The convoy slowly entered the southern district, the streets gradually widened, and pedestrians began to increase.
The sight before her made Mary stop in her tracks.
The Southern Square had already taken shape; although there weren't many buildings, the arrangement was orderly. On both sides of the stone-brick road, vendors set up temporary stalls in twos and threes.
Shouts echoed back and forth, the air was melded with the sweet fragrance of dried fruits and the salty aroma of smoked fish; from afar, one could even smell a hint of honey wine.
"Come quickly to see the cotton cloth brought from the south! Fine as snow!"
"Fresh smoked fish, just dried from the Red Tide Lake!"
"Raisins, honey wine, southern-specials!"
The sounds of selling, bargaining, and laughter intertwined, creating a long-lost liveliness that Mary felt.
Mary, being a merchant's daughter, was more discerning than others.
