Chapter 215: The

The stench his nose caught gradually faded, as per "enter a fish market and grow used to the stink over time."

But the "slimy, slippery feel" of mud beneath his shoes was still as unpleasant as ever.

Zhang Gui, however, who had once "scavenged" rotting corpses on the Luan Burial Ground of Xianrong Island without a care, paid it no mind.

He nonchalantly chatted with the parrot flitting around his head about the sights of Great Wolf Capital, eavesdropping on information that caught his interest:

The dock district of Great Wolf Capital's Outer City and the mixed-residence wards where people lived were two completely different worlds.

The mixed-residence wards were home to a small number of New Citizens, a majority of Enclosed Citizens, and escaped slaves...

In truth, only the "Heavenly Register," which recorded the Golden Family Bozhi and the genealogies of the Yuanshan Empire's vassal kings, lords, great chiefs, and minor chiefs, was absolutely impossible to forge.

Even the "Canglang Register and Bailu Register," which recorded the identities of Old Citizens of the Yuan Mountain Grasslands, could be "fiddled with."

But the price required was at least a thousand taels to start.

As for identity management for New Citizens, Enclosed Citizens, and Slaves, it was even cruder.

For instance, if a New Citizen had no wife, children, parents, or siblings, and no close or distant relatives to rely on,

then even carelessly losing their identity waist token could see them seized by the government's "Slave Catchers" and reduced to slavery...

Also, not only did Great Wolf Capital's Outer City lack walls, but the Inner City's walls were also very low.

They were more of a symbolic gesture.

After all, a nation's capital couldn't very well not even have a city gate with a name carved on it...

This was because Chang Sheng Tie Mu arrogantly believed that if enemies ever truly managed to attack Great Wolf Capital,

then the nation of "Yuanshan" would no longer have any reason to exist...

Although the Yuanshan Inner City had a palace, Chang Sheng Tie Mu rarely stayed there.

Instead, he was guarded by ten detachments of ten thousand from the Canglang Guard and White Deer Army, living long-term in the great tent of the Imperial Guard Camp...

The Yuanshan Empire, due to decades of consecutive victories, had conquered countless lands from enemy nations.

On the surface, it had also organized special troops from other nations, numbering from a few thousand to over ten thousand.

But the Imperial Guard could only consist of the Canglang Guard, the White Deer Army, and the extremely mysterious "Eternal Army"...

As they talked, the parrot flapped its wings, glanced sidelong at Zhang Gui, and changed the subject:

"Mr. Western, you can really endure hardship—walking through shit and piss without even changing your expression."

"What's this? As a 'Storm Druid' who also works part-time as an 'Assassin,' I started hard professional training at the age of five.

Later, when I was in business and sailing far overseas, when the fresh water went stale, I drank rum every day that tasted as gritty as wood-chip water with a hint of rotten sugarcane.

And in the height of summer, the salted meat on the ship would grow maggots.

Once, I was so hungry I just grabbed a handful, balled it up, shoved it in my mouth, and chewed.

Tsk, tsk, tsk—juice burst everywhere, and it was even more flavorful than the salted meat..."

"Alright, Mr. Western, I was wrong.

You Xihe People, for the sake of money, can endure even more hardship than the greediest merchants in our Dongzhou.

But where exactly are you going?"

"Didn't I tell you? I'm going to the Inner City gate," Zhang Gui said, feigning surprise.

"Then don't you know you're going the wrong way?" The parrot wobbled in midair.

"Is that so? I didn't notice. Then I'll just turn around and go."

Zhang Gui turned and started walking back the way he came, continuing to chat with the parrot in a vague and meandering way about the customs of the Yuanshan Kingdom.

As they walked, the parrot noticed he was starting to circle again.

"Great Wolf Capital's Inner City has thirty-three gates.

But at the rate you're going, you won't get in by dawn. I'll lead the way.

But you'll have to give me some Dog Head Gold first..."

"Name the amount."

"Plus compensation for your earlier revenge..."

"Just name a number, bird, Mr. Black Feather."

"At least three—no, five hundred taels."

"You're a beast that's become a spirit, with a split tongue to speak human words, and you're still haggling over three hundred or five hundred taels like a petty miser—aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

Hearing this, Zhang Gui pulled a leather pouch from his sleeve, picked out a 'worth a thousand' Dog Head Gold Coin, put it to his lips and blew—it shimmered brightly.

"A thousand-tael Dog Head Gold coin, take it."

Unexpectedly, the parrot wasn't greedy; instead, it flapped its wings and darted a dozen paces away.

"You're a ruthless man, a greedy merchant who'd eat maggots for money.

How could you give me so much extra for no reason?

You must have bad intentions!"

"I don't have bad intentions—I'm just naturally not stingy and love making friends.

Giving extra is because I hope to make friends with your master too.

It's also my habit when doing business in a strange place.

You Easterners have a saying: 'A mighty dragon cannot crush a local snake.'

Sometimes, things we outsiders find hard to accomplish, or people we can't reach,

you locals can easily find a way."

"I see. But I need to make this clear first.

My master isn't a true Yuanshan native either.

He just moved here and settled down before Great Wolf Capital was taken over by Chang Sheng Tie Mu."

Over the long years, and since the Yuanshan Kingdom was newly founded it was easy to get on the rolls, I took on the identity of an Old Citizen.

Gradually and naturally I became the Town Mayor.

Thus, in terms of contacts and methods, a local Yuanshan Old Citizen really can't compare with him.

After all, "people grow wise with age, trees become spirits with age"; after a Liu Shi Jia Zi of management, there are always some results.

Zhang Gui nodded, flicked his finger, and flung Dang Qian's Dog Head Gold toward the parrot.

The parrot lightly flapped its wings, swooped forward, probed with its head, and its deft beak snapped the Dog Head Gold and swallowed it whole.

"My name you already know.

If there truly is anything you need help with in the future.

Just call out to me a few times at night in this mixed settlement, and I will appear.

But remember, the tasks you ask for help with shouldn't be too difficult, and must not be dangerous.

The kind that requires clever skill to resolve is best; my master excels at such dealings."

"Alright.

May I ask, though, you didn't clutch the Dog Head Gold in your claws, but ate it.

How will you retrieve it later?"

"Drink a few sips of fragrant oil to lubricate the stomach, and it will be expelled through the grain gate.

Dang Qian's Dog Head Gold, you must hold onto it properly.".

The parrot said cheerfully.

The parrot led Zhang Gui toward the inner city gate of the Great Wolf Capital.

"In fact, once you leave the dock area, follow the main thoroughfare that separates the mixed settlement, and you can reach the inner city.

You just have a wild temperament, running around.

Otherwise you would have gotten into the inner city already.

However, in recent years, people like you have become increasingly numerous.

The family has some savings, no need to worry about 'chewing', and after being full they're idle and bored.

I heard somewhere that the Great Wolf Capital's mixed settlement is a hodgepodge of fish and dragons, so I came to see for myself.

The daytime isn't much.

But at night, unless you're as capable as you are, or have a high status that draws a whole slew of deaths, otherwise you may never be able to leave again…

It seemed that Zhang Gui was eager to learn about the customs of the Yuanshan Kingdom and the Great Wolf Capital, so the benefitted parrot began to voluntarily share its knowledge on those matters.

Until the inner city wall came into view.

(End of chapter)