Since ancient times, there had been plenty of people adept with both the pen and the sword, but it was rare that two people of this kind were in the same city at the same time.
Hearing Hou Yuetian’s introduction, Lin Mengya became even more curious about what was so special about the two of them.
After two days of smooth sailing, the main town of Jiang City lied ahead.
Their ships quickly docked, and Lin Mengya immediately found something special about Jiang City.
Generally, people should go through very strict examinations and registration in such a commercial port adjacent to a foreign country.
But the officers in charge of examinations and those in charge of registration seemed to have a strained relationship.
Nevertheless, they just competed with each other in doing their work rather than go against each other.
Take the officers Lin Mengya and her company met for example, before she went ashore, one of them had fetched a smooth board and put it between the ship and the shore.
Before she could nod to show her gratitude, another group of officers obviously different from the former group of officers had fetched the register for travelling merchants, because she had difficulty in moving, which saved her the trouble of going to the registration office.
Lin Mengya was very grateful to them, who were so polite and attentive to her.
Unexpectedly, they did more than that.
Seeing that Lin Mengya and her company were strangers and supposed to be unfamiliar with Jiang City, the group of officers, who had just fetched the board for her, immediately offered to be their guides enthusiastically.
After being refused by Lin Mengya politely, they even gave her a very detailed map of Jiang City for free.
At the sight of their pleasant smiles, Lin Mengya felt at home.
“They are unbearably enthusiastic. Mr. Hou, are the people in your country all so hospitable?” Lin Mengya waved the map in her hand and chatted softly with Hou Yuetian.
Hou Yuetian looked sullen, showing embarrassment rather than delight or anger.
He said, “Ahem, ahem, not quite. It’s just that most of our ancestors moved here from other countries, so we don’t treat foreigners as outsiders. You can rest assured about this.”
Despite his slightly tense expression, he felt a little relieved that they came ashore as ordinary travelling merchants without revealing their identities but were treated kindly.
He was not put in a very embarrassing situation.
“In this case, we don’t have to worry about this. Mr. Hou, please take us to the two governors,” Long Tianyu said.
Since the moment they disembarked, he had kept a cold face without even bothering to cast an eye on Hou Yuetian.
However, Lin Mengya did not know what Qinghu was thinking. He, who usually tried to help her appease Long Tianyu under the circumstances, just stood by and watched the fun as if nothing had happened.
Left with no other choice, she secretly pinched Long Tianyu’s thigh while chatting cheerfully with Hou Yuetian as if nothing had happened.
Alas, why did she have to worry about all these every time they came out?
“There is no rush. They should be patrolling the city at this moment. Let’s take our time.” At the mention of these two friends, Hou Yuetian couldn’t help but sigh in his heart.
The two of them had known each other since childhood and once gotten along very well with each other like blood brothers.
However, what happened five years ago turned them against each other.
He didn’t know if they meant to go against each other so that they both chose to work in Jiang City, which made it quite tricky for him to mediate between them.
He just hoped that the two of them would not embarrass him too much in front of Miss Qingge.
They headed for the Governors’ Mansion. Although Jiang City was just a city on the border, it was not small.
The water villages they had seen before were around the main town of Jiang City.
The city layout was quite interesting. Apart from anything else, although the waterways extended in all directions, if the city was attacked, everyone around would be able to retreat to the main town by waterway in a very short time.
The main town was solid with walls tall enough to shelter the people inside from being attacked by the enemy.
What was more, with the over-water buildings around, they should be able to take in everything at a glance on a high place and discover the enemy as soon as the enemy came to attack.
The city layout had taken safety into consideration.
It was said that most of the cities in the Nation of Dongxia adopted this city layout, where the main town was surrounded by satellite towns.
It seemed that the ancestors of the Nation of Dongxia had spent a lot of effort occupying this land.
As they were in no rush, Hou Yuetian led them to tour around Jiang City.
However, what attracted Lin Mengya most was the various residents in Jiang City rather than the various goods or the crowded streets.
Strictly speaking, the Nation of Dongxia was a country of immigrants.
