Chapter 303

Qi Bai said firmly, “That won’t do. Our Hei Yao City has always acted fairly and justly.”

He hadn’t expected Young City Lord Shu to be so quick with arithmetic.

When Qi Bai had been supervising for everyone earlier, he casually mentioned prices. But those prices were only provisional guidance; final prices would have to wait until he fully understood the city’s circumstances, and then be officially published by Yi Si.

Still, there was indeed some difference between internal and external pricing. The same goods were slightly cheaper for clansmen of the city.

But that cheaper rate was meant to safeguard the livelihood of Hei Yao citizens. If outsiders were allowed to trade with Hei Yao at those internal prices, then Hei Yao City might as well be running a charity.

After all, what Hei Yao produced was unique across the continent, even ahead of the times. A somewhat higher price was perfectly reasonable.

Qi Bai didn’t put it so bluntly, but instead shifted perspective—trying to explain the difference between retail and wholesale.

“Think about it. Buying one of something versus buying a hundred or a thousand of something—the price can’t possibly be the same. The more you buy, the cheaper the price becomes, right?”

Shu frowned. “But your own clansmen in the city also buy things one at a time, don’t they?”

“That’s not the same,” Qi Bai explained. “We’re all Hei Yao people. Even if each of us only buys one, when you add up the whole city’s beastmen, isn’t that already a lot? You see the logic?”

Shu nodded, half-comprehending.

Qi Bai pressed on: “And tell me—doesn’t Qingchi City itself charge outsiders a higher price when they trade goods?”

He swept his gaze broadly. “Look at the whole beastman continent—every city and tribe does the same. Only we, Hei Yao City, are this open and forthright.” He lifted his chin proudly. “We dare to mark every price openly, clear for all to see. Whether to buy or not—it’s entirely everyone’s own choice.”

Shu had never paid much attention to city affairs, but after Qi Bai’s reminder, he realized it was indeed true. He nodded. “Seems I was mistaken.”

Qi Bai clapped his shoulder. “As long as we speak openly, there’ll be no misunderstanding. I can promise you—no matter which tribe or city comes to Hei Yao to purchase goods, we will treat them all with the same attitude.”

But Hu Liao, listening nearby, objected: “Great Priest, surely you jest. How could it be the same? Our Song Wu is a mid-city; naturally we need more goods. Didn’t you just say the more you exchange, the cheaper it becomes? Song Wu will certainly reach that level of volume.”

Qi Bai saw how readily Hu Liao played along, and his eyes curved in a smile. “That’s fine. All fine.”

Clear river water swirled forward, carrying away the heat of midsummer. Lang Yao sat in the shade by an irrigation ditch, listening to Lang Huai talk about outside affairs.

“Eh,” Lang Yao sighed, “Lang Shuo brought that end upon himself. But what a pity for Lang Ran.”

She never would have imagined the truth was as it was. But now that Lang Shuo was dead, there was no meaning in clinging to the past.

Lang Huai looked at Lang Lin, sitting blankly outside the tent. “And that boy Lin… ever since we left Fenggu, he’s been like this, always avoiding people. His parents’ deaths hit him too hard. The clansmen also distance themselves from him on purpose. If this continues, what will become of him?”

Lang Yao squinted, studying Lang Lin. “My eyes and memory aren’t what they used to be. Tell me—has he come of age yet?”

Lang Huai shook her head. “Not yet. He has about two years before adulthood.”

Lang Yao paused, then said, “Leaving him like this won’t do. My house still has a spare room. Ask him if he’d like to move in with me. That way I’d have company, and I could keep an eye on him.”

Lang Huai hesitated, lowering her voice: “Do you think he…?”

“Both the City Lord and the Great Priest have recognized him. We shouldn’t make wild assumptions,” Lang Yao lifted a hand to stop her. She gazed at the rippling water. “Even if we’ve joined the city, Silver Moon is still a whole. There are many things we must consider—for our own sake, and so as not to make things difficult for the City Lord.”

Lang Huai nodded. “I understand. I’ll try to persuade him. I believe Lin will see your good intentions.”

Lang Yao turned away. “I don’t expect that. If he doesn’t hate me, that’ll be enough.”

Lang Huai laughed. “You’re doing it for his sake. Why would he hate you?”

Lang Yao waved her hand. “With this old face, I’ve scared more cubs into tears than I can count.”

As they joked, a group of beastmen came carrying things.

Lang Yao stood, patting the dust from her clothes. “Ah, it’s Tu Ya and the others. They’re here today to count our numbers, so they can assign work later. In this city, as long as you don’t slack off, you’ll never go hungry or cold.”

“We just arrived, so of course many things will be unfamiliar. Don’t expect the City Lord and Great Priest to watch over you every day. This is a huge city; they have too much else to manage.”

“For now, we just obey the city’s arrangements.”

Lang Huai listened carefully. Though she looked composed, she knew Lang Yao was right. As newcomers, they had to be cautious everywhere.

