The Great Seminary

Chapter 212 Decision
Being in a foreign country, and with Zhang Gui currently only posing as a Western merchant.

Although she knew the boy who was awkwardly laughing had ulterior motives, she didn't want to press him any further, so she let him go.

"As a merchant who travels overseas, let me give you a piece of advice: young people from the grasslands, although 'even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake.'"

But everything has two sides; lacking a 'foundation' also means lacking scruples.

"Young man from the West, were you a traveling merchant selling goods or a mercenary risking your life?"

This is a bandit's den in a desolate wasteland where even the big wolves are not the only ones.

Even if I have some ulterior motives and want to play tricks on you, it's just to make some money to spend.

How did it come to the point of killing and slaughtering?

Are you crazy?

Seemingly sensing the coldness hidden in Zhang Gui's eyes, the awkwardly laughing boy said with great surprise.

The words sounded soft, but the last half of the sentence revealed a strong edge, clearly indicating that it was not an ordinary "troublemaker".

Zhang Gui always felt that he was very humble and modest, and most of the people around him also praised his virtue.

That makes sense.

The problem is that after he gained power, he held a prestigious position in the places he frequented most often.

He was the founding emperor of Zhenlong Kingdom, the opening general of Zhihai Town, and also one of the family's pillars of support in his hometown of Pingyang Town.

As long as one behaves like a 'human being' who knows right from wrong, and doesn't act so willfully that one can't distinguish between black and white, one can be considered virtuous and of good character.

Not to mention that Zhang Gui also had a considerable degree of self-reflection.

In Changsheng Tiemu's territory of Dalangdu, he was merely a traveling merchant from afar.

No matter how rich they are, they are still the lowest class of merchants in the traditional Dongshengzhou social hierarchy of "scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants," who "only care about profit and have little loyalty."

Even a street ruffian wouldn't necessarily feel inferior to him or fear him.

Not quite understanding the logic, Zhang Gui couldn't help but glare at the awkwardly laughing boy again.

The boy then said with an awkward laugh:

"Young man from the West, I told you this place is not a bandit's den in the wilderness, but a place where big wolves roam freely."

Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I'd dare to 'kill' you?

"So what you said just now wasn't to reassure me, but to warn me."

Zhang Gui then realized what was happening, and his anger flared even more, yet he felt helpless.

Just then, a riding whip lashed hard across the back of the awkwardly laughing boy.

"Zheng Changgong Baoyin, what are you doing now?"

The man wielding the whip was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties.

On a sweltering day, he wore a cool linen outfit, looking much like any other passerby.

Only the white deer tail tied to his head with deer tendons revealed his identity as a member of the Yuanshan aristocracy.

"Longbow Timur, are you blind? I'm looking for work."

This merchant from Xihezhou was visiting Dalangdu for the first time and knew nothing about it.

He sighed with a worried expression outside the shipping company late at night.

I happened to be short of money, so I asked. What, you say I can't?

Our Eternal Heaven personally gave the order.

'For merchants who come to sell ironware, salt, and other goods that we don't have on our grasslands.'

Or they might be merchants who come from afar with gold and silver to buy our local specialties, such as leather goods and dried milk cakes.

Treat them like you would a foal, offering them biscuits and butter tea, taking care of them, making things easy for them, and not frightening them.

"Have you forgotten all that?" "You insolent fool! When the Eternal Heaven spoke those words, the Great Plains weren't even unified yet, but what era are we living in now!"

Upon hearing this, Chang Gong Temur angrily swung his horsewhip, lashing at the awkwardly laughing boy for no reason.

As a result, the boy who was awkwardly laughing grabbed the end of the whip.

"Don't worry about when the Eternal Heaven said these words, anyway, his words are the truth in all the lands of our Yuanshan Empire!"

"Just tell me what I said, isn't it right?"

Although Zhang Gui, who was standing to the side, was still angry at the boy who was awkwardly laughing, he couldn't help but secretly admire him.
"No wonder this kid became a street thug leader at such a young age. It seems that in addition to his martial arts skills, he is also very quick-witted."

In the social environment of Yuanshan, Changsheng Tiemu's words are the law within the law.

Don't worry about when he said it before or whether it still applies to the current situation.

Basically, anything you oppose is considered 'politically incorrect,' and it's a recipe for disaster!

However, these two acting out in the street, one whipping someone and the other cleverly using words, seem to have a special relationship.

Zheng Changgong Baoyin and Changgong Temur both have two of the same five characters in their names. Could they be related?

Or, to make it even more dramatic, it could be a feud between brothers, both legitimate and illegitimate, who harbor resentment towards each other.

He was thinking about other people's gossip when he didn't expect that the entanglement would suddenly involve him.

Although Temur the Longbowman had a bad temper, he wasn't brain-dead.

They dared not bring up the topic of the supreme and mighty Eternal Heaven.

But they didn't want to admit defeat and slink away in disgrace.

He tried to pull the whip back several times, but to no avail, so he angrily threw it away.

Pointing at Zhang Gui with his finger.

"West Continent people, what are you doing here in our Great Wolf Kingdom?"
Was what Zheng Changgong Baoyin just said true?

"Me?" Zhang Gui paused slightly upon hearing this, then said with a forced smile:
"I heard that there is a great emperor in the East, as great as a god, who promised:"
'Treat merchants who bring gold and silver, which are not found on the grasslands, like little horses, and make things convenient for them.'

Everyone flocked to his empire's capital to do business.

If you do not allow it, then, young nobleman, Timur the Longbow, I will leave 'your' land immediately.

Or if you wish to take away the wealth I brought as compensation for my presence on 'your' land, then I will humbly offer it up.”

Upon hearing this, Longbow Timur suddenly realized that he seemed to have offended the wrong person.

The young overseas merchant in front of me, dressed in frivolous Western clothes, was not like other small foreign merchants who came to Yuanshan to seek cheap deals and opportunities, and knew how to flatter the powerful and belittle the weak.

Now, because of this mistake, he has gotten himself into trouble.

The best course of action is to employ the "Thirty-Six Stratagems, with strategic maneuvering being the superior one."

He then suddenly covered his face, turned around without saying a word, and fled.

The awkwardly laughing boy watched Chang Gong Timur's disappearing figure, then turned to Zhang Gui and said:

"It seems I was wrong. You are indeed a eloquent businessman."

"He's just too hot-tempered and ruthless, which makes him prone to offending people."

"If I were truly so angry and ruthless, I would have knelt down before that longbow Timur just now and kowtowed until my head bled."

Then they abandoned the ship and cargo they had brought and left Great Wolf City.

Zhang Gui smiled and said softly:
"In that case, your brother's head will definitely be hanging on the lighthouse of this dock tomorrow."

"Although the teachings of the Eternal Heaven are like truth in the Yuanshan Empire, the executioners of the Great Wolf Capital are not brainless stupid rabbits."

How could such a severe punishment be imposed?

Zheng Changgong Baoyin retorted dismissively.
"Chang Gong Temur is the White Deer Ten-Man Commander in the 'Kheshig Imperial Guard'."

(End of this chapter)