Chapter 25: The Greatest City Under Heaven

Lü City nestles against the mountains and rivers, graced with exquisite scenery. It is renowned above all for its flourishing scholarly atmosphere, a sacred destination for scholars from across the land seeking learning.

Although Xiang Ning is the exalted ruler of Great Chu, this is her first time venturing beyond the borders of her country. At this moment, as the imperial procession draws near enough to glimpse Lü City’s gates, Xiang Ning is filled with excitement.

“What magnificent mountains, what splendid waters, what a fine city!” she exclaimed, unable to contain her admiration.

No sooner had her words left her lips, than a familiar voice sounded at her side.

“The beauty of these mountains, rivers, and city is undeniable, but such grandeur is built upon immense wealth.”

Xiang Ning’s good mood quickly soured. She glanced at the man beside her—Fan Li.

This fellow dared to ride in the imperial dragon carriage without her permission, despite her status as emperor! But Fan Li paid no mind to Xiang Ning’s feelings. The journey was long; why should he endure hardship? With his current status and power, there was no need to inconvenience himself.

The emperor’s dragon carriage was exceedingly comfortable. Of course, Fan Li could have used his family’s vast fortune to commission a carriage even more luxurious than the imperial one, but time was short, so he dismissed the idea. Why not simply ride in Xiang Ning’s carriage? As the foremost powerbroker in Great Chu, this was hardly unexpected—just routine.

“Mountains and rivers are formed by nature; Lü City thrives on its scholarly atmosphere. To judge Lü City by its wealth alone, Duke Jin, is that not rather shallow?” Xiang Ning, still annoyed with Fan Li, seized the opportunity to retort.

Fan Li was unruffled by her remark. “Your Majesty ought to read more,” he replied, continuing before Xiang Ning could flare up.

“The Lü family’s ancestor, the first Marquis of Literary Virtue, was among the wealthiest men of his era, his fortune surpassing even that of many feudal lords. After the previous dynasty’s fall, the Lü family migrated here and founded the city. Lü City took a century to complete, yet during that time, no nation ever attacked it. Do you know why?”

Xiang Ning was puzzled. She was never fond of reading, especially not history, so she was ignorant of Lü City’s origins. Embarrassed, she shook her head; Fan Li refrained from mocking her.

“Lü City was once a barren land. The soil was poor, the mountains desolate, the waters depleted. All the feudal lords abandoned it, deeming even the stationing of a single soldier a waste,” he explained.

“That’s impossible!” Xiang Ning immediately protested. “I observe Lü City’s landscape: within a hundred miles, it’s a land of abundance, fit for farming, settling the people, and raising troops. The mountains, I’ve heard, are rich with rare herbs, regularly harvested for precious medicinal plants. Half the herbs needed for alchemy by cultivators across the realm come from these mountains.”

She finished, looking at Fan Li triumphantly, as if to say, See, I am not so ignorant after all.

Fan Li nodded, then shook his head. This young lady dared to compete with him in knowledge? Though he was a traveler from another world, the original Fan Li was a true scholar, versed in all the classics, histories, and treatises.

“In its early days, Lü City was indeed barren. The Lü ancestor chose this place precisely because it had been abandoned by all, allowing them peace to build. They employed a million laborers to clear thousands of acres of land. On the barren mountains, the Lü family hired cultivators to plant and nurture rare herbs, establishing a rule that nothing would be harvested for a thousand years. Eventually, the desolate hills became treasure troves full of spiritual roots and exotic plants.

“As for the city’s construction, its standards were modeled after the capital of the previous dynasty. The cost to build the main city alone was, in those times of divided feudal states, enough to found a whole new nation.

“Once the main city was finished, the first city lord immediately began teaching. With the family’s classic, ‘The Lü Spring and Autumn,’ scholars who came to study advanced in cultivating righteous energy at many times the rate of ordinary Confucian cultivators.

“Gradually, scholars from across the realm flocked to Lü City. After several centuries, nearly every Confucian cultivator had studied ‘The Lü Spring and Autumn,’ making the Marquis of Literary Virtue a teacher to all, and Lü City a center of scholarly brilliance.”

Fan Li’s detailed explanation left Xiang Ning utterly astonished, her eyes wide with wonder.

Seeing her eager curiosity, Fan Li decided to further display his erudition. “I have also heard that ‘The Lü Spring and Autumn’ was not written solely by the Lü ancestor, but composed by inviting the greatest scholars of the age, all paid with vast sums of wealth, to contribute to its writing.

“So, both Lü City and ‘The Lü Spring and Autumn’ were built upon wealth.”

Xiang Ning couldn’t help but ask, “Where did the Lü family get so much money?”

She had quite forgotten her earlier mockery of Fan Li’s obsession with money.

Fan Li smiled, “Accumulated over thousands of years, the foremost family in the world is hardly built on sand. The cost to build Lü City was, I hear, less than a tenth of their family fortune.

“And I’ve heard that compiling ‘The Lü Spring and Autumn’ cost even more than building Lü City itself.”

Xiang Ning’s mouth hung open for a long moment, unable to utter a word. For cultivators, worldly wealth may seem of little value, but if one amasses enough, even the most aloof masters might be compelled to bow.

Xiang Ning was thoroughly convinced. So, money truly could buy anything? As the empress who ruled over all of Great Chu’s wealth, she now felt like a country bumpkin compared to the Lü family.

Having spoken enough about wealth, Fan Li turned to culture.

“There’s a saying: Of all the talent in the world, Lü City claims eight-tenths; Chu, Han, and Ming share one-tenth; the hidden scholars of the world take the last tenth.

“Our visit to Lü City will let us witness the grace of the contemporary Marquis of Literary Virtue.”

Xiang Ning felt nervous now. She asked uneasily, “I… I have not read much. If the Marquis of Literary Virtue tests my literary skill, I hope Duke Jin will help me.”

Fan Li nodded, “Of course. Even if the Marquis of Literary Virtue were to speak above all, he is but a marquis; by what right can he test the emperor?”

Wow!

Xiang Ning was deeply moved, her impression of Fan Li rising several levels in quick succession.

Suddenly, there was a report from the front.

“Five miles from Lü City, the Han emperor’s procession has arrived. The Han emperor has sent envoys to ask if Your Majesty would like to enter Lü City together with him.”

Xiang Ning dared not decide alone; she glanced at Fan Li, who nodded imperceptibly.

“Reform the ranks. Approach the Han emperor’s procession and enter the city together,” Xiang Ning ordered.

…

Lü City, Marquis of Literary Virtue’s residence.

The grand main hall of the marquis’s estate was as opulent and spacious as any palace. All servants and guards had withdrawn, leaving only two men of similar age, appearing to be in their fifties, standing face to face.

One wore a bright yellow dragon robe, his square face and broad forehead exuding noble authority. The other, hair bound with a scholar’s headband and dressed in Confucian robes, radiated scholarly grace.

The scholar bowed respectfully. “Your Majesty’s invitation is a great honor for Lü Spring and Autumn. However, I have yet to meet the emperors of Chu and Han…”

The Emperor Jiajing smiled gently, yet retained the dignified air of a superior. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he spoke slowly, “Does the Marquis of Literary Virtue imagine that I am a commodity for others to choose at will?”