That morning, Lang Wu and Lang Dou had clamored to go watch the bustle outside. Lang Huai hadn’t allowed it. Only when Lang Yao came did she finally feel at ease.

Tu Ya hadn’t come alone—she brought several carts.

Lang Zhan and Lang Tai quickly stepped forward.

Tu Ya smiled apologetically. “The Great Priest ordered me to deliver fifty large clay pots to you. But today I only brought two carts of bricks and forty pots. It’s not that we’re unwilling, it’s just that large clay pots are hard to store. Only this many were in stock. The kilns are rushing production—within a few days the remaining ten will be ready.”

Lang Tai waved his hands in alarm. “How can we take things from the city? They’re too precious—we couldn’t pay if we damaged them.”

“This isn’t free,” Tu Ya laughed, shaking the ledger in her hand. “I’ve recorded everything. Later, it’ll be deducted from wages. Don’t worry. Clay pots aren’t cheap in the city, but they’re not rare treasures either. Use them with confidence.”

“Don’t feel pressured. Every clansman in the city came up this way,” Lang Yao added at the right time. “If it were winter, the city would even extend credit on thick hides to those without. Clay pots save much more firewood than stone pots, and free up time. With that time, you can do more work.”

Only then did Lang Zhan and Lang Tai, though still uneasy, accept the pots. Inwardly, they resolved that only the most reliable beastmen could touch them, and only for cooking. At all other times, no one was to go near.

After the handover, Tu Ya sat down to record each person.

Before her lay a small open space. One by one, clansmen stepped forward, shifting in and out of beast form.

Registration wasn’t only names, gender, and family ties. Beast form and unique traits had to be recorded too.

And this time, confirming ages was also critical.

By the next afternoon, Tu Ya closed her book and told Lang Zhan and the others: “All cubs under ten will receive subsidies, and they must attend the academy. Tomorrow morning I’ll send teachers to fetch them.”

One cub tilted his head curiously. “What’s class?”

Tu Ya crouched, patting his soft hair. “Class means learning. You’ll learn writing, arithmetic, the calendar—priceless knowledge. You must listen carefully, alright?”

The cub nodded blankly, but behind him Lang Zhan and Lang Tai were dumbstruck.

Yesterday they’d learned that as long as they worked, they could earn food each day. Which meant the stoves Tu Ya had provided were merely for boiling water or extra meals.

Now she said cubs under ten not only received subsidies, but would also learn writing and math.

By the Beast God! Weren’t such things reserved for priest disciples? Yet now, every child could learn.

One revelation after another left Lang Zhan’s head buzzing.

So this was a city?

No. He shook the thought.

He had lived in Wan Gu City and Song Wu City. Those places were nothing like this. There, the so-called elites hoarded all wealth and knowledge. The lower classes were better off ignorant, just slogging away. They would never let every child study.

This was no ordinary city. This was Hei Yao alone.

Though they required tests, Hei Yao had already accepted them as clansmen. Otherwise they’d never let their cubs learn such things.

Seeing their stirred emotions, Tu Ya rose and pointed to the ground. “You may not believe it, but four years ago this land was nothing but weeds and rubble.”

“It was our Great Priest and City Lord who taught us to build houses, walls, and canals. That’s why we now have this city. No more fear of cubs being carried off by beasts. No more dread of long winters.”

“The Great Priest said it’s because the Beast God gave us wisdom. He will share all knowledge with every clansman. In Hei Yao, not only cubs—all beastmen may learn. The only condition is to earn enough points by passing the city’s tests.”

Every beastman present was deeply moved.

“Minister Tu Ya, don’t worry—we’ll work hard!”

Tu Ya chuckled. “Work isn’t under my charge. But yes, working hard is always right.”

Qi Bai and Lang Ze knew nothing of Tu Ya’s quiet campaigning. They hadn’t gone to the registration site simply because they were far too busy.

Qi Bai felt cursed with toil. Finally back in the city, yet timing pressed perfectly against him.

Just yesterday, he and Yi Si’s Shi Li had stayed up all night finalizing details for Trade Street. Today he had to rush to draft the autumn harvest regulations.

This year was Hei Yao’s first collecting taxes from clansmen. From calculating to storing grain in the warehouses, he had to personally oversee it.

Qi Bai set down his pen, handing the paper to Lang Ze. “This should be about right. Grandpa Yang Luo said the harvest looks good, but we’d better visit clansmen’s homes ourselves to see.”

“Mm.” Lang Ze read through the provisions carefully, circling a few points to discuss further.

Just then, the horn outside the Household Office plaza sounded—signaling five o’clock in the afternoon.

Lang Ze didn’t return the edited paper. Instead, he glanced at the sky. “It’s still early. Want to go take a look at the back?”

By “the back,” he meant the City Lord’s Mansion at the northern edge. The day they’d returned, Shu Lin had told them the frame was already built.

Two or three days had passed, but they hadn’t yet found time to see their new home.

Qi Bai brightened. “Let’s go—right now.”