Qing Yu Nian:
The lone horse-drawn carriage headed towards Dongyi City. Willow catkins drifted gently, and people gathered like dragons. Fan Xian and Shadow silently watched the scenery of this great city, their hearts slightly uneasy. Shadow was perhaps filled with emotion, while Fan Xian was subtly shaken by the scenes before him.

Dongyi City truly lived up to its reputation as the greatest city under heaven. Its vast expanse was immense. The carriage traveled for a long time, yet it was still far from their destination. Along the way, they saw a diverse mix of buildings, bustling crowds, and goods from all over the world converging here. Countless accents filled the streets, and people in various attires haggled, often using a type of sign language unfamiliar to Fan Xian.

The myriad facets of city life were on full display in this commercial hub. Sitting in the carriage, Fan Xian gazed at the street, realizing there was almost nothing that couldn’t be found within these walls. He couldn’t help but admire the scene. In such a vibrant and prosperous place, who wouldn't be tempted to loosen their purse strings?

Although Southern Qing had established a large commercial port in Quanzhou more than twenty years ago, leveraging the vast output of the Internal Treasury, it had managed to seize a significant portion of the maritime trade with foreigners. This not only led to the decline of Danzhou Port but also severely impacted Dongyi City. However, Dongyi City remained a hub for merchants from across the land. Its seafaring fleets were particularly skilled in navigating the waves and had extensive interactions with the continent far across the sea, keeping its trade flourishing.

Even Fan Xian, now in control of the Internal Treasury, couldn't rely solely on Quanzhou for maritime routes. Many foreign adventurers and merchants still preferred to trade through Dongyi City.

This situation would likely take decades to change—a conclusion Fan Xian reached after seeing over a dozen foreigners on the street. When he was stationed in Jiangnan, foreigners rarely ventured beyond Quanzhou, so he had never encountered any before.

"Find it strange?" Shadow asked in a low voice beside him. "Foreigners only trust Dongyi City. That’s why Southern Qing people find these blue-eyed individuals so unfamiliar."

Fan Xian smiled, saying nothing. He thought to himself, having once been a skilled mahjong tutor in a foreign student dorm in his previous life, why would he find foreigners peculiar?

"Why don't foreigners trust our Southern Qing? They're willing to stay in Quanzhou for a few days at most, but never venture inland," Fan Xian asked softly. "Northern Qi lacks a suitable port, which is understandable. But Southern Qing has developed three major ports in Jiangnan, especially Quanzhou, which has been operational for over twenty years. Why hasn't it completely overtaken Dongyi City's position?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Shadow said, pulling down his bamboo hat. "But I heard that twenty years ago, the Quanzhou navy had good relations with the foreigners. After an incident with the navy, many foreigners were scared away."

Fan Xian raised an eyebrow, asking no further questions. In fact, on the way into the city, he had observed everything, listening intently. He subtly savored the unique atmosphere of Dongyi City, distinct from the rest of the continent, and gradually understood the reasons behind it.

Dongyi City had always maintained its central position in the world of commerce primarily because of its culture of freedom. Merchants spoke and acted for profit. On the streets, besides the city lord's officials maintaining order, there were hardly any government figures to be seen. Although he hadn't had the chance to witness the specifics of trade, Fan Xian had a strong premonition that Dongyi City's trade was based on a rudimentary form of contractual relationship. Neither the City Lord's Mansion nor the Sword Sanctum would try to control the merchants' actions but would only stipulate general market rules.

In contrast, while Southern Qing’s Jiangnan region was also commercially developed, this development and prosperity were largely based on the Internal Treasury, a unique entity. Jiangnan’s commerce relied on the Internal Treasury’s exclusive products, allowing the court, or rather himself, to set prices with little fluctuation.

The commerce in Jiangnan of Qing was a state-controlled commerce. Therefore, whether it was the once prominent Ming family, the Lingnan Xiong family, or the Quanzhou Sun family, they were merely contractors under the Internal Treasury. If the court wanted them to die, they had to die, because the court didn’t care about the sanctity of contracts with merchants.

