Chapter 129 Departure (1/2)

Chapter 129 – Departure

July 6th.

As Tong sent the mobilize order yesterday, the wartime policy was issued to the citizens. The craftsmen got more busy forging weapons and armors while the housewives helped their husband making arrows.

The commoners who recently migrated into the city were afraid of the sudden force conscription. They hid themselves and shut all doors and windows.

On the other hand, the old tenants did not bother hiding themselves and continued their lives as if nothing had happened. The rude ones happily mocked the newcomers as cowards because they knew that the city possessed over 60,000 soldiers, without including Zhang Ji's cavalries and Ding Yuan's forces. Therefore, Julu City would not recruit new militias any time soon.

Jia Xu, who hitched the ride and entered the city as one of the immigrants, had not gotten used to the new laws and the environment of the city yet. He was preoccupying reading every notification on the public announcement boards.

The more he read, the more his curiosity, Jia Xu approached one of the officials and asked.

”Excuse me, sir. I'm new to this city and I'm interested in the new laws of the Lord. Do you have a full details version besides the one on the public boards? It's difficult for an old man like me to walk around and read.”

Still pretending to be an old man, Jia Xu moved at a slow pace with a wooden stick.

The deceived official could not help but felt sympathy for this elder.

”Please wait here for a moment. I'll get the handbook from the government for you. It has more details than the public announcements.”

”Thank you very much, sir. I really appreciate it.”

…

Jia Xu returned to the inn with the government handbook. It was not just an ordinary handbook that distributed to the citizens, it was a guidebook for the government staffs which contained the inside information about types of orders, emergency protocols, locations of major buildings, and etc.

The old fox grinned from ear to ear after he skimmed through the book.

'I still have it. No one can match my persuasive power!'

He left the baby prince to the hired wet nurse and spent the rest of the day reading through the book over and over again as his scholar nature kicked in.

The smiley face he had when he first acquired the book turned into a serious face. He noticed many unusual flaws in the government system.

'The heck is wrong with this city!? Where did they get all these food for the commoners?'

'There isn't a single detail about the supplier of the provision at all.'

'And why have all the nobles submitted to the tyranny laws!?'

'They can't have any private land and soldier, yet why are they still working for Zhang Jiao!?'

'This doesn't make any sense!'

Jia Xu tossed the guidebook to the side and he shifted his gaze toward the window to change the scenery. The sun was about to set, yet everyone outside the inn was still working hard.

Because of the incentive of the overtime was introduced for the government employees and other staffs, the workers were still working with enthusiasm as they would get additional overtime bonuses when their wages came out.

Jia Xu shook his head at these people.

'Brainwashed. They're all brainwashed. Even their grandmothers are brainwashed!'

'Only forgivable trait of Zhang Jiao is his hard working. The rest is just dumb.'

'It's just only a matter of time, the government treasury will be emptied if they continue using these stupid policies.'

'…Well, it doesn't matter. It's none of my business anyway.'

'First things first, I should use this chance to get more gold.'

The long trip from Luo Yang to Chang An, then Chang An to this city consumed 90% of his fund. Jia Xu only had 20 gold in his pocket bag which was not enough for his luxurious retirement life.

'I think there's a job recruitment on the public board. If I remember correctly, it is a teacher of a scholar school? An easy job for 2 gold a month. Or should I be ambitious and apply for the minor official position?'

'No! I can't! The pay is good but the future of this city is dubious! How the hell can they pay 30-50 gold a month for a minor official position! This is a phishing scam!'

While Jia Xu was randomly dissing Tong's government system, he caught a whiff of a fresh baked butter bread aroma. The innkeeper was cooking dinners for the guests at the tavern, which was on the first floor of the two-story inn.

”For fOOk sake! Why does the food of this city smell so good, yet why is all of them so expensive! What kind of scam is this!?”

Jia Xu stopped thinking and threw a fit like a real moody old man.

*Growl*

His stomach cried as he got hungry because of the smell.

'If I want to eat those to the fullest every day, I'll have to spend at least 3 to 5 gold a month...'

”…”