Chapter 557: Naturally, It’s Up to Lady Calico

The earth-toned stone buildings looked as if they had been covered in a thick layer of windblown sand. Yet, intricate decorative patterns adorned their surfaces.

Rows of windows lined the structures, and most window sills held potted plants—some lush and overgrown, with vines spilling over arched doorways or trailing all the way down to the ground. Some plants were in full bloom in this season, while others, neglected, were on the brink of wilting.

At the city gate, musicians played lively tunes, their instruments and melodies vastly different from those of the Great Yan dynasty. The music carried a strange yet fascinating quality.

People—men and women, elders with graying beards, and even young children—danced freely to the rhythm. When tired, they would step aside to rest, while new dancers eagerly joined in.

There were no veiled Western Region dancers draped in nothing but a few strands of silk, as Song You had once imagined. Instead, the dancing was casual, unrestrained, and spontaneous.

No one tossed coins to the performers, confirming that this was not some professional act but a natural form of entertainment, an expression of the local culture. Precisely because of that, it gave off a different kind of natural, effortless vibe.

This was Song You’s first striking impression of Jade City.

He lingered for a while, taking in the scene before shifting his gaze to the bustling street behind him.

The streets of Jade City were not particularly wide—comparable to those of some prefectural and county capitals in Great Yan but nowhere near the grandeur of Changjing’s vast avenues. Certainly, it was a far cry from the majestic heavenly streets[1], which spanned dozens of zhang in width, cutting through Changjing.

Due to poor urban planning, storefronts encroached upon the already narrow streets. Merchants led camels through the crowded passageways, their towering figures adding to the congestion. The result was a tight, bustling atmosphere.

Across the street, a young girl stood negotiating a purchase.

Compared to the towering camels and the constant stream of traders, the little girl appeared incredibly small. Her delicate Eastern features and doll-like beauty made her stand out in the Western Region.

The scent of grilled meat wafted through the air.

“Two skewers of grilled lamb!”

“Grilled lamb!”

“Grilled! Lamb!”

“That one! The one on the wooden skewer!”

“Two!”

“Two! Skewers!”

“How much?”

“How! Much?”

The street vendor, unable to understand the girl’s words, stared at her in confusion.

The girl, dead serious, continued to repeat herself, slowing her speech as if she believed that enunciating each syllable would somehow bridge the language gap.

The vendor’s expression grew increasingly bewildered, while the girl’s expression grew increasingly stern.

Fortunately, gestures were universal, and both she and the vendor had infinite patience.

Since Great Yan currency was widely accepted and served as the primary trade currency in the Western Regions, the transaction went smoothly.

Moments later...

The young girl and the Daoist sat side by side on a long stone bench at the edge of the street, just wide enough for the two of them to squeeze in.

Each held a large skewer of grilled lamb, threaded onto red willow branches.

“The people here don’t understand what we’re saying.” The young girl spoke as she chewed on her skewer of grilled meat.

“They have their own language.”

“Everyone should just speak one language—the one I can understand.”

“Maybe one day, that will be the case.”

The girl fell silent, stripping chunks of meat off the skewer with her teeth.

The lamb was freshly cut, grilled directly on wooden sticks, seasoned simply with spices and salt—both delicious and affordable.

As she ate, Lady Calico didn’t forget about Yan An. She plucked a small piece of meat from the skewer and fed it to the bird.

Once Yan An finished eating, she reached for another chunk, holding it out toward the horse—only to stop midway, realizing something. She retracted her hand, stuffed the meat back into her own mouth, and muttered, “Oh, wait. You can’t eat this. This is lamb. Lamb is just a baby horse.”

“Lamb is lamb. Horse is horse.” Song You corrected her from the side. “Lady Calico, don’t mix them up.”

“I know that. I was just fooling the horse.”

“The horse is standing right here, listening.”

“Oh...”

The girl turned to glance at the horse, but her chewing never paused.

They sat by the street, eating skewers of lamb while watching the bustling crowd of merchants and travelers pass by. Across from them, dancers continued their spontaneous performance, spinning and swaying to the music.

Though they had arrived in a completely foreign place, where even the language was unfamiliar, Lady Calico showed no discomfort.

To her, this was no different from any roadside stop along their journey—just another county, city, or town they had passed through over the years. She wasn’t worried about where they would sleep that night, nor was she rushing to the next destination.

She simply observed the world with a calm heart.

And when the heart was calm, one could see things differently.

