One More Step

As they exited the grain store they heard people passing by and eating dumplings.

The girls looked around and saw a group of people selling the big dumplings to the never-ending crowd.

Kyra sighed as she looked at Anna's worried expression. "If they sell then we are just unlucky. Its not like this is the only place to buy it."

With her words, Anna's face eased and they stepped into a long line of people that are waiting.

Suddenly argument could be heard.

"Do you know who I am? I am the main maiden from the oldest daughter in Lin's family. She is hungry and wishes the eat dumplings. It should be your honor to let us buy here." An arrogant looking young woman stood in front of the elder that sold dumplings and disrespectfully yelled at him and pointed her finger at his face.

He calmly looked at her. "She can have it. But you need to step in line like everyone else."

"What do you mean? I just explained it to you." She seemed on the verge to explode.

He calmly pointed out. "Sigh. You passed by the servants of Lord Yang, her Highness Princess's main maid and right hand from Crown Prince. Sorry, but since is Lin's family so big-headed to pass them?"

The young woman paled and turned slowly around. Indeed, just now she realized that those servants really stood in line quietly and didn't move forward. She looked around and saw that actually everyone that waited had some connection to some manor.

Her face blushed and she went completely back. When she arrived at the back, she saw two little girls that she never saw before. "What manor do you serve?"

"We are no servants." Kyra looked at her in wonder.

"Then move back. You two foreigners should not even wait in such a line. Here is nothing for you." She stepped in line before them while everyone looked at them.

Kyra smiled. "Oh. So only because we are two little foreign girls we are forbidden to eat this food. I shall ask the owner is there a new law in this country."

She let Anna stay in line and calmly walked to the front. She got close to the old man bowed to him and then bowed to everyone behind respectfully.

"Please forgive my intrusion. We are foreigners and don't know the rules here, so could you please forgive us for ignorance. Is there Regna ally law that forbids foreigners to buy local food? Please let me know if it is so I can inform everyone. I don't want them to be in the same situation the two of us are now. $

When she finished she bowed and looked at them calmly. At first, the servants of different manors were ignoring the poison in that maid's words.

But this is a different situation. If the word comes out that foreigners are forbidden to eat local food, what impact would that give on their country?

They looked at the girl that respectfully and without arrogance stood there and waited for their answer.

The old man that sold dumplings coughed. " Little girl, there is no such law. That maid was just joking...

Kyra looked little conflicted and murmured through purses lips. "Why did she then say it? It's not like we are begging. We have money to buy it like everyone... "

She bowed again to everyone and went back to where Anna stood and just silently held her hand. They didn't make any disturbance or argument and just silently waited in line.

The servants from manors saw them being like this sighed in relief but glanced at servant from Lin's family with sarcasm.

But the young woman in her arrogance didn't even realize the gazes and just waited with an angry expression.

When was her turn she saw that there were just two dozen dumplings left?

She actually had ordered from her miss to buy just two dumplings, but she couldn't stand the two foreigner children behind her and orders all the dumplings that are left.

The old man gave glance behind her and saw how the girls looked at each other sadly.

"I didn't know that eldest Lady if Lin family cab eats so many. Good to know." With his words her mistress suddenly became glutton.

"These are gifts for us servants. It's our honor." She tried to save the situation.

"It seems Lin manor really became poor to the point to hive their servant's cheap dumplings instead red pockets. Here. Two dozen dumplings twelve coins."

She was so shocked by his statement that her hand shook as she took the money out. Her miss will beat her to death if this comes out, but how to save the face? She was just maid and if she gets with her masters on the bad side, she might just end up even dead.

She started shaking as she stared at the two girls with hatred. ''What are you looking at? There is no more, what are you waiting for?''

Kyra blinked at her with big eyes. ''Sorry, auntie, we were rude before to mention your manors stuff so we waited for the chance to ask for forgiveness. I hope your Lin manor wouldn't hold grudges against us little girls. Please forgive us.''

The two girls bowed in front of her as she speechlessly stood there as she couldn't even yell at them as many of those servants still watched. She slammed the money on the table, took the dumplings and huffing walked away as her mood became worse and worse.

The old man looked at the two little girls that stood there with a calm face and shook his head while mumbling into his beard. ''Acting like that and getting two little demons on your back, serves you right.''

He thought about something and stood up calling his son over. ''Is there still some flour left?''

His son nodded. ''There is. Shall we make more dumplings?''

The old man smiled at the girls. ''So how many did you want actually?''

Kyra and Anna saw his kind expression and smiled brightly. ''Uncle, we need ten. We will eat some now and later when we work we need to save time so we want some for later as well. Is it possible?''

He saw his son nodding so he agreed. ''Ten dumplings 5 coins.''

The girls paid the money and dumplings were really fast done. They took out package each one dumpling to eat right there.

