“Where are the two of you from?”
Jun Wu Xie took a step forward and quietly slipped two gold ingots into the hand of the soldier, which caused the eyes of the soldier to stare at them incredulously!
Soldiers that were assigned to guard the city gate usually did not hold much authourity or influence where they were not able to accumulate much in the way of bribes within the city. Hence, they were sent to this place to stand under the sun and rain. They had never seen so much money and the eyeballs of the two soldiers were almost popping out of their heads.
“My two Big Brothers, we are from a nearby city and the days were becoming too hard for us. We heard that the Clear Breeze City is safe and we rushed all the way over here. I beg that my two Big Brothers here could find it in your hearts to make it a little more convenient for us in this situation.” Jun Wu Xie said.
The eyes of the two guards were already shining upon seeing the brilliant gold. Seeing that everyone else was still bent over picking the golden leaves and no one was paying any attention to this side, they immediately waved the two of them through quickly.
“Go in quick.”
“Thanks.” Jun Wu Xie nodded slightly but was not in a hurry to enter but went on to say: “It’s our first time coming here and are not familiar with the place. I wonder if Big Brother will be able to share a thing or two about the city with us.”
Upon saying that, she pulled out another gold ingot.
The guard at the gates was swallowing hard as he stared at the gold and he quickly got someone to replace him at a position without a care before he led Jun Wu Xie and Jun Wu Yao into the city.
“Money makes the world go round”, and Jun Wu Xie knew that well.
“From the way the two of you look, it doesn’t seem like you have suffered much. Now that you’ve come into the Clear Breeze City, as long as you have enough silver, you’re guaranteed a good life.” Having accepted the money, the guard who led the two of them into the city was naturally telling them things straight and was not going to be overly courteous with his words.
“Usually we will not let people like you guys into the city, but as our little brother here has been highly persuasive, I have make an exception just for you and make another two friends today. If there is anything you do not understand in the future, you can jolly well just come find me.” The guard said with a smile, his words lofty and grand but was actually eyeing the fact that these two people were highly generous with their money.
“Usually not let in? What does that mean?” Jun Wu Xie asked, feigning ignorance.
The guard then told her: “Our City Lord has instructed us to only allow three hundred people into the city everyday, with priority given to the elderly and children. For people like you two, you’ll have to suffer a long wait.”
“Is that really possible? At times like this, shouldn’t it be best that the city takes in younger and stronger people?” Jun Wu Xie asked.
“Although what you say makes sense, but who asked our City Lord to be such a kind man who is unable to see people suffer? Didn’t you notice that the people still plopped outside before the gates are a bunch of men in their prime? The elderly, women and children have already been allowed inside. One other thing, if you are seeking to find a place to live in, I think you’ll have to wait a few days. It’ll be better for you to find yourself an inn first. If your purse strings feeling rather loose, you can go find yourself a suitable manor and buy it. But the land in this city is currently an inch of gold for an inch of land, highly expensive. If you do not have money, you can report to the magistrate’s office and someone will arrange a place for you to stay after a few days.” The guard was at least forthright, sharing everything that he thought he should, and even leading Jun Wu Xie and Jun Wu Yao to an inn, only leaving after he saw that they were settled in.
Jun Wu Xie and Jun Wu Yao booked two guest rooms and then went ahead into their rooms to rest.
Volume 15
Chapter 1415: “Getting Into the City (3)”
The City Lord is kind? Jun Wu Xie muttered to herself as she sat in the room, thinking over what the guard had said, finding it just hilarious.
If he was truly kind, why would he only let in three hundred people a day? Consistently letting people in like this made it clear to see that the Clear Breeze City was still able to accommodate more people, but they still insisted on only releasing a small number in intermittently. Moreover, the refugees staying within the tents outside in tents were not cared for in the least.
This seemingly kind act before Jun Wu Xies eyes was just a highly clumsy attempt at pulling wool over the eyes of people.
When she had entered the Clear Breeze City earlier, Jun Wu Xie had already noticed that the streets and alleys inside the Clear Breeze City were not that highly packed with people and it was clear that the city was not yet filled to capacity and it would even be said that they still had a lot of space.
On the streets that she passed, she had not seen that many elderly and children either and the population mix had looked very much like what it normally was in an average city. If things had really been like what that guard had told her, then the Clear Breeze City had always given priority to the elderly and very young to enter the city, then the amount of elderly and young children in the Clear Breeze City would surely differ far from that small number she had seen.
Moreover, the Poison Men had been carrying out their attacks for more than a year and the Clear Breeze City had started to accept refugees from more than six months ago. Calculating based on the rate of three hundred people a day, the city should have a minimum of an additional population numbering tens of thousands at least. With the singular type of people they claimed to prioritise entry for, it was impossible that it could result in what she had seen in the city.
