Chapter 18

The front mountain and the surrounding areas of Liangshan resemble the outer defenses of a proper mountain stronghold, while the rear mountain and the vast plains along the coast are dotted with various settlements. About eight or nine li downstream, there is a wide river mouth, and on the sandbank at the river mouth stands what is known as the Maritime Market.

Of course, compared to a regular port, this place is more like a seasonal, large-scale logistics camp and a smuggling hub, where a large number of unidentified people and goods from across the sea frequently come and go.

For Liangshan, a mountain group rooted in roving bandits and primarily engaged in anti-government activities, its production and economic structure is relatively monotonous and deformed.

Therefore, to sustain its economic lifeline, it has to rely heavily on the supply and trade from overseas vassals to make up for the deficiencies.

Thus, on the two annual days when the Maritime Market opens, the elderly, women, and children, who usually have a low presence in Liangshan, swarm out like ants, turning the place into a bustling and prosperous market.

As winter approaches, the sudden appearance of so many people in the coastal areas results in a proliferation of makeshift stalls, which spring up like mushrooms after the rain and are soon submerged in the throngs of people.

The subordinate families and other dependents, who usually have a low presence on Liangshan, can take advantage of these few days to indulge in shopping and consumption, which are otherwise scarce throughout the year.

Although the market was once burned down by the besieging government troops and later used as a battlefield by the Dengzhou army, it was quickly rebuilt, mainly with bamboo and wood structures.

Large ocean-going ships dock near the shore, bringing mountains of goods and crowds of merchants, including rare items that are hard to come by, to meet the local demand for winter preparations.

The miscellaneous warehouse I oversee also has trading needs, but it's more like a blind search for goods. However, by taking advantage of the management of the warehouse and the daily comings and goings, I have accumulated a stash of gray goods. This is also a good opportunity to exchange for other items or portable currency.

Thus,

When I set out on the boat this time, I had a new companion, a young man with obvious foreign blood, carrying a large bundle and pushing a small cart, silently following behind me.

He was captured along with his former owner, a fat foreign merchant, after the Liangshan forces defeated the government troops surrounding the mountain, as part of the spoils of their raiding activities.

After a great deal of effort, his owner was ransomed out, but he was left to rot in the dark and damp corner of the earth prison, moldy and stinking.

When I was led by the guard to deliver a batch of household items to the filthy earth prison, I saw him, emaciated and covered in maggots, about to be thrown out to make space.

But he survived, suddenly grabbing my leg and saying a few words that changed my mind. With just a verbal promise and a small price, I gained ownership of this young man with obvious foreign blood.

I am not particularly good at taking care of others, but I scraped off the infested flesh, applied a paste made from fat, sheep's blood, and other miscellaneous ingredients to his wounds, wrapped him in a ragged blanket, and occasionally fed him a mixture of leftover food. After surviving a high fever and chills, I gained a silent and obedient little servant, whom I rescued from the earth prison, named Aguda.

Yes, his name is Aguda, but in this era, there is no Wanyan tribe or Jurchen people. Aguda comes from a small, unnamed mixed-blood settlement within the jurisdiction of the Andong Protectorate, a descendant of captives sold by local vassal lords.

Although the name is somewhat sensitive, considering that the historical timeline has been altered for centuries, it has been enough to completely change or alter the life trajectories and destinies of many people. Therefore, after countless generations, even if some familiar names appear earlier or later, it is not an unacceptable thing.

This precarious era and his experiences of being passed around have taught him sufficient humility and obedience, at least on the surface. This saves me a lot of trouble, so I occasionally teach him to recognize some basic characters and common knowledge.

"Aguda, we're here."

Aguda's low voice interrupted my thoughts. "Aguda" is his special way of addressing me, meaning "benefactor" in the local dialect.

I stood up with an "oh," stretched my limbs, and walked out of the stuffy cabin, greeted by a cold and refreshing sea breeze. I saw newly built wooden huts and thatched sheds, as well as makeshift stalls spread out on the ground.

The most prominent were the various mobile brothels and part-time taverns, where men and women indulged in laughter and revelry, filling the area. Everywhere, people were drinking to excess, and occasionally, tables and thatched doors would be overturned, leading to brawls, with crowds gathering to cheer and jeer.

For most of the men in Liangshan, the most common and popular attraction was the women who came on the same boat to do business, a principle that also applied to the sailors and crew who had been at sea for long periods. Therefore, they occupied the best positions, sheltered from the wind, and even had colorful curtains and special signs made for them.

The most common were women from Silla and Japan, who spoke broken Chinese and, even in broad daylight, would gather in groups to solicit customers, even lifting their skirts and blouses to show their goods in broad daylight.

