I'll Teach You Iron Forging

Seven days later.

South Gate of Mingyu City.

Three long queues formed outside the city gate.

The caravan was crammed on the far left, camel bells next to horse bells, and various boxes weighed down on their backs.

The disciples of various sects who entered the city with their invitations walked on the other side. Their clothes were all different colors, and each of them had a wooden plaque from their respective sect hanging from their waist.

The remaining crowd was the most diverse, including ordinary people, street performers, and those who had come specifically to watch the spectacle.

Ever since Zhaoyue saw the city gate, her neck hadn't been pulled back.

It first stared at a troupe of stilt walkers, but after taking a dozen steps, it was drawn away by a man on the roadside who was breathing fire.

When Shen Gui turned around, Zhao Yue had already disappeared into the crowd, with only the bumps on her head appearing and disappearing intermittently.

"Let's go," Shen Gui called out.

A hand immediately rose from the crowd: "Here we come! Here we come!"

It squeezed out from between the legs of the two strong men and caught up with Xuanma in a few steps.

"Young master, that man just breathed fire three zhang high, and his beard was on fire, but I didn't feel any flow of energy."

"There was also a girl who could release birds from her sleeves. She released seven or eight birds, but after waiting for a while, not a single one was missing."

Shen Gui led the horse forward, while Zhao Yue chattered incessantly behind.

"Young master, look, what sect are they? Why are they all carrying copper pots?"

"Those people with fish hanging from their backs, are they from a sect that spends all their time in the water?"

"Young master, look over there..."

This rambling only stopped after Shen Gui uttered the words "Yangchun noodles".

Zhaoyue immediately withdrew her gaze and followed closely behind Xuanma, afraid that Shen Gui would leave it at the back of the line.

When it was the two of them's turn, the city gatekeeper first looked at Shen Gui's registration, then looked down at Zhao Yue.

The attendant pulled a thick book from under the table, flipped through a few pages, and his finger stopped on a line of text.

"Yujia Shop has a guarantee, but the shop tax is a month overdue. Remember to have the shop manager go to the West Market Tax Office to pay the outstanding tax."

Upon hearing that taxes were owed, Zhao Yue's face scrunched up: "Our shop wasn't even open! You're charging us even though it's closed?"

The city gatekeeper didn't even look up. "The shops are taking up space, and if the sect's sign is up there, you have to pay a fee. If you think it's too expensive, you can take the sign down."

What will happen if we pick it?

"Without a guarantor, demon cultivators cannot stay in the city at night. If something happens to a shop, the government will be the last to take action."

Zhaoyue opened her mouth, but didn't argue anymore.

The gatekeeper stamped the gate register and gave Shen Gui a temporary horse pass.

"There are a lot of people in the city lately, so don't tie your horses up anywhere. If you're going to fight, go to a designated table and don't block the street. Next."

Shen Gui took the travel permit and entered the city.

As soon as she entered the city, Zhaoyue's pace was slowed down by the stalls on both sides.

Mingyu City was already quite large, but in the past few days it seems to have crammed in people from several surrounding counties.

The street was occupied by people selling elixirs, and people were setting up tables under the trees to test bone age. Several small sects even put up banners and started recruiting disciples on the street.

Outside the inn stood a servant who called out names, and every now and then he would shout that an elder of a certain sect had checked into the inn.

In the corner, people were placing bets, betting on which team would make it into the top ten and which young disciple would break their sword in the first round.

Shen Gui did not walk fast.

People brushed past me, and their whispers reached my ears.

Some say that Guixiu Sect will take back the top spot this year, some say that Chengjiang Sect will bring back a disciple with a natural water vein, and others whisper that the King's Mansion will also send someone to the stage this time.

Shen Gui went to Xuanma Store to settle his accounts and then found a nearby inn.

Just as they stepped across the threshold, the innkeeper's voice rang out: "Sir, there are no rooms left, not even the woodshed."

"No house, just noodles," Shen Gui said.

The shopkeeper immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "We have noodles, please wait a moment, sir, I'll have the waiter clear the table."

Zhaoyue followed Shen Gui and sat down by the wall.

The table wasn't ready yet, but it couldn't stay still. After circling around, it lay down on the countertop again.

"Manager, what exactly is this 'Hundred Families Banquet' event? Why is the whole city celebrating like it's a festival?"

The shopkeeper lowered his head to manipulate the abacus, and upon hearing the accent, he glanced at Shen Gui and understood.

"You're from Yan Country, aren't you?"

"The shopkeeper has a good eye."

Zhaoyue placed her paws on the counter. "Tell me about this Hundred Clan Seats. I heard about it a few days ago, but I still don't know what's going on."