The resonance of the Western Regions revealed itself through every detail—the floating melodies, the twirling figures of men, women, and children, the aroma of grilled lamb, the pointed-toe shoes of passing travelers, the intricate patterns fluttering on their robes, the heavier body scents of the locals, the chaotic yet lively streets, and even the earth-colored slender cats that prowled by the streets.

“

Smack smack smack

...”

Lady Calico finally finished her skewer, leaving only the wooden stick in her hand. She smacked her lips, savoring the aftertaste, while staring intently at the stick.

“Why do they always use these sticks to skewer the meat? They do this in Changjing too.”

“Because red willow trees grow everywhere around here, so t’s convenient to use them.” Song You explained as he ate his last bite. “And roasting meat on red willow sticks adds a subtle fragrance. The street vendors in Changjing’s western market copied this method to create an ‘exotic’ appeal.”

“Fragrance?”

Lady Calico squinted at the stick, sniffed it twice, and thought back. She had indeed tasted a faint hint of woodsy aroma in the meat.

“

Swish

...”

Song You casually tossed his stick away and stood up, ready to leave.

“...!”

Without hesitation, the young girl darted forward and caught the wooden stick before it even hit the ground.

“What are you doing, Lady Calico...?”

“Keep it! Don’t throw it away!”

“What for?”

“The sticks are still good, they aren't completely burned yet. I can use them for roasting tonight!” Holding both wooden sticks, Lady Calico glanced upward, casually plucked two leaves from the tree overhead, and carefully wiped clean the charred remnants on her willow branch and the leftover bits of meat on Song You's branch. “I want to try tasting that fresh flavor too!”

“...”

Song You had assumed she was being considerate and keeping the streets clean. He'd clearly overestimated her.

Shaking his head slightly, Song You stepped forward into the bustling crowd. The jujube-red horse and the girl hurried to keep pace.

“Where are we going?”

“To find somewhere to stay.”

“How? People here don’t understand our language. I almost failed just trying to buy some mutton.”

“You need to be more observant.”

“I’m very observant!”

“Then please observe carefully and think even more carefully.”

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

“I’m very careful!”

“Though we’re in the Western Regions, the Jadeite Kingdom, this land still belongs to Great Yan.” Song You explained patiently, turning his head to look at her as they walked. “Since you claim to be very observant, did you notice? Many merchants passing by on the road are from Great Yan.”

“Hmm!” Apparently, Lady Calico had not noticed.

“It seems you’ve already noticed,” Song You smiled faintly. “Then, Lady Calico, consider carefully—where do you think those merchants stay at night?”

“Oh, I know!”

“Lady Calico, you truly are observant.”

“We can just follow them! Wherever they're staying, the shopkeepers must speak our language. Even if they don't, these merchants can speak on our behalf!”

“You’re not only observant but also very clever.”

“This person looks like someone from Great Yan!”

Holding the red willow branch, Lady Calico lifted her head, staring at several merchants walking ahead of them.

“Yes,” Song You confirmed.

These people—whether in appearance or attire—were clearly from Great Yan. When they heard what Lady Calico said, they even turned their heads to look at the group of Daoist and companions. However, they seemed to have only just arrived in Jade City and still maintained the habit of staying silent during their trade journeys. Though their faces showed some confusion, they didn’t speak up.

“We’ll follow them!” Lady Calico took the lead and stepped forward to follow.

“I’ll follow you, Lady Calico,” Song You said respectfully, trailing behind her.

The group of merchants kept glancing back at them.

Fortunately, the combination of the Daoist and the young girl gave off a naturally approachable feeling, unlikely to be seen as threatening. And being so far west, with the girl speaking in Great Yan dialect, what the merchants showed in their eyes was mostly curiosity—as if it were rare to see someone dressed in Daoist robes around here.

At last, someone couldn’t hold back and asked, “Where are you headed?”

His accent showed that he clearly came from around Changjing, and his words were addressed to the Daoist.

But upon hearing the question, the Daoist simply smiled faintly and then turned his gaze to the young girl.

The group of merchants was momentarily stunned. It was as if the one making decisions was this young girl.

Even Lady Calico herself froze for a second. She turned to look at the group of merchants, then looked back at her own Daoist.

Caught between both sets of eyes, she paused for a moment before explaining, “We just arrived here, and the locals can’t understand what we’re saying, nor can we understand them. We don’t know where to stay. When we saw that you’re Great Yan people, we figured you must be looking for a place to stay too, so we decided to follow you. This way, we’re sure to find somewhere to lodge.”

The merchant smiled at that but still remained sparing with words.

Though Jade City was the largest city in the Western Regions, it wasn’t all that big—certainly no match for Yidu, Yangdu, or Changjing. The group followed the merchants as they crossed the city, and soon they reached their destination.

