Endless Winter: My Camp Upgrades Infinitely Chapter 1359: 40: Cai Qiu Sword Saint, A Confused Naturalization, Miss Mengya 3

Upon seeing this scene, it was not only the guards at the South Gate who felt this way, but everyone present shared the same sentiment.

From their vantage point, the aerial clash between the two figures occurred three, perhaps four times before they ceased their engagement. Following a brief exchange of words in the sky, Cai Yunzhou extended a hand towards Xia Hong, appearing to extend an invitation. Subsequently, the pair descended and entered the city together.

“Will our Lord be alright?”

“I cannot say for sure; it’s truly difficult to determine who emerged victorious.”

The words spoken by Su Jing caused Su Xu and Su Zhi to adopt looks of extreme worry.

“He is the City Lord of Qinghua City, the direct grandson of Lord Landgrave! Even if he loses, it would be considered normal. Our Lord appears much younger than him.”

Su Xing'er, sensing the unspoken meaning behind her brothers' observations, spoke up in defense of Xia Hong, albeit softly. She acknowledged that Xia Hong might not win, but she still felt compelled to speak.

“Very well, let us continue with our queue to enter the city. There is no need to linger at the gate!”

Soon thereafter, Fang Tianhua, who had moments before been on his knees pleading with Xia Hong, seemed to have received an order. He instructed the assembled crowd at the city gate to resume their formation and proceed with entering the city.

Then, he abruptly turned towards the four Su Jing siblings. With a fawning smile and clasped hands, he jogged over and declared, “Four young masters, the City Lord has already made arrangements for your accommodations. Please follow me swiftly into the city!”

This statement was by no means an exaggeration.

Fang Tianhua, who had displayed such arrogance just moments prior, now presented a completely subservient demeanor. He even slightly bowed his body, his face etched with a degree of anxiety. The Su Jing siblings were utterly bewildered; being natives of Evergreen Valley, they were well-versed in the customs of the County Guard Army. Even when residing in Qingtan Village, any ordinary County Guard soldier who visited would necessitate the leader of the village to offer them food and drink, accommodating them entirely without any hint of defiance.

This Fang Tianhua was no mere soldier. Not to mention the Ten Thousand Forged Silver Armor he wore, the very fact that he commanded hundreds of soldiers at the South Gate clearly indicated his significant status. For such an individual to display such flattery towards them was incomprehensible.

“It is the Lord’s displayed might that compels them to act in such a manner!”

The Su Jing siblings, far from being foolish, immediately grasped the underlying reason for this stark change in behavior. However, as they proceeded into the city under Fang Tianhua's guidance, they would soon discover that their understanding was too simplistic. Xia Hong's impressive display of power at the South Gate would grant them benefits far exceeding this initial courtesy…

“Husband, have we offended someone?”

While Su Jing and his siblings were being escorted into the city by Fang Tianhua, Hu Tiejiang and his wife, Fang Jing, who were still waiting in line at the gate, appeared thoroughly frightened. Hearing his wife's somewhat anxious inquiry, Hu Tiejiang immediately offered a comforting reply, “Do not worry. The Lord might not be aware of our actions, and even if he is, he will likely not blame us…”

With those words, he turned to exchange a meaningful glance with his brother, Hu Tiechuan. Both men recognized a shared sentiment of bitterness and deep regret in each other’s eyes.

Xia Hong was undeniably a figure of immense power; this had been evident even the previous night at the inn in Yakou Village. However, his ability to contend with the City Lord of Qinghua City in a spar far surpassed their wildest expectations. Had they possessed this foresight, they would have undoubtedly sought a manner to converse with Xia Hong and cultivate some form of rapport. For such a formidable individual, even the prospect of becoming his subordinate would be a life-altering opportunity. Yet, after traveling alongside Xia Hong for an entire night, the two brothers had foolishly let the chance slip by. Now, regret offered no solace.

“There is no need to dwell on it. Let us enter the city quickly, as we must first attend to our registration matters!”

Hu Tiejiang suppressed his turbulent thoughts, clutching the registration book tightly, and focused on rejoining the queue with his family to enter the city.

……

In stark contrast to the Hu family's palpable anxiety, the Su Jing siblings found themselves in a state of stunned disbelief since their departure with Fang Tianhua into the city.

The moment they passed through the city gates, four rickshaws immediately appeared. Without allowing for any refusal, Fang Tianhua ushered them into the waiting rickshaws, subsequently arranging for porters to convey them through the city.

Illuminated by the glow of firelight, the streets were as radiant as if it were daytime. Shops brimmed with dazzling merchandise lining the thoroughfares, bustling with densely packed pedestrians on either side. The city's pleasantly warm temperature further enhanced the spectacle. For the Su Jing siblings, experiencing this scene through the rickshaw windows on their first visit to the city, the spectacle left them utterly mesmerized.

“Is this truly the place that our parents were so determined to bring us to?”

Qinghua City represented the ultimate aspiration for the over 100,000 inhabitants of Evergreen Valley. Some had even relinquished their freedom to enter servitude as slaves, while others had accepted lowly working positions merely for the opportunity to earn a living. The number of individuals who managed to gain genuine citizenship and live as ordinary residents numbered less than ten thousand in total.

The streets teemed with activity, preventing the rickshaws from moving at any significant speed. It took approximately half an hour before the rickshaws halted before the grand entrance of a mansion situated near the City Lord's Hall in the heart of the city.

“Four young sirs, we have reached our destination. This is the residence that the City Lord has arranged for the Lord and yourselves. The steward and the servants are already waiting outside. I will take my leave now; if you require anything, you need only seek me by the main gate.”

Fang Tianhua’s tone remained incredibly fawning as he addressed the Su Jing siblings upon their exit from the rickshaw, even adding an extra layer of honeyed words.

The Su Jing siblings stared blankly as Fang Tianhua took his leave, then shifted their gaze towards the entrance of the mansion. Their expressions immediately became one of disbelief.

[Hong Mansion]

From the confrontation at the city gates until this very moment, a mere hour had passed at most.

They had even prepared a grand plaque for the mansion!

Adding to the spectacle, more than two hundred individuals, both male and female, stood assembled at the gate. They were led by a man in his fifties, clad in yellow robes and sporting a black felt hat.