Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

The atmosphere above the court hall was solemn.

The Emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, his gaze sweeping majestically over the courtiers. He spoke slowly, "My Lords, the road leading to the capital has been completed. This is a blessing for the nation. However, the matter of the city wall is urgent and requires immediate discussion."

Cheng Yaojin stepped out, clasped his fists, and said, "Your Majesty, building the city wall is a major undertaking. It will require a great deal of manpower and resources, and it must be extremely strong to withstand external enemies. However, this project is enormous. I wonder what your Majesty's plans are?"

Lord Zhang also stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that building the city wall cannot be rushed and requires long-term planning. If this wall is to be built firmly, it will take a long time and construction should be started simultaneously in all parts of the city."

Lord Qin nodded in agreement. "Your Majesty, now that there's no fighting, it's a good time to rebuild the city wall. You can have local officials organize the laborers and build according to a unified plan. At the same time, you need to assign dedicated personnel to oversee the work to ensure quality."

The Emperor nodded slightly. "I share this sentiment. This city wall is crucial to the safety of our dynasty, and must be built as impregnable as a fortress. Pass on my decree; all localities must immediately prepare for the construction of the city wall. Cheng Yaojin, I appoint you as the military supervisor, responsible for inspecting the construction work in all locations. There must be no mistakes."

Cheng Yaojin accepted the order: "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will live up to your expectations and ensure the smooth construction of the city wall. If anyone cuts corners, I will not forgive them."

Lord Zhang continued, "Your Majesty, the materials used to build the city wall must also be strictly controlled. The stone, wood, clay, etc. must all be of the highest quality."

Lord Qin added, "Your Majesty, we must also consider the differences in terrain. The construction methods for city walls near mountains and rivers must be adapted to local conditions."

The Emperor stood up, his expression firm. "You are all right. I urge you to work together to build an impenetrable barrier for our dynasty. Once the wall is completed, our people can live and work in peace, without fear of foreign enemies. This matter concerns the fate of our nation, and we must not slack off in the slightest."

All the ministers shouted in unison: "Your Majesty is wise and wise. We will do our utmost."

Zuixianlou

While eating and drinking, the diners enthusiastically discussed the Tang Dynasty's plan to build the city wall.

"Have you heard? The court is going to build the city wall. This is a huge project." A diner put down his wine glass and said.

"Yes, it seems that the court wants to add another guarantee for our peaceful life. How much money will this cost?" another diner sighed.

Similar discussions were also heard in other teahouses.

"Repairing the city wall will require a lot of manpower and a large supply of materials. I'm afraid our city will be bustling for a while." An old man said, stroking his beard.

Yu Yu's family also talked about this in the backyard of Zuixianlou.

Xiaoyu said, "The imperial court's construction of the city wall might also have an impact on our business. With more workers, there might be a greater demand for things like our mirrors and soaps."

Yuyu smiled and said, "Mom, you're really thoughtful. But if the project requires it, we can also try to provide some items within our capabilities."

Yuyu nodded: "Yes, once the city wall is repaired, we can do business more safely."

Cheng Yaojin sat on a chair in Li Jing's house, took a swig of tea, and then wiped his mouth and said, "Brother Li, this time the city wall repair is really a troublesome matter. Just where to start, everyone is arguing."

Li Jing frowned slightly, stroked his beard, and said slowly, "Yes, this matter is of great importance. Some people advocate building it from Chang'an to the border, while others believe it should be built from the border to Chang'an. Each has his own reasons."

Cheng Yaojin slapped his thigh and said, "Hmph, those who advocate starting from Chang'an are shortsighted. Let's start from the border and build the defense line one by one. This is the correct way."

"What's the point of building this wall if the border is unstable? Let's stabilize the border first. If an external enemy comes, we can hold them off first and give us time to prepare."

Li Jing nodded in agreement. "Brother Cheng is absolutely right. If we start from the border, each point will become a line of defense, layer by layer, ensuring the safety of Chang'an. If we build from Chang'an outward, the people and soldiers along the border will be in danger. Moreover, if the border is not protected by city walls, the enemy can advance straight in once they break through."

Cheng Yaojin stood up and paced back and forth in the room. "That's the logic. Let's first build the border into an iron wall, so that those foreign enemies will know how powerful we are and won't dare to attack easily. This will also ensure the transportation of supplies from all over the country. Then we can gradually build towards Chang'an and gradually strengthen the defense line."

Li Jing also stood up, his eyes determined. "Yes, we must finalize this plan as soon as possible and inform His Majesty. The construction of this city wall is the lifeline of our dynasty, and we cannot make any mistakes."

Cheng Yaojin laughed heartily and said, "Haha, Brother Li, with our support, this plan to build a wall from the border to Chang'an will be successfully implemented and will surely build an indestructible Great Wall for our dynasty."

Cheng Yaojin laughed broadly, his voice as resounding as a bell. "Hahaha, Brother Li, but building the city wall is not something that can be done overnight. I'm afraid it will take many years."

Li Jing's eyes gleamed, his expression firm. "That's all right, Brother Cheng. Once this wall is completed, it will be the iron fortress of the Tang Dynasty. Every brick and stone will be a guard protecting the Tang Dynasty, and every line of defense will deter foreign enemies."

"When the city wall is built all the way from the border to Chang'an, forming a continuous wall, that will be the greatest and most prosperous era of our Great Tang. By then, the people will live and work in peace and contentment, merchants and travelers will travel freely, our Great Tang's prestige will spread far and wide, our borders will be secure, and there will be no more worries about war."

Cheng Yaojin nodded vigorously, his face full of pride. "That's right! Brother Li, we must keep a close eye on this project and not let anything go wrong. Once it's completed, the Tang Dynasty will surely last for thousands of years, and we will have made an unparalleled contribution to His Majesty and the people!"

Li Jing smiled and gazed into the distance, as if he could already see the magnificent and solid city walls standing tall on the territory of the Tang Dynasty. "Brother Cheng, this is a great cause that will benefit this generation and future generations. You and I should devote all our efforts to it."

In the backyard of Zuixianlou, Yuyu tugged at Xiaoyu's sleeve, blinking her big eyes: "Mom, where do you think the city wall will start to be built? Everyone is discussing it."

Xiaoyu smiled and patted her head: "Mother doesn't know about this. This is a major event of the court. How can we guess it?"

At this time, Li Hao said, "The Emperor and the ministers and generals will make their own arrangements. However, no matter where we start the construction, it will be a major project and will undoubtedly take a considerable amount of time and effort."

Yuyu tilted her head and thought for a moment: "If we start from the border, the people living there will probably be very happy."

Li Hao: "Let's not worry. The construction of this city wall will be a good thing for our Tang Dynasty. From now on, we can do business more safely without having to worry about war."

Yuyu's eyes lit up: "Yes, yes, yes"