Endless Winter: My Camp Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 386 Han Feng Returns Home, New Regulations for Road Permits, Xia City Vendors, The Black-Robed Child Blocking the Road
If Hongmen is currently the most bustling place in the entire Mo'ao Nine Towns, then Dongling Village, located in the westernmost part of Beishuo Town, is the most deserted area.

Beishuo is the northernmost town on the southern slope of Mo'ao Mountain, and the area around Beining Mountain where Dongling Village is located belongs to Jingxi District, the most remote part of Beishuo. In the entire Jingxi District, it is the village closest to the Shuanglong Mountain cliff to the west. It is definitely not an exaggeration to describe it as desolate.

To give a simple example, the news about Daxia Town that has been circulating widely in the eight towns recently reached the Beining Mountain area in mid-July, and by the time the people in Dongling Village received the news, it was almost August.

There is nothing we can do about this!
The more deserted and remote a place is, the slower the news will spread.

The eighth year of the Great Xia Dynasty, the fourth day of the eighth month, in the middle of the night.

The bluestone path on the north side of Dongling Village.

A middle-aged man in his thirties carrying a long sword, holding two four- or five-year-old boys in his arms, and leading a young woman in a gray cotton coat, was hurrying towards Dongling Village.

This is clearly the setup for a family of four.

The young woman had been frowning and was already unhappy. When she saw her husband quicken his pace, she finally couldn't help but speak up.

"It would be so much better to just stay in Gutan Village. Why make such a long journey? I've inquired along the way, and this Jingxi District is the most remote district in Beishuo Town. What good places could there be?"

“You’ve become the deputy leader in Gutan Village. Wouldn’t it be just as comfortable for the three of us to stay there and live a peaceful life?”

“I went on a long trip at the end of last year to see your sister. When I came back, you were like a different person. You wouldn’t tell me anything.”

"How good is the place where your two younger sisters live? Do you really want the three of us, mother and son, to leave our hometown and live there?"

"Han Feng, are you deaf? Answer me now!"

Why did you leave Gutan Village?

"Han Feng, if you don't tell me the truth, you can leave by yourself. I'm taking Ming'er and Rui'er back to Gu Tan Village!"

………………

After traveling for two days, Tan Rou was already feeling unwell. When she saw that her husband was ignoring what she was saying, she immediately became agitated, snatched the two children from his arms, and turned to walk back.

Han Feng wouldn't let his wife turn back. He stood directly in front of her, pondered for a moment, then looked up and said in a deep voice, "Rou'er, we're only two kilometers away from Dongling Village. I don't really need to hide it from you anymore, but it's a long story, and I can't explain it clearly in a short time. Just come with me, and you'll understand when we get there. I won't take you so far away from your hometown for no reason. I want to give you and Ming'er and Rui'er a better life. We've been married for six years, don't you trust me?"

Hearing her husband say that, Tan Rou's heart softened instantly.

Seeing his wife's expression soften, Han Feng took his two sons back from her arms and asked in a low voice, "Ming'er, Rui'er, are you tired?"

"Dad, we're men, we're not tired."

"Mother must be more tired than us, Father, you carry her! We'll walk by ourselves."

Although the two children were only four or five years old, they were both exceptionally sensible. Knowing that their parents had just had a fight, they were afraid of causing trouble and both said they weren't tired.

Han Ming, who was younger, couldn't help but say something heartwarming.

These words immediately made Tan Rou burst into laughter.

"Haha, this is hilarious!"

Tan Rou's resentment was dispelled by her youngest son's unintentional remark. She laughed for a long time, then couldn't help but step forward and pinch her youngest son's chubby cheeks. Only then did she roll her eyes at Han Feng and say, "Let's go! I want to see what kind of good place your two younger sisters live in. Why do you insist on taking us there? Humph!"

With his wife's mood improving, Han Feng felt much more relaxed. As he continued on his way, he gave his two sons a thumbs-up and said with a smile, "You two are smarter than your father. When we get to Xia City, your two aunts will definitely like you very much."

Upon hearing their father mention the word "aunt," both Han Ming and Han Rui's eyes immediately lit up with curiosity.

Since my father returned from a long trip at the end of last year, he has been mentioning my two aunts to them from time to time. Before that, they had no idea that they had two aunts.

The family continued south and soon saw the bonfire in Dongling Village in the distance.

"You're not from our village, are you?"

Every village has patrols at night, and Dongling Village is no exception.

