coobybook Chapter 415 Buying a Carriage
Chapter 415 Buying a Carriage
When they arrived at the city, the city guards saw from afar a large group of people slowly approaching in an ox cart surrounded by a dense crowd.
Seven or eight women sat on the cart, chattering non-stop. The woman sitting in the middle of the front oxcart was dressed in a dark green brocade, the material evidently of high quality, embroidered with exquisite patterns. Combined with the pearls and jade on her head, she looked elegant and regal, a stark contrast to the other women in the cart, who were dressed in plain, even shabby, clothes.
The oxcart slowly stopped at the city gate. Not many people were entering the city at this time, and it seemed a bit deserted. Wang Dali hurried forward, carefully pulled out a piece of silver from his bosom, and handed it over. With a flattering smile on his face, he said, "Sir, this piece of silver was given by our wife. Look at our group of people. Is this enough?"
The officer was stunned for a moment, then reacted and said quickly: "That's enough, that's enough, but we don't have enough copper coins to make up for it."
"No need for change. The extra money is just a treat for tea for the officials." Xiuying sat on the ox cart, nodded slightly, and looked calmly at the officers and soldiers guarding the city gate.
"Thank you ma'am!"
"Thank you ma'am!"
The soldiers guarding the city gates were delighted and respectfully thanked Xiuying. Their eyes were filled with gratitude; it had been ages since they had received a reward. Even the wives of the wealthy families in the city had become increasingly stingy since the famine began. They had never expected this woman from the countryside to be so generous in such difficult circumstances.
The officers and soldiers guarding the city gate secretly memorized Xiuying's appearance and thought to themselves that if they saw this kind and generous lady again in the future, they would be more respectful and polite.
After entering the city, Wang Dali parked the ox cart and he and Xiuying went straight to the carriage shop to choose a suitable carriage. The other villagers went to the livestock market together and agreed to meet at the city gate in an hour.
The Horse and Carriage Shop is located on West Street in the city's capital. The street is lined with shops and is bustling with people. Not only can you buy a horse-drawn carriage here, you can also rent one, catering to different needs.
Various types of carriages used by wealthy families are displayed here. In addition to carriages, there are also separate carriages for sale, with various styles for people to choose from.
As soon as Xiuying and Wang Dali walked into the carriage and horse agency, the errand boys from the major carriage agencies immediately looked Xiuying up and down with their discerning eyes.
She was wearing fine brocade, embroidered with delicate patterns and vibrant yet elegant colors. The hairpin she wore was made of silver, exquisitely crafted, and looked worth a considerable amount of silver. She was accompanied by servants, suggesting she came from a wealthy family. Seeing this, the errand boys hurried over with smiles on their faces.
"Madam, do you want to rent a car?" an errand boy came forward and asked with a flattering look on his face.
"Madam, the carriages in our company are luxurious and affordable." Another errand boy was also eagerly promoting his own carriages.
Wang Dali saw these people rushing over and quickly stepped forward to block Xiuying, shouting, "What are you doing? Stay away from my wife."
Seeing Wang Dali's ferocious face, everyone's heart couldn't help but skip a beat. They quickly took a step back, keeping a comfortable distance from Xiuying, and didn't dare to get any closer.
Xiuying smiled faintly, "I'm here to buy a carriage. I wonder where I can buy a separate carriage?"
"I have one at home." A runner quickly answered, his eyes full of anticipation.
"Madam, we have a complete range of carriages with various styles for you to choose from." Another errand boy also said hurriedly.
"Ma'am, my carriages are cheap and I guarantee you'll find it's great value for money." Another errand boy was unwilling to be left behind.
Xiuying pursed her lips and thought to herself: It seems that the business of these car dealerships has also been affected by the overall environment, otherwise these errand runners would not be so anxious.
Thinking of this, she became calm and leisurely, strolling around the carriage shop at a leisurely pace. Finally, her eyes were attracted by a carriage made of mahogany. The carriage was of high quality and had exquisite carvings on it, which was just right for a girl's gentleness.
She took Wang Dali inside. The car dealership was not big, but it was tidy.
As soon as the boss saw them come in, he immediately came over with a big smile on his face. "Ma'am, you have a very good eye. Our business has been here the longest. The carriages we make here are made of top-quality materials and are meticulously crafted. They are both sturdy and durable. No matter how long we use them, they look like new."
"How much are those two mahogany carriages?" Xiuying raised her hand slightly and pointed to the carriage she liked.
The boss had been smiling since Xiuying came in, as if the smile was welded on his face. Now he was still smiling at Xiuying, but behind that smile, he was quickly calculating in his mind.
This woman came to buy a carriage, but she had no horse and no sedan chair. Perhaps she was just checking out the market. In the past, when business was booming, I would have been too lazy to deal with people who were just looking around and had no real intention of buying.
But now it’s different. Business is slow and I just want to make this deal happen. After all, not many people have spare money to buy a car now.
"Madam, the carriage you're interested in is one of our top-quality goods. It's engraved with gorgeous peony patterns, which represent wealth and good fortune. What a beautiful meaning!"
In the past, a beautiful carriage like this would have cost 100 taels of silver, but now, during this special period, it's only 80 taels. You're really lucky! You can get it for only taels of silver."
As the boss spoke, he blinked his eyes, staring at Xiuying like a fox, as if he had seen prey in his mouth.
Xiuying walked slowly towards the carriage. She stretched out her slender fingers and gently touched the carriage, which was already covered with a thin layer of dust. She said lightly, "Fifty taels."
Hearing Xiuying's counteroffer, the boss's eyes almost popped out of his head, his mouth opened wide, and he exclaimed, "What? Fifty taels!"
"You want to buy this rosewood for fifty taels?" the boss said, while stretching out five fingers in front of Xiuying.
"Yes." Xiuying looked at the boss calmly, her eyes were calm, and there seemed to be an indifferent look in her eyes, as if it didn't matter to her whether she bought the carriage or not.
The boss frowned tightly, his facial muscles trembling slightly. After hesitating for a long time, he gritted his teeth and said fiercely, "Sell it to you."
This woman turned out to be just as he thought, not coming here with sincerity to buy things. Fortunately, he had enough money. Humph, she must be regretting it now and thinking about how to get out of this situation.