Chapter 672 - Market Visit II
Jia shi was surprised to see the other side of Zhao Ming. After she woke up from the coma, she thought of her as a strong woman who can deal with the Empress Dowager Xiao Li and her sidekicks.
But in the market, she was just like a curious child who wanted to explore everything. She wants to look at every stall and wants to eat every single delicacy sold there. Even though they eat much better food at the palace, she wants to try the greasy and spicy food from the roadside.
After trying almost every food item sold in the market, and buying different kinds of earrings, bracelets, and hairpins, they finally reached their stall.
The seller has never seen them so he didn't know that they were from the royal family and not only that, his majesty and Her majesty have come to see his stall themselves.
When Zhao Ming reached near the stall with Jia shi, the man was sitting behind the stall while drinking something. He was standing with a man and was talking with him who seemed to appear as his friend.
" I am so jealous of our Emperor. He has so many wives, he can fu$k different women every single night. Oh, I wish we could have that luxury as well. He has even banned the tradition of keeping concubines. Although we are not from royal families, we can at least keep a woman to satisfy our needs. Now you tell me, won't you get bored by sleeping with the same woman every night?" The man with a bulging stomach said while rubbing his stomach.
Zhao Ming frowned and stopped before the stall and stood in the corner, hearing their conversation. Ji Cheng and Feng Ju who were behind them stood there and watched the whole scene.
A frown appeared on Zhao Ming's face when she heard his lewd words. She shot Ji Cheng a glance and pursed his lips. This is the kind of example an Emperor gives by keeping so many consorts.
However, even though he has banned this tradition, people have not accepted this wholeheartedly. It might be a good step towards the well being of women but for men, their power has been snatched away.
The tradition of keeping wives is a way to prove their power and hold in the family. It only encourages torture towards women and lets them believe that they have no life without a man.
The concubine system is a worse kind of system to make women be dependent on men who can leave them whenever they want or after fulfilling their desires. They were treated as things that they can possess or buy. They were taken as things not human. With that kind of tradition, their children have to go through equal difficulties and unfair treatment.
She was glad that Ji Cheng showed his sanity by banning this tradition but she was aware of the dissatisfaction of this step among the people.
She gritted her teeth and watched as the other man tried to stop the man from speaking something scandalous.
" Ya, don't say that. What if someone hears you? You can't talk about His Majesty like this." he patted his arm and looked around, to be careful.
" Ah, stop being a coward. They can't do anything to me. I am working for the palace, I am one of them. Have you ever visited the palace? I have. Do you know how beautiful that place is? I have seen a few consorts as well. Oh, they are fu*king beautiful. I wanted to grab their assets and enjoy their softness, but too bad I can't do that. But that Emperor is sure lucky. He can suck them whenever he wants." He licked his lips lewdly.
Ji Cheng's face darkened seeing him talking about the women of the palace like this. His fist tightened as he was about to walk forward and beat him to death but Zhao Ming stopped him.
She looked at him and shook her head.
She mumbled in a low voice, " Not right now. You both stay here." She asked him to stay there with Feng Ju and went to their stall with Jia shi.
Ji Cheng wanted to follow them but Zhao Ming shot him a glance and shook her head, signaling him to not follow.
In the end, he has to stand there while trying to control his anger. Even a commoner was talking about the royal family disgustingly.
How dare he!
Zhao Ming stood in front of the stall and said, " Aiya, these hairpins are so beautiful. Brother, how much are they?"
The man who was busy drinking raised his head and saw two beautiful women standing in front of the stall. His lips raised as he looked at his friend and replied, " It costs 10 copper coins. However, for beautiful ladies, I can give you this piece in only 8 copper coins." He said while grinning at them lewdly checking them out from head to toe.
Zhao Ming and Jia shi looked at each other and frowned. The man was asking more than the double prince of the items. Before selling them in the market, they have fixed the price of all the items for the common people. Since they are from the palace, they were sold at cheaper prices considering the fact it was for common people.
But he was selling them at prices much higher than the normal price in the market.
The hairpins which cost only 2 copper coins, he was selling them for 10 coins. Generally, it was sold for 4 copper coins and it was the highest price for such exquisite luxurious hairpins in the local market. However, they decided to keep it at 2 copper coins, so that it can reach more women and let them enjoy the beautiful items made by the consorts.
But this man was looting everyone with the high prices.
Zhao Ming gritted her teeth and picked another item which was the anklet and was made by Consort Jia shi herself. She raised it and asked, " And this?".
" It was 50 copper coins. However, for you, I can make it 45 copper coins. But no less than that."
"-_-"
"-_-"
Zhao Ming's toes curled in anger. She was trying her best to not slap this man on the face. The anklet which was worth 10 copper coins, he was selling them for 50 coins? The time is not far where he will sell it for a silver coin.
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