It was afternoon in a courtyard at the end of an alley on West Street in the Outer City.
When three camel carts, fully laden with goods, stopped at the courtyard gate, the entire alley was in an uproar.
"Is that… grain?!"
"Heavens, and cloth! Three whole carts!"
"Did Lord Li strike it rich?!"
The crowd of onlookers squeezed together at the alley's entrance, pointing and whispering, their eyes filled with envy and greed.
But when they saw the Chixia Business Alliance Guards in their Crimson Leather Armor jumping down from the carts, those greedy gazes immediately retracted.
No one dared to cross the Business Alliance.
Ian stood at the courtyard gate, watching as the Guards carried sack after sack of grain, bolt after bolt of cloth, and entire crates of wound medicine and tools into the courtyard.
Li Yao and a dozen or so youths helped nearby, their faces flushed red with excitement.