Because of famines or wars, their ancestors fled to this place, which was an uncultivated area in terrible condition back then.
They from various ethnic groups were related by marriage, had children, and made all sorts of rules here.
In this way, they gradually established a country.
Although it had been hundreds of years, the people, whose ancestors were from various countries and ethnic groups, still retained more or less their ethnic characteristics.
For example, it was during the Spring Sacrificial Rite in Dajin at present, so there were lots of stalls selling articles for the Spring Sacrificial Rite on the streets here.
At the same time, she also found some delicious specialties of the Nation of Lintian and even people dressed in the traditional costumes of the Lieyun State hanging out on the streets.
Besides, there were numerous foreign goods she had never seen before on sale.
Numerous people dressed in various clothes with various accents gathered here and lived their lives peacefully.
All kinds of people lived here together in harmony.
Perhaps this was an integrated and open country as Hou Yuetian said.
Thinking of this, Lin Mengya could not help but show a smile.
Despite the fight for throne and the wars that could break out at any moment, local people’s unique compatibility would probably enable the Nation of Dongxia to reach a high level beyond her expectation.
She turned around and was about to say something to Long Tianyu, only to see a thoughtful look in his eyes.
It seemed that she was not the only one inspired by this. As the future ruler of Dajin, her husband had quite innovative thoughts.
No matter they were able to find the Seven Poisons Sacred Grass this time, it would be a rewarding trip if Long Tianyu could be inspired.
“Young master, I have something to report.” Hou Yuetian, who was explaining the local customs and practices, was suddenly interrupted by his subordinate.
After excusing himself, he walked forward behind his subordinate.
When Long Tianyu saw the person he hated had left, his face softened a little.
He squatted down on one knee before Lin Mengya and gently tidied up the hair on her face messed by the breeze.
Lin Mengya turned her head sideways, winked playfully at Long Tianyu and asked, “You are not angry?”
She knew that her husband was very jealous, but he had never spoiled her plan because of his jealousy, so she just let it be.
“I’m not that narrow-minded. After all, we are in a foreign country, where our guards can’t take actions freely,” Long Tianyu said with a serious look.
Although the people of Jiang City seemed to be very hospitable to foreigners, who entered the city openly, it was difficult to enter the city in secret.
As all foreign merchants, who came to Jiang City, were required to leave a very clear portrait of them, those secret guards he deployed had to think of other ways to infiltrate the city.
This place, whose security system seemed to be full of flaws, turned out to be so impregnable that their guards could not find an opportunity to infiltrate the city at all.
But that was not the case for the members of the Candle Dragon Cult. In order to achieve their goals, they could spend many years hiding in this city.
After a few years, or even more than a decade, they had become local residents, and even had children and new lives here.
Once Lin Mengya became the target of the Candle Dragon Cult, numerous members would come to deal with them in an instant.
As such, the reason why Long Tianyu stayed quiet was not that he was angry with Hou Yuetian.
On the contrary, he was grateful to Hou Yuetian. Without Hou Yuetian around, it would be difficult for him and Qinghu to protect Lin Mengya.
On the way, he and Qinghu seemed to be looking around, but in fact, they were on guard and ready at all times to deal with unexpected situations.
After all, only the two of them were willing to risk their lives to protect Lin Mengya.
“Don’t be so nervous. I don’t think those, who want to kill me, will take actions here,” Lin Mengya said with a gentle smile.
She reached out her fingers, which gradually became numb, and gently touched Long Tianyu’s face with her fingertips.
Now, she could no longer feel his warmth.
But so what? At least the affection and attachment in his eyes made her feel as if surrounded by love and warmth all the time, and this was all she wanted.
“I will protect you wherever we are.” As Long Tianyu said, he held her hand firmly and gently.
He gently kissed her cool fingertips. Qinghu had told him about her condition detailedly.
Now, except for her sight and hearing, her other senses were gradually declining.
When he caught up with her, she was still able to stand up on her own.
But now, she couldn’t move her legs below the knees.
