Nu Yalang of Tang Dynasty

Early the next morning, the three fathers and sons of the Qu family drove a large cart, which also carried eight wooden barrels as high as half a person. They set out from Bachuan Villa and walked slowly toward Chang'an City.

Zhou Jun rode a horse and took Hua Yue with him, and rushed to Chang'an West City first.

Starting from Bachuan Villa, although the East Market was closer than the West Market, Zhou Jun had no choice but to sacrifice the near for the far.

Although the east and west markets are both part of Chang'an City, the products they sell are completely different.

The East Market is located near the three major palaces (Taiji Palace in the west, Daming Palace in the east, and Xingqing Palace in the south). Most of the people who live in the market are royalty, nobles and dignitaries. Therefore, "treasures from all directions are accumulated" in the market.

Most of them are luxury goods and high-end food and accommodation.

The West Market is close to ordinary people's homes, and both the dental market and the number of shops are much larger than those in the East Market.

At its peak in the mid-Tang Dynasty, the West Market included 220 businesses and more than 40,000 fixed shops, and was also known as the "Gold Market".

Arriving at the east gate of the West Market, Zhou Jun looked around. It would not be an exaggeration to describe the West Market as crowded.

This scene can even catch up with the train station at the peak of the Spring Festival in the previous life.

In desperation, Zhou Jun could only think about it, why not leave the horse in the market stable first, and then walk into the market with Hua Yue.

But when he arrived at the market stable, Zhou Jun asked and learned that there was no room in the stable for a long time.

After leading the horse around for a while, Zhou Jun came to the entrance of the farm and saw various mules and horses tied to the trees. There was a big man wearing a black half-armor (mandarin jacket) standing under the tree, watching from the side.

After walking over and asking, I found out that these people are so-called "horse watchers", who specialize in watching horses for those who can't find a stable.

After finally negotiating the price, he left the horse under the tree, and Zhou Jun walked into the Western Market with the painted moon.

As soon as the two of them entered the West Market, they were swept forward by the surging crowd.

Huayue was slender and walking behind Zhou Jun. If she didn't pay attention, she was almost swept away.

Seeing this, Zhou Jun couldn't help but hold Huayue's hand and asked her: "Are there so many people in the market in your hometown?"

Huayue said loudly: "Even in the central market of Medina, at its busiest time, it is impossible to have so many people! Is today a festival?"

Zhou Jun: "No, I'm also surprised. It's obviously an ordinary day, but where are there so many people?"

The two of them trudged forward in the crowd, inquiring about the location of Craftsman Street while approaching their destination.

Finally arriving at Jiangsuo Street in the South District of Xishi City, the number of people here was obviously much smaller. Zhou Jun and Hua Yue could finally rest for a while.

Hearing the tinkling sound of iron coming from his ears, Zhou Jun took a breath and walked forward with Hua Yue for a while, picked a blacksmith shop and walked in.

There is a dazzling array of iron utensils displayed in the store. In addition to the common spades, pots and pots, there are even swords for sale.

Standing at the entrance of the store, Zhou Jun looked towards the courtyard behind the hall and could vaguely see the oven and bellows, as well as the splashing fireworks.

The shop owner was an elderly man. When he saw Zhou Jun walking into the shop, he quickly came up to him and asked, "Little husband, what do you want to buy?"

Zhou Jun was still looking at the products in the store. Hua Yue first asked the old man: "Store, what day is it today? Why are there so many people in the West Market?"

The old man looked at the painted moon and said with a smile: "I'm afraid the little lady hasn't left home for some days."

"The singer Xu Hezi will enter the palace soon. Today is her last time to sing in the market. If she misses this time, it will be difficult to hear her in the future."

Painting the moon suddenly dawned.

Zhou Jun said from the side: "I want to buy something."

Old man: "I have everything in my store. If you can't see it, don't worry. I'll leave a sample and I'll give you some..."

Zhou Jun: "Someone wants to buy the slag left over from blacksmithing."

The old man was stunned for a moment after hearing this, then waved his hand and said: "Slag? Mr. Xiaolang, please don't be joking. Who would buy that thing if they have nothing to do?"

