The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 330: Journey to Luoyang

"…Luoyang has been considered by our Chinese ancestors as the 'center of the world' since ancient times. When King Wu of Zhou first established his country, he 'moved his residence to Chengzhou, and made it the home of China', which then made Luoyang a major city. After the Han and Wei dynasties, it successively became the capital, and Luoyang gradually became a famous city in the world, 'tributes were paid from all directions, and the roads were evenly spaced'. It can be said that it has made outstanding contributions and has been glorious for thousands of years in the mist of history."

"The earliest historical document of China, 'Hetu Luoshu', was produced in Luoyang. Throughout the thousand-year history, civilization first sprouted here, Taoism originated here, Confucianism originated here, Confucian classics flourished here, Buddhism first spread here, metaphysics was formed here, and rationalism originated here. This is what we call a place where saints and sages gather and where humanities converge. ..."

On the morning of May 1733, 5, Jin Wang Sun Youyu and his entourage, accompanied by Wang Naizhen, the prefect of Henan Prefecture, came to the White Horse Temple in Luoyang and climbed the towering Qiyun Tower to have a panoramic view of the entire city of Luoyang.

At this time, everyone had reached the top floor of the tower, and the space for people to stand was getting smaller and smaller. Wang Naizhen could only follow Prince Jin carefully, paying attention to his feet to avoid falling, while looking at Prince Jin nervously and briefly introducing the situation in Luoyang to him.

"How many people are registered in Luoyang City? Also, how many people can the grain in the entire Henan Prefecture supply?" Sun Youyu asked.

"Your Highness, the registered population of Luoyang City is 32,000 households, with about 145,000 males." Wang Naizheng immediately replied, "Our Henan Prefecture governs 11 counties and one state, with a total population of about 310,000 households, more than 1.36 million males, and 7.8 million acres of cultivated land. The main crops are wheat, beans, millet, sorghum, corn, and sweet potatoes. The yield of the best fields is two dan per acre, and the yield of the worst fields is less than one dan per acre, with the lowest being only three or four dou. The total grain output of the prefecture, as of last year, was 11.3 million dan. Excluding the amount of food that the people keep for themselves, and the ancillary agricultural products such as feed, wine making, and sauce making, 1.1 million dan of grain was delivered to the court."

"Grand Secretary, how many people can be fed by one million dan of grain in a year?" Sun Youyu turned to look at Yu Wenke, a cabinet councilor and student at Wenhua Palace.

"Your Highness, if we assume that each person consumes 400 kilograms of food rations per year, one million shi can be enough to supply food for 300,000 people," Yu Wen Ke bowed and replied.

"Only 300,000 people is still too little." Sun Youyu shook his head and said, "If we encounter a famine, I'm afraid we will have to import food from outside. Haha, during the Sui and Tang dynasties, Luoyang City had a population of more than one million."

"It's OK." Yu Wen Ke said with a smile, "In the past, during the Sui and Tang dynasties, the canal was dug to support the whole country, so that it could provide enough for the millions of soldiers and civilians in Luoyang. Now, our Great Qin is building a railway, with Luoyang as the base, which can connect to Guanzhong in the west, Lianghuai in the east, Hebei in the north, and Jinghu in the south, and can also quickly transport materials from all directions. In comparison, the railway is much faster than the boats on the canal."

"In addition, Luoyang has a beautiful geographical location and is well-located. It is a thousand-year-old capital and is recognized by the world. Luoyang City is surrounded by Mangshan Mountain in the north, Songshan Mountain in the east, Xiaoshan Mountain in the west, Funiushan Mountain, Xiong'er Mountain, Waifang Mountain and other mountain ranges in the south, and the Yellow River in the north, and Yishui River and Luoshui River pass through the city. Surrounded by mountains, Luoyang's geographical location is even more advantageous. The ancients called it "surrounded by mountains and rivers, and the situation is the best in the world." It is a rare place in the world with beautiful scenery."