This couldn't help but remind me of a video posted by a wealthy member of a forum, showing the red-light district in Amsterdam, with various women shouting "I have receipts, can be reimbursed."

The closer we got to the inner area, the more chaotic it became. On this journey, I witnessed at least five group brawls and a naked body, its fate unknown, lying in a puddle of sewage in an alley.

Leading Aguda through these seedy and sordid areas, I attracted a lot of attention and calls.

However, the special wooden plaque hanging from my waist, which represents my Liangshan identity, saved me from most unnecessary trouble, leaving only a bunch of disappointed and envious glances.

Under the special order system maintained by the Liangshan bandits, crossing the line or committing serious offenses results in immediate execution or being chopped into pieces during an attempted resistance, a brutal and simple but effective method for the diverse and complex people from overseas.

As I continued my journey, the smell of cheap powder, mixed with alcohol and sweat, gradually faded, and I saw the other elements of a normal market. In the salty sea breeze, the continuous stalls and shops, and the constant flow of people, made the vast coastal area feel cramped and crowded.

There were also barbecue stalls that seemed to transport me back to the street stalls outside my university, except that the young crowds had been replaced by burly men with open chests.

Flatbreads filled with fried tofu and scallions, savory cakes made from coarse grains, grilled sea snails, deep-fried fatty meat wrapped in rice flour, and various soups made from shrimp and vegetables, all with a distinct coastal flavor.

The most common were soups made from clams and seaweed, the steam from numerous pots warming the faces of those chilled by the cold sea breeze.

The air was filled with the sound of music, coming from the more upscale thatched sheds and wooden huts. In addition to the various street performances and acrobatics, there were also more refined musical and dance performances, mainly for the sea merchants and smugglers who had been at sea for long periods.

Then there were the various chaotic and bizarre markets, mostly street stalls, with only a few thatched sheds and a handful of wooden shops. Even bookstores existed, selling low-quality, error-ridden books for the lower classes to read for entertainment.

There were even a few pornographic books, attributed to famous poets like Wen Tingyun and Li Shangyin, but a quick glance inside made me feel like I was going blind.

Most transactions in the Maritime Market were barter, mixed with currency. For example, a sign might specify what they wanted to trade for, and then they would bring something to exchange. I held up my plaque, drove away a group of vendors, and took a prominent position, opening for business after a few instructions.

There were many types of currency in this era, from ancient coins from the previous dynasty to the Kaiyuan Tongbao issued at the founding of the dynasty, and even the silver and gold ingots and various treasures popular in foreign vassal states. However, the most stable and widely used were the treasure coins that began circulating after the Taixing Reformation.

The smallest unit was the "zhuwen" iron coin, also known as "xiaohemian" due to its black cast iron material. Next were the bronze "dangwu" and "dangshi" coins, also called "qingqian" or "qingyan." Then came the white copper "dangershi" and "dangwushi" coins, also known as "baiyan."

Following these were the large-value precious metal coins: the silver "zhebaowen" small silver coin, the "dang'erbai" medium silver coin, the "dangwubai" large silver coin, the "dangyimian" small gold coin, and the "dangwumian" large gold coin.

Because the silver and gold coins were not pierced, they were also called "dahuangbai" and "xiaohuangbai." The coinage and quality were most stable during the two hundred years from the Taixing to the Puning eras.

After that, due to various reasons, the value and weight of the coins issued by the court sometimes increased or decreased, so their credibility and exchange rates were not as stable. Therefore, the coins issued during the Taixing era, which were the most numerous, were used as the standard.

Among them, the "three mints" were the best, with quality and craftsmanship surpassing even the official mints in the capital. These were the Nanning, Yizhou, and Anxi mints, known for their superior ore and the refined techniques of captured foreign craftsmen, making them the best and most exemplary among the over a hundred smelters and mints in the country.

Of course, according to my predecessor's knowledge, the Yizhou mint was a misnomer, as most of the coin materials from the Yizhou mint actually came from Japan, but the name was retained out of tradition.

For example, the dozen or so coins I had hidden on me, the most valuable being one small gold coin and seven large silver coins, were mainly the funds I brought from Luoyang, totaling about five or six strings of cash. In a peaceful era where a string of cash could buy a few liters of grain, this was a considerable fortune. Even in this era of high prices and turmoil, it was enough to live comfortably for one or two months.

I also bought a crab lid from a roadside food stall, mingling with the crowd and slowly walking around, casually asking prices and checking the market.

Freshly caught, large, and lively sea crabs, with their lids removed and placed on Silla rice, steamed until the yellow and white crab juice and roe seeped into the rice, and the crab claws were crushed and flattened to extract the white crab meat, which, when scooped with a wooden spoon, was especially fresh and appetizing.

