Chang'an City

Looking into the distance, the gray-black city wall stretches out as far as the eye can see, and at a rough estimate, it is probably more than ten miles long.

As the carriages drew closer, their imposing presence became even more striking: the wall was over three zhang high, its lower half constructed of whole blocks of bluestone laid in a staggered pattern, while the upper half was entirely made of polished, perfectly smooth, gray-blue bricks, the joints fine and tight, exuding a heavy and solemn aura. The city gate tower rose abruptly from the ground, with upturned eaves and layered brackets, far more magnificent than the city gate of Yuxi Prefecture.

As Shen Jingchuan sat in the car gazing at the wall, he couldn't help but admire it. In his previous life, he had seen many ancient city walls that had survived to this day, but the Chang'an City before him was superior in terms of height, orderliness, and overall majestic presence.

People and carriages came and went at the city gate. Merchants carrying loads, caravans on their way, and scholars with swords and flowing robes crowded together, yet maintained an orderly pace.

Armored soldiers with spears stood on both sides of the city gate, checking each travel document one by one. Their expressions were serious, and they checked very carefully, but there was not a trace of harassment in their words.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner.

Lin Yue, mounted on his horse, looked at the crowd and laughed:

"The Mid-Autumn Poetry Gathering in Chang'an City attracts not only literati from all the prefectures and cities of the Great Qian Dynasty, but also scholars from several neighboring countries. No wonder the city gates are so heavily guarded."

As they lined up to enter the city, Shen Jingchuan's four-wheeled carriage became the focus of everyone's attention. In Great Qian, everyone had only ever seen two-wheeled vehicles; no one had ever seen a four-wheeled one before. The people on the roadside gathered together and whispered, "With four wheels, wouldn't it be difficult to turn?" But when they saw the carriage running smoothly and effortlessly, they were all amazed.

The guards were also curious when they checked the documents. After asking them, they deliberately opened the car door and went up to take a look. They were stunned to see that the inside of the car was spacious and bright.

Passersby, seeing that the carriage was with the Zhenyuan Escort Agency, guessed that a wealthy family or an official was inside.

But after the soldiers checked the travel permit, they found that none of the people in the carriage were dignitaries or important figures. They wondered if this was a new-style carriage being sent to a high-ranking official in the city. Regardless of their doubts, they did not make things difficult for them and, after verifying the information, let them into the city.

Once the group entered Chang'an City, they split up. Lin Shan and Lin Yue led a group of bodyguards and porters to the merchant's residence to hand over the goods, while Shen Jingchuan took Lin Qingyao and Xiao Yue'er and headed straight for the Yuelai Inn, where the Lin Household always stayed when they came to Chang'an.

This inn is located in a quiet alley on the outskirts of the city. The location is not particularly bustling, but it has the advantage of a clean courtyard and low cost. It is already August 13th, and the Mid-Autumn Festival is just two days away. The prices of inns in the city are soaring. Their group is large, and if they were to look for rooms in the bustling city, the cost would be too high. In previous years, they have always chosen to stay here when traveling to Chang'an.

The innkeeper was acquainted with the Lin Household, and upon seeing them arrive, he familiarly arranged for them to stay in the spacious courtyard they always rented.

Shen Jingchuan found the compound too crowded and noisy, so he paid extra to rent a separate courtyard next door. He was well-off and didn't mind paying the rent.

The courtyard was surrounded by intact walls and had a spacious open area, just enough to house the specially made four-wheeled carriage; his attendant Liu Hu moved it directly to the stables outside the courtyard to stand guard and look after the horses.

After settling in, Lin Qingyao and Yue'er were chatting with Shen Jingchuan under the eaves of the courtyard when a commotion suddenly broke out outside the gate. Lin Shan and Lin Yue had finished handing over the goods and returned with a group of bodyguards. The courtyard instantly became lively as everyone settled down to rest.

As the sky turned dark, brothers Lin Shan and Lin Yue came looking for them. The delivery of the escorts was complete, and all the escorts were on leave. Lin Shan came in and invited with a smile:

"Young Master Shen, it's a rare treat to come all the way to Chang'an. Since you have nothing planned for tonight, how about we go out and stroll through the night market?"

