Chapter 295: This Girl Is Actually from the City?
Just as Yu Luo was considering the situation, a woman in her fifties waved her over.
“Young lady, what are you doing here alone in this wasteland? At least we came here with our entire family—thirty-something people. The journey was harsh, dangerous, and full of suffering, but at least we had each other for support. You should come warm yourself by the fire. It’s freezing in the morning, and you’re dressed so lightly!”
Yu Luo smiled, walking over and squatting beside the fire. She looked at the old woman and gently asked, “Grandmother, how long have you all been waiting here?”
“We arrived yesterday afternoon. When we passed through, we saw that a lot of land had been cultivated. We thought, maybe we could settle here. But the fields are closely guarded, and we were told not to build shelters outside the walls. So we decided to wait at the city gates.
There seem to be many people inside, and since no one has driven us away, we thought—maybe one day, they’ll let us in.”
Yu Luo listened carefully, understanding their thoughts.
Some people were simply curious about the city; Some genuinely wanted to stay and settle.
Since the shops and infrastructure were almost ready, even though businesses hadn’t officially opened yet, she could start screening people and gradually letting them in.
After gathering all the information she needed, Yu Luo said nothing.
Instead, she suddenly leaped into the air, soaring toward the city walls!
Her sudden movement startled the old woman, who cried out in shock.
The watching crowd also gasped, eyes widening in disbelief.
Some martial artists, seeing her skill, were about to follow and use their own light footwork to leap onto the wall.
“Whoa! This girl is actually an expert?!”
“Wait—don’t go up there!”
“There’s guards on the walls…!”
But before they could make a move, a guard atop the wall suddenly leaned out and called down to Yu Luo in excitement—
“Miss, you’re back?!”
The entire crowd fell silent.
Someone muttered in disbelief, “Wait a minute…She’s from the city?!”
“Damn it! If we had known this girl was an insider, we should have begged her to open the gates for us!”
“Now we’ve missed our chance! Who knows how much longer we’ll have to wait?”
A few onlookers sighed regretfully, some even clutching their heads in frustration.
“Hold on—she asked us if we wanted to enter. And she seemed quite friendly. Maybe she’ll inform the people inside about us. The gates might open soon!”
This hopeful remark quickly lifted the spirits of the crowd.
Instead of feeling lost and uncertain, they now waited expectantly.
*
Inside Luo City
Yu Luo entered through the inner walls, gazing at the well-planned streets.
Five-man patrol teams marched back and forth, keeping order in the city.
She headed straight for the marketplace, where rows of empty shops stood, ready for use.
“Are these shops functional yet?”
A man named Liu Can, who had been following her, answered with hesitation.
“Miss, the shops are ready, but only our own people live in the city. If we open them now, we’d just be selling to ourselves. And we don’t even know what businesses to run yet.”
Yu Luo nodded in agreement.
“If that’s the case… it’s time to start opening the city and doing business with outsiders. Liu Can, come with me to the City Lord’s Residence.”
“Yes, Miss!”
As they reached the residence gate, Ye Jiamei happened to be returning from a walk with Yu Xiangxiang.
The moment she saw Yu Luo, her eyes lit up!
She rushed forward and grabbed Yu Luo’s hands excitedly.
“You’re back already?! Did everything go well? What’s Dongfeng Kingdom like? Is it fun? Next time, bring your parents too!”
Yu Luo laughed softly.
“Dongfeng Kingdom is quite similar to Lan Yue Dynasty. The people are hospitable, and even their dialect is easy to understand. Everything went smoothly. Zhang Hu’s group is already on their way back. They should reach home in two days. If there’s a chance in the future, I’ll take you and Father for a visit.”
“That’s great!”
“Wait—that fast?! Does that mean the tomatoes and watermelons all sold out?!”
Yu Luo nodded.
“Not only did we sell everything, we even secured two massive orders. Once we collect all the payments, it’ll be a fortune. We’ll have enough to support all 20,000 brothers in the city without worry.”
Hearing this, the entire group visibly brightened.
“That’s fantastic!”
“Now we won’t have to sit on our resources without income!”
“Your father is at the granary, dealing with the corn harvest. The stalks have piled up into mountains! He’s been trying to find a place to store them. It’s amazing—who would’ve thought cornstalks could be used as livestock feed and firewood in winter?!”
Seeing her mother’s joyful expression, Yu Luo also felt satisfied.
“The crops we grow can sell for silver. Even the sweet potato vines can be used to raise livestock. When we harvest rice, the leftover straw can be used for fuel and construction materials. This is why developing the land is so important. The land always repays us.”
“Liu Can, go find my father. I need to discuss something with him.”
“Yes, Miss!”
Back at the City Lord’s Residence, two familiar figures ran toward Yu Luo.
It was Ming Ye and the silly man.
Smiling, Yu Luo pulled out a handful of treats from her sleeve.
She handed them candied hawthorns.
“Here, have some.”
The silly man’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
He snatched a skewer from Yu Luo’s hands and happily ran off to eat it.
Meanwhile, Ming Ye hesitated, a faint blush creeping onto his face.
“Big Sister, you can have it.”
Seeing his shy and obedient expression, Yu Luo chuckled.
She firmly placed the candied hawthorns into his hands and even peeled off the wrapping for him.
“I bought these just for you.”
Ming Ye’s smile deepened as he took a bite.
The sweetness melted in his mouth, making his eyes curve with delight.
Turning to Yu Xiangxiang, Yu Luo pulled out several small gifts.
They included silk hair ties, a silver hairpin, a delicate hair ornament, ribbon flowers, and two pairs of earrings—plus a skewer of candied hawthorns.
Seeing the elegant accessories, Yu Xiangxiang panicked and waved her hands frantically.
“I—I can’t accept these! These are way too valuable!”