For example, in this market, the largest steamed bun made from mixed flour costs one large bronze coin, while the cheapest items are dried fish, shrimp, and crabs, sold by the basket, as they are not filling and spoil easily.

The most expensive items are live poultry and livestock, with a whole chicken or half a leg costing at least two or three large white coins or one small silver coin, and they are rarely seen. Most of what is available on the market is dried and cured meat.

While eating the crab lid, I also found several useful or interesting items from the chaotic stalls.

For example, I even saw a few cans with clear trademarks and packaging, as well as some processed dried seafood. Although they were in bamboo tubes, earthen jars, and opaque bottles, they contained liquid or thick, pasty fruits and meats.

Well, in a world influenced by a time traveler, this is not enough to surprise me. I didn't haggle much and decided to buy them.

However, the selling method was a guessing game: one large can for one white coin, but what was inside was entirely up to your luck.

Many people bought them out of curiosity and opened them to eat on the spot. The most common results were various pickled vegetables and preserved foods, canned bean products or meat with an unknown texture, and occasionally more expensive items like fruit pulp and fish meat floss.

Along with these cans, there were also biscuits and preserved meat, claimed to be naval rations. However, from their color, shape, and texture, I could tell that the person who invented this must have had a deep grudge against the navy, but given the low price, I bought a little.

At a medicine vendor's stall, I also bought a few timely South China remedies. After all, my memory of the South China region is that it was one of the few peaceful and prosperous areas in this turbulent era. Although the northern court and the south were still at odds, the integrity of the merchants traveling between the north and south ensured that various goods and products never stopped flowing.

For example, the Annan White Medicine, claimed to treat most wounds, stop bleeding, promote healing, and detoxify.

Yes, Annan White Medicine, which gives a sense of being a knockoff, but they say it is the best external wound medicine in the South China region, second only to the original Jianan White Medicine and Nanning White Medicine.

There is also the Queba Powder, claimed to be effective for both external and internal use, reducing swelling, detoxifying, and treating various digestive issues. It sounds similar to the emergency medicine "Xingjun Powder" from later times, even the small emergency pills in the bottle of powder.

There is also a paper-wrapped cooling powder, which can relieve insect bites, dispel wind and dampness, and refresh the mind. Well, the influence of the time traveler is truly pervasive.

Although the price is not cheap and there is a risk of counterfeits, I verified it slightly and still paid for it.

The best-selling items in the market are the various types of alcohol, most of which are cheap grain alcohol for the lower classes. I also bought a large bottle of sugarcane liquor, which, although somewhat cloudy and yellow, is indeed a distilled spirit.

Taking it back, filtering it through silk, and distilling it again can yield a purer substance, which can be used for medicinal wine, ointments, or as a disinfectant for external injuries.

I also bought some sugar, as it is clear that the south already had a large-scale cultivation of sugarcane, sugar beets, and other sugar crops in this era. Therefore, the sugar available at this market included roughly processed, residue-filled black or dark yellow sugar bricks, as well as bright yellow sugar blocks sold with a small hammer.

There were also large barrels of sugar syrup and small jars of ointment sugar, or sugar lotus and sugar balls in various shapes. Better quality sugar was paper-wrapped, with a white color, similar to rock sugar, in coarse or fine crystals.

There was also rock honey with added milk and other ingredients, small granules of sugar with fruit flavors, and the most expensive were sugar pills and candies in jars and boxes. A small box cost one and a half small silver coins.

I spent one large silver coin to buy several large bags of sugar and a jar of sugar syrup, and after haggling, I got a small bag of strange-tasting medicinal sugar for free. These are not just for daily snacks; when needed, these sugar blocks can be used to boost energy and temporarily replenish calories.

The sugar syrup can be used to make sugar-coated rice cakes, which are also a portable food that can be stored for a long time in winter. Well, I admit my hoarding tendencies have flared up a bit.

After buying these items, I had spent most of my money, and with the remaining loose change, I bought a pack of shrimp paste and another crab lid wrapped in leaves.

I carried these items and handed them to Aguda, who watched them. By this time, most of the items on the stalls had been sold, and the mixed colors of the bags indicated a good harvest.

"Watch the items. If you can't decide, leave a message."

"Um..."

He was still as sparing with words as ever.

I took out the remaining money and continued to another area.

This area was much cleaner and neater, with various sheds and wooden houses standing, and a constant flow of people. The most noticeable was an open area surrounded by a wooden fence.

This was a small-scale slave market, one of the ways Liangshan dealt with overdue captives. However, at the moment, it was mostly foreign slaves from overseas vassal states, short and dark-skinned, squatting like animals on the ground.