Lincheng 17 (5)
Mi put down the book. The natural barrier between the Shali people and the Flower Kingdom had disappeared. The original inhabitants of the Flower Kingdom were long-lived, while the original inhabitants of the wasteland were the Shali people. Just how many of these outsiders were there that they could occupy the entire Flower Kingdom in just one hundred years? Mi picked up the book again. From the time the outsiders landed in the Flower Kingdom, the Flower Kingdom began to use a calendar system. It was now the 501st year of the Flower Kingdom.
The indigenous people here had long established a stable way of life. The arrival of outsiders disrupted this balance. The peaceful, long-lived species were massacred, and fishermen migrated to other places following the water sources. The only indigenous people who retained their homes were the Shari. The Shari stood up and began to slaughter the outsiders, whom they saw as food and invaders.
The sun had risen high in the sky outside the window. Mi got up and looked down at the growing number of people below. The city lord's mansion was busier than other places. Just as she was lost in thought, Yana brought in breakfast: "I think you should be up. I brought you breakfast."
Seeing the same food as last night, Mi couldn't help but feel nauseous: "Uh, no thanks, I can't eat."
"Have some milk," Yana said, handing her a cup. Mi shook her head. "I'll wash up first."
"Alright, come with me." Yana turned and went out. There was a washroom opposite the room in the city lord's mansion. Mi buried her face in the cold water for a while before lifting her head.
"Mi, here are your clothes." Qiu pushed open the door and saw Yana and Mi. Qiu brought the city lord's mansion's new seasonal uniform, a simple long skirt, and thankfully, a pair of underpants. Yana finished preparing the bathwater and went out, while Qiu stood at the door waiting for her: "How is it?"
“Mi was quite traumatized yesterday.” Yana closed the door and walked to the opposite side with Qiu. City Lord Zara had just finished breakfast and was wiping her mouth with a napkin. When she saw Yana come in, she immediately gestured towards Mi’s room and asked about Mi’s condition. Yana shook her head: “She can’t eat anything right now.”
“I’d like to take her to stay at the school for a few days,” Yana said, looking at the city lord and proposing a new plan.
“No,” Qiu immediately rejected. “You have no fighting ability. Arlo reported a victory a couple of days ago, wiping out an entire Sari squad, a total of sixteen Sari. How many did Mi kill?”
“Qiu,” Yana stopped her, “you know she’s a kind person, we need her help.”
“You don’t even know how she can help us,” Qiu disagreed. “Yana, you can’t always judge people by the standards you use in school.”
"Alright, leave the rice at the city lord's mansion," City Lord Zara interrupted the two, "but you should think carefully about what you ultimately want from her."
“She talked with Lillian for a long time at the school gate. Lillian said she was just a little surprised, not at all like someone who had never seen a girls’ school before,” Yana sat down. “You know, in all these years, only 16 neighboring cities have opened a girls’ school. The other neighboring cities are all watching and waiting, whether they are adventurers or long-lived species.”
“She had no questions, which means she’s seen the girls’ school before. But she’s from outside. Just how big do you think the outside world is?” City Lord Zara stood up and took the tray out.
“Qiu,” Yana turned her head, “did you go back yesterday and arrange for that group of people to do hard labor?”
"Hmm," Qiu looked up at Yana for a moment, then looked down again and said, "I know, I'll be transferred back in a few days." Qiu waved his hand irritably, "I told you I can't do it, I'll just do dirty tricks and bad things."
“Qiu, if you don’t take the position, Roger will be the only one left. At that time, I will definitely have to marry Roger.” Yana rubbed her temples. “It’s easy to give up power, but it’s hard to take it back.”
"Yana, don't say anymore." Qiu walked over and hugged Yana. "I will change, I will change properly, I will listen to you."
"Come in, have a seat." The city lord called to Mi, who had finished washing up, at the door. Inside the room, Yana took a book from the bookshelf behind the table, and Qiu looked out the window, the sunlight gilding her with a golden edge.
Mi was seated in a round-backed chair, and the city lord handed her a glass of milk: "Or perhaps a glass of wine?"
"Milk is fine." Mi took it.
"How is Redstone Town?" the city lord asked.
"Well, very good. The people are simple and honest, and the area is peaceful and tranquil."
“Peace and tranquility,” Lord Zara said through gritted teeth, “What does Miss Mi think of Lin City?”
“Lincheng is very unique,” Mi said after thinking for a moment. “In my hometown, there is a Kingdom of Women. That country is entirely made up of women, and only women. The king is a woman, the prime minister is a woman, the soldiers are women, and the people are also women.”
"How does this country survive?" Qiu turned around curiously.
“There is a Mother-Child River in that country. Any adult woman who drinks the water from the Mother-Child River can get pregnant.” Mi thought for a moment, “There is also an Abortion Well. If you accidentally drink the water from the Mother-Child River and don’t want to have a child, you can drink a bowl of water from the Abortion Well.”
"Are all the babies born girls? What if a boy is born?" Qiu was very curious about the Kingdom of Women that Mi had mentioned.
“They were sent to other tribes,” Milton paused, “and the boys were abandoned.”
"Won't the Zimu River dry up?" Qiu continued to press. She started racking her brains, thinking that it would be best to arrange a caravan to go back to Mi's hometown, and send a few scholars to find out the composition of the Zimu River water. If that didn't work, they could buy it, and the price was negotiable.
“I don’t know,” Mi thought for a moment, “If a country only has boys, then it is also permissible for a country only to have girls.”
"Have you ever seen a country where only boys exist? A country where children can have no women?" Qiu walked in, sat down next to Mi, and muttered, "Just what strange place do you come from?"