"Your Highness, Luoyang is located in the heart of the Central Plains. Since ancient times, it has been known as "Five Rivers Surrounding Luoyang City". The Yellow River, Yi River, Luo River, Chan River, and Jian River surround it, just like a noble king of the Central Plains. It has been a strategic location that military strategists have fought for since ancient times. The west side of the Qinling Mountains, the east side of Hulao Pass, plus the north bank of the Yellow River and the south gate of Yique, surrounded by mountains and crisscrossed by waterways, it can be said to be a treasure land created by heaven and earth." Wang Naizheng also said at the right time: "Countless people have mentioned that the geographical environment of Luoyang is very similar to Xi'an in the Guanzhong Plain. It is also a place with four barriers, known as the "Little Guanzhong". There are Mengjin Pass in the north, Chenggao Pass in the east, Yique Pass in the south, and Hangu Pass in the west. It is easy to defend but difficult to attack. Therefore, the thirteen dynasties of Xia, Shang, (Eastern) Zhou, (Eastern) Han, Wei, (Western) Jin, Northern Wei, Sui, Tang, Wu Zhou, and the Liang, Tang, and Jin dynasties of the Five Dynasties successively established their capitals in Luoyang."

After hearing this, Sun Youyu nodded slightly.

Although he has not yet visited Xi'an and Beijing, deep down he is already quite interested in Luoyang as the capital.

The heart of the Central Plains, in the center of the world, no matter how powerful the State of Qi was, it couldn't possibly fight its way from the seaside to here in one breath, right?
Oh, bah, bah, bah, how could I have such a depressing thought?
After visiting the White Horse Temple, Sun Youyu and his party took several horse-drawn carriages back to the posthouse to rest.

In May, the temperature rises very quickly. Before noon, the scorching sun begins to burn the earth, making it unbearable. During this period, not only is the entire Luoyang city bare, but even the surrounding mountains have very few trees, and there are few places to cool off.

After hundreds and thousands of years, the huge trees had long been consumed by the construction of palaces and many other large buildings, and the useless shrubs had become firewood for the people, thrown into the furnace for making fire and cooking.

In fact, it was not just Luoyang City. In many cities within the Qin State, the surrounding jungles and shrubs had been completely cut down, leaving bare land everywhere. When strong winds blew, the sky was filled with mud and yellow sand.

Although, influenced by Qi, Qin's industry gradually started and coal became popular, it was still difficult for ordinary people to maintain daily food and clothing. How could they have extra money to buy firewood for cooking?

"Is a bridge being built across the river?" When the carriage passed Luoshui, Sun Youyu noticed that several tall tower cranes had been erected on the river. Many workers and laborers, with their upper bodies naked and braving the scorching heat, were busy carrying various construction materials on both sides of the river.

"Your Highness, that is the Luoshui railway and highway dual-use bridge under construction." Wang Naizheng responded quickly: "Since the opening of the Feng (Fengxiang Prefecture) Luo (Luoyang) Railway, it has been overwhelmed by the countless personnel and material exchanges to support the development of the northwest and the war in the Western Regions, so a new double-track line was specially planned. The Luoshui Bridge under construction is the key to the east-west transportation, and it will be completed by the end of this year."

"How did they build such a tall crane to build a bridge across the river?"

"Your Highness, this bridge was designed by Qi State. The entire bridge body will use a steel structure, so we need to build several tower cranes to assist in the connection and rivet of steel components."

"An all-steel bridge?" Sun Youyu was a little surprised when he heard this. "Previously, the materials used to build bridges were just bricks, wood, or iron chains. This Luoshui Bridge actually uses all-steel components. This is something I have never heard of before."

"Your Highness, building bridges with steel has long been a tradition in Qi. It is said that sixty years ago, after Qi built its first all-steel bridge, it became unstoppable and built more than a hundred steel bridges in its homeland of Hanzhou and surrounding overseas territories. The longest and largest steel bridge they built was more than 800 meters long and consumed more than thousands of tons of steel."

