Memoirs of the Heavenly Khan

Chapter 381 The King's Kindness Is Endless
The reconstruction of Luoyang is in full swing.

Hu Sichun's Prime Minister's Office was in charge of this project, and the construction progressed sequentially from the palace and government offices to the inner city neighborhoods.

The focus of the reconstruction was on the inner city of Luoyang. Outside the inner city, the main construction projects were the two markets of Luoyang and the Sitongguan (a type of ancient Chinese pavilion).

The two markets of Luoyang were the distribution center for various goods in Luoyang, while the Sitongguan was the residence of foreign envoys when they came to pay tribute and pay homage. It was built in a small town south of the Luo River outside Luoyang.

Outside the Sitong Pavilion, there was also the Sitong Market, which sold rare and exotic items brought by the four barbarian tribes. It was also known as the "Hu Market"!
While official projects are underway, the construction process for private projects is accelerating even faster.

Luoyang was divided into neighborhoods called "li-fang" (里坊), and a curfew was enforced. However, even after the curfew, the people of Luoyang were only prohibited from lingering outside the neighborhoods, but they could still move freely within them.

When Emperor Xiaowen of the Northern Wei Dynasty marched south and first built Luoyang, he planned more than 320 neighborhoods. If all of them were completed and filled with residents, Luoyang would have surpassed Jiankang, which had a population of one million, and become the undisputed number one city in the world.

However, when more than two hundred neighborhoods had been built, the Northern Wei Dynasty declined due to internal and external troubles, and the construction of Luoyang City was also stopped.

Today's Luoyang is naturally not comparable to the ideal Luoyang envisioned by Emperor Xiaowen, nor even to the Luoyang that was already showing signs of decline during Empress Hu's reign. However, what remains the same is the support from the people for the reconstruction of Luoyang.

Officials, merchants, and ordinary people flocked into the city. After obtaining approval from the government, they purchased materials, hired craftsmen, and built houses in their respective neighborhoods.

Among them was Gao Huan!

Gao Huan's main base was in Ye City, but Luoyang was, after all, the capital. As a subject, it was necessary for him to have his own residence in Luoyang.

This is a basic need!

As an honorary general and a close confidant of the King of Qin, Gao Huan was granted permission to build a residence in a neighborhood next to Jinyong City, which was also within the inner city.

The house next door is Yuwentai's!

The city of Luoyang was severely damaged, and even the neighborhoods within the inner city were mostly deserted.

After Gao Huan and Yuwen Tai acquired the land, they needed to buy the materials required to build their houses, which was a time when building materials in Luoyang were very expensive.

Unlike Yuwentai, Gao Huan had a good friend named Liu Gui!
This wealthy merchant from Xiurong, who started his business during the reign of Erzhu Rong, is now thriving in both cities of Luoyang. He has a large stock of building materials and not only offered Gao Huan a preferential price but also delivered the materials to Gao Huan quickly and at the best prices.

Therefore, by the time Yuwentai's house had finished its foundation and was surrounded by walls, Gao Huan's house had already been built several rooms long.

For this, Gao Huan was naturally grateful to Liu Gui and would often invite him for drinks.

"We're all brothers, no need for thanks!"

Liu Gui was a Xiongnu. When the Erzhu clan fell, or rather, before Taiyuan had changed hands, he had already firmly stood on Li Shuang's side, providing Li Shuang's army with a large amount of food and supplies along the way.

Therefore, he naturally received a generous reward.

He not only controls the mining rights of several coal and iron mines, but also owns more than a dozen ironware and textile workshops. Now he has come to Luoyang to purchase shops.

Gao Huan and Liu Gui had known each other since they were young and in humble beginnings. Upon hearing this, Gao Huan laughed and said:
"Brother, if there's anything I can do for you in the future, just let me know!"

The two were drinking together, and after putting down their glasses, Liu Gui suddenly remembered something.

"He Liuhun, do you have any craftsmen skilled in making iron tools?"

"Yes, what brought this up? Did you get another arms procurement order?"

Gao Huan laughed, but then heard Liu Gui explain:

"I plan to recruit craftsmen to make tools such as hammers and shovels."

Gao Huan listened and asked:
"You can only make a little money like this, why did you even think of doing this?"

Liu Gui revealed a cryptic smile and said:

"I am not the only big merchant under the King of Qin. I must think what the King of Qin thinks and be anxious about what the King of Qin is anxious about in order to stand firm! Now we are going to open a canal from Luoyang to Youzhou, which will consume a lot of iron tools. The profit is small but the volume is huge!"

Gao Huan was momentarily stunned upon hearing this and said:
"canal?"

"It's that Yongji Canal!"

After Liu Gui finished speaking, Gao Huan nodded and said:
"If you want, brother, all the craftsmen in Ye City can be borrowed to you, but you'll have to pay them your own daily wages."

"This is natural!"

……

Inside the room, Gao Huan was staring intently at a map.

