They were off to Danyang the very next day, travelling north along the coast. Nikola littered the waters with pearl oysters. That was easy.
There were some in the waters before Nikola forced more duplicates to appear. What the Emperor asked of him next was not so easy.
"He wants me to make gold appear beneath the sand," Nikola said, defeated. Penemue was looking at him, amused.
"Surely, you can make something else appear that will make the emperor lay off? A brand-new coral reef? Rich in fish."
"I can't make a gold mine appear in the sand," Nikola said. "Or create a coral reef. These waters are mermaid territory."
"There are mountains nearby," Wei Caihong said, pointing at a peak nearby. "Jade then?"
Nikola stood up and went to where the emperor was lounging on a blanket on the beach. Loud yelling soon followed, and Nikola returned to his family.