When Han Feng and his three companions were still a mile away from the village, they were spotted by the patrol.

The four of them were clearly a family of four, not bad people, and their target was obviously Dongling Village, so the patrol team showed up immediately.

Han Feng had already noticed them and was not surprised. He cupped his hands and smiled at them, saying, "I am Han Feng. I have an appointment with Chief Lu of your village. Please inform him. Chief Lu will know when he hears my name."

The two captains of the patrol team tonight happened to be Lu Yang's two disciples, Zhu Baixu and Wan Qingyu. When they heard that Han Feng had come to see his master Lu Yang, Zhu Baixu frowned. He could sense that Han Feng was very strong, most likely at the Cold Control level, so he did not dare to be negligent and quickly cupped his hands in response, "You have come at an inopportune time. My master is currently not in the village!"

Not in the village?

Having come all this way, Han Feng wouldn't turn back like this. He immediately continued, "May I ask if Lords Lin Fan, Wang Tao, and Zhu Shun are here? They know me too."

Upon hearing Han Feng directly mention these three names, Zhu Baixu immediately lowered his guard and nodded, saying, "Then please wait at the village entrance. I will go and inform the three lords first."

Han Feng nodded and waited with his wife and children by the village.

"Brother Han, we've finally arrived!"

Soon, a middle-aged man came out of the village with a smile to greet them.

"Brother Wang!"

Upon seeing that the visitor was Wang Tao, Han Feng immediately smiled.

Wang Tao was originally from the Longshan camp, so Han Feng was no stranger to him.

"Chief Lu is currently out on business, so I will be in charge of receiving you. These three must be Brother Han's wife and children. What a handsome young man! Please come with me to the main building!"

Wang Tao clearly knew Han Feng was coming. He praised Han Feng's two sons, then immediately extended his hand in invitation, leading the four of them toward the main building.

"He can enter the main building? Could this Han Feng be from Master's old camp?"

"It must be. That Han Feng has the cultivation level of the Cold Resistance level."

"The leader's former camp was really strong. Almost everyone who came was at the Cold Resistance level. Tsk tsk..."

When Zhu Baixu and the other man saw Wang Tao directly invite Han Feng and the other three into the main building, they were immediately surprised.

Wan Qingyu, who was standing to the side, seemed to remember something and whispered to Zhu Baixu, "Senior brother, have you heard? The talk of Daxia Town in the Eight Towns lately is quite something. Their camp is organized just like our Dongling, divided into eight departments, and the names of the eight departments are exactly the same as ours: Logistics, Hunting, Logging, Garrison, Craftsmen, Civil Affairs, Prison, and Military..."

Wan Qingyu's voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.

Upon hearing these words, Zhu Baixu immediately turned to look at him, both of them clearly showing intense excitement in their eyes.

They had been in Dongling for almost a year. They had been wondering why Dongling was different from other villages in Beining Mountain and followed the system of the Eight Divisions. Until the end of last month, a lot of news about Daxia Town gradually reached Beining Mountain. When they heard about the Eight Divisions of Daxia, they immediately had some guesses in their minds.

The eight departments of the Great Xia and the eight offices of the Eastern Ridge have the exact same name, the only difference being the suffix: one is "department" and the other is "official".

What a coincidence!

If it was just speculation at the time, then when the news spread and Lu Yang immediately abolished the Dongling Eight Divisions and changed it to the same management model as the other garrisons in Beining Mountain, they could be basically certain.

Their master, Lu Yang, or rather, this group from Dongling, definitely had connections with that Daxia Town. To be even more bold, it's quite possible that their master came from that Daxia Town.

Currently, it's not just the two of them who have this guess; Lu Yun and his other fellow disciples are also basically aware of it.

The fellow disciples all tacitly refrained from discussing this matter.

But as Daxia Town grew in fame, more and more news about Daxia reached Beining Mountain, and the people there became more and more excited each day.

"Once Master returns after finishing his business, everything will be clear. He will definitely tell us on his own initiative!"

At the Feast at Hongmen, Xia Hong, the lord of the Great Xia Dynasty, casually struck Duan Hong, the lord of Chuishan Town, and Mu Longhe, the town's chief, who were forced to flee. None of the remaining seven town lords dared to utter a single word in defense of Chuishan Town.

The message flashed through Zhu Baixu's mind. He clenched his fists, his eyes filled with longing for Daxia Town.

………………

"Brother Han, just go down through the secret passage. Lu Shouzhen has been staying in your hometown for the time being. You should be able to see him when you come out of the secret passage."

