Chapter 3: Pawning the Blade

“Pawning a blade.”

Inside Fuzi Pawnshop, the assistant lazily yawned. Looking up at the youth dressed in shabby clothes, a look of contempt surfaced on his face.

Such destitute beggars were frequent visitors to the pawnshop; after all, what they excelled at most was swindling, trickery, petty theft, and pilfering.

Where a young lady’s jewelry was hidden or where a young master’s jade pendant was kept—once they found out, they would try every possible way to steal it and immediately come to the pawnshop to pawn it off.

To take in items of this sort, a pawnshop needed a keen eye. After all, some victims were by no means people a small pawnshop could afford to offend.

However, Fuzi Pawnshop was different; this was an enterprise belonging to the Gu Clan, one of the Four Great Clans.

The Gu Clan of the Four Great Clans possessed matchless wealth under heaven. In the early years when the Great Xia was plagued by war and its people displaced, the Gu Clan generously donated countless gold and silver to replenish provisions and fill the national treasury. The Emperor himself bestowed upon them the single character “Fu.”

In every city, county, and commandery across the Great Xia Dynasty, there was a Fuzi Pawnshop. Under heaven, there was nothing they did not dare to accept, and nothing they did not dare to sell.

Even if the owner happened to be royal kin or court nobility, they would still show Fuzi Pawnshop a degree of deference.

After all, no one wanted to cross a fabulously wealthy patron.

“What kind of blade?”

Li Jin asked lazily.

Gu Shiyi reached out and handed over the small silver dagger in his hand. Li Jin took only a single glance, and his heart jolted in surprise.

Extraordinary craftsmanship!

Carved onto the scabbard was a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate. Not only were the tiny scales on the carp clearly visible, but even the countless small water droplets splashing around it were crystal clear and exceptionally brilliant.

Without letting his expression change, Li Jin took the small dagger and felt it, his inner shock deepening.

It turned out that every single water droplet was a minute gemstone, remarkably pleasant to the touch and smooth in hand.

This was by no means an ordinary item!

The artistry was nothing short of divine craftsmanship! Rarely seen in this world!

Composing himself, he weighed the silver dagger in his hand expressionlessly and said, “Ten taels.”

“No way! How can this craftsmanship be worth only ten taels? Don’t think I know nothing!”

Gu Shiyi immediately retorted. Li Jin smiled indifferently and reached out, tossing the blade back to him.

“Take it and go.”

Having said that, he didn’t spare another glance.

Gu Shiyi froze on the spot, caught between staying and leaving.

It wasn’t that he had never pawned anything before; on the contrary, he had pawned many things. An item worth twenty taels of silver would be lucky to get a single tael at a pawnshop.

In the past, he had always chosen small pawnshops, but this time he had chosen the largest one.

Because he felt that small pawnshops easily went bankrupt; there was no telling if they would still be around when he returned in the future.

A shop as large as this definitely wouldn’t go under. Once the heat blew over and he saved up enough money, he could redeem the small silver dagger.

It was the only thing connected to his origin.

His parents… no matter what kind of people they were, they had at least left him a keepsake.

Yet now, even this last keepsake was about to be gone.

“Are you pawning it or not? If not, hurry up and get out. Just ten taels—not a single tael more.”

Not pawn it?

If he didn’t pawn it, with their escape imminent, how could he obtain enough medicinal pills from Yanwang Xi? What would happen to Nienie then?

“Shopkeeper, please give a little more.”

“Eleven taels.”

Li Jin said expressionlessly.

Gu Shiyi gritted his teeth. Eleven taels was definitely not enough. “Twelve taels.”

“Leave.”

“Just twelve taels.”

“Eleven taels.”

…

As the two argued endlessly, the door curtain lifted, and Shopkeeper Xie Xiang stepped out. “What’s all the noise about? What happened?”

Gu Shiyi glanced at the shopkeeper and hurriedly said, “Shopkeeper, I want to pawn a dagger, but your assistant offered too low a price. Add just a bit more and I’ll pawn it. It’s really a fine item—if you don’t believe me, take a look.”

