The Great Seminary

Chapter 216 A Futile Struggle
The Great Wolf City has thirty-three city gates, but only the main gate in the very center, facing the vast grassland, has a gate tower.

The six large golden characters "Yuanshan Great Wolf Capital" inscribed between the city tower and the city gate signify the existence of the entire inner city wall.

As for the other city gates...

All of them reach the heavens, and are thirty-three feet wide.

It's truly an exaggeration that even the giants of the ancient Kuafu tribe and Longbo Kingdom could pass through with ease.

It's just that the city wall is so short, less than ten feet high, that it's practically just for show and doesn't look grand or magnificent.

"Isn't this city wall strangely constructed?"

I've lived in Big Wolf for decades, and every time I see it, I still think, "What is this thing?"

The parrot, peering through a dark crevice in one of the shacks of the mixed-use neighborhood, gazed at the brightly lit, daylight-like world on the other side of the main street, and murmured:
"However, this is the decree of the Eternal Heaven."

It's like the rule that 'officials are three-tenths of the population, commoners are four-tenths, those without a place to live cannot rest in the inner city, and those who die as slaves can be fined in lieu of punishment,' and so on.

And as long as it is the decree of the Eternal Heaven, no one in Yuanshan can question it.

"I feel that this city wall is quite practical, and there's nothing wrong with it."

And Mr. Kuroba, what are you, a parrot spirit, lamenting for the lowly people and slaves of Yuanshan?

This is truly bizarre.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Gui glanced at the parrot a few more times and muttered something under his breath.

Take a step forward, and you step from darkness into light.

He strolled leisurely across the main road, passed through the inner city gate which was completely unguarded, and entered the inner city of Great Wolf Capital.
The wide bluestone road is flanked by buildings ranging from three stories to one story, some of which are constructed of wood.
Some are houses built of stones or wood and stone, and some are even just tents standing on the ground.

Clearly, the government of Dalangdu is ignoring this matter.

However, it's not entirely true that they're completely free to do whatever they want.

Next to residential houses.

Every 33 feet, an iron pole with a "wind lamp" hanging on it was planted to serve as a street lamp.

It emitted a dim, yellowish light, not very bright, but enough to make out the ground.

This can be considered a benevolent policy of the government.

In the light.

Zhang Gui wandered aimlessly with the sparse but ever-present stream of pedestrians.

You can see guesthouses with signs hanging up from time to time.

When guests arrive, the aroma of food and drinks wafts out.

"No one greets you outside the guesthouse, so it won't disturb the neighbors too much. Everyone's life is hard, so the neighbors just put up with it?"

Seeing this, Zhang Gui's mind wandered aimlessly.

I also casually walked into a wooden house guesthouse.

Near the entrance is a small cabinet that can only accommodate one person stretching out.

The burly proprietress was sleeping face down.

Behind them was a small tavern with only two long, narrow tables.

There was also a stove next to it where a mixed stew was being cooked over a low flame.

The burnt cow dung emitted a strange, indescribable odor.

Overall, it can be described as "small but perfectly formed".

Zhang Gui patted the counter, "Shopkeeper, shopkeeper."

The proprietress straightened up immediately. She looked to be in her thirties with a round face, thin single eyelids, and a large nose.

She yawned sleepily and looked at Zhang Gui, saying:
"It's quite rare to see Western customers coming to our little 'Pork Trotter Shop'."

Sir, would you like to eat or rest?
We have large rooms here, so you definitely won't be staying here like this.

There are also superior rooms available, costing one or two taels of gold per night, payable immediately upon check-in.

As for food, a normal meal costs thirty copper coins and is enough to fill you up.

If you're talking about pills, 'premium pills' cost eighty coins;

"Liangpu Pills" two taels of gold and fifty coins;

"Six taels of pure pork belly pills, made with dog's head gold; honest and fair to all, young and old."

Zhang Gui was taken aback by what he heard. He looked around at the cramped shop and said, "Shopkeeper, I'm not saying your shop is inferior."

Rather, it's because they feel that with a shop like yours, even if you occasionally have customers like me…

"Alright, alright, stop stammering and talking nonsense. I know what you mean, sir."

They felt my shop was too small to be suitable for selling rice balls.

And it's cheap for you outsiders, so you're probably worried it's fake, right?

That's only human nature, I don't mind it.

Although she said she didn't care, the proprietress's face had already fallen.

"That's not the case. The shopkeeper looks like a simple and honest old man from Yuanshan."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Gui quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile.

A look of sudden realization dawned on his face.
"I understand, I understand."

Since you are a native of Yuanshan, the government will naturally treat you well.

So, is it possible to specialize in 'food balls' in this market?

“No, no.

The government has been very kind to us old folks whose names are on the 'Canglang and Bailu household registers'.

However, 'food balls' can be sold to anyone who runs a business.

There are many cultivators in our Great Wolf Village, so the Eternal Heaven gave special instructions.

The government-supplied food balls are sold at cost, and as long as they aren't sold to other areas, there's as much as you want.

Zhang Gui's eyes widened, a thought flashing through his mind.
"A single high-quality pill requires more than 30 catties of grain as raw material alone."

Liangpuwan (a type of meatball) requires more than 30 jin (approximately 15 catties) of good meat in addition to grains.

Pure meatballs require over a hundred catties of meat and grain to make just one.

If the government were to provide unlimited quantities of premium pills, fine dried meat pills, and pure dried meat pills to civilian cultivators at a price of eighty copper coins, two and a half taels of silver, or six taels of silver...

Even if free trade is not allowed.

The wealth of the Yuanshan Empire has completely exceeded my imagination.

Once a large-scale "national war" enters a stalemate, the battle becomes about the economy.

In this comparison, it's pointless for the Ming and Song dynasties to struggle any further.

However, Changsheng Tiemu's approach to governing the country is somewhat unpredictable.

While it's true he treated cultivators well, the "Three Officials and Four Commoners" policy didn't include any clauses allowing for a direct promotion in status upon entering the Dao.

"Guest, are you here for a meal and drinks or to stay the night?"

Seeing him standing there in a daze, the landlady said impatiently.

Zhang Gui, who carried enough food pills, smiled and said after regaining his senses:
"I'll eat first and then stay, so I'll have to trouble the hotel."

"Calculate every little detail."

He paid three taels of gold and sat down in the small tavern.

With the cash in hand and the customer being so generous, the proprietress's face immediately lit up with a smile again.

"Sir, I'll serve you some food and Manai wine right away. Please enjoy your meal."

And so, Zhang Gui swallowed two pure milk pills with milk wine.

Then I ate two large bowls of mixed stew and fried rice with oil.

After washing up briefly, we went to a simple guesthouse in the inner city of Dalangdu, in the "Hoof Clip Workshop".

He spent his first night on the land of Wonsan.

The Yuanshan Grassland has a unique climate, with hot days and cold nights.

He woke up early in the morning, sweating profusely.

In fact, as long as any one of the acupoints in the body is activated, this temperature difference will no longer be felt.

But Zhang Gui always felt that maintaining the body's keen awareness of the outside world was very important.

So, enduring the sweltering heat, he wiped the sweat from his face and quickly left the guesthouse.

(End of this chapter)