In Dongyi City, commerce was rooted in equal exchange. No force could shamelessly interfere as the Qing court could, nor could anyone, like Fan Xian, use their power to make the Ming family bleed heavily and suffer countless losses.

Clearly, for merchants, the latter type of prosperity was more reliable and long-lasting, something they could trust. Dongyi City was like a settlement, an autonomous territory for merchants from all over the world. They pursued profit through sweat and cunning, their fate in the heavens, not in the hands of imperial power.

Fan Xian withdrew his gaze from the entrance of a large merchant house. A sense of absurdity suddenly welled up within him. If Dongyi City truly sided with Qing, how could His Majesty, with his powerful desire for control, be content with it remaining unchanged for fifty years? How could he tolerate so many merchants within his territory not obeying his commands?

If the glorious light of Qing’s powerful imperial authority were to descend upon Dongyi City, could this bustling, free, and secretly corrupt city maintain its current vitality?

Fan Xian and Shadow chose an inconspicuous inn to stay in. After settling the carriage, they walked back onto the streets, mingling with the crowd. It was still early, and it was not yet convenient to do what they wanted to do, so these two strong men, each with their own thoughts, simply acted like young women, strolling again through the noisy coastal city.

Dongyi City was large not only because of its immense trade volume, attracting merchants from across the world, but also because it was home to all sorts of extraordinary people, such as the former Jiangyang thief Wang Qinian, and even the earlier Ye family's young lady and her blind boy servant. Where there are extraordinary people, there are naturally legends and stories. Coupled with the dazzling name of Si Gu Jian, it attracted countless wanderers to settle down and make a living, and countless young people from Northern Qi and Southern Qing to travel.

Even the Huren from the grasslands and the Xue Man from the north had come from thousands of miles away. Year after year, Dongyi City's population grew, and the city expanded...

Looking at the various styles of buildings on the street, Fan Xian clicked his tongue in amazement, thinking that the Bund of his previous life was nothing more than this. However, the Bund was filled with Western-style buildings, while Dongyi City had various architectural styles from across the continent: the black and cyan flying eaves inherited from the Great Wei of Northern Qi, the solemn and square buildings of Qing, the domed archways of the grasslands, and the gold-plated rain-arrow towers of Southern Zhao...

It was said that Western architecture had once been popular in Dongyi City, but after the rise of the Old Ye family, the position of the foreigners had declined, and trade on this continent had begun to move in a net-inward direction.

The reason for this was simple: the foreigners couldn't produce the silk, tea, and porcelain they wanted to buy. The Old Ye family could produce the extremely expensive glass, mirrors, and other goods that they used to sell, and they could produce them better and sell them cheaper.

Therefore, the maritime trade of the overseas continents was now very difficult, because Dongyi City no longer needed their goods and demanded that they be paid in cash. If it hadn't been for the legend that a large silver mine had been discovered in a certain wilderness on the overseas continent a dozen years ago, they would probably have been emptied of their national treasuries by the cunning and ruthless merchants of Dongyi City and the Old Ye family who fell from the sky, and they would no longer have been able to support the extravagant needs of their domestic nobles.

After listening to Fan Xian's remarks, Shadow said coldly: "Foreigners are no different from us, except that their martial power is like their mages, good to look at, but actually useless, so they can only let us exploit them, and they only come to complain every year."

Hearing this, Fan Xian couldn't help but laugh. He still remembered the first moment he was reborn into this world, he saw Shadow fly over like a falcon and instantly kill a mage...

The sun was setting, and Dongyi City was still lively. Although the shops were gradually closing, the entertainment venues in the various streets were beginning to prepare to light up their red lanterns.

"Have you finished looking?" Shadow suddenly asked.

Fan Xian lightly pulled at his bamboo hat with his finger, and said after a moment of silence: "Yes."

He was a traveler from another world, but in this life he couldn't be a simple traveler. After a rare half-day of sightseeing in Dongyi came to an end, Fan Xian had to return to the darkness, leave behind the joy and comfort of sightseeing, and pick up his black dagger again.

