Chapter 16 Dorne City [Additional updates for alliance leaders Luo Li and Qibelin]
Everything here is normal.
Whether it was the busy traffic outside or the Benjamin Tilian in front of him, Xiao En didn't see anything unusual.
His residence is next to the villa area, an apartment with good greenery.
Building 3, 12B.
Benjamin was a humble and polite man. He took out the key and opened the door, and said to Xiao En behind him: "We have already paid the rent, water, electricity and gas."
"The waiter also cleaned carefully. Once again.”
“All daily necessities are prepared, you can tell us anything you need.”
Two bedrooms and one living room, with kitchen and bathroom.
The decoration style of this apartment is relatively retro, but it looks quite luxurious. The living room is even carpeted, the master bedroom has a soft Simmons goose down quilt, the bathroom has a water heater, and all the furniture is complete.
Everything here makes Xiao En feel as if he has returned to modern times.
Benjamin Tilian took out his pocket watch and checked the time, put down the key and said: "You should have a good rest first."
"We will arrange a tour guide for you tomorrow."
Are you really here for vacation?
Xiao En has not yet recovered from this huge contrast. After hearing this, he stood up quickly and said: "Thank you."
"No." Benjamin stared at Xiao En in front of him, lowered his head slightly and said, "We should say thank you."
He seemed to have misunderstood something.
Xiao En didn't know how to explain it. He looked at Benjamin's leaving back, sat on the soft sofa, and let out a long breath.
It’s so normal here.
It was so normal that Xiao En felt that this place was completely abnormal.
Xiao En stood up and opened the window, looking at the bustling crowd below. There was a little girl who was selling flowers on the street. She was about eleven or twelve years old. There were a few children playing and playing football at the corner of the alley, not far away. It seems to be an office building. There are hurried employees getting on the tram. It is a very old tram. In the farther direction, there should be a factory. You can see many busy workers. The towering chimney is blowing out bursts of white smoke. .
“Am I crazy?”
“Or is this place crazy?” Xiao En’s smile was incomprehensible.
There was a wine cabinet in the room, and all kinds of wine were thoughtfully prepared. Xiao En opened a bottle at random, poured a glass, and stood by the window, looking at everything outside.
What he saw in front of him really overturned his understanding.
He was just about to accept this crazy and weird country, but the Butcher sent him into a reality that was so normal that it felt unreal.
The slides in Xiao En's memory fusion did not have the impact of facing reality head-on.
“Reality or illusion, one must be crazy!” Xiao En raised his glass and drank it down.
Can't sleep.
Xiao En was about to go out for a walk. He took his coat, looked at the umbrella at the door, and picked up a black one.
The sun was very good, and it was warm on his body. When Xiao En went out, he heard the ringing of the tram. There are five tram lines in Dorne City, all of which are trams. The style of the trams is a bit like those in old Hong Kong movies. kind, concentrated in the city center area, mainly to facilitate the travel of white-collar workers.
The surrounding buildings are basically in modern style. Gothic revival style buildings are more common, but there are also some public area buildings that are very majestic, steady and gorgeous, Roman style, with thick walls, rough Arches, pointed roofs and intricate carvings.
"Roman orthodoxy in another world?"
Xiao En took out a piece of banknote that exuded a faint scent of ink, dinar, the currency of the Roman Empire, the largest denomination was 100 , the image printed on it is that of Julius Caesar, but I don’t know if it is him himself.
The streets are bustling with traffic, most of which are horse-drawn carriages, but there are also cars, which are extremely expensive and only the aristocrats and rich can afford them.
"Sir, do you want flowers?" A timid child voice sounded.
Xiao En was dressed quite well, in the words of this era, quite respectable, so when he was standing aimlessly by the street, a little girl about eleven or twelve years old came over. , she was wearing a dusty linen dress, patched, and seemed to have been washed many times. She raised a bunch of flowers in her hands, her eyes full of expectation.
When Xiao En came to his senses, he leaned over and lowered his head and whispered softly: "How much?"
The little girl was obviously very happy and said cautiously: "Only 5 Seth. Sir. All. I just picked it this morning."
Xiao En looked through his wallet. There was no Seth. The smallest denomination was 10 dinars.
He picked up a carnation, took out 10 dinars and handed it to the little girl in front of him.
"Sir, I can't find it." The little girl's expression was a little awkward. She turned her head and looked around, then quickly ran towards the dessert shop nearby and said: "Sir, wait for me."