“It’s not that we only have boys, it’s just that we don’t treat girls the same as other people.” Mi drank the milk in her glass. “It’s the exact opposite of where you are, where men have a very low social status.”
“Here,” Yana turned to Mi, “this is a wartime setup, a last resort.”
"Why?"
“Because the border needs lives to fill,” said Lord Zara. “If women don’t take the initiative, this place will soon become a paradise for the Shari people, who also need women.” Mi shuddered at the thought of the Shari people’s height and build.
“Once this place falls into the territory of the Sand People, Mai City, Xing City, and Tai*Yang*City will also cease to exist.” Qiu sat up straight. “We have protected the entire Flower Kingdom, and no one will be stingy with this little bit of power.”
“Actually, we are facing a choice for the new city lord,” Yana said, taking off her glasses. Her eyes were particularly deep, captivating anyone who looked down on her, making them completely ignore her seemingly fragile appearance. “There are two candidates: Qiu and Roger, the captain of the city defense team.”
Mi squinted, recalling the man she'd met at the city gate yesterday. He wasn't as robust as the city's inhabitants, but rather refined and approachable. He was handsome, with a gentle, magnetic low-pitched voice—a rare find among men who seemed appealing at first glance. That man was well-regarded in the city; men and women alike would strike up a conversation with him, and children liked him, greeting him from afar: "Good afternoon, Captain Roger!"
"How do you determine the candidates for city lord and how do you appoint them?" After a long silence, Mi looked at the three pairs of eyes staring at him and asked.
"Usually, the nomination is made by the previous city lord, and the city lord's guard, the city defense guard, and the neighboring girls' school can confirm the nomination. Once the nomination is confirmed, it is sent to Taiyang City, where Taiyang City will issue the appointment."
"Won't the city lord of Taiyang City be appointed to come?"
"Who do you think will come? Coming to the city, the city of Lin, or being exiled is no different," Qiu replied indifferently. "In your eyes, I am a big merchant, but in reality, I don't have a single gold derry. All my assets are just numbers on paper. Once there is a war, these numbers will be of no use."
“If that’s the case, wouldn’t Lincheng be an independent little kingdom?” Mi thought for a moment. “Lincheng could totally implement a system of annexation of the city.”
“The captain of the city lord’s guard, the captain of the city defense team, and the principal of the girls’ school cannot be from the same family,” Yana explained.
"Not even from the same family?" Mi asked curiously.
“Yes, but not much,” Yana thought for a moment. “The position of Lord of Lincheng is not a good one. Anyone who has held it knows that unless the children in the family have a strong desire and wisdom to take over Lincheng, more children will be sent to Taiyang City than left in Lincheng.”
"Is this a requirement from Sun City?"
“Half and half. For the people of Weicheng and Lincheng, life is something that can be lost at any time, and the ties between families are not that strong,” Yana looked at Qiu. “Our feelings for our children are not as deep as our feelings for our comrades.”
"You've all had children?"
“I’m not in good health, so I haven’t given birth,” Yana smiled. “Women who haven’t had children need a doctor’s certificate and a pardon from the city lord. The biggest use of women in the Citadel and the neighboring city is to give birth. The neighboring city seems to be a little better off than the Citadel, but only by a little.” Yana raised her thumb and forefinger and pinched them together, making a barely noticeable gap. She continued, “The city lord only sent one daughter to the Sun City. Qiu did give birth to two sons, but she and her husband were driven out to manage her caravans.”
"Kick them out?"
"I'm divorced, and my son was left with his father." Qiu sat sprawled out in the chair, looking like a rogue.
“But won’t the men of Lincheng resist?” Mi thought for a moment.
“Those who resisted have all been sent to the Citadel. You saw it yesterday too. Who in Lincheng hasn’t seen the footage of the Citadel being breached?” The city lord waved his hand. “We not only have to feed and clothe the entire population of the Citadel, but we also serve as its population supply station. Lincheng’s population isn’t as large as you think. We’re also attracting women from all over. If we can’t provide women with a place to live, who will come? Women are people, not fools.”
"Is the Kingdom of Women you mentioned real?" Qiu suddenly asked. "Perhaps I can set up a caravan to trade with you. I believe in win-win situations in business and will never let you suffer losses."
“Uh,” Mi was embarrassed to say that the Kingdom of Women was a legend in a book, so she had to make up for it by saying, “The Kingdom of Women has been destroyed for many years. The whole country has become a desert, and the Zimu River has disappeared without a trace.”
"Huh?" Qiu looked regretful, and after a while said, "I knew it, men are stronger in combat."
"So how do you control men?" Miko didn't believe that men would obediently listen to her.
“Control?” Qiu grinned maliciously, drawing out the words: “Kill all the disobedient ones, wipe them all out.”
“The laws in Lincheng are quite strict,” Yana explained, glaring at Qiu. “The regulations regarding guard duties are also very clear. Our children receive this kind of education from the time they start school.”
“Oh, I see, brainwashing starts from childhood.” Mi took a sip of water. “But, you know, bad people always progress faster, especially when it comes to fighting for their own interests.” Mi looked at the city lord.
“You’re right,” City Lord Zara scratched his head. “Actually, life in Lincheng is like trying to hold down a gourd only to have another pop up. There are no major issues, but minor ones keep popping up.”
“Lincheng’s laws stipulate that, apart from the guards, no more than one-third of the members in other positions can be male,” Yana lowered her head and calculated. “In reality, there are only about one-tenth of the members. You know that it’s safer to keep power in your own hands.” Yana raised her head. “Moreover, Lincheng’s laws were made by the girls’ school, which effectively blocks members of the Legislative Department.”
"Won't this create an imbalance?" Mi thought that where there is oppression, there will be resistance, especially among strong and powerful men, who would not be content with the status quo.
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