When the blue-crystal fabric from the Yangzhou dyehouse fluttered all over the drying racks, the camel caravan of the Persian merchant Abbas halted ten li away. An abacus bead bounced against his ruby ring, spelling out the character "Jealousy": "The Easterners have actually managed to create a blue that never fades!"
Pei Hongxiu shook her abacus-patterned blue-crystal handkerchief and smiled lightly: "Master Abbas, would you like to try my 'bead-dyed color-fast handkerchief'? It won't stain when you wipe away your sweat."
Zhang Yifan strolled out of the dyehouse shaking his abacus, the bead leaping onto his shoulder to form the character "Measure": "Does the Persian merchant want to force down our prices? Just watch this abacus-edition 'price war'—" The bead bounced among the drying racks to form the number "Three": "Starting today, lapis lazuli dye is sold for eight guan per jin, twelve guan cheaper than the Persian goods!"
Chapter 197