Chapter 20: Learning the Trade
Zar was in the kitchen, “already at home are ya Zar?” Asked Senior Po sarcastically, attempting to emasculate Zar. Zar however, being a Grand, had been trained by his parents to always demonstrate extreme politeness and a well-presented demeanour, therefore, he simply ignored Po’s banter.
“Do you have a larger cooking pot; this sweetcorn is too big for everything?”
“Ya wanna boil it?” Asked Po.
“Well, i suppose?” Replied Zar.
“Just thro-it in the oven boy!” Po stated in a ‘it’s obvious’ way.
Zar realising how obvious the solution was, put the larger than large aromatic sweetcorn in the oven and went back to sit down.
“Felt sorry for meh Wife eh?” Po asked Zar solemnly.
“A little...”
“You know, I am doing this for her... She thinks I'm cruel, but we are going to need all the money we can get before Lions and Serpent sect reach ‘ere. Oh well, glad you came, now you can give her, her long awaited wish of being free from pain and misery.” Tar was somewhat struck by this, remembering the trauma of his own past, his own family. “Come on, let's talk business, what do ya wanna know, hmm?”
“Right, Peat, what can you tell us about him?” Asked Zar.
“Filthy, money grabbing, old sack of a bad word. Before I met my wife, he tried it with her can ya believe it? Put his disgusting hands on her, I would of sod him in the face if I could. But I would’ve been thrown in those stupid jail cells near his silly mansion. Couldn’t do anything, she escaped his grip, guards came for her because it made him only want meh wife more, meh wife's older brothers sacrificed their freedom to save her from Peats twisted thoughts. Never saw those brothers again, assume their long gone now, rotting inside that jail. What business you want with that man? It’s a Deathwish hermits.” Tar and Zar were once again reminded of how awful Peat was, but they were reminded that Peat was more than likely going to cause an even greater level of destruction in their own sect. Tar took action.
“This Peat, does he like women or coin more?”
“Coin! He’s a filthy coin grabber, but he is a coin grabber before he is filthy.” Replied Po.
“Would he ever throw away an opportunity to make a lot of money?” Tar continued.
“Listen, if you are planning on attempting to form a trading agreement with Peat with these superfoods, the answer is yes, he will try to rip you off first, but if you can get through his ill brain, he will definitely strike a deal with ya – no idea why anyone would want to strike a deal with that man though.”
Tar looked at Zar with slight relief, thinking that the plan may work, then looked back toward Po and continued the inquiry. “How do we get close to Peat?”
“WELL, ya came to the right person, don’t worry about that, I'll sort ye out, just hold up your end of the bargain and ensure I am getting your superfoods once every harvest. Any more questions?”
Whilst Tar was thinking, Zar chipped in.
“I am embarrassed to state this Senior Po, but I am no good with bartering and trading, exactly how much are these commodities worth?”
“Now that’s more like it boys!” Replied Po excitedly, as though he was always excited to talk about trade. “Before I tell ya, how much do ye already know?”
“...” The air was silent.
“O-kay... I’ll take that as not much. Trade is simple young men, it is about quantity and quality.” Following this statement, Po got up, ran down to the basement, ran back up since all he done was run nowadays, and plonked a large sack of potatoes and a large sack of rice near the table, he also rummaged in his pockets and sounds of metal clanking was made, pulling out round bronze objects in large amount, and some, but only a few silver round objects – he put these on the table. 180Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uzz6qVoeL
“This is coin, those are potato and rice sacks, I've already sold those vitatoes in case you were wondering. Anyway, how much do ya think those two sacks are worth in relation to the coins I've placed on the table?”
Zar and Tar shrugged cluelessly, stating, “we are ignorant.” Po grabbed 5 bronze coins and separated them from the pile of other coins.
“They are both worth 5 bronze, if ye had 5 bronze, you could buy either a sack of rice, or a sack of potatoes. One lasts longer than the others, the rice to be exact, but it is less nutritious. Because the quality is lacking in rice, it is worth less but ya get more, make sense?” The old but now younger looking Po stared intently at Tar and Zar who were attempting to comprehend this simplistic idea.
“Makes sense Po!” Replied Tar informally.
“Indeed, I comprehend this, Senior Po.” Replied Zar formally.
“Good, good, then you are both not nitwits HA! Now, go and grab that giant sweetcorn you are cooking, put it on a plate and bring it ‘ere, I'll tell ya its value.” Zar done the honours, taking the now fully cooked sweetcorn and placing it on the table.
“How much ya think it’s worth-? Before you answer. SWEETIE, GET DOWN ‘ERE, MADE YOU SOME SUPPER!” Wobbly steps came from upstairs, gradually meandering down the stairs.
“WHAT DID YOU SAY DEAR?” Asked the old lady. Po simply pointed toward the incredibly large sweetcorn, unfortunately, the old-ladies sight was not the best and she couldn’t make out its majesty. “SMELLS GOOD, THANK YOU DEAR.” The old lady took the larger than large sweetcorn back upstairs.
