Chapter 357 Gold Is Not a Hard Currency Now

A hill north of Athens.

Twelve female knights with slender waists rode their horses to the top of the hill, overlooking the city of Athens and the port of Piraeus in front of them.

"Is this the city of Athens?"

The speaker was one of the two leading female knights.

Under the midsummer sun, their beautiful golden hair seemed to be shining, and they looked like goddesses descending.

"Sister Hippolyta, is this the capital of the Kingdom of Athens?"

"Phyllis! If this is the city of Athens, we will know by asking the locals."

After saying this, Hippolyta rode towards the port of Piraeus.

Phyllis and the twelve female knights immediately followed.

Arriving on the road connecting the city of Athens and the port of Piraeus, Hippolyta stopped a passerby and asked.

"Let me ask you, is this the city of Athens?"

Seeing that although Hippolyta was a blond barbarian [Thracian], she was also a noble person riding a tall horse and wearing gold ornaments, passers-by immediately said in awe.

"Behind me is the city of Athens, and in front of me is the port of Piraeus, the city of Athens."

After receiving a satisfactory answer, Hippolyta took out a golden ball the size of a walnut and threw it to passers-by.

"This is your reward."

After Phyllis caught up with the twelve female knights, Hippolyta looked at Phyllis and said.

"Phyllis, I have confirmed that this is the city of Athens."

"Then let's go into the city!"

After hearing Phyllis' suggestion, Hippolyta shook her head and said.

"I want to go to Piraeus Port first."

After saying that, Hippolyta continued to ride her horse towards the port of Piraeus.

Hippolyta and Phyllis brought the twelve female knights to the port of Piraeus, and saw that it was like a small city, with at least tens of thousands of people.

Merchants shouted loudly on both sides of the road and introduced their products.

Seeing that there were various merchants here including grain merchants, slave merchants, leather merchants, etc., and the prices they shouted were very cheap, Hippolyta said with a complicated expression.

"It's incredible. If we want to buy these goods, we have to go to the Troy area to find merchants ourselves. The Athenians don't have to do anything, these merchants will take the initiative to bring the goods to them."

Phyllis jumped off the horse and came to the grain merchant and asked.

"You said your food is cheap, how much food can I buy with a pound of gold?"

"A pound of gold——"

After hearing Felice's words, the grain merchant said hesitantly.

"Theoretically, one pound of gold should be able to buy at least 20,000 pounds of grain!"

“Twenty thousand kilograms of grain—food in the city of Athens is so cheap.”

Phyllis first widened her eyes in shock, then turned to Hippolyta and said.

"Sister Hippolyta, you heard me! You can buy 20,000 kilograms of grain with one kilogram of gold here. In the Troy area, we can only buy five thousand kilograms of grain with one kilogram of gold."

"I heard."

Hippolyta also jumped off the horse and came to the grain merchant and asked.

"I want to trade with you at the price of one pound of gold in exchange for ten thousand pounds of grain. How much grain can you sell me?"

The grain merchant said with an embarrassed expression.

"Gold is a high-value precious metal, but gold is not a hard currency. If I accept your gold, I will waste a lot of time looking for a gold buyer. I am really sorry. I hope the buyer can use salt or olive oil. Trade hard currency like this with me.”

The first deal hit a brick wall, but Hippolyta was not disappointed.

She pulled Felice to the slave merchant and asked.

"How do you sell your slave?"

Looking at Hippolyta and Phyllis, who had tall horses and gold ornaments, the slave merchant introduced them enthusiastically.

"My slaves are all healthy. An ordinary slave man and woman costs five thousand catties of grain. A handsome and strong slave man and a beautiful slave woman cost ten thousand catties of grain."

"so expensive!"

Upon hearing the slave merchant's quotation, Phyllis immediately frowned and said.

"When we sell war prisoners to slave traders, we can only sell them for the price of one thousand catties of grain to two thousand catties of grain."

Hippolyta nodded and said.

“When we trade with merchants, they always raise the price to sell us goods, and then lower the price to buy our goods. Even if we are exploited by merchants, we have to accept their pricing because we have no choice at all. If we Thracians had a trading port like this, we would no longer be exploited by merchants."

Hippolyta then asked the slave merchant.

"I want to trade gold with you. Are you willing to trade with me?"

The slave merchant shook his head and said.

"I suggest you go to the palace of the King of Athens and exchange your gold for hard currency like salt or olive oil to trade with us."

"Thanks for your advice."

After thanking the slave merchant for his advice, Hippolyta left the port of Piraeus with Phyllis and the twelve female knights, mounted their horses and headed for the city of Athens.

Royal Palace of Athens.

Roy, who was receiving guests, learned of the arrival of Hippolyta and Phyllis and immediately asked the palace guards to invite them in.

Hippolyta and Phyllis walked into the palace hall, which was splendidly decorated with a lot of gold ornaments. When they saw Roy sitting on the golden throne, Hippolyta said with a smile.

"You guys are so good at enjoying it. I thought I was entering the palace of a temple."

Roy said awkwardly.

"There are palaces in the Near East that are more luxurious than mine. Don't be surprised. Queen Hippolyta! Princess Phyllis! Why did you come to my city of Athens together?"

"We heard the news that you were getting married, so we came to attend your wedding and see the city of Athens by the way."

Hippolyta praised from the bottom of her heart.

"No wonder your city of Athens is called the Aegean trade hub by merchants. The port of Piraeus brings huge benefits to the city of Athens every day."

“You want to buy something from the port of Piraeus?”

Phyllis nodded and said.

"We brought a lot of gold, but the merchants don't want to trade with gold. Are you willing to help us and exchange our gold for hard currency?"

"What do I need so much gold for?"

Roy said helplessly.

"What else can gold be used for besides making beautiful ornaments? When there is no food, gold cannot be used as food to fill the stomach. When the enemy invades, gold cannot be made into a weapon to kill the enemy or prevent the enemy from stealing our food and Wife and daughter.”

Seeing the disappointed expressions on the faces of Hippolyta and Phyllis, Roy continued.

"Although I don't need that much gold, you are my guests after all. I am willing to exchange salt for your gold so that you can use salt to buy the goods you want."

After hearing Roy's words, Hippolyta's eyes immediately lit up and she said.

"Loy, thank you for your willingness to help us."

"Sister Hippolyta, now that we have hard currency like salt, those merchants will no longer refuse to trade with us."

Looking at Hippolyta and Phyllis who looked like two sisters, Roy said with a smile.

"You can stay in the palace guest room! After my wedding is over, I will arrange a ship for you to take back the goods you bought."