Chapter 264: Blue Capital

Everyone has been camping and enduring the winds and rain along the official road for three days.
On this day, after passing by a small pavilion built on a low slope, a burly man from the caravan laughed and said, "Haha, we are finally getting close to Lan City." Please note that the "@" symbols are not necessary in the translation.
"Lan Du" is a name that Lin Heng has heard many times before, and it is the name of the capital city of the Blue Nation.
"Pedestrians, move aside, pedestrians, move aside!" Urgent horse hooves could be heard from behind, followed by shouts.
Lin Heng and the members of the merchant group retreated to both sides of the official road, only to see a group of cavalrymen wearing black robes on the outside but bright silver armor underneath, galloping past on the official road.
"Wow- this is the Templar Knights of the Holy Mirror Church, they are truly mighty..." A young person in the caravan showed a look of admiration, as if they had once desired to become a Templar Knight but couldn't fulfill their dream.
Lin Heng has expressed full understanding. Through conversations with people from various backgrounds in the caravan, he has gained a certain understanding of various matters in the Kingdom of Jia Lan.
Therefore, Lin Heng also understands how difficult it is to become a Guardian Knight. The Holy Mirror Church sends out many black-robed individuals with mirrors to identify the talents of these children when they turn six years old.
Those who possess exceptional talents will be taken in and nurtured by the Holy Mirror Church, and of course, the church will provide these families with generous monthly compensation.
Once the children are trained and reach the age of eighteen to officially become Palace Guard Knights, these knights are allowed to return home, but they must remain completely loyal to the Holy Mirror Church at this time.
And among these temple knights, the most outstanding individuals will be selected as "holy knights". In the Kingdom of Gulan, becoming a holy knight is equivalent to being a minor noble. They can carry a sword when meeting the king and they don't need to kneel in front of the king. Please note that the "@" symbol is not necessary in English and does not carry any meaning.
The black muscular leader of the merchant caravan reached out and slapped the back of the young man's head, who looked full of longing. Then, he shouted loudly, "You don't have a chance to become a true Palace Guard Knight now, but if this deal goes well, you can earn a large sum of money. When you return home, you might be able to marry a good woman, and who knows, your offspring might be chosen as a Palace Guard Knight... No, a Holy Knight."
Everyone laughed, and even the young man who had just been filled with longing couldn't help but smile.
"Alright, enough already. Let's continue on our way and try to reach Lantou before nightfall." The burly man finished joking and then led the group towards Lantou.
The number of people on the official road is increasing, with some going out and others going in. It seems that there are more people entering than leaving.
When Lin Heng saw the walls of the Blue Capital City with his own eyes, he couldn't help but gasp in astonishment, as the walls of this palace were incredibly high.
Lin Heng secretly calculated with his fingers and estimated that this side of the city wall alone was at least fifteen meters high.
At this moment, everyone stood beneath the towering city wall, having to crane their necks to clearly see the plaque on the city gate.
The towering city wall brought a slight psychological pressure to Lin Heng. He couldn't help but frown and secretly speculate on what awaited him in this "Blue City". I hope it's not the Lao Shizi Holy Mirror Sect.
"Lan Du..." Lin Heng softly pronounced the name of this city. In the distance, the merchants have already begun to enter the city with their caravans, and Lin Heng, along with Ao Xue, Luo Xia, and Yu Ling Yue, followed closely behind the pace of the merchant convoy.
There were many people queuing in front of the gate, to the point of being overcrowded.
The city guards were also very concerned about the items carried by the black strong men in their carriages, carefully inspecting them several times.
As for Lin Heng and the others who followed behind the team, the soldiers guarding the city only glanced at them before letting them pass.
Lin Heng and the others entered the city of Blue Capital and were all taken aback.
Tall buildings rose from the ground in the city, completely different from the scenes of rural thatched cottages.
"Wow---" Ouxue was astonished to see buildings that were more than three stories high for the first time, and her eyes were darting around in awe.
At this moment, both Ao Xue and Yu Ling Yue are incredibly surprised, while Luo Xia also wears a shocked expression on her face.
"It's really bustling here..." Yu Ling Yue murmured.
Lin Heng couldn't help but be slightly stunned. He had always thought that the civilization of the Ghost King Clan, who had been at war with the Blue Star civilization for many years, should also be quite advanced. But why was she so surprised and even mentioned... prosperity.
Although the design here is unique, it is still nowhere near as vibrant as the county town of Lanxing.
Lin Heng asked, "Hey, yao woman, does the Ghost King clan not have such a prosperous place?"
Upon hearing the words, Yun Lingyue felt a pang in her heart. She wanted so badly to say to Lin Heng, "She has a name, she's not just a demon woman." But when she opened her mouth, her tone became deferential as she said, "I have not had the pleasure."
"You ghost royal family aren't that great either..." Lin Heng sneered contemptuously.
Yu Lingyue immediately fell silent, and during this time, a scene that she had gradually forgotten reappeared in her mind.
Yuling lowered her head and quietly followed behind Lin Heng and the others.
As usual, Lin Heng followed the convoy of black strong men and arrived at an ordinary merchant inn, offering affordable prices and a decent environment. However, it had a huge backyard where the convoy could be accommodated. Translated content:
Far relatives are not as good as close neighbors, and Lin Heng has been getting along well with the burly black man. Therefore, Lin Heng decided to stay.
They have also exchanged names before, and the black burly man's name is Abu Lai, who is forty years old this year. He plans to do four or five more business deals and then retire to take care of his family.
Finally, in the evening, the whole group managed to have a satisfying meal at the inn. They had a few rounds of drinks and enjoyed a variety of dishes. Abu smiled at everyone and said, "Tomorrow, we can visit the Holy Mirror Hall together and pray for good luck and success in our endeavors." Please let me know if you need any further assistance.
林恒也早就想见识一下这圣镜教究竟有多少斤两了，于是欣然答应。

They arrived when it was still dark outside, but there was already a long line formed ahead.
Many people in the line were restless, relying on the small mirror they held in their hands with the edges smoothed out, constantly praying for their wishes to come true.
Lin Heng and Luo Xia are also moving slowly forward at a speed as slow as a turtle crawling.
The time continued until after four o'clock in the afternoon, and finally, Abu and Lin Heng's group arrived at the entrance of the palace.
Abu reached out three silver coins and several copper coins, causing the faces of the Black Robe Servants of the Holy Mirror Sect to immediately show a disgusted expression.
When facing Lin Heng again, Lin Heng generously threw one of the many gold coins he exchanged for with polar bear skins to the Black Robe Servant. Note: The "@" sign is not normally used in translation and does not have a specific meaning in English.
The face of the black-robed waiter has not yet recovered, but there is already a hint of a smile between his eyebrows.