All they could do is blow a bit of the heat away and nibble on the hot dumplings. But even that made their eyes stary. No wonder so many people from famous houses came to buy these here.

''Woah. The skin is soft and tasty, teh filling is delicious. Inside are some meat, onion, ginger and what else, salt, wait something else is inside...this is so tasty...''

As tehy exclaimed with happy faces many peopel started crowding around them. Seeing them eating deliciously even other foreigners wanted to try the dumplings so they came closer to order some.

It seems that girls satisfied expressions got them even more costumers as the second round of orders started falling. The old man looked around and just now noticed that the girls were long gone. ''These two small devils. Heheheh. Son, next time they come. Give them three for a coin.''

His family could see the situation back from start and were anxious for the girl's sakes but seeing them handling the matter well, they were happy.

Now giving them even a free advertis.e.m.e.nt, of course, they will get more dumplings for their money.

The girls actually happily at each one dumpling and slowly walked further.

Anna pinched Kyra's face and pulled her cheeks around. ''You are really daring to argue with that servant from Lin's family. What will we do if they come to retaliate?''

Kyra pouted bit as she grabbed Anna's cheeks as well. ''They would lose face if they go against us after our apology. Do you think they would like to get such a mark on their face of being unreasonable only because the two foreign children asked such a question? It is not us that attacked her, we just asked a question. Stop pinching my cheeks. They will turn blue if you overdo it.''

They let each other cheeks go and started laughing at their faces. Both of them had red cheeks.

''What shall we do now? Go get Chen and go home?'' Anna was starting to feel a little tired as she felt full of food.

Kyra learned this thing about this girl. As soon she eats too much, she becomes drowsy and want to sleep. But now is not the time and place so she pulled her to walk off the food.

''No we need to go to a clothing store and order some clothes and down blanket. Let's hope it's not too expensive.'' She saw one of such stores down teh street so she just walked there.

On their way they passed, the store Linxian told them about. She stopped for a moment there and asked about glass products, realizing that the glass jars were out of their league. One jar would be 10 silver stones. So they just ha dto shake their heads and almost run out.

When they were outside Anna shook her body. ''Those jars are really out of our league. Ugh, so expensive.''

Kyra silently looked at the store and smiled. ''I think it's worth it. We could go gather a bunch of those herbs. Wait I have an idea, let me ask her.''

She remembered something as they passed the store. ''Hello. We are back. May I ask you a question?''

The lady smiled at them. ''Sure. Ask.''

''You said that these herbs are acceptable. If we dry them and bing them dried, how much would you give then for them?'' Kyra was thinking about possibilities. If they dry the plants they can just get to the city cheaper and go right back after that.

Chen said he is always after midday free. That means after that he just goes back home.

If they dried the plants they could bring more and earn more money. Right?

''Smart girls. In that case, read the book on how to dry them. If they are the good quality I will pay you handsomely. I will never cheat. When you are done bring it to me and we shall talk.'' She felt lucky that these girls seem to understand a few things.

The girl's next destination was the clothes store. They were greeted by a girl a bit older than them.

''Hello. How may I help you?'' She smiled and showed small dimples in her cheeks.

Kyra saw her smile and smiled back. ''We want to order two sets of boy working clothes. Two sets of girl's clothes and one down blanket. Is it possible?''

''How big are the boys?'' The girls stood there with a little notebook in her hands as she waited for the answer.

''Our size?'' said Anna while she blinked at Kyra.

The girl didn't find that strange. Many family members would order clothes for those at home.

''The clothes will be done in a week as we have big order now. That is why no other is here accept me. How much down blanket?'' She asked as she looked ta them.

''Can we hear the price of the down blanket first. '' Asked Anna.

''Ther are three sizes. The small down blanket is 10 silver stones, the middle is 35 silver stones and the big one is 80 silver stones.'' She recounted and looked at ta two blank children.

Kyra sighed. ''Sorry. we didn't know the prices. It is pricey so when we have enough money we will come back for it. For now, let us just pay for clothes. ''

The girl calmly nodded. The blankets are pricey and most people choose to buy some cheap ones. These girls giving up order was nothing strange. ''Four sets of clothes are two silvers.''

Kyra opened her bag and gave her two silver stones. ''Ugm, where can we find shoes?''

''My uncle down teh street makes shoes in the different price ranges. Just tell them Xiaoqing sent you. He will give you some discount.'' She gave them the receipt and bowed lightly with a smile.

When they went out of the store the went down teh street again and found lot of people crowding around the shoe store.

But Kyra stopped her tracks as she saw the face of one of the costumers, the aggressive ''Auntie''.

They waited until that young woman was gone before entering. A young man in his thirties came to them and smiled. ''Need shoes?''

Kyra almost started rolling eyes. Duh, what else in the shoe store. But she still smiled sweetly.

