Chương 551: The Completion of Luoyang City

On the blueprint, the entire city was square and neat, like a giant chessboard.

A ridiculously wide Zhuque Avenue runs from south to north through the entire city, dividing it into east and west halves.

Fourteen east-west main streets and eleven north-south main streets, laid out in a straight line, divided the city into one hundred and eight neat neighborhoods, corresponding to the constellations in the sky.

The east side is the East Market, the west side is the West Market, and the north side is the Imperial Palace and government offices area. The layout is rigorous and well-organized, and the function of each area is clear at a glance.

The drawings not only depicted streets and neighborhoods, but also detailed water supply and drainage systems, garbage disposal stations, public toilets, hospitals, schools, and even dedicated fire stations and parks.

The size of each neighborhood and the width of each street were clearly marked, with even the dimensions accurate to the inch.

There are also detailed construction instructions, specifying what materials to use, how to build the walls, and what grade of cement to use, all clearly written down.

"My God..." Song Yingxing's hands were trembling as he held the blueprints, his eyes were wide open like saucers, and his voice was shaking.

"Your Majesty! This... this was all designed by you alone? The layout is absolutely perfect! I and the people from the Ministry of Works spent days thinking about it, and we couldn't come up with such a brilliant plan! Look at this drainage system, it even separates rainwater and sewage, and there are dedicated sewage pipes that lead directly to the sewage treatment ponds outside the city! This way, the city will no longer stink, and there won't be swarms of flies in the summer!"

"And this public restroom!" Song Yingxing exclaimed excitedly, his face flushed, pointing to the markings on the map.

"In the past, Luoyang was full of latrines. In the summer, they stank horribly and were prone to causing epidemics. Every time I passed by those latrines, I would cover my nose and run away. If I ran too slowly, I would vomit."

Now each neighborhood has two public toilets, and there are even people specifically assigned to clean them—how thoughtful! Your Majesty, you are truly a genius! I am utterly convinced! I have never admired anyone in my life, only Your Majesty!

Shen Wansan stared intently at the plans for the East and West Markets, his eyes practically gleaming. His fingers flew across the abacus, the beads moving at lightning speed.

"Your Majesty! You are truly amazing! The East Market and West Market each occupy two neighborhoods, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of shops! They are even divided into silk, grain, ironware, and porcelain sections—it's all so well-planned! This place will undoubtedly become the most prosperous market in the entire land! I can already imagine the bustling scene!"

"And this residential area, each neighborhood has its own market and school, making it convenient for residents to buy things and for children to go to school. Houses like these will definitely fetch a good price!"

He rubbed his hands together, looking at Liu Ce with a fawning expression, wishing he could just hand over the money to buy the land right now.

"Your Majesty, may I reserve one hundred acres of land at the entrance of the East Market right now? I'm willing to pay double the price! No, triple it!"

Liu Ce couldn't help but laugh: "You really are a businessman, always talking about making money. Fine, I'll keep it for you. But you have to take the lead in building the shops well and set an example for others. Don't just think about making money; the quality has to be top-notch. If you cut corners, I won't forgive you."

"No problem! No problem!" Shen Wansan nodded hurriedly.

"I guarantee that the first batch of shops in the East Market will be completed within three months! I will personally oversee the project, using only the finest materials and employing the best craftsmen! If I fail to do a good job, I will offer my head!"

The two men praised the blueprints profusely, making Liu Ce a little embarrassed.

Phrases like "Emperor of the Ages," "Sage Descended from Heaven," and "God of Architecture" are being thrown around like they're free.

Liu Ce coughed and waved his hand, "Alright, alright, stop praising me. Take the blueprints back, construction will begin tomorrow. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. I want Luoyang to become the most magnificent and prosperous city in the world! So that when those foreign envoys come, their legs will go weak!"

"Your Majesty, we obey!" Song Yingxing and Shen Wansan said in unison, carefully rolling up the blueprints as if they were rare treasures, their steps light as if afraid of dropping them.

As they walked out of the greenhouse, the two were still excitedly discussing the details on the blueprints. Their voices grew louder and louder, and their steps were so light that they felt as if they were walking on clouds, almost causing them to trip and fall on the steps.

Liu Ce watched their retreating figures and couldn't help but smile.

It feels so good to copy homework.

In just a few years, a new capital even more magnificent and splendid than Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty will rise from the banks of the Yi and Luo rivers.

Only then will the golden age of the Han Dynasty truly begin.

He leaned back in his chair, picked up his teacup, and took a satisfying sip.

The tea was cold, but my heart was warm.

...

In March of the fourth year of the Shenwu reign, spring arrived unusually early in Luoyang.

The willows are just sprouting, and the peach blossoms are already in bloom, filling the city with their fragrance.

For the past four years, the first question that all the civil and military officials asked each other upon meeting was always: "Lord Song, when can we move into Luoyang?"

Nobody is not in a hurry.

Luoyang's population surged from 800, 000 to 1 million, so crowded that you couldn't even squeeze a needle in.

We used to be able to barely make ends meet, but now we can't even manage that.

After court, many officials didn't go home, but went straight to the construction site in Luoyang to check on the progress, wishing they could go up and move bricks themselves.

Some people joked that if the crowds keep up, Luoyang will turn into a Luoyang pancake.

Finally, on the tenth day of the third month, Song Yingxing, dressed in his official robes, rushed into the palace to report to Liu Ce.

He was out of breath from running, his official hat was askew, and his shoes were covered in mud, but the smile on his face was brighter than the spring sunshine.

"Your Majesty! It's finished! The entire Luoyang city is complete! Every brick and tile is in place! You can inspect it at any time! I went to check on it again this morning, and even the flowers in the flowerbeds have been planted, just waiting for your arrival!"

The news caused an uproar throughout Luoyang.

Officials and soldiers spread the news, and even the old ladies selling vegetables on the street knew that they would soon be moving to a spacious and bright new city.

The entire city of Luoyang was like it was celebrating the New Year, filled with laughter and cheers.

On March 12th, just as dawn was breaking, Liu Ce, accompanied by his entire court of officials, set off for Luoyang in a grand procession of over a hundred carriages.

The procession stretched for miles, with carriages and horses rumbling and colorful flags fluttering in the wind.

People along the way stood on both sides of the road, tiptoeing to watch the spectacle.

After walking for less than half an hour, the city walls of Luoyang came into view in the distance.

The city wall was high and thick, built entirely of uniformly fired bluish-gray bricks. Not even a needle could be inserted into the gaps between the bricks. It stretched for dozens of miles, like a sleeping giant dragon lying across the banks of the Yi and Luo rivers, with a majestic and imposing presence.

The crenellations on the city wall are neat and orderly, and there is an arrow tower at every interval, making it magnificent.

The Mingde Gate, located due south, has five archways. The largest one in the middle was reserved for the emperor's passage. The two gilded characters "Luoyang" on the gate were personally inscribed by Liu Ce. The powerful strokes gleamed in the morning sun and could be seen from afar.

"My goodness! This city wall is incredibly sturdy!" Yuchi Gong clung to the carriage window, his eyes wide as saucers, his mouth agape in astonishment.

"Forget about besieging the city, even bombarding it with cannons would take forever! The gaps between these bricks are tighter than the gaps between my teeth!"

Shen Wansan stroked his beard and said proudly, "Of course! Just firing these bricks required building a hundred kilns and firing them for three whole years! Every single brick is engraved with the craftsman's name; if there's a problem, we can hold the craftsman accountable directly! Who would dare to cut corners?"