Having experienced what just happened, the street vendors didn't say another word, quickly packing up their goods and soon vanishing from the area.
The soldiers did not leave either. They fetched brooms and such, beginning to clean up the street, and swiftly cleared away the somewhat messy thoroughfare.
A rumbling of footsteps rose again, as many Southern Border Soldiers came running from inside the city, positioning themselves along both sides of the main street, forming two human walls with a person every several zhang.
"So that's what it is, it seems some person of high status is entering the city," Yuan Ming understood why the street vendors had been driven away.
Hearing the commotion, many people from the Southern Border gathered from all directions, voluntarily lining up on both sides of the street to watch the excitement.
Sometime later, amidst the creaking of wheels, a luxurious and humongous beast carriage rolled in from inside the city, standing two zhang high and three zhang wide, looking extremely spacious.
The carriage was drawn by two green Exotic Beasts, similar in shape to steeds yet taller than normal warhorses, covered in a cyan hue, with bulging muscles. Each of their hooves had eagle-like claws, which easily left deep marks on the ground with every step, exhibiting a menacingly sharp appearance.
What was most peculiar was that each of these Exotic Beasts had a pair of cyan wings on their backs which, though folded at the moment, suggested they would be quite large when unfurled based on the contours of the wings.
The beast carriage moved quickly, vanishing into the distance ahead and seemingly headed towards the city gates.
Yuan Ming, having never seen such Exotic Beasts, described them to Mandula.
"These are Eagle Horse Beasts, it seems that the person in the carriage is a clan leader. If Lord Ba Yin himself is going to the city gates to welcome them, it must be a very important figure," commented Mandula.
Yuan Ming was also quite curious and looked toward the city gates.
Shortly after, the rolling sound of wheels approached from the distance, and a long procession arrived majestically from the direction of the city gate.
The vanguard consisted of a group of Southern Border people mounted on warhorses, with at least a hundred riders, each one tall and muscular, not your average soldiers.
Their warhorses were entirely red, their thick necks covered in dense fiery-red manes that resembled burning flames.
"It's the Fire Horse Army!"
"Who could possibly warrant an escort from the Fire Horse Army?" the onlookers from the Southern Border speculated amongst themselves.
"The Fire Horse Army is directly under the command of the Kasi Clan Leader; it's no wonder Lord Ba Yin personally went to meet them," Mandula said before Yuan Ming could speak.
The hundred-strong Fire Horse Army quickly passed by, and following them was a long line of carriages. At the forefront, side by side were two spacious beast carriages. One of them was indeed Lord Ba Yin's Eagle Horse Beast carriage, while the other was entirely silver, as if cast from silver.
The big carriage was carved with exquisite patterns all over, a white canopy hung from the top, and each side had a roll of transparent gauze hanging down, embroidered with many dragon and phoenix designs and other mythical creatures, appearing far more magnificent than the Eagle Horse Beast carriage.
In front of the silver beast carriage were two massive deer-like Exotic Beasts, their bodies golden with black spots, their stature and presence no less than that of the Eagle Horse Beasts.
On either side of the silver beast carriage hung a large flag, one bearing the word 'Jin,' and the other embroidered with a pattern of a red flaming bird.
Upon seeing this, Yuan Ming's eyes revealed a look of surprise. Without saying goodbye to Mandula, he quickly crouched down and moved to the back of the crowd on the streetside, a shadowy corner obscured by a signboard.
At that moment, the silver beast carriage's curtain was pulled back slightly, revealing half of a face. It was a short-haired young man about fifteen or sixteen years old.
"Lin Junsheng," Yuan Ming murmured a name, his fists clenched tight.
Behind the two beast carriages, aside from several dozen knights riding ordinary warhorses and clad in silver armor, there was a long line of large carriages. These carriages were unusually spacious, some carrying Central Plains people, others holding goods.
Yuan Ming swiftly slipped into a nearby alley and after a good while sprinting through the town, he took another road to approach near the main street again.
On the main road, there was the continuous rumble of wheels and carriages from Da Jin Country that had yet to completely pass by.
However, the cargo in the rear carriages was mostly goods, and there were no more soldiers in silver armor from Da Jin Country around, just some ordinary guards in motley armor watching over.
Yuan Ming weaved through the onlooking crowd, pulling his cloak down further, and quietly followed behind.