Shadow slightly tilted his head, turned to the right, brushed past a row of ice stalls selling saury, and disappeared into a small alley, the bamboo hat disappearing without a trace in an instant.

The setting sun in the west lost the honor of shining on the East Sea, and was even more miserably blocked by the various tall buildings in Dongyi City, turning into patches of darkness. Fan Xian walked into it, concealing his tracks.

———————————————————

The City Lord's Mansion in Dongyi City was brightly lit. Although it was not yet completely night, and the still-warm evening light still shone on the high eaves of the City Lord's Mansion, the servants in the mansion had already lit the lights, as if they were all afraid of the arrival of the dark night in Dongyi City.

The Southern Qing and Northern Qi delegations would arrive in Dongyi City in a few days. Everyone knew that the grandmaster in the Sword Sanctum would decide the future direction of Dongyi City after this opening. But everyone knew even more clearly that as long as the Sword Saint passed away, no matter how Dongyi City chose, for these people who were happy in the name of free merchants, an endless night would descend.

And of all these people, the most nervous of course was the City Lord of Dongyi City, because whether Dongyi became an overseas territory of Southern Qing or Northern Qi, this nominal City Lord naturally had no need to continue to exist.

The reason why he was called the nominal City Lord was because the real master of Dongyi City was Si Gu Jian and the Sword Sanctum. He just enjoyed wealth and honor, and acted as an agent to perform simple administrative work.

The City Lord looked at the middle-aged swordsman opposite him with a worried look on his face, and sighed quietly: "Master Yun, to say something unlucky, the Sword Saint is about to die, as the chief of the Sword Sanctum, you have to make a decision."

Yun Zhilan, the Sword Sanctum's first disciple, lowered his head slightly and remained silent. After a long time, he said: "Master has his own sense of propriety, City Lord, you don't need to worry too much."

"Even if I don't worry about myself, I have to worry about the people in this city." The City Lord stared into his eyes and said, "If we really surrender to Southern Qing, I can at most go to the Southern Qing capital to be a carefree marquis... But Dongyi has worked hard to build the city until now, are we really going to hand it over to the Southern Qing Emperor, that great enemy, with both hands?"

Yun Zhilan knew that the City Lord was deliberately saying such high-sounding words, but in fact he was still worried about his own future after the city was broken and the Sword Sanctum was scattered. If this person really dared to go to the Southern Qing capital to be a carefree marquis, why would he ask him so solemnly today... Everyone knew the ambition and terrifyingly sinister nature of the Emperor of Southern Qing. If the City Lord went to be a carefree marquis, he would probably receive a cup of poisoned wine within two years.

But Yun Zhilan had to admit that he and the City Lord had extremely consistent ideas. As a strong man of the ninth rank, he was of course not worried about his own future after the city was broken. Even the Qing Emperor would probably welcome him. It was just that he had grown up in Dongyi City since he was a child, and he had a sense of belonging and love for this city and for that Sword Sanctum from the depths of his soul. In any case, he could not accept Dongyi City surrendering without a fight, and being incorporated into the territory of Southern Qing in this way.

If it could still exist independently outside the two forces of the world, of course that would be the best future for Dongyi City, but if the situation was irreversible, Yun Zhilan would rather join forces with the relatively weak Northern Qi court to resist Southern Qing together!

Yun Zhilan frowned slightly, and his eyelids moved weakly twice, revealing two flashes of cold light inside. He knew that an important figure was currently in the Sword Sanctum, having a very important conversation with his master.

If this negotiation could succeed, then Dongyi City would bravely stand up and conduct the most resolute resistance against the powerful Southern Qing.

Yun Zhilan raised his eyelids and looked at the City Lord, saying: "I will not surrender."

The City Lord was slightly startled, as if he hadn't expected the other party to agree so readily, but to be honest, the City Lord had been in a state of anxiety for the past two years. No matter what choice he made, it couldn't make him happy, unless Master Si Gu Jian's injuries improved and he repeated his divine power of that year.

He looked at Yun Zhilan hesitantly and said: "But... What exactly does the Sword Saint mean? I haven't seen him for more than two years."

