Chapter 458: Songjiang Market
Chapter 458: Songjiang Market
Liam had visited several Wizard commercial districts before, including Diagon Alley in Britain and Saga Street in Iceland. However, Songjiang Market in China was quite different from them.
Firstly, it was much larger. Diagon Alley and Saga Street were just a couple of streets lined with various shops. In contrast, Songjiang Market was more like an alternative version of the City God Temple commercial area, with a beautiful pond at its center and an elegant Nine-Curves Bridge connecting the two sides. The pond was surrounded by a variety of shops selling all sorts of goods.
"How different it feels from Diagon Alley", Hermione remarked, looking at the Chinese Wizards on the street. The difference wasn't just about the number of people or the Oriental-style buildings lining the streets. The entire street had a more ordinary, everyday feel to it. The paved roads, the street lamps, and even the clothes of the Wizards passing by all contributed to this impression. Only the signs at the shop entrances and the items visible through the glass windows confirmed that they were indeed in a Wizard commercial district.
Perhaps they had been standing at the intersection for a bit too long, because a young man in a plaid suit approached them, speaking fluent English. "Hello, can I help you with anything? I can provide tour guide, shopping assistance, and translation services. It's just 20 silver coins for a day."
"How much if we don't need the translation?" Liam asked in very standard Mandarin. "Would there be a discount for one less service? I think we don't need the translation."
"You speak Mandarin? That's great. The price can't be reduced, as it's a standard rate, but I can show you the best shops and ensure you have a fantastic time here", the young man replied.
"Alright, deal." Liam took out 20 Sickles and placed them in the young man's hand, but he glanced at the coins and indicated that he couldn't accept them. "You haven't exchanged your money here yet? Foreign currency isn't usable here."
So their first destination was the Chinafangshi Bank. Financial institutions were always grand, and the Chinafangshi Bank was no exception. Guided by their tour guide, Li Lei, they crossed the Nine-Curves Bridge, heading towards the tallest building on the other side of the pond to exchange their currency.
As they crossed the Nine-Curves Bridge, they noticed several black shadows emerging from the water and quickly approaching. The black shadows left white trails behind as they neared the surface.
"What are those?" Liam asked, watching the black shadows that moved as swiftly as torpedoes. However, he didn't feel any danger, as this was one of the largest Wizard markets in China, and he wasn't Sherlock Holmes. The probability of encountering danger was low, especially since the surrounding Chinese Wizards showed no signs of alarm.
"Oh, them." Li Lei glanced at the black shadows. "They are Merfolk from the Eastern Sea. There's a passage from this pond to the Eastern Sea. The Merfolk often bring valuable seafood and underwater specialties to trade here. You have good luck today; these marine specialties usually sell out quickly when they arrive. I suggest you check them out after you exchange your money. You might find something you like."
"Wow, they are so beautiful! They look much better than the Sea Folk in the Black Lake", Hermione whispered in admiration as Li Lei explained. Liam turned his gaze and saw the black shadows quickly surfacing. As soon as their upper bodies emerged, their colorful fish tails transformed into human legs. Led by a middle-aged female Merfolk, the six Merfolk, carrying large bags, walked out of the water using the stone steps that submerged into the pond.
These Merfolk were indeed more beautiful than the Sea Folk in the Black Lake, resembling slightly taller humans with attractive features and slender figures. The only difference from humans was their more tender, pale skin and the colorful scales visible on their joints and foreheads, as well as their fish-like ears. These unique racial traits didn't detract from their beauty; rather, they enhanced it.
"Alright, we're here." They had just crossed the Nine-Curves Bridge and arrived at a small plaza with a large flower bed in the center. Beyond the flower bed stood the Chinafangshi Bank, a five-story building that towered over the surrounding low-rise shops. At the entrance, with its red door adorned with golden nails, stood a furry figure.
"Hey, Liam, look. They're pandas", Hermione said excitedly, shaking Liam's arm. Standing at the bank's entrance as a greeter was a panda in a handsome tuxedo, standing upright.
