Three days had passed since Li Yuan left Sancheng, and he was now walking through a hilly area that slowly rose toward the mountains that were his destination. His gray hanfu swayed gently with the rhythm of his steady steps, and the red cloth in his hair fluttered occasionally in the wind that carried the scent of soil and plants from a different altitude.
This journey gave Li Yuan time to reflect on the lessons he had learned in Sancheng. Every step took him further from that multicultural port, but also closer to a deeper understanding of the complexity of human relationships.
The water teaches about flowing and adapting, Li Yuan thought, observing the small river that flowed in the valley below him. Sancheng teaches how those same principles apply in human communities—resilience through flexibility, strength through the ability to accept differences.
The path he was on was mostly quiet; he only occasionally met other merchants or travelers. What was interesting was how the people he met had a different kind of diversity from Sancheng. Here, the differences were more about social status, profession, or regional origin, not about race as he had observed at the port.
Through the small radius of his Wenjing Realm, Li Yuan could hear the intentions of the people he met. There were traveling merchants who were thinking about profit and efficient routes. There were farmers returning from the market with worries about the weather and their harvest. There were wanderers like himself, though with different motivations—some were looking for work, some were fleeing from problems, and some just wanted to see the world.
On the afternoon of the third day, as the sun began to set and the shadows became longer, Li Yuan arrived at a small village located at the foot of the mountains. The village was named Qingfeng—a name that meant "clear wind"—fitting for its high location and fresh air.
Li Yuan stopped at a simple tea stall located on the edge of the village's main road. The stall was run by a middle-aged woman with a friendly face but sharp eyes—the eyes of someone who was used to quickly assessing the character of visitors.
"Welcome, wanderer," she greeted, preparing tea. "Not many pass through here toward the mountains this season. Where are you headed?"
"To the kingdom in the mountains," Li Yuan replied, sitting on a simple wooden bench. "I heard there is a kingdom famous for its... prosperity."
The woman—who introduced herself as Madame Feng—laughed with a somewhat bitter sound. "Prosperity? That depends on your perspective, wanderer. The Tianshan Kingdom is indeed rich, but lately... well, life under the shadow of the mountains is not always easy."
Through his Wenjing Realm, Li Yuan heard a complex intention behind Madame Feng's words: worry, frustration, but also a deep loyalty to her homeland. There was something she wasn't saying directly.
"What kind of problems are happening there?" Li Yuan asked in a tone that was not condescending but showed genuine interest.
Madame Feng glanced around to make sure no one was listening, then lowered her voice. "The current king... King Tianlong... he's not a bad king, mind you. But he is... obsessed with the idea of 'blood purity' and 'natural hierarchy.' In the last five years, the kingdom has become... rigid."
Li Yuan nodded, sipping his warm tea that had the fresh scent of leaves. "Rigid in what sense?"
"A stricter caste system. People are divided based on their birth—nobles at the top, merchants in the middle, farmers at the bottom. And the most troubling thing..." Madame Feng paused for a moment, "there are rumors of 'blood cleansing' for those who are considered 'unworthy' of their status."
Li Yuan felt something familiar and unpleasant in this description. Another man-made division used as a justification for inequality, he thought. But this time based on birth and blood—which is even more arbitrary because it cannot be changed.
"Have you ever been to the kingdom yourself?" Li Yuan asked.
"I used to, yes. Before all these changes. Tianshan used to be a... beautiful place. A city built in harmony with the natural landscape of the mountains. The people were gentle and thoughtful. But now..." she shook her head sadly.
Madame Feng looked at Li Yuan with an assessing gaze. "What is your purpose in going there, if I may ask? Business? Family?"
Li Yuan considered his answer. "Curiosity, mostly. I'm a wanderer who is interested in learning about different ways of life, different approaches to organizing society."
"Well," Madame Feng said in a gentle warning tone, "be careful. Strangers are now viewed with suspicion, especially those whose family origins are unclear. And don't expect to be able to freely observe or ask questions as you could before."
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a group of people—five men in uniform with a mountain emblem on their chests. They entered the stall with an authoritative posture and wary eyes.
Through his Wenjing Realm, Li Yuan immediately picked up on their intentions: duty, suspicion, slight arrogance. They were officials from the kingdom, and they were on a patrol or inspection mission.
"Madame Feng," said their leader, a sturdy man with a stern face, "there have been reports of a stranger heading toward the kingdom. We need to verify his identity and intentions."
Their eyes immediately fell on Li Yuan, the only person in the stall who was clearly not a local.
Li Yuan rose calmly and gave a polite bow. "Greetings. I am Li Yuan, a wanderer from the direction of the sea."
The leader of the group—whose collar insignia showed a fairly high rank—looked at Li Yuan with an evaluative gaze. "Your purpose in the kingdom?"
"To learn and observe," Li Yuan answered with careful honesty. "I am interested in different forms of governance and social organization."
The answer clearly did not satisfy the officer. Through his Wenjing Realm, Li Yuan could hear an increase in his suspicion: vague answer, potential spy or troublemaker, need to investigate further.
"A scholar?" the officer asked with a skeptical tone.
"Not in the formal sense. I am self-educated through travel and experience."
"Hmm." The officer exchanged a glance with his subordinates. "New regulations require all visitors to the kingdom to undergo lineage verification to determine their appropriate status and permissions. You will need to accompany us for a preliminary evaluation."
Li Yuan felt tension in the stall's atmosphere. Madame Feng was clearly uncomfortable with this development, but could not or did not dare to interfere.
"Lineage verification?" Li Yuan asked in a neutral but curious tone.
"Standard procedure," the officer replied in a tone that brooked no argument. "To determine whether you are qualified to enter the kingdom's territory based on your bloodline and family background, and if so, at what level of access."
Bloodline verification, Li Yuan noted mentally. They're using birth and heritage as criteria for access and status. Another form of artificial hierarchy.
Li Yuan considered his options. He could refuse and turn back, but that would mean abandoning the chance to understand and potentially help the situation in the kingdom. He could comply and see what this 'lineage verification' entails, at the risk that he might be categorized in a way that limits his freedom or puts him in danger.
Or he could reveal an aspect of his true nature to demonstrate that he was not an ordinary traveler—but that carried the risk of unwanted attention or being seen as a threat.
When in doubt, choose the path that allows for the most learning, Li Yuan decided, remembering a principle that had guided him for millennia.
"Very well," he said to the officer. "I am willing to undergo this verification. But I hope the procedure is fair and transparent."
The officer smiled with an expression that was not entirely friendly. "Oh, it is very thorough. True breeding and noble blood cannot be hidden or faked. Lineage records will reveal everything."
As Li Yuan prepared to leave with the group of officials, Madame Feng approached him quietly.
"Be careful," she whispered. "This lineage verification... is not always what it seems. And the results... well, the results can have unexpected consequences. Especially for those who cannot prove 'pure' ancestry."
Li Yuan nodded with gratitude for the warning, then followed the officers out of the stall toward whatever awaited him in this kingdom that had apparently transformed questions of birth and blood into tools for social control.
Another lesson waiting to be learned, he thought, walking toward the mountains that loomed ahead. Another opportunity to understand how human institutions can pervert even basic concepts of family and heritage to serve power.
But there was also anticipation in his heart. Every challenge was a chance for growth, every injustice was an opportunity to serve. And Li Yuan had a feeling that the Tianshan Kingdom would provide both in abundance.