The chubby Mr. Leo also smiled, "Mr. Polo, you're nowhere near 'skinny as a rake', just as Alto never cared whether the owners of gold and goods were Sea Blue People or not.
"So, 'Black Ferries, Skinny Rakes, Alto's Seated Merchants with Big Bellies' are all things of the past. Where do you still find seated merchants and traveling merchants today? They're all seated merchants, just earning hard money."
"Only you Sea Blue People can say that," Niccolo Polo smacked his lips and laughed, "We, the unfortunate ones squeezed to the south of the Jinding Mountains, still have to sell wherever we can reach."
"That's why your business profits are high," Mr. Leo laughed and complimented, deftly defusing the other's jab.
"Mr. Polo," a baritone suddenly interrupted.
Niccolo Polo turned to the voice, his gaze landing on the young officer sitting directly opposite him, with delicate features, a melancholic demeanor, and heavy dark circles under his eyes.
