Ch. 8
Sitting across each other were Shen Williams and the shopkeeper who introduced himself as shopkeeper Zhu. Shopkeeper Zhu had his eyes fixated on Shen Williams's violin case thinking it was the big business Shen Williams had brought to him. Seeing his thoughts Williams chuckled and tapped the case "shopkeeper Zhu what I have here even if you were to sell your whole shop and goods, you still wouldn't be able to afford it." he said seriously. Shopkeeper Zhu frowned inexplicably, glaring at the foreigner in front him him claiming to be half a person of the dynasty, raised by his foreign mother whose appearance he had taken at overseas. And that he came here after loosing his mother not long ago to find his scumbag father, shopkeeper Zhu was finding it hard to believe but he also couldn't tell the lies in Shen Williams's words. There had been cases of foreigners getting together with the people of the dynasty but the children they give birth to don't take so much resemblances to the foreigners like Shen Williams in front of him. And those children could only work as slaves for the foreigners and are never treated good, but telling from Shen Williams's appearance and demeanor one could tell that he had been living a wealthy and noble life. Shen Williams claimed to be able to understand the dynasty's language because of his wet nanny being a person of this dynasty so he had been learning since he was little.
Unable to point out any lies the shopkeeper didn't want to dwell on this matter, he was just eager to see what business Shen Williams had brought to him. "If that isn't the big business you brought, then what is the big business then?" Shopkeeper Zhu asked sounding a little impatient. Shen Williams took off his backpack undoing the lockers, using the backpack as a cover he summoned an exquisite jewelry box from the space and took it out as if it had always been in the backpack. He placed it on the table and opened it before turning it to shopkeeper Zhu to see the content in it.
Since seeing Shen Williams taking out the box, shopkeeper Zhu had his eyes sparkling. And once it was opened magically to reveal what is inside, his breath hitched and eyes widened and jaw dropped leaving mouth opened agape. He sat there in daze his eyes never leaving the shinning and dazzling crystal necklace. "Shopkeeper Zhu! Shopkeeper Zhu! Shopkeeper Zhu!" Shen Williams had a very hard time shaking him awake from his dazed state. When he came around he felt at loss and angry, he had lost the battle of cheating and reducing the price before the business deal even started. He hated Shen Williams thinking he must've done it on purpose! Ah, so hateful! Shen Williams didn't care about the accusing eyes but sat smiling warmly. Knowing that he had already lost his opportunity to cheat in business, shopkeeper Zhu sat up right with an honest look to discuss in a good way, he was anxious and determined to buy the necklace from Williams. "This...brother Shen, I will not lie to you, your necklace is very beautiful and the workmanship far exceed that of our dynasty's. It will suit the nobles and wealthy families and will sell for a lot in the capital, if you're willing to sell it to our shop I promise to give you a good price!"
Shopkeeper Zhu said solemnly with a look of seriousness. Although shopkeeper Zhu looked impatient and in a hurry but Shen Williams himself was by no means in a hurry. He sat relaxing as he played with the handle of his backpack and also making shopkeeper Zhu more anxious and in suspense. Just when shopkeeper Zhu couldn't take it anymore, Shen Williams finally spoke. "Shopkeeper Zhu you see, I have a few more valuable items on hand. I will be willing to sell all to you as long as your price is good, if not I'll just pack it back up and go to another jewelry shop willing to pay a good price for my valuable items. So give me your best price." Saying it like this, he made shopkeeper Zhu even more anxious and feeling that the situation now was insoluble. It was funny that he used to be cheating others all year round, but now it was very clear on the handsome face of Shen Williams that he wanted to cheat him but the shopkeeper couldn't do anything about it. Who made what Shen Williams brought so valuable and unseen in this dynasty?
Just as he was contemplating Shen Williams spoke again. "This is diamond which is very valuable from where I come from. Over there when the rich and nobles want to propose marriage, if they don't offer diamond rings they are looked down on. The bigger the diamond the more prestige you have in the eyes of people. And this necklace here is made completely of pure diamonds, you take a look and see." Shopkeeper Zhu sighed annoyedly, he had been in this business for so long and he could tell that the necklace make of crystal Shen Williams called diamonds was very valuable, okay! He was in a dilemma because he was looking for ways to reduce the price!