Xie Xiang was somewhat speechless. It was this kind of thing again.

Regardless of who came to pawn an item, they always complained about getting too little money. But when pawning items, who ever got a high price?

Still, Xie Xiang was adept at handling such matters. He only needed to pretend to examine the item, tell the person this was the absolute highest price possible with not a penny more, and most people would end up pawning it anyway.

Unless they were desperate for money, who would sell off their possessions for dirt cheap?

“Let me see,” Xie Xiang said.

The assistant, Li Jin, sneered inwardly.

Xie Xiang picked up the small silver dagger and paused. “Hmm, the craftsmanship is quite good.”

He casually drew it out, glanced at it, and his expression drastically altered.

Gu Shiyi sensed something was wrong and clenched his fists. It wasn’t as if he had never encountered corrupt shops that forced an unfair deal; if the other party intended to force the purchase, he would use his fists.

“Let me take a closer look.”

Xie Xiang turned around to closely examine the silver dagger.

Engraved on the front of the blade was a brocade carp, but on the back were two enormous wings on the carp, exceptionally striking.

He ran his fingers over the pattern, monstrous waves churning in his heart.

The Four Great Clans each possessed their own emblem: the halberd of the Yun Clan, the long fan of the Song Clan, the ancient tome of the Lu Clan, and the brocade carp of the Gu Clan.

Only important items of the Four Great Clans would be engraved with their respective emblems.

This small silver dagger—there was no mistake—was an item belonging to the Gu Clan!

That damned assistant didn’t even look closely before casually throwing out a price!

Xie Xiang turned back to look at the youth, freezing instantly.

The youth was staring intently at him. Those eyes were unusually clear and icy, like a wild beast focused on its prey.

Xie Xiang’s heart skipped a beat, feeling inexplicably nervous. Exhaling softly, he said:

“What is your name?”

“What does it matter to you what my name is? I’m here to pawn something.”

“Even pawning items requires writing down a name, otherwise how will you redeem it in the future?”

Gu Shiyi remained silent for a moment, then pulled out his silver bounty token. “Wang Wu.”

Seeing the name gleaming brightly on the silver bounty token, Xie Xiang’s heart jolted once more.

No wonder the pressure in the boy’s glare was so intense; he was actually one of the silver-rank bounty hunters that had emerged in Baici Town in recent years!

“How much are you planning to pawn it for?”

“How much are you planning to offer?”

Gu Shiyi knit his brows tightly. This man spoke without thinking—how could someone like this be a boss?

Xie Xiang looked at Li Jin beside him, and Li Jin immediately said, “Eleven taels!”

Xie Xiang pondered for a moment and said, “I can give you fifteen taels.”

Gu Shiyi was taken aback. After hesitating for a long time, he sighed softly.

“Thirteen taels.”

Now not only Xie Xiang, even Li Jin was stunned.

People only ever bargained for a higher pawn price—who on earth bargained down to a cheaper price? Had water gotten into this kid’s brain?

Seeing that Xie Xiang was easy to talk to, Gu Shiyi unclenched his fists and lowered his head, saying:

“This item is very important to me. Today is the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, and I want to remember this day forever.”

Li Jin wore a strange expression, while Xie Xiang couldn’t help but look at the youth a few more times.

People from all walks of life came and went through pawnshops, with beggars and martial artists beyond count.

The former cherished wealth like life itself, squabbling endlessly over even a single copper coin; the latter, while not as stingy as beggars, would certainly never offer to accept less money.

This youth’s actions proved he was by no means an ordinary person.

“Come, come, young hero, please write down your address here or where you can be found. Please don’t mind—this is a newly added rule of our shop.”

…

Stepping out of Fuzi Pawnshop, Gu Shiyi felt a bit dazed.

The bundle on his person felt as heavy as tens of thousands of catties.

He had thought thirteen taels meant silver, but the other party had given him gold!

Heavens, gold!

Was something wrong with the pawnshop owner’s brain? Trading gold for silver?

Run, quick!

This was the first thought that flashed through Gu Shiyi’s mind.