Leading Han Feng and his family of four into the main building, Wang Tao didn't waste any words. He directly opened the entrance to the secret passage behind the main seat in the main hall and gestured for the four of them to go down.

Unlike his wife Tan Rou, this was Han Feng's second visit. He showed no surprise on his face. After bowing to Wang Tao, he led his wife and children down the secret passage and headed towards Han Qiong's camp at the foot of the mountain.

The secret passage in Hanqiong was opened in August of the third year of the Great Xia Dynasty. Now, five years have passed, and the passage has naturally changed its appearance.

Upon entering the secret passage, the four saw a cast iron track with many simple flatbed carts piled up beside it. Seeing the flatbed carts, Han Feng immediately understood. He took his wife and children and pushed them backward with all his might, and the flatbed carts immediately slid down the track.

"Dad, this car is so much fun!"

"It's so fast, we don't even need to walk anymore."

"What a strong wind! Hahaha!"

………………

Children are naturally playful. The flatbed cart slid down the track at high speed. With their father protecting them, they weren't afraid and kept saying how fun it was. Tan Rou, who was riding in such a thing for the first time, also found it convenient and comfortable and couldn't help but laugh along with her son.

Unlike his wife and children, Han Feng had been observing ever since he entered the secret passage.

He walked out of this secret passage six years ago, and when he left, he used brute force to collapse a long section of it. Now the secret passage has changed drastically, and it's not as simple as just being cleared out.

The width of the entire tunnel has increased several times, reaching a height of five meters and a width of more than three meters. The entire tunnel is reinforced with wood and iron, and some key structures are supported by a large amount of pure iron. During the rapid descent of the flatbed truck, not a single tremor could be detected, demonstrating the tunnel's stability.

"It's already very difficult to collapse this secret passage on a large scale again. Unless a large number of Cold-Resistant level experts stronger than me act simultaneously, it's simply impossible. The Great Xia has been infiltrating Beishuo Town for four years, and they are still sparing no effort to reinforce this secret passage. It seems..."

Turning his gaze away from the secret passage and the fortifications, Han Feng's face was filled with shock. At the end of last year, the Nine Towns Allied Forces suffered a major defeat at Hongguan, and he went straight back to Jinshan Town. A few days after returning, he came to Beishuo to find Lu Yang.

When Han Feng saw Lu Yang and his 31 men at Hongguan, he had a vague feeling that the Great Xia Dynasty was no longer what it used to be, and its strength was definitely far beyond his imagination.

But when he arrived at Dongling Village at the end of the year, he was immediately stunned.

The entire Dongling Village has over a hundred people at the Cold Resistance level and hundreds at the Digging Realm Limit.

This strength alone is enough to crush his village, Gutan.

Guan Jianhan was very clear that Lu Yang was just one of Xia Hong's subordinates.

How strong must the Great Xia be?

The subsequent trip to the Great Xia Dynasty stirred up a tremendous wave in Han Feng's heart.

Later, in Xia City, he met Han Yue and her two younger sisters. Seeing their Cold Resistance level cultivation and learning about their current lives, he returned to Gu Tan Village from Xia City. Han Feng never stopped thinking about them.

For the past six months, he had been planning to send his wife and children back to Xia City to live, not only for that but also for his own future.

Han Feng was not a man content with mediocrity. Six years ago, he led his men out of Longyou through a secret passage and into the territory of Jiuzhen. Because they were unfamiliar with the environment, they accidentally wandered into the territory of Jinshan Town. Along the way, many died or were injured, and in the end, only more than 300 people remained. They were taken in by Tan Yuan, the leader of Gutan Village.

In just six years, Han Feng not only broke through the peak of the Cold Control realm and reached the 17th level of strength, but also married Tan Yuan's niece, Tan Rou. With the support of the old Han Qiong clan, he became the deputy leader of Gu Tan Village.

Given that he held a high position in Gutan Village, he could have lived a comfortable life with his wife and children. But how could someone who had seen the Heavenly Palace be content with an ordinary life?
Don't even mention comparing Gutan Village to Xia City. He's been to Jinshan City, and based on his observation, even Jinshan City is inferior to Xia City.

Just to give you an example, last year in Xia City, he saw that children the same age as his two sons were all a size bigger than his own. That alone gave him a good reason to bring his wife and children to Xia City.

Of course, there's also the issue of his own cultivation level.

