With a rendering in hand, they could sell houses. The Yun family always did things this way—if you wanted to buy, do it early. The houses at Yushan were like this, the houses at Xinghua Ward were also like this. If you acted late, you couldn’t even catch the dregs. The Yuchi family’s noisy house was given away free to Old Cheng’s family. Now it had become the Cheng family’s treasure for chasing away troublesome guests. Ever since Yun Ye said that house could calm the mind and cultivate one’s nature, the house became Li Xiaogong’s family property again. In all of Yushan, the only house that could be casually resold was this one. As for the other houses, they had long been marked by each family as non-saleable family property.
Here had the best scenery, the best school, the best hospital and doctors. Incidentally, this was also the most heavily guarded place. Every evening, the soldiers standing guard on the mountaintop let out waves of miserable wolf howls, giving all the residents living here the most heartwarming sense of security.
As someone who had inadvertently profited greatly from Yushan real estate development, Xue Wanche—who at the time, due to brotherly affection, hadn’t grasped the moment and felt sorry for his brother, so gritted his teeth and bought a house—now found his home had become a gathering place for princesses. Not the princess residences of Chang’an City, but the villa at Yushan. What Old Xue was most satisfied with was the property certificate issued by Yushan Academy, on which the three characters “Xue Wanche” were written neat and tidy, not “Such-and-Such Princess.”
Princess Danyang felt she was the head of household and her name should be written on it. She forcibly demanded the certificate from Xue Wanche and went to the academy to have the name changed to hers. As a result, Xu Jingzong kicked it straight to Master Li Gang. Master Li Gang was also Danyang’s teacher and had long been greatly dissatisfied with the princesses’ unrestrained behavior. He believed he hadn’t taught the princesses well back then, leading to them all being arrogant and domineering now. Not only did he withhold the certificate, he also ordered Danyang to copy “Admonitions for Women” ten times in his study, and finally Xue Wanche had to personally come to collect the princess and take her home for instruction.
Old Xue had never had such great face before. In front of Li Gang, he severely scolded Danyang. Under Danyang’s extremely hopeful gaze, he took leave of the old master and returned home with head held high.
The battlefield warrior who had been slandered by the princess as not even knowing how to consummate a marriage encountered Yun Ye after morning court. Without a word, they went up to Drunken Immortal Tower. Without speaking, he just smiled foolishly while drinking bowl after bowl. Yun Ye, drinking until completely confused, finally found an opening to ask why his spirits were so high. As a result, Xue Wanche said in a small, trembling voice, “Danyang’s palms were beaten into pig trotters!” After saying this, he laughed heartily. Even when the thoroughly drunk Yun Ye was carried home by Liu Jinbao, he didn’t understand what was so funny about the sentence “Danyang’s palms were beaten into pig trotters.”
Now, Xue Wanche had dragged Yun Ye to Drunken Immortal Tower again. Same old rule—first drain three bowls then talk. After drinking, a sandalwood box was pushed in front of Yun Ye. In a low voice he said, “Brother, over these years I’ve only accumulated this bit of wealth. Keeping it at home isn’t safe! My elder brother also isn’t willing to keep it for me. You also know what kind of temperament Danyang has—we’ve fought about it twice already. Brother heard that you plan to build a great city in the Two Lakes. There will definitely be many houses waiting to be sold. Look into getting some property for me, brother. I trust your judgment. Though I, Xue Wanche, am somewhat crude, these years I’ve survived by my judgment. That great city definitely won’t be bad.”
“To be honest with you, brother, I have two other children outside. The woman was my former personal maid. When Danyang entered the door, she chased them out. So their days are very hard. I still can’t go see them—if I go see them, I’ll be harming them! Danyang doesn’t dare kill others, but killing a servant girl, she has not half a scruple.”
“Give them a property, have them go far away, live their own lives properly. Write the deed in the woman’s name. If the woman asks you, just say it was given by a dead person. She’ll understand.” A bearded big man spoke with tender sentiments, tears streaming down his own face. Yun Ye knew this matter couldn’t be refused. Opening the box to count the certificates inside, Yun Ye’s jaw nearly dropped. This bastard’s ability to hide private money was impressive—a full thirteen thousand strings of cash. According to the land prices Yun Ye set for the new city, this was definitely a large property.
He wrote a receipt but Xue Wanche didn’t want it, balled it up and stuffed it into the furnace. He downed a whole jar of strong liquor in one breath, tore open his chest, and just like that with his chest exposed, braved the wind and snow as he strode away. Damn it, the man walked away with magnificent heroism, but couldn’t you at least settle the bill before leaving?
When that giant map was spread open by Di Renjie, Xiao Wu, Shishi, plus Cui Jiu, the Emperor wearing a warm cap descended from his chair. Holding a bamboo pole, he asked questions here and there—one moment pointing at a watchtower asking why the front city wall would be bumpy and uneven, the next asking whether the mountain spring water would be enough for five hundred thousand people. He also asked Yun Ye why the water and land docks should be built inside the city rather than outside.
“Actually, in this subject’s view, the most useless part of this city is the city wall. If enemies can attack here, whether there are city walls or not, how much does it matter? Its fall is only a matter of time. But to leave descendants a bit of hope, this subject still added the city walls and made them into the most terrifying defensive works according to this subject’s own understanding. There’s a term for this called bastion.”
