Chapter 457 - Developed Ye (1/2)
Chapter 457 – Developed Ye
Zhang He and everyone returned to Xiangyang a few days later, along with the extra men. Upon returning to Xiangyang, Huang Gai, Han Dang, Cheng Pu, Zhang Zhao, Zhang Hong, and 2,000 mercenaries left the city by disguising as merchants, traveling via Henei-Xiangyang trade route.
Huang Zu caught wind about the escape a day later during a morning assembly. After a thorough investigation, he got so angry to the point that he punched his subordinates.
”Useless bastards! How did you allow them to leave!?”
”W-We didn't! We guarded the resident, but we didn't see anyone left the buildings!”
”THEN HOW THE FUCK DID THEY LEAVE!?”
”I-I don't know!”
*POEK*
Huang Zu punched his soldier again, knocking him out cold.
He turned to the other subordinates, ”Dispatch a messenger! Send them to Jianye and inform Sun Ce that his family ran away!”
Because of the panicked, Huang Zu's voice was so loud that all officials in the assembly hall could hear it. They questioned Huang Zu's relation with Sun Ce's forces and whispered among themselves.
Then, one of them stepped forward.
”My lord, what is your connection with Sun Ce? Why do we have to inform them about the Sun Clan's movements?”
This was what everyone wanted to know. They looked at Huang Zu in doubt.
”Moron! They are our friendly neighbors! If we don't inform them now, what will happen if Wu Guotai or Sun Quan's dead body is found in our territory!? Do you want to instigate a war between our lord Liu Biao and the Sun Clan!? GO AND TELL THEM THAT THEY HAVE ESCAPED FROM THIS CITY, NOW!!”
It was a prepared excuse for this scenario in the case that he messed up. Huang Zu used it to cover his deep mole status.
The officials in the room believed in Huang Zu. They followed his instructions and dispatched a messenger to Sun Ce. Unfortunately, their action was unnecessary as Sun Ce had already learned about it via Zhu Zhi.
.
.
A month later,
On the outskirt of Ye City, the surroundings had transformed from empty lots into trading hubs, which was filled with stores, warehouses, inns, and stables of merchants.
Farmlands were also affected as Te Langpu converted the farms into commercial districts. Stone roads separated buildings into blocks while wooden buildings faced the streets, which was similar to a city arrangement of a metropolitan city in the modern world.
There were downsides on this arrangement as trees and greeneries became scarce, and it might suffocate a portion of local citizens. Fortunately, there was nothing that could create air pollution aside from bonfires.
A hundred meters away from the main road, a man-made canal with almost 200 meters wide directed flesh water from nearby rivers to Ye City and its surroundings, giving citizens a new source of water instead of gathering it from a well.
Rowboats carrying vegetables, fruits, and goods traveled along the transparent river. Some had a hard time traveling upstream, but they did not complain as it was their choice. Besides, rowing boats upstream was still more comfortable than going on the main road as too many merchant caravans occupied the road space. Traffic jams were frequent in most intersections.
People were like ants, squeezing through the crowd to move around. Some stood still and bartered with local vendors, becoming obstacles for the roadsides.
Averagely, 2 people filled one square meter on the main road, which was 20 meters wide.
*Piii*
A garrison soldier, Ye City's police officer, blew a wooden whistle as he waved his hands.
”Please stop and let the wagons go first! Watch the signboards!”
He pointed at another officer, who was waving a red flag, telling the crowd not to cross the main road at the moment.
The pedestrians stopped and watched the wooden wagons of a merchant company went by. After all of them crossed the intersection, the flag officer put down his red flag and waved a green flag.
*PiiPiiPii*
The whistle policeman waved his hands again.
”All wagons, stop and let the people cross the road! Watch the flag color!”
The wave of pedestrians moved along with the officer's signs. As citizens moved around on the outskirt of Ye City, they ran into this set of policemen controlling the traffic on every intersection.
.
Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Cheng Pu watched the chaotic outskirt with a bright smile.
”Ah, we're finally back,” Huang Gai heaved a sigh of relief and laughed.
”I think the town has expanded again. Last time we were here, the road wasn't this packed.”
”Right. See the canal? The water level wasn't this high, and that bridge wasn't even there. They must have constructed it recently,” Han Dang pointed at a stone bridge, which formed another road, leading to the other side of the long canal. On the opposite side of the river, lines of wooden buildings could be seen.
Zhang Zhao, Zhang Hong, and the 2,000 private soldiers gawked at the scene as they had never seen as a buzzing city before. Moreover, they had not seen Ye City wall yet!
”Is this Ye City? Where are the city walls? Have we passed through the city gate?”
Huang Gai laughed again, ”The gate should be further away. We need two or three more days of traveling if we're going there via the merchant road or one day by the river. Well, we are soldiers, and we have the emperor's token. We can use the army road.”
”Army road?”
”A road specially made for armies. They blocked all civilians from using it since it's for government's usage.”
”Oh!”
Huang Gai led them through the crowd and reached another side of the district, west of the merchant hub district. Upon getting out of the zone, they were greeted with another wide stone road, but they were no one using it but patrolling police horsemen.
When the policemen noticed Huang Gai and others, they rode toward the crews.
”This road is reserved for military usage! Please go back and use the merchant route!”
Huang Gai fished out a golden token with Tong's name on it.