Han Feng is only thirty-four years old this year, and he is unwilling to stop at the level of 17 in his life. The problem is that it is too difficult to improve his strength after reaching the peak of Yu Han.

One Tiger Power Pill from Jinshan Town costs 10 taels of silver.

Hanfeng simply cannot afford this price.

He is the deputy leader of Gutan Village, so his authority and treatment are naturally quite high. He also earns some silver on a regular basis. Moreover, he is quite strong. Occasionally, he will accept the conscription of Jinshan City or go to other villages to help out, which will earn him some extra money, but the process is too slow.

On average, he could save up to six thousand taels of silver a year. At this rate, it would take him at least fifteen years to save enough to buy one Tiger Power Pill. By the time he was seventy or eighty, he would only be able to buy two or three Tiger Power Pills.

How could Han Feng tolerate this?

He harbored a dream of manifesting yang in his heart!

Last year, when Dajue Temple caused a disturbance, Jinshan Town conscripted villagers from all over the country to help. As the deputy leader, he didn't have to come at all. The reason he came was to earn more silver.

This could be considered fate. A risky trip to Hongguan led him to unexpectedly encounter Lu Yang and others, and learn about the current situation of the Great Xia Dynasty.

"Last year, Han Shuang took me to the Supply Department of Da Xia. There, the Dragon Carp Pill and Green Cod Pill could be exchanged for only 30000 contribution points each. Leaving aside the way to obtain contribution points, the Supply Department exchanges 80 silver points for 1 jin (500 grams). 30000 contribution points is equivalent to 3750 taels of silver. I have enough silver on me now to buy five at once, so I must join Da Xia!"

Han Feng pondered for a moment, his eyes filled with determination. Joining the Great Xia would not only bring a better life to his family, but he himself could also continue to improve his strength, and it was not impossible for him to realize his dream of becoming a celestial being in the future.

"Moreover, even if half of the recent rumors are true, it would be enough to prove that what I saw in Xia City last year was not the whole picture of Great Xia. Great Xia's true strength is probably far more terrifying than I imagined!"

Recalling the news about the Great Xia that had reached Jinshan Town last month, Han Feng's eyes gradually burned with fervor, and his expression became excited.

For some reason, the image of that person he had met briefly six years ago when he led his men out of the Hanqiong secret passage resurfaced in his mind. He remembered that he had once ambushed the person, and that the person had later personally invited him to join the Great Xia. He immediately shook his head repeatedly, a bitter smile appearing on his face.

The entire Hanqiong Secret Passage is 45 kilometers long. If Han Feng were to walk, it would take him at least two hours with his wife and children. However, thanks to the flatbed cart that allowed them to descend quickly, the four of them came down in less than a quarter of an hour.

Clang...

"Brother Han has finally arrived!"

Lu Yang was actually waiting for him at the end of the passage.

Han Feng immediately guessed that Wang Tao had sent the message in advance. He hurriedly jumped off the flatbed cart with his wife and two children, and bowed to Lu Yang, saying, "Han Feng greets Lord Lu!"

He was already very familiar with the Great Xia Dynasty and knew Lu Yang's official position. He had come to join the Great Xia Dynasty, so he could no longer address him casually as before.

Upon hearing Han Feng's address, Lu Yang immediately understood and led the four members of his family out of the secret passage with a smile.

Just like six years ago, the exit of the secret passage leads directly to the main building of the former Hanqiong camp.

Of course, it has now become the office building where Han Qiong of the Great Xia Dynasty is stationed.

Although this was his second time visiting, Han Feng still felt a deep sense of warmth upon returning to the place where he grew up, even though things had changed.

"kill!"

"drink!"

"They're all limp and weak, don't they have any strength? Try harder."

"kill!!!"

"drink!!!"

…………

Before they even stepped out of the government building, several angry roars suddenly came from inside the Cold Qiong Gourd Valley. It sounded a bit like soldiers being drilled, and Han Feng's eyes immediately showed a hint of curiosity.

"By the way, I've been busy leading troops lately and haven't had time to take care of Dongling. Lord Wang has been in charge there recently, so please forgive me, Brother Han."

"Lord Lu, you flatter me!"

Seeing that Lu Yang had even cupped his hands in a gesture of explanation, Han Feng quickly returned the gesture, shook his head repeatedly, and then followed him out of the building.

"kill!"

As he stepped out of the building, a thousand-strong army clad in pale gold armor suddenly came into Han Feng's view, causing him to shudder.

