Chapter 5 Baoding Pavilion: Things Remain, but People Have Changed
Yuan City, the capital of the Yuan State, was the largest city in the state, with a population of 60,000.
In this era, that counted as a relatively populous city.
Even the former imperial capital had only around two or three hundred thousand inhabitants.
The capital of the Yan Kingdom, Xinxian, was smaller still, with just twenty or thirty thousand people.
The carriage entered the city.
Zhang Yang sat inside, gazing out of the window.
More than twenty years had passed; though the city had undergone changes, they were not drastic.
If anything had changed the most, it was probably the old Sovereign’s residence.
The Sovereign’s residence had been completely remodelled, a world away from its former appearance.
The current Sovereign's residence was known as the Fragrant Mansion.
According to what Zhang Yang had learned on the way, it was the home of Marquis Jing’s sixteenth son.
Just as Zhang Yang was pondering this, a voice came from ahead.
“Master, which way should we go?”
The voice was rough and strong.
Heitu, the coachman Lord Yan Yun had given to Zhang Yang, was twenty-six years old, dark and sturdy, with a full beard that made him appear closer to his thirties or forties.
He was also a cultivator, currently at the Flesh-as-Leather stage.
The other coachman was called Guan. Compared to Heitu, he was tall and skinny, as thin as a bamboo pole.
He too was a cultivator, at the same stage as Heitu.
After leaving the Yan Kingdom, Zhang Yang had taken them as his disciples.
He intended to conduct an experiment.
To see how Earth’s martial arts would affect the cultivators of this world.
At the same time, he needed manpower.
Zhang Yang was very fond of a saying by Confucius:
“To repay resentment with virtue—how else can one repay virtue?”
The blood feud from those who died back then, the massacre of the villagers—how could he possibly let that go unavenged?
Zhang Yang came back to his senses and ordered, “Go to Baoding Pavilion.”
“It’s in the West Market District.”
Baoding Pavilion was the Zhang Family’s business in Yuan City, primarily dealing in various bronze crafts.
It was also the Zhang Family’s most vital enterprise.
Back then, Zhang Yang noticed that the bronzeware of this era wasn’t bad, but the designs were limited. They were mostly ritual vessels, such as tripods and plates.
With keen insight into the market, Zhang Yang drew on his knowledge from the future to create a variety of dining utensils as well as craft items—like incense burners of diverse shapes.
Compared to the traditional bronzeware’s simplicity, the Zhang Family’s creations were more abstract and artistic.
Once these bronze items were released to the market, they attracted orders from nobles and lords alike, bringing the Zhang Family substantial profits.
This success eventually paved the way for the emergence of Tu Town.
“All right then,” came Heitu’s shout, followed by the sharp crack of a whip.
The carriage quickened its pace, heading towards the West Market District. In just a short while, the carriage arrived at the West Market District.
Although it was early evening, the district was still lively, with bustling streets filled with a chorus of hawkers’ cries.
“Charcoal for sale, top-quality charcoal!”
“Sea salt from Eastern Liu State, great prices!”
“Don’t pass by without stopping! Take a look at this fabric~~~”
“It’s so lively,” Rou'er exclaimed, looking out of the carriage window in amazement.
Zhang Yang replied, “It’s busier than Xinxian, but still not what you’d call a truly bustling place.”
Rou'er nodded repeatedly. “I’ve heard that Anping, the capital of the Jing Kingdom, has over a hundred thousand people. It’s a famous city in the world today.”
Zhang Yang narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint appearing in them.
The Jing Kingdom! This grudge, we will settle it slowly!
After saying this, Rou'er noticed the displeasure on Zhang Yang’s face and immediately realised that his relationship with the Jing Kingdom was fraught, so she quickly fell silent.
Clutching the hem of her clothes nervously, she stammered, “Master, I—”
Zhang Yang gently patted her small hand and said, “It’s nothing; it has nothing to do with you.”
With that, Zhang Yang glanced out of the window, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Outside was a familiar building.
The shop was square in shape, barely about twenty paces wide, supported by four raw wood pillars holding up a thatched roof, with ceramic grey tiles weighing down the eaves.
At the entrance stood two jujube-wood tables, the rough grain still stained with glutinous rice mash splashed during brewing.
Against the wall, a wooden shelf held earthenware jars half a person’s height, their mouths covered with oil-soaked hemp cloth, from which the scent of wine still seeped through the gaps.
This was precisely the former location of Baoding Pavilion.
But now there was a new signboard hanging up.
'Tian Family Tavern'!
Zhang Yang’s gaze turned icy as he forced down his anger and said, "Stop the carriage."
The horses neighed, and the carriage came to a halt.
