Only when you have been to Xinjing can you understand the meaning of the word "prosperity".
Only if you have been to Xinjing, you will understand Kazuto's confidence in calling the Rigar people "southern barbarians" and regarding themselves as the largest country in the world, while everyone else is uncivilized or slightly civilized barbarians.
Speaking of big cities, our Mr. Sage and the Luoan girl have visited quite a few.
As the two most powerful empires in Rigal, they have already seen the city-states of Otolo and Padrosi and even lived in them for some time. Although the former was just a matter of time after Henry and Mira met, it has become a distant memory after so many experiences. But as the brightest pearls of the empire, the large cities that the people of Rigar are familiar with are indeed impressive enough in terms of their magnificence.
What is the difference between Xinjing and them?
Use simple and straightforward language to describe it: bigger.
To describe it in slightly more complex and precise language: dozens of times larger.
If you have to use the most precise language to give the most detailed description - you can quote the description of Maximus Colonzo, the first Lamanite folk explorer to reach the Crescent Island more than 200 years ago, as follows:
"The vastness of the capital of the Moon Kingdom is bounded by stone walls, with a circumference of 3,900 kilometers. It is square in shape, with each side 975 kilometers long. The walls of the stone walls are 30 steps thick at the base, and are in the shape of an angle. The higher they are, the narrower they are. It is easy to defend but difficult to attack. There is no such thing in the world. The army can conquer this city."
Even if one ignores the usual exaggerated facts and data calculations by explorers, and only consults the Moon Kingdom official's part about Xinjing that can be most accurately defined as "New Kyoto City", the length of one side of the city wall is still extremely astonishing. If we also include the concept of Xinjing's "province" and the bustling civilian life areas outside the city wall that are larger and divided into countless villages, towns and small towns, then this area occupies an entire continent. The size and population of the capital province alone are enough to rival most of the Padrosi Empire.
"What you call a 'country' is nothing more than a 'city wall' and a 'state capital' to me, Otsuki." Such arrogant words are said to have come from the Kazuto nobles who received the first Lamanite visitors hundreds of years ago. It has been forgotten now, but this sentence is still widely circulated among Kazuto's upper class society.
If you have this arrogant confidence, you can know the answer just by walking into any building in Xinjing with more than three or four floors and looking out the window.
The few plains in Crescent Continent where Xinjing is located are not endless flat land. The land surrounded by surrounding mountains has a wide mother river flowing, but it also has hills.
small book booth
From the first bricks laid by the people who initially decided to settle here, to the entire capital being built. The amount of manpower and material resources consumed is unknown, and the time and years consumed are beyond the imagination of the boldest person.
As the old saying goes, it's like running to death in Wangshan.
Xinjing is like a mountain built by human hands.
The towering white city walls are shocking when viewed up close, but starting from the central square of Xinjing and riding a horse at full speed, you would need to run for a whole day to see it, even if you don't consider the rest and supplies of the horse.
And even if you pass through the city gate and go outside the city, except for the trees set aside for landscape purposes, the cultivated farmland and the neat tea gardens where tea trees are planted, which can barely be regarded as natural scenery, you will not be able to see any wilderness in the true sense.
Apart from the river, which is full of ships carrying necessary supplies to maintain the operation of the capital, the only non-man-made scenery is the mountains that surround the capital in the distance.
To the east, the low and winding valleys between the mountains lead to Fuso, the old capital of the Moon Country and the hometown of the ghost tribe.
To the south is the land that gradually shrinks in depth again, the remaining directly governed states, and a series of broken island chains. This is a relatively chaotic area of the Crescent Continent besides Yi Di. Pirates are rampant and some forces even proclaim themselves kings.
Heading to the west, on the border of the Xinjing Province are prosperous coastlines and large and small ports. A large number of ships from Rigal docked here. The various Southern Barbarians who had heard the ancient rumors and tried to come here to make a fortune were either alone or in groups of three or five, traveling by water or land, heading here like migrating herds. Advance towards a vast capital city.
Only on the high mountains of the Northern Pass can you see the whole of New Kyoto City, and it is so huge that you will have the illusion that you are looking at a city on a mountain 100 meters high.
Not to mention an army of 10,000 people in such a city, an army of 100,000 people would probably only be able to attack one of the city walls.
Faced with such an opponent, it is easy to understand why the vassal, even after almost desperately resorting to the power of darkness, still only captured part of the Northern Territory Province and then gave up as soon as possible.
– But let’s get back to where we started.
Since they entered Xinjing together with the privileged class, all aspects of Henry's and his party's stay became extremely efficient and unimpeded. However, Xinjing, as the capital at the foot of the emperor, is still full of rules and strict hierarchies. The group of people who were originally companions during the trip were now divided without any compromise - Kazuto, especially the samurai, were welcomed to the center closer to the palace. In the city area, the shrine maiden, the ghost clan and Aya entered the palace directly.
The missionaries were escorted rather than escorted to where their companions were, while the remaining Yi and Rigal members like Lulu were arranged at the foot of the city wall near the civilian area outside the city.
