Chapter 7. Commerce

As they arrived at the city gates, Rick grabbed a scroll and an inkwell. He was curious as to how the merchants interacted with the city guards and since this was a small town, it would be a good introductory step in learning how to do it for himself in the future.

The first notable thing that everyone in the caravan did was to dismount, whether they were riding a horse, beast, or in a wagon. Everyone took to walking once they were within 250 meters of the gate.

'So, it is necessary to dismount and present the force you represent before approaching the gates. I wonder if it's the same for every place and if there is a minimum distance to dismount from.'

Rick was scribbling his thoughts down and made a note to ask the caravan leader, Bo, about the specifics when they had set up their camp later.

He also noticed that as they approached the gates, the guards were presenting themselves in a friendly manner as more guards that were unarmed were coming out of a side door in the gate. He was wondering what they were for when the front of the caravan stopped about 20 meters from the gate. 

The unarmed guards then quickly walked to the caravan and started looking around and inside of the wagons while Bo talked to a scholarly-looking guy with a scroll and quill in his hands.

Rick took note of every part of this process that he witnessed and made way for the inspectors as they came by. They said nothing and just quickly looked around and moved down the caravan.

Once the inspection was complete, the people of the caravan loaded back up and entered the city.

Rick took a position on top of a wagon so he could observe everything that was happening, he was also curious to see how the city looked.

The tallest buildings in the town were only 3 stories high, but they were bigger than any building that Rick had ever seen so it was amazing in his eyes. He also could not see where the city ended which was also new to him.

'There are so many people in this town, merchants must be a vital part of keeping it going. Where do they even get enough food for everyone?'

Rick could get the answer to his question if he just thought about it for a bit, but his amazement turned into awe which hindered his normal intelligent thoughts. For him, it was as if he was gazing into a vast and beautiful canyon filled with wildlife for the first time in his life. While similar sights were nothing new to Rick, seeing actual humans in a city was something he had never witnessed nor had he even imagined it before.

 He could hear music being played somewhere in the city with instruments he had never witnessed before. Somewhere else, there was the smell of good food being cooked that made his mouth water in anticipation. The sights and smells were overwhelming for him and he found himself lost in this new experience.

He never stopped taking notes though, after his brief awe-struck break he continued to take notes about how the caravan moved through the streets and he even made a small map with directions to the market district from the mountain gate. He didn't know the name of the gate they came through but since it was the only one with a large mountain looming over it he decided to name it the mountain gate.

After reaching the market district, the caravan set up their stalls and their living area behind a fur wall on the other side of their stalls. It was a quick process that took less than 2 hours and they were already selling their goods. Rick observed everything and took his notes while consolidating his thoughts before he approached Bo to ask him specific questions.

"Master Bo, I have watched the entire process of entering the gates to setting up the stalls and I have a few questions to ask you. Is now a good time to talk?"

Bo Bringham, the master of the caravan and lead merchant of the Western Mercantile group just smiled as he joyfully answered.

"Of course my boy! I am glad you have questions, ask me anything you need to know I am curious to see what insights you have on this matter."

Thus, Rick began asking all the questions he had written down and discussing the initial insights he made through his observations.

Meanwhile, George was working at his father-in-law's shop as an assistant in the same town.

His father-in-law is a goldsmith and they sell the jewelry that he makes at the shop. His new wife, Fen (yes, she is now Fen Feng), stays home to take care of the house as she had been taught to do her entire life growing up.

Since her father is wealthy, the dowry he paid for George to marry her included a nice plot of land with enough room to grow some crops and a few animals to raise for food. The chickens and pigs needed daily attention while their cows just needed to be supplied with enough feed to keep them happy. There was not enough land in their plot for the cows to graze, but the type of grass they liked to eat grew abundantly in the fields near their home. Thus, Fen just needed to go cut down some grass from time to time to keep the cows happy and healthy.

The pigs ate their scraps along with some slop they purchased in town for cheap. It was just discards from various places that served food that would not make them any money otherwise. 

The chickens just liked to eat the bugs in the pin and some seed from time to time. The seed actually came from the grass the cows ate as it produced a bunch of seeds at the top of its blades when it grew.

Fen was skilled at taking care of the house and the land with its animals as she was raised at this house that her father owns. Besides Fen there is also a handmaid, Rachel, who raised her and also lives at their home with them. There is a small servant house for her next to the main house that she has lived in for the past 20 years since she was just 14 and was purchased by Fen's father.