Chapter 97: The Wealthy Man of Chang'an

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The crowd did not disperse. As large a city as Chang'an might be, encountering a brainless country bumpkin was hardly an everyday affair.

"Heh heh, call the authorities over and have them all arrested!"

"There are too many pests inside Chang'an! It's all these outsiders' doing—arrest them all and give them forty lashes!"

"Forty? Eighty would be just about right!"

A cacophony of voices assailed Xiaozhi and Yanshan, their faces flushing crimson and then turning a shade paler than drunkenness, at a complete loss for what to do.

They never imagined such discrimination could exist even in ancient times. Though the Tang Dynasty stood at the pinnacle of Chinese civilization, there was apparently still resentment toward outsiders. Hadn't the entire Great Tang itself been of barbarian blood? Could it be that they had now turned the tables and played the host?

Luo Gan could bear it no longer. He stepped forward calmly, walking up to Yanshan and Xiaozhi, who looked at him as if he were their savior.

"Brother Luo! You've finally come!" Xiaozhi burst into tears and clung to Luo Gan's leg. Luo Gan gave him a firm look, raised his thumb, signaling him to relax.

"I'm here to resolve this matter. Please, do me a favor and disperse."

The people exchanged puzzled glances, and the innkeeper, nonplussed, finally said, "And who might you be?"

Luo Gan: "Let me tell you all! These two are my sworn brothers. Whoever dares to bully them answers to me! If there's a problem, say it to my face!"

The innkeeper crossed his arms, standing toe-to-toe with Luo Gan, neither willing to back down.

Innkeeper: "Sworn brothers? Are you some kind of swordsman from the greenwood?"

Xiaozhi's professional habit kicked in, and he blurted, "I've changed careers."

The entire hall fell silent. Luo Gan frowned and added, "We run a shop. Fellow merchants, the same as you."

"And where is this business of yours?"

"Anping County."

"Oh..." The innkeeper lowered his head in thought. "Never heard of it. But seeing as that's the case, it's simple enough. The flowers, the moon, the wine, the companionship—all that costs money, doesn't it?"

Luo Gan let out a contemptuous snort, assuming it was nothing more than settling a bill. He mentally weighed the ten gold bars remaining in his possession, confident that would be more than enough to cover this trifling matter. He'd deal with Yanshan and Xiaozhi afterward.

"That's right, that's all correct. How much, then? Name your price."

"Two jars of special tribute Jiannan aged clear wine—imperial tribute goods. One whole mutton from the hall—you can see the meat's still steaming." The innkeeper tore a piece from the whole roasted mutton beside him, steam rising from it. "Two ladies to accompany you in drinking, plus entertainers for dancing—eight of them went up as well."

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Luo Gan scratched his head. He had never heard of any of these things and had no idea how fine they truly were.

"How much in total? Just say it plainly!"

"Sixty strings of cash and thirty coppers in all!" The innkeeper's words landed with weight, leaving the entire hall wide-eyed, all too aware of what that sum meant.

Luo Gan remained unconcerned, asking with a smile, "We don't have any other money on us—how about we exchange gold with you?"

Innkeeper: "Hah! I already told you, this establishment doesn't accept gold from unfamiliar guests. Who knows where that gold in your hands came from!"

They wouldn't accept gold? So it seemed Tang Dynasty commerce wasn't as convenient as modern times; currency in circulation likely hadn't reached the point where gold and silver were universally used. That was understandable, really. With the mining conditions of the era, gold wasn't easily extracted. The hundred jin of gold they carried wasn't that heavy either, so their refusal made sense.

Luo Gan shook his head and asked further, "In that case, we'll go exchange our money. Jun Tao, what's the rate for one gold bar around here, and where can we exchange it?"

Jun Tao's gaze drifted, sifting through every shop she had passed in her memory.

"One gold bar is about six strings of cash, I think. I don't know about here in Chang'an, but in Anping there's a place that does it."

Luo Gan's heart jolted. One gold bar was only worth six strings of cash! That meant sixty strings would require ten gold bars—and weighing the money in his hand, he had only eight! What was he to do!

Forcing himself to stay calm, Luo Gan kept his expression neutral and pressed the innkeeper: "Might I ask, is there a place in Chang'an where gold can be exchanged? I'm a businessman myself—money is no issue!"

Innkeeper: "Hah! How could the gold rate in your small town compare with Chang'an's? There's a shop in the West Market that exchanges it. I hear the price is this much!" The innkeeper held up four fingers.

This was nothing short of a disaster!

The corners of Luo Gan's mouth lifted into a faint, composed smile, his expression one of complete self-assurance.

"To be perfectly honest with you, my shop went bankrupt just a few days ago. Farewell, farewell!" Luo Gan turned to slip away, but Xiaozhi clutched his leg tightly, wailing in heart-wrenching despair.

"Brother Luo! Brother Luo, you can't just abandon me and go! I have elders above and dependents below—what am I to do without you!"

"What elders and dependents are you talking about! With the mess you've made of yourself, your two elder brothers would beat you half to death. Get up, all of you! A grown man doesn't kneel so easily. We're going to exchange the gold!"

Seeing that Luo Gan had no intention of fleeing, the innkeeper ordered two of his men to help the pair to their feet.

Yanshan refused to stand, feeling threatened.

"What are you doing! Let go of me!"

"Nothing at all. I figure you'll want to go exchange your gold, so I'm sending two of my men to escort you. Here's the thing—I'll be merciful and waive the thirty coppers, but the sixty strings will not be a copper less!"

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In the afternoon, the group retrieved every remaining gold bar from the Hong'an Inn, then made their way from the East Market to the West Market, finding the shop that exchanged gold.

Luo Gan pulled out all the gold and laid it across the shop counter.

"Take all of this as pawn. How much will you give me?"

The pawnshop owner had initially seen Luo Gan's group approaching with an imposing air, flanked by the young brothel attendants, and naturally understood that "deliveries" had arrived from that quarter. Opportunity had come knocking—why not seize it?

"Let me first check the quality." The pawnshop owner examined it carefully, then let out a sigh. "It's gold, to be sure, but the quality is poor. Likely copper mixed in—not pure enough. Seeing as you've brought ten bars, I'll give you forty strings of cash."

Luo Gan slammed his hand on the counter, utterly appalled.

"What? All this for only forty strings? Sir, I'm in a hurry for money. Can't you give me a bit more?"

"Fine then—forty strings and a single copper. Rock-bottom price." The owner didn't so much as blink, masterfully holding his ground.

Jun Tao, watching anxiously from the side, cut in: "These are ten bars of gold, at the very least! Bringing this much would make anyone a fortune in Chang'an!"

"A fortune? Hah, don't be so presumptuous. Do you have any idea how much a house in Chang'an costs?"

Jun Tao and Luo Gan looked baffled, thoroughly confused.

The owner held up six fingers, and now Luo Gan grew agitated.

"What is wrong with the people in this city! Do they all prefer waving fingers to talking? It's just sixty strings, isn't it?"

The pawnshop owner sneered. "Sixty strings? Hah! Try six hundred!"

The illusion of being a wealthy man that had taken root in Luo Gan's mind shattered in an instant. A rich man from a small county was nothing but a drop in the ocean here in Chang'an—he couldn't even afford a single house in the Tang capital!

He had imagined escorting Jun Tao to the capital would be a carefree, extravagant adventure, never expecting his blundering companions would drag him into the mire. What was he to do now? If he didn't pay, the authorities would take him away; if he did pay, how was he to make up the remaining twenty strings?

In the midst of his shock, Liu Buwen spotted Luo Gan through the crowd and called out.

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