The Great Seminary

Chapter 213 Acting on One's Own Principles
If Zheng Changgong Baoyin behaves like a fool, then Zhang Gui won't care what objections he raises at this moment.

Because 'ignorance and bigotry' are the privilege of fools.

However, Zheng Changgong Baoyin revealed his cunning and subtly threatened Zhang Gui as a result.

This prompted Zhang Gui to whisper:
"Young man, let me tell you a story."

In another ancient civilization, one of the world's oldest.

There once was an extremely great founding emperor who was worshipped by all the people.

His image would even be worshipped in the homes of all commoners, just like a deity.

Then one day...

A commoner bought a portrait of this supreme being, but it got wet in the rain when he was carrying it home. His neighbor saw it and reported him to the authorities.

He suffered a terrible fate because he didn't take off his clothes to hide the portrait.

Therefore, by the same token, since His Majesty Changsheng Tiemu's words are the truth in Yuanshan.

Even if the offender is unintentional, framed, or clearly wronged (even an idiot could see it), they will inevitably suffer unspeakable punishment.

The reason for this has absolutely nothing to do with the emperor in the story or the Eternal Heaven in the real world.

It's just that 'idol worship' has developed to a certain limit.

What was originally a genuine 'reverence' can unknowingly transform into 'awe', and then unknowingly into 'fear'!
It's just a distortion of social behavior.

There are no so-called 'bad guys' in it, only the helplessness of abandoning all the beautiful things like family, friendship, and kindness, and indulging in habitual depravity.

After all, people aren't born "bad." Would someone drive their loving and innocent parents to their death just to join an organization or group?

Zheng Changgong Baoyin, who had been awkwardly laughing even when being whipped, suddenly shuddered and became expressionless.

"Who are you? How do you know about my family?"
What is your purpose in bringing me here?

"I can tell from your name and Longbow Timur's harsh treatment of you that you may be brothers, one legitimate and one illegitimate."

Later, when I mentioned it briefly, you didn't refute it.

As for the last remark, it was an unintentional expression of feeling.

Unexpectedly, it seems to coincide with a certain period of your life.

If that's the case, you're really unlucky.

After listening to Zhang Gui's explanation, Zheng Changgong Baoyin looked at him silently for a while, then suddenly spoke:

"I am not a legitimate brother of Timur Changgong, but a full brother of the same father and mother."

He didn't say anything more after that, turned around and walked straight towards his friends in the distance, who looked worried but didn't come forward.

At this moment, Zhang Gui, standing behind Zheng Changgong and Baoyin, suddenly spoke up:

"This is my first time in Dalangdu, and I do need some help from the locals."

And they are willing to pay a sufficiently generous reward for it.

If you and your partner are willing to help me with this, why don't you 'find' me for lunch tomorrow to discuss it?

Zheng Changgong Baoyin paused, neither agreeing nor refusing, and continued walking away.

A considerable amount of time passed after that.

After nearly an hour of busy work, Salisa completed all the formalities for trading in the Great Wolf Capital and walked out of the Shipping Company's gate.

Zhang Gui, who was pacing idly in front of the door, immediately went to greet him.

"Is everything done?"

"Yes, Mr. Saio."

Vina, the owner of the 'Green Honey' salon in the Civilization Vanguard City, the largest merchant in the fleet, answered the question first.

"Besides the grassland nobles who enjoy the lustful life, the Great Wolf also has countless slaves with great 'potential'."

Once you return to Civilization Vanguard City, you are welcome to join us for a "Grassland Charm" night at Qingmi Salon.

"Oh, I'm honored."

Zhang Gui gave a dry thank you and then exchanged pleasantries with the other merchants in the caravan before saying goodbye. At this moment, Salisa, who had been waiting, finally approached Zhang Gui and handed him his waist token and a thick leather pouch about a foot long.

"This is a temporary badge that is equivalent to Yuanshan's 'only-walking' status."

There are also 20,000 taels of Yuanshan dog-head gold coins; that should be enough for pocket money.

The waist tag is a small tag about an inch long made of brass.

There wasn't a single pattern on it, only the three small characters '如只走' were engraved in relief.

It's ridiculously simple.

It feels like any coppersmith could forge it, perfectly illustrating the meaning of the word 'temporary'.

However, the gold nugget was different; it was a unique currency of the Yuanshan Empire.
It was divided into three denominations used by ordinary people in daily life: one tael, five taels, and ten taels.

In addition, there are three types of large-denomination currencies: 100, 1000, and 10,000, which are generally only used in commercial settlements.

These coins were cast from a unique metallic meteorite found on Tianyuan Mountain.

Normally it's dull and lifeless, but if you blow on it, it immediately emits a golden light, and it stays bright as you keep blowing on it.

This characteristic makes it almost impossible to fake...

Zhang Gui took the leather pouch, reached inside, and pulled out a metal coin shaped like a dog's head, only the size of a date pit and as thin as a piece of paper.

When you blow on it, it really does emit a dim golden light.

"What an amazing metal! It feels like it weighs less than iron for the same volume. And yet, Salisa, are you sure no one has died from a sudden illness while carrying a large amount of gold nugget?"

"I've never heard of that before. Why would you ask such a strange question?"

“I read in an old book that some stones that emit their own light can cause a terminal illness called ‘radiation’.”

But it doesn’t matter.

I feel like I'm no longer a pure carbon-based life form, so what's there to be afraid of about radiation sickness? It's ridiculous.

Zhang Gui smiled and tucked the leather pouch containing the gold nugget into his sleeve.

"Alright, then we'll part ways for now, Salisa."

If I am not in this position ten days from now, you will leave with the fleet.

I will go back by myself.

"Okay, then I wish you all the best, my partner."

As usual, Salisa ignored the strange remarks of his business partner, left only a blessing, and then went off with the rest of the caravan.

Zhang Gui quietly left this brightly lit dock area that never sleeps.

They walked toward the city gate leading to the inner city.

We left the bustling area.

The great wolf finally became dark and silent in the dead of night.

It was only because of the disturbance caused by Zhang Gui, this uninvited guest, that a series of deafening dog barks would occasionally rang out in the night.

Strangely, no matter how much their sleep was disturbed, no one in the surrounding dilapidated houses got angry or uttered a curse.

Living conditions in such slums are so appalling, it's easy to imagine how difficult daily life must be.

It's really unusual that everyone is so kind and polite.

Zhang Gui, who gave up on going to Fresh Velvet Island to 'collect corpses,' came to Yuanshan Kingdom for two reasons, besides the crucial factor of ensuring the safety of his companion Zhang Jiujiang.

Experience firsthand what life is like for ordinary people in the country founded by Changsheng Tiemu.

Whether they truly revered Tiemu Changsheng or were simply in awe of him to the extreme is also an important reason.

Although in some ways these two mental states are very similar, sometimes it is impossible to distinguish them accurately.

However, Zhang Gui, who felt he was on two completely opposite paths to imperial rule, still wanted to know.

(End of this chapter)