Yun Zhilan didn't answer this question, and his expression was slightly strange, because to this day, he, the first disciple of the Sword Sanctum, still didn't know what his master was thinking, whether to fight or surrender?

But he calmed down immediately, thought of the important figure in the Sword Sanctum at this time, took a deep breath, and said: "Master probably doesn't want his life's work to be buried here."

The City Lord frowned deeply, glanced at Yun Zhilan, and said tentatively: "The world knows that the Sword Saint was injured by the Qing Emperor on Da Dong Mountain two and a half years ago. Originally, we ordinary people would not have thought that the Sword Saint would intend to side with Southern Qing, but in the past two years, news has gradually come that Wang Shisanlang is the Sword Saint's closed disciple, but he is on good terms with Fan Xian of Southern Qing. I don't know what Master Yun thinks about this matter."

As soon as these words came out, Yun Zhilan's expression became serious, and he said sternly: "Shisanlang is my junior brother, and everything he does is arranged by Master."

"Precisely because his good relationship with Fan Xian is arranged by the Sword Saint, this is what I am most worried about." The City Lord looked at Yun Zhilan and said seriously.

Yun Zhilan fell into silence. He had also felt endless chill from this arrangement in the past. He had never thought that his master, who was arrogant and tyrannical all his life, would be willing to abandon his deep hatred and conduct secret contact with Southern Qing before his death.

"Shisanlang..." He sighed in his heart and said to himself: "Senior brother has no opinion on you, even if Master intends for you to take over the Sword Sanctum, I will only obey your orders, but..."

The light on the wine table suddenly dimmed and brightened, reflecting Yun Zhilan's face full of coldness and flickering uncertainly. He knew that the most important thing at this time was not to let the people from Southern Qing disturb the important negotiation in the Sword Sanctum. On the Sword Sanctum's side, he had arranged countless experts to lie in ambush outside, and outside the Mei Pu courtyard, he had also arranged many strong men.

Yun Zhilan picked up his wine glass, took a shallow sip, and said: "I have already made arrangements for Shisanlang, City Lord, please rest assured."

The City Lord frowned slightly and said: "That's good, as long as it's not Fan Xian of Southern Qing who comes in person."

"That Little Fan Master is still on the road." Yun Zhilan's eyes were solemn, and he said calmly and firmly: "But, if he dares to go to Little Junior Brother alone, I will keep him there forever."

……

……

Fan Xian had already arrived, and he and Shadow had admired the flying eaves of the City Lord's Mansion like tourists, but no one in Dongyi City knew. At the same time, Fan Xian didn't know that Yun Zhilan, the first disciple of the Sword Sanctum, because of his loyalty to Dongyi City and his inner self, had begun to protect the Sword Sanctum with all his strength, and even at the cost of harming Wang Shisanlang, he would keep the people from Southern Qing in this land forever.

When night first fell, Fan Xian came to a courtyard on the outskirts of Dongyi City. Looking at the green banner hanging on the low courtyard wall, he couldn't help but smile slightly. At this time, he naturally didn't dare to go forward and knock on the door directly. Instead, he took a few turns and passed through the back of a plum garden, and was ready to go see Wang Shisanlang, who had been waiting for him.

Just as he was walking through the plum trees, about five or six steps away from the back door, Fan Xian stopped. Because he didn't hear the dog barking in the courtyard, and Shisanlang had told him during a chat that he had raised a local dog with the most sensitive nose.

——Dogs might be made into dog meat hotpot, but a plum blossom will not fall alone.

Fan Xian's fingers curled slightly, his eyelids lowered, staring at a branch of plum blossom in front of his feet, knowing that there was an ambush here, and the people ambushing were all experts. Because as soon as his figure stopped, he felt a gust of wind pass by in front of him, cutting off a branch of plum blossom. Immediately afterwards, strong sword intents came from all directions.

He didn't know why Shisanlang hadn't warned him in advance, but he clearly realized that Dongyi City was a damn place... The ninth-rank swordsmen were indeed mass-produced.