The Number One City Under Heaven  

Lü City was nestled in the mountains and waters, with beautiful scenery. Especially here where literature prospered, it was the holy land for talented scholars under heaven to seek learning!

Although Xiang Ning was honored as the Great Chu Son of Heaven, this was the first time she had left the borders of Chu State.

At this moment, in the distance the imperial procession could already see the city gate of Lü City, and Xiang Ning was extremely excited.

"What fine mountains, waters and city!" Xiang Ning couldn't help but exclaim in praise. But her voice had just fallen when she heard a familiar voice by her ear.

"While the mountains, waters and city are all spectacular, such splendor was all piled up by money."

Xiang Ning's good mood plummeted swiftly. She took a look at the man by her side, Fan Li. He actually dared to ride in her imperial palanquin without her permission as the esteemed Son of Heaven!

Fan Li naturally didn't care what mood Xiang Ning was in. The imperial procession had traveled thousands of miles, could he really endure the hardships of traveling?

With Fan Li's current status and position, he absolutely didn't need to wrong himself like that.

The emperor's imperial palanquin was exceptionally comfortable. Of course, Fan Li could also pay from his own pockets, using the Fan clan's tremendous wealth to build an even more comfortable carriage.

It was just that time was a bit tight. Fan Li only thought about it briefly before giving up the idea. What was the harm in hitching a ride on Xiang Ning's imperial palanquin? As Great Chu's foremost influential minister, this was basic practice, nothing major.

"Mountains and waters are formed by heaven and earth. Lü City prospered because of its literary grace. Does Duke Jin not feel that he is too shallow, only using vulgar money to appraise Lü City?"

Xiang Ning already harbored displeasure towards Fan Li. She immediately seized the opportunity to mock him with words.

Upon hearing this, Fan Li was not angry at all. "Your Majesty still needs to read more books."

Without even waiting for Xiang Ning to get angry, he continued explaining, "The Lü clan's first generation ancestor, the first generation Marquis Wenxin, was the wealthiest tycoon of that time. His wealth even greatly surpassed that of the average independent states.

Ever since the fall of the previous dynasty, the Lü clan moved here and founded a city. Constructing Lü City took a hundred years to fully complete. And during this period, none of the states under heaven attacked this city. Does Your Majesty know what the reason was?"

Xiang Ning listened with confusion. She didn't like reading, especially history books. How would she know about Lü City's origins?

Xiang Ning embarrassingly shook her head. Fan Li also didn't ridicule her. "In the early years, the land here was actually barren wasteland. The soil was poor, the mountains were depleted and water was scarce. The regional warlords under heaven tossed it aside like worn straw sandals, not even willing to garrison a single soldier here because that would be seen as wasteful."

"Impossible!" Xiang Ning immediately retorted.

"We observed that within a hundred square li of Lü City, it can be called lands flowing with milk and honey, sufficient to farm the land, store grain and raise troops.

We also heard that precious medicinal herbs can be regularly harvested from Lü City's mountains. Currently, half the rare herbs needed by cultivators under heaven for pill refinement come from the mountain ranges around Lü City."

After Xiang Ning finished speaking, she looked at Fan Li proudly and triumphantly, as if her eyes were saying she did have some learning.

Fan Li nodded, then shook his head. How could this little girl actually compete with him in knowledge?

Although he was a transmigrator, the original Fan Li truly was an exceptional scholar, extensively reading the classics on economics, history, philosophy and literature of this age.

Fan Li said, "In Lü City's early years, it really was desolate wasteland. But the reason why the Lü clan's founder chose this place to build his city was precisely because he valued this point. Since it was discarded by the regional warlords under heaven, the Lü clan could be at ease when establishing their city.

The Lü clan relocated countless laborers to develop the land. Tens of thousands of acres of fertile farmland were reclaimed.

Barren mountains were personally cultivated by cultivators hired by the Lü clan. They established laws restricting gathering herbs or wood for a thousand years, finally transforming those barren hills into treasure troves filled with rare spiritual herbs and magical plants.

As for constructing Lü City, its standards completely mimicked the previous dynasty's capital. Just the costs of building the main city back then was enough to fund the founding of another independent state for the regional warlords under heaven!