“I see it. This kind of city wall indeed has unique aspects in defense. Both sides of the city gate have protruding sections. Once the city gate is attacked, it will receive attacks from three sides. Very good. But I’m interested in what you said about this section of city wall. Explain.”
“Then this subject will speak. If what I say is wrong, please don’t get angry.”
“I never get angry listening to reasonable words.”
“Since ancient times, we built houses for ourselves. First, it was to shield from wind and rain. It also has another function, which is defensive function. In ancient times, we could only rely on simple tools for brutal combat—fighting with heaven, struggling with earth, contending with wild beasts for supremacy. We were in danger at every moment. When we slept, we needed a safe place. So our houses gradually became taller, larger, and sturdier. When everyone gathered together, everyone discovered that a tall, large wall became everyone’s security guarantee. So city walls came into being. When they developed to the extreme, magnificent constructions like the Great Wall appeared.”
“It extends ten thousand li from Lintao in the west to Liaodong in the east. Unfortunately, the mighty Qin that built it still perished. The Great Wall’s main function was to resist foreign tribes, but in early Han Dynasty, it still didn’t fulfill its proper function. Not until Champion Marquis carved stone at Yanran, Wei Qing pursued enemies ten thousand li, did the Han Dynasty’s border troubles find peace. After the Han Dynasty perished, the peoples of the grasslands once again came to the Central Plains—it could be called waves of blood and mountains of corpses. So from the bottom of my heart, this subject looks down on the Great Wall’s value. This subject rather approves of what Your Majesty is currently doing—constantly sweeping the grasslands with great armies, eliminating danger in its budding state. This approach is more effective. This subject regrets not having Champion Marquis’s abilities. You know, this subject has long coveted the Champion Marquis title.”
Li Er’s smile was very strange. He said to Yun Ye, “Great Tang doesn’t have the title Champion Marquis, so you just properly be your Marquis Lantian.” After saying this, he swept his sleeves and left. Empress Zhangsun came over, pointed at Yun Ye, and also left with a dark face, leaving Yun Ye completely bewildered.
“Master, how did you forget? Among those bad things you mentioned, Your Majesty’s ancestors had a share. The reason Great Tang doesn’t have Champion Marquis—Master Yan said it’s because Huo Qubing killed the barbarians too brutally.”
After Xiao Wu’s reminder, Yun Ye knocked his head. How did he forget about this? Why needlessly poke at someone’s heart? Having a barbarian ancestor with brilliant military achievements and countless kills wasn’t anything—I don’t discriminate.
Li Chengqian very magnanimously marked out a very large plot of land in the new city. Tapping that place with his bamboo pole, he said, “This is the location for the imperial detached palace. Mark it out early. When my father makes his southern tour, he’ll stay here.”
“No problem. Money! Give me money. As long as you give money, the entire city can be the imperial family’s. Without money, only this one plot of land, and we’re not responsible for construction.”
“All under heaven belongs to my father. What’s the difference between the nation’s money and his money?”
“The difference is huge! The imperial family’s money and grain are all allocated from the national treasury with a fixed proportion. The remaining money belongs to the national treasury. Go say this to your uncle—he’ll definitely spit you back with one mouthful of saliva. This city from design to construction is all paid for by the national treasury. It can all be said to be the fat of the people. Are you shameless enough to drink the people’s blood by extracting marrow from bones?”
Li Chengqian’s expression immediately collapsed. Without good humor he said, “Just a bit of money—must you describe it so evilly? Besides, for every new city, wherever the imperial family wants to live, they live there. This is the imperial family’s right.”
“I know! That’s why I marked out such a large plot of land for you all. This place is near Dongting Lake. At night you can fall asleep pillowed on the waves. It’s very easy to reach the realm of heaven and man united. I don’t give this to just anyone.”
“Hmph, hmph, hmph. Near Dongting Lake means the place is unbearably damp. Groundwater must be abundant beyond measure. Perhaps one hoe strike down and you can dig out a spring. Tell me, if my father and mother lived in a house hung with beast heads and fountains everywhere, would they think to promote you to higher rank and nobility?”
Li Chengqian’s face was full of ill intent. He was intimately familiar with this set of rhetoric from Yun Ye. The best lots were taken to sell for money, the worst lots used to deal with the imperial family and military. He had already looked at the new city’s mountain and river geography albums no fewer than three times. He compared the diagrams with Yun Ye’s rendering and studied them for a long time. So he was very clear what kind of place Yun Ye was dividing to the imperial family.
“We live on dry plateaus, rarely seeing so much water. Think about it—transform that place into a water town, fountains everywhere, plant more flowers. When scorching summer comes, water splashing, small boats shuttling through, those beautiful palace maids playing among the water columns, clear water wetting their clothes. Your Majesty sits under an awning smelling flower fragrances, reciting poetry, wine cup in hand, watching beauties dance in wet clothes. This is enjoyment only immortals have! If Your Majesty has no time to appreciate it, we can feast our eyes—that’s not bad either!”
“Ha ha! In that case, I, the Crown Prince, would be deposed, and you, this National Marquis, would be beheaded. One gazing at the moon like a rhinoceros in imperial prison, the other’s head hung on a flagpole fluttering in the wind. That would truly be a human spectacle.”