Fish Market were rough and bumpy, many of them muddy and difficult to navigate. Within a few dozen meters, there were more than ten alleys of varying heights. For people who were not used to coming here, this place was like a maze.

But for most people doing business at the Fish Market who did not like people wandering around aimlessly, they would not mind if the streets became more complicated and difficult to navigate.

So, even though it was a very dark, rainy day, and the shops' canopies made the streets even more dark, only a few shops had lanterns.

The occasional lights were an anomaly, flickering in the breeze.

Many people were still in the Fish Market. Ding Ning folded his umbrella and used it as a walking stick as he walked with familiarity to the deepest part of the Fish Market.

The usually dry muddy ground of the Fish Market, due to the storm, was now flooded. The water was only half a meter deep from most of the pedestrian bridges. Many small boats and wooden buckets floated in the muddy water beneath the the pedestrian bridges.

Walking along a swaying wooden bridge made of planks, Ding Ning walked towards a very small tower.

This was a very small printing shop that sold ink, brush and paper.

The shop owner was a lonely widow in her sixties. Because she did not have many expenses, and many transactions at the Fish Market required stamps or handprints, as the only printing shop, her ink sold well, allowing her to make a living.

Because she was usually did not have much to do, the white-haired old woman was sitting and drinking tea from a simple porcelain cup before she saw Ding Ning. When she saw Ding Ning walking from the nearby shadows, a warm smile suddenly broke out on her wrinkled face. She took a plate of peanuts from a nearby shelf and waited.

“Why did you come in the rain?” Seeing that only Ding Ning’s straw sandals were wet, the old woman felt relieved. She took out a pair of old but clean straw sandals for Ding Ning to wear.

Ding Ning smiled and did not refuse. He washed his feet at the edge of the tower, and then put on the clean worn straw sandals. Then he examined the roof and the walls of this building.

There were leaks on the roof and the walls, but they did not seem serious.

Ding Ning also felt relieved. He sat down on a bench next to the old woman and said, "I was worried when I saw the heavy rain yesterday. I was worried that there was a problem with your building and wanted to come to look. But I had something to do, so I only came now.”

The old woman laughed. Every time she saw Ding Ning, she was always happy.

“What could possibly be the problem?" she said with a laugh. " Every now and then, you come to repair my building. You’re even more attentive than a ship repairman. I think if the rain gets any heavier, and it lasts a few more days, all the buildings here will leak, except mine.”

Seeing her smile, Ding Ning's mood improved. He grabbed some dried peanuts and chewed as he asked, “Is there anything you need to buy? I will get them for you later.”

“I still have plenty of firewood, rice, oil, and salt. So just get some rest.” The old woman shook her head. Looking at Ding Ning’s slightly pale face, she could not help but shake her head again and ask affectionally, “Have you had lunch yet?”

“Yes, I have. Pickled cabbage and fish noodles.” Ding Ning smiled.

The old woman was a little displeased and said sternly, “Then, let’s have dinner here.”

“Alright.” Ding Ning nodded to indicate his agreement. “I want to eat pancakes.”

“I’ll make braised fish and pickled chicken legs for you.” The old woman glanced at him accusingly, her eyes full of meaning. “Are the pancakes really that delicious? You were still young back then. When you came here, it was normal for me to make you pancakes. Even now, you’re still thinking about those pancakes. If you were in business and helped someone do so much for so many years just for a pancake, you would suffer a huge loss.”

“There’s no loss.” Ding Ning smiled and said, “I mostly just accompany you, chat with you, listen to your stories, and eat a lot of free food.”

The old woman shook her head, her eyes complex. “You keeping me company and chatting with me is the greatest blessing for a lonely old woman with no relatives. Many people in Changling have died in battles. There are many people my age, but few have the same good fortune as me.”

Ding Ning said nothing. With his head lowered, he chewed on dried peanuts like a squirrel.

One winter day many years ago, he passed by this place. The kind old woman gave him hot pancakes. After that, he often came here to see the old woman and do what he could.

But he knew full well that this was not about the pancakes.

It was because he owed her a debt of gratitude.

He owed many people. He could only hope to repay his debt or compensate them.

After chatting briefly with the old woman as usual and listening to her recount the recent events at the Fish Market, Ding Ning bid farewell and left. He wandered around for a while as usual, then turned to head deeper into the Fish Market.

By now, Song Shenshu should have already entered the Fish Market.

Song Shenshu was a minor librarian and someone Ding Ning knew well.

But unlike this old woman with her printing shop, Ding Ning did not owe Song Shenshu anything debt, but Song Shenshu owed Ding Ning.

Through these years of silent observation, Ding Ning had learned some of Song Shenshu's habits and knew what difficulties he was facing in his current cultivation.

Therefore, he was certain that Song Shenshu would come today to retrieve the Fire Turtle Gallbladder and appear in front of him.

Notes:

This novel is not my work... I just translated it from a Chinese web novel written by Wu Zui

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