Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

The city walls of Zhenbei City were rapidly "growing" day and night amidst the roar of construction. Meanwhile, another project, equally important and even more far-reaching than the city's construction, was also underway—laying a cement road connecting the old city of Hanyuan and the new city of Zhenbei, and using this road as a hub to radiate to Panshibao, Heishan Town, Qinghe Town, and even the distant grassland market.

In the past, the "roads" in the North were mostly dilapidated, potholed dirt roads or "side paths" naturally worn down by vehicles and horses.

On sunny days, dust flies everywhere; on rainy days, the roads become muddy and impassable. Vehicles are easily damaged, pedestrians face difficulties, and transportation efficiency is low, which further restricts the rapid mobilization of troops and the smooth flow of supplies.

In the past, although roads were repaired in Hanyuan, they were mostly small-scale repairs, which could not fundamentally change the situation due to limitations in materials and manpower.

The advent of cement, along with the improvements made by the Gewu Institute in tools and construction methods, made large-scale, high-quality road construction possible.

Xiao Chen deeply understood the principle that "to get rich, build roads first," and he also understood how important a solid, flat, and fast "artery" was to military, economy, and rule in chaotic times.

Therefore, while the construction of Zhenbei City was in full swing, the Civil Affairs Department's Construction Office, headed by Han Lie, selected capable officials and craftsmen to form the "Official Road Construction Department," which was specifically responsible for the planning and construction of cement official roads.

The first and most important main road is the "Zhenyuan Avenue," which connects the old city of Hanyuan with the new city of Zhenbei, thirty miles away.

The planned width of this road is three zhang (approximately 13 meters), which can accommodate four horse-drawn carriages side by side. Several bridges need to be built along the way, and it passes through some hilly areas.

Before construction began, a detailed survey and planning were carried out.

The route should be as straight as possible, avoiding complex geological conditions and large water systems that are difficult to handle. If it is impossible to avoid them, then bridges should be designed or the roadbed should be reinforced.

The road surface adopts a layered structure: the bottom layer is a compacted and leveled subgrade; on top of that is a crushed stone subbase, which is repeatedly compacted with a heavy roller; and above that is a one-foot-thick "stone-mud" concrete surface layer.

Drainage ditches are pre-installed on both sides of the road, and milestones and rest stops are planned to be built on important sections in the future.

The construction also adopted a large-scale, semi-military organizational approach.

Thousands of builders were divided into several sections and started work simultaneously.

They excavated earth, leveled the roadbed, mined, transported, and crushed stones, and mixed and poured concrete.

The improved wheelbarrows, small tracks, and animal-drawn rammers developed by the Gewu Institute were widely used, greatly improving efficiency.

The laying of "stone-mud" concrete pavement is the core technology.

The craftsmen made long wooden road templates, which were fixed along both sides of the roadbed to ensure the width and straightness of the road surface.

The mixed concrete was poured into the formwork, and the craftsmen used specially made long-handled wooden scrapers and vibrating tools to spread, compact, and smooth it.

Before the concrete has initially set, a toothed roller is used to press shallow grooves into the surface to prevent slipping.

After the road surface is poured, it needs to be covered with straw mats and watered for several days to allow it to strengthen.

During the maintenance period, vehicles and pedestrians are strictly prohibited from stepping on the vehicle.

Although the entire construction process was guided by the "Gewuyuan" (a research institute), it was still full of exploration and adjustments.

The concrete mix proportions, mixing time, pouring thickness, and curing methods are all being continuously optimized in practice.

Occasionally, local cracks or insufficient strength may occur, and we immediately rework and redo it without hesitation.

Despite numerous difficulties, the progress of "Zhenyuan Avenue" is still astonishing.

Almost every few days, the road would extend a large section forward.

The gray, smooth, and solid road stretched endlessly between the barren yellow earth and the verdant fields, like a gray jade ribbon, connecting the two cities more and more closely together.

When Zhenyuan Avenue was more than half completed and was already passable by light vehicles, its advantages became immediately apparent.

The carriage travels smoothly and swiftly on it, with greatly increased load-bearing capacity and almost no bumps.

The time required to transport building materials and grain from Hanyuan Old Town to the Zhenbei New Town construction site has been reduced by more than half, and losses have been greatly reduced.

Messengers rode horses across it, which was faster and saved horsepower.

The locals initially watched the "stone road" with curiosity, but later they happily tried walking on it and praised it highly.

The success of "Zhenyuan Avenue" greatly boosted morale and accumulated valuable experience for subsequent road construction.

Soon, construction also began on branch roads leading from Zhenbei New Town to Panshibao, Heishan Town, and Qinghe Town.

These roads are built to standards slightly lower than those of main roads, but the core is still cement concrete pavement to ensure smooth traffic in both sunny and rainy weather.

At the same time, the existing road connecting the grassland market was also upgraded and renovated.

Key sections of the road were paved with cement, and bridges were reinforced to withstand the passage of busier and heavier caravans.

Grayish-white "jade belts" began to extend from Zhenbei New City as the core, reaching out in all directions from the Hanyuan-controlled area.

Like strong blood vessels, they deliver supplies, personnel, information, and government orders to every corner with unprecedented speed and reliability.

Militarily, the troop's mobilization and supply capabilities have been enhanced by leaps and bounds.

Wang Dashan and Zhang Meng have begun drills on using the new roads for rapid maneuver and deployment.

Economically, business travel is safer and more convenient, logistics costs are lower, and trade is more active.

The resettlement of displaced people and the reclamation of new fields also benefited from improved roads, greatly increasing the efficiency of transporting and distributing farm tools, seeds, and grain.

Politically, the Hanyuan government's control and influence over the peripheral areas increased significantly as the roads were extended, ensuring that its orders were effectively communicated and that it had a keen eye on everything.

Standing at the intersection where the "Zhenyuan Avenue" had just been completed and a simple opening ceremony was held, Xiao Chen looked at the flat, solid, straight gray-white road surface stretching into the distance and felt a sense of emotion.

This is not just a road; it is order, efficiency, power, and the tentacles and sinews through which the newly established regime of Hanyuan deeply controls this land.

"Issue the order," he said to Han Lie beside him, "After the Zhenyuan Avenue is fully opened, immediately formulate the 'Official Road Maintenance Order,' establish road maintenance teams, and assign them to be responsible for the daily maintenance, cleaning, and dredging of drainage ditches along the road. This road is the lifeline of our Hanyuan, and we must ensure that it remains intact and unobstructed year-round. In the future, we want to make such roads reach every important village and town in the northern border, reach the grasslands, and even... reach the far south."

"Yes!" Han Lie solemnly replied.

He could almost see a network, with cement roads as its warp and weft, covering an ever-expanding area, being slowly woven in the prince's hands.