It was a carriage and horse inn on the western edge of Jade City.

Still built in the local Jade City style, the structure was made of earth-toned stone, but it had a spacious courtyard in front. Within the yard stood grape trellises with healthy, nearly ripened grapes. Behind the inn, near the Jade City river, there was a large open area where carts and horses could be parked, and there were special warehouses for merchants to store their goods.

This inn was specifically built for traveling merchants.

The innkeeper was a stout and burly man from the Western Regions. His accent was much like the Westerners Song You had encountered in the western market or teahouses of Changjing—straightforward and hearty, with a fondness for physical gestures when talking.

Song You quietly followed behind the group of merchants, watching as they conversed with the innkeeper about renting rooms. It was evident they had met before. Once they were settled, he quickly approached the innkeeper.

“Do you have any rooms available?”

“You are...?”

The innkeeper scrutinized him carefully upon hearing his question, his gaze lingering particularly on the bulging baggage strapped to the horse behind him, as well as on the young girl by his side. “Are you here to do business as well?”

“We’re traveling and sightseeing, just looking for a place to stay.”

“We only offer lodging to merchants.”

“Why’s that?”

Song You couldn't help feeling somewhat puzzled.

Just then, one of the merchants from Great Yan, who had started walking down the hallway, paused and turned around. “This Daoist here is from Great Yan—he's a true master cultivator with genuine magical powers. Don’t be picky; let him stay here for a few days, and maybe you’ll receive blessings from the gods for your business.”

After hearing this, the innkeeper hesitated briefly but eventually nodded.

He arranged a room at the far end for Song You. Though inconvenient for merchants, it was perfectly quiet for a Daoist. The price was the same as the merchants’, excluding storage fees, making it much cheaper than Song You and Lady Calico had anticipated.

However, since the inn mainly catered to short-term stays, the innkeeper agreed only to let Song You remain for five days at most.

After leaving his horse in the back courtyard and reassuring the innkeeper it wouldn’t run away or harm anyone, he arranged for daily fodder, grabbed his bags, and headed to his room.

The room was very spacious yet sparse, containing only a bed and a low, long wooden table with a rug next to it for seating. Besides that, it was empty. The building was made of stone, with windows positioned high, creating a somewhat cold and desolate atmosphere. It felt colder in there than in wooden buildings.

Song You thus settled in.

When he went out for an evening stroll, he encountered the same group of merchants again.

The merchant who had spoken up for him earlier was surnamed Xie. After conversing with him, Song You learned that this inn specifically served traveling merchants, with trades often conducted directly within its walls.

“Though Great Yan currency, gold, and silver are used here, we usually don't exchange goods for coins since coins can't easily be brought back. Plus, we'd need to buy spices. It’s too troublesome. Instead, we bring silk and porcelain here. Once we arrive, local merchants approach us to trade spices or other exotic items. When we return east with those items, that’s when we earn our profits.”

Merchant Xie paused briefly before continuing, “Have you noticed? Staying here is much cheaper than elsewhere. Every time foreign merchants successfully trade here, they pay a portion to the innkeeper. That’s why he tries every possible method to attract more merchants from Great Yan.”

“I see.”

After listening, Song You respectfully bowed. “You first spoke up for us, and now you’ve answered our questions and enlightened us with your insights. We truly owe you our thanks.”

“You’re being too polite, Daoist Master,” replied Merchant Xie.

After settling in comfortably, the merchants had washed their faces and refreshed themselves with water, seemingly becoming much more talkative.

Song You joined them, strolling leisurely beneath the grapevine trellises in the courtyard. They chatted about various happenings in the Western Regions and Jade City, discussing improvements in drought conditions around Shazhou and the area bordering the Western Regions, the mysterious appearance of a Drip Spring beneath Mount Huayan, and strange events around Jade City.

“Sir, it's already late. The Western Regions aren't like Changjing; there's a curfew here, and strange things tend to happen at night. It's best to sleep securely in your room, so we should return to our own quarters.”

“What sort of strange things?”

“There are too many to mention. Some stories are similar to the ghostly tales we have back home, while others are even stranger. But as long as you remain in your room and keep doors and windows tightly shut, you'll be fine. Just don't open the door if you hear noises at night.” Merchant Xie paused for a moment, then cracked a grin. “Of course, if you truly have skills, sir, you can ignore my advice.”

“Thank you again, Mr. Xie.”

“Please.”

“After you.”

Slowly, they both returned to their respective rooms.

1. The heavenly streets refer to the streets in the capital. ☜