Duan Shao walked in from the side, cupped his hands and said:

"My lord, the Xianbei prisoners of war have been placed on both sides of the river and construction has begun!"

Gao Huan listened and asked:
"how is the progress?"

"The progress is slow, they keep swearing, and the swearing is really awful."

Gao Huan didn't take it to heart and laughed:
"Who were you cursing, and how did you curse them?"

"They were cursing Husichun and Hebasheng, saying that these two old Tiele dogs were nothing more than slave dogs of the Xianbei people in the past, how dare they bully their masters now?"

Just as Luoyang was being rebuilt, a canal project, spearheaded by the Prime Minister's Office and the Grand Commandant's Office and overseen by the new Emperor Yuan Baoju of the Great Wei, was officially launched.

"No one insulted His Majesty?"

"Yes, but few. To insult His Majesty is punishable by death."

"And what about the King of Qin?"

"I haven't heard of it."

Upon hearing this, Gao Huan suddenly laughed. However, after laughing, a deep worry was hidden in his eyes.

"My lord, why are you so concerned about this irrigation canal?"

"This is not just an irrigation canal, but a waterway that connects Hebei Province."

Upon hearing this, Duan Shao still didn't understand and asked:
"Isn't this a good thing?"

Gao Huan held Duan Shao in high regard, not only because he was his nephew, but also because of his talent and character.

"Why is Yecheng always the capital of Hebei since the end of the Han Dynasty?"

Duan Shao listened to the question, thought for a moment, and answered:
"Ye City is an important town, well-positioned for both offense and defense, and also a place where money and grain are concentrated."

Gao Huan nodded and said:

"But if this canal is completed, will Ye City still be the center of Hebei's revenue and grain reserves?"

After Duan Shaojing heard Gao Huan say this, he looked at the map in front of Gao Huan and suddenly understood.

"No, if this canal is opened, the money and grain from various prefectures and counties in Hebei can be transported directly to Luoyang without having to detour through Yecheng."

"exactly!"

From the time of the Cao family, Ye City has always been the premier city in Hebei. The artificial canals built throughout history were all centered around Ye City.

Gao Huan admired Duan Shao even more as he watched him grasp the essentials after just one instruction.

"Ye City, like the other cities in Hebei, will no longer be the foundation of the kingdom."

"So what should we do to stop this from happening?"

Duan Shao spoke hastily, but Gao Huan rebuked him:
"Don't talk nonsense!"

Duan Shao remained silent, while Gao Huan, somewhat helpless, said:

“As long as it can be connected to the Yongji Canal, Ye City can prosper even if it is not the foundation of the kingdom.”
-
Jinyong City.

On the hundred-foot-high floor, in front of Li Shuang, Hu Sichun knelt down with a respectful expression.

"I was unwell some time ago and unable to attend to state affairs. I heard from Hou Jing that you came to see me. What important matter do you have to discuss?"

"Since the Erzhu clan wreaked havoc, the palaces in Luoyang have fallen into disrepair, and Jinyong City has not been spared either. It is inconvenient for the King of Qin to reside in the city. That was the reason I sought out the King of Qin that day."

Li Shuang waved his hand and said, "Now that Luoyang City needs to be rebuilt, there are many and complicated matters to attend to. There is no need to trouble the Prime Minister any further."

Hu Sichun, however, did not give up. Instead, she took out the architectural drawings she had prepared beforehand and said:

"King Qin is benevolent, yet his Hundred-Foot Tower is so simple. How can we, his ministers, bear to see him reside in such a place? I have already discussed with my ministers the possibility of repairing the damaged palaces in the city, dredging the waterways, and rebuilding the main hall on the floating island in the pond, connecting it with flying pavilions and walkways."

Li Shuang said:
"Wouldn't this be a waste of resources and an unnecessary burden on the people?"

"It is not costly. All expenses are borne by myself and the officials who voluntarily donated. The common people are not spared. Even His Majesty said that he was willing to reduce the palace's expenses and build a palace for the Prince of Qin first."

"Since you have said so, it would be inappropriate for me to refuse."

After hearing this, Hu Sichun was filled with excitement, as if all the officials in the court were donating money to build him a palace.

"The King of Qin's actions are truly a blessing for the nation."

Li Shuang nodded and said:

"This tea was sent from Hanzhong. Please try it."

Tea has existed for a long time, but in the past, tea leaves were no different from vegetable leaves. They were used to make soup, medicine, and tea, but few people drank them plain.

Hu Sichun looked at the tea in the cup in front of her, picked up the cup and took a sip. She felt that the taste was mellow and fragrant. There were no scallions, ginger, cinnamon and other auxiliary ingredients added, so she did not find it strange.

He keenly sensed that the tea-making process had changed.

Hu Sichun put down her teacup, and then heard Li Shuang say:
"I heard that you and Hebasheng petitioned His Majesty to build a canal from Luoyang to Youzhou?"

