Sitting on the tree the peach stealing monkey took many more and stuffed them in her bag.

Jumping off the tree she headed upstream to the boarder's check-in point.

Reachin the check-in point, she was stopped by the border patrol and asked, "Where are you from?"

Yue Mian, "I'm from the Xiěyè Empire, I am visiting my aunt who sent a letter asking me to come help out with her stall at the market because she became ill."

The guard looked at her, sizing her up and asked for her passport. "What does your aunt sell?"

Yue Mian, "She has a medical herb stall."

"Mn, alright, you may pass and remember to head to the central office and notify them that you will be staying here for the time being."

Yue Mian, "Hi hi~"

She accepted the passport and walked behind the others who entered before her. Along the way, she heard them talking about various things, for instance, scandals relating to the Naiad Empires royals and nobles. Those who you should be wary of and those that are useless eating all the tax money instead of helping the poor.

Yue Mian decided to walk with them till they reached the capital so that she could register then run away, she did this mostly because she did not know how things work and needed to be one hundred per cent sure before she did what she wanted to.

---

Yue Mian travelled for three days with the merchants and other travellers. They took breaks at night and lunch breaks when the sun shone bright high in the sky.

She managed to gain much information from the merchants.

On the fourth morning around dusk, they arrived at the capital of Naiad called Riviera. Riviera was beautiful, the dew drops that hung all over on the leaves, rooftops and verandas of the stores in the capital.

The merchants she travelled with voluntarily took her too where she needed to register. They left after telling her to wait for the man and then she could head out; they also told her that she would be told to pay money so she shouldn't be surprised.

Two hours later a man wearing light blue silk robes and a government sash arrived. He looked at Yue Mian who stood in front of his office with a listless expression.

He opened his door without greeting her making her smile, [So no matter where you go, a monkey adorned in a government sash will always raise its nose at those below it.]

She followed him in and waited for him to sit down. The man acted as if he did not see Yue Mian and flipped through a book on his desk. A male servant brought tea to his side and poured two cups. One for his boss and the other for Yue Mian.

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Handing the cup of tea to her he smiled and asked her to wait for some time until the capital's magistrate is ready for her.

He led her out of the office into a small garden and said she could rest on the chair.

After drinking the tea finished she sat there looking at the garden and felt angry. Something she hated most was to be placed in a garden especially the one in the Imperial Palace of the Xiěyè Empire.

Swallowing her anger down she closed her eyes and started thinking of the events that took place before she got here.

Feeling a tug on her sleeve she opened her eyes and looked up. The male servant came over to notify her that the magistrate was ready to see her now. Nodding her head she followed the male servant back to the magistrate's office.

Looking around her, specifically at the sun rays shining in, she noticed that she had been waiting for an hour and a half, almost two hours.

She finally looked down at the man who seemed uninterested in why she was here so she didn't speak, waiting for him.

One thing Yue Mian was great at and that was being patient.

The magistrate was still reading his book and thought that she would state her reason for being here but she did not, she just stood there and looked at him.

Finally, after some time he put the book down and picked up a brush and opened a records book, he looked up at her and asked, "This fellow, what is your reason for being here today?"

Answering with a neutral expression she said, "Permanent living."

The magistrate raised a brow, "So you are here to apply for residence and citizenship am I correct?"

Yue Mian answered, "Mn" and nothing else.

The magistrate frowned but didn't say anything. Getting out two books from the shelf behind him he opened the first one and said, "Name please."

Yue Mian, "Xian Yue Mian."

Before writing this down, he looked at her and asked, "Are you from Jilei?"

Yue Mian, "Yes."

Nodding his head he asked while writing, "Date of birth?"

Yue Mian, "Sixteen years, seventh term, twelveth day."

Magistrate, "How long will you be staying?"

Yue Mian, "Five years."

The magistrate looked up at her then smirked. Looking back down, he recorded her information further then opened the second book.

The total cost of your citizenship will be one hundred and seven silver. She handed the silver over to him, throwing a sack on the desk.

The man opened the sack and immediately started counting the money. Satisfied with the amount he looked back at his books and started again. "Will you be renting a house from the capital?"

Yue Mian, "No."

Magistrate, "Staying with someone?"

Yue Mian, "Maybe."

Looking up at her he shrugged. He told her that she needed to come back and pay the one hundred and seven silver coins again next year at this time.

Taking a badge from him she left with a few documents and stepped out of his office.

Walking along the road where the stalls were set up, Yue Mian bought a few apples and other food and something to drink.

She went into an ally and sat down because she felt tired and wanted to sleep. Resting her back against the wall of one of the buildings she slid down and chewed on the apple. Finishing it she threw it away and closed her eyes.

Not long before she closed her eyes, she was hit on the shoulder, "Child, child wake up!! This is not a place for you to sleep."

Yue Mian opened her eyes and looked up at the old lady who yelled at her. The lady had a hunched back and was carrying a grocery bag with stuff in it and there were two young children with her. One girl, one boy.

Yue Mian's red eyes looked at the old woman as she said, "But I am tired."

Old woman, "Now get up and come with me."

Yue Mian, "Why?"

Old woman, "Now stay here and wait to be taken away by the government."

Yue Mian, "Get taken away?"

The old woman walked away with the two children by her side. With reluctance, Yue Mian got up and followed the old woman and the kids.