"Recruit me?" mutters Daoxing.
The shock of her face was eclipsed by the greed in her eyes. Zucheng notices this and isn't exactly sure how he feels about that look. He knows what it is, that starry eyed look of dreams. But, he doesn't understand why it is. He can't. He won't.
"Y-yes, the control that you have over your body is leagues above what normal Mortals are capable of." mutters out the petrified Cultivator.
Zucheng decides to speak up.
"So, you didn't save me out of the kind, noble heart you brag of but of your own greed?" asked Zucheng, the air of his false authority was too thick for the Cultivator to perceive as false bravado.
The Cultivator shrinks further and bows more deeply. He had displeased a member of the Imperial Family. His own life would be forfeit, let alone the lives of those he cared for.
"Answer me-" Zucheng was about to begin the finishing blows of his verbal duel but is interrupted.
"Zucheng, you should stop." spoke Daoxing.
Daoxing's eyes were full of an odd level of seriousness and intensity. Daoxing knew. She knew this was her one chance. She was not like Zucheng who was a very distant cousin of the Imperial Family. She was simply the daughter of a semi-influential merchant. Is that all Daoxing will be? All her life? Some prize to parade?
Zucheng, unaware of his beloved fiancée's inner thoughts, reluctantly nodded.
"If you believe this cretin is deserving of our mercy, very well." Zucheng's voice still full of the false bravado, had quieted slightly.
Daoxing looks towards the Cultivator, as if memorizing his face. Once she is certain she would recognize the middle-aged cultivator, she walks off. Zucheng follows after her, but she does not slow down. There is new energy in her steps. Purpose. Her dream will no longer be something she is to bury away. She will chase it.
After several minutes of steadfast walking on the bustling streets, Daoxing stops before a stall. She has brought them to the Merchant District. A sea of stalls clog the streets. People enter and leave the various buildings here. A person can see how influential and successful a store is by what the building is made of. Newer stores are almost always just stalls amongst the sea of competitors. Once they earn enough, they can rent a floor from one of the buildings in the Merchant District. Then they could rent a shop and eventually buy one. Once they bought a building, they would often use their funds to upgrade the materials to show customers and competitors alike that they are the store to buy from.
Daoxing's gaze wanders towards an item amongst the cluster of items of this particular stall. It was a long strip of fabric. High quality. And not only that, but it is a Spiritual Tool. Of course, as Mortals they would not be able to tell. However, once Zucheng finally caught up to his fiancée, his dull orange eyes glance towards the strip of blue silk.
"Oh, a Spiritual Tool? That's unexpected." spoke up Zucheng.
The stall merchant's eyes grow wide in utter shock. What? A Spiritual Tool? At his stall? The heavens are kind today! Truly.
"Oh yes, wise Cultivator. You have good eyes. Good eyes indeed." says the merchant in an energetic yet respectful manner.
'Oh great, this misunderstanding again' thought Zucheng.
Zucheng was not a Cultivator. In fact, he has no talent in it. No one in his family does. It is why his Great Great Great Grandfather was spared when the current Empress rose to power. Although the blood of the Frostjade Merchant King did run through Zucheng's veins, Zucheng and his family were only members of a branch of the Imperial Family. Scholars and diplomats, mostly. However, despite this, Zucheng had a talent no one else in his family did. He could instinctually notice when an item was, in fact, a Spiritual Tool.
"Ah, apologies, merchant. I am not a Cultivator." replies Zucheng.
The merchant's business friendly smile froze for a moment. He thought he finally caught a big fish. "ThE HeAvEnS aRe KiNd" his left foot.
Noticing that Daoxing's gaze has yet to leave it, even more so now that she knew what it was, Zucheng sighed out loud.
"How much for the Spiritual Tool?" asked Zucheng.
The merchant barely pays attention to Zucheng now that he knows that Zucheng is just a mortal like him. He waves his hand lazily in the air.
"You can't afford it, kid." said the merchant.
'Is this guy an idiot?' thought Zucheng.
Isn't it obvious for a good merchant to keep a neutral mindset? This idiot merchant already labeled Zucheng without even trying to see what else Zucheng could offer. Truly foolish.
"Yes, I think I can." returned Zucheng.
"Oh really? You can afford 300 Frost?" said the merchant, a smug smile on his pudgy face.
Frost is the primary currency in the North Jade Continent. And 300 Frost was a lot for a Mortal. With that amount you could feed a family of 10 for over 5 months. However, Zucheng was the son of this city's Scholar-Official. Money is not a problem he currently has.
"Only 300? You were making a big deal about such simple change?" replied Zucheng with the same false bravado that he showed the Cultivator from earlier. He takes out a small bag and jingles it.
The merchant's mouth is agape in sheer utter shock. He was not expecting the plain-faced young man to be some rich young master. Immediately, the merchant resumes his polite, respectful attitude.
"Forgive me, young master, I was a fool to not have noticed your grandness. May this foolish merchant ask what your name is?" says the Merchant, doing his best to be as respectful, polite, and well-spoken as humanly possible.
"You ask of this young lord's name? Hmph, I suppose I can show my auspicious kindness by granting you this pleasure." replies Zucheng.
Several seconds of fairly awkward smile go by, and as the awkwardness reached it's zenith, Zucheng spoke.
"I am Zucheng Pi-Xiu" says Zucheng, his voice calm yet still full of bravado.
