After Ku Hulu revealed his identity credentials, those merchants immediately cast aside their so-called "upper-class" dignity. Their attitudes did a full one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn as they squeezed past the father and daughter, showering them with flattery and sweet words.
The goods produced on Tas Island were exquisite and cheap—but the island's rules were many.
Back when Tas Island had just begun to rise, some trade governors or princes from the Free Cities failed to grasp the situation and refused to follow the rules. After stirring up trouble several times, they were placed on Tas Island's "unfriendly list."
From that point on, whenever those merchant caravans passed through the Narrow Sea, they would be sunk by the Tas fleet patrolling the waters.
And when even the fleet of Braavos was forced north of the Narrow Sea by them, being placed on Tas's unfriendly list was essentially the same as being banned from the Narrow Sea entirely.
The only way Tas left these people any room to recover was for members of the Tayus Merchant Guild to step forward, plead on their behalf, and act as guarantors—only then was it possible to repair relations with Tas Island.
Ku Hulu and his daughter both understood why everyone was suddenly flattering them. Ku Hulu laughed heartily, waving his credentials in his right hand, looking as though he wished he could slap the proof right onto his own forehead.
After all, he was a merchant. Before long, he blended in seamlessly with the crowd of people who were "showing enthusiasm whether there was business or not," even arranging to go soak in the baths together on the commercial street later and have heart-to-heart talks with the guide ladies.
More friends meant more roads—Ku Hulu understood this principle deeply.
Still, he tugged at his now-bare feather cloak, a look of regret in his eyes. It was as if most of the feathers had been rubbed off while squeezing through the crowd at the "station" to get onto the carriage.
Then, after being jostled again by everyone inside the carriage, the feather cloak had completely turned into a northern barbarian's fur cloak.
"Father, once we become probationary members, all the goods we purchase this time will get a ten-percent discount!"
His daughter, Koujia Mo, sat beside him, grinning so widely her white teeth were fully on display.
"Buying white liquor and Tas fruit wine is very cost-effective. Paper and porcelain are also very popular in the Yi Lands and Old Town. Which ones should we buy?"
"Tas anti-inflammatory medicine," Ku Hulu replied without hesitation. "After we finish stocking up, we'll head back to High Tree Town first."
Tas's anti-inflammatory medicine was a regulated, limited-supply product, sold only in quantities sufficient for ship crews traveling through. It was considered a benefit Tas Island offered to sea merchants, and only probationary members of the Tas Merchant Guild were qualified to purchase it in large amounts.
And High Tree Town, located in the tropical Summer Isles, needed this medicine far more than other places!
Tas Island's wine, salt, sugar, and paper were cheap and good, but sea merchants could still find substitutes in other city-states.
It was these so-called "fist products"—unique items like Tas-exclusive medicine and glassware—that truly attracted sea merchants to Tas Island.
"And while we're at it, we'll help bring back the new ship entrusted to us by Chairman Kennedy."
"Mr. Ku Hulu, I heard some news—apparently the secret of Milnu firing three crossbow bolts at once has been stolen."
"I'm from the North. The sea monster on the Fingers Peninsula is real—I saw it with my own eyes! Four huge tentacles, like iron chains, dragged a longship straight into the sea!"
"When I passed through Roras, I found it blockaded by the Tas fleet! Gentlemen, take other routes!"
"Which fleet was it? Is the captain easy to talk to?"
"..."
Sea merchants traveled all over the world. When they finally had rare chances like this to gather together, they would always exchange bits of intelligence and news.
Outside the carriage curtains, the driver perked his ears like a rabbit and exchanged smiles with the guide beside him.
Both of them were delighted—every day, as long as the information they heard was reported upward, there would be another bit of extra income waiting for them.
The carriage carrying Tai Chu and the others took the special lane and soon arrived at the small plain where the Free Commercial Street was located.
The moment Tai Chu stepped down from the carriage, he saw rows of two-story concrete brick buildings lining both sides of the street. In the middle, the crowd was packed shoulder to shoulder, so dense that carriages couldn't move forward at all.
It wasn't that the road was too narrow—it was simply that there were far too many merchants coming and going. The street was crowded and noisy, unsuitable for carriages to enter for fear of startling the horses.
"Mr. Tai Chu,
Let's go. The bank is at the end of the commercial street—that four-story building over there. Next to it is the Tas Merchant Guild..."
