Travel · Imperial Capital Arc (Twenty-Five): A Trip to the Great Wall (Part One)

The Great Wall, stretching from Shanhai Pass in the east to Jiayu Pass in the west, is over 12,000 li long and is a symbol of Dragon Country cultural identity and national spirit.

The saying "He who has not climbed the Great Wall is no true man" refers to this wall, built brick by brick, nestled among towering mountains.

Feeling this was a rare opportunity, Xiao picked a good time to take the group of girls on a trip, hoping to add a touch of brilliance to their soon-to-end trip to the Imperial Capital.

However, not everyone was excited about this trip to the Great Wall.

"It's so hot... I feel like I'm going to get dried out..."

Even with the double protection of a sun hat and a parasol, Dania, who was walking in front, still felt like she was being baked dry.

"Ha... if I had known it would be this hot today, I should have brought a fan..." she couldn't help but grumble to herself.

Seemingly sensing Dania's dissatisfaction with the sun, General Wind immediately took action, sending a strong gust of wind straight towards her face, nearly blowing her sun hat and parasol away.

"Wow, the wind is suddenly so strong!" Dania was almost blown away by the wind. She quickly pressed down on the brim of her hat and held the parasol tightly in her hand.

Perhaps her complaints had an effect, for the originally strong wind suddenly became gentle, lightly brushing her cheeks and relieving her of the summer heat.

"Hey Cart, even if Dania feels hot, you can't just turn the fan on to the highest setting right away, can you?" Hajiling, who already knew everything, said helplessly to the person who caused this unexpected incident.

"Hehe, sorry, Righteous One, I didn't control my strength well," Cartethyia said with a grin. "But I was just worried that Little Dania would get heatstroke."

"So, Little Dania, are you feeling better now?"

"Ha... at least it's not as hot as before, thank you Cart." Dania breathed a sigh of relief as if she had been saved, and then expressed her sincere gratitude to her savior.

In stark contrast to this is...

"Wow, that's amazing... I've seen the Great Wall in a documentary before, but the real thing is even more spectacular than I imagined!" Aemeath exclaimed excitedly, pulling Xiao Ling along like a curious child as she bombarded him with questions, "A-Yu, A-Yu! Is it really 12,000 li long? How was it built? And also, if I really just walk all the way along the Great Wall, can I reach other provinces?!"

"First of all, the Great Wall 12,000 li is recorded in historical books and has official authority, so that's its actual length. It starts from Shanhai Pass in the east and ends at Jiayu Pass in the west. These two places are in Yan and Zhao provinces and Longyuan, respectively. Theoretically, you could walk along the Great Wall to other provinces, but I don't recommend it. First, it's time-consuming; second, it's strenuous; and finally, some terrains don't support it. Last time, when a group of people came to investigate in person, it took them 508 days." Xiao Ling earnestly explained to the curious Little Ai.

"As for how it was built..." Xiao Ling pondered for a moment before continuing, "That story begins in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods..."

"So, the concept of the ' Ten-Thousand-Li Great Wall ' was already established more than two thousand years ago?" Jinhsi's tone couldn't hide her astonishment. "That's truly amazing..."

"That's true, but everything has two sides," Xiao Ling explained calmly. "The Great Wall was indeed a defensive fortification built to meet the idea of 'keeping enemies outside the country's borders,' but unfortunately, the Qin Dynasty, which was the first to build the Ten-Thousand-Li Great Wall, also exhausted a large part of its national strength for it. The popular story of ' Meng Jiangnü crying at the Great Wall ' is precisely to condemn the Qin Dynasty rulers for their extravagant construction projects and neglect of the people's livelihood."

"But from another perspective, the Great Wall has also fulfilled its mission very well." Heartfox stroked the bricks and tiles of the Great Wall and said with a sense of reflection, "Without this wall stretching for thousands of miles, I'm afraid the Xiongnu would continue to invade southward. Even if we could repel them once or twice, it would be a drop in the ocean, and the ordinary people would be full of complaints."

"Speaking of which, Sister Fox Fairy, as a senior civil engineer, if you were to replicate the Great Wall like this, would you do a better job than the First Emperor?" Xiao Ling asked, her imagination running wild.

"I can't do it," Heartfox said firmly, shaking her head.

"What an unexpected answer! I thought you'd confidently say it's a piece of cake."

"That only shows that you, the Charioteer, don't fully understand this architectural marvel," Heartfox retorted calmly. "The Great Wall is the Great Wall not because of how many bricks and tiles it used, or how long it is, but because every inch and every foot of it embodies human effort, sweat, and wisdom. In other words, it is a masterpiece of humankind. How could I, the Sentinel, possibly replicate it with a flick of my wrist?"

Then, she changed the subject and explained her considerations, "But if I had actually been there, the first thing I would have done was to minimize the manpower required. Aren't mechanical puppets a great tool to replace human labor? In this way, the social problems caused by the overburdening of the people would be easily solved."

"The First Emperor would probably bestow upon you the title of 'God of Works.' If your mechs could be mass-produced and deployed on the battlefield, I wouldn't have to worry about those damned English words anymore," Xiao Ling flattered smoothly.

"Miss Xin is right. However, it is precisely because every brick and tile of it was built by human hands that it has become a symbol of resilience and perseverance in the eyes of the people," Jinhsi said calmly, expressing her opinion.

Looking at the composed demeanor of the Prime Minister in her presence, Heartfox immediately revealed a knowing smile.

"Let's stop this discussion about history here. Don't forget we're here to have fun." Xiao Ling clapped her hands twice to bring the history exchange to a halt. "Now's the perfect time, why don't you all take a group photo?"

"Yay, let's take a group photo!" Aemeath excitedly dragged the bewildered Heartfox and Jinhsi to the city wall. "Hey, you two, don't just stand there! Shouldn't you strike a nice pose for the photo?"

Heartfox and Jinhsi looked at this rather outgoing girl, exchanged a glance, and then gave each other a helpless smile.

"Alright, you three beauties, look at the camera!" Xiao Ling held up her phone, adjusting the trio's positions and expressions while finding the right angle.

Aemeath is a natural model; she looks great in photos no matter how they're shot, so he focused his attention on Heartfox and Jinhsi.

"Fox Fairy Sister, it's okay if you get a little closer. There's almost a fist's distance between you and the two of them."

"Xixi, your expression is a bit stiff. Try to be more natural. It's just a group photo."

After adjusting for a moment, Xiao Ling finally found the best shooting angle and then said, "The three of you, I'm ready to take the picture."

"Okay, three, two!"

"Eggplant!"