Chapter 358: The Border Capital: The Ruler Before, the People Behind!

"Is this Yanjing?"

Yuwen Liqian murmured softly, her eyes shimmering with disbelief.

Grand, magnificent!

The colossal city before him surpassed all his past imaginings; even the distant capital of Han, at this moment, seemed slightly inferior.

The southern main gate alone had six entrances, with caravans flowing like threads—each team had to wait patiently in line to slowly pass through, revealing its staggering volume of goods.

Four broad imperial roads ran side by side, each subdivided into twelve lanes, with carts and horses never ceasing, their hoofbeats and wheel rumbles weaving into a scene of bustling prosperity.

The draft horses varied, and some travelers rode singly—it was all quite diverse.

The servant girl at Yuwen Liqian's side slowly opened her mouth in astonishment.

She had believed Han's ancient capital, expanded meticulously over four dynasties, was an unmatched mighty city—yet never imagined Yanjing would be even more imposing.

"There are truly ten horses pulling a carriage!"

The servant girl's gaze followed a luxurious carriage that had just passed by.

Two fine steeds led the way, three steady ones pulled in the middle, and five powerful horses dragged behind—its grandeur clearly signaled the owner's status.

It wasn't unusual on the road; indeed, the north was full of bold travelers.

The servant girl had never seen such a sight before; her own carriage now seemed plainly shabby and insignificant.

Yanjing's southern gate!

The four nations' embassies also waited in orderly sequence, gathered before the gate.

Han, mindful of the affairs at Jiakangcheng, had no objections and readily complied.

Qianyuan and Daqing also offered no resistance.

Only the Chu scholar showed a frown of displeasure.

"This move by Yan is a breach of propriety!"

"We, envoys of four nations, have traveled far—surely we deserve proper courtesy, the gates wide open to display their hospitality."

The caravan line moved forward slowly, like a long dragon.

Those entering the city were not in a hurry, yet moved with perfect order.

At the southern gate, many young servants from city taverns walked alongside the caravans, carrying steaming food boxes.

Wu Long of Qianyuan stepped out of his carriage, his gaze not lingering on the busy caravans, but instead fixed with curiosity on Yanjing's city structure.

Though Yanjing's walls were wide, they were built low—nowhere near the towering heights of Wangshenzhou.

As a vital northern gateway, such a major city ought to have high walls and deep moats, especially given its border location—it should be fortified.

Wu Long scanned the surroundings and saw numerous smaller fortresses scattered around Yanjing, arranged in orderly layers forming its outer defense line.

At the southern gate, merchant caravans dominated, crowds thronging, a scene of vibrant prosperity.

He noticed Yanjing's surrounding terrain was flat and open, with few natural highlands as barriers—only over ten miles south of the gate lay a stretch of rolling hills.

He nodded: to capture this great city, the best strategy would be to break through the southern gate and seize those hills as a foothold.

Advance and defend with ease!

This way, they could control Yanjing's southern gate and leverage the hills' terrain to support future operations.

In that case, Yanjing's military defenses seemed rather weak.

Yuwen Liqian stepped lightly from her carriage, her beauty instantly drawing the gaze of all nearby merchants.

They turned their heads, silently admiring—such a woman existed? Even in Yan, famed for its beauties, Yuwen Liqian's innate nobility stirred hearts deeply.

A fresh cry of astonishment rose from the crowd behind.

For behind that lovely face was an even lovelier one.

Xie Lingxuan stepped down from the carriage behind her.

Her beautiful eyes held surprise and nostalgia—she had grown up in the north as a child, fleeing southward, and thus carried memories of this land.

She never imagined that only thirty years later, it would be utterly unlike her recollection.

Su Yue, her cousin beside her, wore an expression of utter disbelief; she had heard southerners speak of Yanbei as cold and harsh, yet what she had seen on this journey contradicted every tale.

Wealthy, leisurely, peaceful!

Especially this capital, far larger than the capital city.

After their exchange on the river island, Yuwen Liqian, Wu Long, and others developed an unspoken understanding and walked together.

The Chu embassy merely watched from afar, refusing to approach—standing out as distinctly separate.

Yuwen Liqian knew well that this Qianyuan prince was a restless soul.

"Your Highness, what's so unusual over there?"

Wu Long pointed to the distant hills: "Isn't that a good place?"

Yuwen Liqian looked puzzled.

The distant hills were covered in autumn chrysanthemums, now in full bloom.

The golden expanse was pleasing to the eye.

In the north, only hardy flowers grew—peony, azalea—rare in the south.

