Chapter 767 --767

Chapter 767: Chapter-767

She had to admit, even though this was an ancient, technologically primitive era, the produce was spectacular. Without a drop of modern chemical fertilizers or pesticides, the radishes were massive and crisp, the leafy greens were vibrant, and the quality of the raw ingredients easily rivaled the premium organic aisles of her past lives.

As she browsed, her dark eyes swept over the vendors themselves.

It was a fascinating study in the brutal class divide of a matriarchal empire. Just as women in ancient, patriarchal histories had been forbidden from leaving their inner courtyards while poor women had no choice but to toil in the fields, the exact same rule applied to the men here. The delicate, high-born sons of noble matriarchs were locked away behind high estate walls, their faces hidden from the world. The men sitting on the footpaths selling cabbage and lotus roots were obviously from the lowest, poorest rungs of society, forced out into the public eye just to survive.

Yet, the strict societal rules of male modesty still held absolute sway. Even these impoverished street vendors were completely, impeccably covered. They wore thick, layered robes with high, tight collars that securely hid their collarbones. Sleeves were pulled down strictly to the wrists. Not a single inch of chest or shoulder was left exposed to the wandering eyes of the female laborers walking the street.

Honestly, it’s a good thing, Heena mused to herself, her eyes tracking down the row of vendors. The modest, tightly wrapped robes actually made them look incredibly elegant, even sitting in the dirt.

And there was one other undeniable, highly distracting fact about this bizarre dimension.

Every single man she looked at was beautiful.

It didn’t matter if they had mud smudged across their cheeks, or if their hands were calloused from pulling root vegetables out of the earth. The baseline genetics for males in this world were simply absurd. They had sharp jaws, long, sweeping eyelashes, and striking eyes. Heena found herself lingering in front of a stall selling bitter melons, not looking at the vegetables at all, but blatantly staring at the elegant, sharp-featured youth nervously arranging them.

"Host! Have some shame!"

The sudden, digital shriek echoed directly inside her skull. The System materialized mid-air, floating directly between Heena’s face and the handsome vendor, waving its golden paws frantically. "You are here to buy veggies, not harass the locals!"

Heena blinked, casually crossing her arms beneath her heavy black cloak. "I am not harassing anyone. I didn’t even open my mouth."

"You are eye-harassing them!" the System scolded, its pixelated face twisting in exasperation. "At least pretend to put your eyes on the eggplants! Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to stare at unmarried men in the lower district? If their protective mothers or hot-tempered wives see you ogling their boys like a starving wolf, they will literally chop you into pieces! You idiot!"

"Fine," Heena grumbled mentally, forcefully tearing her gaze away from the handsome street vendors. Perhaps the lingering effects of the fever were just making her delirious.

She stopped in front of a sprawling burlap mat piled high with vibrant, freshly harvested vegetables. The vendor, a middle-aged man with a towel wrapped around his neck, eagerly waved a hand over his produce.

"Yeah, yeah, welcome! What do you want, boss?" he asked, eyeing her heavy black cloak.

"How much are the eggplants?" Heena asked, pointing a pale finger at the glossy purple vegetables.

"Oh, these? Three coppers for one jin," the vendor replied smoothly.

Heena frowned. "Three coppers for one jin? And what about the tomatoes?"

"Two coppers for a jin."

"Are you trying to rob me?" Heena deadpanned, her dark eyes narrowing.

The vendor let out a dramatic, long-suffering sigh, gesturing broadly to the crowded street. "Come on, boss, you know how expensive it is living in the capital right now! The transport carts alone cost a fortune. I’m practically giving them away!"

"And what about the green beans?" she pressed.

"Also two coppers for a jin."

Herein lay a massive, deeply embarrassing problem for the Black Lotus. Even though she was a woman—and in this matriarchal empire, women were supposed to be the aggressive, hard-nosed providers—Heena possessed a fatal flaw that had plagued her since childhood in her past lives.

She was absolutely, undeniably terrible at bargaining.

She could extort a syndicate boss for two hundred silver taels without blinking, but haggling over loose change for produce felt like trying to read a foreign language backward.

"I will not give you that much," Heena declared, trying to channel her ruthless underworld persona into buying salad ingredients. "Listen here."

The vendor rolled his eyes, utterly unintimidated by her tone. "Fine, fine. Because you’re my first customer of the hour—three copper coins for one jin and an extra hundred grams of the eggplants. Final offer."

Heena stared at him blankly. Is that even a bargain? That was literally just throwing in half an eggplant for free.

When she didn’t immediately hand over the coins, the vendor clicked his tongue in clear disapproval. "Come on, you are a woman! The head of the household! Why are you haggling over a few copper scraps like a stingy courtyard servant? Just pay the price and eat well!"

Before Heena could snap back, a sudden, crisp breeze swept through the crowded market lane.

It carried a scent so sharp, bright, and exquisitely clean that Heena instantly froze. It was the unmistakable, mouth-watering fragrance of fresh citrus—like a perfectly ripened orange peeled right under her nose. For someone whose taste buds had been subjected to nothing but bitter bark tea and boiled rice for days, the smell hit her brain like a physical blow.

"Oh," the System whispered from her shoulder, instantly recognizing the scent. "Host... do not drool."

"So, because she is a woman, she isn’t allowed to bargain?" a melodious, silken voice drifted from right behind her.

Heena turned her head.

Standing right beside her was a man. He was tall, dressed in impeccably tailored robes of pale celadon-green silk that flowed elegantly despite the muddy market street. A wide-brimmed bamboo hat rested on his head, its perimeter draped in a sheer white veil that completely obscured his features. In his slender, unblemished hand, he lazily twirled a folding silk fan.

Judging strictly by the luxurious fabric and the veil, he looked exactly like a pampered, high-born young master from a wealthy noble estate.

But the words coming out of his mouth were anything but sheltered.

"Just because she is a woman, she has to let you fleece her in broad daylight?" the veiled man continued, stepping smoothly up to the vegetable mat. He snapped his silk fan shut and pointed the tip directly at the vendor’s baskets. "Listen carefully. I will give you exactly one copper for a jin of the beans. One and a half coppers for a jin of the tomatoes. And one and a half coppers for the eggplants. Pack them up."

The vendor’s jaw dropped. "Come on! Are you trying to rob me?! That is literally half price! I’ll starve!"

"You won’t starve," the veiled man shot back instantly, his melodious voice dripping with sharp, mathematical precision. "Your tomatoes have slight bruising near the stems, which means they’ve been sitting in the cart since yesterday morning. The beans are beginning to snap dry at the tips. If you don’t sell them to us for one and a half coppers right now, they will rot by sundown and you’ll make zero. Pack them."