The Mystic Spice Returns

The mysterious seller of exotic spices remained out of sight, and the public's curiosity and longing for these mystic spices reached a fever pitch.

No one could have guessed that a dozen inconspicuous cargo boats were quietly making their way along various waterways, all headed for the Capital.

Of the dozen or so ships, many were loaded down with mysterious spices—each vessel carrying hundreds of tons!

On this clear, sunny day, Lily Evans dressed in plain clothes and made a special trip to the port, bringing Mark Hunter, Cynthia Wu, Bella Bell, and her subordinates along.

Cynthia Wu, holding Lily Evans's arm, gazed curiously at the dozen cargo boats docked nearby and asked, "Are all these boats ours?"

Lily Evans nodded with a smile, "That's right, they're all ours. To avoid drawing attention, I had the goods split up and loaded onto these smaller boats. It's much more discreet this way."

Cynthia Wu nodded, praising, "Lily, you really are steady, meticulous, and thorough."

"Come on, let's board and have a look." Lily Evans took Cynthia Wu's arm, Mark Hunter followed behind, and Bella Bell trailed after them. The four boarded one of the boats, and as soon as they entered the cabin, a warm, enthusiastic voice called out, "Oh, my lady! Long time no see! I'm back, mission accomplished!"

Edward had already changed into Jin Dynasty attire, making himself look less conspicuous.

"You’ve worked hard, Edward. Now, show us what treasures you’ve brought back!" Lily Evans said with a bright, expectant smile.

Edward led them to the cargo hold and, as soon as he opened the door, the rich aroma of exotic spices wafted out. The hold was packed full of containers, all brimming with mystic spices.

Lily Evans opened one of the containers and found that the spices inside were of exceptional quality—the very best.

Edward, brimming with pride, patted the spice containers as if presenting treasure. "My lady, I’ve been in the spice trade for years—my eye for quality is razor-sharp. No one could ever fool me with inferior goods! Everything I brought back this time is the finest of the finest."

Lily Evans asked, "How did the silk, tea, and porcelain sell?"

Striking a theatrical pose, Edward exclaimed, "Oh, my lady, you should’ve seen their faces! The French buyers were stunned by our silk, tea leaves, and porcelain—they’d never seen such soft fabric, such dazzling vessels, or such fragrant, irresistible drinks! Everything we brought was snatched up in an instant. People flocked in from far and wide, but those who arrived late left empty-handed. Of course, I signed purchase contracts with those eager buyers, so next time our ships arrive, they’ll be the first to get our goods!"

Edward continued with a triumphant grin, "Oh, and thanks to these wonderful goods, I got acquainted with a French count from the royal court—he’s in charge of trade and oversees the merchants. Following your advice, my lady, I agreed to his terms and secured exclusive business rights. From now on, only our firm can legally import Jin Dynasty silk, tea, and porcelain into French ports. As part of the deal, we’ll pay him a twenty percent protection fee. But with so many buyers scrambling for our goods, I raised the prices—even after the fee, we made a handsome profit! As you suggested, I exchanged the earnings locally for spices and other merchandise, and shipped everything back together. Our ships returned fully loaded, maximizing every bit of profit!"