"Your Highness, do you understand the art of flowers?"

This prince didn't seem the type to appreciate such refined tastes.

Wu Long shook his head: "If I had thirty thousand troops and two battalions of archers stationed here, I could easily cut off passing caravans, use these hills as a stronghold, dig trenches and lay traps—advance or defend, I'd hold the advantage, even on foot."

Hearing this, Yuwen Liqian smiled helplessly—so this prince's idea of a "good place" was this.

Du Hui also walked over, and upon hearing it, couldn't suppress a chuckle.

A princess and a general—reason won't reach them.

Members of nearby merchant caravans occasionally glanced at the four nations' envoys.

Wu Long's python robe became the focal point—everyone speculated these foreigners must be of extraordinary status.

Wu Long himself paid no mind to their stares; his attention was entirely fixed on Yanjing's walls.

He scanned the surroundings, frowning deeply, troubled by the capital's layout.

"Why are Yanjing's walls so low, and why are they so close to the border?"

Wu Long knew a nation's capital selection required balancing many factors.

First, water resources—essential for any great city, for transport and daily life.

Daqing's capital was famed as the "Eight Rivers Circling the Capital."

The north was the source of several great rivers, facilitating travel south to Daqing, Han, and Chu.

Water resources were certainly not lacking.

Second came strategic considerations: security, economy, population distribution—all vital in choosing a capital.

Most capitals were built where mountains or rivers surrounded them on all sides, making them easy to defend.

Han's capital was encircled on three sides by moats sixty zhang wide.

To the north, it bordered the famed natural barrier—the Taiping River.

Yanjing's geography was indeed strange: it sat on endless flat plains, lacking natural defenses, and pressed against the border, allowing northern winds to sweep straight in.

Worse, its walls were built unusually low—under today's standards, with advanced siege weapons like trebuchets, it was practically "unfortified."

Wu Long frowned, thinking it illogical.

A capital's location should be central, to better radiate influence across the realm and promote economic exchange and population distribution.

Yet Yanjing seemed to lack this advantage.

Wu Long would never foolishly believe Yan had chosen this spot at random.

Both Lu Chen and the Yan Prince's advisors were no ordinary men.

Suddenly!

A thought flashed through Wu Long's mind—"Fengshui."

The selection and layout of a capital were often tied closely to fengshui, believed to bring national prosperity.

Wu Long had dabbled in it, but as a half-trained amateur, he couldn't decipher it.

So!

Wu Long turned to Xie Chunan beside him—this man was an expert.

He asked urgently:

"Master Xie, please look—could Yanjing truly be an exceptional fengshui site?"

Xie Chunan, stroking his beard, smiled faintly—he had already taken in the entire terrain upon stepping down.

"That may disappoint Your Highness."

"This place is far from an ideal fengshui site. The essence of fengshui lies in having green mountains at your back and clear water before you, or in harmonizing yin and yang."

Xie Chunan spoke slowly—he was born of Guiguzi, mastered Qimen Dunjia, Yin-Yang and Bagua, and excelled at observing qi.

"Recall Jiakangcheng we passed through: facing south, backed north, Kan and Li opposing, dragon vein originating from the northwest mountains, water flowing with the dragon, forming a favorable water pattern. Two rivers intertwined, the Mingtang wide open, five winding streams flowing gently into the sea, with boats dotting the scene—both near sand and ceremonial altar. Water governs wealth; the left and right sandhills balanced in height—Jiakangcheng must have flourished."

Wu Long nodded in agreement—the prosperity of Jiakangcheng confirmed Xie Chunan's words.

Xie Chunan shifted tone and continued:

"And Wangshenzhou, which we passed, is among the finest fengshui sites. It lies south of nine mountains and north of Zhi River—both mountain and water are yang, hence its ancient title 'Chongyang.'"

"An ancient master once observed the heavens and studied the earth, advising the construction of palaces to the north to mirror the Purple Palace constellation. The Zhi River was likened to the Milky Way, the bridge symbolized the Magpie Bridge, each palace aligned with stars, pathways crisscrossing, the Chongyang Palace standing central like stars circling the moon, shielding the imperial capital, majestic and grand."

Wu Long listened with rapt attention—this knowledge of fengshui and astronomy thrilled and fascinated him.

He recalled how Qianyuan had chosen its capital, gathering numerous yin-yang masters and officials from the Imperial Academy.

They finally settled on "Chengqian," claiming it as the convergence point of the dragon vein.

Although Empress Wu Ying wielded strong influence within the empire, she still encountered considerable resistance when pushing for the decision to relocate the capital.

