The morning mist in Chang'an had not yet cleared when a nursery rhyme drifted down Suzaku Avenue: "Tang Brocade is green, Persian yellow, lead powder-dyed cloth is poisonous to the heart! Carved by Huwa, calculated by Yifan, wear our Tang Brocade and stay safe!" Moli stood at the street corner holding a comic booklet, watching Auntie Wang, the vendor of steamed pancakes, wipe her sweat with a coarse cloth apron. The edge of the apron was embroidered with the indigo peace patterns she had hurriedly added last night.
"Sister Moli, look!" Huwa rushed toward the fabric stall brandishing his carving knife, chiseling a little figure holding a shield onto a roll of coarse cloth, his abacus bead eyes fixed on the four characters: "Stay away from lead poison." "I've carved 'guardian ghost faces' for every bolt of fabric, and the abacus bead shields can block lead powder!" The old fabric vendor grinned, revealing a missing tooth, as he shoved the ghost face-carved coarse cloth into the arms of the commoners: "Buy a bolt and get a Peace Talisman carved by Huwa for free!"
Zhang Yifan walked over, shaking his Abacus Bead Pouch. A newly carved Merchant Protection Figurine by Huwa was pinned to his cyan robe, its abacus beads holding a silver needle in their hands: "Moli, the Persian merchants are probably jumping with anger in the East Market right now—" He chuckled softly, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe, "Yet our 'three-tier defense net' has long been woven."
Chapter 103