One day ago, they were traveling companions who ate in the same pot. One day later, if they wanted to meet them, they had to first contact the local government to inform them of their request.
The gap was so big that it was hard to adapt to it in an instant.
Mira, who felt a tightness in her chest, decided to go out for a walk, and Qing, who had been stuck with Aya, showed a rare melancholy mood after the doctor left, and also felt that the hotel bed was very comfortable, so Lulu, who didn't want to go out, stayed inside.
The only ones willing to go out together were Joshua and Henry, and this was not the first time for the red-haired swordsman to come to Xinjing. He was familiar with the situation and planned to go to a weapons shop to repair his sword, so in the end it became Two people are shopping.
When a population becomes large enough, most individuals become very inconspicuous.
Even with their outstanding height and appearance that is far different from the locals, not many people pay much attention to them in a place like Xinjing.
In the northwest part of the city where Henry and his party stayed, most of the buildings were multi-story inns or restaurants. The ratio of Japanese to outsiders is close to 7 to 1. In addition to the locals who flocked from outside the city to sell various Crescent Island snacks and ointments in the streets and alleys in simple Laman language, Rigal people can be seen everywhere here.
There are many restaurants selling Nanman-style cuisine written directly in Lamani. This is obviously some kind of area in the city specially designated for Nanman people to live, and they are allowed to modify their houses to a certain extent.
When he was brought into the northwest city by the guide who could speak some basic Lamani language when he arrived yesterday, he introduced: "This is the most suitable place for everyone in a foreign country. It will make you feel like home."
But apart from the increase in the proportion of Rigalese in the population, the so-called Rigal style here is limited to the words on the signboard and the aroma of some products and unique food.
Even the most open areas in Xinjing City that are specifically designated for Nanman people are still subject to severe control.
The Bureau of Land and Resources will not allow outsiders to modify buildings on a large scale without permission. They can only use the original building foundations of the Moon Country to make some small changes such as signboards or doors and windows.
And in Kazuto's eyes, this is already "completely Nanban flavor".
Henry and Mira walked slowly side by side in silence among the Crescent Island buildings with blue tiles and white walls.
Winter has entered and New Year is approaching, and bright red paper lanterns are strung up on ropes and stretched between the houses.
The traditional colors of Crescent Island look out of place with the surrounding shop signs written in Raman script.
Merchants wearing silk and speaking Lamani with a southern accent swaggered through the market with a large number of entourages, while travelers with dark complexions and silent words from the distant Abu Serra walked quickly through the alleys. Those who walk slowly and curiously explore the surroundings are often Rigar mercenaries who wrap their weapons and carry their armor in accordance with the laws of Crescent Continent.
Although there is no adventurers' guild here, there are still many among them who want to try their luck in foreign lands to see if they can make a fortune.
Newcomers even had brightly colored mercenary tags hanging on them, which made the Luoan girl who traveled lightly on the streets feel quite nostalgic. Her own mercenary card has been at the bottom of the box for a long time. Although she still carries it with her, it is of little use in a place like this.
Seeing things and thinking about people, many memories from the past resurface again and again.
She missed Rigal a little.
Those people in Avenella who met Henry at the beginning can realize the value of kindness and warmth after experiencing so much.
Mira knew.
Although Henry may never say it himself, he has already regarded Avenella as a place where he can return.
Rootless Grass, the wandering legless bird-of-paradise-like Luoans, took root in Avenella with his help, which the white-haired girl will never forget.
The Kingdom of the Moon is too huge, and it awes people because of its huge size; it also allows many people to exist because of its huge size.
But it is difficult for them to take root here.
Just like after traveling and fighting side by side with the Qingtian family for a year, there is still a sense of estrangement between them. Other outsiders who live in this land where the Japanese are the absolute majority nation, no matter how they abide by the rules here and try to integrate, will always carry their identity as outsiders.
This is where you live, that's where you work, and that's where you eat.
Where is the house?
Home is far away across the ocean.
Feelings about your hometown are like a home where your parents are still alive. You often don’t notice it when you are there, but the farther away you are and the longer the time, the more you can feel the feeling of nostalgia.
She missed Rigal a little.
I miss the wind of Ecasta.
Mira looked at Henry in front of him. The sage's tall figure was so conspicuous among the crowd that surged like a tide.
But also so lonely.
After seeing many things during the long journey, she found that she understood her teacher's heart to a certain extent, but because she understood it, it was even more difficult to imagine and understand.
He understood the loneliness called eternal life, so it was even more difficult to imagine how he spent it.
Without the change of things and people in the hometown of old friends, just imagining the white-haired girl makes my heart hurt.
There are people waiting for you to go back. Having a place where you can go back can give you a lot of courage.
She patted her face and shook her head.
Putting these sentiments behind, he took up his steps that became brisk again and followed the sage in front of him.
"Teacher, I want to eat that!"
The tone is as clear as a bell, and just the words themselves are enough to make people feel happy.