Zhou Jun: "It's really useful to buy it."

Seeing that Zhou Jun didn't seem to be joking, the old man took him and Huayue to the craftsman's shop at the back of the hall, pointed to the hill-like black waste piled in the corner, and said, "It's all here."

Huayue knelt down, took a look, and said to Zhou Jun, "No, it's not these."

Zhou Jun looked around and asked the old man: "May I ask the shopkeeper, what is the fuelwood used for blacksmithing in your shop?"

After hearing this question, the old man replied: "The fuel wood used for blacksmithing is naturally charcoal."

Zhou Jun and Hua Yue exchanged glances.

Zhou Jun asked the old man again: "Why not use coal?"

When the old man heard this, he shook his head and said with a smile: "This sign, little old man, is a brand name passed down from ancestors. How can you use charcoal wrought iron to fool the customers?"

Zhou Jun and Hua Yue felt strange after hearing this. How could they use coal to make iron and fool their guests?

Seeing that the two of them really didn't know, the old man explained: "Compared with charcoal, pebbles are cheaper, have a higher temperature, and last longer. According to common sense, it is indeed a good fuel material for blacksmithing."

"But the biggest disadvantage of coal-fired coal is that if it is used as fuel to calcine iron, the iron tools produced will be brittle and easy to break."

"It's just ordinary farm tools. If it's a container, or even a sword, and uses coal as fuel, if the buyer knows about it, the sign will be smashed."

Zhou Jun and Hua Yue were stunned when they heard this. They didn't expect that wrought iron firewood had so many particularities.

Huayue looked at Zhou Jun and asked, "What should I do?"

Before Zhou Jun could speak, the old man added: "If you two must want coal waste, there is a place for it."

Zhou Jun quickly turned around and asked, "Please ask the store owner for advice."

The old man said: "You should not take advice seriously. Walk a little further from here to the south entrance, and there is a blacksmith shop run by Silla people. The wood used there is exactly charcoal fuel wood."

Zhou Jun was overjoyed after hearing this, thanked the old man several times, took Hua Yue out of the shop, and headed straight for the Silla Blacksmith.

Compared with Xishi Middle Street, Nanfangkou is obviously much deserted.

Zhou Jun walked into the Silla Blacksmith Workshop mentioned by the old man and saw a bearded man sitting on a crescent moon stool repairing iron hoops.

When he noticed Zhou Jun walking into the store, the man didn't even raise his head and just said, "If you want to buy something, just ask."

Zhou Jun said: "Someone wants to buy the slag used for ironmaking in your shop."

The man was stunned, raised his head, looked at Zhou Jun with wide eyes and asked: "Why did you buy that thing?"

Zhou Jun: "Someone is useful."

The man looked at Zhou Jun for a while and then said: "They are all piled up in the backyard. If you want it, please go and get it."

Zhou Jun took Hua Yue to the backyard and saw the pile of slag in the corner.

Hua Yue found a branch, peeled away the sediment on it, and saw the whitish ash powder inside, and said excitedly: "Yes, this is it."

Zhou Jun breathed a sigh of relief, walked back to the store, and said to the Silla man: "I want those slags. The store will give me a price."

The man from Silla looked at Zhou Jun again with a look that looked like a weirdo, and said directly: "They are all useless scum. If you want, just take them all. If you take your money, you will be laughed at."

Zhou Jun heard this and said thank you.

After saying that, Zhou Jun took Huayue, went out from the south entrance of Shifang, and went back to the east entrance. After meeting up with the Qu family and his son, they rushed to the Silla Blacksmith Workshop together and moved all the slag into the car.

After everything was loaded into the truck, the Qu family and his son drove the big truck along the long street in the direction of Bachuan Villa.

Zhou Jun finally settled something on his mind. He took a long breath and asked Hua Yue: "Where do you want to go next?"

Huayue tilted her head and thought for a while, then turned to look at the middle street of the West Market and asked, "Why don't we go and listen to Xu Hezi's singing?"