''Xiaoqing sent us here. She told us hat you have good shoes so we want to see.''

He then gave them a bright smile. ''You know our Xiaoqing? Good. That girl needs friends, so serious for her age. Like an old aunt. Sigh. Well, tell me what kind of shoes do you want.''

Anna had no idea what was going on in Kyra's head so she stayed silent.

''We need two pairs of durable thick boots, one size bigger than our feet. we need two pairs of everyday shoes and two pairs of slippers. How much for everything?''

He took abacus and started counting. ''The shoes you asked should be probably durable and warm. The cost for two pairs of 20 silver stones. the normal shoes cost one silver each and the slippers we can give you for 20 coins pair.''

''Why are slippers so cheap?'' Anna wondered.

''Because they are made from leftover material.'' She got the answer back with a smile.

''As you know Xiaoqing I will do this way. The boots you can get for 15 coins, the shoes you can get two pairs for one silver stone and I will give you the slippers two pairs for 20 coins. Is that fine?''

Kyra shook her head. ''We will order the boots later on. Please remember the price. Give us then each one of us two pairs of shoes and two pairs of slippers.''

He agreed and they just gave him 2 silver stones and 40 bronze coins.

They still had some money left over and mulled what else do they really need. On their way back they saw butcher store but Kyra didn't want to get in. ''Anna. We need some vegetables. Meat is not so important at this moment. Let's buy some vegetables.''

She needed onion, garlic, carrots and such for daily meals until their garden doesn't give them the first food.

Anna nodded. They walked back to the main gate as the vegetables sold were mainly outside the gate. That was not bad as well. It's on their way anyway to horse station. But when they saw teh prices their head almost didn't explode.

One jin of carrots 20 bronze coins. One jin of onion was 30 bronze coins, garlic was per jin 50 bronze coins and greens hit them even worse. Why are greens so expensive.

The salad was per jin one silver stone, cabbage was 2 silver stone per jin and ginger and other seasonings were going crazy in prices.

Kyra looked at prices completely flabbergasted and shook her head. ''Whoah... Does this even make sense? Shoes are cheaper than cabbage?''

Her sentence was heard by an old woman that laughed. ''It is springtime. After a long winter where there is no fresh produce and everyone eats only pickled vegetables. so eating fresh ones would relief the stomach greatly.''

Anna nodded. ''When I live with my parents it was the same. Last winter we had only the vegetables that were priced. The fresh produce you couldn't eat anyway until late spring.''

Kyra shook her head. ''I understand. But teh prices are...ridiculous. Can any normal human buy this?''

The old woman smiled. ''If you want to live... Those with money will buy. These few silver stones for their health are worthy.''

Kyra was a bit in wonder. ''Well, why don't you just gather wild herbs and eat them. they are healthier in the first place?''

The old woman laughed. ''That means someone needs to go to those woods, gather teh greens, bring them here and sell them? Who with the right mind would do that if everyone works and most of the woods are clearly too far away to walk there?''

Anna looked at her confused. ''Just take a carriage and you can be there in the early morning and then come back soon after that.''

People surrounding them listened to their conversation. Even tho they live with foreigners for such a long time, still, most foreigners are not that open to them and don't talk to them this casually.

When they heard a question everyone started laughing. The old woman patted Kyras and Annas's cheeks.

''Oh children. The prices for such a long ride would cost us gray hair. To rent a carriage would cost us about 5 silver coins. That means we would spend time on such thing and then pay most of the earned money to the carriage driver. We would be left then with just one or two silver stones. ''

Kyra shook her head. ''Even with one or two silver stones, you can buy something that you need in the house. One bronze coin I bought two big dumplings. Look rice you can buy many jins, or flour or potatoes. It's good enough to buy such things and live good for a while. No shame in that... I don't understand...''

They laughed. ''We earn just by selling these vegetables for others 10 silver coins a day. Why would we take such an arduous way of earning money.''

Kyra sighed. ''In that case, I understand.'' Earning five times more money is understandably more profitable.

They bowed to them and got praises and smiles from all sides. In the end, they got the vegetable bit cheaper as they bargained with sweet smiles.

They found Chen sitting by his carriage while his horse ate some meal from the grass by the side.

It was just midday and he just came back. Seeing the two girls with fille hands coming back he quickly jumped from the carriage and rushed to take the full bags from their hands.

''You two. Didn't I say I will help you? Why did you have to carry all this stuff back here?''

He grumbled while taking all the packages from their hands. The girls started laughing.

''Uncle Chen. Please don't be angry. Actually, we need your help. Can you take us to the grain store as we still have some stuff left there? ''

He packed everything at the back of the carriage and then pulled carriage under girl's direction towards the store of their choice. Soon the [packages were on the carriage and they were about to leave when they heard loud ''Stop!'' behind them...