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

The roar of the water conservancy project still echoes in the fields, and the rice waves on both sides of the Baishui River have just turned golden. Another grand project concerning the "bloodline" and "bones" of Hanyuan is also being carried out in full swing.

"To get rich, build roads first"—Xiao Chen understood this simple truth more deeply than anyone else.

Without smooth roads, no amount of grain can be transported out, no amount of fine ironware can be delivered to the front lines, and no amount of prosperous trade can be more of a mirage.

Therefore, shortly after the completion of the Dingbo Weir, Xiao Chen ordered the "Goods and Trade Avenue" project to enter its second phase: extending it to the border of Northern Yan and the heart of the grasslands, thus completely opening up the land trade artery of Hanyuan to the outside world.

Building roads, especially high-standard cement roads, is no easy task. Xiao Chen abandoned the previous extensive approach of "building roads through mountains and bridges over rivers," and instead adopted a "planning first, scientific route determination" approach.

A "Road Survey Team" was jointly formed by the Industrial Construction Bureau and the Institute of Natural Sciences. Equipped with a level, compass, measuring rope, and marker, the team conducted precise measurements of the planned route, drew up a "Road Alignment Map," and calculated earthwork volume, slope, and curve radius.

Route selection principles:

Travel in a straight line as much as possible, reduce curves, and shorten the distance.

Avoid areas with poor geological conditions and utilize mountain ridges and terraces to reduce the amount of engineering work.

It connects important towns, military garrisons, mines, markets, and ferry crossings to maximize efficiency.

The road standard was "three zhang wide, with a gravel roadbed and a cement-paved surface". The bridge load-bearing capacity had to be "ten tons" or more, and it was necessary to allow the passage of heavy horse-drawn carriages and artillery.

The northern route starts from Zhenbeicheng and goes north, passing through Panshibao and Qinghezhen, and ends at Yunzhongguan, a key border town of the Northern Yan.

It stretches for three hundred li. This road is the main trade route between Hanyuan and Northern Yan, as well as the northeastern region, and is also a lifeline for military defense.

The 300-mile journey was divided into ten sections, each 30 miles long, and ten engineering teams worked on it simultaneously.

Five thousand engineers were mobilized as the backbone to be responsible for technical tasks such as blasting, opening mountains, building bridges, and laying roadbeds.

Twenty thousand refugees were recruited to be responsible for earthwork excavation, gravel laying, and material transportation. A "work-for-relief" program was implemented, with payment based on the amount of earthwork completed.

The extensive use of gunpowder for mountain clearing greatly increased efficiency; the use of precast cement slabs for road paving resulted in high flatness and a short maintenance period.

The western route runs westward from Zhenbeicheng, passing through Heishan Town and Yefuling Garrison, penetrating deep into the heart of the grassland for hundreds of miles, connecting the traditional nomadic routes of various grassland tribes.

It stretches for four hundred li. This route is key to Han Yuan's expansion of his influence into the grasslands and control of the northern Silk Road.

The grassland was flat, but lacked stone. The engineers used local materials, digging up "three-in-one soil" as the roadbed and laying cement on the surface.

An "official post station" was set up every fifty li, providing food, lodging, horse changing, vehicle repair, and security services, serving as a supply point and haven for merchants and travelers.

Recruit grassland herders to participate in road construction, paying them wages or settling accounts with grain or cloth. This would allow the Hu people to also share in the convenience brought by the road, reducing resistance.

As the road extends, the biggest obstacle is the river. In the past, caravans had to rely on ferries or makeshift bridges to cross the river, which was inefficient and risky.

During this road construction project, Xiao Chen ordered that "permanent stone bridges" or "cement bridges" be built across all major rivers.

The Baishuihe Bridge is located 20 li north of Zhenbeicheng. It is 50 zhang long and 4 zhang wide. It adopts the "stone arch bridge" structure, and the bridge piers are reinforced with cement. It can pass through the heaviest "four-wheeled heavy-duty carriages".

The Qinghe Bridge is located outside Qinghe Town. It adopts a "simply supported beam" structure and the bridge deck is made of precast cement slabs, allowing for rapid construction.

The Heishui Aqueduct is located near Heishan Town. The road needs to cross a deep ditch, so an "aqueduct" was designed to serve as both a road and a water channel, killing two birds with one stone.

The road extension had an immediate and noticeable effect.

The cement road was flat and wide, not muddy in rainy weather, and not blocked by snow. Horse-drawn carriages could carry 30% more and their speed doubled. The number of caravans quadrupled compared to before the road was built.

With transportation costs dropping significantly, commodity prices have decreased accordingly, bringing tangible benefits to ordinary people.

Along the road, the once barren land quickly transformed into inns, restaurants, carriage shops, and warehouses. Many migrants settled by the roadside, cultivating the land and forming new villages.

The speed of troop movements has been greatly accelerated, the efficiency of transporting provisions and supplies has doubled, and the border defenses have become more secure.

The northern route leads to Beiyan, and the western route leads into the grasslands; the gateway to the Cold Abyss is now fully open.

Merchants from Northern Yan drove their caravans, laden with ginseng, sable fur, timber, and ore, along the smooth official road, easily arriving at Zhenbei City.

"What used to take half a month now only takes five days," they exclaimed.

Camel and horse caravans from various parts of the grasslands no longer feared the arduous journey and brought wool, cheese, fine horses, and medicinal herbs in a steady stream.

Some merchants from the Western Regions even detoured through the grasslands and entered the Cold Abyss along the newly built "Western Route," bringing spices, gems, and carpets.

"This route is safer and faster than the traditional Silk Road!" they exclaimed in admiration.

The "Wanhu Market" in Zhenbei City became even more prosperous.

Goods from all directions piled up like mountains, and trade volume soared. Commercial tax revenue had surpassed salt tax, becoming Hanyuan's largest source of income.

Official roads were not only trade routes, but also routes for the spread of civilization.

The post stations and villages along the roads became strongholds for the spread of Han culture. Here, people from other regions came into contact with Chinese characters, customs, and goods, and were gradually assimilated into Han culture.

Ironware, cloth, farm tools, and books from Hanyuan flowed to all directions via official roads, changing the production and lifestyle of the surrounding areas.

"Express delivery stations" were set up every ten li (approximately 5 kilometers) along the official roads to transmit official documents and military intelligence, greatly accelerating information transmission and strengthening the central government's control over the border regions.

Standing on the newly completed Baishuihe Bridge, Xiao Chen looked at the rushing river below and the endless stream of vehicles on the bridge, feeling a surge of pride in his heart.

"Old Han," he said to Han Lie beside him, "once this road is open, Hanyuan will no longer be an isolated island in the border region, but a hub connecting east and west and running through north and south."

"Your Highness is wise," Han Lie said. "With this network of roads, goods from Hanyuan can reach the whole world, and wealth from the whole world can gather in Hanyuan."

"That's not all."

Xiao Chen's gaze was profound. "This road is still our outward expansion. Today it's three hundred li, tomorrow it will be five hundred li, a thousand li, ten thousand li. We will use this cement road to extend the territory of Hanyuan and the civilization of China to even more distant places."

The extension of the official road not only opened up trade arteries but also laid the transportation foundation for Hanyuan's "land power empire".

This crisscrossing network of roads, like the outstretched arms of the Cold Abyss, continuously brings in wealth, information, and power, while also radiating the Cold Abyss's influence to a wider world.