Huaicheng is the capital of Hanoi County and the largest city in Hanoi County and even the entire southwest Hanzhou.
It has the densest population in Hanoi County and the largest number of chambers of commerce in the Lianghe Plain. Even if we don’t count the astonishing wealth accumulated by Hanoi County’s own dignitaries over the years, it alone is the most important place between Southwestern Hanzhou and the other three states.
As far as a transportation hub is concerned, it is enough to bring unimaginable resources to the city and turn it into a giant city.
At noon that day, a convoy came up the broadest official road north of Huaicheng. Three light cavalrymen in full armor were at the head, two large carriages were in the middle, and two cavalrymen also wearing standard armor were behind.
It was Luochuan and his party who came from Hanoi Port after a long journey.
The group of people who stayed at Hanoi Port for one night left the city at dawn the next day. They didn't even stop for repairs along the way south. Only then were they able to reach Huaoi City before dark. The journey was smooth and without any bumps.
Luochuan was still sitting with the old coachman. The originally gorgeous robe on his body was now a little dull, and the cuffs on his waist were badly worn. He didn't care at all. At this moment, he straightened up and looked at the city in the distance with interest.
I was a little shocked inside.
Because this is the city he has seen since coming to this world that most resembles the modern city he remembered in his previous life, an open city with no walls or houses.
Perhaps it is because the world is still stuck in the mainstream farming era, and city walls are still the most basic part of a city. Even Zhongjing City, the capital of Dading, is still surrounded by some small and medium-sized villages.
The three-layered city wall at home and abroad serves as the core to divide the structure of the three class worlds.
But the Huai City in front of you is different. Just by looking at it, you can see that there are countless large and small houses lined up in rows, located on both sides of the spacious official road. Looking from a distance, all kinds of houses are moving in the wind.
Shops are densely packed, and roads of varying widths extend from the official road, connecting various areas of the city like a spider web. Pedestrians and horses are constantly coming and going on the roads. It is obvious that the city cannot go to sleep even when night falls.
"What you see now cannot actually be regarded as the real Huaicheng," the old coachman saw Luo Chuan's very interested expression, and couldn't help but explain, "The real Huaicheng is the inner city surrounded by these outer groups of buildings.
Not only is the city wall taller than any other big city in Southwest Hanzhou, but a lot of money and precious materials were spent to lay out defensive formations on it. Probably only places like Hanoi County can be wealthy to this extent."
"I don't think so," Luo Chuan smiled, "a city never refers to the city wall and the dead objects enclosed by it, but to the people and goods that gather and trade around the city. As for this harbor,
City, I am afraid that it is precisely because of this huge and free outer city that it has created its prosperous nature as a commercial capital." He then shook his head with regret, "If they really spend a lot of money to build the inner city
It would be a pity for the city wall."
The old coachman was speechless for a moment.
A beautiful woman's pleasant voice came from the car behind them, "Why do you say it's a pity?"
Luo Chuan didn't look back, just crossed his arms and leaned against the carriage, "What's the use of the outer city if it's not destroyed? If the outer city is destroyed... the invading people don't have to touch the wall at all, the inner city will surely fall."
.”
The old coachman was startled when he heard this. He thought for a moment and glanced at Luochuan in surprise. The beautiful woman in the carriage did not say anything again.
In this way, the group of people entered the urban area of Huaicheng along the official road unobstructed. Although there were many vehicles and pedestrians on the road, no one would collide with their group of convoys protected by cavalry, and they approached the inner city smoothly all the way.
By the time he could see the inner city wall, the sun was about to set. Some shops on both sides of the main street had already hung up lanterns. Luo Chuan curiously looked at the styles of those lanterns that were different from those in Zhongzhou, and then he was reminded by the old coachman to look inside.
city wall.
The city wall is about several feet high, and is overall blue-gray in color. Black textures can be faintly seen on the wall. From a distance, it looks as thick as a small mountain dam, completely blocking all sight lines outside the city.
Only when you get closer can you see that there is a moat outside the inner city wall. Except for the current main official road, there are no other paths nearby that can cross the moat with bridges.
