The next day, bicycles appeared in Shenyang city, and a whole truckload of tires was sent to the Shenfei workshop.
The models for the demonstration were the deputy division commanders of each division. They were considered influential figures in Shenyang at the moment.
The best candidates should have been Zhuzi and his group, but from that morning, Zhuzi and others were under constant assassination attempts, so they were unable to get away.
The five deputy division commanders rode small, curved-handle bicycles. Although they were just casually riding around, they advanced in a triangular formation.
Dressed in clean and neat military uniforms, with buzz cuts, wearing sunglasses, and carrying a Yun-er type rifle on their backs.
Their large feet in army boots pedaled the bicycles as fast as the wind.
"We Soldiers..." Ready, sing!
The deputy division commander of the First Division, leading the group, saw more and more people looking over with curiosity and loudly started a military song.
"We soldiers, what's so different about us...!"
Though only five people, they sang with the spirit of fifty!
The unfamiliar melody attracted even those who hadn't noticed them.
"Look quickly, what are they riding?"
"It's so amazing, it only has two wheels, and they're so thin, how come it doesn't fall?"
"Not only does it not fall, but it also rides so fast!"
"It looks so imposing, worthy of being soldiers of the Skyfire Army!"
"Is this the new mount assigned to the Skyfire Army?"
"What song are they singing? Hearing these lyrics makes me want to join the army!"
"Look, they're heading to the market!"
A crowd of people, curious, followed behind the bicycles and chased towards the market.
As the convoy entered the market, it instantly attracted the attention of countless merchants.
The five deputy division commanders, singing military songs loudly, circled the market and then smoothly stopped in front of the Nameless Shop.
Uh, yes, the shop had been open for two months, and still hadn't put up a sign.
Therefore, the merchants in the market were accustomed to calling it the Nameless Shop.
The bicycles stopped at the entrance. Four deputy division commanders remained outside to guard, while the deputy division commander of the First Division strode into the shop.
Reaching the counter, he saw Bing'er and Xue'er busy working. He stamped his right foot, stood at attention, and saluted.
"Ge Yidao, Deputy Division Commander of the Skyfire Division, First Division, reporting to Bing and Xue, two ladies!"
Bing and Xue looked at him with confusion: "Why is Deputy Division Commander Ge reporting to us?"
"This is an order from the Duke, please Ladies Bing and Xue have a look."
Ge Yidao took out a letter from his pocket and respectfully handed it over.
"A seventh-rank official before the prime minister's gate; these are indeed dowry maids from the Duke's household."
Bing'er took the letter and opened it to read carefully, confirming it was from her master.
Only her master could write such distinctive, abbreviated characters.
After reading the contents of the letter, the two girls walked out of the shop in surprise, looking at the five bicycles outside.
"Deputy Division Commander Ge, are… are these really for sale?"
Chai Yue had ridden one in Fangjiazhuang before, and after returning to the Chai residence, she had mentioned the magic of bicycles to her four maids.
The two maids, who had only heard rumors and never seen the actual item, were also seeing a bicycle for the first time.
The one in Fangjiazhuang had long since been ridden into disrepair by Yan Yun.
Ge Yidao nodded: "The Duke said, he wants the two ladies to find five pieces of red cloth and tie them like red flowers onto the bicycles, saying it will make them look festive."
Bing and Xue exchanged a glance. Xue'er said, "Sister, you stay in the shop. Younger sister will go get the red flowers."
With that, she headed towards Zone A.
Xue'er arrived at Shop A-1 and directly explained her purpose to the shopkeeper.
Having spent two months in the market, there was almost no major shop owner who didn't know them.
"Ladies Bing and Xue are from the Duke's household and are currently managing the shop for the Duke. Everyone shows them respect."
"Lady Xue, please wait a moment. This old man will get them for you."
Although red flowers were not frequently sold, cloth shops always had them. Common people liked to use them for good luck during weddings – for prosperity and blooming wealth.
After paying, the shopkeeper diligently sent someone with the red flowers to follow Xue'er back to the Nameless Shop.
Xue'er pointed at the five bicycles: "Just tie the red flowers onto them."
"Yes, Lady Xue."
The red flowers were tied to the handlebars by the shop assistant, and the bicycles instantly exuded an aura of sophistication.
At this time, countless people curious about the spectacle had gathered outside the Nameless Shop, making even the crossroad of the market much more crowded.
Seeing the red flowers tied, Bing'er stood on the steps in front of the shop, facing the crowd.
"These five bicycles, I presume some of you have seen them before."
"They don't require livestock to pull them, nor servants to push them."
"One person can easily ride them away, and their speed is not much slower than a horse-drawn carriage."
"The Duke said that each bicycle costs twenty guan."
"With this bicycle, you won't have to sit in a carriage all day and be suffocated by the fumes!"
"No matter what road, as long as a person can walk on it, this bicycle can travel on it."
"These are the latest models from the workshop, and there are only these five at the moment. Those who are interested, please come to the shop to pay later."
After a generous introduction, Bing'er pulled Xue'er back into the shop.
Although their words were few, the merchants' minds were already racing.
Novelty! Simplicity! Convenience!
These were the impressions from seeing the bicycles and hearing from Bing'er.
These merchants all owned carriages, but sitting in them was truly not very comfortable.
As the saying goes, you can control the heavens and the earth, but you can't control farts!
When a horse pulling a carriage moved its rear, the coachman behind and the people in the carriage would have to cover their noses for a while.
Thinking of that smell, it was still warm!
With this bicycle, one could ride it oneself. Who the hell would want to smell warm horse farts anymore?
Not only that, but listen to this: twenty guan for one bicycle, what does that mean?
From now on, this will be a symbol of one's wealth!
In Shenyang, no one had been targeted by the authorities for having a large business, so the merchants' boldness had gradually increased.
If you have money, you have to show it off; only then can you appear to be doing good business, right?
Liu Huizi stood in the crowd, his mind spinning rapidly. After a long while, he smiled at Ge Yidao and the other four deputy division commanders and said, "Respected officers, I want to buy a bicycle."
"Please come in!"
Ge Yidao gestured sideways to invite him.
After Liu Huizi entered the shop, Ge Yidao turned to the crowd gathered outside and suddenly shouted loudly.
"Congratulations to Liu's Fur and Hide for acquiring a bicycle!"
"Liu's Fur and Hide, good fur ~ good goods ~ even better vision!"
This drawn-out shout startled Liu Huizi, who had just passed him.
After he came to his senses and thought about what Ge Yidao had shouted, Liu Huizi was delighted.
"It was worth it! Forget twenty guan, for this line alone, it's worth forty guan!"
"Lady Bing, Lady Xue, old Liu has come to buy a bicycle."
"Here are three taels of silver as a deposit. I will have someone deliver the remaining money later to pick up the bicycle."
Liu Huizi walked to the counter, took out a three-tael silver ingot from his chest, placed it on top, bowed respectfully, and then walked outside to call over the shop assistant who was watching the spectacle with him.
"Quickly go back and get seventeen taels of money."
The shop assistant, running, squeezed through the crowd.
The Nameless Shop and Liu Huizi's shop were diagonally opposite each other across the crossroad, only a few dozen meters apart.
The shop assistant returned very quickly, followed by two orderlies carrying a rattan basket filled with greenish-yellow copper coins.