Although this merchant isn't a local, the name Zucheng is infamous in Low Dew City.
"The... the son of Official Huogi. That Zucheng!?" cried out the pig-like merchant.
Huogi Pi-Xiu. One of the most influential figures in all of Low Dew City as well as the current head of the Low Dew Branch Family of the Imperial Family. Huogi is known by many for his views on law. He will fight for the innocent, but condemn the guilty for even the lightest of crimes. Huogi works closely with the constables of Low Dew City, and in some regards holds more influence over the constables than even the Head Constable.
"Please, oh please forgive my foolishness, young master Zucheng." the merchant whispers as he bows his head.
Zucheng retains his bravado, but secretly he feels like sighing. He is only treated like the heir to his father due to his brother leaving and being disowned.
"It is fine, just please package the gift for my dearest Daoxing." Zucheng says, winking at Daoxing who returns his flirtatious wink with a soft smile.
The merchants nods along as he takes the strip of silk and gently puts it in a polished wooden box. The box is of a clearly cheap wood but the polish used on it seems to be high-end. Clearly, the merchant values this box yet he is using it to store the item of which this big fish just bought. This is the merchant's chance after all. If he could somehow form connections with the heir of Low Dew's Pi-Xiu Branch, then surely he would make it big. Very big.
The merchant hands the polished box to Zucheng, who nods thankful. Zucheng and Daoxing walk off, leaving the merchant with the small bag. The merchant frowns as he clearly desired to make some more small talk. He sighs, and opens the bag and finds that instead of 300 Frost, there is 1,000 Frost. Enough for the merchant to buy a small building. His heart skips a beat, and clutches the bag tightly.
'I will pay this favor back or my name isn't Zhu Dwaeji!' the merchant screamed in his thoughts.
Once they are decently enough away, Daoxing hums softly.
"Why are you so happy?" asked Zucheng in a playful manner.
"Because my bestest friend in the whooole world is very kind." replied Daoxing.
"You mean the trinket in this box? If I'm not able to get my fiancée the items her eyes shine for, then I'd rather meet the Gates of the Nether World right this moment!" exclaims Zucheng proudly.
Daoxing chuckles softly under her breath as a strange smile forms on her face. A bittersweet smile. A sad smile.
"...why do I have a feeling I'm not understanding what you're talking about again?" asked Zucheng nervously.
"I think you might've given him the wrong bag." said Daoxing, smiling.
"I did what now!?" exclaimed Zucheng.
He quickly goes through his pockets. Most clothing in the Frostjade Empire does not have pockets, however, to the south is a nation known as the Spiritsoil Democratic Republic. Better known by the commonfolk as the SDR. Zucheng liked the clothing there better. Thick wool pants with deep pockets and dark hide shirts with a long jacket known as a trenchcoat. That is the clothing of the common folk their and Zucheng always felt that the extra pockets were very useful. After all, only Cultivators can use Spatial Rings.
After going through each pocket, multiple times, for several minutes he realized he didn't give the merchant the pouch with the 300 Frost but the one with 1,000 Frost instead.
"Father is going to skin me alive..." muttered Zucheng.
Daoxing laughed heartily. Her laughter filling the air, causing Zucheng's face to flush. Not from embarrassment, mind you, but from the sweetness of the laughter. He cares for her deeply and her joy is his joy.
"He won't. After all, you're the only child capable of succeeding him now." said Daoxing.
Although she meant to help ease Zucheng's panic with some slight joking, Zucheng simply became silent. His brother. He always adored his older brother. The way his brother could bring his paintings to life, the way his eyes never failed to follow that urge to dream. Even after the lashings of their father's cane. His brother was prideful and stubborn, never losing that light in his eyes. Zucheng is not like his brother.
However, he knew the silence produced by his thinking would only serve to make Daoxing sad, so he spoke up.
"As expected of my darling Daoxing. Wise beyond her years." spoke Zucheng with as much ridiculous dramatic flair as he could.
Daoxing chuckles softly, pushing her red hair behind her ears using her fingers. She looks at Zucheng, her foolish beloved Zucheng. Zucheng notices her staring and leans closer, whispering as his heart began to beat fast.
"Is something wrong, Daoxing?"
Daoxing lips get closer towards his. He can almost feel there warmness as he finds it hard to breath. And as her lips are about to touch his, he hears an annoyed "AHEM" coming from in front of him.
'Damn it, we walked all the way back to the manor already' thought Zucheng as he looked up.
When he looks up, he sees a mature woman with graying light brown hair. Although she was nearly 50, age has been kind to her. Her stern face along with her authority often made many men to scared to speak to her. But despite that, nearly 30 years ago, Zucheng's father asked this woman to be his and only his. And, she accepted.
"Mama! It's such a surprise to see you-" Zucheng attempted to ease whatever verbal lashing he was about to receive. But his attempt is unsuccessful.
"Dont you "mama" me, young man. You are to follow me to the Discipline Hall right now." she says.
"Ah, Mama Pi-Xiu, what's going on?" asks Daoxing.
Zucheng's mothers stern stoic features soften and do a complete 180.
"Oh, nothing you need to worry about Daoxing. Just some fool took 1,000 Frost from the family safe and we need to find out who." replied Zucheng's mother in a much sweeter tone.
'Crap.'