Chapter 531: 485 Yulang

The end of Liangzhou, the beginning of the wilderness.

The environment of Liangzhou was already extremely harsh, but only upon reaching the border did one realize that there was a worse level beyond the harshness.

The extreme drought, bitter cold, and wild winds were long since unsuitable for human survival. Even if there were a few oases to sustain a traveler's life, they could hardly support many residents.

Moreover, in recent years, the local oases had rapidly degraded, water sources had dried up, living conditions were worsening by the day, and the majesty of the Imperial Court was fading day by day, leaving it no time to look after the borderlands; the garrison troops were also gradually withdrawn. The border of the Great Jin was, in fact, retreating day by day.

For example, at the end of Liangzhou, there was originally a large oasis called Yulang. Within the oasis was a lake surrounded by woods, green in all four seasons, known as the "Beautiful Jade" on the Gobi Desert.

When the Great Jin demarcated its frontiers, it built a small city here, also called "Yulang." Although the population was small, there were one or two hundred garrison troops, making it a transit point for merchants and almost a "boundary marker" for Liangzhou.

Once outside Yulang, it could by no means be called the territory of Shenzhou; those born west of Yulang were "barbarians" in the true sense of the word.

However, in these years, the oasis became increasingly arid, the lake's water level lower year by year, and the woods by the lake mostly withered. With the Imperial Court unable to pay military salaries and no new recruits enlisting, the old soldiers either fled or died, and even Yulang City gradually fell into ruin.

In these years, it was already hard to say whether Yulang was still the territory of the Great Jin.

In fact, more than a decade ago, this city could basically be called a "ruin."

But ten years ago, a mysterious force suddenly intervened in Yulang, slightly renovating the abandoned city and building it into a semi-black, semi-white border market. It was a place where dragons and snakes mingled, filled with outlaws, and most of the business conducted was not legitimate. The so-called illegal transactions within the city and murder and arson outside it—there was nothing they would not do; it had become a "three-no-man's-land" in the true shadows. As more and more disasters occurred, its fierce reputation spread to the surroundings, enough to "stop a child from crying at night."

Later on, that mysterious force simply officially appointed a city lord and stationed armed forces, effectively becoming an independent kingdom. Three years ago, they simply took down the "Yulang City" plaque and replaced it with "Yulang" City; if this were in the barbarian domain, this would be called the formal establishment of a city-state.

Despite such a grand display, that mysterious force remained mysterious in the public eye; ordinary people did not know its origins, only assuming it was some reclusive sect or a mysterious, supreme expert. Only those with channels were mostly tacitly aware; the name of the force controlling Yulang was a taboo to speak aloud, for it was the darkest and most evil place in the world—

Wangliang Mountain!

"So that is Yulang City, how... peculiar."

When Tang Zhao... oh, that is, the YoungMaster of the Changfa Manor party, arrived at the foot of Yulang City, the young Sword Guest in the group could not help but exclaim in surprise.

This Yulang City was indeed very strange; the strangeness lay in the fact that the city walls were very rugged, with the front presenting a "concave" shape, and the surrounding wall surface folding every three steps, winding like a Chinese knot.

Tang Zhao glanced at the outspoken Fang Weiran, steadily stroked his white hair, and said in a weathered voice: "The Sword Guest is here for the first time, so you surely do not know that the new city walls of Yulang City are arranged this way. Although such winding walls have too many blind spots and are unfavorable for defense, they can create more Shadow."

Fang Weiran suddenly understood: since it was Wangliang Mountain, of course, the more Shadow, the better. He maintained his persona as the Young Villa Master's trusted Sword Guest, nodding with a touch of arrogance and courtesy: So that is how it is, "I have been taught."

Tang Zhao continued to say to Zheng Yun: "YoungMaster, let us enter the city to rest. We have our own manor's business in the city. It is just right for you to rest your feet."

As a manor of decent scale on Wangliang Mountain, Changfa Manor had a storefront in Yulang City, where their own people were permanently stationed, usually conducting legitimate business in the open and illegal trades in the dark, just like other manors.

In other words, successfully connecting with the people in the shop without revealing any flaws was the first hurdle this group, which was fake from beginning to end, needed to pass.

Zheng Yun tilted his head, feeling somewhat nervous: having prepared for so long, he was finally about to face the test. If he could not even pass the first hurdle, then this entire journey would become a big joke.

That shouldn't happen, right?

The Changfa Manor's storefront was a dyehouse.

Their business was ostensibly a legitimate trade, not some human trafficking market.

After all, a city could not just sell people; the people on Wangliang Mountain were still human, and they could not lack food, clothing, housing, or transportation, so the various markets in Yulang City were very prosperous.

Once inside the city, the style of Wangliang Mountain rushed toward them. The group, all of whom were first-time visitors, observed carefully without exception.

First impression: Tang Zhao discovered that the dye business should be very easy to do here.

Because although there were not many people on the street, the pedestrians shuttling back and forth, regardless of gender, were mostly dressed in colorful clothes, the vividness of the colors astonishing. Some burly men of considerable age still wore extremely vivid colors, even bright reds and greens. A glance across the street felt like seeing a Spring Pillar of State garden, colorful and vibrant.

Tang Zhao recalled the information he had read: Wangliang Mountain was shrouded in Shadow all year round, the light was very poor, no flowers or plants grew, and even pearls and gemstones lost their color; even if the life of a manor master was luxurious, it remained monotonous and lacking in color, so once they left the mountain, they compensated by wearing doubly vivid clothes and wearing shiny jewelry.