The army was divided into ten square formations, each with a hundred men. The soldiers in the front square formation wielded a variety of weapons, and all of them possessed the cultivation level of the Cold Resistance Realm. Among the remaining nine square formations, three carried strangely shaped giant broadswords, while the other six were equipped with longswords. In addition to the hundred men in the front square formation, there were more than a hundred Cold Resistance Realm auras in the other nine square formations, and the remaining nearly eight hundred men were all at the peak of the Earth Digging Realm.

Even though Hanqiong is such a small outpost, the Great Xia actually stationed a large army of the Zhenyu Army level. It seems that the recent rumors in the Eight Towns that the Great Xia lord Xia Hong has tens of thousands of troops under his command are not unfounded!

Han Feng suppressed his surprise and looked at Lu Yang with envy, saying, "Lord Lu, you are able to command such a powerful army, which I truly envy!"

"Hahaha, my Dongyang Army has only been established for three months, and there is still a long way to go before it is comparable to the other armies of the Great Xia!"

Lu Yang was really tickled by Han Feng's words and couldn't help but burst into laughter. In recent months, his proudest achievement was the Dongyang Army.

His desire to build an army was not something that had been brewing for just a day or two. When he received news from Xia City at the end of April that the lord had personally appointed him to build an army, he was immediately excited and rushed back to Xia City overnight.

In mid-May, he had completed the construction of the Dongyang Army. In order to facilitate his own training and military discipline, he moved the Dongyang Army directly to the Hanqiong garrison. He handed over most of the affairs of Dongling to Wang Tao, while he focused on training troops in Hanqiong.

"Brother Han, there's no need to be envious. Your talent is no less than mine. Once you become a member of our Great Xia, you will surely be valued by the lord, and leading troops will be just a matter of time."

"Thank you for your kind words, Lord Lu!"

Upon hearing Lu Yang's words, a glimmer of hope rose in Han Feng's eyes. He nodded emphatically and continued to follow Lu Yang toward the entrance of the straight road where Han Qiong was stationed.

To get back to Xia City from Hanqiong, they had to head south, passing through Beehive, Mirror Valley, and then through Arrow Bamboo Forest. This distance was about 90 kilometers. At this moment, there were only three hours left before dawn. If they walked normally, the four of them would definitely not be able to reach the destination before dawn, but taking the straight road would be different.

"90 kilometers, all on a straight road. At your pace, you should be able to get there in a little over an hour. This is your pass to the checkpoint and your token to enter the city. When Wang Tao sent the message earlier, I had already sent someone back to Xia City to inform them in advance. Miss Hanyue and Hanshuang already know that you have arrived."

Lu Yang took out two tokens he had prepared in advance. One was made of pure iron and was of the hundred-fold forging grade. It was a pass issued by Han Qiong's station. The other was of the thousand-fold forging grade and had Han Feng's name engraved on it. It was obviously prepared in advance.

"Lu Yin?"

Han Feng could understand the city entry token, as most of the eight towns had them, but he was unfamiliar with the travel permit. He immediately looked up at Lu Yang with curiosity.

Lu Yang, not minding the trouble, explained with a smile: "Our Great Xia Town now has nearly forty outposts. With so many outposts, there is frequent personnel movement between them. This travel permit is used to prevent people with ulterior motives. The travel permit records everything in detail, including how many people are in your group, where you came from, why you came, and where you are going. Only officials of the rank of garrison commander or above can issue it. With it, you can travel within the territory of Great Xia."

Upon hearing this, Han Feng immediately realized that with this travel permit system, the Great Xia's control over the movement of people within its territory would be terrifyingly strong.

When issuing travel permits, each station must have made a backup. If any suspicious person appears at any station, you can immediately find out by comparing the information with the station that issued the travel permit. The key is that you can also trace the source. If there is any problem, you can find out which station and which person issued the permit. Everything will be clear once you check.

Through this system of travel permits, one can get a glimpse of the extent of the Xia Dynasty's control over its territory, which was incomparable to the other eight towns on the southern slope of Mount Mo'ao.

With this in mind, Han Feng naturally looked forward to the rest of the trip even more.

"Lord Lu, my wife and children can't stand the cold, so I'll set off first."

"Of course, Brother Han, please take care!"

Han Feng bid farewell to Lu Yang and, with his wife and children, headed towards Xia City via the straight road.

