08. The swap and stalkers?

As mellow smell started spreading trough the store, the woman laughed and quickly closed it. "Fine, fineee. I'll buy it. Twenty silver for the whole jar?"

Mina smiled and shook her head. "You know as well as I do that this wine us rare ice peach wine. One small cup is silver worth. Or even more."

The woman started laughing. "Not dumb as it seems. Fine, that is a medium jar. It could give around two to three hundred of silvers. My Wei family can afford it."

Mina nodded. "But I won't take silvers. Do you have paper money?"

Miss Wei nodded and went to counter. she took three paper bills and gave it to her. ''With this money, you can live many years happily. Are you sure you want to do embroidery?''

Mina chuckled. ''Miss Wei must be thinking I am a lazy person. I need to survive as well. I have a garden, but have no idea about gardening. The only thing I know is how to do embroidery and how to cook. But sitting and doing nothing is not in my nature. Embroidery takes time and needs concentration. Well even if its one side embroidery I plan to do it perfectly. Now for the rest of money give me two, no three zhang of silk cloth. One zhang should be white, one purple and one pink. I need simple silk cloth as I plan to make handkerchiefs and belts. When I make enough I will bring it to you.''

Three zhang of silk seems a lot but as the silk was thin and light the cloth was actually put together into small bundle and was planted carefully inside the straw backpack. She bought various silk treads and different kind of needles and when she left she realized that she spent all the money from the handkerchiefs for new material.

''Luckily I have more money. Or I would stand now foolishly.'' She patted her chest as she entered nearby finished clothes store and bought herself two sets of normal clothes and two more pairs of simple shoes. On her way out she was about to look for some food as she became hungry when she saw Miss Baek walking with her servants her way.

Mina rolled her eyes and just turned her back as she seemingly spoke with one woman that looked at her in wonder. Mina pressed her hands and beggingly rubbed them. ''I am sorry. There is that bothersome person and I do not wish to speak to her. Please help me out until she passes. After that, I won't bother you anymore...''

Suddenly a voice could be heard behind her. ''Miss Leng.''

Mina sighed and with calm face turned her head towards Miss Baek. ''Miss Baek. Let's make it short. After that incident, I really do not wish to speak to anyone from your family line. Please understand me.''

Miss Baek froze as she met her ice-cold eyes and nodded. ''I understand I just came to say I am sorry.''

Mina nodded. ''I officially accept your words. Please now you go your way and live your life happily. I am trying to live mine the way I want it.''

Miss Baek saw her simple clothes, big straw basket and shook her head. ''You are willing to live like this only because you don't want to marry someone you not like?''

Mina chuckled. ''I am willing to live like this to have my own personal freedom. I feel free. Even if I have less to eat, wear less beautiful clothes my heart is filled with sunshine and open space. Actually, I really like living here in the north. It's beautiful here.''

Miss Baek looked at Mina that pointed at colourful birds that flew over their heads. ''Such things you can't see in the south. Green hills, tall trees, strange plants and animals. Living on north might be harder but at the same time, it feels freer. No wonder that tribes still love the north and would never leave it. this place took completely my heart and I plan to live here for the rest of my life. So miss Baek...'' She looked at the speechless woman. ''... I want to live my life. What about you? Do you want to just survive or do you want to live?''

She bowed deeply to miss Baek and the other woman. ''I wish you both long and happy life. Have a nice day.'' As usually without further notice she just turned around and walked away under their astonished gazes while a group of tribal women smiled at her from the store as they stared at her back.

''That child had such clear eyes. Like one of us. Maybe we should sell her some of our things. Let's tell our people to trade with her more often. She seeming likes this place. And whoever really likes our lands is welcome here.'' They spoke in their own language so all the others could hear is the happy chirping of the colourful women and their antics.

Actually, many people didn't like the tribal people as they felt they were too wild but they found that the tribal people knew anything and are good with surviving hard winters so they opened their cities and traded with them. They would buy cheap stuff from them and sell it expensively in southern lands.

Tribal people didn't know as they had pure mind and hearts. To them, few coins are enough s forest gave them enough to live. They usually had cattle so the only thing they worried about was their sheep and goats. But that is what other people thought about them.

What they didn't know is that tribal people had actually strong army. They just didn't use it as they had a deal with the Empire not to go further into their lands. If they try to go further the tribes hidden in the endless forest will call for retribution and then a dangerous war will start and won't end until one of the sides completely perish. So no country dared to touch wild tribes.

Only governments knew how dangerous they are, but people took them as white-eyed sheep that they had on their mountains.

Mina walked bit trough the town with big peace of bread filled with all kind of vegetables and dried meat. She never tasted anything like that so she happily stuffed her face with it. As she came near loud market a small child appeared near her and smile brightly. ''I found you!''

Mina started laughing and spilt the big piece of her bread and gave it to the child. ''I can't eat it all. It's delicious. Eat.''

The child completely trusted her and bit calmly in it while her parents shook their heads. When Mina came closer they pointed at the child and laughed. ''You just ate a few moments ago. You will burst if you continue eating.''

But the little girl just shook her head and patted her stomach. ''I am still growing, said grandma. Eating too much is impossible. Right, miss?''

Mina saw small protruding stomach and chuckled. ''It is good to eat well, but if you get a stomach ache and throw up isn't that unfair to the food?''

The little girl patted her belly and smiled brightly. ''Don't worry. I can eat really a lot.''

The parents, Mina and a few other people started laughing after hearing her words. The group of the women followed Mina from behind and sighed. ''Such an aura. She makes everyone feel comfortable when she smiles.'' The other women nodded with big smiles and continued looking at her.

Mina looked through the various plants and started ordering but then stilled. ''I will need a basket of each. But can you bring it out to the carriage, I can't bring carriage here.'' It is so crowed that she knew it would be impossible to do that.

Father of the girl nodded. ''Just tell me where is it.''

Mina explained where Passa stood and how he looked and the man just went away with vegetables while she paid to his wife. While paying she asked carefully. ''Do you know a foreigner trader that sells basic rice and stuff like that. Someone recommend him to me.''

But the woman shook her head. ''I am sorry. We rarely have contacts with tribes.''

Mina sighed and was about to leave when a hand stopped her. She turned around as saw a group of women in colourful clothes looking at her with smiles. ''We can bring you to him.''

''Then thank you so much.'' She smiled brightly at the them and bowed multiple times and followed their lead while chatting with them.

One of the women introduced herself. ''We belong to Nakai Tribe. If you ever need our help just tell ask for Thalla. All the tribes knew my family and me.'' The woman took her soft hand and pulled her towards whole row of carriages on the side road.

''He gave up the store in the city As they became too expensive so he sells from carriage. Come let us introduce to him. He is a good man.''

What Mina saw was group of people hovering around his carriages and trying to lower prices. Her face became dark as she came closer and she almost lost her temper as she heard their words.