The Qianyuan Empire, like Beifeng, originated from northern nomadic tribes.

The south, however, was where foreign ethnic groups settled a century ago; over time, distinct ethnic divisions have now vanished.

The old nobility of the north still reside in Beifeng, regarding themselves as sons of the grasslands and descendants of the Sacred Mountain.

Moreover!

Locating the capital in the north better serves their interests, as it allows them to cultivate vast local power and solidify their status.

When the Empress proposed relocating the capital, these nobles all rose up in opposition.

The Empress's reason for wanting to relocate the capital was precisely these nobles.

Talents recommended by the state or selected through imperial examinations were consistently marginalized by the northern bureaucratic elite; new officials could not gain real influence, and the struggle between reformists and conservatives drained the nation's strength.

Relocating the capital was also a subtle form of suppressing the nobility.

Faced with this dilemma, Empress Wu Ying had intended to use forceful measures.

The Qianyuan Cabinet Scholars warned that the empire was currently in a critical phase of reform and should avoid excessive use of force, lest it trigger greater unrest.

Treating illness requires no harsh medicine!

Gongsun Pingxi proposed that the Empress take a group of Qianyuan nobles on a southern tour, with all expenses borne by the court.

As expected, the nobles, drawn by luxury and pleasure, eagerly responded and marched south in great numbers, thanking the Empress for her benevolence.

During their southern tour, Empress Wu Ying publicly announced the decision to relocate the capital.

At this point, the nobles already in the south—being far from home and having enjoyed the court's favors—though reluctant, had no choice but to accept the decision.

Could this Prince of Yan be the same?

The Yan Prince's mansion was far from as tranquil as imagined; beneath the surface, currents of turmoil had long been stirring.

Various factions and groups opposed the relocation, as it did not serve their interests, leading to the current situation.

Wu Long shook his head, finding it unlikely.

The Lu Family Army was founded entirely by Lu Chen.

Most officials across the regions were appointed later.

The former northern gentry and landowners all fled or had their estates seized during the Beifeng southward advance.

Unlike the other four states, which all had domestic noble and scholarly factions.

Yan territory was like a nation rebuilt from ruins.

A new system, a new official structure.

Wu Long, thinking of this, gazed at the vast city of Yanjing, like a colossal beast.

Wu Long could not help but marvel: in just twenty years, Yanjing had risen from an obscure place to become a great power—this posed a greater threat to His Majesty than the other three states.

Du Hui, upon hearing this, spoke to explain:

"Your Highness, you do not know—this capital in Yanjing was personally chosen by the Yan Prince of Mount Zhongnan."

Wu Long replied in disbelief:

"The capital was established in Yanjing—solely because of the Yan Prince's decision?"

He could not believe Lu Chen would be so foolish as to make such an unwise choice.

Du Hui nodded and said: "When the capital was being decided, the memorials submitted from Mount Zhongnan strongly favored several southern cities with long histories and deep roots—but the Yan Prince rejected them all."

"The Yan Prince picked up his brush and drew a circle in the north—this circle is precisely where we stand now."

"On the ruins of the former Daqing capital, a great city arose within a mere decade."

Yuwen Liqian also felt puzzled.

"Why did the Yan Prince choose this place?"

When Du Hui mentioned this, his expression shifted slightly, a smile appearing on his face.

"Along with the decision to establish the capital, several words spoken by the Yan Prince at the time have been passed down."

Xie Lingxuan, over the years, has paid close attention to the north and Mount Zhongnan.

She naturally knew those words—and even now, hearing them again stirred her heart.

Yuwen Liqian had never heard them; in his studies in Da Chu, he rarely encountered matters of Yan territory. He laughed and said:

"Master, please tell us!"

Du Hui spoke slowly:

"Clear the ten thousand li, unify the eight directions; pacify the four quarters."

"The ruler stands before, the people behind. The ruler is light, the people heavy. Princes, marquises, generals, and ministers die for the state!"

After more than twenty years of ceaseless war, the north suffered repeated invasions; rulers often fled south, ministers abandoned their cities. But during the Yan Prince's reign, he resolutely established the capital on the frontier.

Moreover, he did not build high walls.

"A city wall of earth and wood is no match for the Great Wall built by the hearts of the people."

Wu Long, upon hearing this, felt that this Dao-cultivating Yan Prince harbored ambitions that could swallow heaven and earth, and a heart that embraced the four seas.

PS: I made a map of the Kunxu World—placed at the back, feel free to look.

(End of Chapter)