Right after the main city was built, the first lord of the city immediately began lecturing.

Relying on the Lü clan's hereditary classic [Annals of Lü Buwei], students coming to the Lü clan to study found their speed of cultivation on scholarly qi was several times that of ordinary Confucian and Taoist cultivators.

Gradually, countless Confucian and Taoist scholars were drawn by fame to Lü City seeking learning.

Then a few hundred years later, practically all the Confucian and Taoist cultivators under heaven had studied the [Annals of Lü Buwei]. The Lord Wenxin of the Lü clan thus became the teacher of scholars and Lü City prospered because of its literary grace!"

After Fan Li's detailed explanation, Xiang Ning was already left gaping speechlessly.

Seeing her appearance of wanting to hear more, Fan Li also felt like showing off so this girl could witness his profound knowledge. Thus he continued speaking.

"I also heard that the [Annals of Lü Buwei] wasn't actually written by the Lü clan's founder. Instead, the Lü clan's founder spent tremendous wealth inviting all the famous scholars of that time to jointly compose this book. 

Therefore, Lü City and the [Annals of Lü Buwei] were both things piled up by money."

Xiang Ning couldn't resist asking, "Where did the Lü clan obtain so much money?"

She had completely forgotten that just earlier, she was the one mocking Fan Li for having a money-grubbing mouth.

Fan Li laughed. "The number one clan under heaven for thousands of years, could their accumulated wealth be inflated? I heard the costs of constructing Lü City was merely less than a tenth of the Lü clan's savings.

Furthermore, I also heard the expenditures for compiling the [Annals of Lü Buwei] back then even exceeded the costs of building Lü City."

Xiang Ning's little mouth fell wide open, rendered speechless for a good while. For cultivators, wealth of the mundane world wasn't worth much?

Superficially, it seemed that way. But if wealth accumulated to a truly horrifying degree, even aloof and transcendent cultivators at high levels would probably still lower their heads eventually!

Xiang Ning thoroughly conceded. So it turned out that money really could let you do as you pleased?

Compared to the Lü clan, she was like an uncultured country bumpkin, despite being the wealthy female emperor of magnificent Great Chu!

After Fan Li said enough about money, he also began talking about culture.

"There's a common saying: All the talent under heaven totals but a peck. Lü City alone accounts for eight dou. The courts of Chu, Han and Ming together take up one dou. The rest of the one dou is split between reclusive talents of Jianghu."

"This trip to Lü City will allow us to witness the style of today's Lord Wenxin."

Xiang Ning already felt very awkward. Lacking in confidence, she asked, "I... don't read extensively. If Lord Wenxin wants to examine Our literary talent, I still ask that Duke Jin aid me."

Fan Li nodded. "Naturally. Since when could a mere marquis interrogate the Son of Heaven?"

Wow!

Upon hearing this, Xiang Ning was extremely moved. Her favorable impression of Fan Li rapidly rose up several levels!

Suddenly, there was someone reporting from the front. "Five li from the city gates, the Han emperor's procession is here. The Han emperor sent messengers asking if Your Majesty would be willing to enter Lü City together with him."

Xiang Ning didn't dare decide on her own and looked towards Fan Li. The latter subtly nodded.

"Neaten up the marching formation and head towards the Han emperor's procession. Enter the city side by side." Xiang Ning immediately relayed the order.

***

Lü City, Marquis Wenxin Estate

The spacious main hall of the massive estate was as luxurious and broad as a palace hall.

All the servants and guards had withdrawn, leaving only two middle-aged men appearing around fifty years old standing there facing each other.

One of them wore splendid golden dragon robes, with a square face and dignified, august bearing. The other had his hair in a scholar's head wrap. Dressed in Confucian robes, he exuded literary grace.

The Confucian scholar bowed with hands clasped and said, "Your Majesty's summons greatly honors this Lü Chunqiu. However, I have yet to meet the emperors of Chu and Han..."

Emperor Jiajing had a faint smile, yet still gave off a condescending aura of one in high position.

His eyes flashed with icy coldness as he slowly said, "The Lü clan cannot remain perpetually neutral. Lord Wenxin will eventually need a backer. But does the marquis believe that We are merchandise to be casually chosen at will?"