Published: March 12, 2025
Chapter 348: Lüjiang City
In the afternoon, Zhao Hai and the others finally saw Lüjiang City. Lüjiang City is not only adjacent to the Lüjiang River; in fact, they had dug a moat and a river through the city, channeling water from the Lüjiang River outside the city, creating a protective moat. Additionally, a branch was diverted into the Lü River within the city, forming a river that runs through Lüjiang City. Therefore, in addition to the regular city gates, Lüjiang City has two water gates that can accommodate medium-sized ships.
Lüjiang City is vast, a metropolis with a population of over a million. In an era without many tall buildings, one can imagine just how large this city is.
Zhao Hai and the others entered the city through the west gate. As soon as they stepped inside, Zhao Hai felt different about this city. Firstly, there were people—lots of them, truly a great number. Zhao Hai had never seen so many people even in the capital of the Aksu Empire. The streets were bustling with people; if it weren't for the fact that everyone was wearing clothes different from those on Earth, Zhao Hai would have thought he returned to China.
Fortunately, they had plenty of guards to clear the way for them. Upon seeing their entourage, the pedestrians quickly stepped aside, not daring to approach.
Before long, they arrived at the front of the Shelley Hotel in Lüjiang City. This Shelley Hotel was noticeably different from others; the building was tall. Zhao Hai counted at least ten floors, which is quite rare on this continent without concrete.
As soon as they arrived at the hotel, a waiter came out to greet them. This waiter clearly recognized Wei Li and immediately took care of their mounts, leading them to the backyard for proper care.
The same went for Zhao Hai's carriage; they didn’t have to bother at all as someone came to take care of it.
Upon entering the hotel, the manager came to greet them. His name was Amare, a tall and imposing figure. If it weren’t for his silk business attire, Zhao Hai would have mistaken him for a warrior.
Amare didn’t say much to Zhao Hai; he promptly arranged for them to stay in the best room of the hotel for some rest.
What surprised Zhao Hai was that the hotel had an elevator-like device powered by magic crystals. Not only Zhao Hai but even Laura found it astonishing.
It's worth noting that such elevators powered by magic crystals are free to use, which is quite remarkable. One can imagine the immense energy consumption; apart from large hotels like the Shelley Hotel, ordinary places simply cannot afford them.
The biggest difference between the Shelley Hotel in Lüjiang City and those in other places is that the clientele here is numerous, and business is thriving. Well-dressed nobles and merchants in silk robes are everywhere, showcasing the hotel’s exceptional nature.
The guests in the hotel did not pay much attention to Zhao Hai and the others because they came with Wei Li, and the locals assumed that Zhao Hai and his group were also members of the Shelley family.
After settling in, Zhao Hai immediately released the flying eagle to send a message to Ivan. The reason he hadn’t sent a message sooner was that he didn’t know where they would stop. Now that they were in Lüjiang City, he certainly needed to inform Ivan to have Ryan brought back.
This time, Zhao Hai didn’t let Shun Yi ride the flying eagle. The last time was to test the bird, but now it was winter, and the flying eagle flies fast and high, making it quite cold.
Ivan's reply came quickly. That same night, the flying eagle returned with a message. However, he didn’t ask Ryan to wait for someone to pick her up in Lüjiang City but instead instructed Zhao Hai to take her to Tianshui City, where he would send a boat to pick her up.
This surprised Zhao Hai somewhat, but it was more troublesome than anything. Miss Ryan was certainly not an easy person to handle, and just seeing her gave Zhao Hai a headache.
Ryan had previously caused trouble for him in the Iksa Family, and now she was surprisingly docile, but too much so, which left Zhao Hai feeling uneasy.