Not only the people, but even the walls of the houses were painted whenever possible and decorated whenever possible, complex and gorgeous without end; to anyone with a bit of taste, it was already approaching gaudiness, but here it was a form of indulgent happiness exclusive to the nobility.

Tang Zhao already knew these customs from the data he had read, but seeing it with his own eyes and reading text descriptions were two different things. Therefore, he observed with extra care, paying attention to details, silently comparing them with what he knew, while simultaneously pretending to be indifferent, as his persona was that of a local.

On the street, even though Tang Zhao had just arrived, he could distinguish who was an outsider and who was from Wangliang Mountain. Besides the colors of their clothes, there was a very high proportion of white hair among the locals. And those guests who looked very wealthy, if they were locals, were followed by Sword Slaves.

Sword Slaves were also very easy to distinguish; besides their hair being of various colors, their walking posture was also very unique, dragging their feet with every step, like zombies. This posture was only possessed by Sword Slaves who had been up to Wangliang Mountain; slaves who had just been trafficked, no matter how weak, would not walk like this.

Seeing that ubiquitous, strange, and counter-intuitive walking posture, the group felt more or less uncomfortable in their hearts.

Tang Zhao carefully distinguished that there were quite a few outsiders in the city, divided into several types. Some were dressed in wealth and had an extraordinary air; these were the true distinguished guests, here to attend the Deep Shadow Society, and might even be specially invited guests of Wangliang Mountain. But most of them were secretive, sitting in carriages or wearing Veil Hats to cover their faces; clearly, openly colluding with Wangliang Mountain was not a glorious matter, and if they were recognized by acquaintances and that layer of window paper was pierced, both sides would inevitably feel awkward.

Others were merchants, so-called slave traders. Not everyone was as fat and big-eared as Baorenwu, but some temperaments were common. Having seen many, even if one could not "Listen" to the smell of a slave trader like Chi Mingjing, one could guess eight or nine out of ten.

There were also some people who were clearly outlaws at a glance, either looking fierce or having shifty eyes, clearly hiding from trouble in the city. But no matter how fierce they were, they were as docile as sheep in the city, never daring to cause trouble.

"Hey, merchants go this way—"

Tang Zhao turned his head and saw a group of merchants who had entered the city behind his party being led to the side by two big men in purple-red clothes: "See that inn with the colorful flags? That is for people like you to stay in; we guarantee your safety. I advise you sheep-like Mortals not to look for places to sleep randomly, and do not listen to the words of outsiders, otherwise, if you enter a black shop, it will be hard to come out in one piece. Go quickly, go quickly."

Tang Zhao thought to himself: Good heavens, even slave traders have become sheep here? These greeters are much more overbearing than we were when we organized the Sword Casting Assembly; they have no service awareness at all, right?

As expected of Wangliang Mountain; even for the Deep Shadow Society, it was others begging Wangliang Mountain, not Wangliang Mountain begging outsiders.

However, no one came to point fingers at Tang Zhao's group, probably because Tang Zhao's white hair was very iconic, and although he was dressed plainly, he looked like one of their own. Tang Zhao pondered that he would probably have to change into red and green soon.

"YoungMaster, we have arrived." The team stopped in front of a storefront.

"Changfa Dyehouse." Zheng Yun poked his head out of the carriage, looked up and sized it up, saying: "Our family's business is not very prosperous."

Indeed, this storefront had three bays and hung a sign; it was not exactly dilapidated, but it was not remarkable on the street either. The main door was closed in broad daylight, with only a door in the west room open for entry and exit; it looked like business was not very good.

Tang Zhao said: "I have already sent word of the YoungMaster's return; today they might be closing the doors to guests to specifically welcome..."

Before he finished speaking, the main doors were fully opened, and seven or eight people rushed out. Among them, the ones in front all had white hair.

Before Zheng Yun could see clearly, these people all knelt down and prostrated themselves, crying out: "Respectfully welcoming the YoungMaster back to the mountain. We servants have been looking forward to the stars and the moon, and finally, we have waited for your return!"

Zheng Yun straightened his back slightly; he had actually prepared for this scene for many days, and this was the moment to test the results of his efforts, so he nodded to the person beside him, Weise.

Weise was sitting in the carriage with him, specifically there to "serve" him; at this moment, he got out of the carriage and lifted the curtain for him, revealing his figure still sitting motionless.

Zheng Yun sat calmly in the carriage, only lifting his eyes without even raising his hand, let alone getting out of the carriage, and let out a hum through his nose, saying: "Rise."

Those people then stood up cautiously and stood to the side with their hands bound, only the old man at the very front stepped forward and bowed, saying: "Please, YoungMaster, step out of the carriage." With a wave of his hand, a thin Sword Slave came up and knelt on the ground to provide a footstool.

Zheng Yun remained calm and composed, stepping on the Sword Slave to get off the ground without showing the slightest discomfort, as if he had been accustomed to trampling on people since he was a child.

At this time, he glanced at the old man leading them and saw that this person was extremely aged, with wrinkles piled up on his face and not a single black hair on his head; if calculated by normal age, he was at least eighty or ninety.

But he was a person of Wangliang Mountain, so he might only be forty or fifty, or even younger.

"Hmm, you..."

Zheng Yun deliberately could not call out the name, so Tang Zhao stepped forward and said in a adjusted tone: "YoungMaster, this is Grand Steward Xing Cang from our manor."

The Grand Steward nodded and bowed, saying: "What kind of steward, I am just here to serve the YoungMaster."

Zheng Yun feigned realization and said, "How could I not recognize you? You were an old man when I left, and you are still an old man now. I did not expect the Grand Steward to trouble himself to come down the mountain to fetch me. Let us go in and see how our home is faring."