A Sudden Look Back

Having seen the splendor of modern metropolises, it was hard to marvel at a large city from an era of lower productivity.

Yet Zhang Xuezhou was still awed by Chang'an City.

There was so much ingenious craftsmanship in the city.

It was a vast city built entirely by human labor, and every part of it bore the mark of a craftsman's care.

That even included the walls built of mud bricks and bluestone. All manner of figures, carriages, horses, and writing had been carved into them, as though they were telling stories.

The thick walls enclosed the entire city, putting its people's hearts at ease.

In Chang'an City, streams of people moved to and fro like ants moving house, at least dozens of times more numerous than in Hibiscus City.

It was an astonishing number.

This was the first time Zhang Xuezhou had seen so many people in this world.

The endless streams of people also made security at Chang'an City's gate tower look formidable. More than a hundred guards were checking travel tallies.

When Zhang Qian mentioned that Chang'an City had twelve gates and the one they were passing through was just one of them, Zhang Xuezhou could not help expressing his thoughts.

"Our Great Han Dynasty is so prosperous, and our supplies keep coming without end. Given time, Xiong State will surely struggle to hold out!"

"Fighting a war doesn't depend entirely on supplies!"

Zhang Qian forced a smile as he replied.

He presented their travel tally, but the guards checking it gave them no directions.

Under normal procedures, he had sent a carrier pigeon ahead, and no matter how busy the governor of the capital was, he would have made arrangements in advance.

Instead, they were now being left to enter Chang'an City and handle their business