Lin Qingyao and Yue'er were tidying up their things under the eaves when they heard this and looked up. Shen Jingchuan had been planning to check out the city of Chang'an anyway, so he immediately agreed. After they finished packing, they left the inn with only Yue'er by their side.

Turning out of the quiet alley and onto the main street, you are immediately greeted by a bustling scene of lights.

The main street of Yuxi Prefecture was already considered grand for the prefectural city, but compared to the main street of Chang'an, it was almost twice as wide.

The bluestone pavement was worn smooth, and the shops on both sides were packed tightly together. Silk shops, pawnshops, teahouses, restaurants, and general stores were one after another, and the signs were brightly illuminated by the horn lanterns under the eaves.

The streets were bustling with people, some young men in fine clothes strolling with their servants, some swordsmen walking in pairs, and some merchants and scholars speaking in various dialects. The sounds of people, vendors, and carriages mingled together, creating a lively yet orderly scene.

As you walk along the road, the lights stretch for miles along the long street, seemingly without end.

"This Chang'an City truly lives up to its reputation as one of the most magnificent cities in the Great Qian Dynasty."

Lin Yue walked ahead, looking around:

"Besides the Capital, this is the most prosperous place. I come here every year, and every year it feels new."

As Shen Jingchuan scanned the area along the way, he had a general idea of the city's scale—its single-sided wall stretched for over ten miles, and its area spanned sixty or seventy miles, rivaling the old city of Beijing in later generations. In terms of thriving commerce and a large influx of people, it was a premier metropolis outside of Capital.

The group strolled around for about half an hour, looking at the treasure shops in the East Market and then wandering around the food stalls in the West Market, their pace gradually slowing down. Lin Shan spoke up at the opportune moment:

"We've been wandering around for quite a while now, it's time we filled our stomachs. I know a long-established restaurant in town whose signature dishes are absolutely amazing. Today, I'll treat you as a way of thanking Young Master Shen the gift of the armor."

Shen Jingchuan smiled and agreed.

Lin Shan, as expected, knew the place well and arrived after turning two corners. The restaurant was three stories high with an impressive facade, a famous establishment in Chang'an City.

He directly requested a private room on the third floor by the window, ordered seven or eight signature dishes, and also ordered two jugs of local famous wine.

This meal cost a little over thirty taels of silver. For an ordinary family, this amount would be enough for a family of three to live comfortably for half a year; converted to purchasing power, it would be roughly equivalent to more than 20,000 yuan in later times, making it an extremely lavish feast.

Lin Shan didn't care at all—that light yet sturdy armor was priceless; what was this meal compared to that?

During the meal, they toasted and chatted about the sights and scenery along the way. As they talked, Lin Qingyao pointed out the window towards the south of the city, where the lights were ablaze, even brighter than elsewhere.

"The Mid-Autumn Festival is just two days away, and the poetry gathering at Jade Autumn Lake of the city will be the most lively place in Chang'an City."

The pavilions and waterside terraces along the shore of Jade Autumn Lake were originally Prince Jing's private garden, called Jade Autumn Garden.

The first Prince Jing was fond of poetry and literature. Every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, he would open the park for one day to hold a Mid-Autumn Poetry Gathering, a tradition that has been passed down for over a hundred years.

Not only do scholars from all the prefectures and counties of the Great Qian Dynasty try their best to attend, but even scholars from several neighboring vassal states will make a special trip to come. If one can compose a good poem that will be widely circulated at the meeting, one can become famous throughout the world in the blink of an eye.

"The entry requirements are quite high," Lin Yue interjected, gnawing on a pork knuckle. "Not just anyone can get in."

Lin Qingyao nodded and explained it to Shen Jingchuan in detail:

"There are three ways to enter the poetry gathering. The first is to have the academic titles of Juren or Jinshi, and you can enter directly with your identity documents; the second is to have a recommendation letter from a respected scholar or famous figure in the literary world; the third is to go to the Poetry Appreciation Terrace at the garden gate and compose a poem or essay on the spot, which will be judged by several respected scholars. If you pass this test, you can also enter the garden. Ordinary people cannot enter, but every year the area outside the garden is packed with people watching the spectacle, making it even more lively than the garden itself."