Chapter 788: Transfer Me to the Border
The East Ward of Xi'an city exploded with popularity!
It wasn't just the night market drawing crowds; even during the day, the area buzzed with activity.
The peculiar snacks Li Daoxuan introduced were merely a novelty, a clever hook to draw people in. Once the crowds flocked to the area, it wasn't just the unique treats that sold; a multitude of everyday goods also found their way onto stalls.
Rice, noodles, and vegetables; potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn; chili peppers, black pepper, and Sichuan peppercorns—a diverse array of produce filled the air.
Whatever goods were available, they were promptly transported to the Ward.
With such a constant stream of people, everything found a buyer.
The common folk quickly grew accustomed to procuring their daily necessities from the Ward.
As for the pricier snacks, the novelty quickly wore off, and the common folk soon abandoned them. They weren't essential provisions, after all, and most people weren't yet affluent enough to freely splurge on such indulgences.
Of course, Zhu Cunji was an exception!
Before the peddler could even launch into his spiel, Zhu Cunji waved a dismissive hand. “I'll take it,” he declared, “all of it.”
The peddler bowed. “Thank you, esteemed sir. That will be ten taels of silver.”
“These are the Immortal Delights, crafted from...”
“Enough chatter. Purchase it.” Zhu Cunji swept a hand through the air. “Every last one.”
The peddler quickly named his price: “Eight taels of silver, your grace.”
The princely guards trailed behind, quickly transforming into burdened porters. In no time, each man juggled a sizable bundle.
The steward, beads of sweat trickling down his temples, hustled alongside them. “Your Highness, this spree of purchases is quite excessive. Our monthly expenditures have once again...”
Zhu Cunji scoffed. “Expenditures, you say? With the myriad properties belonging to the Prince of Qin, are we truly facing a deficit?”
The steward wrung his hands. “Indeed, Your Highness. A substantial deficit. We are already over three thousand taels of silver in the red this month.”
Zhu Cunji's eyes widened. “Oh?”
The steward ventured, “Perhaps, Your Highness, a touch more moderation...”
Zhu Cunji dismissed him with a flick of his wrist. “Only three thousand taels? A trifling sum. Let the music play on, let the dancers swirl!”
The steward could only groan. “But it's barely the beginning of the month, Your Highness!”
Zhu Cunji paid him no mind, turning instead to a peddler on the roadside. “What curious, colorful things do you sell?” he inquired.
The peddler's eyes lit up. “This, Your Highness, is Popping Candy, a delicacy from the celestial realm! Originally the size of a washbasin, it was crushed into these smaller fragments for us mortals to savor. Pop it into your mouth, and it will dance! As you are a frequent patron, Your Highness, allow me to offer you a piece for a complimentary taste.”
He extended a tiny fragment, no larger than a mung bean, to Zhu Cunji.
Zhu Cunji accepted it and flicked it into his mouth.
The popping candy truly danced in his mouth, a delightful crackle and pop that sent a thrill through him.
Zhu Cunji, experiencing such a novel sensation for the very first time, was utterly delighted. “This is truly fascinating!” he exclaimed. “No mortal hand could craft such a marvel; it must be a gift from the immortals. How much for a single piece?”
The peddler, who usually sold these for a mere few dozen copper coins, instantly inflated the price upon recognizing his esteemed customer. “A hundred copper coins for one piece!” he declared, without a flicker of hesitation.
The steward was aghast. “A piece of candy the size of a mung bean, and you dare charge a hundred copper coins? Why not just steal from people directly?”
Zhu Cunji waved away the steward's outrage. “Purchase it,” he commanded, “every single piece.”
The steward pressed on. “Your Highness, this is a deceitful merchant. He’s clearly gauging the customer to set his price.”
The peddler's expression remained perfectly smooth. “Not at all, esteemed sir,” he countered. “While the Popping Candy I offer to common folk is indeed less expensive, its quality doesn't quite match what I reserve for Your Highness. The pieces I provide to you, sir, possess a more vigorous pop. And naturally, a more vigorous pop commands a higher price.”
“Hahahaha, splendidly argued!” Zhu Cunji roared with laughter. “Of course, a superior pop deserves a superior price! Buy them all, I say, buy every last one!”
