Chapter 138

Chapter 138: The Western Wind Kingdom

The Western Wind Imperial Capital, Solande.

Under the sky where clouds flowed, there stretched an endless plain, all the way to the horizon, covered in lush greenery.

A great river meandered through the wilderness in an S-shape, with a magnificent city nestled within the curve of its bend. The city walls were over ten stories high, with watchtowers spaced every hundred meters along the wall.

The afternoon sun shone brightly on the walls, casting them in a light yellow hue like beach sand. Years of wind and sun had made the walls warm to the touch, rough and gritty, with patches of mossy green and yellow visible in the cracks between the stone bricks.

Picking off a small piece of dry moss with his finger would reveal a trace of soil hidden in the crevices. Occasionally, a breeze would stir up some particles and dust from the ground.

The guards stationed on the walls moved sporadically under the scorching sun, avoiding being completely absent so as not to invite criticism from the nobles inside the city. Most preferred to stay in the watchtowers, which were cooler.

One couldn’t say they were neglecting their duties, as beyond the walls lay a vast wilderness. Any enemy approaching could be spotted from afar, and a few guards on the towers would suffice for observation.

Perhaps long ago, they patrolled the walls daily, but prolonged peace had made them lazy.

Solande’s towering walls encircled the entire city, three sides surrounded by water, with only the west facing open plains. Inside, a grand hill rose abruptly.

At the base of the hill was another set of walls, higher than those outside, enclosing the residences of the kingdom’s high nobility.

Courtyards of various styles encircled the hill’s waist, and near the summit was yet another wall. Within this final enclosure lay the royal palace, a magnificent white marble castle built at the peak. The high tower was adorned with colorful glass tiles, adding splashes of color to the skyline. Due to its height, the entire city could look up and admire the beautiful tower.

Roland, the king of the Western Wind, and his descendants lived in these beautiful towers.

As the largest city in the Western Wind Kingdom and a crucial trading hub, Solande was home to over three million people. Daily, large numbers of livestock, vegetables, fruits, and grains were transported into the city via the river, supplying the populace.

The eastern gates opened wide, allowing countless small boats to navigate the inner river. If residents saw something they liked, they would call out from the riverside. Merchants would then dock their boats and haggle with housewives or elders, completing transactions.

Of course, this was just one part of the trade; most transactions occurred in the market.

Long wooden poles supported red, blue, yellow, and other colored awnings, shading the midday sun. Beneath these awnings, wooden boxes were opened, filled with fresh fruits, local specialties, and essential goods.

Wealthier families came in the morning, while those less fortunate emerged in the evening to take advantage of discounted items.

Though it was the same city and market, the rich and poor seemed to have an unspoken agreement to avoid each other.

As night approached, merchants would turn over their boxes, shaking out accumulated dust, leaves, and spoiled or crushed fruit into small buckets. They would then fetch water from the well in the market to clean the boxes and shelves.

By morning, everything would be dry, ready for new goods. Before leaving, an old cart would come by to collect the trash from the roadside and transport it elsewhere, possibly as fertilizer for rural farms or food for pigs.

The main thoroughfare was about thirty meters wide, paved with large bluish-gray stones, each half a meter long, cold and hard to the touch.

Over time, the surface became uneven with depressions, filled with light yellow soil. As horses’ hooves passed, tiny clouds of dust rose.

A cavalry unit rode through on white horses, holding white banners, with curved swords at their waists. They wore scale armor and leather coats, providing flexibility and lightness.

These skilled horsemen easily avoided carriages and crowds, maintaining a high speed. They passed through checkpoints and walls, raising their banners and showing their shoulder emblems. The guards quickly gave way, leading them to the white castle atop the hill.

With a creaking sound, the iron drawbridge lowered, allowing the cavalry to enter.

Solande, Throne Hall.

The current ruler of the Western Wind Kingdom, around forty years old, wore bronze armor, with a wide crimson cloak behind him, trimmed with white fur. Sitting on the throne, he looked like a majestic lion.

Below the throne stood nobles in purple robes, most dressed extravagantly. Among them were several generals in full armor and gray-robed scholars carrying ornate pocket watches, symbols of their status.

“His Majesty, the envoy from the White Horse tribe has arrived.”

“Let them in,” the king nodded.

“Yes!”

After handing their curved swords to the attendants, the warriors from the grasslands entered the hall, looking up at the king seated on the throne.

“Your Majesty, I am Darren, envoy of the White Horse clan. My father is the current chieftain.”

“The five thousand brave warriors of the White Horse clan have gathered as per Your Majesty’s orders, and are currently resting fifty miles downstream from the river.”

“Good.” The king praised, then ordered his attendant to present a gift: a finely crafted short sword with a ruby-red gemstone set in the handle, clearly a golden-grade extraordinary artifact.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, but this gift is too generous. I feel unworthy.”

“Why should you feel unworthy? The White Horse and the Western Wind are brothers in blood, having intermarried for many years. You can consider yourself my nephew. Take it without worry, ha ha.”

The king laughed heartily, exuding the demeanor of a wise leader. Other high nobles echoed his praise.

In the Western Wind Kingdom, kinship and family ties were highly valued, often favoring relatives. This familial bond had long been accepted among the high nobility, binding various interest groups together. If born into a prominent family, upper-level officials were mostly relatives, creating a unique feature of the ruling class.

This family connection fostered early unity and shared hardships, but also sowed the seeds of future conflicts—rigid class structures and growing tensions, a situation that evoked sighs.