Chapter Six: Leaving the City (Part One)

Yuyang City was divided into inner and outer sections. As the names implied, the distinction lay in their boundaries: the outer city was home to ordinary citizens, the homeless, beggars, and the impoverished quarters. In contrast, the inner city was reserved for those of some standing, power, or wealth within Yuyang. To the eyes of those dwelling in the outer city, the inner city was a district of affluence, a place where luxuries beyond their reach flourished.

Few, however, could claim residence within those walls, and so, naturally, the inner city was smaller—occupying less ground than the outer city, which comprised seventy percent of Yuyang’s expanse.

The city itself was further divided into four districts: east, west, south, and north. The Yang family resided in the southern part of the city, counted among the most renowned families of the south, and most of their businesses were rooted there as well.

At one end of Tairong Street stood the grand residences of the southern city’s wealthy, while at the other, the street’s end slowly appeared before Yang Ze’s eyes.

The carriage rattled along the flagstone street, and as it reached the street’s terminus, a gray-white stone wall rose into view—tall and imposing, stretching out to either side, forming a barrier that separated the inner city from the outer.

There was a single gate in the wall, guarded by four men—each dispatched from the various families of the inner city, assigned to protect these vital entryways. To enter, one had to pass inspection, lest an intruder slip through. Each family took their turn at this duty.

With Old Xie present, the inspection was a mere formality, and soon their carriage had left Tairong Street behind.

Seated inside, Yang Ze felt the carriage jolt, followed by a surge of noise from the street outside. He understood at once—they had arrived in the outer city.

As the carriage rolled on, the sounds grew louder: a cacophony of voices, street hawkers, bargaining, the shouts of adults, the laughter of children. In that moment, Yang Ze’s eyes took on a different light.

After two months in this world, he was finally experiencing something new.

The former Yang Ze had left the inner city only once, many years ago; all he recalled were faint memories. Life in the Yang family’s estate, despite its hundreds of residents, always felt stifled, lacking the vibrancy of the outside world.

Today, at last, he glimpsed another side to this world.

Lifting the curtain, Yang Ze’s gaze stretched beyond the carriage. He saw the bustling street, lined with vendors and shops, people coming and going—some entering stores, others hurrying with their horses, and many weaving through the stalls, buying and selling.

Even the air was different—filled with myriad scents. Yang Ze breathed it in greedily.

He had never expected such a place in the outer city. It reminded him of the ancient dynasties of his homeland, but was far more lively than he had imagined.

“How does it feel, young master?” Old Xie’s voice reached him as Yang Ze gazed about.

“It’s not bad at all—much livelier than I expected,” Yang Ze replied, his eyes drifting over a stall selling pancakes.

“Naturally. This market is one of the closest to the inner city and falls under the jurisdiction of the Xu family. No one in Yuyang would dare stir trouble here,” Old Xie explained.

Yang Ze’s eyes flickered with understanding. No wonder the place was so calm—the Xu family held sway here.

The Xu family was the most powerful in the southern city, their influence surpassing even that of the Yangs. With their name suppressing dissent, peace was expected.

The southern city was vast, with many such markets. The dominant families divided them among themselves. Any commoner wishing to set up a stall or open a shop had first to gain the approval of the ruling family and pay the necessary fees.

Each month thereafter, the families collected a “protection fee.” Fail to pay, and you could no longer do business.

This market, so near the inner city, was particularly profitable—only the Xu family was strong enough to monopolize it.

But the city’s power struggles were not limited to these families. There were also the martial gangs.

These gangs were formidable, engaged in all sorts of enterprises, and bold enough to challenge the families for control. Fights broke out often, and until blood was shed, they rarely ceased.

Gangs on the outside, families on the inside—such was the constant strife that plagued the outer city, and it was always the common folk who suffered.

As for the city’s official administration, though technically the strongest force in Yuyang, the combined might of families and gangs far exceeded it. The authorities could only occasionally intervene, stirring the waters or taking their own cut behind the scenes, but they could not end the chaos.

This was only because the great families could muster enough experts to make the authorities cautious; otherwise, the city’s garrison could easily suppress them all.

Yang Ze knew some of this from inherited memories, the rest he had researched himself—otherwise, he would have been quite in the dark.

He watched for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, then withdrew his gaze. Compared to the dazzling cities of his previous life, this seemed plain, and he soon lost interest.

Old Xie remained silent, driving the carriage steadily toward the city gates.

Along the way, Yang Ze occasionally peeked out and at last saw martial artists beyond his family.

Some belonged to martial gangs, others to city dojos or different families, but all seemed ordinary—none had reached the level of channeling qi.

Yang Ze questioned Old Xie about this.

“Young master, training in the martial arts is no easy thing. It requires robust vitality, and to build that, one needs plenty of food. Most families barely have enough to eat, let alone extra to nourish their strength—how could they possibly reach higher levels?” Old Xie explained.

Yang Ze found this reasonable. If martial cultivation were easy, the Yang family would have many more qi-channeling experts, instead of only a handful.

It seemed his own status was not so poor after all; to have reached the initial stage of martial cultivation at his age placed him among the best in Yuyang.

Still, he had only just begun. The road ahead was long.

After two full hours, the carriage finally reached the southern city gate. Yang Ze, cramped in the carriage, was growing bored—it must have been a journey of dozens of li.

The carriage took the central lane reserved for carriages. The officer on duty, seeing the Yang family crest, waved them through, barely interrupting his idle chatter with the guards.

“So, have you heard about the strange happenings lately?”

“What strange happenings? Come on, chief, we’re stuck on gate duty all day—we don’t hear half the things you do.”

“You’ll all know soon enough. My distant cousin lives out in Qin Family Ridge, a hundred li from here. Three days ago, he suddenly showed up at my house, saying there’s a drought outside the city, a terrible one—hundreds of villages in the region have lost people to thirst.”

“Isn’t that nonsense? We’ve had plenty of rain this year, and the Chuiyu River still flows. How could there be a drought, let alone people dying?”

“That’s why I call it strange. If it were just him, I wouldn’t believe it. But lately, the city has seen a flood of refugees, all saying the same: drought, wells running dry in their villages. Some tried to fetch water from the Chuiyu River, and ended up drowning. Isn’t that eerie?”

“That’s truly bizarre. Have the higher-ups heard?”

“They know. I heard Chief Yuan has been ordered by the city lord to investigate. So stay alert—if something really is happening out there, many will try to rush into the city. Don’t forget, there are bandits in those hills too. If they force their way in during the chaos, we’re all done for.”

All these words drifted into Yang Ze’s ears as he sat in the carriage.

He had no idea what to make of such strange tales, so he asked Old Xie—who, uncharacteristically solemn, told him to let the matter drop. Yang Ze did not press further.

Once outside the city, they stopped on the official road.

“Young master, what now?”

“We proceed as planned. We’ll circle within thirty li of the city.”

With a nod, Old Xie steered the carriage down a side road toward the northwest. Yang Ze dared not be reckless—the world beyond the city was nothing like within. There were wild beasts and bandits.

If they strayed too far from Yuyang, into the wild hills, who knew what fate might befall them?

It seemed the times truly were unsettled. After traveling twenty li along the path, the carriage was suddenly surrounded by seventy or eighty highwaymen who sprang from both sides and blocked their way.