There is something strange with this city indeed. Jun Wu Xie said with a sneer as the edges of her lips curled up, her chin propped up with a palm as she leaned upon the table while looking at the little black cat upon its surface.
Mistress. The little black cat said as it licked at her paws.
Hmm?
Havent you noticed what were missing? The little black cat said lazily.
Jun Wu Xie was slightly startled as she thought about it a moment before she shook her head.
The little black cat sat upright and looked into Jun Wu Xies eyes as it said in a calm voice: Ye Sha, Ye Mei, Ye Gu..
It suddenly came to Jun Wu Xies mind that she and Jun Wu Yao had moved at a very high speed this time and they had cleanly forgotten about the three brothers from the Ye Family!
They will find their way here on their own. Jun Wu Xie said, after clearing her throat slightly.
The little black cat stared in speechlessness at Jun Wu Xie. It was not worried about Ye Sha and the other two as the powers they possessed spoke for themselves, but was rather more worried about Lord Meh Meh and the Sacrificial Blood Rabbit in Ye Shas and Ye Meis arms..
Its still early and I think I will go see what the situation is like within this city. Jun Wu Xie said as she stood up. She had intended to leave immediately but she still went to inform Jun Wu Yao about it first. Jun Wu Yao had wanted to go along but was made to remain at the inn by Jun Wu Xie, using the reason that he needed to wait for Ye Sha and the others to arrive to make him remain behind.
Jun Wu Yao had no choice but to look on mournfully as Jun Wu Xie stepped out on her own.
Hence, by the time Ye Sha and the others who had rushed with all their might to reach the place came in, the skies was as dark as Jun Wu Yaos face at that moment.
Inside the Clear Breeze City, it was peaceful and tranquil as Jun Wu Xie walked along the wide streets, looking at the hawkers shouting out their wares and the highly relaxed and laid back citizens. If not for the fact that she knew how chaotic and dangerous it was outside in the rest of the world, looking at the way these people were, one would really think that the lands were at peace and there wasnt a calamity outside.
The citizens within the Clear Breeze City seemed not to be aware of the crisis outside as they continued with their leisurely life as usual. Jun Wu Xie observed everything carefully and found that it was easy to differentiate between the resident citizens of the Clear Breeze City and the refugees. One only had to look at their eyes they would be able to make a good guess about it. Refugees who had come escaping into the city were usually flustered, completely different with the laid back and leisurely demeanor of the original residents.
Jun Wu Xie walked an entire round around the city and the number of refugees she saw was less than she thought, at several thousand at most, a complete mismatch from the figure she had loosely calculated earlier.
Volume 15
Chapter 1416: “Good Samaritan (1)”
Jun Wu Xie walked an entire round around the city and the number of refugees she saw was less than she thought, at several thousand at most, a complete mismatch from the figure she had loosely calculated earlier.
While Jun Wu Xie was observing the things in the city, she coincidentally saw the group of refugees who had just been allowed into the Clear Breeze City being ushered by soldiers of the city to a place. That place had highly dilapidated houses and it was dim and highly dank. The people staying there looked very haggard and their clothes were filthy.
Jun Wu Xie observed them from the shadows and she gained a complete understanding of the situation from the words she overheard.
That place was used specifically to harbour refugees who had just come into the city not too long ago and they mainly consisted of the elderly and young children. Without having much money on them, they were unable to get themselves a place to stay and had to rely on people within the city to make the arrangements for them.
Those people who entered the city, although looking highly haggard, had expressions a little more relieved, as if having come into the Clear Breeze City would take them far away from suffering and danger. Even if the environment here was not good, it was a whole lot better than living in fear and terror outside the walls.
The soldiers left immediately after sending the refugees here, reminding them not to move about on their own and to remain there to wait for people who would arrange for places for them to go to in the coming days.
When Jun Wu Xie saw the soldiers leaving, she smeared some charcoal onto her little face and clothes before she slipped herself in among the refugees.
Within each dim and wet earthen house, it was filled with quite a number of people. In the rooms, there was only one large common bed, the blankets made very dirty. All the people placed here were just a bunch of old folks and little children and women who had finally just managed to escape the nightmare to hide in here, where they would not really dare to make any complaints about the undesirable conditions.
In actual fact, besides this group of frail elderly and weak children, the other refugees allowed into the city everyday were the rich who bribed their way in, like the way Jun Wu Xie had done. As those people had money, they would naturally not have to suffer in such a place like this.
Besides the group of people who had just been let in today, there were also some staying there who were people who had come into the city not too long ago. Seeing that there were new people joining them, they went up to the new group with a smile, to chat a little in greeting.
“Don’t worry, we will not stay at this place for long. At most, it will be a week and the Clear Breeze City’s City Lord will arrange a good place for us, with work for us to do, a place for us to live and rice for us to eat.” Obviously having stayed at this refugee camp for a few days, an elderly aunt helpfully told the group of people who had just come into the camp, about the situation in there.
