NFBE Chapter 257 Grand Gathering
Chapter 257 Grand Gathering
The next morning, Blue and his group enjoyed a hearty breakfast provided by the hotel.
After breakfast, the group went out to organize the goods.
Yesterday, Bru had already told his father the news. After some discussion, the father and son decided to prepare 40% of the goods first, and then adjust the quantity based on the situation of Count Cussam.
The team members have never had any objections to the captain's decisions.
The furry beast then set off.
The largest palace in the city was the residence of Count Cousin.
A long queue had already formed at the entrance, all of them caravans that had heard that Count Cussam was there to sell his wares.
The enormous furry beast was no less impressive than any other caravan, and Cheng Jiu curiously observed the other caravans.
I always thought that furry beasts were transport animals exclusively for mercenary caravans, but now it seems that they are not.
There were only one or two furry beasts in the long caravan; most of the caravans used wagons to carry goods, but the beasts pulling the goods were all different.
There were horses with long horns, beasts with the heads of bulls and the bodies of bears, and beasts with the heads of tigers and the bodies of leopards but covered in scales, one or two, or four of them pulling a full load of goods together.
The giant furry beast standing in it is no different from a Rolls-Royce appearing in a Wuling Hongguang in my previous life!
Cheng Jiu suddenly realized that the furry beast was a high-end item.
If the steward in charge of the harvest was divided into different classes based on the value of each caravan's transport, then his attitude towards Bhutto's caravan was indeed vastly different from that towards the previous one.
Bhutto and the others worked together to unload the pre-packed goods. Bhutto stepped forward, and a bag of Kasikorn slipped from her hand and fell into the butler's sleeve: "Please take good care of them, Butler Kane!"
Butler Kane replied to Bhuto with a smile, "Viscount Bhuto, you are too kind. I should be the one asking Viscount Bhuto to take good care of me."
He then instructed the servants who were responsible for moving the goods to come and carry them, and to settle the accounts.
"Be quiet and careful, understand?"
"Don't worry, Butler Kane!"
He responded while moving the maid.
"You've come at just the right time, my master is taking everything this time!"
The butler smiled and said, "Viscount Buto is also a regular customer of the master. This time, we'll offer 1.5 times the purchase price. What do you think?"
"Thank you for your care, Earl Cusang, and thank you, Butler Kane!"
Although Bhutto knew the inside story, he did not haggle. They had originally sent these goods over intending to sell them at the purchase price, but since Count Cussam was being so kind, he wouldn't refuse!
"The city is quite lively lately. If Viscount Buto is interested, he can stay for a few more days!"
Butler Kane gave a cryptic reminder, and Bhuto, who knew the inside story, certainly knew why.
He nodded repeatedly in agreement: "Thank you very much for the reminder and care, Butler Kane. I am extremely grateful!"
"The Viscount is very well-informed!" Butler Kane understood perfectly. "The frontier is bitterly cold, and my master thinks that a seven-day market is enough. If the weather gets colder after that, it will be difficult for these caravans. The late summer heat is fierce, and not many people will come."
"The Earl's compassion is a blessing to the border region!" Bhutto understood the other party's implication: this grand market would only be held for seven days, and once it was gone, it would be gone forever.
"The day after tomorrow is an auspicious day! My master likes it very much!" Seeing that he had fallen for the trick so easily, the butler Kane didn't mind saying one more thing, so as not to waste the bag of gold coins in his arms.
The only people who could hear their conversation were the members of the Bhutto caravan. The other caravans that came to unload their goods at the same time could only see a few people chatting, but they couldn't hear the details clearly.
Bhutto was quite honored to be received personally by the steward of the Consulate General's affairs.
Soon, 40% of the goods were sorted and the prices were calculated. The servant in charge of moving the goods came over with a list of goods and a bag of payment and handed it to Butler Kane.
Butler Kane glanced at the list briefly, then handed it to Butto: "Check if there's anything missing, and I'll have someone check it again."
Bhutto carefully examined the list, confirming it three times: "Nothing is missing."
"Alright, here's your payment, a total of 57,302 khasi gold. Please count it!"
Kane, the butler, kicked Kasikorn, who was standing at his feet.
"No need. We've done business together so many times, how could I not trust Count Cusang?"
Bhutto did not clear the gold coins, but said with a smile.
"If Your Excellency finds no problem, then please sign your name!"
Bhuto scribbled her name at the end of the list in a flamboyant style and handed it to Kane's butler.
Kane's butler handed the gold coins to Butto, and the transaction was officially completed.
Bhutto hung the gold coins on the furry beast and rode on it with the caravan members.
The furry beast left Count Cusang's residence with steady steps.
Once they were a little away from Count Kusan's residence, Buto drove his furry beast toward the market.
The market in this border town is also known as the black market. It does not conduct open trade. The black market is located below the city walls and is illuminated by glowing beads embedded around it.
There are guards patrolling and guarding the entrance to the black market, and you have to pay a toll to get in.
Each person receives one Kasikin and five Fuzzy Beast tokens.
Upon entering the market, we first found a stable to house the furry beasts. It cost five kasigin a day, including food and lodging, and guaranteed the beasts' safety. However, if we were just staying there, it would cost one kasigin per hour.
Then I went straight to the management office of the market to rent a stall. Although I learned that the official start date was the day after tomorrow, good stalls don't wait for anyone. If I came the day after tomorrow, I wasn't sure if I would even be able to get a spot.
Moreover, if the butler can tell them, he might also tell others. In such matters, it's always better to strike first.
The group arrived early and, after some haggling, finally found one of the best spots in the market.
Of course, the price was also quite high, fifty khaki gold coins a day. Obviously, the person in charge of the management office knew the inside story, as prices for such trade routes had basically increased.
Bhutto rented the place for nine days. Although they might not stay there for that long, they could recoup their commission by reselling the trading post when they left.
After obtaining the trading permit, Bhutto arranged for his team members to take turns guarding the stall. There was not much business here before the big market. Bhutto and his team had been here several times and were experienced. Although the big market was the day after tomorrow, they certainly couldn't waste the money they had already paid.
Xiong Lei and Ying San were responsible for staying behind to guard the stall.
With the matter settled, the caravan members were in high spirits.
The closer it gets to the market day, the more lively the atmosphere becomes in the city, including among the beggars.
I have never been so happy.
The caravans that had passed through in the past all knew the true nature of these beggars, and these caravans were very tough; perhaps some were willing to give money, but very few.
This new large caravan was different; each merchant was generous and quick to make their demands.
The army of beggars in the city has quietly grown considerably, including not only the original beggars but also some of the city's original residents.
Of course, this lively atmosphere did not last long. Count Cousin was in charge and certainly could not allow these guys to ruin the cooperation. The city's garrison patrolled the city day and night to crack down on such behavior.
The bustling city also alerted some astute individuals to something amiss.
The hotel owner where Cheng Jiu and his companions stayed also built a successful hotel that attracted caravans to stay.