The four traveled south along the straight road, passing through Beehive and Mirror Valley. After having their travel permits checked in both places, they embarked on the final leg of their journey before arriving in Xia City.

As you step onto the straight path at the southern end of Mirror Valley, you'll notice a significant increase in the number of pedestrians along the way.

This was Han Feng's second visit, so he naturally understood why. The straight road south of Jinggu connects Xiacheng with the entire Longyou region, so there are naturally more people traveling there than in other places.

"Husband, how many people are there in this Great Xia Town?"

Tan Rou held back for a long time, but finally couldn't hold back anymore.

Since entering Dongling Village, she has barely spoken a word.

The reason is simple: she also has the cultivation level of the Earth-Digging Realm. Although she cannot clearly see many things, she has some sense of them.

The places she visited and the people she met along the way were all significantly better than the places she had been before, from their clothing and appearance to their cultivation level.

Especially on this straight road after leaving Mirror Valley, among so many passersby, she couldn't find a single person weaker than her. Moreover, there were many people who nodded to her husband. She didn't need to guess to know that those people must all be at the Cold Resistance level.

She originally intended to ask how strong the Great Xia was, but when the words came to her lips, she realized that this was a difficult question to answer, so she instead asked how many people the Great Xia had.

Han Feng, who was walking ahead, paused for a moment when he heard the question before answering, "When I came here at the end of last year, Xia City's population had already exceeded 103 million. I don't know now."

Population exceeding 103 million?
gulp...

Tan Rou's expression suddenly froze, and she asked incredulously, "Jinshan City only has a population of over 80, but Xia City has even more people than Jinshan City?"

This is not because the woman is ignorant. Tan Rou's ability to immediately state the approximate population size of Jinshan City proves that her knowledge is not only not low, but even exceeds that of most ordinary people.

Even so, a city with a population of over a million was something she had never heard of in her thirty-plus years of life. Upon hearing that Xia City was so large, she was naturally deeply shocked.

"You see the exit? Come with me and you'll see!"

Han Feng originally intended to talk to his wife again, but after taking a few steps forward, he suddenly saw a light appear in front of the passage. His face immediately lit up with joy, and he immediately signaled his wife to quicken her pace. He picked up their two sons and ran quickly toward the exit.

"Ming'er, Rui'er, wake up, we've arrived, look up and see!"

Stepping out of the passage, Han Feng immediately activated Han Ming and Han Rui in his hands.

The two children, only four or five years old, couldn't withstand the long journey and had already fallen asleep. When their father woke them up, they rubbed their eyes, looked up, and stared wide-eyed.

Not only the two of them, but Tan Rou, who had just stepped out of the straight road, also froze.

About 500 meters directly in front of the passage, a giant city wall appeared, running from north to south and stretching as far as the eye could see.

Although the specific material of the city wall was not discernible, it was entirely black and shiny, and its height alone was over thirty meters. Despite its considerable height, the city wall extended so far to the north and south that from a distance it resembled a black behemoth crouching on the ground. Even at night, its grandeur and magnificence could be clearly felt.

"This city wall is even bigger than that of Jinshan City!"

"What a huge city!"

"Dad, is this where we'll be living from now on?"

………………

"I'm just a country bumpkin, new to this place, please excuse my poor appearance. Rou'er, come with me, let's go to the city!"

There were quite a few people coming and going at the entrance. Seeing that his wife and two sons' words had attracted the attention of the people around them, Han Feng immediately smiled and cupped his hands to the crowd before leading the three of them and following the flow of people toward the city gate.

"It's so warm, Dad!"

"Aren't we cold even though we're so far from the fire?"

The temperature rose instantly as they approached the city gate, and Han Ming and Han Rui, who had been huddled in Han Feng's arms, immediately noticed it.

Tan Rou also realized this, and looked up at the snowflakes in the sky, which all seemed to be bypassing the giant city. Her face was instantly filled with surprise and curiosity.

The huge city gate was divided into two areas, one for exit and one for entry. People leaving the city were basically not screened, while people entering the city had to queue up slowly.

Hundreds of soldiers, clad in finely forged golden armor, patrolled the area around the city gates, the watchtowers above the gates, and the city walls. Some were even specifically tasked with checking the travel permits and tokens of those entering the city.

Han Feng, familiar with the route, joined the queue with his wife and children.

It will be their turn soon.

"A stranger!"

The soldiers at the city gate, seeing the four men's attire, recognized that they were not from the Great Xia Dynasty. However, they were not surprised and directly asked, "Do you have travel permits?"

