Seeing how emphatically Lan Tian spoke, Zhang Zhao concluded that so long as Lan Tian did not touch Jiangdong's money and grain, it should not stir up social unrest. He smiled, cupped his hands in salute, and gradually steered the conversation elsewhere.
Before he knew it, Lan Tian had arrived outside Jianye City. Gazing at its ancient, towering walls, he thought, So this is where the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties began. It truly carries an air of solemn majesty.
Zhang Cheng and Zhang Wen represented the officials in welcoming them at the city gates. Zhang Zhao felt immensely gratified to see his son standing before the crowd. After some brief pleasantries, the party entered the city in turn.
The people of Jianye, some acting of their own accord and some under careful organization, greeted the royal army with baskets of food and jugs of drink.
The streets had never been as broad as those of Guangzhou. With so many people suddenly crowding in to watch, the city became congested at once. Yet the Trap-Breaking Army's armor gleamed brightly; the sound of their marching and the killing aura that radiated from them made the watching citizens clear a path from far away.
Lan Tian had seen this sort of scene many times, and the Trap-Breaking Army was more than capable of providing protection, so he was not worried that assassins would appear.
"Prefect, we've arrived." As Zhang Zhao reminded him, Zhang Cheng and Zhang Wen led the group to a halt before the King of Wu's palace.
The officials of Jianye stood in several rows outside the palace gates. One after another, they cupped their hands and greeted Lan Tian on horseback. Lan Tian frowned. "Isn't this rather too grand? Why have we chosen the royal palace for deliberations?"