The collapse of the ancient Zealand Empire did not affect Lin Yun's decision to move on.
After leaving the territory of the Shura Empire, Lin Yun and others climbed over the 10,000-meter dividing mountain range and arrived at the northern part of the Thousand Kingdoms Territory.
The northern area of the Thousand Kingdoms Territory is only one-eighth the area of the central area. There are more than a hundred countries in total, including more than 130 small countries, eleven second-level kingdoms, and a third-level empire.
This third-grade empire is called the Yanxue Empire. Although its military strength is not as good as the six empires in the central region, it is not too far behind.
The movements of the Yanxue Empire can affect the entire northern region. So Lin Yun plans to go to the Yanxue Empire and ask Emperor Yanxue for help in collecting soul jade fragments.
As soon as they entered the territory of the Yanxue Empire, everyone felt a cold wave coming. The temperature dropped significantly by dozens of degrees, and white mist could be exhaled with every word.
On the ground below, you can also see snowfields made of ice and snow. The whole sky and earth are completely white. It can be said that it is a scene of thousands of miles of ice and thousands of miles of snow. This is the scenery of the North.
After flying in the Yanxue Empire's territory for a quarter of an hour, Lin Yun and others finally arrived at Baiyang City, the first city of the Yanxue Empire.
This is a city covered by ice and snow. The entire city is covered with a layer of frost, which looks crystal clear under the sunset, giving it a strange dreamlike feeling.
Lin Yun saw that it was already dusk and it would be night soon, so he planned to stay in this city for a night. After asking for the exact direction of the imperial capital, he would continue setting off early the next morning.
In order not to cause unnecessary panic, Lin Yun asked the violent pterosaur to land twenty miles away from the main city, and then several people walked towards Baiyang City.
Everyone originally thought that this time entering the city would be hindered by the guards just like last time. However, the reality was exactly the opposite. The guards only made a brief confirmation before letting everyone into the city.
But the scene inside Baiyang City surprised everyone.
Everyone originally thought that a large imperial city would be a scene of bustling traffic, people coming and going, noisy and prosperous.
However, the reality is just the opposite. Instead of being prosperous, the city is very desolate.
The shops on both sides of the street are closed, and there are very few vendors open for business. There are hungry people everywhere, wandering on the streets hungry.
There was even a scene of a dirty little girl holding two stolen steamed buns and being chased by several adults. This was not what an imperial city should have at all.
Lin Ying couldn't bear to save the little girl and said to the adults who were chasing her: "I'll pay for her, please let her go."
Several adults looked at each other, and one of them said to Lin Ying, "Okay, one hundred gold coins per steamed bun."
Everyone couldn't help but be shocked when they heard that man's words.
A steamed bun costs one hundred gold coins. Are you kidding me?
You must know that in the Southern Xia Kingdom, the monthly income of ordinary people is only one hundred gold coins, and one gold coin can buy ten steamed buns.
But here, one steamed bun costs an average person a month's income, and the price has increased a thousand times!
This is a total robbery!
"It's too dark of you to do this!" Yun Ruoxi said angrily.
"black?"
One of the adults said: "Little girl, you should go to other stores and ask around. The price of goods in our Baiyang City is like this. No matter which store it is, it will be the same price."
"Forget it, take it." Lin Yun didn't want to waste his time on this, so he took out a few hundred gold coins and sent these adults away. Anyway, this small amount of money was not even a drop of money to him.
.
"Thank you, brother and sister. My mother is seriously ill and can't get out of bed. She hasn't eaten for several days. I have to send the steamed buns back to her quickly." The little girl bowed to Lin Yun and Lin Ying and took the steamed buns with her.
Hurry into the alley.
Watching the little girl leave, Lin Ying not only sighed deeply, but also felt worried for the residents of this city.
"Let's go and find a place to stay first."
Lin Yun and others walked several streets before finally finding an inn that was still open. Regardless of the price of the inn, they went in and opened a few rooms.
"Ten thousand gold coins per room per night."
Sure enough, as everyone expected, the consumption in the inn here is also staggering.
No wonder there are so many hungry people in this city. It turns out to be because prices are so horribly high.
If an ordinary tourist encounters such consumption, he would rather sleep on the street than do it.
But for a man like Lin Yun who had been a king, this was nothing at all.
"Shopkeeper, do you know the exact location of the Imperial Capital?" Lin Yun asked the shopkeeper while paying.
Hearing Lin Yun mention the word "Imperial Capital", the shopkeeper showed a horrified expression, as if he had heard something terrible.
The inn also fell into silence. The few guests in the inn all looked at Lin Yun and others with strange eyes, as if they were looking at a group of strange monsters.
After a moment of silence, the shopkeeper asked: "You...what did you say? The Imperial...Imperial Capital? Are you going to the Imperial Capital?"
"Is there any problem?" A strange look flashed in Lin Yun's eyes, as if he could see some clue. Maybe the prices here are related to the imperial capital.
The shopkeeper asked in confusion: "Looking at your accent, it's because you are not from our Yanxue Empire, right? What do you want in the imperial capital?"
"Because of certain things, we have to go to the imperial capital." Lin Yun replied in a light tone.
The shopkeeper solemnly advised: "Although I don't know the reason why you went to the Imperial Capital, I advise you not to step into that place of right and wrong."
"Oh? What does the shopkeeper mean by this? Why is the imperial capital a place of right and wrong?" the handsome man asked curiously.
"That's all I can tell you. I can't say anything else. The imperial capital is three thousand miles away. It's up to you to decide whether to go or not." The shopkeeper pointed in a certain direction.
Then he kept silent, as if he was worried about something.
As soon as he finished speaking, the noisy sound of horse hooves and a majestic voice came from the street outside the inn.
"The imperial army is ordered by the emperor to collect resources from the entire empire. The people in the city are required to hand over all the resources they own to the empire within today. Anyone who disobeys or hides it will be killed without mercy!"
After hearing this voice, the faces of both the shopkeeper and the guests in the inn darkened at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"Damn it...didn't we just collect it half a year ago? Why are we collecting it again now?"
"Because of the levy six months ago, prices across the city have skyrocketed, and tens of thousands of poor people have starved to death. Now we have to levy it again. Will this allow people to live?"
Listening to the complaints from the guests in the inn, Lin Yun roughly understood what was going on. No wonder the prices in this city were so high. It turned out to be related to the empire's expropriation.