The shopkeeper flicked down an abacus bead. "This place is different from your Yan Kingdom. In our country, the imperial court only manages household registration and border defense, the Guixiu Sect manages criminal and civil affairs, and the Chengjiang Sect manages commercial taxes and water conservancy. Below them are dozens of sects, large and small. When matters are handled locally, it often requires the seals of both the imperial court and the sects."

Zhaoyue counted on her fingers: "What if the two sides have different opinions?"

"Then let's argue it out slowly. If we can't figure it out, we'll go to the ring."

The shopkeeper gestured with his chin towards the door. "See the sign hanging by the door?"

Zhaoyue nodded.

The innkeeper then said, "My inn is guaranteed by the Chengjiang Sect. If there are any troublemakers, they have to step in. The higher the sect ranks, the more shops they can guarantee, and the more protection tax they can collect. With money, we can support our disciples, repair our mountain gate, and then compete for a place in the next round."

A man with a knife on his back at the next table chimed in, "If any shop loses its position, the shops that used to be with it will have to find a new backer the next day. If they're even a step too late, all the good locations will be taken."

The kitchen staff then brought out the noodles.

Zhaoyue didn't have time to ask any more questions. She ran back to the table, grabbed the bowl, and started showing it off.

When Shen Gui was settling the bill, Zhao Yue deliberately looked up at the wooden plaque outside the door.

Once outside the inn, it stopped wandering around and instead looked at the doorframes of every shop along the way.

Medicine vendors hung up signs with the color green deer, cloth shops hung up signs with the color white crane, and even shoe repair stalls nailed on a small piece of wood about two fingers wide.

The world is hilarious, all come for profit.

It was the same a thousand years ago, and it is the same now; only the object of the struggle has changed its name.

By the time we arrived at the West Market, the sun was already setting.

We finally arrived at the fish shop.

Zhaoyue first looked up at the wooden sign hanging by the door.

"Zhefeng Pavilion".

It read the words aloud and then asked, "Young master, if the reservation at Zhefeng Pavilion falls, will we have to change our cards too?"

"possible."

Shen Gui unlocked the door, pushed it open, and entered. Zhao Yue turned and went to the backyard to find a broom.

Actually, it didn't need much cleaning. Apart from two hoes, there weren't many old items in the shop. It only got a little dusty after I left for a few days.

The man selling bamboo ware next door heard the commotion and ran over to check: "Is Manager Yu back?"

"Not yet." Zhaoyue said, holding a broom. "Uncle Yufu hurt his hand."

The man said "Oh," and glanced at the empty shelves again.

"While everyone else is moving goods into their shops, you guys are opening the door with empty shelves."

After muttering a few words, the man retreated to attend to the guests. Soon, the sound of bamboo baskets falling to the ground could be heard from next door, one after another, as he was so busy that his feet barely touched the ground.

The fish shop was the only quiet place.

Until the afternoon, a woman asked if he could make a cleaver, but when she saw the "No New Orders" sign, she swallowed her words halfway through.

Later, the voices outside continued, but no one entered the shop.

Zhaoyue moved the two hoes three times, but still couldn't fill the frame.

"Young master, it seems we have nothing left to sell."

It nudged the wooden handle of a hoe with its paw. "Won't this drive away all of Uncle Fish's loyal customers?"

Shen Gui sat by the curtain, his gaze fixed on the cold stove behind him, without replying.

The next morning, Zhaoyue disassembled the hoe and laid it out.

One was lying across the shelf, and the other was leaning against the door. Looking in from the street, you could barely see through the shop at a glance.

The man selling bamboo wares next door passed by carrying a basket and chuckled, "Two hoes, arranging them like this?"

"What do you know? This is called the 'Double Generals of the Town'." Zhaoyue said, hands on her hips.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the old customer took the chair by the door.

In the afternoon, someone came in asking about sickles, but Zhaoyue searched the counter thoroughly and couldn't find one.

The man then asked if he could make the order now, but Zhaoyue glanced at the sign that said "No new orders accepted" and lowered her voice: "Let's do it in a few days."

The guest nodded and went across the street.

Three days passed just like that.

The last hoe was also taken away.

The shelves were completely empty.

At first, some people came in to inquire about the goods, but when they saw that the shelves were empty, most of them turned around and left.

Someone came again the next day, but seeing that it was still the same, they went to another house.

The shop never saw another customer.

It was noisier outside than it had been a few days ago.

Zhaoyue leaned over the counter, turning a copper coin over and over.

When it turned the page thirty-seven times, Shen Gui came from the backyard: "Take the plaque."

Zhaoyue looked at the wooden plaque of Zhefeng Pavilion above the door.

Shen Gui said, "The other one."

"oh."

Zhaoyue jumped off the counter and ran over to untie the rope that read "No new orders accepted".

When he turned around, Shen Gui had already lifted the curtain and entered the furnace room.

Just as Zhaoyue was about to follow, she heard the young master say again:

"I'll teach you how to forge iron."