Safety first.
These heartfelt words made Su Miaomiao and Cheng Hao feel warm.
Along the way, Ji Bo truly cared for them both, thinking of them like an elder, considering their needs in every way, and yet not forcing them.
This was also due to his status.
Ji Bo only cared about his two masters and dared not control them.
He didn't think he had the right to.
Su Miaomiao just smiled and agreed, then said to the elder, "Don't worry about us! We're just going in for a look and will be back soon. You and the others wait for us!"
Cheng Hao also nodded and said, "When we're not here, you must not let your guard down."
He asked those who remained to also pay attention to safety.
He then gestured for Ji Bo to look around.
As the time for the city gate to open approached, the people who had been hiding in the dark began to stir, clearly preparing to enter the city.
Ji Bo immediately became alert and quickly nodded in agreement, "Young master, rest assured, this old servant will definitely guard the caravan well!"
He told them to go in with peace of mind.
Only then did Cheng Hao and Su Miaomiao let the elder return to the caravan.
They would wait here.
Fortunately, the two guards hadn't lied, and soon there was movement.
The thick, heavy gate, fully five to six meters high, slowly opened to both sides.
Revealing the guards within.
It took a full eight people to push open this gate, and beyond it was a drawbridge.
Behind the drawbridge was another small gate.
Such heavy defenses.
It was naturally reassuring, and those not yet inside became excited.
The guards, all wearing soft armor and carrying sabers, came out in an orderly fashion to stand guard, and brought a wooden table, setting up brushes, ink, and a registration book.
The previously noisy crowd immediately began to queue up voluntarily to enter the city.
Some guards were shouting.
"Those not registered go to the left! Those with waist tokens go to the right for direct passage!"
They shouted this several times.
Everyone then understood.
Cheng Hao had not let go of Su Miaomiao's hand, holding it tightly, "It seems that entering and exiting the city has time slots. If it's not during the gate opening hours, people cannot travel freely. This is quite strict."
Su Miaomiao also nodded and whispered in exchange, "I saw the people in front of us also had waist tokens, and they were carrying prey. They were probably out hunting, but surprisingly, they still had to wait until dawn to enter."
The two continued to whisper, and soon it was their turn.
The people in front of them had passed smoothly.
When it was their turn.
The guard at the gate stopped them, checked them carefully, and muttered, "Newcomers? You look unfamiliar? Come and have your waist tokens checked!"
Cheng Hao and Su Miaomiao were quite confused when a guard nearby noticed the situation and quickly pulled his companion aside, muttering a few words. They vaguely heard him say something like, "These are distinguished guests of Pang San and Shou Hou. They were given tokens by those two, and they've already informed me. Just remember that, no need to check, let them in!"
Upon hearing this, the other guard immediately understood and waved them on, signaling them to pass directly without checking their waist tokens.
Cheng Hao and Su Miaomiao bowed respectfully and then stepped into the city gate together. As they passed the young guard, he still looked so approachable, smiling and saying, "Don't mind him, our Old Lu is like that. He has a photographic memory. Since you're new today, let him recognize your faces, and next time you won't need waist tokens to enter!"
Su Miaomiao couldn't help but chime in, "Is he really that amazing?"
Cheng Hao squeezed her palm, signaling her to not get involved and to be low-key.
The young man didn't seem to mind and continued to smile, "Of course. Old Lu used to work in the county yamen. When catching criminals and unscrupulous merchants, his photographic memory was his specialty!"
He was clearly a chatterbox.
So he said a few more words.
After the two successfully passed the city gate, he waved and shouted "See you again!", appearing very friendly and easygoing.
Su Miaomiao also smiled and responded, then gently tugged Cheng Hao's hand, sighing, "This kid is quite interesting. It's easy to chat with him! He just blurts out whatever he has on his mind."
Cheng Hao was also amused by her description.
The two passed through the one-meter-thick city gate tunnel and stepped onto the bridge.
This was the bridge spanning the moat, leading to the real gate of Que Prefecture City.
Inside this gate, there were also some carvings and city regulations.
There was a curfew in the residential areas of the city, but the bustling commercial areas were brightly lit and remained open until dawn the next day, with no restrictions.
"So, converting the time, after six o'clock in the evening, you have to choose between being at home or out gallivanting in the flower district!"
This was mainly to prevent too many people and chaos, hence this measure.
Intentional harm, theft, or fighting were also not allowed within the city. Minor offenses would result in a fine or expulsion from Que Prefecture City, while serious offenses would lead to the loss of life. You would have to bear the consequences yourself.
After Su Miaomiao passed the inner city gate and looked at the rules written on both sides of the gate, she couldn't help but nod, "I never expected the city lord to be so ingenious. Many rules seem strict, but they do ensure the safety of the city."
Cheng Hao also admired it.
After reading the city entry guide, the two held hands and stepped out of the inner city gate of Que Prefecture.
What met their eyes was a bustling marketplace. A wide avenue in the center, with markets on both sides, which seemed to be set up by the people themselves.
There were all sorts of miscellaneous items, as well as food and drinks.
It had been a long time since the two had seen such a lively scene, to the point where they felt a sense of daze. After being here for so long, they finally felt the ancient daily life so vividly, with no trace of unease or vigilance on people's faces.
The vendors were very enthusiastic, constantly calling out to passing customers.
There were also many people buying things.
The young couple was truly stunned.
"My heavens, if it weren't for the fact that it's still the same sky, I would have almost thought we had gone through another transmigration! The contrast is too great."
Su Miaomiao sighed, looking at the people living and working in peace within the city, and comparing them to the refugees outside, she felt a great sense of sorrow.
Their surprised appearance successfully attracted the attention of some shrewd merchants or well-informed human traffickers. Seeing the couple's demeanor, they knew they were first-time visitors. They also saw that Cheng Hao was carrying a bulging bag, so they assumed he wanted to exchange or pawn something.
There were human traffickers of all ages and genders. They had originally been sitting by the wall, but now that the city gate was open, they swarmed forward. However, they did not block the way, but restrained themselves and kept to the rules, shouting from a distance.