"Brother Shen you win, okay this old man can't beat you. You say you're half a person of this dynasty but you have hundred percent the shrewdness of those foreigners!" Shopkeeper Zhu complained with grievance. Shen Williams just smiled and said nothing. "I'll offer 2,000 taels of silvers! Brother Shen that is the most highest price I can offer, don't reject." Shopkeeper Zhu said with a grimaced. "Congratulations to shopkeeper Zhu, you're now the owner of this diamond necklace." Shen Williams had a very bright smile as he pushed the box of necklace towards him, shopkeeper Zhu quickly got up after taking the box and intending to go get the silvers for him. "Ah, shopkeeper Zhu please give me some change too. Like broken silvers and copper coins." he stopped him and said, Shen Williams had already learnt from Liu Jing the currencies used here and their conversion.
Not long after he left, he came back with the money. Shopkeeper Zhu gave Shen Williams 15 silver banknotes worth 100 taels, 5 broken silvers worth 50 taels, 5 broken silvers worth 20 taels, 7 broken silvers worth 10 taels, 14 broken silvers worth 5 taels and copper coins worth 10 taels of silvers. Shen Williams took the heavy pouch happily and kept it into the space through his backpack. Seeing shopkeeper Zhu who looked at him with bleeding eyes, Shen Williams shifted uncomfortably. He sighed a pulled out a small ladies mirror bought for 3 yuans from his backpack "okay, okay, seeing how good you are, I'll give this to you for only 5 taels!"
Shopkeeper Zhu's unblinking eyes sparkled seeing the very clear mirror reflecting his face. He almost drooled at the mirror harshly grabbing it from Shen Williams. "Really? You're not going back on your words are you?!" as he was speaking he placed broken silver of five taels on the table in front of Williams and moved to the farthest corner, as if afraid that Shen Williams will change his mind. Shen Williams felt very funny and picked up the silver tael keeping that on him in the side pocket of his pants. "Really, I'm not going back on my words. Shopkeeper Zhu can see that I am such a good business man, after taking so much from you I also dash you a mirror you can sell for more than 500 taels. Shopkeeper Zhu must take care of me through out my stay here!" Shen Williams joked, after completing business he was now willing to make friends. Getting his assurance shopkeeper Zhu came out from his hiding place, he looked at Shen Williams with doubts. "You plan to stay here?"
Shen Williams: "En. I want to settle in a village called Liujia village not far from the county."
Shopkeeper Zhu: "Why not settle in the county rather?"
Shopkeeper Zhu gave Shen Williams a rather dumbfounded look. "I prefer the quiet to the bustling. I plan to go meet the village head of Liujia village after leaving the county. I'll come visit a lot when I have time, maybe get you more goods." It was as if shopkeeper Zhu could see a mountain of gold and silvers when he heard Shen Williams's words. "You must keep your words! When your goods arrives you have to let me see first!" he flattered finding an explanation for Shen Williams himself. Shen Williams couldn't have it any better, he didn't have to bother explaining himself. From his appearance people would just think of him as a foreign merchant who owns a fleet of his own and has a lot of goods on hand! "Where's your ship? I'll take you there!" Shopkeeper enthusiastically offered as he was seeing Shen Williams off. "Oh, I had them go ahead. As I said, I plan on settling here so they will handle things themselves and let me know whenever they dock here." he lied without any struggle, and shopkeeper Zhu believed him.
At the door shopkeeper Zhu and the little clerk watched as Shen Williams walked out waltzing amongst the crowds. "Shopkeeper Zhu wasn't the business successful?" shopkeeper Zhu turned to the clerk with scrutiny "why do you ask such silly question. If business wasn't successful will I be happily seeing him out?" The clerk scratched his head with embarrassment "it's just that he's leaving with that strange box he brought with him, I thought that is what he came to sell." he explained. "Oh that, he said our shop couldn't afford it even if we sell the shop and everything here."
Clerk: "Really?" filled with astonishment.
"I believe that's a very important thing to him so he just didn't want to sell. He did mention that he lost his mother not long ago, I am hundred percent sure that it's something like a keepsake from his mother." shopkeeper Zhu was firmed in his guess, although Shen Williams was trying to to hide it earlier but he still caught the melancholy in his voice. He sighed "it's only a pity that whatever it is must be very valuable, just by looking at the case one could tell. But it's regretful that he won't ever sell it!" he said with a regretful tone.
....
Shen Williams hurried back to Liu Jing right after he left shopkeeper Zhu's jewelry shop. "Brother Williams!" Liu Jing beamed with excitements spotting him trotting towards him, it was as if he had been looking his way for a long time. Shen Williams was affected by his sincere smile and smiled back to him. "Ah Jing I'm back!" he announced. "En!" Liu Jing laughed happily, after Williams had left he was afraid, afraid that Williams will no longer want him and leave him without saying goodbye. But his thoughts were unnecessary, Shen Williams never thought about leaving not once, and even if he wanted to leave he'd at least say goodbye to him and leave him with some silvers.