The steward buried his face in his hands. How could one possibly measure the height of a pop? Once consumed, only the eater could truly discern its vigour.
Zhu Cunji waved away his concern. “Fear not, for this entire Ward is constructed on my family’s land. Forty percent of the rent paid by these peddlers flows directly into the Prince of Qin’s coffers. So, trouble yourself no more over such trivialities.”
The steward sighed. “But, Your Highness, your recent spending spree has already depleted several months' worth of that very rent.”
“Hahahaha, it’s of no consequence!” Zhu Cunji boomed. “A mere few months’ rent? This Prince’s Heir can well afford it!”
The steward could only offer a silent, defeated bow.
As the entourage turned a street corner, their eyes fell upon a colossal theater rising on the Ward’s eastern flank. A grand stage dominated the center, encircled by tiered seating that ascended in a trapezoidal shape, each row higher than the last. It was a truly impressive structure, clearly designed to accommodate thousands.
“Ah? What is this grand edifice they’re constructing here?” Zhu Cunji mused aloud.
The steward scurried over to a nearby Blue Hat, exchanged a few words, then returned. “Reporting to Your Highness,” he announced, “they are erecting a grand theater here.”
“Indeed?” Zhu Cunji's brow furrowed. “Are they performing opera on such a vast stage? Will the voices truly carry in a venue of this immense scale?”
The steward lowered his voice. “I overheard the Blue Hat explaining that while this theater can certainly host song and dance performances, its main purpose is for showing 'movies'.”
“Movies?” Zhu Cunji repeated, utterly bewildered. “What mysterious things are those?”
The steward explained, “They are plays performed by actors, recorded by celestial mirrors, then edited together and projected back onto a screen using those same mirrors. I hear many people in Chengcheng County and Puzhou City have already witnessed them, and the experience is said to be quite captivating.”
Upon hearing it was a novel spectacle, Zhu Cunji instantly bristled with excitement. “When will it be completed? When can they begin showing these 'movies'? Are they more entertaining than the displays on the celestial mirrors in the market square?”
The steward replied, “Whether they are truly good or not, this humble servant cannot say. However... they ought to be impressive, for these 'movies' are not free; they come with a price! If they were no better than the Gaojia News broadcasts, how would they dare demand payment?”
“A fee? Excellent!” Zhu Cunji exulted. “With an admission charge, the crowds will be smaller, and I, the Prince’s Heir, won’t be jostled out of a viewing spot. Keep a constant watch on this location, and the moment it opens, secure the finest and most expensive tickets. This Prince’s Heir intends to witness this marvel firsthand!”
Zhu Cunji’s eager demands were swiftly met.
A month later, "A Border Soldier's Tale of Daling River" premiered with much fanfare at the Xi’an Grand Theater.
Given that this was Xi'an, a metropolis whose population vastly dwarfed that of Gao Family Village or even Puzhou City, the law of supply and demand naturally dictated slightly higher ticket prices for the 'movies'.
Moreover, recognizing the plethora of high officials and gentry within Xi'an Prefecture, the Grand Theater had thoughtfully designated special VIP seating. These privileged spots commanded a hefty price—five taels of silver for a single ticket.
Zhu Cunji arrived with his princely consort, his secondary consort, his concubines, his sons, his daughters... an imposing retinue that filled nearly half the VIP section. Their expenditure amounted to almost a hundred taels. Alongside them were seated Lian Guoshi, the Prefect of Xi'an, Wu Shen, Shi Kefa, and other prominent figures.
Every notable personage and influential figure from across Xi'an Prefecture was in attendance.
Then, before these assembled luminaries, the harrowing siege of Daling River slowly began to unfold...
These high-ranking court officials, watching a 'movie' depicting border conflicts, perceived the events through an entirely different lens than the common populace.
Zhu Cunji, barely halfway through, was already trembling uncontrollably with fear.
Lian Guoshi and his companions, however, watched with tightly furrowed brows, utterly speechless for a prolonged moment.
Shi Kefa suddenly sprang to his feet, a fierce indignation blazing in his eyes. “This is preposterous! How dare the Jiannu act with such audacity! I shall petition the imperial court to transfer me to the borderlands, to confront these Jiannu! Transfer me to the border!”
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