At one end of the wide bridge deck, more than a hundred sergeants were setting up roadblocks to conduct inspections when entering the city.
"The city wall of Huai City is said to be indestructible under the 'Shanghai Realm'. Although there has been no war since it was newly built and reinforced, some bad guys have actually tried it in private. It is indeed much stronger than ordinary city walls," the old coachman pointed out
Pointing to the top of the dark city wall, he said with a bit of sourness, "It is said that there are amplification arrays at regular intervals on the city wall. Over the years, I am afraid that the maintenance cost will be sky-high."
Luochuan just smiled and said nothing.
Soon the group arrived at the checkpoint, and saw the military commander Li Mu take out something like a token from his arms and throw it to the sergeant at the checkpoint. The latter just glanced at it and respectfully handed the token back to Li Mu.
, the group of people was easily let into the inner city without any proper inspection. Even two sergeants who wanted to step forward to lift the curtain of the carriage behind Luo Chuan were shouted back by the leading sergeant not far away.
After successfully crossing the bridge and entering the inner city through the city gate, Luo Chuan curiously asked the old coachman, "What brand is it so prestigious?"
"The order of the prefect is something that can only be held by the direct troops of the prefects of the counties in Southwest Hanzhou who have personally ordered to go out on missions," the old coachman said, "In our southwest Hanzhou, the prefects of the six counties are brothers and colleagues who are nominally helping each other.
As long as it is not a key area such as a military location, holding the prefect's order from each family can generally lead to smooth passage. What's more, the inner city of Huai City is very large. Generally, people with some capital can use tokens such as "Shang" and "Gui" or pay a fee.
You can enter for a certain fee.”
Luochuan wanted to ask something else, but was suddenly interrupted by the sound of horse hooves and shouts in front of the official road.
I saw dozens of golden-armored cavalry galloping on the official road in the distance. The cavalry's horses were all pure black and looked unusually tall and majestic. They had no intention of slowing down at all, and they had no time to avoid the pedestrians on the official road.
Raising his hand, he whipped his horse, and while galloping towards the city gate, he yelled loudly, "When the military formation is about to leave, the rest of the people are waiting to get out of the way!!"
The official road was suddenly full of people, but fortunately it was getting late and there were not many pedestrians, cars and horses on the road. Everyone moved to the side of the road, and everyone stared at the golden armored cavalry roaring past in fear, not knowing what kind of emergency had happened.
For a moment, the center of the official road was extremely empty, and there was no sound except the restless tapping of horses pulling carts on both sides.
Naturally, Luo Chuan and his entourage moved to the side of the official road early. The five horses from Li County separated the two carriages from the people coming to avoid the official road. No one dared to get close.
Luo Chuan sat upright in the carriage and found that he couldn't see the scene on the official road clearly, so he couldn't help but stand up.
"It's better to go to the second floor of this restaurant, where the view is better," the old coachman said slowly, turning his head and looking at the second-floor restaurant behind him.
"Indeed," Luo Chuan smiled, jumped off the carriage and walked into the restaurant.
The old coachman threw his riding whip to the heroic woman who was about to jump out of the carriage, motioned for her to stay where she was and followed Luo Chuan unhurriedly.
Luo Chuan and the two went up to the second floor of the restaurant and found that the place was quite spacious. Only the three windows facing the street had a table in front of each of them. At this moment, the two windows were already crowded with curious people, and only the innermost table was
Two people, an old man and a young man, sat quietly.
The old man is dressed in a rich black robe, with white beard and hair, his eyes are cloudy, his waist is slightly stooped, and he is drinking tea with his head down.
The young man was sitting leisurely, wearing a white robe, holding the silver fur around his neck with one hand, and tilted his head slightly to look out the window with an indifferent expression.
Luo Chuan walked to this table in a few steps, coughed slightly and saluted the two of them, "How are you two? May I have a look at this window?"
The young man didn't look back, as if he didn't hear Luo Chuan's question at all.
The old man raised his head and smiled at the old coachman standing next to Luo Chuan, "General Luo, long time no see..."