Dusk falls in Xicheng, the port area.
"What do you mean?! What do you mean 'Night-Blooming Jasmine' is out of stock?!"
A merchant dressed in Arab attire, waving his silver coin pouch, exclaimed with great enthusiasm, "I pre-ordered a box of these last month, and at the beginning of the month I specifically booked a cargo ship's hold and traveled all this way! And you're telling me there's no stock?!"
Looking at the enthusiastic buyers before her, Lady Raglan, the kingdom's chief economic advisor, sat calmly in the exchange's hall, holding her ledger, her plump face radiating an innocent smile.
"Due to the shortage of raw materials and increased labor costs, the manufacturing cost of 'Night-Blooming Jasmine' has skyrocketed, resulting in losses rather than profits from its production." Lady Raglan gave a somewhat apologetic smile. "Therefore, the royal family has abandoned the manufacture and purchase of 'Night-Blooming Jasmine' and instead opted for a premium perfume called 'Three Goddesses of Twilight'."
The merchants looked at each other in bewilderment: "The Three Goddesses of Twilight?"
Mrs. Raglan took out a beautifully carved birch box, painted with tung lacquer, from under the table.
Gently unlock the door, and inside the wooden box, designed with gears and a rotating disc, you'll find three movable layers. The interior is lined with deep purple velvet cushions and intricate carvings. Surrounded by these beautiful decorations, three bottles of perfume, carved into the shape of winged goddesses and held in colored crystal (actually glass), lie quietly on a display tray.
A group of order takers rushed to the table, ignoring the staff maintaining order, and pointed at the boxes with shining eyes, asking, "How many of these are there? How much are they?!"
Mrs. Raglan seemed completely uninterested in discussing the price. She carefully lifted a small bottle made of red crystal, stroking its goddess-shaped surface, and slowly said, "This one is called 'Passion.' In addition to the original perfume ingredients, some special herbs have been added to enhance the wearer's attractiveness and help increase... the desire between men and women..."
Hearing the gasps of surprise from the onlookers, Mrs. Raglan picked up another blue crystal bottle, pointed to the sloshing liquid inside, and said, "This bottle is called 'Tranquility.' It contains herbs that calm the mind and invigorate the spirit, helping to improve concentration and dispel fatigue. It is the best assistant for work and study."
Holding up the last golden crystal bottle, Lady Raglan stood up, gently unscrewed the cap, and let the intoxicating fragrance waft into every corner of the hall. Addressing the mesmerized faces before her, she said, "This last bottle is called 'Heaven.' It contains an extremely rare and precious alchemical extract that can cure hidden ailments and prolong life."
Upon hearing this, someone in the crowd raised a question: "Perfume can cure diseases and increase lifespan? That sounds too outrageous."
Lady Raglan mysteriously screwed on the bottle cap, offering no further explanation, and simply said, "Please think about it, what is the special title our King Muxi has?"
Someone's eyes lit up, and they exclaimed, "God-blessed alchemist!"
Seeing Mrs. Raglan's silent smile, the merchants, no longer having any doubts, jostled each other and waved their money bags as they rushed to the table, afraid of falling behind others.
Lady Raglan smiled and moved the wooden box in front of her, saying softly, "A box of 998 silver moons."
The once noisy hall suddenly fell silent; people were stunned by the price.
After a long while, a merchant tentatively asked, "Sir, isn't this price a bit too high? In the past, the most expensive bottle of 'Night Fragrance' only cost 60 silver moons."
"Please don't compare this high-end 'Three Goddesses of Twilight' set with inferior 'Night Fragrance'!" Mrs. Raglan looked somewhat indignant: "In terms of craftsmanship, raw materials, packaging, brand, and efficacy, the value of 'Three Goddesses of Twilight' is far greater than that of 'Night Fragrance'."
Mr. Ragren, his face flushed, stared at the ceiling and said in a voice only he could hear, "Well... actually, I just added some water..."
Lady Raglan pointed arrogantly at the nearest southern merchant and asked haughtily, "Tell me, how much does a bottle of floral essential oil perfume cost in the grand market of the Abbasid Empire?!"
The person being asked scratched his head and replied, "Ordinary ones cost about 540 silver moons, while superior ones cost about 700 silver moons."
“That’s right! A bottle of fine perfume sells for 700 silver moons in the south, and three bottles together would cost 2100 silver moons!” Lady Raglan waved her plump arms, her voice sounding like a priest soliciting donations in a church: “And how much does a bottle of ‘Twilight Goddess’ cost? 300 silver moons, 300 silver moons! Ladies and gentlemen! To be honest, that price barely covers the production cost of the perfume!”
Ragren squatted in the corner, facing the wall, and drew circles on the ground with his finger: "That thing made of dung only cost 7 bronze stars to make..."
Mrs. Raglan opened the wooden box again, pointing with one finger at the exquisitely crafted and ingenious item, while slamming her other hand on the table, her face full of heartache: "Three bottles of the finest perfume! Not three or four thousand! Not one or two thousand! Only 998, only 998! You won't lose out at 998, you won't be cheated at 998! Limited quantity, first come, first served! If you come late! Then congratulations, you'll miss out forever!"
Mr. Raglan, who was squatting in the corner, slapped his face hard and said in annoyance, "It's all my fault! Why did I have to click on that 'TV shopping' icon in the Holy Son's 'Heaven' that day?! Now my wife has completely lost all sense of integrity as a merchant, and she's always thinking about these crooked ways!"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com