The little girl stood in front of the dessert shop, bowed and thanked her, and soon got back a stack of banknotes.
She ran over panting, a trace of sweat dripping from the tip of her freckled nose, handed a wad of banknotes in front of Xiao En, bowed and said: "Sir, this is your change."
Nine 1-dinar change and five 1-ses coins. The currencies in circulation in Dorne are mainly dinars and Seths. Occasionally, you can see deles, but you need to go to the bank to exchange them. The ones with the highest face value are ores, but they are not in circulation. They are all retro gold coins.
In the past, the maximum denomination of banknotes was 10 dinars. Later, due to inflation, the maximum denomination became 100 dinars.
Xiao En reached out and took the change.
The little girl happily held the flowers in one hand, put five 1 Seth coins into her pocket, bowed again: "Thank you, sir. I wish you a happy day."
Xiao Enwang I glanced at the big pendulum clock in the distance. The current time was 10:21 am.
"It's like a dream."
Xiao En walked towards the park with the carnation in his hand.
I don’t know if it’s because he stayed at the butcher’s place for a long time, but he feels a little uncomfortable now.
"It seems that a senior has been here." Xiao En murmured.
The Kingdom of Dorne has begun the 'Electrical Age' of the second industrial revolution. In this era of change, everything is changing with each passing day, including cars, trains, subways, ships, and a large number of factories such as Sprung up like mushrooms after a rain.
Most of the people around were in a hurry.
The people here are filled with a very unique vitality, and the kind of hopeful eyes that Xiao En has only seen in old yellowed photos.
“Have you heard?”
“Ocean Trading is preparing to issue new stocks and bonds.”
“The Wolf Steamship at the dock is hiring workers.”
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Two middle-aged men dressed as employees passed by. This should be a business district. There is an office building tens of meters high nearby. It is the most prosperous area in Dorne City. There are pubs, bakeries, cafes, dessert houses, etc. on both sides of the street. Wait, if it weren't for the carriages that passed by from time to time, Xiao En would have suspected that he had traveled to the metropolis of the early 20th century.
The street lights along the street are relatively new.
Because a new tram line has been added, there is a construction area ahead, and one section has been completely blocked.
After Xiao En walked around, he saw workers wearing jeans and overalls made of canvas. They were digging the streets to lay tram tracks. The leading worker wore jeans with suspenders and a four-pocket overalls. , wearing a gray hat on his head.
"Sir, do you want a cigarette?" A boy's voice sounded.
Next to Xiao En is a boy of fourteen or fifteen years old, wearing ill-fitting canvas clothes and pants, holding a box held by a strap, which contains whole packs and loose cigarettes, both with and without filters. have.
Shawn has seen dressing up like this in old movies.
He took a look and said: "How much?"
The little boy pointed to the box hanging on his body and said enthusiastically: "1 Seth here, 3 Seth here, This one is 5 sese.”
“These are 1 dinar”
"This one is 5 dinars."
"For a man of your stature like Mr., this one is more suitable for you."
Based on purchasing power, the pack of cigarettes recommended by the little boy is about 50 yuan is indeed not something ordinary people can afford.
Xiao En took out five 1 dinar banknotes and whispered: "Is there a lighter?"
"Yes." The little boy quickly took out a lighter and told him in his previous life The used one is almost the same, the flint and kerosene kind, the workmanship is more exquisite, and the surface is stamped with steel. He enthusiastically promoted: "The latest model. Only 3 dinars."
Xiao En took out three more 1 dinar notes.
"Thank you, sir." The little boy's expression was a little excited.
There seemed to be a small opera house next to it. Xiao En took out a filtered cigarette and lit it. The smoke filled the air and he coughed involuntarily.
In my previous life, I smoked, quit smoking, quit smoking, quit smoking. Later, when I was under great pressure at work, I would smoke a few cigarettes from time to time.
But it is obvious that Sean does not smoke and does not have the financial conditions.
Xiao En took a puff and put it out. When he was crossing the road, he saw the boy selling cigarettes. He seemed to be celebrating selling the most expensive pack of cigarettes. The boy next to him who was also selling cigarettes had an envious expression on his face.
“It’s such a vibrant era.”
For Xiao En, it seems like a nostalgic movie-like scene, but for them, it is a prosperous era full of new things.
…………
The editor asked for a follow-up reading.
The initial preparation stage is about sixteen chapters. After the official plot begins, the content and style of the entire book will change.
(End of this chapter)