“So, what do ya think it’s worth?” Re-asked Po to Tar and Zar.
They both shrugged, committing strongly to their ignorance.
“Humble hermits aren’t ya? Scared to guess... These are worth 10+ silver. That probably doesn’t mean anything to ya, so let me ask you this, how do you make 1 silver?”
Tar and Zar thought for a while, but Tar already had an idea, “I am guessing it’s the same as what my father taught me, 100 bronze makes a silver right?”
“Yep! You got it!”
“Wait, Pa taught us that?” Zar asked.
“Yes, he did, don’t you remember... Oh wait, you hated classes about that kind of stuff now that I remember.”
Po observed their casual back and forth, but quickly grew bored and brought them back to the topic at hand. “SO, 100 bronze makes a silver yes?”
“Yes, sorry!” They both replied. Tar and Zar then realising that if 100 bronze makes a silver, and a Qi infused item is worth more than 10 silver, that would make them extremely wealthy for the produce they have in stock. Their eyes widened with the sudden realisation and Po, observing their body language, smiled and nodded approvingly seeing that he was indeed a good teacher.
“So, ya both get it now... These superfoods are unimaginably valuable, why do you think I am being so nice to you...” Pa said, getting more particulates of biscuit out of his teeth, this time with his long nails. He broke the temporary silence and continued, “if you can prove to Peat the immense value of this produce, and I'll back you when we get there because I want in on this too, he will strike a deal with you without ANY hesitation regardless of his background thoughts. Anything else ya wanna know?”
“Not at this current time.” Zar replied, still deep in thought.
“Good, good. When do you want to see Peat?”
“As soon as possible!” Replied Zar.
“As soon as possible hmm... Today may be possible but I suggest we rest up and head out tomorrow mornin’... Show me your inventory, we want him to taste of this produce before it starts to go off, not that the vitatoes ever went off but better safe than sorry, eh?” Po asked rhetorically.
The day progressed...
“So, here’s the plan young men. In a moment, I am going to head out to organise this meeting for you, I'll be back in a few hours” Peat paused and thought for a moment... “Tomorrow mornin’ I would like you, Zar, to go to the kitchen where you belong and cook up some of your special superfoods, Tar, you prepare a speech for when we eventually make contact with Peat. We will all head out when the food is finished cooking.”
“Make sure it’s a private meeting, yes?” Zar said, slightly infuriated by Po’s constant kitchen remarks.
“Yes, yes, a private meeting. But you gotta keep your promise otherwise I'll tell everyone that you hermits are probably not hermits, I have an idea of who you are but I am not certain.”
“Not to worry Senior Po, we will keep our end of the deal.” Replied Tar happily.
“Good, good. I sure like business. GONNA BE RI- *ehem,* I should control me-self... See you soon gentlemen.”
Po went off, seemingly setting up the various parameters for the meeting with Peat. Zar put some vegetables out to be cooked for the next day whilst Tar begun walking back on forth, contemplating how they would present the transaction given the history The Giath Sect already has with The Ploughing Sect, something they definitely could not tell Senior Po.
Time passed and the sun set and rose again...
“Feel like I am forgetting something.” Zar said randomly as he was boiling vegetables.
“How do you mean brother?” Asked Tar.
“I feel like I am having déjà vu somehow?” Zar replied rhetorically. Tar had no idea what to say so simply continued with his pacing. It was still the early hours of the morning – suddenly it clicked. “THE OLD LADY! SENIOR PO’S WIFE!” Zar shouted accidently.
“Why must you be so loud!” A grumpy feminine voice came from upstairs.
“Loud? I was not that loud.” Zar thought to himself, since he already knew the old lady was deaf, he also became confused from where that kind voice derived from...
“Zar, didn’t you give her a Mineral Qi imbued Sweetcorn?” Asked Tar.
“Yes... I. Did.” Steps were soon heard coming down the stairs into the kitchen where aromas of food were cooking.
“What’re you boys cooking?” Asked a once-sleeping voice. “I want in, I am starving like I have never been before, I feel as though I could eat 5 meals at once!”
Tar and Zar turned around and gasped in shock! “Oh, sweet God of Nectar what have I done?!” Zar asked himself with terror and amazement. Tar walked up to the old lady and asked:
“Say, Dearest Lady, we never got your name?”
“Name’s Palm, nice to meet ya!”
“Palm and Po huh?” Tar replied.
“Where’s that stupid man anyway?” Palm asked.
“He went out to make some early morning arrangements.” Tar replied with a smile, staring into the being before him.
“Can I have one of those pieces of broccoli?” Palm asked.
“Yes, we have plenty to go around.”
“Goodness, why is this broccoli bigger than the length of my arm?” Palm pondered aloud.
“That is a long story...” Zar said, monitoring the other vegetables.
“I am going to have a bath, thank you for the food.” Palm said as she begun chomping on the softened broccoli tree, walking in a different direction. Zar and Tar then looked at each other as though they had seen a miracle.
End of Chapter 20.
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