“That’s right. The Second Aunt from the Eastern House came here two days before us and the City Lord had arrangements made for her to go somewhere else just the day before, and she even came back here yesterday to give us some nice food. We will only need to suffer another few days here and we’ll soon have a nice place to go too as well.” Another elderly woman said with a smile, her well wrinkled face filled with anticipation.
Having suffered so much, they really just yearned to be able to live in peace.
The new group who had still been rather distraught were quickly put much more at ease from the reassuring words from the others in there, confident in the knowledge that things would turn out well for them in the end.
Jun Wu Xie watched it all from the shadows, nagged by the feeling that something was not right.
As she was still deeply contemplating while hidden, she suddenly noticed several lavishly dressed men with highly arrogant demeanors walking into the dirty refugee camp.
And from the group of refugees who had already been in the Clear Breeze City for several days, they immediately started shouting when they saw the men appear.
“Everybody come out quick! The good Samaritan is here!”
With that chorus of excited shouts, the people who had been hiding within the houses suddenly all came rushing out, to squeeze on both sides of the narrow path, their eyes watching the group of men eagerly, who looked completely out of place here.
Jun Wu Xie followed the crowd and slipped unnoticed among the refugees.
Volume 15
Chapter 1417: “Good Samaritan (2)”
The man standing at the forefront of the group was good looking and his mannerisms elegant and poised. A gentle smile shone on his face as he looked at the refugees gathering closer.
“Mmm.” The man then nodded his head at his attendants besides him.
The attendants were all holding a wooden box in their hands and when they received the signal from the man, the attendants opened up the boxes to reveal snow white buns, still steaming slightly, looking just downright delicious.
The refugees on both sides immediately broke out in a commotion at the sight of those white buns. They had been temporarily put into this place and although they no longer had to worry about attacks from the Poison Men, the life they lived here was however not that great as even finding themselves proper meals everyday was a big headache for them. Although the Clear Breeze City would distribute some bread to them daily, the portions were always quite a small amount.
Everyone could get at most two of those bread everyday and if that bread that was smaller than their palms were expected to sustain them for an entire day, it was really rather hard. With just the paltry amount of food sent by the Clear Breeze City, many of them had to go hungry.
Having not enough to eat for the past few days and suddenly seeing someone bring so much food here, the refugees were naturally unable to contain themselves.
They wished they could immediately leap over to snatch all those buns up but they had no choice but to hold themselves back and just stare longingly at the lavishly dressed group of “good Samaritans” with their eyes.
The attendants quickly delivered the buns into the hands of the waiting refugees surrounding them, giving them one each. Although it wasn’t too much, but the buns filled them up so much better than the dry and hard bread from the city.
The refugees held the buns in their hands and quickly offered their thanks to the good looking leader of the men, every one of them expressing deep gratitude.
The man nodded and smiled at the elderly and young children alike, his smile gentle as the spring breeze.
Besides the buns, the wooden boxes also contained some simple snacks that was put into the children’s hands. The snacks were not that exquisite but to the homeless and destitute children, they were prizes extremely hard to come by and the innocent and happy laughter of the children quickly pealed within the refugee camp.
“Have things been well these past days?” The leader of the men asked as he looked at the close to two hundred refugees surrounding him, his face looking all smiley and friendly.
“Allowing us to come into the city was already a big privilege for us. How could we still complain whether it’s good or not in here. We are already old and
weak and we’re content to just have a mouthful of rice to eat. We just pity these children, as they are still so young…..” Some of the old women replied, unable to help the sadness that crept into their hearts looking at the children. They were already well advanced in age and were not far from death. But these children who were their grandkids coming into the city with them, had quite a number of them fall ill due to the harsh toil from the journey they had to make while escaping.
Now that they were in the Clear Breeze City, due to their embarrassing situation in their purse, they really could not afford to let the children have their sickness looked at.
The man looked at the weak and sickly children and his eyes narrowed up, glinting with a malicious flash, so quickly it did not allow people to capture, before immediately reverting back to the gentle smile from before.
“These littles ones are sick?” The man then asked in a worried tone.
Several women holding young children in their arms wiped at the tears in their eyes.
“That’s right. These children are still so young and their bodies still frail. After suffering consecutives bouts of fright and terror, a demonic wind might have slipped into their bodies…..” The old woman said in a highly pained voice, her tone hesitant as she looked at the “good Samaritan” before her.
The man sensed the old woman’s intentions and he then said: “I have some medicine here. It’s nothing that great but it might help alleviate or provide some relief from the child’s ailment.” Upon saying that, he got one of his attendant to bring over a bottle of elixirs, to put into the hand of the old woman.
“Here, let the children take these together with water, they should feel better after.” The man said reassuringly with a smile.
The old woman thanked the man profusely. She had not held much hope, but the man had unexpectedly responded to her unspoken request.
Genius Doctor: Black Belly Miss Volume 15 Page 5