"Yes, sir, please take a look!"

Han Feng hurriedly and politely handed over the travel permit and token.

The soldier on duty, seeing Han Feng's attitude, immediately showed a hint of satisfaction on his face. He was also at the Cold Resistance level. He not only discerned that Han Feng was not from the Great Xia, but also realized that Han Feng's cultivation and strength were above his own.

His strength was so great, yet his attitude was not arrogant, which naturally made him feel good about him.

"It's a travel permit personally signed by Lord Lu, for Han Feng and his family of four..."

Of course, even though he had a good impression of Han Feng, the man still carefully checked the information on the travel permit. When he finally saw the token, a smile appeared on his face. He put the travel permit back and returned the token to Han Feng, saying with a smile, "No problem, you can go into the city now!"

"Thank you very much, sir!"

Finally, we can enter the city...

Han Feng, carrying his two sons, led his wife through the city gate at a brisk pace.

Upon entering the city, a 20-meter-wide bluestone avenue immediately came into Tan Rou's view. On both sides of the bluestone avenue were planted various kinds of fruit trees and vegetation that she had never seen before. Behind the vegetation was a large open space with only a few scattered buildings, which was a bit different from the bustling scene she had imagined.

"The outer city of the Great Xia is divided into four parts: east, south, west, and north. Each part is further subdivided into 18 districts, each of which can accommodate more than 100,000 people. Currently, only the east city is in use. Last time I came, there were 11 districts. I don't know how many there are now. Look ahead, that is the core area of ​​the outer city."

With her husband's explanation, Tan Rou immediately looked up and headed east. Upon seeing this, she immediately understood.

Although there are many trees in Xia City, they are all planted on both sides of the main road. Moreover, the types of trees are obviously carefully selected, with a decreasing trend in terms of species. Presumably, the more precious the trees are planted further in, so the view is not affected at all when standing on the main road.

Several kilometers to the east of the main road, a large complex of buildings stands majestically, with flickering lights inside and wisps of smoke rising into the sky. Just as Han Feng had said, that is the core area of ​​the outer city.

The four continued walking along the main road and soon arrived at the complex of buildings.

"Mother, look, what's that hanging on the ceiling of that house? It's constantly spinning."

"It smells so good, are they cooking? I've never smelled anything like it before."

"Dad, look at the clothes they're wearing, they're all so nice."

…………

The two little ones, Han Ming and Han Rui, had long since gotten down from their father's arms and were walking on their own. As soon as they arrived at the building complex, they excitedly broke free from Han Feng's hand, looking around and asking questions, their faces full of curiosity and exploration.

The four walked a little further in, and they actually heard shouts and calls coming from along the street.

"Xianghanjian, two coins a pack, take a look!"

"Sour crystal fruit skewers, five coins a skewer, sweet and sour and delicious, come and take a look."

"Chen's exclusive air-dried pork, made with a secret recipe of fine salt, has a strong salty flavor, delicious but not greasy, 140 coins per catty, only 50 catties available today, honest and fair, everyone come and take a look."

………………

Not to mention Han Ming, Han Rui, and Tan Rou, even Han Feng, who came at the end of last year, didn't see this scene. Now, hearing the shouts from all directions and seeing the dazzling array of goods in many houses along the street, the four of them were completely dumbfounded.

"Dad, this tart berry skewer smells so good! I want to eat it..."

Children are most receptive to new things. Before Han Feng and his wife could even process what was happening, Han Ming had already led his younger brother to a stall, pointing longingly at a string of red things on the stall, begging his father to buy them for him.

The stall displayed items in strings, mostly four fist-sized fruits strung together.

Han Feng recognized it at a glance; the fruit was the most common crystal fruit in Longyou. The problem was that the crystal fruit was white and its aroma was not strong. It was usually a staple food used by weak camps to fill their stomachs.

The crystal fruits displayed at this stall were not only deep red like gemstones, but also emitted an extremely sweet fragrance. Just from their appearance, not only were Han Ming and Han Rui's two children attracted, but even their wife Tan Rou couldn't help but stop and get closer to smell them.

The owner of this stall was an elderly man, who looked to be in his early sixties. His cultivation level was only at the Earth Digging Realm, but his business was indeed good, with many people queuing up to buy.

The money that everyone handed to the stall owner was a round silver disc with a square hole, about six or seven centimeters in diameter. Both sides of the disc were engraved with an exquisite "Xia" character. After staring at it for a while, Han Feng's expression changed slightly.

