Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 485 Is this the pinnacle?
Luoyang has a long history of gold trading.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were three markets in Luoyang: the Gold Market, the Horse Market, and the South Market.

The Gold Market was located in the center of Luoyang, next to Yongmen Gate, and surrounded by neighborhoods where high-ranking officials and nobles lived. Therefore, the market sold high-end goods such as gold, jade, silk, lacquerware, spices, and jewelry.

The name "Gold Market" did not come from the sale of gold and jade, but from its location in the west of the city. In the Five Elements theory, the west corresponds to the element of metal, hence the name "Gold Market".

Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty moved the capital to Luoyang and rebuilt the inner city of Luoyang on the site of the old city of Han and Wei. He also built an outer city outside the inner city.

During the reconstruction, Yongmen was moved northward and rebuilt due to its incorrect orientation, and it became Xiyangmen.

The gold market in Luoyang did not remain in the inner city, but was moved to outside Xiyang Gate, which is the Luoyang Grand Market.

During the height of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Luoyang City had three markets: Jin Market, Chengdong Xiao Market, and Sitong Market, with over ten thousand merchants. Among them, Jin Market was the most prosperous, offering a wide variety of goods.

Around Jinshi, there were specialized neighborhoods for trade, goods delivery, music tuning, music regulation, wine making, and wine brewing, with countless professional talents such as merchants, craftsmen, musicians, and dancers.

However, the gold market has not recovered to its former prosperity.

One important reason is that the Xianbei nobles who used to live near Jinshi have disappeared.

After Li Shuang defeated the Erzhu clan and rebuilt Luoyang, many aristocratic families from Hebei and officials who moved from Jiankang gathered in the east of the inner city, west of the original Luoyang Small Market, now the Luoyang East Market.

They are not yet sufficient to replace the original Xianbei nobles and become the main consumers in the gold market.

The military officers and subordinates under Li Shuang lived near Jinshi. However, like Li Shuang, they had to travel between Chang'an and Luoyang. They had neither the wealth of the original Xianbei nobles nor the need to deliberately cultivate their influence in Luoyang.

Because they also had residences in Chang'an.

After leaving Jinyong City, Zu Ting couldn't wait to go to the Jin Market. Although the Jin Market was not as prosperous as it used to be, it was still one of the most bustling markets in Luoyang and even the entire Northern Dynasty.

There were so many people!

Holding the gold-inlaid jade pendant, Zu Ting went straight to the busiest and most successful shop to sell it.

After selling everything, holding his money bag, Zu Ting looked at the merchants who had bought his goods and, amidst the bustling street, called out loudly:

"This belongs to the King of Qin!"

This reckless behavior left Hou Jing, who was watching from a distance, speechless.

I've seen people who aren't afraid of death, but I've never seen anyone this fearless.

Hou Jing gave a signal, and the city magistrate beside him led the soldiers maintaining order over.

"What are you all planning to do by gathering in such a noisy crowd!"

At this moment, the merchant who had bought Zu Ting's jade pendant was already anxious and was arguing with Zu Ting. Seeing the market magistrate approaching, the merchant hurriedly said:
“Magistrate, this has nothing to do with me. This fellow brought over a piece of gold inlaid with jade. I saw that he was dressed in fine clothes, but I never thought that he had stolen it. He even claimed that it belonged to the King of Qin.”

The magistrate looked at Zu Ting and asked:

"Is what he said true?"

Zu Ting stood tall and proud, as if a proud red scarf was already hanging on his chest.

"It's true, this is ancient jade from Lantian, an item belonging to the King of Qin. You may arrest me and hand me over to the authorities for questioning!"

The magistrate smiled, looked at the merchant, and said:
"How could something belonging to the King of Qin be on him? You must have mistaken him for someone else."

Upon hearing this, the merchant summoned several experts from nearby shops to jointly authenticate the product.

Throughout the entire process, Zu Ting remained calm and composed.

Until the experts reached their conclusion, they walked up to Zu Ting and angrily said:

"You scoundrel, you're trying to cheat me out of my money with a fake."

Zu Ting was stunned, even more excited than the merchant who bought the counterfeit goods.

"Impossible! Look closely, this is the real thing!"

"This is a counterfeit."

The merchant took a thin hammer and tapped it gently, and the gold-inlaid jade cracked.

"This jade is not Lantian ancient jade at all, and even the gold is just gold powder."

As he spoke, the merchant bowed to the market magistrate and said:
"I bought it because of its low price, but I never expected to encounter such an arrogant person. I hope the market magistrate will take action!"

The magistrate nodded and waved his hand, and the soldiers beside him seized Zu Ting.

"Therefore, the offender is temporarily detained for selling fake jade and disrupting the gold market."

Zu Ting was displeased upon hearing this.

"I'm not selling counterfeit goods; I stole this jade from the King of Qin." "Who would believe you if the King of Qin wore a fake?"

Upon hearing this, Zu Ting turned pale and nearly died on the spot. Then, he roared even more violently.

"What I said is true!"

However, this statement only drew increasingly louder laughter from the onlookers.

……

Jinyong City.

Hou Jingxing walked excitedly to Li Shuang's side and said with a smile:
"Your Majesty, the mission is accomplished; the suspect has been apprehended."

"how?"

"This fellow keeps shouting that he stole the King's things, but nobody believes him anymore."

Li Shuang smiled and said:
"This guy's craftsmanship is good, but his eyesight is a bit poor. Does he think that just because I'm wearing it, it must be real?"

"Your Majesty is right! What should be done with this boy?"

"Lock him up next to Cui Ling!"

……

Seeing that Zu Ting, who had been so spirited not long ago but now looked utterly defeated, had also been sent to prison, Cui Ling hurriedly asked:
"How is the King of Qin?"

The jailers escorting Zu Ting were somewhat puzzled. One of them said:
"King Qin?"

"Wasn't he imprisoned for assassinating the King of Qin?"

"No, he was arrested for selling counterfeit goods in the gold market."

These words seemed to ignite Zu Ting's already severely damaged self-esteem, prompting him to retaliate.

"I sell genuine products!"

The jailer was startled and threw him into the cell.

"The King of Qin can wear your 'genuine' item? You must be delusional."

After saying that, Zu Ting seemed completely deflated, squatting on the ground as if he had lost his soul.

After the jailer left, Cui Ling's gossipy nature was piqued, and he hurriedly asked:
"Zu Ting, what exactly are you planning to do?"

Zu Ting remained silent. Cui Ling, having received no response for a long time, also felt bored and sat back down on his bed.

After an unknown amount of time, loud laughter suddenly erupted from the cell next door.

"I understand now. What a Qin King! Is this the method of someone at the pinnacle?"

Life in prison was incredibly boring, so Cui Ling leaned closer and asked:

"Zu Ting, tell me, how did you get in?"

"What's it to you, you parasite of the nation?"

"..."

Zu Ting's words left Cui Ling speechless, but the prison was so boring that Cui Ling couldn't help but retort:

"Even if I'm a parasite on the nation, I'm still much better than you, you counterfeit swindler!"

Zu Ting snorted coldly upon hearing this.

"pedantic!"

What do you mean?

"You think I'm like you? No, I was defeated by the highest peak, but I lost with honor. I'm not like you, who was simply sent to prison."

"..."

After listening, Cui Ling had only one feeling in her heart.

I can't believe I fell for such an idiot.

……

(End of this chapter)