Yun Jing, though the capital of the Shu Yun Kingdom, was not situated in the central Shu Prefecture but rather in Yun Prefecture, far to the northeast... It lay a full thousand li from Ninglang Prefecture in the southwest, almost bisecting the entire Shu Yun Kingdom. Ye Jingyu rested in Dragon Fang Village for three days, preparing clothing for the one hundred and two tribesmen from the Southern Wilderness.

After all, walking the roads of Shu Yun clad in animal hides would draw far too much unwanted attention... These Southern Wilderness people were wearing cloth garments for the first time. Though slightly unaccustomed to the feel, they voiced no complaints.

Especially the eight female archers of the Fox Ridge Tribe and the elder Fox Ridge, who displayed evident joy upon donning such fine clothes... Fox Ridge Meng, in particular, wore a light yellow, form-fitting gauze skirt that accentuated her graceful figure. Paired with the subtle delight in her expression, she appeared like a celestial being descended from the heavens...

With such a magnificent physique, if she were in modern times, dressing her in a bikini would surely drive countless men wild... Seeing Fox Ridge Meng’s exquisite form, Ye Jingyu entertained a rather wicked thought... The journey from Ninglang County to Yun Jing spanned over a thousand li.

Ye Jingyu certainly wasn't going to make the same mistake twice; he proceeded on foot, but ensured everyone was outfitted with two fine steeds apiece (a necessity, as Chi Yi and his brethren were too massive for ordinary horses to bear their weight for long). With provisions secured, they set off toward Yun Jing... It was fortunate Ye Jingyu had brought those gems and agate stones from the Southern Wilderness; acquiring this many horses would have been a strain even for his own Ye family in its heyday...

Even so, the group journeyed for nearly half a month before they finally traversed the central Shu Prefecture and arrived at the border of Yun Prefecture... Yun Prefecture was located in the northeastern reaches of the Shu Yun Kingdom. To the north, it bordered Yan Province of the powerful Tianyuan Empire; to the east, it abutted Yun Province of the same Empire.

To the west lay Ba Prefecture, and to the south, Tian Prefecture and Shu Yun bordered it... And Yun Jing itself sat in the northeast of Yun Prefecture, remarkably close to the territories of the Tianyuan Empire—a situation possessing a slight air of the Emperor guarding the frontier... However, Shu Yun, being a minor state, had rulers who could only claim the title of Guozhu (State Lord) rather than Emperor, rendering any need to guard the distant passes unnecessary.

The entire territorial area of Shu Yun was smaller than a single province of the Tianyuan Empire, which boasted nine such provinces, clearly illustrating the immense disparity between the two nations... Yet, since the founding of the Shu Yun Kingdom, its initial ruler had pledged fealty to the Tianyuan Empire, becoming a vassal state that annually paid tribute of vast wealth. It was precisely due to this arrangement that the Shu Yun Kingdom had managed to survive to the present day...

As the most formidable empire in the entire East, the Tianyuan Empire was something the small Shu Yun Kingdom could never hope to withstand. But all this was irrelevant to Ye Jingyu. When he led the one hundred and three individuals to the foot of Yun Jing city, the eighty warriors of the Chi Yi Tribe and the twenty-two archers of the Fox Ridge Tribe all displayed expressions of awe...

Even the typically stoic face of Fox Ridge Meng showed a trace of shock... A city—something that simply did not and could not exist in the vast wilderness of the Southern Wilderness—was now standing solidly before them... The Chi Yi Tribe was the largest in the entire Southern Wilderness, yet their settlement was merely enclosed by rough wooden palisades, utterly incomparable to the massive structure before them...

The city walls towered over ten zhang high, constructed entirely of dark, bluish-black stone blocks. Even the Fox Ridge archers, renowned for their agility, would find it difficult to scale such heights. The entire cityscape presented an overwhelmingly powerful image to these people from the Southern Wilderness...

Ye Jingyu, however, felt little such shock. Though this was his first time seeing such grand, ancient ramparts, having grown up familiar with skyscrapers, he was hardly one to be intimidated by such a display... He glanced at the fully armed soldiers stationed on either side of the city gates, then back at the tribal warriors behind him, who were clearly taller than average men.

Ye Jingyu’s brow furrowed deeply. Entering the city so openly like this was bound to attract the attention of various factions. After all, the sheer height of the Chi Yi warriors was too conspicuous.

Seeing one or two might pass, but having over a hundred of them, especially Chi Yi Xiu, whose nearly ten-zhang frame made him look like a veritable giant—this had already drawn considerable notice along the way, let alone here in Yun Jing... "May I ask, are you Young Master Ye Jingyu...?" Just as Ye Jingyu was contemplating how best to enter the city, a man with fair skin, dressed in a silk long robe, approached leading a retinue of what appeared to be servants. His voice was somewhat hoarse, sharp like a strangled duck, and his gait utterly lacked masculine bearing, moving more like a woman...

"That is correct. May I ask who you are...?" Ye Jingyu was somewhat surprised that this clearly unfamiliar person knew his name... "I am the steward of the Third Young Master's residence.

Young Master Ye may simply call me Xiao Muzi..." The man replied, beaming with an ingratiating smile at Ye Jingyu... Xiao Muzi... Ugh.

Isn't that the typical moniker for a eunuch? Ye Jingyu paused, then scrutinized Xiao Muzi’s appearance: fair skin, reasonably handsome features, a prominent Adam's apple, yet his face was smooth and utterly beardless. If not a eunuch, then what was he...?

"I see you are Eunuch Mu. This junior pays his respects. I have brought a few local specialties from the Southern Wilderness; I hope Eunuch Mu will deign to accept them..." Knowing the man's identity, Ye Jingyu immediately broke into a polite smile.

As he spoke courteously, he retrieved an egg-sized luminous pearl from his robes and presented it. From the historical knowledge he possessed, these palace eunuchs were notoriously greedy for wealth and power, utterly unscrupulous men willing to betray anything for profit. Although he had gained the favor of the Third Young Master, he certainly did not wish to offend these distorted individuals who lacked a critical part of their person...

Furthermore, Ye Jingyu intended to establish his own influence in Yun Jing and oppose Qin Yan; winning over key figures was an absolute necessity... "Heh heh, Young Master Ye is too kind! How can this servant possibly accept such a thing?" Eunuch Mu exclaimed, feigning embarrassment while snatching the luminous pearl Ye Jingyu offered.

Once he confirmed its authenticity, his pale face split into a delighted grin... "Heh heh, we are family now, Eunuch. There is no need for such formalities," Ye Jingyu responded.

He wasn't overly surprised that this man was waiting for him and recognized him instantly. If the Third Young Master of Shu Yun lacked such basic means, how could he ever contend for the throne? He might as well find a quiet spot and end his own life...

"Heh heh, indeed, indeed! We are family now, no need for politeness! Brother Ye, esteemed warriors, please follow me!

The Young Master has already prepared accommodation for everyone at Dan Yun Manor, just outside the city. The Young Master went to great lengths to secure this place for you..." Eunuch Mu chuckled, taking Ye Jingyu’s hand and leading the way. The junior eunuchs trailing behind seemed visibly fearful of the towering Chi Yi Xiu and the others, their bodies trembling slightly...