Zhang Yang lifted the curtain of the carriage, unable to wait for Heitu to put down the small stool, and jumped down straight away.
He approached the stall outside the Tian Family Tavern, suppressing his fury and worry as he appraised the owner.
A man of about thirty years old, with a handsome and respectable appearance.
“Sir, would you like to buy some wine? The Tian Family’s Diluoshao (a kind of rice wine) is renowned far and wide,” the stall owner said with a friendly smile, noticing Zhang Yang's furrowed brow and apparent displeasure but still greeting him warmly.
Zhang Yang took a deep breath, his anger easing somewhat. He scanned the fine wines displayed at the stall before turning his gaze towards the interior of the shop.
There stood an elderly man, slightly stooped, his back to the door, perched on a stool as he reached into the cabinet for a bottle of wine.
Zhang Yang withdrew his gaze, settling it back on the stall.
He considered for a moment before saying, "Bring me a jar of Diluoshao."
"Right away, sir. Please wait a moment while I fetch it for you."
With that, he called into the shop, "Father, bring down a jar of Diluoshao."
"I'm coming, I'm coming," replied the old man cheerfully from inside.
Zhang Yang glanced over and, as if casually, asked, "I seem to recall this place used to be called Baoding Pavilion. When did it change its name?"
The stall owner paused briefly, then smiled and said, "Sir, you must not have been to Yuan City for quite some time." "Baoding Pavilion closed down ten years ago."
Zhang Yang’s right hand clenched tightly beneath his robe, the unease within him growing stronger.
He forced down his anger and feigned indifference as he asked, "Oh, I remember Baoding Pavilion did good business. How did it end up shutting down for no reason?"
The stall owner sighed and shook his head, "It wasn’t without cause."
"Back then, when the Yuan State fell, the Zhang Family was implicated as well."
"You know the Zhang Family, the owners of Baoding Pavilion."
"The Zhang Family’s bronze-casting skills were extraordinary, their bronzeware famous throughout the land. After the fall of the Yuan State, the Zhang Family and all the bronze craftsmen from Tu Town were conscripted to Anping, the capital of the Jing Kingdom."
"This shop is one we bought from the Zhang Family."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang’s anger subsided somewhat.
At that moment, the sound of a wine jar crashing to the floor came from inside the shop.
Hearing the noise, the stall owner immediately forgot about Zhang Yang and rushed inside.
He saw an old man staring blankly, with the shattered wine jar lying on the ground.
The wine had spilled everywhere, filling the air with its fragrant scent.
“Oh dear, Father, please be careful. Don’t move, don’t move at all, I’ll clean this up.”
“Wait a moment, I’ll first take the customer's wine.”
“Please don’t get down from the stool, be careful not to step on the broken jar.”
The stall owner came out with a jar of Diluoshao, anxiously calling out warnings as he walked.
He returned to his stall, handed the fine wine to Zhang Yang, and glanced back inside, fearful that his father might be in trouble.
“Sir, here is your wine.”
Zhang Yang gave a slight nod, left the payment for the wine, and turned to leave.
Heitu stepped forward, picked up the wine jar, and followed closely behind Zhang Yang.
The carriage started moving, gradually distancing itself.
The stall owner put away the knife-money, then turned and ran back towards the shop.
As he tidied up, he sighed helplessly, “Father, I’ve told you many times—you’re getting on in years and should take it easy.”
“He looks so much like him.”
“What?”
“That man—he looked so much like him.”
“What?”
“Are you talking about the customer who just left?”
“Exactly, he was just like Master Zhang when he was young.”
“You mean, our family’s great benefactor?”
“Yes, twenty-two years ago, I accompanied Master Zhang on his journey north.”
“On the way, we were attacked by the Di people, and it was Master Zhang who led us through the assault.”
“Unfortunately, Master Zhang was exhausted and ultimately fell on the battlefield.”
“If it weren’t for Master Zhang, your father, ah~~”
“No wonder he asked about the Zhang family’s affairs—he must be one of their kin.”
“Wait, if he is from the Zhang family, how could he not know about their situation?”
“What? He asked you about the Zhang family?”
“Yes, it seemed he hadn’t been here in a long while. He asked me why this place wasn’t the Baoding Pavilion anymore, and how the ownership had changed.”
Hearing this, the old man stared blankly out the door, finally letting out a resigned sigh. "Go buy a chicken and bring some wine tomorrow; come with me to Tu Town to pay respects to Master Zhang..."
"Alright then."
"Still osmanthus wine?"
"Begging for a beating! Master Zhang favoured that more than anything else. If it’s not osmanthus wine, what else could I bring? Back when we were in Tu Town, Master Zhang only drank osmanthus wine."
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