The Prince of Travelers

The Mayor of Quanzhou City

The Eighth Prince welcomed the invitation of the Mayor of Quanzhou that night. Incidentally, the specified time was still included in his leisure schedule. This could be his opening agenda in Quanzhou City.

“Welcome, Prince,” a middle-aged man who is none other than the Mayor of Quanzhou, Shen Chao welcomes directly the arrival of Li An. Beside him, a beautiful girl with thick thick smiles also welcomed the arrival of the prince. She was Shen Huifeng, the second daughter of the Mayor of Quanzhou.

Li An nodded and replied to Shen Chao's mere pleasantries. As he was getting along with the tall, middle-aged man, Li Huanran who accompanied him smiled sweetly at Shen Huifeng. Shen Huifeng was only able to return that smile with a similar smile.

“Please enjoy, Prince. This dish we prepare specifically for you and your family,” said Shen Chao friendly. He glanced at Wang Hongli and Yun Jili with an equally friendly smile, “Mr Swordsman and Master Teacher also please enjoy. Please don't hesitate.”

Wang Hongli was the first to taste the dish. After he nodded, the others ate. As a talented swordsman of the Heavenly Sword Parguruan, he possessed high-level poison resistance and detection techniques. Not only did he learn to sword, he also learned that there. Swordsman Cenangkas Twins so remember the difficult times when first trying to neutralize the poison.

There were not many conversations that flowed during the breakfast. Most of the chatter was responded to by Wang Hongli or Yun Jili. It was due to Li An's nature that didn't like to return praise from others. He may only answer briefly or nod slowly.

“Please Mayor Shen express directly your intention to invite us,” Li An said after sighing lightly. Breakfast's almost over. He was tired of hearing the chatty stories of the Mayor of Quanzhou.

“Ehem!” Shen Chao almost choked on his own saliva. He indeed could not see there was a wide gap to establish closeness with the Eighth Prince. As far as his observations were concerned up to this point, the quiet prince was a figure who put up a thick wall on his face. He became pessimistic to be able to bring his second daughter closer to the Eighth Prince.

“Begini, Prince,” Shen Chao began to explain his wish to meet with Li An. He shared that there were some problems and misunderstandings between the merchants of the Shen Family and the merchants from foreign lands. He wanted to ask for help that the Fuli Trade Union which was under the supervision of the prince of the Tang Empire as well as having closeness with foreigners to mediate between them.

“I'm sure they'll hear what the Fuli Trade Union says,” Shen Chao said carefully, “Moreover you are a famous person in their neighborhood. Please Eighth Prince help this little servant.”

“Wali City Shen, what kind of problem did you mean just now?” Li An asked for further clarity. He cannot immediately respond if he does not understand the real problem.

“We have made contracts with traders from foreign countries. It was a common contract and had been in use for a long time. However, the young new merchant from the foreign country suddenly requested a contract change in our cooperation. In fact, the contract has been valid since the previous generation and the deadline is still not finished,”, Shen Chao said at length, “The young merchant said he would revoke trade cooperation with our family if his demands were not immediately met.”

“Show your trade contract,” pinta Li An with a flat, but serious face. The mayor of Quanzhou City initially somewhat objected to that. However, he finally handed it over as well in order to connect the conversation with the Eighth Prince.

Li An checked the contents of the contract quickly. At first glance, there was no problem in the contract details that might cause the young merchant Shen Chao referred to demanded a change of contract. When arriving at the contract of sale and purchase of credit, Li An also frowned, “You set a price that contains interest in the installment tempo?”

“True, Prince,” Shen Chao nodded, “That is one of the things demanded by the merchant in question. In the previous generation, this was a common thing and did not matter at all. The interest is set so that the buyer completes his payment on time.”

Li An went back to reading the contract book he had brought after hearing the explanation of the Quanzhou Mayor. This time, he read it more carefully. He frowned again while reading the barter goods chapter.

“What's up, Prince?” shen Chao asked as soon as he saw the Eighth Prince's howling.

“You exchanged the same item for a different dose,” Li An replied without taking his eyes off the contract sheet.

“It is based on the difference in quality, Prince,” bright Shen Chao, “We sell 1 high salt catties with 2 low salt catties due to different quality.”

“How do you guarantee the salt you have has a higher quality?” li An asked coldly.

Mayor Shen Chao was silent. He wanted to answer the young man's question, but it was as if his tongue had been broken into speechlessness. The middle-aged man was very confident in the quality of salt processed by his family. However, in retrospect, he did have to re-compare the quality of his goods with the foreign merchant.

“Even if the quality is different, you cannot exchange it for a dose or a lame scale,” Li An's remark made Shen Chao a little surprised. He felt he did not accept the words, but Li An had already said, “You do not need to change it if you do not like the difference in quality. That quality cannot be used as the basis for setting the dose and scale in barter.” practice

“That's the usual thing we do. Other traders did not have a problem with the rule until recently,” Shen Chao looking for justification, “It is commonplace by comparing the quality of the goods measure.”

“Fraud remains cheating,” said Li An firmly.

“Then, what should we do?” shen Chao's voice was a bit high this time, but he still kept his ethics in the face of the imperial family. Moreover, Wang Hongli looked at him sharply after that.

“Exchange with different kinds of goods or sell with money,” Li An replied simply, “You can exchange 1 catty of salt with a variety of rice according to the dose and scales you specify or you can sell it with gold and silver according to the price you provide. As long as both parties agree, then there will be no problems between you. Such is a clean trade.”

