Chương 549: Xun Yu opposes, Shen Wan proposes building a new city

"There's a minor official in the Ministry of Personnel who's poor and has a large family. They can't afford to rent a house, so they have to live with their wife and children in a temple outside the city. They walk ten miles to and from get off work every day, getting up before dawn and not returning home until dark. His wife gave birth last month, and they don't even have a place to rest and recover. It's so pitiful."

Liu Ce nodded and said in a deep voice, "Xuanling is right. Recently, I went on an incognito tour to the south of the city. Those thatched huts were damp and dark, without even a window, the ground was covered in mud and water, and mosquitoes were flying everywhere."

He stood up, walked to the edge of the steps, and his voice carried a hint of heaviness:

"The people are the foundation of the Han Dynasty, and the soldiers are its shield. If even they cannot afford to live in houses, what is the point of me being emperor?"

"Gentlemen, the saying goes, 'If only I had ten thousand mansions, I could shelter all the poor and make them smile.' But what I want now is not ten thousand mansions, but a roof over the head for every citizen of the Han Dynasty. This matter is urgent and must be resolved immediately. What good ideas do you have? Please speak freely."

As soon as he finished speaking, Song Yingxing was the first to jump out, his face showing urgency:

"Your Majesty! I believe that Luoyang must be expanded immediately! The old city of Luoyang was built a hundred years ago and was already small; it is no longer sufficient!"

"I have already led my men to survey the terrain. We will extend the western and southern city walls outwards by several miles, building twenty new wards that can house over two hundred thousand households! I have thirty thousand craftsmen at my disposal, and with another fifty thousand laborers, the project can be completed in three months!"

"This humble general seconds it!" Cheng Yaojin rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward.

"Minister Song is right! Expanding the city is the most direct solution! This humble general is willing to lead his ten thousand troops to do the work, and I guarantee we won't slack off!"

"I second that proposal!"

"I second that opinion!"

Half of the officials nodded in agreement, feeling that expansion was the most reliable solution.

They chattered away, buzzing like a swarm of bees.

Just as everyone was enthusiastically discussing how to expand the building, Xun Yu stepped forward with a frown.

"Your Majesty, I think this is unacceptable!" Xun Yu's voice was not loud, but it immediately silenced the hall, like a bucket of cold water being poured on a fire.

He walked to the center of the hall, bowed to Liu Ce, then turned to the crowd and said earnestly:

"Expanding the city costs too much money. I have done the math, and just repairing the city walls, paving the roads, and building the water supply and drainage system will cost hundreds of millions of coins and millions of bushels of grain."

We are currently implementing the First Five-Year Plan, which involves building dozens of irrigation canals, constructing hundreds of schools, and supporting an army of over 500, 000. Money is needed everywhere.

Where will this money come from? We can't just raise taxes, can we? His Majesty just reduced taxes for the people; if we raise them again now, wouldn't that be contradicting himself?

"Moreover, Luoyang is bordered by Mangshan Mountain to the north, Luoshui River to the south, Hangu Pass to the west, and Hulao Pass to the east. The terrain is only so big, and there is limited space for expansion."

"If we expand by five li this time, what about next time? What if the population increases again in two years? Are we going to expand by another five li? We can't exactly level Mount Mang and change the course of the Luo River, can we? That's not building a city; that's like the Foolish Old Man Moving Mountains or filling the sea."

"Furthermore, after the expansion, the city will be too large, and the difficulty of management will increase dramatically. Patrols, firefighting, and maintaining public order will all become problems."

Previously, Luoyang was a small city, and a patrol could cover the entire city in an hour. After the expansion, it would take two hours to complete the patrol. As a result, thieves and robbers would run rampant, and public security would deteriorate.

There are already quite a few thieves in Luoyang. Expanding the city further would just create more opportunities for them, wouldn't it?

Xun Yu's words were like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing everyone's enthusiasm.

The officials who had been clamoring for expansion were now speechless.

Fang Xuanling opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found that Xun Yu's calculations were all reasonable and there was no way to refute them.

Having known Xun Yu for so many years, this was the first time he felt that this man's accounting was so accurate.

Silence fell over the hall; everyone frowned, unable to think of a better solution.

...

Just then, Shen Wansan slowly stepped forward.

His face wore a shrewd smile typical of businessmen, and his eyes were narrowed to slits.

"Your Majesty, I have an idea. Expanding the old city is only a temporary solution; it's like patching a tattered garment—it's still tattered. Why don't we build a new city instead?"

"What? Build a new city?"

The entire court was stunned, staring wide-eyed at Shen Wansan, thinking he had gone mad.

Some people even wondered if Shen Wansan had drunk too much last night and was still unconscious.

Build a new city? How much money would that cost? How many years would that take?

"Minister Shen! Are you insane? How much money would it cost to build a new city? At least a billion! Even emptying the national treasury wouldn't be enough! You couldn't make it even if you sold ten Shen Wansans!"

"That's right! Luoyang has been the capital for centuries. How can we just build a new city like this? This is our ancestral land; how can we abandon it so easily? What would our ancestors think in heaven?"

"Once the new city is built, who would want to live there? Building an empty city would be a waste of resources and manpower! Just like the Epang Palace in the Qin Dynasty, it was built but no one lived in it!"

Opposition arose one after another, and Kong Rong was so agitated that he beat his chest and stamped his feet, his mustache twitching:

"Shen Wansan! Do you even understand what matters of national importance are? Luoyang carries the fortune of the Han Dynasty for over a hundred years! How can we easily abandon it! Now you say you'll build a new city just like that? How can you face our ancestors? How can you face the spirit of Emperor Taizu Gaozu in heaven?"

Shen Wansan wasn't angry. After everyone had finished arguing, he smiled and said:

"My lords, please be patient and let me finish speaking. I am not saying that we should abandon Luoyang, but that we should build a new capital east of Luoyang, where the Yi River and the Luo River meet."

That place is flat and fertile, more than ten times the size of Luoyang. Moreover, its water transport is more convenient than Luoyang's; it can accommodate much larger ships, allowing grain and goods from Jiangnan to be transported directly to the new city gate, eliminating the need for unloading at Mengjin and then hauling them into Luoyang by horse-drawn carts—a time-consuming and laborious process.

"We will plan the new city in a unified manner, and build wide streets. The widest street can accommodate ten horse-drawn carriages. It will be divided into government offices, residential areas, commercial areas, and handicraft areas, as well as dedicated markets, parks, hospitals, and schools."

The drainage system was also repaired in advance, separating rainwater and sewage, so there would be no more flooding and smelly ditches everywhere after rain. This way, it's clean and hygienic, and less likely to cause epidemics.

"This will not only solve the housing problem, but also allow workshops and shops in Luoyang to be moved there, relieving pressure on the old city."

From then on, Luoyang became the cultural and sacrificial center, preserving ancestral temples and mausoleums, while the new city served as the political and economic center. The two capitals coexisted, complementing each other. In this way, the ancestral foundation was preserved while simultaneously paving the way for a new future—a win-win situation.