Hu Sichun bowed and said:
"I have considered the inconvenience of the canal transport and the trouble caused by the Xianbei prisoners of war in Luoyang, so I came up with this solution to resolve this dilemma!"

"In that case, it is a matter of benefiting the country and the people, so go ahead and do it! Even if you make a mistake, His Majesty will remember your hard work."

Regardless of what she thought in her heart, Hu Sichun still smiled when she heard this.

"The King of Qin is right!"

Li Shuang ignored this and instead said:

"The foundation of the nation lies in agriculture, the basis of the state lies in salt and iron, and the path to prosperity lies in tea, sugar, porcelain, silk, and glass. As the Prime Minister, you are in charge of all industries in Luoyang; you must know this!"

After Li Shuang finished speaking, Hu Sichun was overjoyed.

He wasn't taking the blame for something meaningless; he was still in charge of Luoyang.

"Thank you, King Qin! I will serve you to the death!"

……

Holding the tea Li Shuang had given her, Hu Sichun left Baichi Tower. In the corridor, she happened to run into Hebasheng, who was waiting there. Hu Sichun glanced at Hebasheng with a smug look, chuckled, and quickly left.

"Grand Commandant, the King of Qin requests your presence!"

Hebasheng went up the hundred-foot tower and, upon seeing Li Shuang, began to complain.

"King Qin, you have no idea how difficult those Xianbei people are to manage."

"Let's not talk about that today."

Li Shuang took out a box from the side, placed it on the table, took out a glass cup from it, and handed it to Hebasheng.

Hebasheng was overjoyed when he saw it.

"King Qin, is this a glass cup from the Western Regions?"

Li Shuang shook his head and said:

"This was made in Luoyang."

"Luoyang?"

Hebasheng was very surprised and looked at Li Shuang.

"The method of making glass has always been owned by foreign merchants. I never expected to see such exquisite glass cups in Luoyang today."

Li Shuang smiled and said:

"The Heba clan has always been a prominent family in Wuchuan, and their achievements are remarkable. Now, I wish to bestow this glass workshop upon the Heba clan. What do you say?"

"Thank you, King Qin! Heba Shi will surely serve you to the death!"

……

After Hebasheng left, Hou Jing came over and asked:
"Your Majesty, what did you promise Hebasheng that made this Tiele barbarian so happy?"

"A glass workshop!"

Hou Jing listened, understood, and said:

"That old bastard got off easy."

Nowadays, most of the glass treasures in Luoyang are brought from the Western Regions by merchants from the Western Regions. They are extremely rare and expensive, yet there are still plenty of people willing to buy them.

After all, the war had just ended, the Sitong Hall was not yet completed, and there were not many locals in Luoyang, let alone envoys and merchants from various countries.

Things are rare and valuable!

Li Shuang smiled and said:
Why is glass so precious?

Hou Jing scratched his head, puzzled, and said:
"Exquisite and rare!"

"If one day, glass is everywhere, will it still be precious?"

Hou Jing was puzzled, but Li Shuang did not explain. Instead, she took out some documents from the side.

The equal-field system has been promulgated and is still in effect. Once it is nearly fully implemented, Li Shuang's next task will be to control the two strategic resources of salt and iron.

The salt in the world is mainly divided into Hedong Pond Salt, Bashu Well Salt, and Jianghuai Sea Salt. Only Hedong Pond Salt and Jianghuai Sea Salt can be produced on a large scale and supplied to the world.

Li Shuang doesn't need to consider Sichuan and Chongqing well salt or Jianghuai sea salt for the time being, because they are both in Nanliang.

Li Shuang had already taken control of the Hedong Saltworks years ago and implemented new salt-making techniques, resulting in a significant increase in production. Although production was somewhat reduced due to the war, Hedong was now stable and production could be resumed.

As for iron, it is even more important, as it is closely related to both military and civilian life.

Steel production is a matter of national prosperity and decline. This principle still applies today.

In military applications, high-quality steel is required for manufacturing weapons and forging armor.

In terms of people's livelihood, the production of daily necessities such as iron shears, iron hammers, and iron pots, as well as production tools such as curved plows and textile machines, are also closely related to the production of iron.

Without iron, the production model of men farming and women weaving would inevitably be much less efficient.

For Li Shuang, promoting new iron smelting technology is secondary; the main task now is to integrate the iron smelting industry in various regions.

Jinyang was the foundation of a powerful dynasty, not only because it had grain, but also because Bingzhou had iron and coal, which could produce large quantities of steel.

Hedong has salt and copper. If it is combined with the iron and steel industry in Jinyang to build a mint and produce coins, then the combination of salt, iron and coins will circulate throughout the world, and the region will become strong.

Besides Bingzhou, other places in the north with coal and iron resources, suitable for large-scale development of the iron smelting industry, are Yinzhou and Xiangzhou in Hebei.

Has Li Yuanzhong arrived?

"Coming!"

Li Shuang held the save file in his hand and slowly said:
"The Li family of Zhao County has produced quite a remarkable person!"

……

(End of this chapter)