Shen Chao still wanted to refute, but was dejected because what the Eighth Prince said made sense. He also remembered the first problem touched on by the young man, “What about the flower problem you asked at the beginning?”

“It was also a form of cheating,” Li An replied while laying out the Shen Family contract book, “Flower is not the same as trading. You take extra from someone's inability to pay the debt. It is a cull in the sale and debt even if you call it a fine so that the concerned party pays on time.”

“True, it can be a serious problem, especially if the debt is not paid. However, there is no point in forcing those who cannot pay to pay immediately, especially if you give interest. It even has the potential to make the person concerned unable to pay it,” Li An turned to look out the window. There was noise from there. The residents of this city are busy working and doing daily activities. Most of them work hard to support their families.

“Therefore, you can give a suspension to the concerned party so that he can immediately respond to it,” advice Li An then, “If the concerned party does not also pay it, , so form a body that can guide and provide assistance for the person concerned so that he immediately pay off his debt. Thus, you have become a good leader for the citizens living in this city. However, if the person concerned does not intend to pay at all, then his business with God and you can also act on it in accordance with the applicable law.”

“We understand,” Shen Chao said after discussing a few more things, “The Shen family will discuss the matter soon. We will directly contact the Prince if the result has come out.”

“Good, we're done then,” Li An intends to leave, but Shen Chao looks like he still wants to say something. So, he fell silent waiting for the response of the pointy-moustached man. The mayor of Quanzhou also revealed the next problem, “Sorry, Prince. Actually ... this problem is not only in the contract book it is.”

“Hm, continue,” Li An nodded as the middle-aged man looked hesitant to convey his affairs.

“Among our members and members of the foreign merchant there has been a feud. We detained the people involved, then the group of foreign merchants asked us to immediately release their people,” Shen Chao put on the face of his depression, he said, “We are worried that this problem will complicate the reconsilization process later. In any case, we must crack down on violations in accordance with applicable law.”

“You're holding everything? Including from your members too?” investigate Li An with eyes that were staring intently.

“Em, that ... we,” Shen Chao objected to answer it. As mayor, he did not want to take sides in enforcing the law. However, the party involved from his family was a son from the inner circle of the Shen Family. He could not do much to secure his place in the family.

“You can't do it? Shouldn't the guilty be treated according to the law?” Li An clucked in annoyance, but quietly so that it was not too audible.

Shen Chao was silent again. He was weighing the problems that would ensnare him in the future. Where is it bigger? Dealing with a young prince from the Tang Empire? Or deal with the people from the Shen Family who were still his close relatives?

“We will crack down on this matter with his fair share, Prince,” finally Shen Chao decided not to mess with the Eighth Prince. Even if the prince was young, he knew that the Eighth Prince was no ordinary figure. “Again, I ask for help so that the Eighth Prince deigns to mediate between us and them.”

“Alright, I will also send someone to ask for information from their side. Remember that! Neither I nor the Fuli Trade Union will be able to help the Shen Family if you do not mean it at all in addressing this issue,” Li An gave a warning later, “Again, anyway, you will not get any problems or big losses just because you changed a few contract items.”

“Good, Prince,” Shen Chao gives Respect, “I will remember this.”

“Is there anything you want to say?” li An asked before completely saying goodbye.

Mayor Shen cleared his throat slowly. He also glanced at his daughter who had been silent since a thousand languages, then asked Li An's room today, “If you don't mind, let my daughter guide you around the city.”

Li An raised his eyebrows. He understood the motives of the Quanzhou City Mayor, but did not feel that there was a problem with him. He turned to Li Huanran as if asking for the Third Princess' approval as a woman in his entourage. The older brother simply smiled and nodded his head giving that approval. This could be a good opportunity to research the rival princess of Mayor Shen.

“Alright, we do plan to visit some places after this. Princess Mayor Shen can come if she wants to,” Li An replied later. The beautiful girl berias thick was immediately replied, “I don't mind at all.”

His loud voice made everyone look at him. The mayor's daughter immediately lowered her face in embarrassment. He felt too exaggerated in response to the Eighth Prince's words. His cheeks were blushing because of that.

“Wah, it seems that this will be an interesting journey,” Li Huanran for the first time spoke up. A big smile on his face. He gave a friendly look to the innocent girl before him.

“Of course,” said Mayor Shen while chuckling. Apparently he still had a chance to establish close ties with the imperial family. This might be a good thing for him in the future.

“Then, we say retreat,” Li An rose up followed by the people who were with him. So did the mayor and his family. Shen Chao also gave a friendly last greeting to get a good impression from the Eighth Prince, “Please, Prince. Enjoy your day.“

Li An simply nodded. It was followed by Yun Jili and Wang Hongli, while Li Huanran walked side by side with Shen Huifeng. The two girls rode in the same horse-drawn carriage, while Li An rode on horseback in the front row of his entourage.

“Why did you choose Hui’er to accompany the Eighth Prince,” asked a girl who seemed older than Shen Huifeng, “Are you sure she can attract the attention of the prince?"

“Maybe,” replied Mayor Shen takzim, “Eighth Prince is famous for his composure. If I send a cute girl like you, maybe the Eighth Prince will even feel uncomfortable or disturbed.”

“Hm, father doubt Ling’er ability?” the girl named Shen Ling was clucking in annoyance. Shen Chao coughed softly. That's not how it means, “Ling’er, I just want to adjust to the prince's personality. According to the father, the quiet prince would prefer a calm girl.”

“Hmph! I can also be a calm girl,” Shen Ling puffed her cheeks. He left his father alone on the balcony. His feelings became bad because the father compared him to his sister.