CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The city of Quanchang in small, but only if looked at solely from above ground. If the underground portions are taken into account, then the overall size is about equal to the imperial capital. Mines litter the sides of the two mountains bordering Quanchang, and many people make their homes inside rented sections of tunnel. If an outside, with any knowledge of Quanchang, look in, they’d say it resembles a prison more than a city.

At the gates of the city, Li Feng and Lam Bai’s wagon is stopped. A guard takes the identification cards from them and the driver, then investigates them. After concluding they’re real, the guard gives the cards back, and the wagon starts to move again. Once inside the gate, Li Feng and Lam Bai get off. Lam Bai pays and carries the luggage, looking for a place to stay the night.

“We need to find a hotel or inn first,” Lam Bai tells Li Feng as they walk through the crowded streets. People constantly bump into Lam Bai, half of them pickpockets, but the luggage is firmly secured and the key to the strongbox hidden. All attempts to free Lam Bai of her possessions are futile.

“I want somewhere above ground,” Li Feng says, looking around like Lam Bai is.

“It’s more expensive, but if that’s what you want,” Lam Bai complies, and continues to look for a suitable place to stay. Eventually, Lam Bai sees the sign for a hotel on the other side of the street. Unlike in Shijiang, because Quanchang is so small, there are no carts or rickshaws in the streets, just people.

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Li Feng and Lam Bai cross the street and enter the hotel. There is a sign at the entrance pointing left and right, the left side for patrons to the underground hotel, and the right side for those who want the aboveground hotel. Li Feng and Lam Bai turn right, and greet a woman sitting behind a counter.

“Hello, one room with two beds, please,” Lam Bai says, taking her identification card from her pocket. Seeing this, Li Feng takes out his card, too.

“It’ll be two hundred coins per night,” The woman says, looking from Li Feng to Lam Bai.

“Two hundred?” Lam Bai asks, upset at the price. “We need to stay a few days, but we don’t have that many coins. Can you do one hundred?”

“Surely you didn’t come looking for an aboveground hotel with only a hundred coin budget?” The desk woman asks. “I can do 175 coins per night, but that’s it.”

“If we leave a day or two early, the best we can do is 150 coins a night,” Lam Bai says, and places her hand on Li Feng’s shoulder. Understanding the ruse, Li Feng pretends to be worried.

“Alright, 150 coins a night,” The desk woman says, and takes a key from under the desk. With it in her hand, she asks, “How many nights will you be staying?”

“We’ll be staying for six days,” Lam Bai says and takes the coins from an inner pocket of her clothes to pay for the room. Nine hundred coins poorer and with the room key in her hand, Lam Bai walks with Li Feng to their room on the second floor.