Chapter 38: It costs that much?

Who on earth sells CDs on the side of the road? Driving a luxury car, popping the trunk, just to sell a few DJ mixes? What a joke! If you know the ropes, you can find your way into the gray market areas hidden not far from here. Still, Lu Chuan hadn't expected such methods to exist this early in this world. It was truly nostalgic enough to bring tears to his eyes.

After paying the fee, Lu Chuan and Sun Laizi strolled boldly into the black market. Although the sun was shining brightly outside, the area had long been covered over by a dense patchwork of bricks and tiles, causing the surroundings to dim the moment they stepped inside. Torches flickered all around, and people bustled back and forth. Many wore masks, clearly hoping not to be recognized.

Just as Lu Chuan was preparing to wander around, a man approached holding a bamboo staff, from which hung five tiers of various masks.

"Sir, would you like a mask?"

"How much for one?" Lu Chuan asked.

The man chuckled and held up two fingers. "Two hundred cash apiece, take your pick from any style!"

"Fifty wen!" Lu Chuan held up a single palm, posing the question.

The man was stunned for a moment, then looked a bit awkward. "Sir, that’s not how you haggle."

"That’s just because you haven't met me before. If you had, you would have been selling them at that price long ago," Lu Chuan said with a laugh. "If you aren't selling, then forget it!"

Lu Chuan shook his head, not taking it to heart. In truth, even if you wore a mask in this black market, you couldn't escape the eyes of those who knew how to look. These people had sharper eyes than anyone.

"Hmm?" At that moment, a flicker of gravity crossed Lu Chuan's gaze, and his breath hitched for a split second. He had spotted an unremarkable stall where a small, elderly man sat with his hands tucked into his sleeves. In front of him lay a map. It was identical to the one Lu Chuan had seen earlier in the cave.

Lu Chuan’s brows furrowed deeply. He paused, deciding not to approach just yet. It was normal for such an item to appear in the black market, but he had to be cautious. After circling the entire market like a naive newcomer, he stopped in front of the old man. "What is this? Looks kind of interesting."

"How should I know?" The old man looked up, eyeing Lu Chuan with suspicion. "Coming here to buy things without asking about origins or destinations—don't you even know the basic rules?"

"I know, I know..." Lu Chuan smiled and nodded, then, as if losing interest, he simply walked away.

"Right," Lu Chuan turned to Sun Laizi. "Didn't you say I could find coal here?"

"If you want to buy coal, you have to go to the Treasure Pavilion," Sun Laizi replied. "Stuff like that isn't something an ordinary person can just help you get."

"Is it the one we just passed by?"

"Yes!" Sun Laizi nodded.

Lu Chuan had a deep impression of the so-called Treasure Pavilion, primarily because of the proprietress inside. She was exceptionally charming, quite unlike any woman he had encountered before.

Upon arriving at the Treasure Pavilion, the proprietress was leaning lazily against the counter. Seeing them enter, she offered an enchanting smile. "Customers? What can I help you two with?"

Lu Chuan looked up, studied the woman intently for a moment, and then said, "Coal."

"Oh?" The proprietress froze. After a moment, she said with a helpless shrug, "It’s rare to see someone looking for that. You’d have a hard time finding it anywhere else."

Lu Chuan looked at her. "Price?"

"What's the rush?" The proprietress looked him up and down. "Newbie?"

"What, does this place not sell to newcomers?" Lu Chuan asked with a smile.

She shrugged. "You don't need to goad me. There isn't a single thing under the sun that the Treasure Pavilion doesn't dare to sell. It's just some coal. But the price might be more than you expect."

"How much?"

"Ten taels of silver per shi," she said, holding up a finger.

"Damn!" Sun Laizi couldn't help but curse. "That’s daylight robbery!"

"You can't put it that way. We at the Treasure Pavilion have always been fair in our dealings. This item is difficult to procure, and most people can't afford it anyway," she said, unhurried and with a playful glint in her eyes. "There are connections at every level that need to be greased. This price is quite reasonable."

Lu Chuan smiled at her. "Proprietress, you’re treating us like fat sheep to be slaughtered."

"Aren't you?" She walked around to the front of the counter and brushed against Lu Chuan slightly, her gaze amused. "In this day and age, even families of high-ranking officials rarely use this stuff. Since you need it, you must be a prime mark."

"The price is too high," Lu Chuan stated.

"I'm sorry," she said with a yawn. "The Treasure Pavilion doesn't haggle. If you think it's too expensive, feel free to look elsewhere. But if I may be so bold, in the entire Bing Province, there are no more than three places that can provide this besides my Treasure Pavilion." She spoke with a sense of triumph.

Lu Chuan's jaw tightened. Although he had anticipated it would be expensive, he hadn't imagined it would be this much.

"I want to see the goods before I decide," he said calmly.

"Fine," she nodded. "No problem. Gentlemen, please follow me."

With a graceful sway of her hips, she led Lu Chuan and Sun Laizi toward the back courtyard, finally stopping before a locked warehouse. She reached into her bodice and produced a gleaming key, then opened the door.

"We only have about a hundred shi of coal here; any more and we'd have to bring it in from elsewhere," she said casually.

Lu Chuan entered the room. The coal was packed into bamboo baskets, covered with a layer of parchment paper, seemingly to protect it from moisture.