Eric Bennett secretly thought that this era was just too full of empty courtesies, still not free from the cumbersome rituals of Confucianism. Lily lowered his head and cupped his hands, but before he could speak, Grace Clark had already said, “Let’s go.”

She gracefully moved forward, arriving first at the mansion gate, where a carriage was already prepared. Grace Clark entered the carriage. Even though Eric Bennett didn’t know how to act like a servant, he at least knew he couldn’t ride in the same carriage as the young lady. He sighed inwardly, thinking he’d have to wear out his soles again.

Before the carriage set off, a maid came running, holding a heavy bundle as she jogged over. Seeing Eric Bennett standing there in a daze, she shoved the bundle at him and pouted, “Aren’t you going to take this?”

“What’s this?” Eric Bennett was a bit surprised, half-thinking the maid wanted to elope with him.

The maid looked at him in astonishment and asked, “What kind of servant are you? If you don’t carry this, do you expect the young lady and me to do it?”

Don’t you both have hands? Can’t you put it in the carriage?

Eric Bennett grumbled inwardly, but finally took the bundle. It felt heavy in his hand, seemingly made of metal… Feeling the shape through the wrapping, he also caught a faint fragrance wafting through. Eric Bennett frowned.

An incense burner?

Why would the young lady bring an incense censer when going out?

Before he could think further, the maid had already climbed onto the coachman’s seat. The driver cracked his whip, and the carriage rolled out of the mansion, heading down the alley toward the main street.

Eric Bennett followed behind with the bundle, taking small steps. Fortunately, though he lacked a servant’s mindset, he did have a servant’s physique. The carriage wasn’t fast, so he managed to keep up.

He’d been here for a while, but this was his first time leaving the mansion. Looking at the long streets and alleys, the surrounding shops and pavilions, he felt a strange sense of familiarity and warmth amid the unfamiliarity.

Earlier, he’d overheard the conversation between Mr. Parker and the young lady, learning that she was going to a pawnshop, which surprised him a little. Of course, he knew what a pawnshop was. According to historical records, the pawn industry was documented in the Southern Dynasties, originally as a lending business by temples using clothing as collateral. Some say pawnshops began as early as the Han dynasty.

But Eric Bennett certainly knew the saying “it’s better to have no books than to believe all books.” The business of lending against collateral probably sprouted as soon as private property existed—everyone has times when they need to pawn something for cash. It’s just a matter of scale. In his view, tracing the origin of pawnshops was a pointless exercise. Still, having just arrived in the Three Kingdoms era and already encountering a family with a sizable pawnshop was a pleasant surprise for Eric Bennett.

Jogging along and taking in the sights of Xuchang, Eric Bennett started to feel his forehead heat up, when suddenly someone darted out ahead, blocking the carriage.

The horse neighed softly and came to an abrupt halt.

A highway robber?

Eric Bennett was startled, and the maid on the carriage shouted, “Edward Clark, are you looking to die?”

“The young lady is in the carriage, right?” the man asked anxiously.

“Did something happen at the pharmacy?” Grace Clark’s voice from inside the carriage was still calm.

Eric Bennett’s heart stirred. He knew the Cao family had built their fortune on Mr. William Clark’s skills. In the Three Kingdoms era, such skills weren’t rare—one could even say they were common—but they weren’t anything to brag about. The Cao family’s foothold in Xuchang clearly depended on developing other businesses as well. He’d heard from Brian Carter that the Cao family dealt in rice, grain, and pharmacies. This man was obviously from the pharmacy. The young lady’s composure and decisiveness gave her the air of a strong woman.

Sure enough, the man wiped sweat from his forehead and said, “Young lady, you’d better go to the pharmacy right away—something big has happened…”

Chapter 5: Knows a Bit

Grace Clark lifted the carriage curtain, her elegant brows slightly furrowed. She wasn’t as calm as she appeared. She knew that Edward Clark was the deputy manager at the pharmacy, a steady person. For him to be so flustered now, the situation at the pharmacy must be truly serious.

“Go to the pharmacy first,” Grace Clark ordered decisively. The driver responded and turned south at the next intersection. Seeing Edward Clark following quickly but saying nothing, his face ashen, Grace Clark grew even more alarmed. She asked through the window, “What exactly happened?”

Edward Clark glanced around, lowered his voice, and said, “Young lady… you’ll know when you get there.” Hearing Grace Clark snort coldly, Edward Clark saw her displeasure and finally said, “The Cao family pharmacy has… has been sold.”

Grace Clark nearly fainted. After a long moment, she scolded, “Are you out of your mind? Without my or my father’s permission, who would dare sell the pharmacy?”

She truly found it hard to believe.

In recent years, the world had been in chaos, but ever since Emperor Liu Xie moved to Xuchang, and after the Battle of Guandu, Xuchang had become the most peaceful and prosperous place in the land. The Cao family was a prominent clan. William Clark was often away at war, but he was shrewd and had acquired many businesses in Xuchang, all managed efficiently by Grace Clark.

Selling the pharmacy was definitely a big deal. Grace Clark simply couldn’t believe it could happen without her consent.

“Who sold it?” Grace Clark asked again. Seeing Edward Clark hesitate, her heart skipped a beat. “Was it that brat Emma Clark?”

Edward Clark said nothing, which was as good as admitting it.