When the peddler carried his load and lined up to exit the city gates, the soldiers guarding the city already recognized him. They lifted the bamboo basket for a brief look, confirmed there were no prohibited items, and waved him through.
The peddler beamed, bent over, and bowed in gratitude, then walked out briskly.
To the right outside the city, two teams lined up for inspection had previously bought buns from him. The two managers glanced at each other and couldn't help but smile.
They noticed a teenage boy carrying a barrel of soup following the peddler out, heading straight for the crowd. He was selling hot soup, one cent per bowl, obviously homemade and being sold.
The masters of the two managers were merchants who sought connections to come due to rumors of Mrs. Wang arriving in Luoyang. On the way, everyone was apprehensive, unsure of what Luoyang would be like.