"Oh, I didn't expect that you, a prefect of Henan, would know so much about the construction situation of Qi State." Sun Youyu said lightly.

"Your Highness, since this Luoshui Steel Bridge was designed by Qi, it was naturally guided and planned by Qi craftsmen. In order to complete the construction of this bridge, five Qi bridge builders were stationed in Luoyang. Therefore, when I negotiated with them, I often heard them talk about some construction matters in Qi."

"Qi's steel output is dozens of times greater than that of Great Qin. It is natural for them to use steel to build bridges."

"Your Highness, the people of Qi not only use steel to build bridges, but they also use steel to build houses. In their country, there are many tall buildings that use steel as their skeletons and beams. They are strong and durable, and can last for hundreds of years."

"It seems that Governor Wang admires and yearns for the State of Qi very much!" Sun Youyu said sarcastically.

"I can't say I admire them, but I think that there are some things in Qi that we can learn from." Wang Naizheng said without realizing it, "If we build palaces in Luoyang in the future, strengthen the city walls, and enhance the defense of the pass, we may also introduce some steel into them. Presumably, buildings with added steel materials will be much stronger, more durable and more durable than those made of wood alone."

"Well, it's a bit of a waste of talent that Magistrate Wang only serves as the governor of Henan Province." Sun Youyu's expression became even more gloomy.

"I am unworthy of this honor." Wang Naizhen was overjoyed when he heard this.

Is King Jin showing his appreciation for me?

If so, wouldn't I be able to rise to prominence?
As the lights come on, Cuiming Tower in the east of Luoyang City, on the banks of the Luo River, also welcomes the busiest moment of the day.

In Cuiming Tower, the courtyards are well-arranged, with finely carved pavilions, antique flowers, birds, fish and insects, exquisite paintings, lush grass courtyards, green trees, small bridges and flowing water, which are elegant and refined. When guests enter the courtyard, they can see singing and dancing everywhere, beautiful women like clouds, and all kinds of beautiful women shuttle between them, wearing gorgeous clothes, wearing exquisite jewelry, and delicate makeup, beautiful and moving.

Walking through the corridor and entering the brightly lit hall, you are greeted by waves of elegant fragrance. The air is filled with the scent of spices and flower petals, which makes people feel peaceful and their thoughts drift away.

A group of Luoyang merchants, led by Dai Zongyuan, the chief manager of "Hang Seng Bank", were waiting at the gate early, awaiting the arrival of the distinguished guests.

Around seven in the evening, several luxurious carriages drove over from a distance, guarded by a team of garrison soldiers. It was obvious that the Northern Tour Envoy of our Great Qin, His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin, had arrived, and everyone immediately stepped forward to greet him.

Prince of Jin Sun Youyu got off the carriage, nodded to everyone with dignity, and walked into Cuiming Tower with his head held high. Several officials from Henan Prefecture followed closely behind him.

Three tables had been set up in the spacious hall, and they were decorated with exquisite cups, plates and jade butterflies, on which were placed several delicate side dishes.

After drinking the tea and washing hands with hot water, in less than a moment, a beautiful waitress came up with a golden tray. Inside the tray was a crystal clear jade dish with a green leaf and red flower carved on the body. Although the carved leaf was not big, it was like a touch of color on the large blank space, the green like emerald smoke and the red like painted clouds. It was obvious at first glance that it was an extraordinary product.

What was served on the jade plate were pieces of silk as thin as wings, bright and delicate, and no one knew what they were made of.

As the waitresses kept shuttling back and forth, dish after dish of delicacies was brought up and placed on the table, filling the entire table, but no two dishes were the same.

Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Sun Youyu smiled warmly, raised his jade chopsticks, took a bite, put it into his mouth, chewed slowly and savored it, with a strange look in his eyes.

"This tastes really good, it's absolutely the best!"