The Da Jin Country caravan soon arrived at the town center, where another towering black city wall appeared ahead, abruptly cutting off the road. Within the city walls, the splendid fortresses vaguely visible were indeed the inner city mentioned by Mandula.
There were also two narrow paths just wide enough for one vehicle on the outer perimeter of the black city wall, where many Southern Border People stopped on both sides, watching the Da Jin Country caravan.
The Da Jin Country caravan slowly drove through the city gate and entered the inner city.
Upon seeing this, Yuan Ming's brows furrowed. Naturally, he could not continue into the inner city, but by following the narrow path, he could circle into the town's North District.
After hesitating for a long time, a decisive look flashed in Yuan Ming's eyes, and he quickly turned and walked away.
A moment later, he returned to the intersection.
Yuan Ming had completely changed his appearance, the yellow on his body washed off, and his hair was combed smooth, revealing his identity as a Central Plains person.
He had also changed into a set of brand new Central Plains blue hooded robes purchased in the South City, along with new pants and shoes.
Putting on the hood, Yuan Ming stepped along the narrow path into Iron Tiger Town's North City.
The North City, befitting a place where higher class people lived, had streets much wider than those of the South City. The ground was clean, with hardly any filth to be seen.
The buildings on both sides of the street were taller and neater, and the shops established there were a notch above those in the South City. What pleased him even more was among the pedestrians on the street, there were indeed quite a few who were dressed similarly to him, as people from the Central Plains.
Yuan Ming took a deep breath and walked forward calmly, only to see at the end of the street a large white building with a wide area of land in front, flying the Kasi Clan's Dog God Flag, looking quite different from the other buildings.
At this moment, there were many Southern Border People gathering around the building to watch the excitement. However, there were two rows of Southern Border Soldiers standing crosswise at the entrance of the posthouse, apparently not allowing anyone to approach.
He glanced around and stopped a Southern Border youth on the street.
"What's the matter?" The Southern Border youth, seeing Yuan Ming's Central Plains identity, asked somewhat uneasily.
"Brave sir, what exactly is happening up front? Why are there so many people gathered around?" Yuan Ming asked with a smile.
"That's the posthouse. The Da Jin Country caravan just went in there," the Southern Border youth replied, seeing that Yuan Ming's attitude was friendly and his speech pleasant, without suspecting anything else.
It seemed the caravan had only passed through the inner city and reached the North District. Yuan Ming thanked the Southern Border youth and headed north, soon arriving at the white building.
This was indeed the posthouse of Iron Tiger Town. The sign above the main door read "Posthouse," and through the large gates, one could see the Da Jin Country carriages parked inside.
Yuan Ming didn't dare to get close. Approaching rashly might lead to trouble before even seeing anyone. After thinking it over, he ultimately decided to turn around and leave.
Yuan Ming settled down in a nearby tavern, spent a dozen copper coins, and ordered some wine and dishes.
As it was almost noon, Yuan Ming was also somewhat hungry. The food and drink in the tavern were delicious, and his anxious mood slowly returned to calm as he ate contently.
"What do you think, why would a Da Jin Country caravan come to our Kasi Clan at this time?"
A voice came from beside him, which belonged to a Southern Border man at the next table.
"For business, what else could it be?" another tall and skinny Southern Border man replied.
"I don't think that's right. Although Da Jin Country has had trading caravans come to our Iron Tiger Town from time to time, at most only about ten or twenty carriages, this time the caravan that came was huge. I counted at the roadside just now, and there were more than a hundred carriages for transporting goods alone. Lord Ba Yin even personally went to the city gate to welcome them. What kind of trade convoy would command such regard?" a Southern Border man with yellow skin shook his head and said.
Yuan Ming, hearing the people discussing the Da Jin Country trade convoy, quietly paid attention.
"I've heard that in Da Jin Country, some large commercial guilds have enormous power, with thousands of stewards, shopkeepers, and apprentices under their banner, and they can sit on an equal footing with the high officials of Da Jin Country. Could it be that this time it's a big commercial guild like that, so that's why Lord Ba Yin personally welcomed them?" another Southern Border diner said.
"No, no, you're all wrong," chuckled the last man at the table, a bald-headed old man from the Southern Border, boasting proudly.
"Old man Ge Shu, what do you know? Tell us!" the others all looked over.