"The reason why a thousand-forged iron sheet appears silver is because the forging patterns are too dense. Even such a small piece of thousand-forged iron coin would probably require a hundred catties to cast. Is this the currency used for circulation in the Great Xia Dynasty?"

Han Feng quickly noticed that someone had paid with silver.

The old stall owner took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and immediately took out a jar from below. He then carefully counted nine large, ten-thousand-refined iron coins, plus five thousand-refined iron coins, and gave them to the other party as change.

"One tael of silver, here's your change of ninety-five coins."

Based on the standard of 1,000-fold iron coins, 1 tael of silver is equal to 100 copper coins, and 1 10,000-fold iron coin is equal to 10 copper coins. This is the rule of the Chamber of Commerce of the Eight Towns of Mo'ao Mountain!

Han Feng immediately realized that he had been to Jinshan City and bought things at the Jinshan Town Chamber of Commerce. He immediately remembered that the currency system used by the Great Xia Dynasty was learned from the Eight Towns.

The problem is that the Eight Towns only allow the Chamber of Commerce to calculate it this way, and only they can sell it to outsiders. They don't allow ordinary people to trade directly like this!
The Great Xia Dynasty has completely opened up the market; everyone can trade like this now...

Han Feng's expression shifted slightly, and a multitude of thoughts instantly flashed through his mind.

Meanwhile, it was finally his turn in the team.

With a wave of his hand, he bought four strings of coins, accepted the eight coins of 8-yuan change from the stall owner, and continued walking forward with his wife.

However, a little incident soon occurred.

"You two, stop right there!"

A little guy wearing a black silk hat and a small black robe covering his entire body, with not even his face showing, suddenly blocked the way for the two brothers, Han Ming and Han Rui.

Although the little guy was much taller than the Han brothers, you could tell from his voice that he was at most five or six years old.

The Han brothers were still excited when they first arrived in Xia City. When they saw a peer standing in front of them, they were not afraid at all, but instead became excited.

"who are you!"

"Why should we stop?"

As the two were talking, Han Feng, who was behind them, stared at the black-robed child. His expression suddenly became serious, but then he realized something and looked up at the back of the black-robed child. His expression then turned into extreme excitement.

"Hmph, because I'm a big bad guy, if I tell you to stop, you have to stop. Now I'm going to ask you a question, and if you can answer it, I'll treat you to something delicious, how about it?"

Han Ming wasn't shy at all. He waved the string of sour berries in his hand and said, "My dad bought us some delicious food, so I don't need you to treat me!"

"babble…………"

The black-robed child couldn't help but let out a sound of disgust when he saw what Han Ming was holding. Then, he said mysteriously, "Sour crystal fruit skewers, they're all sour and unappetizing, what's so delicious about them? Sweet gourd skewers, one bite and you get a fragrant, sweet, and sour flavor, that's what you call delicious...tsk tsk..."

The little boy in the black robe was precocious; as he spoke, he deliberately smacked his lips, as if recalling the wonderful taste of the sweet gourd skewers.

Han Ming and Han Rui fell for it immediately. They had just tasted the sour crystal fruit skewers, which meant they were the best things in the world. When the child in front of them said there were even better things, they were already drooling with envy.

"If you answer my question, I'll treat you to a meal, how about it?"

"Okay, then you go ahead!"

"How old are you? How many years and months? You must tell me clearly."

No one expected that the child in the black robe would ask such a question.

Han Feng had already guessed the identity of the black-robed child, and his expression immediately became somewhat tense. However, he also realized something and looked at his two sons anxiously, almost as if he was about to answer for them.

The older brother, Hanming, spoke first: "I am five years and one month old."

The younger brother, Hanrui, continued, "I was just over four years old."

"Haha, you're only a month older than me, and a year younger than me. You'll have to wait until next year to start cultivating. That's great! Let's play together from now on!"

Upon hearing the two brothers' ages, the black-robed child suddenly clapped happily, then stepped forward, approached the Han brothers (Han Ming and Han Rui), removed the black mask from his face, and invited them to play together in the future.

Upon hearing the child's words, Han Feng immediately realized that the black-robed child was struggling because he was too young to cultivate, which was why he was looking for a fellow sufferer.

Upon seeing the black-robed child's true appearance, his expression suddenly changed, realizing that his guess was correct. When he heard the child invite his two sons to play together in the future, his expression immediately became excited.

(End of this chapter)