Dai Zongyuan heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this, his face was full of smiles, and he said flatteringly: "Your Highness, Prince of Jin, my Luoyang is poor and cannot compare with the capital, so we don't have any dishes worthy of praise for your taste. Today, the gentry and merchants of Luoyang have specially prepared carefully to welcome your Highness, and invited a chef to cook a few dishes that are quite good. It is an honor for us to hear your Highness praise us."

"You guys are really thoughtful." Sun Youyu nodded with a smile, stretched out his chopsticks, picked up a few more dishes, and savored them carefully. "I wonder what ingredients these dishes are made of? I ate a few bites, but I couldn't taste it."

"Your Highness, the ingredients of these dishes are lamb lips, duck tongues, chicken breasts, goose feet, carp, lamb meat..."

"Oh?" Sun Youyu was stunned for a moment, "You mean, the ingredients of these dishes are all made from the essence of those livestock and poultry?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"What should we do with the sheep whose lips have been cut off and the chickens and ducks whose tongues have been removed?"

"Just give it up."

"..."Sun Youyu's eyes couldn't help but twitch.

These gentry and merchants are so extravagant! ?

These tables of dishes would probably require the consumption of two or three hundred sheep, several hundred chickens and ducks, and the same number of carp.

With a quick calculation, these few tables of dishes plus drinks would probably cost hundreds of thousands of taels of silver!
At the beginning of the Qin Dynasty, after decades of war, the country was devastated and people's livelihood needed to be restored. Generally speaking, people lived a simple life. At that time, when entertaining guests, they just asked servants to invite them and verbally told them when to eat. Generally, there were about ten people, and only one eight-immortal table was used. Four plates of main dishes and four side dishes were used. Drinking was done with large cups, and they took turns drinking. Only a bowl of clean water was placed on the table to wash the cups, which was called Shanwan.

After more than ten years, there were slight changes. Invitations were needed to entertain guests, but the food and wine served during the meal did not change much.

After another ten years, the ceremony began to become more elaborate. Invitations were folded, usually with three folds, and the invitations were larger. When the guests arrived, they did not use an eight-person table, but a table for two people, called an occasional table. Each table had seven or eight dishes, and if they did not eat, it was fine. Once they did eat, they would eat from si shi to shen shi, a full half day.

Around the 40th year of the Qianyuan reign, the feast became even more extraordinary. Not only was a banquet set up to entertain the guests, with both land and sea food on the table, famous chefs were invited to the house, and there were singing and dancing to entertain the guests.

Moreover, the pursuit of pleasure is no longer exclusive to officials and wealthy people. Even the literati and poets who are known for their elegance and the wealthy families have joined the camp of pleasure. They "have the most precious treasures from the mountains, the most abundant delicacies from the rivers, the oysters from the south, the bear's paws from the north, the roasted fish from the East Sea, and the horse's milk from the West. They are truly what the ancients called a man as rich as the world. The cost of one banquet is not enough for him even if he exhausts the wealth of his middle-class family."

It is not uncommon for wealthy families to spend huge sums of money on food and drinks. The purpose of eating and drinking is not to fill the stomach, but to eat something new and different. The one who eats newer and more exotic food will have more face.

For example, the banquet that Dai Zongyuan is hosting today for Jin Wang Sun Youyu, the cost of one banquet is as high as hundreds of taels of silver, which is enough to support a family of five for ten years, which is astounding.

Just as everyone was toasting each other, there was a sudden commotion outside the gate of Cuiming Tower. The noise became louder and louder, as if someone was trying to force their way in and was having a heated argument with the doorman, attracting the attention of the guests in the hall.

Dai Zongyuan glared angrily at the Cuiminglou manager who was standing beside him.

What's going on?

You don't see His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin having a banquet here, but there are some random people making noise outside. Why don't you send them away quickly?

Can you afford to disturb His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin?
"Boss, Boss Dai, there is a group of... people from Qi coming outside." A manager came hurriedly, lowered his head, and said in a low voice with a bitter face.

(End of this chapter)