Chapter 28: The Foreign Merchants' Observations

T/N:

Heikou (Black Dragon Mouth)

Heicheng (Black Dragon City)

...

The entire merchant group consisted of male demons: three from the Winged Tiger Clan, four from the Black Tortoise Clan, and three from the Azure Phoenix Clan.

After resting briefly at the inn, they also got to taste the local specialty foods of Black Dragon City.

Everyone had the same thought: Would Black Dragon City sell these?

"Our local specialties are not currently for sale. As you all know, not all residents of Black Dragon City have access to such food," Yin Jixue replied with a graceful and confident smile. Just from this initial meeting, she had already gained four points of faith.

Although this was as they had expected, the queen of the Black Dragon Clan had such a good attitude—completely unpretentious and refreshingly honest.

Wang Dahu, the most senior member of their merchant group, stood up to speak. "We apologize for overstepping. If you ever consider selling to outsiders, please do consider our merchant group."

"Of course. You are the first group of outsiders to enter the city since its transformation. It's fate."

After saying this, she took a sip of hot tea, which she had brought from her dowry.

Feiyu, one of the merchants, couldn't help but stare at the windows. "When I first entered, I noticed how bright this room is. How were these transparent windows made?"

Yin Jixue smiled. Business was coming.

"This is glass, unique to Black Dragon City. It's exclusively supplied to the palace and the Inspectorate. The production is limited, making it extremely rare."

She currently had two thousand units of materials, but she decided to claim there were only two hundred!

Luoyu stood up. "Can we touch it?"

Yin Jixue nodded. "Go ahead."

The merchants eagerly walked over to the windows, curiously touching the transparent glass.

"Incredible craftsmanship, truly incredible!" Xuanchen, a native of Black Tortoise City, had seen countless treasures in his lifetime, but this was the first time he had encountered something so exquisitely crafted.

Using such a thing for windows was simply too extravagant!

Even their Black Tortoise City didn't dare use pearls and shells to build houses, yet Black Dragon City was using glass for windows!

Wang Xiaohu, ever the straightforward one, blurted out, "Let's buy some of this to take back!"

Everyone instinctively looked at Yin Jixue. Since she didn't refuse, there was hope.

When selling something, it was important not to appear too eager. Yin Jixue wanted to create a sense of scarcity, making them anxious and willing to pay a high price.

Of course, if they didn't have money, they could exchange goods instead. Black Dragon City needed everything.

However, she had only just learned that the demon clans didn't have a unified currency. Instead, they primarily used pearls and rare shells.

This made sense. The wealthiest clan was the Black Tortoise Clan, so it was natural that their currency system dominated.

The Black Tortoise Clan, being aquatic, had no shortage of pearls and shells.

Pearls and shells weren't useless, but trading with them was chaotic.

She left the trading matters to the Inspectorate. This was the first major task for the Inspectorate. She instructed Meng Qiu to prioritize exchanging for supplies and to consult her maid Fengxiu, if they were unsure about certain goods.

After all, the merchant group also needed to make a profit. They wouldn't trade for useless items along the way.

After Yin Jixue left, the merchants got up, eager to explore the city.

Only Wang Hu had seen the rebuilt Black Dragon City on the day he woke up. His companions hadn't yet experienced the new Black Dragon City.

The meeting had taken place at the Inspectorate. As they stepped outside, they found themselves in a large square, just as the literacy class was ending.

Groups of demons walked out of the side door of the Inspectorate, chatting among themselves. Wang Xiaohu stopped one of them—it was Gou Fugui, Gousheng's father.

"What were you all doing in there?"

They were holding something that looked like silk cloth, but upon closer inspection, it wasn't silk. Wang Hu breathed a sigh of relief. He must have been seeing things. Silk wasn't cheap, so how could everyone have a piece?

"Attending class! Oh, you're from the Winged Tiger Clan? We're learning to read and write."

Luoyu was puzzled. "Reading and writing?"

Was Black Dragon City, despite its poverty, really teaching every citizen to read and write?

Gou Fugui nodded. "Yes, Her Majesty the Queen has set up literacy classes for us adults who can't work during the winter. It's a chance to learn more."

Xuanchen, ever the cynic, interjected, "What's the point of teaching you to read? Filling your stomachs and surviving is what matters."

Wang Hu wanted to say something but held back. Black Dragon City wasn't struggling with food anymore.

Gou Fugui wasn't offended by the comment. Instead, he chuckled.

"You must not have walked around the city yet. Take a look around, and you'll understand." The teacher had said that seeing is believing. The facts speak for themselves.

Xuanchen felt embarrassed. Deep down, he believed that Black Dragon City was putting on a show for them, saving up all their food to impress their guests.

He didn't look down on Black Dragon City, but as a native of the wealthiest place in the demon realm, he couldn't help but feel a sense of superiority.

Xuanchen muttered something under his breath, but Gou Fugui didn't catch it. He hugged his homework and prepared to head home.

Luoyu couldn't help but ask, "What's that in your hand?"

Gou Fugui replied, "This is paper, used for writing."

Luoyu: "Can I take a look?"

Gou Fugui handed him the homework. "Be careful. Don't tear it. This is my assignment."

Luoyu, being literate, admired the neat handwriting on the paper. "Beautiful writing!"

Gou Fugui explained modestly, "That's the teacher's handwriting. He gave us this homework, and we fill in the blanks on the lines."

Ancient people had no concept of cloze tests, so the exam format was designed by Yin Jixue.

Moyu couldn't resist taking a closer look. "Amazing. This paper is something I've never seen before. It's on par with the glass."

Gou Fugui felt a sense of pride. Of course! Everything Her Majesty the Queen creates is one of a kind!

Aside from the three Winged Tiger brothers, the Black Tortoise and Azure Phoenix merchants were particularly fond of the paper.

They now had one more item they wanted to trade for.

Paper, of course, could be traded. Yin Jixue wasn't worried about the paper-making technique being leaked.

As they left the Inspectorate, they couldn't help but look back.

The grand staircase and majestic architecture of the Inspectorate rivaled that of the palace. It was a building material they had never seen before—hard as stone, yet silent underfoot. No matter how much they pressed against the walls, not a single mark was left.

Such a sturdy building, if constructed outside the city, could even withstand a beast tide.

The snowmen in the square "smiled" as they watched the merchants leave. This trip to Black Dragon City had truly opened their eyes.

As they approached the palace, a building with a playful, childlike design caught their attention.

Xuanchen casually asked, "What is this place?"

Feiyu looked up. "There's writing above the door. It says—School."

"What's a school?"

They exchanged puzzled glances. Eventually, they learned from the inn that a school was a place for children to learn.

Xuanchen remarked, "The queen of Black Dragon City is quite studious. She probably wants to turn the entire city into scholars like those in the human world."

No one responded to his comment, leaving Xuanchen awkwardly rubbing his nose. He was just stating the truth. What was the point of studying? Eating well, staying warm, and making money were what truly mattered.

Yet, when it came time to eat, he was the one who buried his head and ate the fastest.

They spent half a day exploring Black Dragon City. The changes were nothing short of revolutionary, especially in the western part of the city, which everyone knew about. The rows of single-family homes with small yards made them envious.

Wasn't the purpose of making money to have a place to rest when tired? Black Dragon City seemed perfect for retirement—a place where you wouldn't starve, with large houses to live in. If they couldn't afford homes in Winged Tiger City or Azure Phoenix City in their old age, they could retire here.

Little did they know, that a year later, the land prices in Black Dragon City would skyrocket, becoming far beyond their reach.