"Sure, there's a bit of a difference. You can call them Panda people", Li Lei explained softly after hearing Hermione's words, since she had been speaking in Mandarin. "We usually refer to them as Pandaman. They have grown alongside China’s earliest wizards and are considered the most steadfast non-human allies of wizards in China. Panda people are inherently kind, loyal, and friendly, but there's one thing to remember: they have a deep love for wealth. While they won’t use any evil means to acquire it, be careful with your wallet when they start pitching their financial products. Otherwise, you might walk out with empty hands and a bunch of useless investment items."
"Okay, that's a bit different from what I imagined", Liam thought as he entered the bank and saw the black and white bear face of a Panda person at the entrance, smiling in a simple and honest way. "You really can't judge a bear by its appearance."
Inside, the hall was a tall wooden structure with an extremely ornate, gilded ceiling. Besides its grand and beautiful appearance, Liam could sense that the ceiling was actually a powerful magic array, with the core being a pearl spewed from the mouth of a dragon at the center.
Rows of iron chairs lined the hall. Upon entering, wizards would press a button on a brass machine, which would spit out a slip of paper with an Arabic numeral. They would then wait in the chairs.
On three sides of the hall, long counters were lined with thick, transparent glass. At regular intervals, a Panda person sat behind the counter, some weighing gold with tiny scales, others appraising gems, and still others serving customers who came to conduct business.
After receiving their number, Liam and his group quickly reached the counter of a Panda person. Despite their large build, the Panda people spoke in a soft, childlike voice that sounded very cute.
However, when it came to gold coins, they weren’t as adorable. After exchanging five hundred Galleons, the Panda person in front of Liam started recommending some kind of financial fund. It took several polite refusals before Liam could finally extricate himself from the enthusiastic Panda person.
As they walked out of the bank, Liam began to examine the currency he had received. China’s wizard currency is divided into four types: gold, silver, copper, and bronze. Their exchange rate is 1:10, making it much more user-friendly than the British wizard currency. The bronze coin has the least value, equivalent to ten cents in ordinary currency, while the gold coin is worth one hundred yuan.
To maintain this ratio, the size of the coins actually increases from gold to bronze. The largest bronze coin is about the size of a beer bottle cap and is quite thin. The smallest gold coin is only slightly larger than a shirt button. Regardless of size, all the coins are beautifully crafted, with a shallow square indentation in the center, likely a nod to the ancient round square-hole copper coins. On the front, the characters "Tongbao" are written in nine-fold script on either side of the square hole, while the back features vertical symbols of the sun and moon.
Interestingly, wizard currency can be exchanged for Rmb in unlimited quantities, but the reverse is strictly limited. In the market outside, only magic-related goods must be paid for with wizard currency, while many daily items can be bought with Rmb. This might be because the Chinese wizarding world is not as isolated as the British wizarding world.
With a bag of money, Liam and his companions began their shopping journey. Their first stop was the Eastern Sea specialty store run by the Merfolk. Inside, Liam bought a lot of Mermaid Silk, not only because it was beautiful and exquisite but also because he discovered it could be used as an alchemy material to create magical clothing.
After his purchase, Liam asked the Merfolk salesperson if they could supply him with a steady stream of goods for his own store. Unfortunately, the production of these items was somewhat random, and they couldn’t guarantee a consistent supply. Liam had to reluctantly abandon this idea.
"Liam, we’re here on a trip. Can you put your work aside for a while?" Hermione said a bit unhappily after Liam finished his discussion. "It’s hard to get a break—"
"Sorry, you’re right. I shouldn’t be doing this now", Liam admitted that his actions were indeed inappropriate.
They spent the rest of the day exploring the entire Songjiang Market, sampling a variety of delicious and unique snacks, and buying gifts for their friends. This is where having a good guide proved invaluable. With Li Lei’s help, they could get the best items at the best prices. For example, they bought some special magical spices, wooden plaques inscribed with seal script that could harm evil creatures, and various local handicrafts.
Finally, they spent 20 minutes obtaining a casting permit for the area.
In summary, it was a day full of gains, and it set a great start for Liam and his companions’ trip to China.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