The young city hall tax officer once again squeezed out the bank clerk and enthusiastically began introducing things.
But Tai Chu's attention wasn't on him at all. The moment he got off the carriage, his gaze was drawn to a large square announcement board at the front of the street.
"Fairness! Justice! Uh… Freedom?"
The large red characters painted on the board caught his eye, making Tai Chu mutter inwardly. Was Tas Island planning to emancipate slaves now?
The entire Tas Island was full of rules and restrictions. Even going to the toilet required designated locations, and you couldn't casually screw women or beat people!
Not free at all—absolutely not free!
"This is the announcement board of the Tas Daily, Mr. Tai Chu," the bank clerk said with a smile. "Look, the front page even reports on your visit to the bank for negotiations today."
Sure enough, Tai Chu followed the direction she pointed.
"Tas Bank to Cooperate with the Iron Bank"
A concise, straightforward headline entered his sight. Below it, smaller text detailed the projects the bank and the Iron Bank were expected to cooperate on, as well as future prospects and so on.
Even more thoughtfully, each article was written in both the common Westerosi tongue and High Valyrian.
Tai Chu praised again,"Indeed—very fair, very just!"
He saw an article describing how a Braavosi merchant, due to a pricing error with goods at the docks, had appealed and successfully reclaimed the profits he deserved from Tas Island.
That merchant happened to be someone he knew. It seemed the reports were indeed factual.
As for "freedom," he skimmed past it at a glance. In his view, Tas Island was the last place that should be advocating freedom.
"But what does 'external edition' mean?" he asked, turning his head to look at the clerk.
His eyesight was sharp. Others might not notice the significance of the two small words in the top-right corner, but he was different.
"Could it be…?"
"That's right. We also have an internal daily edition for Tas citizens," the clerk said with a smile. "It contains policy explanations issued by our Lord Morning Light..."
"And Morning Light Commercial Street is also a commercial street exclusive to our citizens. Prices there are at least half of what they are here..."
Seeing the clerk go on and on, Keda's eyes sharpened, and he cut in firmly, leaving no room for refusal.
"Mr. Tai Chu, Mr. Lundin has already been waiting for us all morning. Don't you think we should be going now?"
The clerk immediately realized her mistake. Her face turned pale with a whoosh, and she fell silent at once.
"No rush. It's my first time on Tas Island—I'd like to trouble the tax officer to show me around."
Tai Chu waved his hand with interest. This tax officer seemed enthusiastic on the surface, but in truth was blocking him at every turn from probing deeper into the details of Tas Island.
Yet even the strength and style that Tas Island openly displayed were enough to leave him both shocked and covetous.
"Of course, if the tax officer could arrange for me to meet Lord Dusk Star of Tas, that would be even better."
"You flatter me, Mr. Tai Chu," Keda said with a pained expression, shaking his head. "I'm just a small tax officer—how could I possibly meet Lord Dusk Star?"
His friend Karen had run to the tax department early in the morning to call the tax minister, Mr. Jess, his sworn brother. Wasn't this just bullying an honest man?
He had finally learned from the dock dispatch center that Tai Chu's ship would dock today, and had come specifically to keep an eye on him and earn some merit. Who would have thought he'd run into such a talkative clerk?
"Keda, you're joking," Tai Chu said with a laugh. "In Braavos, someone has seen you accompany Tas's Morning Light, Galedun, on a visit to the Sanctuary priests."
"Th-This—!"
"Hahaha! Yilin, Officer Keda—this must be Mr. Tai Chu, the representative of the Iron Bank!"
Just as Keda was about to explain, a hearty laugh came from behind them.
The three turned around to look and saw a middle-aged man with refined features and very formal attire striding toward them.
"Mr. Tai Chu, this is our bank's president, Mr. Lundin," the clerk Yilin said.
She had barely finished speaking when Lundin, visibly excited, rushed up and tightly grasped Tai Chu's hand, shaking it vigorously.
"Mr. Tai Chu of the Iron Bank! I've admired you for a long time! Our colleagues have been waiting for you—let's go quickly!"
Tai Chu was completely bewildered by the man's sudden enthusiasm. All he could do was follow the strong pull on his hand as he was dragged toward the end of the street.
...
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" Game of Thrones: From the Elden Lord to the Young Wolf"
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(End Chapter)